VARIOUS ARTISTS - Acts Of Sadistic Cruelty

 

VARIOUS ARTISTS - Acts Of Sadistic Cruelty

Comatose Music 

Why yes I am a Comatose Music fan and I still wear my BLOODSOAKED "Brutally Butchered" shirt proudly. I even wear it to work on days when I have to cut the meat. But anyways what we have here is a Four Way split compilation from some bands who know what Brootal Death Metal is really all about. Some of em are even alumni of the label.

Starting off this bevy of sickness we have KILL EVERYTHING. They're a four piece BDM act from the Dallas / Fort Worth area of Texas. They've also got a previous full length out on this label. Musically their three cuts on here are straight up slow dirge sounding death metal. The vocals give it a real sick twist. They're not pig squeals or satanic frog sounds. So I'm going with feral hog vocals.

Next up, since I survived that last one, it's NECROTICGOREBEAST who are a four piece goregrind act from Canada. I'm familiar with em as well. Musically it's standard fair with trudging guitars that come across like artillery strikes. The vocals are bestial albeit of a still unidentified feral animal that lurks in the Great White North. These fiends contribute three cuts as well.

By the way these guys are also Comatose Music alum and I highly recommend their two previous albums from the label. I'm speaking of their 2019 self titled debut and the Human Deviance Galore full length from last year. Yeah this is some of the best modern day goregrind you'll find today.

So third on the list is VIRULENT EXCISION who are a five piece act who delve in simple crushing death metal not so far removed from MORTICIAN. The key phrase here is "far removed" since this band has an actual drummer. They're only allowed two cuts on here. 

And last on this comp is the almighty GOREPOT who hail from Taiwan and have been around longer then every other band on this compilation. Yes GOREPOT are legendary. Even the Chi-Com gov't in the mainland hates em. They deserve four cuts on here because they're funny as well as psychotic. Their tracks include sound-bites galore and their sound is sorta experimental avant-grind which is brootal as well as total engrossing. 

As always when it comes to split releases I treat em like wrestling bouts. And in this fatal brootal four way it's GOREPOT and NECROTICGOREBEAST as the last two contenders. Who wins? Ah this was a tough one but it's fuckin NECROTICGOREBEAST. And oh yeah you're a winner if you get this release. Nuff Said.

https://www.comatosemusic.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://comatosemusic.bandcamp.com/album/acts-of-sadistic-cruelty

ABADDON INCARNATE - The Wretched Sermon review

 

ABADDON INCARNATE - The Wretched Sermon

Transcending Obscurity Records

So if you're looking for some Irish metal to play next St. Paddy's Day I totally suggest this band for your playlist. Yes hailing from the Emerald Isle this is ABADDON INCARNATE. On this latest one, their sixth full length, this Dublin fearsome foursome has outdone themselves. 

I'm somewhat familiar with ABADDON INCARNATE since having two previous releases by em. Actually I learned about em via a split release they did with the US grind act PHOBIA about a decade ago. After that I picked up two previous full lengths, 2009's Cascade and Dark Crusade from 2004. Both of which I highly recommend. 

I never got their first two albums nor their last one Pessimist which came out in 2014. So it's been some time since this act has released something new. And of course I'm listening to em with memories of the past. But I can say that ABADDON INCARNATE are still a grind band that was never comfortable being pigeon-holed into the genre. So obviously when I'm listening to this new one it's like the band is just bursting through the genre confines. 

The various keys to The Wretched Sermon are grind, death metal and black metal. All of which either stands out from song to song or sneaks in and out. Another key is the duel guitar and vocal attack by original members Bill Whelan and Steve Maher. Along for the new ride is bassist Irene Siragusa and original drummer Olan Parkinson. Together they make a fierce racket.

The Wretched Sermon is thirteen tracks and mostly short sharp shockers but with a couple of ones going over the three minute mark and even an epic "Isolation And Decay" which is almost seven minutes long. That's an eternity for a death grind act. 

These Dublin death grinders do have a slight touch of early CARCASS minus the medical book terminology. It's a fuckin great listen with a great mix of style, speed and atmosphere. Hey I like my old school grind as well as old school death metal. It's even better when a band tosses in so much song structure swagger. 

Yeah this is now my favorite album by ABADDON INCARNATE. It's the type of grind release where you play it over and over and over in one sitting. 

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://abaddonincarnateband.bandcamp.com/album/the-wretched-sermon-grindcore-death-metal

HEADS FOR THE DEAD - The Great Conjuration review

 

HEADS FOR THE DEAD - The Great Conjuration

Transcending Obscurity Records

A few years back multi-instrumentalist Jonny Pettersson of Sweden's WOMBBATH, as well as many other acts, and vocalist Ralf Hauber of Germany's REVEL IN FLESH decided to team up for a side project. So with the help of a few other friends enter HEADS FOR THE DEAD which put out an amazing death metal debut, Serpent's Curse, in 2018.

Since then the duo, and friends, have been consistent by putting out a follow-up full length, Into the Red, from 2020. There's also a Halloween themed EP, Slash 'n' Roll, from last year. That was a fun little five cut release with three originals and two covers. But for me I wanted to hear another full length since HEADS FOR THE DEAD are lately one of my favorite DM acts. 

So here we go with the band's third full length release. Along with Pettersson and Hauber there's Matt Moliti on guitars from SENTIENT HORROR and WOMBBATH drummer Jon Rudin. Yeah there's definitely an international thing going on here with Sweden, Germany, England and the US represented. 

Musically The Great Conjuration is a diabolical sounding release. The ten cuts on here devour you like a huge beast. Pettersson comes in with a bag of riffs and song structures that leave you bewildered or punished. To me it's like GRAVE meets early IMMOLATION with a touch of epic melody. The added keyboards to a few cuts gives em a grand scale touch. 

Of course Hauber has the perfect voice for this sort of thing. Matt Moliti adds just the perfect type of solos on here. No dive-bombing or over the top standing out. Just a perfect melodic touch like icing on a filth ridden cake. And of course Jon Rudin's drum work is just plain complimentary to each cut.

Hey they say the third time's the charm. As much as I like this band's first two full lengths. The Great Conjuration is without a doubt the best of the trio. On here HEADS FOR THE DEAD is not just the product of various pieces. Now they stand out on their own in greatness.

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://headsforthedead.bandcamp.com/album/the-great-conjuration-death-metal

MORBID EVILS - Supernaturals review

 

MORBID EVILS - Supernaturals

Transcending Obscurity Records

So what we have here is a side project by Keijo Niinimaa of Finland's ROTTEN SOUND. Yeah he's been involved with a few other projects. This particular one he's been doing since 2014. Sadly I've never checked out their previous material. Basically I'm a ROTTEN SOUND fan and have half a dozen CDs by em. 

I saw em once as well. While a third of the crowd was going crazy slamming into one another. I stood in the back watching in awe fully knowing that this was a one time moment seeing a fucking great band and I didn't want to miss a second of it. Finnish grindcore playing here in the states hell yeah that's a rare moment.

But what we have here is not grindcore unless you buy this on vinyl and play it at 45 speed. This is death doom and sludge albeit in a sick fuckin Finnish way. Basically it's Keijo Niinimaa screaming his lungs out to some heavy as fuck background noise with a groove or two. In the end I enjoyed this as far as being a ferocious listen. Then again I like YOB.

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://morbidevilsband.bandcamp.com/album/supernaturals-death-doom-sludge-metal

IMMOLATION – Acts Of God review

 

IMMOLATION – Acts Of God 

Nuclear Blast

OK so just for the record I'm an IMMOLATION fan from their early days. Now moving on from that I have to say 2010's Majesty and Decay is my favorite by em. And of course 2017's Atonement definitely carries some greatness. Now that's not taking anything away from my appreciation of their early albums like the debut Dawn of Possession from 1991 or 2002's Unholy Cult. 

But let me be clear. Out of their whole full length catalog I think half are fuckin amazing and the other half are good. Which brings us to this new one Acts Of God. Yeah this came out back in February but I finally got my copy in June. So while I've been listening to this for like two months now. It's only been recently that I've actually been ready to write something about it. Hell it's been six years.

First off this is the band's longest album coming in at slightly over fifty minutes. There's a few instrumental tracks which to me is filler. But basically it has everything you want in a standard IMMOLATION album. Ross Dolan's brutal vocals are still fuckin amazing to hear. Robert Vigna's innovative riffs as well as off the wall solos are here. Steve Shalaty has become the premiere death metal drummer of the modern era. And Alex Bouks is in the band.

With that all said Acts Of God comes off like ten years of past ideas all put together into one new album. If you're a fan you can hear the repetition. There's very few cuts on here that actually stand out. Which to me is kinda bogus because over the past decade this band has been so good at defining amazing brutal as well as tech savvy DM. 

I give the musicianship a top notch but as far as excitement level this gets kicked down to the "good" level in their catalog. 

https://www.nuclearblast.com/eu/

LISTEN HERE:

https://immolation.bandcamp.com/

ATARAXY - The Last Mirror review

 

ATARAXY - The Last Mirror

Dark Descent Records

Here we have the third full length by Spain's ATARAXY a death metal band who I learned about years ago. In fact I had their second album Where All Hope Fades from 2018, and also out on Dark Descent Records, in my year end favorites. 

What makes em so cool is their sound which is old school death doom influenced by ASPHYX, BOLT THROWER and an inquisition dungeon. So what was great about their first two full lengths has now been punched up to another level of horrific extremism.

On The Last Mirror expect crushing doom riffs along with some punishing death metal punishment. The caustic vocals, think Van Drunen style, come off as agonizing. Along with all of those basics the band layers things in a foreboding atmosphere via melodic solos and even a blast beat drum run. 

Once again ATARAXY out does their previous effort. Peak moments on here me include "The Bell That Constantly Sounds", "Under the Cypress Shadow" and "A Mirror Reflects Our Fate". Yeah the longer eerie cuts which contain melody surrounded by crushing death doom, tortured vocals and synth enhancing atmosphere. Yeah this is a long awaited return. 

https://www.darkdescentrecords.com/shop/

LISTEN HERE:

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-last-mirror

BERATOR - Elysian Inferno EP review

 

BERATOR - Elysian Inferno EP

Dark Descent Records

What we have here is the debut EP from this blackened death act from Chicago, Illinois. Sure BERATOR are new but the four members are all extreme metal veterans. I could name drop a list of the former bands they've participated in but we're talking a few dozen. Be that it may this band does have plenty of evil baggage which rounds out their sound.

Elysian Inferno is six songs of pure blackened death that's a mix of US and Finnish styles. The atmosphere is dark like certain early US black metal acts. Their brand of death metal is old school. You've got some touches of doom along with it. Overall the riffs are like someone kicking down your front door. The vocals are roared and the rhythm section nails it. 

While just six amazing cuts is cool I await the day that BERATOR puts out a full length. Hey they're just two songs short on this one. They deserve an award for being the best new DM band of the year. Dive bombing guitar solos out the wazoo! Hell Fuckin Yeah!!!

https://www.darkdescentrecords.com/shop/

LISTEN HERE:

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/elysian-inferno

ANTIGAMA - Whiteout review

 

ANTIGAMA - Whiteout

Selfmadegod Records

Well first off it's about damm time that one of the kings of modern grind, yes Poland's ANTIGAMA have put out a full length release. Their last one was The Insolent from 2015. Since then of course the members of this fearsome four piece have come out with a handful of short form releases. Ya know just to keep us fans alert that they're still around. 

Personally when it comes to this band I like their full lengths better than the short form releases at least the ones I do have. And if you feel the same then may I suggest picking up, if you haven't already, the Antigamology compilation CD & DVD package. Which just so happens to also have come out on Selfmadegod Records in 2021. 

Now as far as this new one goes ANTIGAMA are in what I'd call a comfort zone. Yeah I know they play grindcore how ironic is that one. But at this point in their career they have nothing to prove. On here you get their rip roaring patented grindcore style. The maniacal riffs, roared vocals and insane drum work. Sure there's bass in here but you only get some glimpses of it. 

Add to that there's some cool death thrash and groove going on for the heshers. A touch of hardcore for the slam pit crowd and maybe for their own history. There's a few avant-grind and tech moments which is why I got into this band back in 2007 when they were on Relapse Records.

The bottom line here is that Whiteout might be long awaited but be thankful it's here. And of course my favorite cuts are the longer ones (AKA: more than 3 minutes) like "Holy Hand", "Disasters" and "Hindrance". My only complaint is the last cut "2222". I hate the saxophone. Be that as it may yeah this is a great grind album.

https://selfmadegod.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://antigamaofficial.bandcamp.com/album/whiteout

RIBSPREADER - Crypt World review

 

RIBSPREADER - Crypt World

Xtreem Music

I must admit that I'm a Rogga Johansson fan. If I cared to move some stuff around. I could probably dedicate a shelf space alcove to just CDs by the bands he's been in over the past couple of decades. I mean I've said it before but it bares repeating. Rogga Johansson is the most prolific musician in Swedish death metal. 

But I believe it's time to access the present day stuff in a clear light. After listening to this latest release which is their ninth. I went back and pulled out their last one to compare. That release was Crawl and Slither from 2019 which came out on Horror Pain Gore Death Productions. That one was pretty damm good. But the comparisons are fairly obvious. 

Crypt World is basic death metal 101. Sure Rogga Johansson is amazing coming up with decent and powerful riffs. He also again plays bass on here which you can't hear. But hey the vocals are classic Rogga aka: deep blunt roars mixed with higher pitched screams. Those parts will never get old to my old ears. And I'll bang my fuckin head and raise my fist. 

But the down side on here is the basic drum work by Jeramie Kling. Sure he's been in the band for a while now as well as VENOM INC., INHUMAN CONDITION and the new version of MASSACRE. On here he sounds like programmed drums. 

As far as guitarist Taylor Nordberg, another INHUMAN CONDITION and MASSACRE alum, is concerned well if those are his solos then they have to be phoned in out of boredom. But hey I'll give this album it's due. Rogga is at his amazing best. There's some really cool songs on here like "Nocturnal Sanguinator", "Good Hatchet Fun" and my favorite "Into the Morbid Pits". 

My biggest problem with this album is that it reminds me of that piece of crap MASSACRE Resurgence album from last year. Maybe this is all the rejected material that Rogga brought to the table. Which is far better than that MASSACRE album. In the end if you're a Rogga fan then yeah you need this for the collection. Afterwards you'll say come back to Sweden.

http://shop.xtreemmusich.com/englis.main.index.php

LISTEN HERE:

https://xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/crypt-world

BEGRIME EXEMIOUS - Rotting in the Aftermath review

 

BEGRIME EXEMIOUS - Rotting in the Aftermath

Dark Descent Records

Look I like many facets of death metal but the bottom line is always give me good meat and potatoes. By that I mean killer guitar riffs, an amazing rhythm section plus guitar solos galore and some damm good vocals. Add to all of that I want some songs that are down right diabolical. This new album by BEGRIME EXEMIOUS has all of that. In other words this is some damm good meat and potatoes.

BEGRIME EXEMIOUS is a death metal act from Canada. They've been around since 2005. In that time they've put out slew of releases which range from a handful of full lengths to a bunch of short form releases. By the way all of their full lengths were released by Dark Descent Records. So I've been following this act for a while now. One thing I can say for a fact is that this band is consistent in their sound and style.

What you have here is old school blackened death with a touch of thrash. Why is it better than most? Because the band executes it to perfection. Their nine cuts on here are amazing. If I were to see this band live I'd be happy to hear this album played in it's entirely. Now that's something I have never said about a newer death metal release. 

So what's so great about this one? Well first off the band covers all the bases. The vocals come off in a wide range of extreme styles. The riffs/song structures are more about grabbing you by the collar and dragging you in. Their thrash influence adds that slight bit of groove. Plus the dynamic drum work can easily entertain some slam pit action. There's plenty of molten leads and hey this band can doom out as well. 

Simplicity is the second factor on why this album is perfection. They don't try to out do the originators nor are they simple copycats. Sure I can hear some specific sounds that remind me of a few classics. But BEGRIME EXEMIOUS bring so much of their own design into the recipe that it makes it all sound damm good. 

https://www.darkdescentrecords.com/shop/

LISTEN HERE:

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/rotting-in-the-aftermath

BLASPHEMOUS CREATION - Beyond The Grave EP review

 

BLASPHEMOUS CREATION - Beyond The Grave EP

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Well so far I'm ready to call 2022 the Year of the EP. I mean wow it's been a while since I've heard plenty of damm good short form releases. Right here we have one which is a perfect example. This is a four song release by a band from Nevada who are not new at all. In fact they've got some history. 

BLASPHEMOUS CREATION is a four piece act whose sound and style is squarely placed into death thrash with a touch of blackness. The band originally started out back in 2006. Over that time they've managed to consistently release a bunch of material which includes a couple of EPs and five full lengths. 

Their last full length, Forsaken Dynasty from 2021, came out on Horror Pain Gore Death Productions. So on this one the band are not doing new material. Actually it's redone versions of four cuts from their debut album Diabolical Kingdom which came out in 2009. 

Personally I think that's a cool idea. Bands have favorite cuts from their past which they probably still perform live. So why not give em a second chance in the studio especially for newer fans. 

So for starters you've got four powerful cuts here executing an unbridled significance of death thrash. The final cut, "Black Winter" is black fuckin metal. The other three cuts are total death thrash. I like the diabolical vocals, cool song structures and dive bomb solos within the crazed riffs. Hell yes this is a winner.   

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-the-grave

GALLOWER - Eastern Witchcraft EP

 

GALLOWER - Eastern Witchcraft EP

Dying Victims Productions

Bias alert, the older I get the more I enjoy music from my youth. Case in point here we have GALLOWER a thrash band from the great nation of Poland. So while I'm blasting this one my first thought is that this band would've fit well in the hardcore scene as well as metal back in the day. 

In other words GALLOWER are not to be pigeon holed in the thrash genre. Sure they're metal as fuck but they also have this aggro HC attack as well. Add in a MOTORHEAD approach which sounds cool as fuck to me. The guitar hard rocking 80's style lead work is full on appropriate. The riffs are fierce as are the snarling / laugh in your face vocals. 

This is a five song EP with the final cut being more like an outro of worthless significance. Be that as it may the four main cuts are ferocious bursts of carnal rage. Yeah I really like this release. They're my Ivan Putski Polish Power type band of the month. 

https://www.dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://gallower.bandcamp.com/album/eastern-witchraft-ep