Incantation

Vircolac – Veneration Review

Vircolac – Veneration Review

“Sometimes a promo one-sheet actually does its job and gets you incredibly curious to hear something. That was the case with Ireland’s unusual death metal act Vircolac. I had no knowledge of them, but the one-sheet made it sound as if I had to hear their sophomore release Veneration or risk missing out on something unique and special. Steel hates missing out on something good as much as the next Viking gorilla so I grabbed it and stashed it in the Jungle Room. The trials and tribulations began soon thereafter.” Faulty venerator.

Phobocosm – Foreordained Review

Phobocosm – Foreordained Review

“Montreal’s mega-heavy death metal merchants Phobocosm have a distinguished track record here at AMG, scoring high marks both times they were featured. It’s been a long time since their last appearance for 2016s Bringer of Drought, which Lord Kronos himself blessed with a righteous 3.5. He appreciated their nods to Incantation and Ulcerate and the no-nonsense way they steamroll and crush the listener with grim atmospheres and a massively heavy sound. Not the most productive of acts, nearly 7 years have creaked by since then, but we’re finally poised to receive third album, Foreordained.” Fear of caverns.

Cruciamentum – Obsidian Refractions Review

Cruciamentum – Obsidian Refractions Review

Cruciamentum may not be especially prolific or productive, having managed only one full-length from 2008 to 2015, but their Charnel Passages debut put them on the map with its massive, monolithically atmospheric caverncore sound. It was the kind of statement album presaging a successful career, but they failed to follow it up in a meaningful way as years drifted by with nary a peep save an EP in 2017. Nearly 8 long years later they finally offer up their sophomore long player, Obsidian Refractions. Crucial momentum.

AGLO – Build Fear Review

AGLO – Build Fear Review

“Aaron Osborne is the mastermind behind AGLO, a Star Trek-themed fusion of death doom and sludge more unnerving than that abomination Tuvix. Will his debut full-length Build Fear be ecstatic fan service like the third season of Star Trek: Picard? Or will it be disappointing and confusing like the first two seasons of Star Trek: Picard?” Spock rocking.

Vastum – Inward to Gethsemane Review

Vastum – Inward to Gethsemane Review

“San Francisco’s Vastum have been an interesting act to follow since they hit the scene in 2011. Employing an especially moist, slimy cavern-core sound owing much to Incantation, Autopsy, and Funebrarum, their savage attack was hard to resist on ace offerings like Patricidal Lust and Hole Below. With current and former members of Hammers of Misfortune, Acephalix, and Ulthar involved, they crafted some unsettling, evil-sounding shit and their writing felt more interesting than the average death output. 2019s Orificial Purge felt like a comedown in quality and inventiveness, though it was still an enjoyable platter of mostly mid-paced death. Now comes Inward to Gethsemane and with it, a hope for a rebound to the vile magic of their earlier days.” Is ugly enough?

Fossilization – Leprous Daylight Review

Fossilization – Leprous Daylight Review

“I’ve been listening to, thinking, and talking about Incantation a lot lately. If I had wanted a palate cleanser after our monumental ranking piece, I could have chosen a better promo than ,b>FossilizationLeprous Daylight. São Paulo’s V and P are no strangers to the AMG gauntlet, making up half of sludge doom outfit Jupiterian, whom we’ve favorably reviewed twice. For this project, the Brazilian duo, like their New Jersey forebearers, make grimy death metal full of searing tremolo riffs, disgustingly guttural vocals, and wretched doom stretches.” Incanting the remains.