Diabolus in Muzaka

If you're not into Live in Leipzig, you are not his friend.

Infesticide – Envenoming Wounds Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on September 24, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, 12 comments

“Reviews of death metal bands from Mexico normally start with a phrase which says, literally or in effect, “when you think of death metal hotbeds, you don’t think of Mexico!” This is a trite observation, but much like discussing the weather it gets the conversational ball rolling. That Mexican death metal hasn’t developed a readily definable sound can be an advantage, as there’s no expectation evoked when the phrase “Mexican death metal” is used as there is with “Swedish death metal” or “Finnish death-doom.”” Don’t drink the wounds.

Ragehammer – Into Certain Death Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on September 19, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Speed Metal, 18 comments

“After the absolute walloping Ragehammer dished out on The Hammer Doctrine, I wanted more Ragehammer but was perfectly content spinning that wonderful little record again and again. Since I avoid social media like the plague vodka-based drinks, I generally don’t know who’s releasing what until I dig through the ol’ promo sump. Seeing Ragehammer was a pleasant surprise, as The Hammer Doctrine still gets regular spins ‘round these parts.” Hammer.

Aborted Fetus – Pyramids of Damnation Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on September 9, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, 59 comments

“A look at the tactless, tasteless, and obnoxious band name of Aborted Fetus should trigger in the reader a gut instinct that says “yep, this is death metal.” A look at the title of their latest full-length record – Pyramids of Damnation – reveals very little except that Aborted Fetus knows what a “pyramid of damnation” is, and that there’s more than one of said pyramid. Then again, titles that look cool and make no sense like Pyramids of Damnation are as much a staple of death metal as adding “-ectomy” or “-otomy” as a suffix to any given word is to brutal death metal. What’s not a staple of death metal, however, is a sixty-seven-minute record, which is what Aborted Fetus have presented us on Pyramids of Damnation.” Pyramid scheme.

Töxik Death – Sepulchral Demons Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on August 17, 2020 in Reviews, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, 19 comments

“Töxik Death is a band in touch with the basics. One look at Sepulchral Demons’ cover at a record store and you confidently buy it as a metalhead. One minute of listening and you’ll get exactly what the band is going for. One spin later, you’ve heard a good record and want to listen again.” Töxik when swallowed.

Texas Murder Crew – Everyone’s Last Breath Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on August 7, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, 16 comments

“Earlier this year, the “Pirate Metal Drinking Crew” cleaned up in ratings and accolades on this blog. Now we’ve got another crew in town – well, state – in the form of Texas Murder Crew. The big draw of this band for those unaware is guitarist Kevin Clark, who played on Devourment’s legendary Molesting the Decapitated. It’s amusing to me that, should I have been tasked with writing about Devourment as a promo guy, describing them as a “Texas Murder Crew” is the best description I would have never thought of.” Everything is deadlier in Texas.

Defeated Sanity – The Sanguinary Impetus Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on July 22, 2020 in Reviews, 72 comments

“After what was arguably their career high point in the astonishingly brutal Disposal of the Dead side of their split with themselves, Defeated Sanity have returned to making a “normal” Defeated Sanity record on The Sanguinary Impetus. Normal is a relative term; Defeated Sanity sounds like nothing else.” Sanity’s defeat is our victory.

AthanaTheos – Prophetic Era (Or How Yahveh Became the One) Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on July 9, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, 22 comments

““French philosophy” is, in some circles, a punchline. It evokes the image of an edgy atheist, fedora on head, sipping his black espresso (symbolic, of course, of the darkness of his existence – the horror of reflecting on Sartre in a café surely cripples the best of men) and smoking a strange, thin cigarette in perpetuity – pretension personified. AthanaTheos, a French black doom atmospheric dissonant epic death metal band has tried their hand not just at an album but an epos – an epic poem set to music.” Profits of doom.

Decrepid – Endless Sea of Graves Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on July 6, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, 18 comments

“Decrepid is a death metal band from the UK. Predictably, I didn’t guess that on my first listen to Endless Sea of Graves wherein, like any responsible critic, I ignored every digital square inch of promo material the label sent me. Decrepid sound American to my ears, taking most of their songwriting cues from Immolation, Incantation, and Monstrosity and their production cues from Morrisound.” Death over nations.

Anonymus – La Bestia Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on June 14, 2020 in Reviews, Thrash Metal, 16 comments

“We don’t hear a lot of Spanish in my part of Ontario, and I’d think there’d be even less in Franco-centric Quebec, where Anonymus hails from. They’ve been at this thrash metal thing since 1989 and have written entire albums in English and French. With La Bestia, they’re officially a trilingual thrash troupe.” Plenty of tongue.

Alestorm – Curse of the Crystal Coconut Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on May 28, 2020 in Reviews, Folk Metal, Power Metal, 209 comments

“Figuring out what a band sounds like is akin to writing a biography: look first to the influences. Alestorm’s biography would need chapters devoted to a beloved and trve band named Bal-Sagoth. Early Alestorm material is based around the idea that it would be fun if Bal-Sagoth were Scottish, got drunk, played sea shanties, and kept the keyboard heroics.” Who ordered the Ale with Bals?