MDD Records

Intöxicated – Sadistic Nightmares Review

Intöxicated – Sadistic Nightmares Review

“Nearly ten years to the day Intöxicated blearily burst forth with their debut, the Germans stumble back up to the bar with a new singer in tow for follow-up Sadistic Nightmares. Intöxicated have tried buying Pedialyte in bulk; they’ve tried the greasiest pizza your town has to offer; they’ve tried cocooning themselves on the floor of a windowless bathroom. But the only way to cure this decade-long hangover is with another ultra-tight package of metal, murder, and mayhem.” Hammered and hammering.

Asphagor – Pyrogenesis Review

Asphagor – Pyrogenesis Review

“Fire seems to be a popular theme in the black metal pantheon. Whether it be a metaphorical representation of birth or rebirth, a literal representation of destruction, or just a simple reference to Hell, Satan, or Varg, fire is a lifelong staple. Thankfully, from such a primal element of our Earth and in our hearts springs a bottomless well of inspiration for these bands, and Austria’s Asphagor are no exception. With fourth LP Pyrogenesis, the epic black metal quintet burn with the passion of a thousand suns, and they want you to burn with them.” Burn after hearing.

Cassius King – Dread the Dawn Review

Cassius King – Dread the Dawn Review

“A four-piece out of New Jersey, Cassius King is led by guitarist Dan Lorenzo (Hades, Non-Fiction) and features former Overkill drummer Ron Lipnicki, Vessel of Light bassist Jimmy Schulman and on vox we have Jason McMaster (Watchtower, Spastic Ink, Dangerous Toys). Make of that what you will. Cassius King’s 2021 debut, Field Trip, was a straightforward piece of stoner-influenced heavy metal, with hints of classic doom.” Jersey royalty.

Battlesword – Towards the Unknown Review

Battlesword – Towards the Unknown Review

“German stalwarts Battlesword have been out there, waging metal war, since 1999. Despite that lengthy tour of service, new platter Towards the Unknown will be only the band’s fourth full-length, with a yawning 13-year gap between their debut, Falling in Triumph, and the sophomore effort, Banners of Destruction. Battlesword’s last outing, And Death Cometh Upon Us, was released in the twentieth year of the band’s existence and continued to beat a path through the well-trodden , blood-soaked fields of melodic death metal. With more than a little Amon Amarth in the sound.” Unknown blades ov wrath.

Fear Connection – Progeny of a Social Disease Review

Fear Connection – Progeny of a Social Disease Review

Fear Connection traffic in a very familiar, very comfortable style of death metal. You get what you pay for with these gents from Bremen, and that’s to their credit: guttural growls interspersed with higher-pitched snarls, crunchy riffs, neck-breaking grooves, and plenty of fretboard brutality, with a dash of thrash for good measure. Fear Connection haven’t reinvented the wheel on Progeny of a Social Disease. If you’ve ever taken a dive into the classic death metal deep end, you’ve definitely heard much of this before.” Fear is the beerkiller.

Fearancy – Dæmonium Review

Fearancy – Dæmonium Review

“With a couple of slight modifications, Dæmonium would make a solid power metal album, and, at first, I wondered if I was in for a thrashy-power-metal group masquerading as melodeath. The vocals, however, immediately dissuaded me from that notion, in the form of rasping shouts that care for neither heavy brutality or catchy adventure. Across the album, the vocal performance is the Thing That Is Not Like The Others, and while I have respect for the style – and don’t think it’s performed badly by any means – I definitely think that this album would feel like a heavy power metal act if not for them.” Melopowerdeath.

Strydegor – Isolacracy Review

Strydegor – Isolacracy Review

“As 2020 drags itself towards the finish line, dry-heaving and wheezing like the miserable fuck of a year it was, there are going to be bands trying to shine some light onto what’s been a horrific time in everyone’s lives. Few genres can inject much needed life into a shambling corpse quite like melodic death metal, and today, we’ve got the fourth full-length from German quartet, Strydegor.” Isolation nation.

Pessimist – Holdout Review

Pessimist – Holdout Review

Pessimist. How about that for a band name in the year of our demise that is 2020? While originally slated to cover some German power metal this week in the form of Goblins Blade, I handed that apostropheless, potential 4.0 off to Huck so I could cover some German thrash with a grouchy name.” Holdenout.

Warped Cross – Rumbling Chapel Review

Warped Cross – Rumbling Chapel Review

“I’m about to drop a reality bomb on you that you’re probably already aware of; genre tags, on a collective whole, are oftentimes bullshit. Yes, I’m sure you’ve known that for ages, but when a band is characterized as a particular strain of metal, it’s either because the review writer in question needs some neat, easily identifiable box to put a band into so the listener can gauge whether or not the band is right for them, or said band is vastly stretching the idea of what they sound like to ridiculous lengths.” Rumble bumble.