Grave

Kruelty – Untopia [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]

Kruelty – Untopia [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]

“Trawling through a stack of overlooked gems from 2023, I stumbled across the impressive sophomore album from Japan’s Kruelty. In another bumper year for death metal enthusiasts, Kruelty channel classic Swedeath vibes from yesteryear, done Japanese style, armed with a healthy hardcore and doom kick. The Tokyo quartet formed in 2017, recording a lengthy string of short-form releases before arriving at their 2019 debut LP, A Dying Truth. Now with a solid number of years under their belt as a unit, Kruelty unleashed a power-packed second LP way back in March 2023. And if you happened to miss it initially, as I did, I am here to rectify the oversight and introduce you to the formidable slab of solid school death, entitled Untopia.” Plunder in the East.

Carnal Tomb – Embalmed in Decay Review

Carnal Tomb – Embalmed in Decay Review

“Prior to the Great Plague, Holdeneye discovered the vile charms of Germany’s Carnal Tomb and was quite taken with their sophomore outing Abhorrent Veneration. He appreciated the mixture of old school and Swedeath and the band’s ability to weave in restrained proggy elements without upsetting the corpse cart. Several years and many weird societal shifts later, we get their third helping of gruesome bits, Embalmed in Decay. The band’s basic template remains in place though it shifts the focus more completely to old school death with fewer Swedeath d-beatings taking place.” Sex after death.

Entrails – An Eternal Time of Decay Review

Entrails – An Eternal Time of Decay Review

“An OG band from the golden era of Swedish death metal, Entrails mastermind Jimmy Lundqvist didn’t manage to release an album until 2010’s impressive Tales from the Morgue debut. Along with powerhouse follow-ups Tomb Awaits (2011) and Raging Death (2013), Entrails elevated themselves to the upper echelon of the throwback Swedeath scene. The last several albums have got the job done solidly, however, the band has been coasting in a comfort zone and struggled to reach the heights of their earlier trio of prime platters. A line-up shake-up occurred in 2019 and now the band returns with their anticipated seventh LP, entitled An Eternal Time of Decay.” Guts check.

Darkened – The Black Winter Review

Darkened – The Black Winter Review

“Everybody misses Bolt Thrower. Ask any death metal fan what band they’d want to resurrect for one last platter of greatness, and I bet the British bruisers would be near the top of the list, alongside Death itself. There’s just something about Bolt Thrower’s trance-inducing grooves that speaks to the violent beast hidden within each and every one of us, and the band name’s is still sprayed across death metal reviews like so much machine-gun fire whenever a burly tremolo rears its head—and this is nearly two decades after their last album saw the light of day. No one has been able to completely fill the void left in Bolt Thrower’s absence.” Tanks for the memories.

Sentient Horror – Rites of Gore Review

Sentient Horror – Rites of Gore Review

“New Jersey is known for many things, few of them good. What doesn’t come to mind when one thinks of the “Garden State” is good olde fashioned Swedeath. The sketchy ne’er-do-wells in Sentient Horror are doing their very best to change that, and third album Rites of Gore is a rowdy celebration of all things Entombed-core. Along with their buzzy HM-2 fetishism, the band integrates plenty of nods to the old-school death metal sound practiced by the likes of Cannibal Corpse as well as some truly beef-brained, meatheaded grooves that would make Jungle Rot proud.” Jersey reeks of death (and landfills).

Fustilarian – All This Promiscuous Decadence Review

Fustilarian – All This Promiscuous Decadence Review

“While many a reviewer despises grabbing black metal promos stuck in the ’90s, I love it. For nothing else, it gives me an itch for my favorites. Sometimes I won’t even finish the new promo before I abandon it for the road down memory lane. I always start with Darkthrone—sometimes Transylvanian Hunger, other times it’s Hate Them. Then it’s Mayhem’s De Mysterii Dom Sathanas and Wolf’s Lair Abyss. From there, it’s Gorgoroth, Immortal, Funeral Mist, and Horna. Before I know it, the review is past due and the album is already on the shelves.” Lateness and decadence.

Tardus Mortem – Armageddon Review

Tardus Mortem – Armageddon Review

“When the mighty ape (He who reigns forever, Amen) says “I’d like to see a review of Tardus Mortem,” after a few well-deserved tantrums I raced to stuff my earholes with as much of Armageddon as I could. My feet are stamping, but is it because of the tantrum it causes or the groove that it evokes?” Dane death demons.

Nocturnal Hollow – Triumphantly Evil Review

Nocturnal Hollow – Triumphantly Evil Review

“The classic Swedeath sound, as pioneered by Entombed and Dismember, has drawn way more flies than honey with its buzzing, hacksaw style over the last 30-plus years. In that time the genre has been well and fully beaten into the very core of the Earth, with countless bands trying their hand at the greasy till. For all the oversaturation this niche has endured, it still remains a highly engaging style when done well, as recent releases by LIK and Helslave can attest. Venezuela’s Nocturnal Hollow have been in this game since 2011 and Triumphantly Evil is their sixth full-length of unabashed Swedeath worship, though I concede I’d never heard of them until we got this promo.” Evil and proud.

Helslave – From the Sulphur Depths Review

Helslave – From the Sulphur Depths Review

“When life is kicking you in the arse, death is a comforting antidote. Death metal of course, I’m not that fucking morbid. My prior experience with Italy’s Helslave is minimal, however, I’ve caught up on the Italian worshippers of Swedish death in whetting my appetite for their latest platter of old school splatter. After compiling an impressive slab of ’90s inspired melodic death on debut LP, An Endless Path, Helslave channeled some old timey Stockholm goodness on 2017’s Divination EP. Returning after an extended recording gap, Helslave continue channeling the classic, buzzsawing Swedeath brand on From the Sulphur Depths.” Tastes like burning.