LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR - I Hail I review

 

LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR - I Hail I

The Grind-House Records

So there's a lot to unpack here. As far as anticipated albums go this was an obvious pick for me as far as 2026 goes. This band's last album, Evil Power, from 2010 is definitely a classic in my book. It was their fourth album and definitely their best. Plus I was already a fan of them from two previous albums.

LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR hail from Chicago, Illinois. They started out in 2003 as a three piece Sludge Metal / Thrash act. Now for you ignorant types, Sludge Metal came about when late 1980's Hardcore musicians started listening to BLACK SABBATH. They started incorporating the fast meets slow ideal. There are way too many early examples but by the 1990's you had bands coming out in the Metal scene who were Sludge Metal. 

When LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR finally hit the scene it was easy to like em because they came from Chicago, Illinois which had a history of Extreme Metal acts who didn't color inside the lines when it came to certain genres of Metal. Hell I'm still a USURPER / BONES fan till this day and that's just two name drops. 

So that was then and this is now some sixteen years later. As far as the line-up goes it's still Steven Rathbone as vocalist, guitarist and he adds the keyboards. Drummer Chris Wozniak is still in the fold. But on bass they have a new recruit who is well known in the Chicago area not only as a musician but a producer. I'm talking about Sanford Parker. 

As far as I Hail I goes it's not a great come back album as one would hope for. The first half of the album is reminiscent of their past aggressive work. I like that to a point other than being more causal than extreme. "Fucked Inside Out" and "Prowler Twin Sister" are memorable tracks. Everything else is kinda lackluster. It's kinda like drinking a six pack and by the fourth beer you're like I think I'm done. 

The last two cuts on this album sealed my overall opinion. "Vulture Worship" was a throwaway track but "Tartarus Apocalypse" is a seven minute plus Sludgey Doom boring opus of banality. Hey you were hot years ago but now your dead. Trust me, it comes with age. Except it or look pathetic.

https://www.thegrind-houserecords.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://lairoftheminotaur.bandcamp.com/album/i-hail-i-2

SQUELCHING - Squelching Compilation review

 

SQUELCHING - Squelching Compilation

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

So while listening to this release I had a bunch of thoughts. The first one is years ago when I was at a show watching a Brutal Death Metal act on stage. Why didn't I bust a beer bottle across the bar, cut myself across the forehead with the sharp end and then run into the crowd like a bloodied brutalizing maniac to start a savage pit?

Looking back and being a knowledgeable person of pro wrestling (especially Japanese wrestling) I knew where to cut. But in all I wasn't that out of control. Of course that's my not so humble opinion. Close friends might differ on my perspective of history. 

Which brings us up to this release here which is a compilation of some output by a one man band, Once again years ago when I was a collector, I hated these things but now I'm not. So what we have here is a compilation of SQUELCHING material. SQUELCHING is a one man Brutal Death Metal act hailing from Indiana. The one man is David Sueoka who's musically responsible for everything. 

Even though David Sueoka started SQUELCHING back a few years ago. He has been fairly prolific in short form releases starting out in 2020. What we have here is a compilation of material from his 2020 A Fatal Procession EP from, the Backbreaker EP from 2025 and a few latter tracks from 2025. Musically this is not the sick twisted stuff nor your basic sound from the mid-1990's. 

Instead David Sueoka actually turns this sub genre into a gruff and yet brutal sound with an atmospheric touch. Even better is that he's not relying on that hiptard Prog style shit. He focuses on creating a developed sound instead of just a handful of songs. To me that's cool as well as interesting. David Sueoka does come from the MORTICIAN school of Brutal DM so that makes him a winner in my book.

I like this compilation a lot and if you're interested yeah you will to. It's what I like to call late night after work music. It's hate for those other people you have to deal with. Now with that said I really wanna hear what David Sueoka comes out with next and hopefully it's a full length. Nuff Said!

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/squelching

IMPURE DECLARATION - Of Veins, Tendons and Bones review

 

IMPURE DECLARATION - Of Veins, Tendons and Bones

Old Temple

A couple of weeks ago I was leaving work. I said goodnight to the front of house staff. The one woman bartender asked what I was gonna do later because it was only 10:30 on a Saturday night. So I said I'm gonna go home, drink some beer and listen to some Satanic Metal. While I was walking down the stairs I heard the gay guy bartender say "is he serious"? The woman answered "of course he's serious. Have you looked at those band shirts he wears"?

And so here I am after work listening to some Satanic Metal. This is the debut full length by Poland's IMPURE DECLARATION. The band, who are a five piece act, started out in 2017. Prior to this the band released two EPs and a split release with a German band called NEKUS. 

Musically what we have here is modern day Blackened Death Doom. All of the standards are touched upon as in it's bestial vocals like a bear woken up during hibernation. A filth ridden riff atmosphere that conveys a blackened storm. The drum work is dynamic as hell like thunder. All in all it has this enjoyable atmosphere of hate as well as a standard of style which has gone on now for at least twenty years. 

If you are a regular reader of this blog (and frankly who isn't ?) then you know over the past few years I've called out the generic bullshit which are bands just repeating Blackened Death Doom acts from the past bunch of years. At least Poland's IMPURE DECLARATION sound like it's new and fresh to a point. In other words this release sounds like something I bought twenty years ago as opposed to something I heard a few years ago. 

IMPURE DECLARATION come across as dedicated followers of hate. This debut release is eight cuts but since there's an intro and outro you're really getting six for Satan. Be that as it may they're from Poland the most Extreme Metal nation on the planet. 

https://www.oldtemple.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://oldtemple.bandcamp.com/album/impure-declaration-of-veins-tendons-and-bones

CUTTHROAT - Invoking Terror EP review

 

CUTTHROAT - Invoking Terror EP

Dying Victims Productions

Well I can't wait till next St. Paddy's Day when someone at the place I work at asks me for some Irish music suggestions. So what we have here is the first official release by Ireland's CUTTHROAT. They are a three piece Blackened Thrash act who first started out in 2023. 

Sound-wise CUTTHROAT are a raw aggressive sounding act who are dedicated fans to this genre. I've said it many times but it bares repeting, my favorite Thrash is Blackened Thrash. But I hate the generic copycats. CUTTHROAT is not that at all. Now sure if ya wanna name drop influences they excibet, sure go for it and be a dick. 

This release is five diabolical deeds of the dammed. An impressive debut and keep an eye out for this band in the future. 

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/invoking-terror

LOWCARD DE LA MORTE / KILLSEDUCTION Split EP review

 

LOWCARD DE LA MORTE / KILLSEDUCTION Split EP

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

OK bias alert because this split release reminds me of the 1980's Underground Hardcore / Speed Metal era when you only heard good music via tape trading. What we have here are two bands from Japan who not only nail the sound and fury. But the production is time honoring perfect. The fucking attitude is a slam pit smack to the face. 

First of there's LOWCARD DE LA MORTE who deliver six cuts that are pure old school sounding Hardcore / Speed Metal. I mean short songs, meaty riffs, aggro vocals with plenty of tongue in cheek lyrics. It's serious music for the not so serious but want to get crazy to. 

The second band here is KILLSEDUCTION who deliver five cuts in a different way. Yeah it's Hardcore, Speed Metal as well as Thrash and Grind. That latter touch is obvious since guitarist Takafumi Matsubara of GRIDLINK is in the band. Musically their songs are a psychotic speed trip which would be more enjoyable if I was still a coke head. But for right now their short sharp and diverse extreme shock is pretty cool. 

Like all split releases I judge em as wrestling matches. I mean real wrestling and not like that BS on TV today. This is Japan style Wrestling from decades ago in a exploding barred wire match with tacks on the mat. Although KILLSEDUCTION seem to walk into this ring as the predominant winner and heals. I'm choosing the baby-face LOWCARD DE LA MORTE who do a better job jumping off the ropes and pinning. 

NUFF SAID!

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/kill-de-la-morte

NINTH REALM - Damnation's Veil review

 

NINTH REALM - Damnation's Veil

Transcending Obscurity Records

I've said it before but I'll repeat myself. Thrash Metal in these modern times is boring as shit. Some bands sound cool only because they remind ya of a past favorite. Then you've got these other acts who just go off the rail and end up boring. That's why I like Blackened Thrash because I know what to expect. It either sounds damm good or it's generic garbage. 

Which brings us to this latest full length from Maryland's NINTH REALM. The band started back in 2018 and has been putting out plenty of short form releases. Their first full length, A Fate Unbroken, came out in 2022. So here's their second full length. The genre tagline on here is Crossover / Thrash Metal. Personally I don't get the Crossover part because I don't hear 80's Hardcore. But everything else is cool.

With the exception of the intro cut, which is boring. This is a damm good album. NINTH REALM just excel in aggressive, violent, pummeling sounds. It's the equivalent of a dozen bullet belt, jean jacket cut-off wearing hessians kicking into your house and beating the crap out of you. That's if you're a hipster. If it was my house, I'm armed so the first nine of ya would be shot and I'd have a second magazine in the chamber fast enough to finish the next three. 

Be that it is I think violence is a quality motive when listening to this release. NINTH REALM are all into that with rapid galloping riffs, a pounding / savage rhythm section and a damm violent sounding vocalist. This is my kind of Thrash in 2026. 

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://ninthrealm-label.bandcamp.com/album/damnations-veil

VERDUN - Abyssal Womb review

 

VERDUN - Abyssal Womb

Transcending Obscurity Records

The first time I heard this French Blackened Sludge band was on a Transcending Obscurity Records compilation in 2006. At the time I thought they were interesting and wanted to hear more. Unfortunately the band chose to put out their future releases on other labels. Now they're back with Transcending Obscurity Records after releasing an EP in 2011, two full lengths (a debut in 2016 and their sophomore album in 2019). They also released a split EP with a US Sludge / Doom band OLD IRON in 2021. 

So here we are now and despite all of the inbetween stuff I was still excited to hear VERDUN's latest full length on one of my favorite labels. Now just for the record this genre, Blackened Sludge / Doom, has lost it's excitement (in my not so humble opinion) because too many bands performing it literally suck. I mean there are too many acts who can not write good songs. They depend too much on dissonant ambient trope sound effect. 

VERDUN on this new album are not like that. The seven cuts on here invoke hate, violence and greatness to be alive and do it. The music on here is not for some hipster pothead. This is music for people who wanna beat the shit out of hipster potheads. A few of these cuts are head-banging, fist raising anthems which should invoke a real maniacal slam pit. 

Let's give props to guitarist Jay Pinelli who comes up with decent riffs which keep you excited and yet border on the dissonant boredom. The rhythm section of drummer Geraud Jonquet and bassist Florian Celdran needs to be congratulated for exercising great power as well as intricate touches throughout. Finally there's vocalist David Sadok, who probably needs a throat lozenge after this recording. He's got a Blackened screech vocal from hell.

All in all if I haven't made in plain earlier. VERDUN have made Blackened Sludge cool again. This album is perfect from start to finish. 

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://verdun-label.bandcamp.com/album/abyssal-womb