Sarcófago

Thrashera – Bastardos da Noite Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on July 24, 2022 in Reviews, Thrash Metal, 14 comments

“For All Drunks ‘n’ Bitches (along with sophomore release, Morte Webbanger) is about as ’80s as it gets—unbridled speed, catchiness, and the filthiest production since Hellhammer. Come 2020, the band upped their game with cleaner production and a smattering of guest appearances from such outfits as Flageladör, Vulcano, and Beyond the Grave. Não Gosto! isn’t exactly a new direction for the band and, honestly, nothing new to the genre. But it’s a tighter, better-structured product than previous releases. Is Não Gosto! but a diamond in the band’s catalog, or will Bastardos da Noite dethrone it?” Bastard of puppets.

Paradise in Flames – Devil’s Collection Review

By Dear Hollow on October 13, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Deathcore, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 11 comments

“Paradise in Flames is a Brazilian black metal quartet, having released two albums, two demos, and an EP since their 2003 formation. While their third full-length’s cover poses questions, a glance at their promo confuses further. They cite death metal countrymen Sepultura and Sarcófago as influences, while the Devil’s Collection was mastered by producer Tue Madsen of Meshuggah and Dark Tranquility fame. Such first impressions are baffling, but the looming question is: is Devil’s Collection any good?” Riffing is fundamental.

Vulcano – Eye in Hell Review

By Mark Z. on March 11, 2020 in 2020, Brazilian Metal, Death Metal, Mighty Music, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 16 comments

“Over the years the band lost some members, went on hiatus from 1991 to 1996, and released a slew of albums that never seemed to generate as much fanfare as their debut. Other than some curious midnight listens of Vengeance, I certainly hadn’t heard anything from the group until I came across Eye in Hell while rifling through the promo bin. Freshly signed to Mighty Music, this is the the band’s eleventh studio album and shows sole founding member Zhema Rodero joined by a new drummer and a trusted cohort of musicians who’ve been with the group for a few years now. Almost four decades into their existence, do Vulcano still scorch your ass or are their brutal eruptions long behind them?” Nighttime eruptions.

Holocausto – Diario de Guerra Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on July 25, 2019 in 2019, Brazilian Metal, Death Metal, Nuclear War Now! Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, 30 comments

“Once someone gets into extreme metal, they find a point of glorious musical stupidity that they gravitate to. This point is normally either war metal (i.e. Revenge, GoatPenis, Conqueror) or the most delightfully moronic slam (i.e. the first Abominable Putridity record, Cephalotripsy). How did these endpoints come to be?” Dear Diario.

NervoChaos – Ablaze Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on June 18, 2019 in 2019, Brazilian Metal, Death Metal, Hammerheart Records, Reviews, Death Metal, 13 comments

“Know your limit, play within it. This is the advice Ontario’s gambling regulators give to people interested in blackjack, scratch tickets, and everything in between. More folks than the average ramblin’ gamblin’ man should heed the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s advice, and one group of folks is folks in metal bands.” Know when to fold em.

Mystifier – Protogoni Mavri Magiki Dynasteia Review

By Mark Z. on March 11, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Brazilian Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist Underground Activists, Black Metal, Death Metal, 52 comments

“Mystifier are an ancient Brazilian black metal band and the latest to emerge from whatever dank place veteran bands who haven’t released a comeback album are hiding. Formed in 1989, their early releases were renowned for a style that combined the primitive extremity of Sarcófago with the ritualistic and otherworldly aura of Beherit. With this sound they produced such underground classics as 1992 debut Wicca and 1996’s The World Is So Good That Who Made It Doesn’t Live Here. Yet widespread popularity was not to be.” Wicked Mystic.

Lucifera – La Caceria De Brujas Review

By Mark Z. on February 26, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Colombian Metal, Dunkelheit Produktionen, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Thrash Metal, 76 comments

“My old computer science teacher once told our class that he liked Baja Blast Mountain Dew so much, he wished he could stick an IV in his arm and take it intravenously. Interestingly enough, that’s exactly the way I feel about blackened thrash metal. To me it’s like a drug: I don’t just want it, I fucking need it. It seems each continent produces its own unique strain and while I like Australia’s best, in recent years I’ve also come to enjoy the raw and uncompromising approach of South American bands like Invocation Spells and Witchtrap. Colombian duo Lucifera embody this same ethos.” Pick your poison.

Diabolic Force – Praise of Satan Review

By Mark Z. on September 14, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Brazilian Metal, Hells Headbangers Records, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Thrash Metal, 48 comments

“One dark and stormy night many years ago, some guy was in his attic listening to his vinyl copy of Bathory’s debut when he thought to himself, “I could make music like this!” It didn’t end there. It happened again. And again. And again. Now it’s 2018, and the number of bands that have taken influence from first wave black metal is so great you could probably build a bridge to Hawaii made solely from their goathead T-shirts. Diabolic Force is one of those bands, and if you thought this Brazilian trio were here to breathe fresh life into the style, you must have missed the fact that their new album is called Praise of Satan.” Satan is overexposed.

Archgoat – The Luciferian Crown Review

By Angry Metal Guy on September 10, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Debemur Morti, Finnish Metal, Reviews, 56 comments

“Take a look at that cover and imagine for a second what sort of music album artwork like that might be trying to sell you. Can you hear those buzzsaws and blastbeats? Can you hear the imprecations against God, the divine order and all the fools that stand by it?” Can you judge this album by its cover? Eh, probably…

4 Days of Death: The Maryland Deathfest Diaries

By Mark Z. on June 16, 2018 in 2018, Blog Posts, Live Reviews, 41 comments

“Anyone who’s seen The Wire knows Baltimore can be a rough place, but on Memorial Day weekend every year, things get especially brutal. Hundreds of rabid metal fans from all over the world descend on ‘Charm City’ to participate in Maryland Deathfest, and the result is four days of moshing, headbanging, and partying like it’s 1989.” Death to all.