CIRITH UNGOL - Dark Parade review

 

CIRITH UNGOL - Dark Parade

Metal Blade Records

For years I've always said I like CIRITH UNGOL but the vocals were hard to handle. I always thought that on their early albums vocalist Tim Baker was out of sync with the music. Still they were good records but for me their comeback album Forever Black from 2020  has become my favorite album by em.

So here we are a few years later and CIRITH UNGOL are back with another installment in their career comeback. Some years ago I compared CIRITH UNGOL to an Americanized version of MERCYFUL FATE / KING DIAMOND albeit less satanic, less ghost stories but more sword & sorcery. To me that analogy applies to Dark Parade. 

As always with CIRITH UNGOL they were a band that never quite fit in any specific metal genre style. I've always called em metal despite everything but years ago I saw one of their early albums included in a classic doom metal listing. And on here well yeah it's obviously evident. Dark Parade is musically more in the epic doom realm than their previous works. 

With the exception of opener "Velocity (S.E.P.)" the lions share of this album in a slower doom tempo. But instead on concentrating on distinct heavy riffs it's more about the arrangements in melody as well as the relentless guitar soloing which the band is known for. The riffs are straight up gritty. The drum work is perfect as always and never over done. And of course Baker's vocals are in sync and screechy. 

I also like how the acoustic guitar parts work themselves into the electric sides perfectly like on the epic (and longest track on here) "Sailor on the Seas of Fate" as well on the finale cut "Down Below". The same can be said with "Sacrifice" which features some Flamenco guitar style. 

Not long ago I read something to the effect that this was going to be CIRITH UNGOL's final album. I believe guitarist Jimmy Barraza left the band after this was recorded. Personally I hope it's not the case. I mean sure these guys are slightly older than me (aka: mid-60's). But hey they can still play well and write music far better and interesting than their peers. So yeah if this is their swan song that it's a great one to go out on.

 

https://www.metalblade.com/us/

LISTEN HERE:

https://cirithungol.bandcamp.com/album/dark-parade

CHAINED TO THE DEAD - Discography of Debauchery

 

CHAINED TO THE DEAD - Discography of Debauchery

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

I was born and raised in New Jersey. I grew up in Fairview, NJ in the 70s and back then if I met someone from Passaic I'd tell them I'm sorry. Yeah back then the town of Passaic was a shithole along with plenty of other places in East Jersey. So when my family split up in the late summer of 1976 I was moved to Pennsylvania and never saw Jersey again except for holiday visits. 

So here we have a band from Passaic, New Jersey. I would figure that Passaic, along with plenty of other East Jersey towns, would be fuckin gentrified as well. But hey DEATH came from the Sunshine state of Florida so go figure. This is my first time hearing New Jersey's CHAINED TO THE DEAD. Who are a death metal band. And it makes me wonder whatafuck is going on in Passaic?

Be that as it may what we have here is a compilation of the band's whole musical out-put since starting in 2014. Yep this release has every thing released by the band as far as short form releases, full lengths and previously unreleased live tracks. Musically it's death metal with a foot in old school territory. While the other foot stands in almost screamo / brutal death metal territory plus death grind and death doom. 

Musically when I say old school we're talking slightly above DEATH demo days. The riffage is about as basic as you can get. The bass exists if you listen really hard. The drum work is decent, plenty of blast beats. For me the vocals are the most interesting. This guy has a caustic pitch to his singing style which comes across as someone being slashed with razor blades. 

This compilation is 27 tracks in all and they're not all short cuts. On average most of the songs are two plus minutes or more in length. Just for the record this comp contains the band's first EP Born To Rot from 2015, the three songs they contributed to a split EP with a band called DUTCHGUTS (I missed that one). And their 2019 A Gruesome Encounter album. Add to that there's three previously unreleased live tracks to end it all. 

I honestly find this release to be a cool document from a Jersey extreme metal band. An all out full listen is not for me but in small doses (aka: ten tracks here) it's a cool blast at a time. "A Graveyard Without Corpses" should be the words underneath on the sign that says Welcome to New Jersey. Nuff Said.

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/discography-of-debauchery

SADISTIC FORCE - Midnight Assassin review

SADISTIC FORCE -  Midnight Assassin

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

I've been checking out a lot of extreme metal acts from Texas this year whether it's new stuff or some reissues all of which have come in for review. Lot's of good stuff has come in as far as extreme music goes and this one fits the bill. This second album by the Austin, Texas three-piece SADISTIC FORCE was tagged as blackened speed metal. OK sure it's that but a whole lot more and in a cool way. 

First off I think the whole US "blackened" whatever (thrash or speed metal) has been a generic dud over the past bunch of years. But of late I've found some cool stuff. So here we have a band that comes along and breaks out from that pattern. Basically SADISTIC FORCE know how to fuckin rock as well as rip faces off. This is real old school sounding speed metal and not hardcore influenced thrash.

First and foremost I love the guitar soloing on this release. It's the hard rocking part. Black n Roll anyone? Add to that the savage vocal style with a few Tom G Warrior grunts to kick it old school. The riff package is old school and damm good. "Speeding Black Leather Hell" is absolutely amazing. The title track invites you to an early black metal experience and switches to a riff savvy kick ass tune. Hell Fuckin Yeah!

I could go on about this album's greatness ("Nuremberg Nights" is MOTORHEAD worship to a point). Or the white heat of "The Butcher's Apron". The short intro comes across like the opening moments of a horror slasher movie. But hey look at the cover artwork and you'll understand. "Campaign of Sin" is a fuckin anthem. All nine tracks on this album rule. 

 

SADISTIC FORCE are making metal which is offensive to safe sedate mainstream losers and I fuckin love it. Midnight Assassin is perfect in that all the tracks are unique. There's no repetitive generic style at all. This band has taken all that is great out there and combined in into one. Fire at will! 

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/midnight-assassin

  

HEADS FOR THE DEAD - In the Absence of Faith EP review

 

HEADS FOR THE DEAD - In the Absence of Faith EP

Pulverised Records

First off I'm surprised this release did not come out on Transcending Obscurity Records which was the label their full lengths came out on. Be that as it may HEADS FOR THE DEAD are still kicking it as far as death metal supergroup. This five song EP is a horror-esque release which came out in September. Sorry I was late to this one.

Just a reminder HEADS FOR THE DEAD are Ralf Hauber on vocals from REVEL IN FLESH. Jon Rudin (who's been in a number of bands) on drums starting out last year. On guitar there's Matt Moliti who came on board in 2022. And finally there's mainman Jonny Pettersson on guitars, bass and keyboards. Once again Jonny has been in a slew of cool bands. 

So yeah they's keyboard use on this release. And yeah I know "keyboards on a death metal release?" But on here Jonny uses the keys as an atmospheric touch. Other times it a background asthetic which covers in needed arrangements which are part of the horror. Be that as it may the soloing is fiery. The vocals are gruff as fuck. This EP rules!

http://www.pulverised.net/

LISTEN HERE:

https://pulverised.bandcamp.com/album/in-the-absence-of-faith

CRUACHAN - The Living And The Dead review

 

CRUACHAN - The Living And The Dead

Despotz Records

I might have mentioned it before but I'll repeat it. Yes I am a proud American and I have a huge love as well as respect for my ancestry. My back ground is Dutch, Irish and German. Personally I call em the three aces. Because of who I am it's the Dutch and Irish heritage which is strongest in me. So when it comes to metal music I do tend to love bands from Holland or Ireland. 

In this case CRUACHAN are a band from Dublin, Ireland who I got into years ago. CRUACHAN started out back in 1993. I didn't get into em until 2006 with their fifth full length release, The Morrigan's Call. Some years later they came out with Blood on the Black Robe which was an amazing album. Back then they were more of a blackened folk metal act. 

But then things changed and the albums which came next were more generic shlock. I mean think Pagan Fest or the generic battle metal saga from the late 2000s. I'm talking about cheesy stuff which was metal but with some folk styles pushed to the masses which was OK. Which brings us to this latest album. 

The Living And The Dead is a real folk metal album. There's equal parts of traditional Irish folk music and song structures touched with the metal parts. I actually liked this as opposed to bands who only add a touch of the whole folk style. I mean on here Audrey Trainor's violin playing is a standout throughout this album. The metal is more power metal in direction albeit with a touch of speed and blackened in bits amidst the folk signatures and non electric instruments.

I'd say the bottom line here is that on this release CRUACHAN are much better than on their two previous full lengths. Sound-wise this is what I'd expect for a folk metal album by an Irish band. Great stuff.

http://despotz.se/

LISTEN HERE:

https://cruachanband.bandcamp.com/album/the-living-and-the-dead

SMOULDER - Violent Creed Of Vengeance review

 

SMOULDER - Violent Creed Of Vengeance

Cruz del Sur Music

Here we have the second album by Canada's SMOULDER. I really liked their debut, Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring, from 2019. After listening to this new one a few times it's obvious the sophomore jinx does not apply. SMOULDER are, or should be, looked upon as true greatness as far as true metal goes in these modern times. 

So there are a lot of things going on here to that greatness. First and foremost are the vocals by Sarah Ann Vincent. This woman has a powerful vocal style that oozes true metal. She sings from the heart which you've gotta love. She's got a powerful  gutsy style going on. And she's the perfect singer for this style of music. 

SMOULDER are a touch MAIDEN-esque (aka: galloping rhythms, twin guitar harmonies and of course some amazing leads). Add to that they love some doom as well as the whole old ways of MANILLA ROAD and a touch of CIRITH UNGOL with better vocals of course. Yes it's old school metal worship with no hits or MTV videos. Sarah Ann Vincent and company come off doing sagas on all of the seven cuts here. 

Violent Creed Of Vengeance is an amazing album and something that I'll be listening to for a long time. SMOULDER did not just put out a second album. They put out a masterpiece. The tag line for them is epic metal (whatever that means) but hey the close to ten minute opus "Dragonslayer's Doom" is pretty fuckin epic.   

https://www.cruzdelsurmusic.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://smoulder.bandcamp.com/album/violent-creed-of-vengeance

RAVEN - All Hell's Breaking Loose review

 

RAVEN - All Hell's Breaking Loose

Silver Lining Music

I saw RAVEN again last year when they were doing the whole Wiped Out anniversary tour. A fuckin great show and if you decided to not go see em on that tour then I question your love of old school metal. RAVEN are the only original NWOBHM band that has stuck to their guns, never sold out or went progressive. Frankly I feel more comfortable wearing a RAVEN t-shirt then one from a peer band of their era that has become a mainstream bore.

Be that as it may RAVEN are not the same band as they were years ago. I learned that a few years back with their 2020 album, Metal City. RAVEN are more on a speed metal track then ever before. This new album is a full on showcase of that to say the least. We're talking about a high tempo, rip your head off and blow your eardrums out sonic speed attack. Respect the title of this album because that's what it's all about.

John Gallagher (bass & vocalist) is 65 but sounds half that age. I mean he's pushing out some hell bent screams. Younger brother Mark Gallagher (guitars) is 63 and has always been a king at coming up with good riffs as well as fiery guitar solos. On here he's a fuckin maniac and I always thought he reserved that for shows. Finally the youngster Mike Heller, who's 41 and has been with RAVEN since 2018, and he's an amazing drummer.

Look I love early RAVEN the most but this album is superb. I wasn't expecting a master class in 80's speed metal from these guys at all. I figure it would be Metal City plus one. But instead its a plus eleven. Along with the speed there's plenty of melodic cuts should be on the fuckin radio if AOR radio was cool but it ain't. All in all this is just fuckin amazing. Cheers to the Gallagher brothers, who are slightly older than me.     

http://sl-music.net/en/

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE0FE9-O7Ek

WALKING CORPSE - Our Hands Your Throat review

 

WALKING CORPSE - Our Hands Your Throat

Transcending Obscurity Records

This is the second album by Sweden's WALKING CORPSE and their first for Transcending Obscurity Records. Their debut full length, The Fear Takes Hold, came out in 2020. That was a self release. A year prior they self released a four song self titled EP. Now I let you know all about that stuff for a reason. Once you hear this latest release by WALKING CORPSE you're probably going to want their back catalog. 

So for starters WALKING CORPSE are a Swedish grindcore band. Now I don't know about you but for me the greatest Swedish grindcore band ever was NASUM. I have all of their full lengths as well as a few short form releases. They called it quits a decade ago and in my not so humble opinion there hasn't been anyone from that scene who is able to take up the mantle they left behind.

Then I heard this album by WALKING CORPSE and I'm thinking the mantle has finally been passed because this is fuckin amazing. Now don't get me wrong. WALKING CORPSE are not copying what NASUM did before. What this band has is the same attitude towards the concept of experimentation and flat out aggression. They throw things at a wall, grind around it, through it and fuse it into an amazing listening experience. 

Frankly if you wanna know what this album sounds like then look at the cover. But I'll go further. The vocals are a combination of caustic screams from someone being electric shocked and low brow grunting from someone who is about to kill you. When it comes to the music it's utter madness and sometimes with a groove or wild jazz infused psychotic madness.

In the end I've heard around a dozen decent grind releases this year. Not only is Our Hands Your Throat by WALKING CORPSE my favorite grindcore release today. But seriously it is the best. right now there are grind fans in Finland and Poland (the major grind scenes) listening to this band and going "Whoa?"

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://walkingcorpse.bandcamp.com/album/our-hands-your-throat

PRIMORDIAL - How It Ends review

 

PRIMORDIAL - How It Ends

Metal Blade Records

This Irish black metal act has been around for three decades. I've been a huge fan of them for the last two. For those of you who are also fans maybe you would agree that throughout their career the band has never put out a bad album. They were the vanguard of pagan folk and epic sounding black metal that added a touch of melancholy doom as well as traditional heavy metal style. And as far as their early releases being a search for a hill to stand upon. I've always said that their fifth full length, 2005's The Gathering Wilderness, was when the band patented a formula sound which they would carry on with to this day. 

Now of course PRIMORDIAL would vary in their formula producing albums that were sometimes epic, harsh and powerful. As well as others that were sorrowful odes to the struggle for a cultural pagan pre-Christian Irish identity. Which brings us to this their tenth full length. Now whether it was the band prowess or us fans who set the bar so high. Perfection is the only acceptable outcome when it comes to what PRIMORDIAL produces now and in the future. If there is a future of course and with a title like How It Ends one would wonder. I haven't read any interviews by em so I don't know.

Be that as it may How It Ends seems to have a few things absent from it. First off PRIMORDIAL are now a four piece since guitarist Michael Flynn is not on this recording. Now sure with studio over dubbing you can fake it. But sound-wise it does seem like his musical contribution from the past is clearly missing here. Something else which seems obviously lacking is the vocal performance by A.A. Nemtheanga (aka: Alan Averill). 

Now overall A.A. Nemtheanga is still pushing a powerful vocal performance. But aside from a handful of cuts on this ten song album he comes across as just delivering what's needed instead of being inspired. Musically there's some great things on here. Songs like "Ploughs to Rust, Swords to Dust", "We Shall Not Serve" and the finale "Victory Has 1000 Fathers, Defeat Is an Orphan" are stand outs. The rest come across sounding overly drawn out as if strolling along to fill space. Plus, and only a fan can spot it, there's some song recycling going on here. 

So with all of that said sure I can find an excuse or two for this album not being up to par. First off it's been five years since their last one, 2018's Exile Amongst the Ruins. Secondly A.A. Nemtheanga is doing quite well with his doom metal side project DREAD SOVEREIGN. And third if this is the band's swan song then why try to end it with perfection when just fore-filling an obligation is so much easier.  

 

https://www.metalblade.com/us/

LISTEN HERE:

https://primordialofficial.bandcamp.com/album/how-it-ends

PUTRASCENSION - Forever Below review

 

PUTRASCENSION - Forever Below

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

If someone played this and asked me to guess where the band was from I would've said Norway or Sweden. I'd also be totally fuckin wrong. PUTRASCENSION is actually a five piece act made up of musicians from various metal acts who come from the New Jersey / New York area here in the states. We're talking about some familiar names like TOMBS, HAMMER FIGHT and REPLICANT along with some unfamiliar ones (to me at least) WINDFAERER and WOLFCLOAK.

My believing them to be from a Scandinavian locale comes from their sound being a take on old school blackened death. Albeit their black metal influence is more pronounced. It's not every day (or decade) that I'll hear an album opener, "Deeper Hell", that boasts a fierce touch of MAYHEM in the riffs. I'm talking about the whole Euronymous / Snorre Ruch black metal riff sound which is as much punishing as well as atmospheric. 

On the song "Stillness" the band hearkens back to the blackened melodies styled by DISSECTION but adding plenty of dissonance. It kinda reminds ya of tortured yet majestic sounds of TAAKE or SHINING. The final cut on here, the seven minute plus "Meslamtaea", employs the ripping dissonant melodies of the entire dark gallery of emotional depths. You would not be off if expecting to hear a shotgun blast at the end of the song. 

Of course the music would not be as good as it is without vocals which span the spectrum of BM harsh to low life DM growls and of course the painful tortured wails of agony. With that said the seven cuts on this band's debut full length (prior to this they have released two EPs and a single) show perfectly how you can take past influences and reshape them into something fresh as well as engaging. Calling this a great album would be a disservice. This definitely falls into a category known as blackened perfection.

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/forever-below

LEFT TO ROT - Breath of the Tomb EP review

 

LEFT TO ROT - Breath of the Tomb EP

Self Released

Straight outta Texas kickin ass and taking names, here we have the debut release from this Austin based death metal three piece act. Take note of this band's name. I'm sure you'll be seeing it a lot in the near future. Oddly enough I've been getting back into demos and short form release collections by older bands. I guess irony has come into play with something new which sounds old.

On this five cut EP (four songs and an intro) LEFT TO ROT make it clear that they're influenced by old school US death metal from the early 90's. Think CANNIBAL CORPSE and DEICIDE as mainstays for what you'll hear from em. After my first listen I was cool with it as in OK you're another OSDM revival band. I've probably got at least a hundred CDs by OSDM revival bands that have come out over the past fifteen years. But then why do I own all of those releases? Because the music is cool.

So for starters LEFT TO ROT do have a brutal yet murky sound which does come across as dark as well as threatening. Their songs are mid-paced with an emphasis on thick guitar tones, well done drum work and some classic heavy handed bass. The vocals are standard guttural but varies in delivery. Of course the guitar soloing is in the dive bombing surgical strike variety. 

As I mentioned earlier remember this band's name. Not just because I like it. But there are millions of OSDM fans out there and a few of em run labels that specify in this style of extreme. So don't be surprised to see this band putting out a full length next year on one of those labels. 

LISTEN TO AND BUY IT HERE:

https://lefttorot.bandcamp.com/album/breath-of-the-tomb

JAG PANZER - The Hallowed review

 

JAG PANZER - The Hallowed

Atomic Fire Records

In my not so humble opinion (yeah bias alert) JAG PANZER are the grand masters of US power metal. Now I know some people will take issue with that statement (what else is new?). Those that disagree will name drop some band names as well as the albums they clutch like pearls. And my answer to them is the question, what have they done recently as in 2023?

Which brings me to this new album by JAG PANZER. It's a concept album, yeah I know go figure. I'm not going to explain the ideas about what this album goes into. I'll just say look at the cover art with it's post apocalyptic artwork and you'll get the idea. The first time I listened to The Hallowed was amazing. After further listens I have to call it a power metal masterpiece. Of course there are certain factors which make this release so great.

First and foremost is vocalist Harry Conklin. This man is one year older than me and I wish I could sing like him. I kinda doubt there was any computer studio augmentation to his vocals on here as opposed to some other singers of the same age or older. If you've followed his career then you know he's an amazing versatile singer. And on here he's still pushing the 80's metal operatic vocals while adding more biting mild sounding chorus's.

Of course it's the music which counts the most in my power metal appreciation book. And JAG PANZER, for most of their albums, has had this cool mid-80's metal sound which was tougher than their English counterparts in my opinion. In a way they were a counter to MAIDEN. The rhythms galloped, the drum work was punishing and the guitar soloing was more of an extension to the song structure than a required filling. All of that is on here and listening to this album is a gift. 

Hell yeah The Hallowed is a masterpiece by a band who have fought the good fight for metal. They need to perform this whole album live. And I wanna be there to see and hear it in awe.

https://label.atomicfire-records.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJJ2i_2Gi6s

TEMPLE OF SCORN - Funeral Altar Epiphanies review

 

TEMPLE OF SCORN - Funeral Altar Epiphanies

Transcending Obscurity Records

So what sparked my interest in this Danish band's debut release was that TEMPLE OF SCORN boasts two members of HORNED ALMIGHTY. I'm speaking of vocalist Simon P. Katborg and drummer Jacques Hauge. Now for those of you who are not in the  know (and I pity you). HORNED ALMIGHTY are a cool filthy sounding black metal act from Denmark who've been around for the past twenty years. If you're interested then I suggest starting off with their 2004 debut full length Black Metal Jesus. 

Now with that said the last thing I've heard from HORNED ALMIGHTY was their 2020 full length, To Fathom the Master's Grand Design. So I'm guessing after that one Simon and Jacques decided to wash the corpse paint off, hook up with some scene friends and put out some death metal. Rounding out the line-up of this Danish DM supergroup is guitarist Svend E. Karlsson of BAEST, who are a good death metal band in their own right. The next two guys are also in death metal acts. You have bassist Bjorn Jensen from BLOODGUTTER and guitarist Flemming C Lund from THE ARCANE ORDER. 

As far as this album goes it's basically some heavy handed old school 90's era death metal and doom. If you need a marker then think INCANTATION and BOLT THROWER. Now if you're a fan of the bands from Transcending Obscurity Records (and frankly who isn't?) then you know what to expect. We're talking about a musical approach that conveys a horrific atmosphere. Add to that a diabolical style to the riffs which crush. A rhythm section that is all out punishing. And finally vocals which are bestial to the most. 

If I were a jaded person, well yeah sometimes, I could easily say yeah I've heard it all before. And yeah I have but Funeral Altar Epiphanies is a perfect sounding album. You've got eight tracks, seven actually with an instrumental opener, which convey a sense of belonging to the punishment. Add to that they're from Denmark a nation which has had MERCIFUL FATE as their decades long flagship extreme act. And everything else which is cool has taken a back seat which to me is wrong.  

I love this type of death doom and by the third time listening to this release I started to forget the past and embrace this as the now. TEMPLE OF SCORN are not an act just getting their kicks off of the past (hello BLOODBATH). They're accomplished Danish musicians from their nation's extreme metal scene who are putting their own stamp on an old recipe. Like I said this is a perfect album.

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://templeofscorndm.bandcamp.com/album/funeral-altar-epiphanies

AUTOPSY - Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts review

 

AUTOPSY - Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts

Peaceville Records

I'm just a sucker when it comes to old bands. I buy their stuff knowing in my heart and soul that nostalgia ain't up to stuff. Case in point AUTOPSY, look 1989's Severed Survival and 1991's Mental Funeral are amazing releases in my not so humble opinion. And probably your opinion as well if you're into extreme metal. After that I thought they got run of the mill boring. 

But then in 2011 they came out with Macabre Eternal which was really fuckin cool. I was like holy shit they are back to being badass death metal and some doom motherfuckers. But after that you got a handful of releases which just sounded like toss this shit out because it's a product of who we once were. It was AUTOPSY gone generic.

Last year the band came out with Morbidity Triumphant, their comeback after a seven year silence. That was a tried and true repeat of AUTOPSY style. I didn't like half of it and this one follows suit. The thing is when the band decides to rip into some death metal riffage they sound great. But when they slow down to do the whole death doom and sludge thing they're boring. 

There are some great moments on here like the fast blast of the second cut "Throatsaw". The sludge part which comes in on "No Mortal Left Alive" and of course "Lobotomizing Gods". But for the most part I was falling asleep to the rest of it. But hey I like the cover art. 

www.peaceville.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoKNYRrsj7s

KORGULL THE EXTERMINATOR - Built to Kill review

 

KORGULL THE EXTERMINATOR - Built to Kill

Xtreem Music

Whenever something this cool comes my way I always wonder why they're not on top of the Metal food chain instead of some stuff that gets pushed upon us fans. I mean hey if you like thrash with an amazing female vocalist then this is right up your alley. 

Here we have the sixth full length from Spain's KORGULL THE EXTERMINATOR. The band has been around since 2004 although their first full length, Dogs of War, didn't come out until 2009. They've been a Xtreem Music catalog staple since then. 

What makes this album great in my book is the band's relentless savage thrash attack on your senses. The riffs come across like diabolical gallops across your mindset. A couple of times there's a blood curtailing solo which gives you a poise. But in the end the guitars, bass and drums are so in sync in their attack. You feel brutalized and enthralled at the same time. 

Next up are the vocals by singer Lilith which are in the harsh black metal variety. I mean this woman is spitting bile with each verse. Every word out of her mouth comes across as a curse. Years ago I use to call em "witch vocals". In all of the years I think Lilith has perfected this vocal style. Seriously she's better than my ex-wife on a bender. 

The tagline on KORGULL THE EXTERMINATOR has always been blackened thrash. The final cut, "Count Estruch", is about as black metal as it gets on here. For the most part this is just amazing thrash. Lilith will add in a high pitch squeal or a Tom G. Warrior grunt at times. The musicianship is perfection. I mean this is a perfect album period. 

http://shop.xtreemmusic.com/english.main.index.php

LISTEN HERE:

https://korgulltheexterminator.bandcamp.com/album/built-to-kill