UFOMAMMUT - Hidden review

 

UFOMAMMUT - Hidden

Neurot Recordings

Nowadays there's only two stoner rock bands I like. One is from Poland who just fuckin rule and unless you're a regular reader of this blog you should know who they are. But if not then go look up DOPELORD. My second favorite over the past few of years is Italy's UFOMAMMUT. They just take the whole SABBATH-ian stoner trip style and go to other places. I'm not into drugs anymore, I don't need em to enjoy good music and still this is cool shit. 

I've not been a fan of everything UFOMAMMUT has done. In fact it wasn't till their 8 album from 2017 that I really became a real huge fan. I mean in the past I saw em as a HAWKWIND meets a NEUROSIS act. For me those early releases were hit and miss for me as a listener. But these days I think they're actually surpassing both of those acts of late. I mean Hidden is a total late night musical affair. We're looking at a few minutes short of a 45 time stream. Turn up the volume and let yourself be saturated by some hypnotic sludgy, stoner, psych type vibes which are thunderous as well as tranquil. 

I think Hidden is better than their past couple of releases simply because the band has found it's modern day sound which their past two releases were experimenting with. In other words they grew to this point and it's great. 

https://www.neurotrecordings.com/

LISTEN HERE: 

https://ufomammut.bandcamp.com/album/hidden

MORGUE - Close To Complete Darkness review

 

MORGUE - Close To Complete Darkness

Godz ov War Productions

So there's a lot to say here and I'll just do the best I can. MORGUE are a death metal band who hail from France. They're a two piece act consisting of Jerome Blandino on bass and Max Lobier who takes care of the guitars, vocals and drums. By the way they're also in another death metal band called CORRUPTER. Anyways MORGUE has been around since the late 1990's. They've got a slew of releases out whether it's short form stuff, splits, full lengths as well as a compilation. 

From 1997 to 2004 the band was pretty steady but then just stopped. It wasn't until 2016 where they came back with a new full length. But after that more silence until 2022 with their Lowest Depths of Misery full length which came out on Godz ov War Productions. By the way that's the album which got me into this French duo of destruction. Now as much as I liked that release this one, their fifth full length, is better. 

What I like about MORGUE is simply that they remind me of some other acts from years ago who are boring now. That's not to say that MORGUE are copying anyone. I mean sound-wise on this one you've got part Finnish death doom (think HOODED MENACE) plus some Swedish DM crunch (I'd say GRAVE) all churning in a filthy stew of hate, filth and gore. Personally I think this album rules. I'd say for three quarters of it you the listener are being brutalized. But yeah there's some atmospheric touches and even some melody. Basically MORGUE takes the influences, grinds em through their own diabolical process and blasts it throughout a cavern of hate.

 

Let me add this, the riffs are diabolical, the vocals are of that cavernous style and hey the drum work is fucking amazing. You've got thirty plus minutes of sustained audio carnage which to me, especially late at night, works well especially after a night at work listening to 70's AOR crap. Like I said earlier, this album rules! Also the album cover art (album cover art of the year by Paolo Girardi) matches the music. Nuff Said!

http://godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/close-to-complete-darkness

SEVERE TORTURE - Torn from the Jaws of Death review

 

SEVERE TORTURE - Torn from the Jaws of Death

Season of Mist

It's been a while since I've heard something from the more brutal side of Dutch Metal aka: SEVERE TORTURE. Basically it's been quite a few years since their last full length. Yeah we're talking fourteen fuckin years. So yes I am a fan of this Dutch Death Metal legacy which mean cue bias alert. I mean come on, Feasting on Blood from 2000 is mandatory for any death metal fan. The rest of their albums are all decent. 2005's Fall of the Despised was probably their last one which I'll go back to and play very loud because it's fuckin killer.

Of course after 2010 the band went silent. Then a couple of years ago they came out with the Fisting the Sockets EP (on Season of Mist). You got a three song teaser which was OK since it was not much different then what they last did. But here we have this new ten song full length and I'm pretty much going fuckin nuts over this hate filled beauty. Yeah Torn from the Jaws of Death fuckin rules! 

Obviously this is the comeback album of the year for me. Aside from the brutal sound, which I'll get into later, it's the return of key players. SEVERE TORTURE is almost the same line-up from their past hate filled days of yore. Dennis Schreurs (the Dutch Glen Benton) is still belting out blaspheme vocals. The guitar duo of Thijs van Laarhoven and Marvin Vriesde (who joined in 2003) still puts forth savage riffs with the usual hypnotic solo action. 

Still here is bassist Patrick Boleij who's been the back drop of thunder in this band since the late 90's. Finally there's newbie Damien Kerpentier on drums who joined in 2018. The guy likes his triggers and snare pounding black metal runs. Be that as it may the guy works well with his battery of pounding drum work.  

For an average come back album SEVERE TORTURE could've played it safe but no. This release is a reminder of the band's unrelenting savagery when it comes to brutalism in death metal. All of these ten tracks are a full on beat down which is welcome in today's death metal climate. I won't say this is my favorite because there's two earlier releases by them that rule. But this one joins em equally. 

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://severetorture.bandcamp.com/album/torn-from-the-jaws-of-death

CHRIST DENIED - Christopsy review

 

CHRIST DENIED - Christopsy 

Xtreem Music

They're Back! Yes Spain's most brutal Death Metal band returns with a new album after a decade of silence. Well there is also AVULSED but anyways. I got CHRIST DENIED's Cancer Eradication CD back in 2013, also on Xtreem Music, and was totally floored by this four piece extreme act. I mean this is a style of Death Metal which can be abrasive even to DM fans. But done right it is incredible. CHRIST DENIED are one of those bands that hits perfection. 

After all of these years Dave Rotten (who's in AVULSED and runs Xtreem Music by the way) still has the most morbid insufferable vocals around. Roger Infected (from INFECTED FLESH) is still around on guitars and other stuff. But the newbies to this band are drummer Fabio Ramirez (formerly in INTERNAL SUFFERING) who joined in 2017. He's a fuckin amazing drummer to say the least. Also there's bassist Roger P who joined in 2015. All around this line-up is the most punishing ever. 

The insanity of the riffs by Roger Infected, which have that crunchy Boss-2 HM pedal sound, add to the blatant brutal attack upon your senses. I'm smiling right now and I can't help it. Nothing is the boring run of the mill here which some Brutal DM acts, especially some of my US bands, tend to do half the time. Be that as it may CHRIST DENIED rule. Nine cuts plus they end this release with a cover of CRYPTOPSY's "Mutant Christ". Hell Fuckin Yeah! Yes this one of the best albums of 2024. 

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/christopsy

HELLBUTCHER - Self Titled review

 

HELLBUTCHER - Self Titled

Metal Blade Records

Well with a name like HELLBUTCHER with song titles like "Hordes of the Horned God", "Possessed by the Devil's Flames" and "Satan's Power" then it has to be good right? Well it better because this is NIFELHEIM 2.0 to be totally honest. Now before I go into this one there's a little history to put forth. NIFELHEIM were / are a Swedish black metal act who were OK when it came to their handful of releases in the late 90's. I always thought their debut self titled full length from 1995 was their best work.  

But here we have HELLBUTCHER which consists of vocalist Hellbutcher (of NIFELHEIM). There's drummer Devastator formerly of NIFELHEIM. Guitarist Necrophiliac has not been involved with NIFELHEIM nor has their other guitarist Iron Beast. I think he plays in UNLEASHED. Their bassist Eld is also in AETERNUS. I wouldn't call this a super group because metal musicians from Scandinavian nations play in multiple bands any ways.

Be that as it may this is a damm good sounding debut of blackened thrash. I mean first and foremost the guitar lead work is fuckin amazing. You pair that up with some ferocious drum work plus very exciting riffs and yeah it's good. The vocals are harsh like sung by someone with a burnt throat. Strangely enough the band injects some melody though out their eight cuts. Hell there's even some galloping MAIDEN influence. 

In the end ah hell yeah this is a good sounding about performed by a bunch of extreme music vets having a good ole time. But the obvious point in my not so humble opinion is that HELLBUTCHER's sound is very mainstream accessible. I will not be surprised seeing mainstream metal types, who never owned a NIFELHEIM release, praising this out the wazoo. 

 

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://hellbutcherband.bandcamp.com/album/hellbutcher

THE LURKING CORPSES - Lurking After Midnight review

 

THE LURKING CORPSES -  Lurking After Midnight

Hells Headbangers Records

THE LURKING CORPSES are horror metal for adults where as GHOST are for kids and mainstream music fans. I got into this Fort Wayne, Indiana band with their last album Workin' for the Devil. That came out in 2014 and they also did a split with NUNSLAUGHTER in 2015. But anyways THE LURKING CORPSES have been around since 2003. Unfortunately I don't have their earlier releases yet. But hey here's their latest. 

Musically yeah you're gonna get some 60's style surf riffs mixed in with the eerie MISFITS / SAMHAIN punk and metal theme. Maybe some TYPE O NEGATIVE and 69 EYES influence for you goth types. Add in some thrash riffage plus soundbites from horror movies and there you go. It's Halloween with a good beat and you can slam to it or just bang your fuckin head. 

Vocalist Lord Vladimir Von Ghoul does a good Glenn Danzig impersonation as well as some DM vocals and the King Diamond screams. As far as the band goes aside from mainman Lord Vladimir Von Ghoul there's still longtime member The Nameless Horror on bass. After that there's drummer Friar Frightengale who's been with the band a long time. Guitarist Cousin Eerie came on in 2014. He's been the key to making this act more explosive with better riffs and soloing out the wazoo! 

In the end you've got fifteen songs perfect for Halloween playing. Then again it could be right fuckin now. For me I like it all now. Not every track is perfect but out of the bunch there's some winners which makes this a killer album. Nuff Said!

https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://lurkingcorpses.bandcamp.com/album/lurking-after-midnight

DEICIDE - Banished by Sin review

 

DEICIDE - Banished by Sin

Reigning Phoenix Music

Actually it took me a few listens to get into this latest one from long time death metal great DEICIDE. Sure I've been a fan since their debut but in all honesty consistency of greatness has never been with them in my not so humble opinion. I mean they'll put out a good run of releases and then you'll get something boring. Yeah I know that last statement could be considered blasphemy with other DEICIDE fans but hey at least I'm not a blind follower.

Prior to this latest album I still think 2018's Overtures of Blasphemy was a perfect example of a boring release. So what makes Banished by Sin better? I think the guitar work by guitarists Kevin Quirion and Taylor Nordberg (the new guy) are phenomenal. The soloing as well as riffs on here are more vicious then recent DEICIDE albums. I think long time drummer Steve Asheim is still one of the best skin pounders in USDM. But sound-wise on here he seems lower in the mix. Of course Glen Benton's barked vocals are really up front on here. And there are times when I feel the production is too much on that note. 

Be that as it may there's some killer songs on here like the rip roaring opener "From Unknown Heights You Shall Fall". Then again DEICIDE always opens their albums with a killer track. Other cool cuts on here are "Faithless", the early dropped teaser cut "Bury the Cross with Your Christ" and "Woke from God" is a reminder of past greatness. In fact there's plenty of past DEICIDE history reminders on Banished by Sin.

 

"Failures of Your Dying Lord" is one of my favorite cuts on this album. They have to play this live, but they won't. And another one "Banished by Sin" takes you back to the band's early days. All in all Banished by Sin is a comeback album, to me at least, for Glen and company. So keep this line-up and maybe better things will come about. Which means this is an OK DEICIDE album in my not so humble long time DEICIDE fan opinion. As far as the cover art controversy goes? I thought it was Glen. Nuff Said!

https://reigningphoenixmusic.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhpqJSJeKWs&t=1634s

ILDFAR - Sorrowful Echoes Of Perdition review

 

ILDFAR - Sorrowful Echoes Of Perdition

Wolfspell Records

So when was the last time you heard some new black metal from Norway that wasn't from an established artist? Yeah I'll wait a few minutes. Times up and in all honesty off the top of my head I cannot name one. But of course here we have the third full length by ILDFAR. Basically this is a one man black metal act. The one man is Favn (aka: Thomas Aamodt) who is responsible for everything as in the vocals, guitars and keyboards. 

While listening to this I obviously got the notion that Favn is an accomplished pianist (check out the instrumentals "Til graven" or "Emptiness") who also likes DARKTHRONE, MAYHEM as well as BURZUM. In other words to be obvious yeah he's into classic early 1990's True Norwegian Black Metal. This is my first listen to his material and I'm like yeah it's a complete throwback to the past. Blast "Kulden som river i mitt sinn" or "Raa og kald" and get dragged back into a tremolo picked guitar frenzy. Add to that Favn's aggro yet harsh vocal style. 

"We Fall" is probably my favorite cut on this release. It's the longest cut on here with a run time of just over eight minutes. It packs in the full aggressive nature plus harsh atmosphere all at once. Most of the songs on Sorrowful Echoes Of Perdition (there's ten cuts in all) run in the three plus to five minute range. I like how Favn's song writing style doesn't linger on into repetitive boredom. In the end yeah musically it's familiar territory being traveled but I cannot deny it's appeal for someone who's not entirely against the idea of reviving something cool. 

https://wolfspell.pl/

LISTEN HERE:

https://ildfar.bandcamp.com/album/sorrowful-echoes-of-perdition-2