What a Time to Be Alive, indeed, Werewolves. If you missed last year’s  The Dead Are Screaming from these guys, you’re a damned fool and no friend of mine. If you had told me before this promo dropped in my hands (figuratively, of course) that we would see another album from these Australians so soon, […]

I grabbed this promo based on 2 things; 1) the fact it’s on the UKs Clobber Records, who released the excellent Argesk debut last year, and 2) I’m still on my melodic/atmospheric black metal kick from 2020 that comprised of over half of my year-end list. Norfolk’s (not too far from my old Fenny stomping […]

Witchwood flew into my radar last year, just like the owl on this album cover.  This Italian progressive Hard Rock/Classic metal band has two previous albums-their 2015 monster 80 minute Litanies From the Woods, their 2016 Handful of Stars and now their third album, Before The Winter.  Witchwood play a type of music that sounds […]

Sweden’s Wombbath have been very busy since their 2014 reformation. I initially thought it would be just to record 1 album but no as the band has recorded a full 3 full lengths as well as this, I guess you can call fourth full length however this is more of a fun walk down memory lane. 2020 […]

Yo, bro, do you like deathcore? Well, bro, do you, bro? I don’t know why I decided to start this review in such a way, but I figured I would just let you, dear reader and disciple, know what you’re getting into immediately. So, if you want to back out, I get it… but not […]

Ever since I can remember being really cognizant of technology’s stranglehold on modern society, I’ve known deep in my heart that it would one day kill me. Don’t worry, I’m not delusional enough to think I’m some kind of visionary on that philosophy. Science fiction has been trying to warn us of the perils of […]

As if Transcending Obscurity Records didn’t already kill it with phenomenal releases in 2020, we now get the sophomore effort from Heads For the Dead who are made up of: Ralf Hauber on vocals, Ed Warby on drums and Jonny Pettersson on all other instruments.  The band’s 2018 debut Serpent’s Curse flew past me in […]

Greece’s  Misanthropy Apotheosis released their debut album, Black Death Euphoria, in 2018.  I have perused it, but need to go back and spend some more time with it.  It’s pretty brutal and well-played death metal.  It was self-released and really went unnoticed.  Since I love all obscure bands I was very happy when Repulsive Echo […]

Australia’s Abramelin reformed in 2016 after lying dormant since 2002.  Century Media Records released the phenomenal 3cd collector’s edition Transgressing the Afterlife: The Complete Recordings 1988-2002.  The complete material of the band, even since their Acheron days. Abramelin released several killer and brutal death metal albums back in the mid 90’s and in 2000.  I […]

Wisconsin based,  metal collaboration (Shroud of Despondency‘s Rory Heikkila, Khazaddum’s Luka Đorđević and Enabler’s Brian Serzynski), Prezir (Serb-Croatian for ‘contempt’) is back with album number 2 after dropping a vicious little ep in 2017 and a solid full length debut on 2018 and the now trio, appears to really have further honed in on a […]

There are a lot of hard-working guys (and girls) in metal (it’s not like one band pays the bills… or 10 for that matter). I submit to you Adam Clemans as one of them. He does vocals for more bands than I can remember off the top of my head: Skeletonwitch, Wolvhammer, Noose Rot, Shaidar […]

Ever wonder what it would sound like if you mixed Disgorge with Malignancy? Germany’s Focal Dystonia is absolutely melting my brain and may be answer to my own question.  Featuring guitarist Floor Van Kujik (Korpse) and drummer Florent Duployer.  This one would have completely missed my radar had a not just randomly took a chance […]

Some three years have elapsed since we last heard from rising Italian crew Shores of Null. Following a confident, hook-laden debut in 2014’s Quiescence, the band’s 2017 follow-up, Black Drapes for Tomorrow, while solid, struggled to capitalise on their impressive first act. Nevertheless, Shores of Null possess an intriguing sound, a brooding mix of melancholic […]

2020 has been an unbelievable year for the new wave of Traditional Heavy Metal, with the last quarter of the year especially being a veritable battleground of bands vying to solidify their place on everyone’s year-end list. Wytch Hazel, Spirit Adrift, Megaton Sword, and of course Eternal (FUCKING) Champion have all landed monstrous haymakers that […]

I’m always up for some 90s styled Symphonic black metal, and Sweden’s Svartghast is up to the task with their solid, if by the numbers debut, Perdition. Not surprising when you consider one half of the duo is G. Johansson/Choronzon who has served in the likes of Setherial, Impious, and Torchbearer. The formula is pretty simple […]

So one of my new friends contacts is Håkan Stuvemark who is in Consumption, Henry Kane, Wombbath just to name a few bands.  He’s quite a guitarist and songwriter and Rex Demonus is yet another project – a melodic black metal band.  The debut album Damnatio is 9 songs in 47 minutes of really kick ass black metal. Starting […]

I like tradition in my metal, just like everything else. In my shaving (dry shave only), my food (well done steak with ketchup only, please), and of course sex (missionary only-no eye contact ever, for reproduction purposes only). While none of that’s true, it’s also not true when it comes to my metal. However, I […]

Poland’s Azarath return with their 7th full length album, Saint Desecration.   Founded by Inferno, drummer of the mighty Behemoth.  Azarath play a fun style of black death similar to the likes of Krisiun, Immolation, and also country mates Hate.   Things open up with “Death, At Will” which starts with a nice clean guitar part before […]

Like a dildo to the face when entering a Christian bookstore, last year’s The Grand Descent took me by surprise. I happened to pick it up on a whim, expecting something much different than what that cover art would suggest. I’m glad I did… and I’m glad they have a new release this year. Unfortunately […]

The Rise of Heresy ep has been released by three different labels.  Blood Blast Distro for the cd in October, then Metalized Distro with the cd and a patch and now Repulsive Echo Records for the cassette.  Since Kostas Vaxevanos, Repulsive Echo Records owner, is a friend of mine amd is now putting the release […]

At face value, Finland’s Worthless play Swedish styled death metal. They have HM 2 sounding guitars (though not overbearing), gruff, rough vocals and cantankerous, galloping riffs. But if you take a deeper dive (and take into account the band moniker and album title) in the band’s second full length, you get a little more nuanced […]

I have not heard Germany’s Dehuman Reign since I reviewed their debut EP, Destructive Intent, back in 2013. They released an album Ascending From Below back in 2016, but based on album number 3, not much has changed since the EP, as this is stout American death metal for fans of Cannibal Corpse, Monstrosity and […]

Finland’s new act Proscription’s debut album Conduit is some pretty evil and heavy music.  I am a big fan of guitarist/vocalist Christbutcher’s Excommunion as well as his past band – Maveth who were incredible.  I interviewed Christbutcher for allabouttherock.uk some years ago when Maveth were active, since he was born and raised in America and […]

Here’s the deal. As I write to you, I’m fucking stressed. Aside from some of the normal holiday season bullshit, I’m also currently facing a reality where, due to a whole goddamn mess of circumstances, there’s a very strong chance I’m going to be working out of my car every other week for the foreseeable […]

I was pretty damn stoked upon hearing that France’s Skelethal were releasing a new full-length album this year. I reviewed and thoroughly enjoyed their debut album, Of the Depths…. The duo of Gui Haunting (guitar, vocals) and Jon Whiplash (bass, drums) crafted some terrific burly, bludgeoning old-school Swedeath, paying obvious and massive homage to Carnage/Dismember, […]