I’ve been digging what Germany’s Purity Through Fire has been releasing of late, especially when it comes to quality black metal. Notably releases from Greve, To Conceal The Horns, Nefarious Dusk, Noidva, The Dying Light and this one man act from Bavaria, who has been super prolific since 2015 with 2 splits, 2 EPS and […]

Finland’s Black Royal stormed into prominence with their powerhouse 2018 debut LP, Lightbringers, an impressive slab of doom-laced death with an abundance of killer riffs and piercing hooks. Eager to build upon the sturdy foundations of their impressive debut, Black Royal return to strengthen and refine their beastly, riff-centric style of death and doom on […]

I want to start out by saying I first heard of We Sell The Dead because of the involvement of former drummer for HIM, Mika “Gas Lipstick” Karppinen. Yeah, I know I ruined what little metal “cred” I imagined myself even having right off the bat, dear reader. So, if you wish to back out […]

Tuomas Saukkonen is one goddamn busy dude. Since beginning his professional music career 20 years ago, the guy has been a part of, if not directly responsible for 23 different record releases, spread between 7 different bands – all this while still having enough time to hit the gym and maintain his status as one […]

Do you crave Dimmu Borgir’s last few albums? Especially craving 2010s Abrahadabra, and notably the single “Gateways”? Want fur, frosty armored outfits and face paint? Want some really good symphonic, bombastic black metal? Check out Russia’s veteran act Welicoruss. Apparently one of Russia’s more respected and biggest symphonic black metal acts, these guys have certainly […]

I was unaware Paraguay had such an excellent death metal act, in the name of this 5-piece named Verthebral.  I will admit to getting a bit burnt out recently to the oversaturation in the death metal scene of bands trying to out brutal one another.  While I understand the competitive nature of that often the […]

If you’re like me, then the Fall and Winter seasons sees an influx in your doomy/gothic/rocking death metal listening schedule. Whether it be the colder temperatures, the dying/dead fauna, the colorless and cloudy skies, or the realization that we as individuals and as a whole are yet another year closer to our own demise, this […]

I have a hoodie in my closet. The thing is nearly two decades old, and it’s probably got more thread from holes and tears I’ve sewn up than it has original stitching. It’s got a few bleach spots, it’s been stretched and worn beyond any hope of elasticity, the original designs on the front and […]

I can’t stop listening to the barrage of amazing Technical Death Metal coming from The Artisan Era.  Recently I reviewed Montreal’s Sutrah which blew my out of the water. Now I am taking a gander at a group from Green Bay Wisconsin called Aronious.  This is a time consuming album to process at being close […]

Released at the tail end of 2019, Decision Code is the fourth album from this Russian industrialized death metal act, and if you are worried of Fear Factory and their apparently many and long running legal issues will prevent any future releases, Conflict will be solid stand in. In fact, ol’ Burton C Bell makes […]

Based out of Seattle, Washington, Izthmi are a 5 piece band describing themselves as progressive, atmospheric black metal.  After a pointless 3 minute and slightly irritatingly long intro the ball gets rolling with the 8+ minute “To Traipse Alone”.  I cannot remember when I saw the word traipse in a song.  The name of this […]

I don’t want to kickstart an existential crisis by getting too far into how old I am, but let’s just say that if I had a dime for all the different fads and trends that the world of heavy music has gone through in my lifetime, I’d have a lot more free time to impart […]

After Swedish Death Metal, my favorite kind of death metal is that burly, chunky blackened death metal,. Big beefy riffs, commanding deep vocals, and a pretty strong militant vibe. It’s a sound Behemoth perfected in the mid 00s, (with Zos Kia Cultus being the arguable apex of the style) and recently bands like Poland’s Hate, […]

Have you ever had an itch you just can’t explain? Worse yet, one you can’t seem to reach? For a lot of people, this is somewhere on the back. You know that place below the neck and between the shoulders. Inventors have made millions (I assume) from this. For me, unfortunately, the itch is on […]

I consider Kostas Vaxevanos, owner of Repulsive Echo Records, out of Greece, a friend.  He has been supportive of me and I of him.  I love his label and we’ve had a many discussions over the years.  When he makes music recommendations I listen.  He recently informed me about a band he was planning on […]

Occasionally, I need a break from the cacophony and brutality of black and death metal, and need a little respite from the more noisy end of the metal spectrum. Enter the UK’s long running, but hardly prolific doom act, The River, whom I have a very vague recollection of hearing back in my Digitalmetal/Metal Maniacs […]

Gwarth II is Thoren’s 4th album. I’ll proceed as if the reader is wholly unfamiliar with Thoren because it’s no stretch to assume that you, like myself, probably are.  I believe this is of a metal craftsmanship even your long retired mechanical drafter grandpa can appreciate.  …Ha.  No.  He would screech at you to “turn […]

YOU EVER DONE COCAINE?! I… haven’t, actually. Never even had the desire to. Don’t misunderstand me, I’ve been no angel by any stretch of the imagination in my lifetime – I’m in no position to judge anyone of their proclivities – but when it came to uppers, I’ve never really needed the aid of any […]

After releasing a four-song demo in 2017, all female death doom newcomers, Konvent, have now bestowed upon us their full-length debut, Puritan Masochism. Their own Bandcamp page states that it would not be a surprise if this album conjures a well-deserved revival for the entire death doom genre. That’s quite a proclamation with so many […]

Way back in 2005, I reviewed the third album from Poland’s Trauma, Imperfect Like a God. It was a killer Polish death metal album culling from all the usual Polish death metal peers. In my opinion, it was as good as many of Poland’s larger, better known bands, but at the time like Country mates […]

Oh shit. So I’ve been on a bit of a blackened death metal kick lately, but also still riding last years symphonic black metal wave that had me impressed and littered my year end list. Well outta nowhere come Australia’s Oath of Damnation with a sophomore album with a violent double penetration of both styles. […]

Maybe it’s the Relapse Records lineage, but I always seem to forget just how heavy Tombs are. That’s not to say there aren’t heavy bands on the Relapse roster because there most certainly are. However, I am always expecting something sludgy, along the lines of Baroness or Mastodon. Then, I press play and have a […]

I live in a VERY northern part of the US. So far north that if I threw a rock from my front porch, I’m at risk of inciting international hostilities with our French-speaking neighbors to the north. It certainly has some perks! Poutine and smoked meat are both readily available, and I have easy access […]

Before Khold, there was Tulus, who released 3 albums in the late 90s. When Khold, one of the 00s most consistent (some would say annoyingly so) Norwegian black metal bands went on hold in 2006, Tulus was reformed with 2 of the original Khold/Tulus member Sarke (drums) and Bludstrup (vocals- also known as Khold’s distinctive […]

Malaysia’s Humiliation return with their 10th long player and singer, Bear Bee recently informed me what a special recording this was for them.  Being around a decade now and releasing an album each year they wanted to make Parallel Chains of Command extra special.  Humiliation has never had a title track for any of their […]