Memento Mori

Coffin Mulch – Spectral Intercession Review

Coffin Mulch – Spectral Intercession Review

By Felagund on July 6, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 45 comments

“How can you go wrong with a band named Coffin Mulch? While I’ve used these introductory paragraphs time and time again to restate my love for OSDM, it doesn’t hurt that this band’s morbid moniker really tickles my fancy. While “Coffin” isn’t a particularly inventive inclusion, “mulch” adds an entirely new, evocative flavor to this putrescent pile. Is the mulch intended, perhaps, to entice the seeping coffin below to sprout zombified greenery? Or, better yet, is the mulch itself made from that nitrogen-rich churn composed of damp soil and viscous coffin offal? The band themselves don’t offer an explanation, and that’s just fine.” Savage gardening.

Rigor Sardonicous – Praeparet Bellum Review

Rigor Sardonicous – Praeparet Bellum Review

By Thus Spoke on January 26, 2023 in Reviews, Death Doom, 18 comments

“What have the Romans ever done for us? Apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, a fresh water system, and public health? According to Rigor Sardonicous, a language to use as an idiosyncratic gimmick. Their name, and the majority of their song and album titles are in Latin, Praeparet Bellum—roughly, Prepare for War—being no exception. It marks their return after an eleven-year hiatus but seems to more or less pick up from where Ego Diligio Vos left off. Low-fi, grimy death-doom so low it’s barely within the range of human hearing, and so gritty and slow it feels like drowning in a vast quantity of sand.” Rigor mortis.

Conjureth – The Parasitic Chambers Review

Conjureth – The Parasitic Chambers Review

By Kenstrosity on January 21, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, 25 comments

“It’s nice to have something to look forward to at the start of a new year—even nicer when that thing is some truly evil death metal. Thanks to San Diego trio Conjureth, and their sophomore release The Parasitic Chambers, I got exactly that. When I covered their previous outburst, Majestic Dissolve, I noted that their biggest hurdle was injecting more variety in their riffs. My hope was that with just a little more pizazz, they would unleash a devastating monster unto this unsuspecting sponge, a total sucker for aural abuse.” Pizazz delivery.

Doomocracy – Unorthodox Review

Doomocracy – Unorthodox Review

By Steel Druhm on November 9, 2022 in Reviews, Doom Metal, 60 comments

“Epic doom is a much-beloved genre for yours Steely, but it’s a very challenging one to pull off properly. Balancing doom and traditional metal while imparting an epic flavor can be a tricky proposition for even the most talented band, and it’s far too easy for things to fall into cheddar and shame with the slightest misstep. For every glorious Atlantean Kodex victory, there are several crushing defeats out there where heroic sagas flop harder than that 300 lb. gent at the annual drunken bellyflop tournament. That brings us to Doomocracy and their third album, Unorthodox.” Vote DOOM!

Rotheads – Slither in Slime Review

Rotheads – Slither in Slime Review

By Ferox on July 27, 2022 in Reviews, Death Metal, 10 comments

“The Rotheads formula may have been tweaked, but this fetid draught retains its signature nose. Here are seven songs spanning forty-three minutes, each one chock-a-block with death riffs played at a tempo often verging on thrash. The band still has songwriting talent in spades, and a penchant for stretching that talent to the breaking point.” Slime to kill.

Ectoplasma — Inferna Kabbalah Review

Ectoplasma — Inferna Kabbalah Review

By Ferox on January 24, 2022 in Reviews, Death Metal, 23 comments

“Reader, we have before us a scabby and indelicate piece of business. It’s been a busy few shifts at the filth factory for Ectoplasma; Inferna Kabbalah marks the fourth time in recent years that they’ve dropped a compost heap filled with dung and rotting offal on our doorsteps. And a ghastly pile it is!” Nasty plasma.

Opera Diabolicus – Death on a Pale Horse Review

Opera Diabolicus – Death on a Pale Horse Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on December 1, 2021 in Reviews, Gothic Metal, Heavy Metal, 60 comments

“Along with Shaw and Levén, the band adds some stellar vocals from Madeleine Liljestam (Eleine) and Angelina DelCarmen (Charetta), and guitar solos from King Diamond legends Andy LaRocque and Michael Denner. But the backbone of the album is all the other guests. These lesser-known individuals supply the keys, strings, pianos, and organs that make up the record’s core. It’s an unbelievable lineup with a lot of moving parts. But, somehow, the band keeps this chaotic metal opera about ‘witchcraft, the black death and revenge!’ together.” Panic in the opera horse.

Conjureth – Majestic Dissolve Review

Conjureth – Majestic Dissolve Review

By Kenstrosity on October 21, 2021 in Reviews, Death Metal, 14 comments

“As October enters its final weeks, the looming threat of list season and a veritable deluge of highly anticipated releases towers menacingly above. The first of those highly anticipated releases for me happens to drop on my birthday. Conjureth, an old-school death metal trio wreaking havoc from the West Coast (California, to be more specific), released one very strong short form outburst that garnered my attention last year. Now their debut Majestic Dissolve lies throbbing and evil in my waiting grasp.” Throb rules.

Valgrind – Condemnation Review

Valgrind – Condemnation Review

By Holdeneye on July 22, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, 17 comments

“Most of us know someone who doesn’t speak often, but when they do, we listen. Case in point: Not long ago, I received a cryptic message from Ferrous Beuller that simply said, “You should pick up the new Valgrind for review.” And that’s all it took.” Iron commands.