Spanish Metal

Feelingless – Metal against Animal Cruelty Review

By Maddog on December 8, 2022 in Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore, 22 comments

“That title is great advertising. The details are even better. Feelingless is a nonprofit side project of Hugo Markaida from Spanish melodeath band Rise to Fall. Feelingless and record label Noble Demon have pledged to donate all proceeds from debut album Metal against Animal Cruelty to animal shelters in Spain and animal welfare charities abroad. I wasn’t familiar with Markaida’s other work, and reviewing a record that straddles melodic death metal and metalcore is risky business. But after reading that blurb, I couldn’t help but be intrigued.” Up with animals.

Cruz – Confines de la Cordura Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on October 16, 2022 in Reviews, Crust Punk, Death Metal, 22 comments

“Much like the original mission of a young Bloodbath—a self-proclaimed worship band whose first offering is now 20 years old—Cruz fuses the punky, death ‘n’ roll leanings of punchy Swedeath with the bottom-end brutality of the early Florida scene. And, as you might assume, bands like Autopsy and Entombed already wrote many of the chunky riffs, grimy tempo shifts, and wah-abused leads that define the flow of Confines. That’s not to say that Cruz exists entirely without merit or passion.” Cruz missle.

Spectrum Mortis – Bit Meseri – The Incantation Review

By Thus Spoke on September 28, 2022 in Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, 25 comments

“Through a medium of heavily atmospheric blackened doom, Bit Meseri mainly succeeds in communicating its occult inspiration. There is something of the ancient near east in the lilt of the guitars, reverberating against dusty darkness in quieter passages. The music also holds a distinctively ceremonial air that recalls Praise the Plague in its cavernous grandiosity and Behemoth in a near-warlike march, and guitars that parody church organs.” Necrofancy.

Raptore – Blackfire Review

By Holdeneye on August 4, 2022 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, 62 comments

“Originating in Argentina, Raptore released one full-length album back in 2016 and have been relatively quiet ever since, with a contribution to a 5-way split being their only other official release. But after moving to Spain in search of the right lineup, founding guitarist and vocalist Nico Cattoni finds his project poised to unleash sophomore record Blackfire upon an unsuspecting trüe metal scene. Single “Prisoner of the Night” demonstrates Raptore’s kitchen-sink approach to writing classic heavy metal tunes by combining bits of early Ozzy with the hair metal swagger of Mötley Crüe and a bit of American power metal.” Angry birds.

Vidres a la Sang – Fragments de l’esdevenir Review

By GardensTale on July 1, 2022 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 21 comments

“If I have to draw any comparisons, Vidres’ goth-tinged blackened death reminds me the most of Usurpress. There is a similar inventiveness in the riffs, and an atmosphere of cosmic horror that slithers under the skin. Vidres keeps the scope much smaller, though, and this is entirely by design.” Local horrors.

Syberia – Statement on Death Review

By Carcharodon on May 5, 2022 in Reviews, Instrumental Metal, Post-Metal, 12 comments

“Is it possible to make a political statement—or indeed any nuanced statement—through the medium of instrumental metal? Today’s subject, Spanish post-metallers Syberia, believe so. On its fourth full-length, Statement on Death, I am informed that the band tackles “a very worrying issue in the United States of America: police violence against people of color, and each song narrates a specific case.” This is a contentious and highly politicized subject, on which many people have wildly divergent views of varying validity. In all honesty, I am not sure how one sets out to tackle such a subject with no lyrics at all.” Silent protest.

Redshark – Digital Race Review

By Kenstrosity on March 23, 2022 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, 42 comments

“Continuing the trend of covering things I don’t normally cover, I traveled at the speed of light metal to Barcelona, where I encountered an angry, ‘roided-out shark wearing nothing but bullet belts and cargo khakis that barely contained his quads. His name is Fred, but his friends and enemies just call him Red, for short. My first encounter with Red looked much like the scenery depicted to your left. Specifically, there were many explosions, gunshots, cacophonies of glass and cigarette-stained plastic shrapnel, and the sweet sound of skulls succumbing to ruthless whirlwinds of ignited ammunition.” Blood in the mortar.

Pestilength – Basom Gryphos Review

By Dear Hollow on March 10, 2022 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 15 comments

“Although divisive, Portal’s influence in the death metal world is undeniable. Featuring riffs that seem to crawl with murk and dissonance aplenty with an eldritch monstrosity roaring from the pulpit, there are few who can accurately channel this particular breed of otherworldly alienation. Many have tried and failed, but getting that squirming aesthetic just right is nearly impossible. Basque duo Pestilength is the latest to try their hand at the next Vexovoid.” Cake? No cake!

Toundra – Hex Review

By GardensTale on January 18, 2022 in Reviews, Post-Metal, 18 comments

“Post-metal, particularly the instrumental kind, tends to be its own beast when it comes to songwriting, and Toundra have clearly mastered the craft. The “El Odio” trilogy of songs, that forms the front half, beautifully blends echoing, trilling, Explosions in the Sky-like leads of beauty and wonder with crashing, thundering cavalcades of drums and riffs that remind a fair bit of Dvne, a compliment of the highest order,” Thunder on the Toundra.

Bizarre – Invocation Codex Review

By Dear Hollow on October 28, 2021 in Reviews, Death Metal, 23 comments

“Another day, another metal album flaunting our cosmic insignificance in the face of unfathomable monstrosity. Lovecraft and death metal are like milk and honey, so Lord Cthulhu Almighty, take me to the promised land. Bands like Sulphur Aeon, Abyssal Ascendant, and Catacombs pluck my heartstrings with tentacled grace and eldritch care, taking my mind’s eye to the depths of R’lyeh – and it’s fucking Christmas in the abyss year-round, baby.” How Bizarre.