TENEBRIFICLabyrinth Of Anguish EP Self-released (2024)Rating: 7/10 I must apologise for initially reading the band name as Tenerife, but such is the spidery nature of these logos! This is a band from Sydney, Australia that plays a blackened death metal style and Labyrinth Of Anguish is their debut EP. Tenebrific is a studio project consisting […]
CATBREATHSlice ’Em All Iron Shield (2024)Rating: 7/10 The weirdly named Catbreath are upon us, a German combo who dabble in crossover thrash and chunks of humour. The band originates from Kiel and while they have a knack for a handful of silly song titles (‘Blood Spill Claw Kill’, ‘The New Claw Order’ and ‘All Paws […]
FUNERAL LEECHThe Illusion Of Time Carbonized (2024)Rating: 7.5/10 The sound of Funeral Leech is akin to spending a night in a coffin. Pitch black death-doom seeps from every crack as this New York City combo creeps through the dank corridors of your mind and unsettles your psyche with every slithering mass of blackness. Tones of […]
HELLWAY TRAINBorderline Classic Metal (2024)Rating: 8/10 This scorching Brazilian act (named after co-founder and vocalist Marc Hellway) has been lurking around since 2010. I’m of the understanding that the combo split five years later but returned in 2020. Borderline is, surprisingly, the band’s debut full-length outing but it’s a fine example of sprightly traditional heavy […]
WITCH VOMITFuneral Sanctum 20 Buck Spin (2024)Rating: 8.5/10 A new Witch Vomit release is always a welcome sight. Funeral Sanctum is the third full-length outing from the Portland, Oregon-based band and comes wrapped in an almost wintry black metal styled slice of cover art. No surprise then that the chilly death metal carnage contained within […]
EMERALD EYENight Without Day Self-released (2024)Rating: 8/10 Marrying melodic rock with power metal, Kansas City, Missouri-based metalheads Emerald Eye releases its strong debut full-length album five years after their inception. Night Without Day is a peculiar brew at times due to the subtle progressive edges and the spattering of keyboards. As an opus it comes […]
ATTICReturn Of The Witchfinder Ván (2024)Rating: 7.5/10 With their first album since 2017 sophomore effort Sanctimonious, Germany occult metallers Attic again plunder the darkest depths of Mercyful Fate and King Diamond for another round of Ouija board hokum. With a “new” guitarist in Max Povver who joined in 2017, the band continues its bewitching and […]
SNAKEBITECobra Crew Maniac Attack (2024)Rating: 7/10 With their third full-length studio album German combo Snakebite continue their fusion of 80s styled rock and metal. Beginning like some smoky 80s ballad, ‘Blow It Up’ flutters satin sheets and lace curtains with its sweet yet haunting piano before the crisp axe work punctures the city streets causing […]
GREYHAWKThunderheart Fighter (2024)Rating: 8/10 With their second full-length studio album, Seattle, Washington-based rockers Greyhawk continue their quest to spew forth tales of magic and mystery to a soundtrack steeped in the musty odour of traditional metal. This is nothing new, although nothing these days ever is, but Thunderheart is an enjoyable romp within a framework […]
DISROTTERRestless Death EP Sewer Rot (2024)Rating: 6/10 Hailing from Richmond, Virginia is grinding death metal outfit Disrotter and Restless Death is their debut EP. It consists of four songs that do exactly what it says on the coffin lid – straight up grindcore and death metal marrying with barked vocal atrocities and high levels of […]
