“I don’t know what exactly it is that’s Dwelling Below, but if it’s anything like whatever the cover art is depicting then I’m afraid. Beneath the surface, the music of this debut self-titled also lends itself to feelings of unease and apprehension. Formed from members of Acausal Intrusion, Hollowed Idols, and Sermon of Rot, Dwelling Below lurks in the dark and viscous slime of doomy blackened death.” Where the slime REALLY live.
“Heavyweights Gridlink and Rotten Sound have led the grindcore charge in 2023, but to discount less heralded acts carving a presence in the modern grind scene runs the risk of overlooking the next big thing. Hailing from Gothenburg, Sweden, Walking Corpse independently released an EP and debut full-length, 2020’s The Fear Takes Hold, before inking a deal with one of heavy music’s more impressive modern labels, Transcending Obscurity.” Dead man walking!!
“I am highly skeptical about the value of social media. For the most part, if you ask me (which I appreciate no one is but you should – I have OPINIONS!), it simply allows anonymous idiots hiding behind stupid pseudonyms to think that their opinions on anything from politics to music matter. For the most part, I don’t social. However, it was via a post on Zuckerbook (which I reluctantly use on occasion) that I first came to learn of the existence of Swiss blackened progressive death outfit, Dyssebeia, and their forthcoming debut, Garden of Stillborn Idols, which I duly snagged for review.” Farm fresh Idols.
“Surprise! I know many of you have been patiently waiting for Holdeneye‘s review of the fourth full-length from UK death sludge slingers Warcrab, given how he so shamelessly ran his tongue all over their exoskeleton’s undercarriage when he reviewed their last outing, Damned In Endless Night. Well this time you get me. Don’t worry, Holdy‘s fine. He’s certainly not bound and ball-gagged in my garden shed dressed like Adventure Time’s Finn the Human, slipping in and out of consciousness in a chloroform haze. He was simply busy this week and remembered how much I also enjoyed Warcrab’s last album, so he turned over reviewing duties to yours truly.” Pick the Crab!
“Phoenix, Arizona’s Thorn, in spite of having a ridiculously generic name, has its trademark sound down to a science. Featuring a blasting and impenetrable wall of death metal, as cavernous as Cruciamentum and as sticky as Chthe’ilist, the sound has transferred neatly across the act’s three full-lengths – the only issue is just how fast to play it.” Thorn in the ears.
“I don’t know what possessed me. Maybe it was a genuine desire to get out of my comfort zone with some straightforwardly grimy death metal. Maybe it was the trusted Transcending Obscurity label, or the pleasing purple color scheme (though not the art itself, which is definitely not pleasing). Maybe it was just the name Dead and Dripping which amused me with its stereotypical death metal disgustingness.” Mop and lock.
“I greatly like Gateway’s vibe on the project’s second full-length, Galgendood. That murky, disgusting, viscous feel that one compares to the questionable liquid running out of a pierced trash bag is a tough thing to replicate. Sure, bands like Coffins and Sepulcros make that shit look like cake, but one small fuck-up and the whole thing goes to pot.” Gateways to goop.
“There’s something about atmospheric death metal that just gets me. Something about the deep urgency of the guitar tones, the echoing, sinister riffing, the cavernous vocals, the restless dance of the drums, and the metallic chime of the cymbals. It elevates an already hostile and confrontational musical style to a kind of arresting profundity, when done well. Seeing Ulcerate, Gorguts, and Devenial Verdict—among others—name-dropped in the promo material for Ensemble Under the Dark Sun had me yanking it out of the bin faster than you can say “disso-death.” This was no clickbait. Turkey’s Serpent of Old play the kind of dark, ferocious haunting blackened death emblematic of these bands, and their shared conceptual genre, at their most intense.” Snakes in the pain.
“Burial Hordes seems to be familiar with me, and also with you… and for some reason, they hate us both. The band has been releasing blackened death metal at odd intervals since 2001, living in the shadow of the members’ estimable other gigs. With Ruins, Burial Hordes makes their claim on the spotlight. Are you willing to expose yourself to what Burial Hordes has been up to for the past two decades… and how the fuck have we all stayed safe from this unit since the turn of the century?” Sinister plots available in your area!
“Initial spins of NekroFuneral reveal a record that is a perfect fit for Transcending Obscurity’s roster, embodying a serrated OSDM character bridging the gap between label mates Goregäng,Crawl, and Feral. The label itself even corroborates such comparisons, adding more established acts like Autopsy and Dismember.” Holy hurls.
