Worm

Civerous – Maze Envy Review

Civerous – Maze Envy Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on March 28, 2024 in Reviews, Death Doom, Death Metal, 65 comments

“As I gazed upon the purple-toned maze—which, does not appear to be a very well-designed maze in its hissing sculpture—and heard the early, shimmering notes of what Civerous brought to the table for this sophomore release, Maze Envy, my mind raced. This Los Angeles-based act’s 2021 full-length debut, Decrepit Flesh Felic, filled a snarling, buzzing diSEMBOWELMENT-shaped niche of pounding, shifting death metal that supplies ample kicks to the seat. Though Civerous never turned quite as doom-laden and tortured as that Australian novelty, they pushed into the bounds of long-form tumble in their cavernous lane with a proud stomp.” Maze stunners.

Slimelord – Chytridiomycosis Relinquished Review

Slimelord – Chytridiomycosis Relinquished Review

By Thus Spoke on March 6, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, 61 comments

“Slimelord employ a twisty, sticky kind of death metal, fusing the hallucinogenic swampiness of Worm or Tomb Mold, with the colder more surgical brutality of acts like Replicant or Asystole. Whether it drags itself along like a primordial monster or comes at you with flailing, slimy limbs at breakneck speed, Chytridiomycosis Relinquished is consistently bonkers and brutal.” Where the slime rule.

Spectral Voice – Sparagmos Review

Spectral Voice – Sparagmos Review

By Thus Spoke on February 5, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Funeral Doom, 60 comments

“In the frenzied ritualistic worship of the god Dionysus, acolytes would often perform the violent act known as Sparagamos—tearing limb-from-limb a sacrificial animal, or human. What ecstatic human hands would enact, Spectral Voice conjures in their sophomore bearing its moniker, their attempt to reach “the moment in which – through sacrifice – atavistic wildness is unleashed, and the ultimate exaltation of life through death is realized.”” Giving voice to the void.

Thorn – Evergloom Review

Thorn – Evergloom Review

By Dear Hollow on September 27, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 19 comments

“Phoenix, Arizona’s Thorn, in spite of having a ridiculously generic name, has its trademark sound down to a science. Featuring a blasting and impenetrable wall of death metal, as cavernous as Cruciamentum and as sticky as Chthe’ilist, the sound has transferred neatly across the act’s three full-lengths – the only issue is just how fast to play it.” Thorn in the ears.

Sporae Autem Yuggoth – …However It Still Moves

Sporae Autem Yuggoth – …However It Still Moves

By Thus Spoke on May 19, 2023 in Reviews, Death Doom, 21 comments

“The somewhat ominously titled…However, It Still Moves is the debut of Chilean death-doomsters Sporae Autem Yuggoth. Without being able to parse the Latin, but being informed by the promo material that theirs is a “Lovecraftian moniker,” all this adds up to quite a foreboding piece. This portent proves pretty accurate upon pressing play. What unfolds is an hour of spooky, synth-accented, gritty death metal that’s essentially funeral doom with a grimy low-fi production.” No sudden movements.

Vacuous – Dreams of Dysphoria Review

Vacuous – Dreams of Dysphoria Review

By Thus Spoke on October 19, 2022 in Reviews, 17 comments

“Dreams of Dysphoria certainly has its atmospheric moments—and those are the best bits by the way—but it feels closest to a more sprawling disso-death, if we had to pigeonhole. Melody is almost entirely absent, along with comprehensible vocals, traditional song structures, and reason.” Death dreams, waking nightmares.

Fleshrot – Unburied Corpse Review

Fleshrot – Unburied Corpse Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on August 7, 2022 in Reviews, Death Metal, 19 comments

“Another day, another death metal album. This must have been how reviewers back in the time of my younger youth felt when rethrash brought us swaths of sweaty song-named bands who littered the 4th to 5th spots on the local concert circuit. For every Blood Incantation or Astral Tomb that pops along—bands who play recognizably death metal but with a sense of ambition or divergence—there are at least a dozen other Dead and Dripping or Molder style bands that leak out of the collective pool of putrid palm-muted chugs. From this same OSDM ooze Fleshrot has seeped into our sudoriferous sump leaving enough of an odor for me to take a second look in the perennial quest to find the most 1991 of what 2022 has to offer.” Slowly we Fleshrot.