Azarath

Azarath – Saint Desecration Review

By Dear Hollow on November 30, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 16 comments

“I want to do my best to respect the awe-inspiring Grymm. I inherited Azarath as he was too busy with other things to tackle it. I want to do him justice, to approach the Polish blackened death metal collective with the respect and professionalism due. I would mention that the act began as a side-project of Behemoth drummer Inferno and Armagedon guitarist Bart, currently featuring Embrional vocalist Skullripper and former Lost Soul guitarist Peter on bass. So, given the formidability of the members and the solid catalog ,b>Azarath has amassed, I want to treat 2020’s Saint Desecration with the privilege and honor it is owed.” Honor and desecration.

Vassafor – To the Death Review

By Dear Hollow on August 6, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 13 comments

“The band sport a Mitochondrion or Adversarial styled take on death/black metal with a thrashy assault-heavy relentlessness combined with eldritch melodies and passages of doomy ominousness. These New Zealanders laid it on thick with 2012’s double LP The Obsidian Codex, expertly balancing relentless blackened death with ritualistic atmosphere and dense doom to create an experience that felt far shorter than its immense hour-and-thirty-five-minute runtime suggested. Enter 2017’s Malediction, which wasn’t… that. While offering a “shorter” listen at fifty-four minutes, it never managed to truly escape the doomy drudgery and wallowed in uneventfulness for nearly an hour. Enter 2020’s To the Death.” Death be not quick.

Sxuperion – Omniscient Pulse Review

By Dear Hollow on June 20, 2020 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Industrial Metal, 17 comments

“If I say the magic words “space-themed death metal,” what do you see? If you see Blood Incantation or Artificial Brain come swooping in like a half-giant on a flying motorcycle, push your disappointment to the back of your mind, because we ain’t talking about them today.” Sxuspend expectations.

Casket Huffer – Filth Ouroboros Review

By Mark Z. on November 12, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Hibernation Release, Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 9 comments

“Casket Huffer. There’s a name that begs the question “because why the fuck not?” Given their moniker, I originally expected this Wyoming quartet to produce noxious fumes of the bestial blackened death metal variety. And while there’s always room in the house of Z. for the Conquerors and Caveman Cults of the world, what Huffer have produced on their second album Filth Ouroboros is actually quite a bit different.” Smell the casket.

Blood of the Wolf – II: Campaign of Extermination Review

By Mark Z. on April 13, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Black Metal, Death Metal, 32 comments

“Blackened death metal is like pizza. Just as mediocre pizza is still generally satisfying, so too is decent blackened death metal still pretty enjoyable when you’re craving something extreme. Case in point: Chicago’s Blood of the Wolf.” Blood pizza (with pineapple).

Azarath – In Extremis Review

By Grymm on April 7, 2017 in 2017, Agonia Records, Black Metal, Death Metal, Polish Metal, Reviews, 19 comments

“I make it a point to never judge a band by the musical contributions of its members. Case in point: Azarath. This Polish death metal behemoth boasts in its ranks Inferno from, well, Behemoth. As such, I know that many people are going to draw comparisons between this act and Poland’s favorite Satanic sons. Doing so shortchanges Azarath’s five vicious full-lengths and their own standing among Poland’s influential scene.” Poland Springs…evil.

Calm Hatchery – Fading Reliefs Review

By Mark Z. on October 13, 2014 in 2014, Death Metal, Polish Metal, Reviews, Selfmadegod Records, Death Metal, 8 comments

“Ah, Polish death metal. The riffing quivers with imperial might, the drumming carpet-bombs soundscapes like F-22s over Syrian ISIS outposts, the band names evoke titanic sacrilegious deities or bear primal aggression with their blunt simplicity: Behemoth, Hate, Azarath, Decapitated, and – Calm Hatchery. Uh – the fuck? Yes, forming in 2002 with a moniker that calls to mind cuddly newborn dinosaurs instead of ragged bleeding neck stumps, Calm Hatchery already stacked the cards against themselves….” Worst band name ever? We report, you decide.