Archive for the ‘Frontpage Feature’ Category

Wormed – Omegon

Wormed – Omegon

Spain’s Wormed has been around for over 25 years – wow how time really flies into a space vortex!!!  The band takes their time with releasing albums and other than a 2019 stop-gap EP Metaportal, which I reviewed, Omegon has taken eight years to come out since the scorching Krighsu. Omegon is Wormed’s fourth album […]

Limbonic Art – Opus Daemoniacal

Limbonic Art – Opus Daemoniacal

Early in their career, the Norwegian duo Limbonic Art was close to being mentioned in the same circles as the likes of Emperor, Arcturus, Borknagar, and such. Their 1996 debut The Moon in Scorpio and 1997 follow up In Abhorrence Dementia, were heralded as near classics in the symphonic black metal genre. However, the band […]

Cavalera – Schizophrenia

Cavalera – Schizophrenia

I reviewed and raved about the Cavalera brothers re-recording the first two recordings of Sepultura, Bestial Devastation/Morbid Visions EP, last year.  Last year when they played “Escape to the Void” and “Inquisition Symphony” live, on the Morbid Devastation tour, I knew it was a matter of time before we all got notice that Schizophrenia was […]

200 Stab Wounds – Manual Manic Procedures

200 Stab Wounds – Manual Manic Procedures

Ohio continues to be one of the main hotbeds for quality American death metal bands.  I am new to the 200 Stab Wounds bandwagon and it was 2022/2023 when the band came onto my radar.  The label breeding ground for death metal bands getting signed to bigger labels is Maggot Stomp Records. 200 Stab Wounds […]

Ulcerate – Cutting the Throat of God

Ulcerate – Cutting the Throat of God

From the 2007 tech death debut, Of Fracture and Failure, New Zealand’s Ulcerate has been one of the death metal’s most consistently elite bands with 5 albums since. The band has evolved from the pure tech death of the debut into a murky, dissonant, almost black death band (they are on Debemor Morti – a […]

Pathology – Unholy Descent

Pathology – Unholy Descent

18 years, 12 albums, 9 labels, 8 vocalists. You have to hand it to the lone remaining founding member/ drummer Dave Astor; he is certainly persistent and keeps shuffling lineups and releasing albums on multiple labels, even with all the above he’s seemingly settled on a somewhat stable lineup for a few albums now (Obie […]

Nocturnus AD – Unicursal

Nocturnus AD – Unicursal

When founding Nocturnus member, drummer/vocalist Mike Browning, resurrected the Nocturnus spirit, by adding the AD at the end I was very intrigued.  I was a huge fan of Nocturnus, their first 2 albums and saw them on the Grindcrusher tour, in support with of their debut The Key, with Napalm Death, Godflesh, and Confessor on […]

Dååth – The Deceivers

Dååth – The Deceivers

“You shake your ass but you’re already dead.” If you don’t know my reference, that’s okay and maybe this review isn’t for you. The truth is Daath hasn’t missed. They have a stellar discography and I’ve never been disappointed. So, their new one The Deceivers, their first in 14 years, was heavily anticipated. What matters […]

Cognitive – Abhorrence

Cognitive – Abhorrence

I have thoroughly enjoyed New Jersey’s Cognitive rise through the underground ranks since their first EP in 2012 – The Horrid Swarm.  I became friends with guitarist Rob Wharton, reviewed several of their early releases, finally met him on one of his tours years ago and he saw me touring with Internal Bleeding, as well […]

Kerry King – From Hell I Rise

Kerry King – From Hell I Rise

Well, well, well the Kerry King band is finally here.  When he announced after the retirement of Slayer, that he was going to have a new band, the only thing he mentioned that we all knew was drummer Paul Bostaph, from Slayer (not the best Slayer drummer-that goes to Lombardo) and the music would sound […]

Six Feet Under – Killing for Revenge

Six Feet Under – Killing for Revenge

“It’s not the worst thing ever,” says the custodian as he scrapes all the dried cum from in and around the glory hole. I didn’t wish for him to elaborate, but by instinct, I said “Wouldn’t it be easier just to do it when it’s fresh?” He scowled and I received no answer. Foolishly, I […]

Korpiklaani – Rankarumpu

Korpiklaani – Rankarumpu

Listen, I was Korpiklaani fanboy for many years loving the band’s boozy folk metal anthems like “Beer, Beer” and “Happy Little Boozer”, but somewhere around 2008s Korven Kuningas up to 2015s Noita I started losing interest in the band and their albums. The band seemed to get a bit of a hangover, lose their fun […]

Deicide – Banished By Sin

Deicide – Banished By Sin

At first glance, album number 13 from one of death metal’s true institutions Deicide, appears to be yet another by-the-numbers Deicide album that Bentons (yes I used it as a verb), blasphemes and blasts its way through another effort of Christ-hating death metal. And to some extent it does. It is most certainly a Deicide […]

Pestilence – Levels of Perception

Pestilence – Levels of Perception

I have reviewed quite a lot of Pestilence albums on this site, as well as reviewing their various reissues multiple times and over the years I would consider main axe grinder/vocalist, Patrick Mameli, as a friend, with our various interactions.  I respect his musical work and songwriting skills and many of the Pestilence albums I […]

My Dying Bride – A Mortal Binding

My Dying Bride – A Mortal Binding

So album number 14 (or 15, depending on how you view 2011s Evinta) from England’s long-running Godfathers of Doom sees the band continue down the path of the last album, 2020s The Ghost of Orion, and the subsequent Macabre Cabaret EP both releases I was a bit ambivalent on. Since the band’s 1999 transitional effort […]

Ingested – The Tide of Death and Fractured Dreams

Ingested – The Tide of Death and Fractured Dreams

In 2022 UK deathcore/slam titans  Ingested dropped Ashes Lie Still, a more experimental and tempered album that showed the band’s more introspective side as frontman Jason Evans dealt with the loss of his father. The band also clearly saw some of the success Whitechapel had with their duo of The Valley and Kin, as more […]

Hideous Divinity – Unextinct

Hideous Divinity – Unextinct

Hideous Divinity is back with their fifth full-length album, Unextinct.  The band opted to go the longest length of time in their career without ever releasing an album, as Simulacrum was released a year prior to COVID.  The band was patient not to release a COVID album because they knew there would be no touring […]

Rotting Christ – Pro Xristoy

Rotting Christ – Pro Xristoy

35 years. Existence and longevity come from quality and excellence. Releasing album after album with diabolical precision has been the Rotting Christ ethic throughout their career, since 1988 when they were a Grindcore band and then transitioning to Black Metal in the early 90s with 1993’s Thy Mighty Contract, they have forged and put together […]

Judas Priest – Invincible Shield

Judas Priest – Invincible Shield

Judas Priest will go down as one of the greatest Heavy Metal bands of all time – without a shadow of a doubt.  This is the first time for me reviewing a Priest album and I am excited to do so.  I will say this….sometimes I get overly excited reviewing some of my favorite bands.  […]

Vltimas – Epic

Vltimas – Epic

International supergroup Vltimas released a killer debut in 2019,  Something Wicked Marches In, which I reviewed and gave high praises of their stamp on blackened death metal.  One of the many things going for that debut was how damn catchy it was – I still listen to that sucker!  The same members return with Flo […]

Ihsahn – Ihsahn                                         

Ihsahn – Ihsahn                                         

I don’t know if Ihsahn’s new album qualifies for one of my most anticipated of 2024 because I received the (streaming-only) promo slightly before it came out. It still hit me out of nowhere. I will confess to being a fan, but his solo works haven’t done much for me on the last few records. […]

Job For A Cowboy – Moon Healer

Job For A Cowboy – Moon Healer

It’s been ten years since we last heard from Job For A Cowboy, so let me give a cliffnotes back story: the band is one of the first deathcore bands to blow up thanks to a Spongebob Squarepants video mash-up to the song “Knee Deep” (it is how I first heard the band- and it’s […]

Morta Skuld – Creation Undone

Morta Skuld – Creation Undone

Wisconsin’s best death metal band returns with their seventh full-length album Creation Undone.  With mainman Axe Grinder and vocalist Dave Gregor fronting the band, they are on fire on this album.  And I do want to get something out of the way right now.  I really do not care how album covers are created – […]

Hulder   – Verses in Oath

Hulder   – Verses in Oath

Although it feels like it’s been a long time since Hulder released her debut, it’s been about 3 years. In the meantime, she’s had several short releases, toured, and has been working almost non-stop. This year, she’s releasing her new album Verses in Oath, as well as headlining the upcoming Decibel Tour with several other […]

Necrowretch – Swords of Dajjal

Necrowretch – Swords of Dajjal

Years ago I came upon the Putrid Death Sorcery debut album from Necrowretch, a French death metal band.  I reviewed the impressive album and was able to be in touch with vocalist/guitarist Vlad and interviewed him as well.  I have followed this band closely over the years reviewing the majority of their albums and continuing […]