TYRANNICTyrannic Desolation Iron Bonehead Productions (2024)Rating: 7/10 It’s funny to see black metal musicians still posing in front of a grave or tomb like it was 1994. Australia’s Tyrannic is happy to continue primitive themes by way of circling around the ancient eaves of Celtic Frost and latter day Darkthrone, the result being a morbid […]

RAPTORERenaissance Dying Victims Productions / Tapes Of Terror (2024)Rating: 6.5/10 Two years ago Barcelona, Spain-based Raptore released a rollicking sophomore outing in the form of Blackfire, so it’s good to have the lads back with their third platter. As I expected this is more glam-tinged metal that’s catchy and accessible and rewarding in its anthemic […]

GLOOMY REFLECTIONSOath Of The Paladins Crypt Of The Wizard (2024)Rating: 7.5/10 As if one has been joined at ye merry olde inn by chief alchemists Will Spectre (The Wizar’d, Dracula, Tarot, Crypt Vapor) and Lord Gordith (Quest Master), the debut full-length album from Australia’s Gloomy Reflections is the soundtrack to medieval tomfoolery and role-playing magick. […]

SIGN OF THE JACKALHeavy Metal Survivors Dying Victims Productions (2024)Rating: 8/10 After a couple of changes in personnel (Dave L. “Dröz” replacing Max Pinkle on guitar and Frederick “Triple F” replacing Nick “DevilDrunk” on bass), Italian rockers Sign Of The Jackal embark upon their third full-length. I was a big fan of the band’s 2013 […]

REPUKEDClub Squirting Blood Soulseller (2024)Rating: 7.5/10 Slurping through the wastelands of sewage, intermittent gore ghouls Repuked shits out a fourth full-length album. With such delicacies on the menu as ‘Crotch Rot’, ‘The Slobbering’, ‘Into The Anal Abyss’ and ‘Stiff Dick In A Stiff’ one has to wonder just what sort of stuff inspires this deranged […]

SINNER’S TABLERituals Of Torment EP Self-released (2024)Rating: 6.5/10 A rather short EP this one as Hudson Valley, New York-based duo Sinner’s Table improve on their 2022 demo with four strong cuts. With opener ‘Forged In Flame’ there’s a heavy snarling attitude as members Robert Müller and Dennis O’Neil drift towards a crossover into death metal […]

GUTLESSHigh Impact Violence Me Saco Un Ojo / Dark Descent (2024)Rating: 7.5/10 Hmmm, I’m not sure what to think of the cartoon gore cover of this debut full-length from Melbourne, Australia-based combo Gutless? It’s certainly less primitive and more goofy than the the band’s 2018 Mass Extinction demo. Even so, High Impact Violence remains a […]

UNHOLY NIGHTAtomic Sorcery Motorpunk / Soundage Productions / Segacore Production (2024)Rating: 7/10 With their brand of blackened speed metal, Russian combo Unholy Night unleashes a furious barrage to herald the arrival of a debut full-length album five years after forming, with the clan of vocalist Adok, guitarist Lepeha, bassist Meshok and drummer Losos’ more than […]

ACCU§ERRebirthless MDD (2024)Rating: 7.5/10 It’s always good to see these German thrash veterans marching through the decades. Rebirthless is the 13th full-length studio album of their career and remarkably, the band’s seventh since reforming in 2009. Accu§er still has a lot to give even if they remain a mid-table thrash act. Rebirthless, the first to […]

UNHARVESTED THRASHCrimes Against Humanity Self-released (2024)Rating: 6/10 Manchester, England-based thrashers Unharvested Thrash hit us where it hurts with their debut full-length offering. Firstly, I just want to say how cool the album cover is, depicting a city smouldering under blood orange skies. It certainly makes a change from all the silly cartoon covers. Anyway, Crimes […]