Technical Death Metal

Atrae Bilis – Aumicide Review

By Kenstrosity on April 20, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 39 comments

“2020 saw the rise of an exciting new EP by Canadian oddball tech death outfit Atrae Bilis, entitled Divinihility. While that record carved deep grooves into the earth, forming a tight network of twisting channels into which the band planted their roots, the wrangled tangle of barbed vines that sprung out of debut LP Apexapien exhibited more dissonant and atmospheric traits than I anticipated. It wasn’t a direction I would’ve preferred Atrae Bilis to take, but there’s no denying now that it was the smartest move. The band’s signature gnarled expulsions kept me intrigued enough that I eagerly snapped up sophomore full length Aumicide for my warped death fix.” Matrix babies are the new sphere.

Replicant – Infinite Mortality Review

By Kenstrosity on April 12, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, Hardcore, Technical Death Metal, 112 comments

“I was never a big fan of Replicant. The New Jersey quartet’s sophomore record Malignant Reality earned a high score on this here blog, but it failed to resonate with me at all. It featured solid enough tunes with big grooves and chunky riffs, but for one reason or another nothing stuck. However, every advance single for third LP Infinite Mortality struck a chord, so I snagged the promo in hopes that Replicant were about to turn the tables on me this time around.” Busted furnikits.

Deception – Daenacteh Review

By Iceberg on March 28, 2024 in Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 71 comments

“Daenacteh is a melodeath record at it’s core, but augmented with so many other elements it’s become it’s own unique monster. The orchestral accompaniments, which are both omnipresent and superbly executed, seem of the Italian neo-classical school of Septicflesh and Fleshgod, but MENA-tinged like Aeternam.” The many sounds and flavors of the desert.

Hideous Divinity – Unextinct Review

By GardensTale on March 27, 2024 in Reviews, Progressive Metal, Technical Death Metal, 51 comments

“Hideous Divinity has been on a blazing trajectory in their recent career, culminating in the excellent Simulacrum. My former list buddy Ferrous, whose disappearance requires no police investigation I assure you, was rather enthused by that record, and it was one of the few overlapping entries on both our listicles that year. The Italians have earned their pedigree through battering brutality anchored to semi-progressive song structures and rendered with tight technical wizardry. No wonder that expectations are high for Unextinct” Hideous or glorious?

Stuck in the Filter: January’s Angry Misses

By Kenstrosity on March 11, 2024 in Stuck in the Filter, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Folk Metal, Hardcore, Heavy Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, Sludge, Stoner Metal, Symphonic Metal, Technical Death Metal, 75 comments

It’s becoming apparent that our filtering systems work quite well! The crew has done a fine job pulling filth from the workings and releasing the pressure to the system. A second too late and the toilets would have backed up.

Neurectomy – Overwrought Review

By Felagund on February 4, 2024 in Reviews, Technical Death Metal, 53 comments

“I just couldn’t turn down an album by a band called Neurectomy. I’ve heard of a lot of medical procedures in my day, but I wasn’t as familiar with the process by which a nerve is severed or removed to reduce pain, never to grow back again. With a new “ectomy” added to my growing surgical lexicon, I was still apprehensive. But while tech death can certainly be hit or miss (with the misses often being tedious, forgettable affairs), I was far too interested in the band name and the album art to let something as silly as past experience impact my decision-making.” Nerves of steel.

Abyssius – Abyssius Review

By Thus Spoke on January 26, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 43 comments

“First things first, that artwork: a hulking antediluvian fish bearing down with spread fins and tangled tentacles on the tiny figure illuminated in the depths. If that doesn’t indicate musical magnitude I don’t know what does. Abyssius, on their debut, self-titled LP, explore the concept of one overcoming the confrontational nature of life’s meaninglessness—just as that behemoth looms, so does the bleak and hollow void.” Fish and nothingness.

Exocrine – Legend Review

By Kenstrosity on January 24, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 42 comments

“Despite the middling average score French tech death quartet Exocrine earned on this here blog, I’m a staunch defender of the band’s style. I loved Molten Giant and The Hybrid Suns musically, and thought Maelstrom was an interesting, albeit flawed, exploration of their established sound. The biggest issue holding them back has always been production, cursed to gasp for breath and struggle for room inside a dense concrete block. It’s a shame because if someone else with a gentler touch helped them out in the mastering suite, I’m convinced Exocrine’s track record on this blog would be a more positive one. I picked up their latest, entitled Legend, in the hopes that it shifts that legacy in the right direction.” Of myth or of legend?

Vitriol – Suffer & Become Review

By Holdeneye on January 23, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 102 comments

“When our resident death metal professor, Ferrous Beuller, covered To Bathe from the Throat of Cowardice, the debut full-length from Portland’s Vitriol, he was struck by the sheer heaviness that dominated the record. And while he noted the enormous potential displayed by the band, he bemoaned the lack of balancing contrast, a lack that prevented the monstrous material from making the intended impact.” Impact is imminent.