Vader

Morta Skuld – Creation Undone Review

By Steel Druhm on February 22, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, 31 comments

“Wisconsin’s Morta Skuld have been dragging their nasty cave knuckles for so long, even their fingerprints have worn off. In existence on and off since 1990, these old school warriors have been a fairly reliable if not super prolific source of no-frills, beefbrained death metal. Their early works exuded an oily, swampy charm with a sound ripped from the classic Necrophagia and Obituary playbooks. Later albums like Wounds Deeper Than Time and 2020s Suffer for Nothing were much more furious, pummeling affairs, with elements of Vader, Malevolent Creation, and Jungle Rot in their flavor profile.” Come (violently) undone.

Begravement – Horrific Illusions Beckon [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]

By Saunders on January 11, 2024 in Things You Might Have Missed 2023, Death Metal, Progressive Death, 24 comments

“Amidst the slew of mighty fine death metal releases in 2023, there were some killer debuts and plenty of albums well worth your attention, even if they didn’t feature heavily, or at all, during another epic Listurnalia campaign. One such album was the debut LP from up-and-coming Minnesota death dealers Begravement and their potential packed Horrific Illusions Beckon album.” Grave developments.

Stuck in the Filter – June’s Angry Misses

By Kenstrosity on September 2, 2023 in Stuck in the Filter, Ambient Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Deathcore, Hardcore, Melodic Black Metal, Progressive Metal, Slam, Thrash Metal, 45 comments

The boys of Summer were stuck ungunking the Filter for months. Salute them with pumpkin spice things as they emerge into a chilly Fall.

Skálmöld – Ýdalir Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on August 22, 2023 in Reviews, Folk Metal, Viking Metal, 20 comments

“Though Skálmöld does possess a weirdness with their hundred-guitar lineup and varying vocal styles, they combine the storytelling of Týr with the savagery of Fintroll. The result is some rather adventurous music with flailing riff changes, mead-swigging layers, and unexpected transitions from barks, rasps, and cleans. As one would expect, sometimes all this sorcery falls flat or straight-up doesn’t work. And after engaging with 2019’s Sorgir, I fear the band might be stuck in a well with great performances but incohesive songwriting and flow. Once I find the link to this fucking stream, I’ll let you know how Ýdalir fares.” Black möld? Comeback möld?

Sermon – Of Golden Verse Review

By Saunders on March 28, 2023 in Reviews, Progressive Metal, 129 comments

“UK’s mysterious Sermon burst from out of nowhere on phenomenal 2019 debut album, Birth of the Marvellous. The debut was an incredibly accomplished, polished jewel of intense and emotive progressive metal, boasting excellent production and top-shelf writing and performances from the duo. Sermon bided their time crafting the follow-up to an unexpected underground hit, with combined efforts and careful craftmanship resulting in another triumphant release.” Preaching to the choir.

Disminded – The Vision Review

By Felagund on March 13, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 19 comments

“”Disinter” means to remove a corpse from the ground. “Disembowel” means to remove someone’s internal organs. And “dismember” means to remove someone’s limbs (which is, presumably, followed at some point by both a disemboweling and a disinterring). So what do we make of Disminded? I think we can accurately assume from the truly metal prefix that we’re dealing with another type of removal altogether. One that is less physical and more mental. And probably just as costly when the medical bill comes due. But far from being just another AMG word of the day, Disminded is also death metal quintet with thrash tendencies hailing from Germany. On their third album The Vision, we’re treated to a double beat down of thrashened intensity and deathened brutality. But does such an onslaught truly cost the listener their mind?” Mind over splatter.

Ensanguinate – Eldritch Anatomy Review

By Steel Druhm on September 1, 2022 in Reviews, 32 comments

“I’ve listened to a goodly amount of death metal this year, and seem to be at a place mentally where I just want more and more of it. When I saw the name Ensanguinate in the promo sump, it spoke to me of wet, gruesome things and horrid death sounds most unappetizing. Naturally, I took it home to pet and cuddle.” Draining blood!

Necrophagous – In Chaos Ascend Review

By Steel Druhm on January 8, 2022 in Reviews, Death Metal, 44 comments

“The first dive into the promo sump at the start of a new year is fraught with risk and peril. Somewhat refreshed after the ever-so-brief holiday break, you may be a bit too eager to start the year with a winning find. Anticipation and expectation must be carefully managed as you regird the loins and begin the Sisyphus-esque uphill grind. Thus it was with freshly girded loins that I stumbled upon the debut from Sweden’s Necrophagous.” Death eaters, score beaters.

Nightfall – At Night We Prey Review

By Steel Druhm on March 5, 2021 in Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, 36 comments

“Well look who’s back from the dead! Greek act Nightfall originally came into being around the same time as countrymen Rotting Christ and Septicflesh and played a similar style of blackened death metal. Their sound evolved a great deal over the following years, touching on doom, melodeath, Gothic metal and variations thereof. After a dead period between 2004 and 2010, the band released the oddball Astron Black and the Thirty Tyrants, which I found quirky and entertaining, and 2013’s riff-driven Cassiopeia which I loved. Then they went silent again. Seven years later Nightfall return with a heavily reformed lineup and a new direction.” Night moves.

Revulsion – Revulsion Review

By Steel Druhm on February 3, 2021 in Reviews, Death Metal, 18 comments

“Revulsion has crept along the darkened edges of the Finnish death metal scene for over a decade. Despite this long existence, they only had an EP and a single to show for their wretched existence. 2021 finally sees them crack the ice and release their debut full-length on an unsuspecting world. Their self-titled effort has some gruesome things in store for death metal fans, with a hefty, burly style based around thick grooves seasoned with just enough doom and dissonance to avoid sounding like another old school act.” Old dogs, new album.