GORE MACHINE - Macerated & Liquified review

 

GORE MACHINE - Macerated & Liquified

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions 

Just to be honest I've grown numb to the extremism which brutal death metal / goregrind has become. It doesn't phase me no matter how hard the bands try to be offensive. For me, if I get a smile out of it and the music is fairly brutal then I'll give it a thumbs up. 

Now to the fans well when a band is truly offensive it's like salvation. I mean you're busting your ass all day at a job or whatever. You're probably stuck having to listen to the most shittiest music around. So sure you get home and blast something that'll offend the neighbors a block away. 

So with that said here we have a release by Pennsylvania's GORE MACHINE. So right out of the box I'd say cool band name and the album cover is far better looking than average. Just for the record GORE MACHINE is a one man brutal death metal / goregrind act. The one man is named Druesome and is responsible for the usual aka: all instruments, vocals, and sampling duties. 

Macerated & Liquified is a concept album loosely based on what is commonly referred to as The Darwin Awards. The ten cuts on here are all about individuals who did totally fucked up things which not only defy common sense. But end up having these people either dying or totally fucking themselves up so they cannot contribute further to the gene pool. 

For each song Druesome gives a short narration about a fucked up incident and then the music comes in. Sound-wise the songs are decent chuggy heavy riffs, some fast and grinding while others well chug along and there's a muffled atmospheric track to boot. For me the best part of this, aside from the narratives, is Druesome's choice in brutal vocal styles. I mean you've got the intense pig squeals, the vomit vocals, the toilet bowel vocals, the zombie cancer patient, etc.

In the end Macerated & Liquified is an interesting full length. I give total props to Druesome's obscene vocals. But the concept idea going on here is damm good. This gets more than a thumbs up. I believe if you're a fan of this sub-genre than this album is a must have. I would gladly hear this guy's next release with the same concept as long as he expands on the musical part.

 

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/macerated-liquified

BARON - Beneath the Blazing Abyss review

 

BARON - Beneath the Blazing Abyss

Transcending Obscurity Records

As a fan of old school Finnish death metal, and yeah I've got a collection of vinyl & CDs, I'll lay out my not so humble opinion here. With the exception of a few bands the majority of early Finnish DM was just copying from the Swedes. And to make it worse some cool bands went goth. With that said there's probably a few people I know and do business with in Finland who are probably pissed off at me right now for saying that. But hey people you know it's true because I've said it before.

So with that said here we have the debut album by this Helsinki act who take the death metal influences of old & the new, add in some psychotic youthful enthusiasm and run with it. If this was a US band I think it would probably be more metalcore. Now of course what makes this band cool is that they're totally into the crunch of the Boss HM-2 pedal sound. Add to that some whammy bar soloing from hell. And to make matters insane enough they have a touch of cool atmosphere. The vocals are total aggro as well.

This is like some youngsters blasting CARNAGE and DISMEMBER to full hilt. Then add in some bulldozer hardcore singing and then run through brick walls. Which is what BARON does on this their full length debut. I didn't find the final cut, "Swallowed by Fires Beneath" to be true to it's title. Actually it sounds like an atmospheric throwaway. Now the song which precedes it, "Hands of Sin", is the absolute face ripper of a song on this release. BARON's other diabolical worthy comes with "At the Dawn of Damnation" and "Bound to the Funeral Pyres". Both of which are long songs which capture this bands depth and attention to the ways of the past.

Liking this is not a gamble to say the least. I'll expect their next album will incorporate far more interesting songwriting chops. For now I think this is pretty cool. And for people in my own country I'll tell ya these Finns do metal not core. Nuff Said.

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://barondm.bandcamp.com/album/beneath-the-blazing-abyss

PONTE DEL DIAVOLO - Fire Blades from the Tomb review

 

PONTE DEL DIAVOLO - Fire Blades from the Tomb

Season of Mist

So imagine if you will Siouxsie Soux fronting a blackened doom band. Now if you don't know who Siouxsie Soux is then you're at a loss so let me explain. Back in the late 70's English punk scene there was a band called SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES. They started out as a punk band playing around the same time as the SEX PISTOLS. When the 1980's came into play they moved into a more goth/death punk sound. They were huge during that decade. They continued on into the 90's but I stopped following them by then. 

Anyways the singer for this Italian five piece act, Erba del Diavolo, is a dead ringer for Siouxsie Soux's vocal style. Add to that this band has two bass players, one guitarist and a drummer. You take Erba's combination of vocal styles add the rich guitar lines and the double thick bass plus drums. Well you've got a winner with me that's part nostalgic and part crushing. This their debut full length, after three EPs starting in 2020, is a mix of the blackened doom and a lot of goth textures. And I'm talking about that good goth from the 80's and not that trendy crap from fifteen years ago. 

While opener "Demone" is probably the blackest and fastest this album gets. The following cut "Covenant" is where the band shines in their gothic doom dreary glory. Having a guest musician add in the creepy theremin sounds just adds icy terror. As far as the rest of the tracks go the doom and goth aspects rise to the top. Erba's mix of frenzied howls, goth pop vocals or airy witch like sing/speak like tones are the jewel amidst a musical crown of thorns. "Red as the Sex of She Who Lives in Death" is probably the peak with all styles woven into one amazing song. 

The final cut "The Weeping Song" is a duet which Erba is joined by Davide Straccione of the Italian blackened doom band SHORES OF HULL. The song is also a NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS cover. Do I have to explain who that is as well? Be that as it may I love this album a lot. It's definitely late night doom sounds which comfort you while cast spells upon your later dreams.  

https://www.season-of-mist.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://pontedeldiavolo666.bandcamp.com/album/fire-blades-from-the-tomb

LUCIFERIAN RITES - Oath of Midnight Ashes review

LUCIFERIAN RITES - Oath of Midnight Ashes

Moribund Records

LUCIFERIAN RITES are a perfect Moribund Records type of band. This four piece act hails from Mexico and are a total late 90's style black metal throwback. You've got a vocalist (Count Shadow) who screams as if he's on fire some times. At other points the music is cold cruel and punishing. You've got straight up tremolo picked riffs, good solid drumming which varies from the typical blast beats to a calmer rock variant. Not bad for a band who started out in 2009. 

This fourth full length not only screams kvlt but the band kicks in a melodic touch which makes them interesting. The first half of the album I found kinda standard fare. The second half was damm good. For me it starts with the epic "Behind the Leviathan Storm". This song is a cut which covers savagery and melody to the best possible ways. Another good one is "Astral Decay of an Old Melancholy" which starts out slow and beautiful and then hits in the most harshest ways be that it's melodic. 

A final note to ponder, be that there's no frostbitten nights in Mexico. LUCIFERIAN RITES does leave you cold and dead inside.  

http://www.moribundcult.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://luciferianrites.bandcamp.com/album/oath-of-midnight-ashes

 

CARNAL SAVAGERY - Into the Abysmal Void review

 

CARNAL SAVAGERY - Into the Abysmal Void

Moribund Records

Call me old school (why not, I am old) but I still hold to a criteria for checking out new music. If the band has a cool name, the cover artwork on the release looks good and it's on a label I'm familiar with then yeah let's give it a try. Of course after listening to this I probably should have my head cut off and then handed to me. I'll explain why.

CARNAL SAVAGERY is a Swedish band that's been around since 2020. This album here is their fifth full length in four years. I'd say that qualifies as being prolithic. Now with the exception of the band's debut, all of their other full lengths came out on Moribund Records. Oh yeah and this is the first time I've gotten in to them. Then again I've been behind when it comes to picking up releases from this label post pandemic. I shall correct that failure. 

Be that as it may CARNAL SAVAGERY, who are from Gothenburg, Sweden to be exact, play death metal the only way they know how. So yeah this is Swedish death metal circa 1990 with plenty of 1) crunchy HM-2 guitar riffs 2) hate filled vocals 3) a relentless drumming assault and of course 4) fluid guitar leads that hit like lightning strikes. 

Now I'm sure some people will say "why should I get this because I've got all of the original OSSDM albums" (yeah on reissue). Well because CARNAL SAVAGERY are new. Look people you're not going to see the old bands much anymore. Hey I saw a few of em back in the 2000's and they were not up to speed. And that was twenty years after the fact. 

Secondly CARNAL SAVAGERY push the necro to the hilt. I mean with songs like "Raped in a Coffin", "Stench of Burnt Decay" and "Reek of Decomposing Flesh" hell yeah what's not to like? Plus with cool as fuck deep screamed vocals, the traditional Swede Death sound and some actual melodic groove kicking in at times. Hell I only wished those old bands continued on this path but they didn't.

So that's why you need CARNAL SAVAGERY in your life.  

http://www.moribundcult.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://carnalsavagery.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-abysmal-void

FEED THE CORPSES TO THE PIGS - Anthology review

 

FEED THE CORPSES TO THE PIGS - Anthology

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Back in 2021 I checked out this Albuquerque, New Mexico band's debut full length This Insidious Horror. That also came out on this label. Now back then I might've joked about the band having a guest musician of some past fame playing guitar on one of their tracks. Overall I thought they didn't need him because the music by this four piece act was good on it's own. We're talking about a good mix of early to modern sounding grindcore with doses of other extreme metal influences. 

I was also looking forward to hearing something new by this band. But this is not it. Actually this is the band's 2019 self released EP which Horror Pain Gore Death Productions has reissued. Now what ya have here are eight tracks by the band but there's a twist. This is basically a concept EP containing two stories. Once I learned that then the second time listening to it put things in a different perspective. 

Now just for the record the two stories are Corpselights and Eternal Servitude. The first story Corpselights is about a serial killer who is trying to stop the corpse lights of his victims from haunting him. In all honesty I've never heard the term "corpse lights". I'm thinking it means ghosts. The second story Eternal Servitude is about a teenager out for revenge. I might be old now but looking back upon my younger days I can relate to that. Of course after this I had to go back to their full length and reevaluate the songs on that one. Someone call KING DIAMOND because we've got a grindcore act doing horror stories.

But as always what matter most to me is the music. So while listening to this I can say that the band definitely progressed on their debut from this release. They're still in with their formula of grind with additions of death & black metal influences. I think there's more hardcore influence on here as opposed to their debut full length. But with that said it's not four guys making a racket. There's song craft going on here which jumps out at you. All of which makes me really want to hear some new stuff by this band. I mean look at these guys. do they look like they're bullshitting? 

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

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

LADY BEAST - Lady Beast II reissue

 

LADY BEAST - Lady Beast II reissue

Dying Victims Productions

I've been praising the sounds of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's LADY BEAST for a while now. I have this release on CD plus the others that followed. I'm talking about 2017's Vicious Breed and 2020's The Vulture's Amulet. I hate using the term "underrated" so I'll just say that this US metal band not being on top is fucking criminal. Seriously I don't know why they're not HUGE. 

So I'm not going to talk about their newer releases. It's all about this reissue of the band's second full length which a huge thanks goes to Dying Victims Productions. OK so as the band name suggests yes the singer is a woman. Her name is Deborah Levine and her vocal style is part sultry and part powerful. She's not trying scream her head off or do any other cliche vocal style. That's what I like about her.

Add to that the music being produced is NWOBHM style with a few MAIDEN -esque hooks to say the least. The guitar work on here is fun and worth blasting especially when Deborah Levine dives in. Overall it's great to see this release being put out again for people who missed out on it the first time. 

LADY BEAST needs your support if not recognition as great American metal.  

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/lady-beast-ii

STRESS ANGEL - Punished by Nemesis review

 

STRESS ANGEL - Punished by Nemesis

Dying Victims Productions

This label puts out great stuff (thrash, traditional metal and NWOBHM) by bands from European nations. But here we have a band from Brooklyn, New York and they're playing Black Metal. Ladies & Gentleman (and you others) who read this blog (and frankly who doesn't) this release is pretty damm good and they're not hipsters. 

First and foremost the band name, STRESS ANGEL, is one I don't care for. Personally I think they need a better band name. The "they" are a two piece consisting of Manny Sores on vocals and drums. Plus there's Nicolai Orifice on guitar and keyboards. Musically this duo have a love of early black metal with some death metal touches. All combined it's some killer sounds. 

The early part of this album drags you into some blackened death metal style. To me it's totally old school. They give ya some thrash and filth then will add some up lifting moments which lead to total death metal punishment. And the album just doesn't stop from that magnitude. Nine songs of punishing blackened death which I like a lot and still I don't care for the band name.

"Punished by Nemesis", "Close to the Presence of Suffering" and "Ministerial Road" are my absolute favorite tracks from this album. Add to that Manny Sores has this cool screamed vocal style. Once again it reminds me of old school thrash. Musically this release is damm good but I don't care for the album cover either. The band logo is cool. Despite all of my artistic criticisms this is some great black metal. 

In a way it reminds me of some late 80's South American extreme stuff but with obviously better production. But all around this is cool as fuck.

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/punished-by-nemesis

JIM JONES AND THE KOOL-ADE KIDS - Trust Me reissue

 

JIM JONES AND THE KOOL-ADE KIDS - Trust Me reissue

Dark Descent Records

OK this reissue came out in December of 2023 but I'm talking about it now because this is personal history for me. I saw this Michigan band back in their late 80's heyday (could've been the summer of 1986 or 87) when they were on tour. Some friends and I took a road trip to see em. They were supposed to play at a local club but that show was cancelled. So we hit the road and saw them play a show inside a karate studio in a town at the beach. I never got their album. Instead a friend recorded the album to a cassette tape for me. In fact I still have the tape.

So what was this band all about? Well nowadays I think of em as DRI meets CELTIC FROST and you can slam dance to it. This was the late 1980's with bands who might've come up through the  hardcore scene. But they didn't follow the simplistic punk musical playbook that plenty of bands in the underground thought they had to do in order to be liked. One listen and you could tell these guys liked some VENOM, SABBATH and speed metal. But for the most part these guys were fucking heavy before the onslaught of death metal or doom.   

This is a rare one to say the least originally coming out in 1986 (aka: when you were still in your dad's balls). I guess the question is why would a bunch of friends and I travel to see a band called JIM JONES AND THE KOOL-ADE KIDS? Well in all honesty a friend said he read a review of their album in a magazine. Secondly with a name like that wouldn't you go see em? Third was that some people from out of town came to see em and decided to go to their next show so we decided to go along. It turned out to be a three day weekend party from hell. 

But anyways listening to this today reminds me how the late 80's underground music scene was not so cookie cutter defined like some modern day revisionists in the mainstream media would have you believe. I know because I lived it but you always need something to represent. So to me this reissue is a must have to anyone who was around back then as well as anyone around now who wants to hear the cool stuff. 

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/trust-me

SPECTRAL VOICE - Sparagmos review

 

SPECTRAL VOICE -  Sparagmos

Dark Descent Records

Musically speaking, the soundtrack to the return of the Great Old Ones (aka: Lovecraftian cosmic entities) is finally here. Just for the record I originally got into this Denver, Colorado death doom band back in 2017 with their debut full length Eroded Corridors of Unbeing. Of course I wasn't the only one. From that one album SPECTRAL VOICE gained a following and one that wanted more. Unfortunately they didn't put out a new full length until now. 

But inbetween the years they've teased their fans via some split releases and even a compilation. Hey I got last year's split they did with UNDERGANG. Oddly enough that was the only release in 2023 I picked up from Dark Descent Records. Which is kinda fucked up since ten years ago they were my favorite label. I mean every year I'd get at least three releases (or more) from em. Maybe this year I can rectify that. 

With that said here we have SPECTRAL VOICE's second full length. Now like I said about their debut full length. If you like SPECTRAL VOICE then you must except the fact that their influences come from PORTAL, COFFINWORM and HOODED MENACE. Given that this four piece act, two of whom are in the latest exploits of BLOOD INCANTATION, love dragging the listener in with a morbid atmosphere. To me this is late night music which must be played loud. 

Sparagmos is four long tracks which is no surprise to me. But each track is a separate monolithic piece where you're pulled out of reality and dragged to the trenches of where this band wants you to be tortured. Suffer to the morbid visions of tranquil guitar reparation then get hit with bludgeoning riffs. Let the beast yell at you or have screams from a far cast you into the bowels of rot. 

But hey I'm not some new person here who hears this for the first time and is wetting the bed. It's been seven years since this band's debut. Better yet go back and listen to their Necrotic Doom demo from 2015. Dark Descent Records reissued it on CD and vinyl. The bottom line is that SPECTRAL VOICE has not moved the meter forward as far as one would expect considering how much time spent between full length releases. In 2015 it was crushing and cool. In 2024 it's decent, dense and ambient. I'll take that. 

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/sparagmos

HULDER - Verses in Oath review

 

HULDER - Verses in Oath

20 Buck Spin

Before I even get into this release there needs to be a few things laid out. First off I admit that I'm late to the whole HULDER hype wagon. It was last year when I actually heard something about em. So I checked out their first album Godslastering, which originally came out in 2021 on Iron Bonehead Productions. Then earlier this year I watched a live performance by em on Youtube. I enjoyed it and learned that there was a live album by em called Benighted in Blood. Unfortunately it's not a physical CD but something that you download from Bandcamp. Well Fuck You but hey doesn't the faux cover photo look familiar?

 

Next up there's plenty of hipster hype over HULDER which begs me to ask a question. As far as the music goes, which is late 90's era Scandinavian style black metal, if this band was a bunch of guys would there be any hype from the hipster media? I ask that because, if you didn't know, HULDER is a female fronted black metal band. Now I have nothing against female fronted bands. I do have a problem with the idea of the importance of who's in the band over the merit of the music especially when it comes to hipster media past opinions. I'm not into the whole diversity, equity and inclusion BS in business, education or every day life. And I'm definitely against it when it comes to metal. Hipsters live and breath that rhetoric.

I mean come on and let's review what the hipster media hypes as great black metal in recent times. So you've got that fake Indian guy from Canada who's either Mexican or Italian. Then there's that Cowboy & Western themed BM band from Colorado, cowboy hats and dusters included. And let's not forget that Kentucky hippie who's like a more folk XASHER. Is it any more obvious that hipsters would hype a female fronted BM band doing what maybe a hundred other male fronted bands are doing? I mean homage to the past is great as long as it's done well. 

Now once again nothing against the woman here who's name is Marliese Osborne. Technically she is HULDER per say and is credited as performing vocals and all instruments (ahem?) But anyways whether it's in session or live, her husband Sam Osborne plays bass. He's also in another cool band called FUNEBRARUM. Get their 2009 release The Sleep of Morbid Dreams. So from there you've got drummer Xander Buehrer. Also there's a second guitarist who plays live which is not a stretch at all. 

So with all of that said musically this sounds like an average late 90's era Euro black metal album with background keyboards. Marliese Osborne is originally from Belgium before moving to Wash. St. and getting married so there you go. There's also some folk elements which are subtle to say the least. Osborne's vocal delivery is good when she's in blackened mode. I wasn't impressed when she's adding cleaner sounding vocals to the folk elements. There's a couple of instrumentals among the ten tracks as well. The musicianship is fine but nothing to scream about.

All in all the best thing I've heard from HULDER is that live Youtube performance / live stuff on Bandcamp. The first album was OK but done live those songs sound better. This album is basic background black metal music good for when I'm house cleaning. I had to play this thing five times in a row because I kept on getting up and walking away to do something else in my house. Bottom line, if the music doesn't hold your attention (especially when it's black metal) then it's not that exciting. 

This is why I hate hipsters, their over hyped horseshit and their media darlings. They promote mediocrity in order to look inclusive / progressive. So I repeat my earlier question. If this band was a bunch of guys would there be any hype from the hipster media? The answer is no. In all honesty I don't like this release regardless of who's performing it. I know the lame-stream mainstream media crowd will like this album simply because they don't listen to a plethora of good black metal which is out there. So checking this out was a waste my time. Remember Tristessa of ASTARTE was doing this over twenty years ago and she was quite better at it. Where was all the hype back then?

Nuff Said.  

https://www.20buckspin.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://20buckspin.bandcamp.com/album/verses-in-oath

MORBID SAINT - Swallowed by Hell review

MORBID SAINT - Swallowed by Hell

High Roller Records

Well first off I think it's cool that over the past ten or fifteen years now MORBID SAINT's full length debut from 1990, Spectrum of Death, has finally gotten the respect it aptly deserves. Obviously the internet was a catalyst in that. But I think you had a younger metal fan base fifteen years ago (maybe longer) who were getting into Thrash but wanted more than just the status quo Big 4 stuff. Except for SLAYER because everyone loves SLAYER.

So it's logical to see that this legendary thrash band from Sheboygan, Wisconsin would sooner or later make a proper comeback release. But to just square away a thing or two. The band's 2015 full length release Destruction System was not a comeback album per say. It's really the follow-up to their debut because the band had the Destruction System demo in 1992. So the 2015 release is the demo songs with some extras.  

So here we are in 2024 with the band's third full length. Of course I had to see who's still in the band and thankfully three core members are here. You've got original vocalist Pat Lind, and guitarists Jay Visser and Jim Fergades. The rhythm section has changed with drummer DJ Bagemehl who came on in 2016. On bass is Bob Zabel who joined the band when they got back together in 2010. So with the line-up secure and some Ed Repka cover artwork, what's this new one like?

Musically Swallowed by Hell comes across like a typical comeback album. In other words there's some songs on here which the band sound comfortable playing because that's the way they were. Then again you've got other cuts which sound modern day era forced. In other words we're old but we are gonna kick your young asses with music you're use to. Look at the album cover again and you'll get it. 

The high points on Swallowed by Hell are great fuckin thrash riffage plus those old school death thrash soloing from years past. Add to that Pat Lind still sounds like a accused maniac being chased by the authorities. The bass work by Bob Zabel is damm good and it's cool that his contributions are a standout. But as far as the second part of the rhythm section goes I don't care for the trigger drums. Every thing else DJ Bagemehl does naturally is cool as fuck but he's not Dave Lombardo.

In the end Swallowed by Hell is a good album but it's no Spectrum of Death or Destruction System. Yeah honestly I was expecting more of that but hey it's been thirty years so I'll give em a break. If you're a thrash fan then yeah this is a mandatory release to pick up this year. Now that latter part is directed to those of you into the underground. I say that because the lame-stream mainstream types never gave a rat's ass about MORBID SAINT back in the day. And now they care more about Kerry King's new album. So there you go. 

Oh and just for the record MORBID SAINT's Spectrum of Death is my fifth favorite thrash album of all time. And even when I say that today there's Big 4 Thrash band fans that just cringe. But anyways a huge thank you to Germany's High Roller Records for putting this out as well as the band's reissues.

https://www.hrrecords.de/

LISTEN HERE:

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

VORGA - Beyond the Palest Star review

 

VORGA - Beyond the Palest Star

Transcending Obscurity Records

This is the second full length release by Germany's VORGA who on their tagline are sci-fi themed black metal. I remember checking out their 2022 debut full length, Striving Toward Oblivion, and considering it needing to be in an easy chair with headphones on. I mean what else would the setting be when you're delving into a cosmic plane of space. At that time I said it was a good album. But I didn't say it was great or that I'd blast it years afterward. 

So here we are two years later and this latest release is actually likable. Their debut release had more influence from the Nordic realms then you could shake a stick at. Dammit you're German so sound like it and on this album VORGA come across as a powerful Teutonic rooted BM act. I mean fuck all of the atmosphere, melodies and sci-fi shtick. I wanna hear rude fuckin power and majestic superiority. 

Actually this album has all of it. VORGA's second release is that perfect combination of beauty and harshness. Whether it's songs that have a galloping blackened ride, a melodic touch that carries on or a blunt as fuck hammer. It's damm good in a modern black metal sense. Hell yeah this is great. 

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://vorgaband.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-the-palest-star

NECROWRETCH - Swords of Dajjal review

 

NECROWRETCH - Swords of Dajjal

Season of Mist 

I got into this French blackened death metal band with their first album, Putrid Death Sorcery, which came out in 2013. Actually I got it a year later and afterwards learned that NECROWRETCH actually started out in 2008. They put out a few demos and two EPs prior to their debut full length. Since then I've kept up with them and as always I'm a year behind getting their stuff. 

But be that as it may this newest and fifth full length comes across as NECROWRETCH slightly abandoning their death metal persona and going full blown late 90's era black metal. I mean you've got the blackened galloping rhythms, diabolical soloing and filth ridden vocals. The riffs are grim and frosty to say the least.

Compared to their last one, The Ones from Hell, from four years ago NECROWRETCH's latest is a bombastic blackened uproar of 90's era BM. Then again the band has gone through changes. At the helm it's still Vlad on vocals and guitar plus Wenceslas Carrieu on lead guitar. But new to the group is bassist Romain Gibet and drummer Nicolas Ferrero. Both of whom, especially Nicolas Ferrero (no more trigger drums), add a more organic touch to the overall sound.

In the end I gotta say NECROWRETCH have put out another blackened masterpiece.  

https://www.season-of-mist.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://necrowretch.bandcamp.com/album/swords-of-dajjal

DRIPPING DECAY – Ripping Remains EP review

 

DRIPPING DECAY – Ripping Remains EP

Satanik Royalty Records

I remember checking out this band's debut full length, Festering Grotesqueries, last December. It was a damm good album albeit a bit too much of a homage to REPULSION, EXHUMED and AUTOPSY. But just to recap, DRIPPING DECAY are a four piece death grind act from Portland, Oregon.

Now supposedly while waiting for their album to be dropped last year the band went back into the studio to record five more originals plus a cover song "Trick or Treat" originally from 1984 by the Detroit, Michigan band HALLOWEEN. I'll give em props for the cover choice of obscurity. 

But as far as the original cuts on here go I think the release title Ripping Remains gives away too much. Compared to their full length these songs sound like leftovers which were not fully developed. And that's despite what the band says in their release notes. 

The fuckin irony is that after liking their debut I hoped their next release would contain some originality. Well here it is somewhat. Now I'm thinking their debut was a fuckin masterpiece. Hell it ranked #23 in my Top Forty Favorite releases of 2023. I should've ranked it higher. 

But hey Ripping Remains is still a decent release. I mean how could you not like old school death grind? Plus they pull that old AUTOPSY style of lifting up the bass in the mix. Sure there's still some REPULSION and EXHUMED touches. Hell throw in TERRORIZOR worship influences as well. At this point does it really matter?

In the end this is not a bad release. But I'm hoping that in a year DRIPPING DECAY will come out with another full length that will be a death grind fuckin kick ass platter. I'm talking something that will blow away every extreme metal fan across the planet. I think they can do it and I'll be here waiting. Nuff Said.

https://www.satanikroyaltyrecords.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://drippingdecay.bandcamp.com/album/ripping-remains

RESIN TOMB - Cerebral Purgatory review

 

RESIN TOMB - Cerebral Purgatory

Transcending Obscurity Records

While listening to this debut full length by Australia's RESIN TOMB I kept thinking of painful circumstances. The three that came to mind were being drawn and quartered, hung by the wrists while some sadistic fuck takes a blow torch to your feet or being hit by a plumber's truck. 

Now in all honesty I really don't know too much about the first two examples. But I do have a friend who is a plumber (by the way it's good to have friends who do work in low places). One day I was looking into the back of his van and he had a whole mess of junk in there including a kitchen sink. So I can imagine being hit by him in his van at fifty miles per hour. Yeah that's gonna hurt.

Which brings us back to RESIN TOMB who are a five piece band who incorporate that dissonant style of death metal (aka: a lot of quiet atmospheric parts) ferocious sludgey sounds and a bit of grind. In other words everything and the fuckin kitchen sink colliding with ya into one full blown unstoppable force. And that's just the musical portion. 

The vocals on here are a combination of full blown hate and angst plus torture out the wazoo. You need that to compete with the bludgeoning force of the music. I can just imagine when this guy was recording the vocals in the studio. The producer would tase him saying "more angst, more pain, Zap Zap!" And of course it works out damm well because the vocals combine death metal growls with the screams of human bondage. 

You take all of that into account and add song structures that have more twists, suspense and gruesome encounters than a Giallo film. By the way I've heard this band twice before on two Transcending Obscurity Records compilations and here finally is a full length. Be that as it may I don't see Cerebral Purgatory (great album title by the way) resonating well with your run of the mill extreme metal fan. I mean hell it took me three spins to really get it. Then again that could be it's greatness. 

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://resintombaus.bandcamp.com/album/cerebral-purgatory