VEILBURNER - Longing for Triumph, Reeking of Tragedy review

 

VEILBURNER - Longing for Triumph, Reeking of Tragedy

Transcending Obscurity Records

If you're a fan of this blog (and frankly who isn't) then you know over the past bunch of years I've sung the praises for this two piece Blackened Death Metal act from Pennsylvania. Mainly because they're not cliche in style of what you would expect. I don't like using hiptard terms like "experimental" or "avantgarde". Previously I've said VEILBURNER are a Blackened Death experince that will weird you out. 

Now I thought their last album, 2024's The Duality of Decapitation and Wisdom, was like H.P. Lovecraft put to Extreme Metal music for late night listening pleasures and haunts. This new one goes a bit further into the realm of complete hysteria. I mean the opening title cut is so fucking pychotic and angry sounding that you're like what the fuck at first and then it get's jazzy to a point which is weird. 

But from there this album grows to peak insanity. There's absolutely brutal sounding cuts and then it's Blackened filth meets Tech Death. Cross that with BAUHAUS meets FUNERAL MIST in an ecletic theater of hallucinagentic drug extesy. I thought their last album was a masterpiece. But hey "That Which Crypts Howls Grandeur" is so fuckin out there. The final cut "Reeking of Tragedy" just blows up your pitiful mind. 

This is an easy pick for Exreme Metal greatness. VEILBURNER either get better with each new release or they just get creepier. If you wanna fuck with people's minds then play this. 

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://veilburnerband.bandcamp.com/album/longing-for-triumph-reeking-of-tragedy

GLORIOUS DEPRAVITY - Death Never Sleeps review

 

GLORIOUS DEPRAVITY - Death Never Sleeps

Transcending Obscurity Records

So after work I always stop at my favorite convenience store for a six pack of good beer (aka: IPAs) to finish the night off. At the store I always frequent they've got a new clerk who works two nights a week. On this one night the guy is wearing a Metal band shirt. So I'm like "So you're into Metal"? He was like yeah. Now while the transaction was going through I told him that I knew of the band on his T-shirt (it was WHITE CHAPEL ala Death Core). I then told him I'm not a fan of them. 

When I was leaving he told me to have a good night. To which I told em "well yeah I'm gonna drink this beer and listen to some fuckin Death Metal"! Then I threw him the horned fist salute and walked out the door. The DM band I ended up listening to that night was GLORIOUS DEPRAVITY and hell yeah it's some great stuff.

GLORIOUS DEPRAVITY are a five piece USDM act who hail from New York (I don't know if it's from the city or up state). They started out in 2017. Their debut full length, Ageless Violence, came out in 2020 on Translation Loss Records. By the way Translation Loss Records is a good label. I've got more than a handful of releases by bands on that label. But switching over to Transcending Obscurity Records is a good thing because, in my not so humble opinion, they're a great label that knows Death Metal. 

With that said Death Never Sleeps just starts off with a face ripping cut "Slaughter the Gerontocrats". That's right, no boring instro intros just a straight fucking DM attack that's old school NYDM as hell. What's really funny is that 3/5th's of this band was in a New Jersey BM act called WOE. While another band member spent time in New York's Blackened Death act MUTILATION RITES. There's no BM influences at all on here. 

Death Never Sleeps is a perfect nine track DM album that runs a few seconds over thirty four minutes. In that time span you've got cool brutal yet monster like vocals by Doug Moore. He also adds a few harsh blackened screams. Musically is where the DM fun erupts. The riffs diverge between crushing, headbanging fun to thrashy I wanna start a slam pit and hit somebody type of stuff. The guitar soloing is typical lightning dive bomb stuff which is classic. 

In the end overall this year I've listened to a bunch of DM acts who in the past I was a huge fan of. But in 2025 they bore me. GLORIOUS DEPRAVITY is a damm good sounding DM band. I mean play this release in the morning play it at night. Hell play it while you're fucking. Yeah this is one of the best DM releases of the year.

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://gloriousdepravity-label.bandcamp.com/album/death-never-sleeps

CASTLE RAT - The Bestiary review

 

CASTLE RAT - The Bestiary

King Volume Records

I first learned about this New York City act back in 2024. There was a lot of hype about em on the internet, mostly by hiptards. But I first checked out a live performance video they did at a hipster club in Brooklyn, New York City. Now despite the hype I thought they were decent. 

Their debut album Into the Realm from 2024 was pretty good. It was basically that whole NWOBHM meets Occult Doom style. I liked it especially The Rat Queen's (aka: Riley Pinkerton) vocal style. But that was then because on my first listen to this their second album I can say things have changed. After a few more listens you can understand the changes. 

Basically CASTLE RAT have become more atmospheric and bombastic in their overall sound. In other words it's like the difference between a club sound band and one that plays arenas. The NWOBHM style has been replaced with an almost Power metal influence. The Doom edge is still here and there. The production has been amped up especially on their drum sound which is thunderous. 

The collaboration of The Rat Queen's dynamic vocals as well as guitar riffs, The Count's (aka: Franco Vittore) cool lead guitar work, the thunderous bass by The Plague Doctor and newest member (Charley Ruddell) and drummer extrodinare The Druid (Josh Strmic) make this a powerful fuckin album. 

To me this feels like a concept album with instro interludes that break from the explosiveness conveyed musically. For me I do like the rawness of their first album. But after a few listens this one is an epic piece of work. How you surpass this one is another story and good luck to em. In the end it's a damm good release.

https://www.facebook.com/kingvolumerecords

LISTEN HERE:

https://castlerat.bandcamp.com/album/the-bestiary

ILON LAPSET - Mykka pimeys review

ILON LAPSET - Mykka pimeys

Visceral Circuitry Records

For me personally my appreciation for Sludge Metal died in the late summer of 2021. That was the night when I was at a show and a quarter of the way through the headlining act's set I walked out. Now the headliner was a big name band of the Sludge Metal scene who I had seen three times over their long career. Now that night the first two bands were great and both well known as well as me being a fan of. But the headliner was just the same old thing again. Actually I think I've seen em four times before that show.

If you've been in the Extreme Metal scene for four or five decades you will find yourself jaded even though you just don't want to be. So for the past couple of years while I ignore the generic stuff from this genre I'm always looking for an outlier. I do find one per year and here we have another cool one. 

This is the second full length by Finland's ILON LAPSET. They are a four piece act who started out back in 2020. So what's cool about this band is that their sound / style reminds me when Sludge first started. The sound had it's roots in the underground Punk / Hardcore scene in the late 80's. Some bands would come out playing it SABBATH-IAN low and slow with a maniac on vocals. 

That's what ILON LAPSET are doing on this six song release. You've got crushing music with tortured vocals and it's an old school reminder for me. I saw bands like this back in the day at local shows who never went further than releasing a demo tape. The HC kids were left fucked up because they couldn't slam dance to the music. I'd be in the back standing there with a beer going "this is insane and I like it". 

ILON LAPSET bring about this claustrophobic intense sound which fuckin rules. There's an atmosphere of pain and dread throughout this release. There are a few US bands from the late 1990's who they remind me of but I am not name dropping here. This is just great Sludge Metal that's not generic as legendary acts are doing. If you're a fan of Sludge Metal than this is the release you need to get. 

LISTEN TO & ORDER HERE:

https://ilonlapset.bandcamp.com/album/mykk-pimeys

 

RITUAL MASS - Cascading Misery review

 

RITUAL MASS - Cascading Misery

20 Buck Spin

Imagine tossing PORTAL, INCANTATION and HOODED MENACE into a blender. Out of it you would get an act that's horrific oppressively subterranean sounding Death Doom. And that act would have a release out on Dark Descent Records. I'm not kidding because I know I have at least two dozen or more releases by bands on Dark Descent Records who have that sound. 

I won't stop there because I have plenty of releases by other labels who have bands sounding like this. The whole sound structure permeated around the late 2000's. And here we are today well over a decade later with new bands still repeating something they heard a few years ago and maybe adding a few points of nuance. 

Case in point, this is the debut full length from RITUAL MASS who are a four piece act from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that started out in 2016. Prior to this the band released a self titled demo in 2017, an EP "Abhorred in the Eyes of God" in 2019 and a single in 2021. If you're interested you can find all of that material on a compilation they have titled It Ever Turns which is available on CD and cassette. 

Now Iike I said earlier I've heard all of this type of Death Doom before. So on this six song release all of the cuts encapsulate the description I said earlier. While the first part of the album is fairly cut and paste. The second part is where the band decides to inject some self worth into the mix. The culmination is a fourteen plus minute final opus of everything they've done over the past five cuts but more brutal sounding. 

Yeah sounds like a great way to end a performance. But with so much of this style of Death Doom out there it's hard to justify it by saying "well it's good for 2025". As if we've forgotten the good stuff from last year a couple of which sound like this. In the end this debut by RITUAL MASS is decent.

https://www.20buckspin.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://20buckspin.bandcamp.com/album/cascading-misery

SHOCK NARCOTIC - My Flesh Is Afraid But I Am Not review

 

SHOCK NARCOTIC - My Flesh Is Afraid But I Am Not

Housecore Records

SHOCK NARCOTIC are a four piece US Grind act featuring musicians from acts like DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, PIG DESTROYER, BATTLECROSS and CHILD BITE. They started out in 2019 with a fourteen song debut EP titled I Have Seen the Future and It Doesn't Work. Back then I heard about the band but never decided check out their music.

Now after listening to this their debut full length I have a few things to say. First off musically this is a very generic style of modern Grind being put forth. Also you hear bits of Groove Metal, Death Thrash, bad 90's Hardcore and wannabe Old School HB1 DM crunch all entered into the mix. I didn't find anything exciting about the thirteen cuts on here. At best it's average.

Vocalist Shawn Knight does have a loud vicious maul when it comes to his singing style. Unfortunately he comes across as more of a 90's era Hardcore vocalist then his Grind vocalist peers from Poland or Finland. As far as the musicianship goes it's average. 

https://housecorerecords.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://shocknarcotic.bandcamp.com/album/my-flesh-is-afraid-but-i-am-not

ENTRAILS - Grip of Ancient Evil review

 

ENTRAILS - Grip of Ancient Evil

Hammerheart Records

I've been looking forward to this new one by Sweden's ENTRAILS. I'm not going to go into my whole fan history with this band. Just for the record I've been into em since their debut full length album came out back in 2010. That was "Tales from the Morgue" and they were part of that whole old school Swedish death metal revival scene.

Fast forward to 2022 and the band, fresh with new members, released An Eternal Time of Decay also on this label. And I liked it a lot since it wasn't just a band recreating the past as a homage which I don't mind too much. Instead ENTRAILS were defining themselves as a Swedish Death Metal band and fuckin veterans. 

So this new one starts out with the title song being a violin instrumental. The violinist is none other than Thomas von Wachenfeldt who is also the guitarist of another great Swedish Death Metal band WOMBBATH. It's a beautiful sounding opening. And then the old school chaos begins. As the saying goes, may the Boss HM-2 be with you. Then look out because a slam pit is starting. 

With that said the line-up has changed again. There's new bassist Benjamin Hjort Andersson and new vocalist Julian Bellenox. Now as far as bass duties go Benjamin Hjort Andersson fits in well. But as far as vocalist Julian Bellenox goes it's different since he is / was in the Swedish Thrash band MORPHETIK.

Musically this is more Death Thrash oriented with great soloing by Markus Svensson. But even with that I am not a fan of Julian Bellenox as a vocalist. I'm also not impressed with the drum work on here as well. Whatafuck happened to this band? Even when they throw in some decent DM atmosphere aspects to their sound it doesn't register with me.

In the end there's a couple of cool tracks on this the band's eighth full length. They're Death Thrash to the hilt on here and in my attitude which is pissed off I don't care to mention em. I'm totally bored with this album and really wondering about what they're up to. Are ENTRAILS trying to appeal to a new audience or are they just tired. I just don't care for this. I'm sure some younger newbie DM kids will enjoy this but not me. 

https://www.hammerheart.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hammerheart.bandcamp.com/album/grip-of-ancient-evil

PALANTYR - The Ascent & the Hunger EP review

 

PALANTYR - The Ascent & the Hunger EP

Dying Victims Productions

Every so often you get a year in Extreme Metal where there's a certain type of sound really making a stand as opposed to trendy bullshit. In my not so humble opinion 2025 is the year of female fronted bands ruling the roost. and here is just another cool one. 

PALANTYR is a five piece Traditional Metal act hailing from France. Technically this is their debut release but there's some baggage to it. This is a six song release. The first three tracks come from a release they did earlier this year and put out on Jawbreaker Records. the next three cuts are new. That's why it's called The Ascent and The Hunger. 

Now before I get into the vocal part let's start with the overall music sound. Much of this musically is in the MAIDEN-esque realm of sound. Some tracks like "Shan E Sorkh" and "Ravenous" stray away from the whole galloping riffs and dive bombing melodic soloing. But hey I'd rather listen to new bands doing it then modern day IRON MAIDEN. 

As far as vocalist Athenais Kordian goes, she has a powerful voice that's not over the top or gimmicky. She comes across as a gutsy Metal woman with a cool vocal range. On the song "Nosferatu" she let's her vocal talent shine throughout. On "Graveyard" she really stands out.

In the end I think this band needs a full length. Yeah I like what I'm hearing on this release. But they need to prove themselves further which I'll be the first SOB to say hell yeah! For now yeah this is a must have release.  

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/the-ascent-the-hunger

NAEVUS - Back Home review

 

NAEVUS - Back Home

Dying Victims Productions

Doom Metal from Germany yeah you don't hear that often if at all. Which is why this release peaked my interest immediately. Just for the record NAEVUS originally started out back in early 1990's. They came out with their debut full length, Sun Meditation, in 1998. That one came out on Rise Above Records and shocker I never heard it. Fuck Me Running!

So as far as the PR info goes the band broke up but then reformed in 2012. In 2016 they released their second full length Heavy Burden. And here we are now with their third full length. Once again reading the PR info on this four piece act. They're influenced by early US Doom aka: TROUBLE, PENTAGRAM, SAINT VITUS & THE OBSESSED.

So after a lackluster one and a half minute intro I'm hearing something decent. NAEVUS's title cut is pure TROUBLE / THE SKULL worship but in a good way. Uwe Groebel (vocalist / guitarist) has those cool clean vocal chops that remind ya of Eric Wagner (RIP). As the album progresses you hear song structures that rip from memories you had of the past. 

Trust me on this one, NAEVUS are not a copycat band. On the contrary they have been handed a gift of influences and proceed to follow that because the original is gone. That TROUBLE with another singer sucks. And that new SKULL / Eric Wagner tribute act is OK. They had a good album last year. But what you have here is cool as fuck. 

I mean blast "The Dead Don't Sleep", "Under a Different Sky" or "Angels Never Come" and tell me that the fingers of TROUBLE era Doom don't touch you on the forehead. Yeah this album is a winner in my not so humble opinion. I'm sure Eric Wagner, where ever he is, approves of NAEVUS. I know I do. As far as the cover artwork goes I'm not a fan.

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/back-home

FIRMAMENT - For Centuries Alive review

 

FIRMAMENT - For Centuries Alive

Dying Victims Productions

Power Metal from Germany I'm shocked? I'm also joking around. When I saw this band's photo I was like please be influenced by the SCORPIONS. And no they're not. In fact they open this nine song full length with an instrumental. People who read this blog, and frankly who doesn't, know I hate opening instrumentals. 

Be that as it may and despite the opening cut, this German band is good sounding Power Metal. I mean they've got all the typical tropes. We're talking about MAIDEN-esque rhythms, great clean guitar soloing, a damm good rhythm section. And of course a dynamic vocalist in Marco Herrmann. 

I'm not a huge Power Metal fan but when I listen to this, their second full length since starting out in 2021, I'm like yeah this sounds exciting and it's not generic sounding bullshit. A lot of this release rocks in an old school hard rock way. Hey I'm old so I find these certain styles familiar from when I was young. 

FIRMAMENT do a great job at mixing em up for a Metal music fan, regardless of age, to enjoy. 

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/for-centuries-alive

RIBSPREADER - As Gods Devour review

 

RIBSPREADER - As Gods Devour

Xtreem Music

Well it wouldn't be a good year in Extreme Metal without a release by a Rogga Johansson affiliated band. The guy is the most hardest working Swedish Death Metal musician of all time. You know him from bands like PAGANIZER and REVOLTING plus a ton of other bands and side projects. Of course RIBSPREADER is a long time Death Metal act he's been in since the early 2000's. 

What we have here is RIBSPREADER's 11th album. I'm surprised that Rogga came out with this release with RIBSPREADER so fast since they had an album last year. 2024's Reap Humanity, which also came out on this label, was a damm good release in my not so humble opinion. Albeit I'm bias because I like the guy. But I thought the REVOLTING album was better. 

Anyways this time around the big change is Jon Rudin (who's played with Rogga in another project) replaces Jeramie Kling on drums. Rogga is still creating the guitar riffs, playing bass and delivering those beast like vocals. Also Hakan Stuvemark, from WOMBBATH fame is still laying done lightning strike lead guitar work. 

Musically this time around it's still a homage to Swedish OSDM but not so old. When I listen to this release I'm reminded of latter day GRAVE albums. I'm talking about GRAVE circa the late 2000's when they were like hey remember us type of stuff. That's what this album reminds me of. 

Still songs like "The Pig in You", "Rotten Soil Serenade" and "As Corpses Cry" are cool. The rest of this album is pretty much their last album lite. Sadly this is the first time I'm giving a negative review for a Rogga Johansson affiliated band release. Yeah this album is decent only which bums me out because I am a fan. 

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/as-gods-devour

DEATHGOAT - Dragged into Realms Below review

 

DEATHGOAT - Dragged into Realms Below

Xtreem Music

OSDM is on display here by this Finnish five piece act. I'll just say they love Sweden's DISMEMBER and frankly who doesn't? This is the band's second full length. I was looking forward to this because years ago I heard their debut Regurgitated into Existence from 2021. That came out on the Finnish label Black Soul Productions as a download. 

Granted the early Finnish DM scene copied the Sweden DM style / sound with a few exceptions. I listen to this now in 2025 and think well DISMEMBER don't sound this good anymore. So yeah this rules in so many ways. The opener "Alkulima" is boring but don't let that dissuade you. "Pestilent Retribution", "Congregation of Disease" and "Dying to Be Dead" will kick your fuckin ass!

And that goes forth to the rest of this album. DEATHGOAT nail all of the cool points. You've got the crunchy Boss pedal guitar sound. Great riffs throughout backed by a rhythm section on speed. Out from the sky dive bomb soloing and the vocals are by a brutal sounding Neanderthal. This is a nine song head fuck with the opener being the only low point. Yeah this album fucking rules!

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/dragged-into-realms-below

ORGAN DEALER - Visceral Infection Reissue review

 

ORGAN DEALER - Visceral Infection Reissue

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

When it comes to Extreme Metal I not only believe in second chances and sometimes thirds. I also believe they're extremely necessary. I say that because of the fact that bands can release all of the stuff they want. But if there's no real promotion behind what they do, no good reviews or no scene trend that garners interest. Then some bands get lost in the whole scheme of things.

With all of that said here we have a Grindcore band from New Jersey, the place I was born in and raised up to my teens. That was a long time ago. But ORGAN DEALER is a band who came out at a time, in 2013, which was post all of the hipster bullshit into Grindcore. I mean as a fan of Grind this their debut album, Visceral Infection, from 2015 was a refresher course into real fuckin Grind. 

I know some purists will say "well I hear some Death Metal influence". Well OK fine but don't be an A-Hole about it. I mean you've got the savage vocals by a guy who sounds like he's being tortured by the Spanish Inquisition at some point. At other times it's a complete revolt against everything. The drum work is absolutely amazing. The song structures are chaotic. The guitar work is fucking amazing as well as chaotic. It's not mind blowing Grind but it's damm good.

I mean this came out in 2015 and here's your chance to get it again. I took the deep dive and looked up Best Grindcore albums of 2015. This wasn't even listed and the ones that were? Well I did own one from a famous UK Grindcore band and I sold it because it was boring. So there you go. If you're a Grind-head then this fucking reissue by ORGAN DEALER is mandatory.

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/visceral-infection-lp

PERCUSSOR - Remnants Of Horror The Final Cut Reissue

 

PERCUSSOR - Remnants Of Horror The Final Cut Reissue

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

PERCUSSOR have been the premier Death Metal band out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for a decade now. Their first two full lengths; Proclamation of Hate from 2015 and Disturbing Reality from 2016 both came out on Horror Pain Gore Death Productions. Their sound is pure hate filled Old School sounding Death Metal. It's the stuff you love if you're into the old ways.

In 2017 the band released their third full length, Remnants of Horror, on another label. Why, I don't know but in 2019 they would reissue it. Then in 2022 the band returned to Horror Pain Gore Death Productions and released Ravenous Despondency which is a damm good album to say the least. 

Which brings us to 2025 and PERCUSSOR's third full length is reissued on Horror Pain Gore Death Productions. Where it should've been in the first place if you ask me. Be that as it may Remnants Of Horror is a damm good piece of work if you crave the old ways of the genre. What was always cool about PERCUSSOR's sound was that it came across more as pre-1990's DM but not Thrash oriented too much. 

When I listen to this album I can't help but think of em playing this stuff live to a packed club in South Philly. And of course I can envision the slam pit mayhem. As always Jack Carmichael's vocals are way up front in the mix. Which of course reminds ya of Don of the Dead from NUNSLAUGHTER. The riffs are low-fi and diabolical. The rhythm section works it all out perfectly. 

In the end this is an essential release if you're a fan of this Hostile City Death Metal band. Nuff Said.

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE: 

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/remnants-of-horror-the-final-cut

DET - Destructive Elite Terror review

 

DET - Destructive Elite Terror

Dying Victims Productions

I have to say that Finland has been the harbinger of great Extreme Metal in 2025. Now sure if you're into the cool and insane stuff like me (which most lame-stream people are not) then you know the great nation of Finland is home to some of the best Extreme sounding Metal regardless of genre out there. And obviously here's another damm good act to check out.

This is the debut full length from Helsinki, Finland’s DET. This is a Blackened Speed Metal / Thrash three piece act who have been around since 2022. Prior to this the band released two demos and a split release with fellow countrymen KRUISFOITU. Last year they put out a compilation, Death Night's Vengeance, which features their first two demos. 

As far as this release goes it's pretty much early BATHORY / VENOM worship rung though a Finnish filter. In the end it's what the title suggests. I like this release because it's got a burning sound to it and begs for destruction. Their next release will probably kick more ass than this one. 

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/destructive-elite-terror

SADISTIC GOATMESSIAH - Violence review

 

SADISTIC GOATMESSIAH - Violence

Dying Victims Productions

So for a decade now on or around my birthday I go out to dinner with a bunch of old friends. It's mostly about dinner but there's some drinking involved. OK there's a lot of drinking involved but not by me. I drink a little bit. Anyways one old friend of mine likes to give a toast to me at these gatherings. One time I remember him saying that I was the only person he knew that has a huge music collection with bands that have the words "wolf" or "goat" in their names. 

Yeah that's funny because it's true. So when I see a band called SADISTIC GOATMESSIAH you're damm right I'm gonna check em out. What we have here is the debut full length by this German three piece Blackened Thrash act. Of course it gets better since the band members are Morbid Goatpriest of Lust, Filth and Mayhem on guitar and vocals. Their drummer goes by the name of Goat Primator and their bassist is the Goatess of Fire. Yeah ya gotta love those nom de plumes. 

I had already given this release a listen and was a fan but learning all of the details about em made it better. SADISTIC GOATMESSIAH started out in 2012 but didn't put out stuff until 2019. From then to now the band has put out a bunch of demos and Split releases. Interested parties should check out the band's Evil Witchcraft & Sado Magic compilation from 2024. 

Musically what we have here is a release with more Tom G Warrior grunts then the whole CELTIC FROST full length collection. Now does that mean this is a HELLHAMMER / CELTIC FROST worshiping retro act? Nah not really because I also hear some DARKTHRONE influence as well. 

Actually what I hear on these ten tracks is a newer band taking some old sounds, running em through their own filter and creating something fresh as well as exciting to hear. I mean the vocals are insane to say the least. Lots of drunken shouting and screaming. The riff work is decent. I give props for the bass work being so prominent. And of course the drum work is fuckin damm good.

So yeah it's rude, chaotic sounding Blackened Thrash and Hessian Speed Metal. It's also an exciting listen throughout. In other words it's a perfect fucking album. I admit I'm an old fucker who always looks to find bands like this. As far as my peers go I don't know how they would go for SADISTIC GOATMESSIAH. But for the younger crowd who hate mainstream bullshit and yearn for the chaotic then here ya go.

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/violence

PUSTULANT FLESH - Gurgling Pustulence review

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VARIOUS ARTISTS - King Of The Kill 3 compilation

 

VARIOUS ARTISTS -  King Of The Kill 3 compilation

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Sometimes when I listen to a compilation I find myself making note of the songs I don't like when the majority of the comp is cool. In this case yeah most of this sounds cool. To be more exact most of these cuts are Extreme Metal for crazed fans in the underground realm who like to get drunk, have crazy fun and beat people up. I know all about that because I was one of those people. But in all honesty I only beat up bad people. 

This is the third year where Horror Pain Gore Death Productions puts out an Extreme Metal compilation dedicated to the Ruthless Pro Wrestling yearly event called King Of The Kill. Now for those of you out there who are like "oh no wrestling is fake". I have a few words for ya. The outcomes are pre-determined but the physical brawling is real. And yeah people are injured but no one wants that to happen. 

As someone who grew up with Professional Wrestling (Wrassling) in the 1970's I'll tell ya when ECW out of Philly came around in their early days it was the best of Extreme Wrestling. I've still got VHS tapes of various matches where people in the audience would hand wrestlers frying pans to pound their opponents head in with. Another match an audience member handed a wrestler his prosthetic leg to use as a weapon. And of course during a Terry Funk match the crowd just threw all of their metal chairs into the ring. 

With all of that said Ruthless Pro Wrestling is worse. I mean the wrestling competitors will all walk out of the squared circle bloodied and if not standing then lying on the mat in a pool of their own blood. It's like ancient Roman gladiator games minus the swords. Which is why it's called a Deathmatch tournament. So this label, HPGD, decides to come out with another compilation of bands from their label to celebrate people beating the crap of people. Albeit these ain't wrestling themed songs but they're in that Extreme Metal style. 

As far this compilation goes I have to admit that I'm more a fan of the Death Metal acts on here but overall I do have some favorites. Bands like ELBOW DEEP and ANCESTOR OF KAOS are pretty good DM with punishment sounding stuff. ORGAN DEALER rule with their Grindcore attack. BOCC are trudging Death Doom and yeah I like it. RED BRICK are screeching Grindcore. LESCH-NYHAN is knuccle dragging BDM. THE CRIPPLER comes in with a cool as fuck Death Thrash cut. 

Next up we have fuckin MUTILATRED killing it with some great BDM. That's followed by an amazing band to which I've written about before and they are PUTRASCENSION. This is cool sounding Melodic Black Fuckin Metal. You need to own their latest full length. If you don't then I'm gonna call you horrible names. Next up is MAUSOLEUM great OSDM that fuckin rules! 

Now we come to the crazy shit of this compilation. COCAINE CULTURE is Black Metal but doesnt invite me to see the devil but still it's cool. MUDSHOW is brutal sounding Sludge. MATSUNAGA WAS RIGHT contributes the best 25 second Grind cut you ever heard in your fuckin life. ROAD PIG is interesting but I don't know whatafuck to call it. MOONS is basic Stoner Rock and normally I wouldn't give two fucks about em. But after all of the brutal abuse to the psyche this comp delivers hell ya probably need a joint to relax. KOSUKE HASHIDA delivers some good Death Thrash. MENTAL FUNERAL deliver the OSDM. The final cut is by the band L.M.I. and once again I don't know what to call it. Is it Hardcore or Metal or both?

Whatever the case Horror Pain Gore Death Productions has unleashed a whirlwind of a compilation here. 

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/king-of-the-kill-3

ENRAGEMENT - Extinguish All Existence review

 

ENRAGEMENT - Extinguish All Existence

Transcending Obscurity Records

ENRAGEMENT are a four piece act from Finland who are also the second or third band from that nation I've heard this year who take US Brutal Death Metal as a major influence. But with that said this band takes it to a better level. ENRAGEMENT engage in various avenues involving brutality and bloodshed. 

The main part is a furious Brutal DM template then the band adds something different on almost each cut. There's some Grind influences, plenty of Tech Death guitar soloing and some classic Death and Groove. In essence ENRAGEMENT are re-inventing a tired old wheel and making it sound cool as fuck. 

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://enragement-label.bandcamp.com/album/extinguish-all-existence

DEMIURGON - Miasmatic Deathless Chamber review

 

DEMIURGON - Miasmatic Deathless Chamber

Transcending Obscurity Records

When I saw this was Death Metal from Italy it peaked my interest. In all honesty when it comes to Death Metal the great nation of Italy is not a genre mecca. I mean hey Italian metal is known for Doom and some Black Metal. I think the most famous Death Metal act from Italy is FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE and I'm not a fan of theirs. 

So after a few listens to this their third full length since starting out in 2014 I have quite a lot to say. Musically DEMIURGON are about as original as spaghetti. Now that's not really a slag because influence wise this five piece act has a sound that hearkens back to late 1990s / early 2000's USDM. 

Now as always I don't mind bands who repeat the past as long as they include something of themselves instead of just copying the past. DEMIURGON actually nail all of that by refreshing a DM sound from over twenty years ago. 

Just to cover the bases, The vocals are fucking amazing as in brutal and violent. The riffs are heavy as in feeling em in your chest when played loud. The soloing is damm good as in not Tech crazy. The rhythm section is a fucking master class in performance. 

This is a seven song release and I have to say it's perfect from start to finish. DEMIURGON are the new kings of Italian Death Metal. You'd be a fool not to pick this fucker up because it's just one of the best DM releases you're gonna hear in 2025. 

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://demiurgon-label.bandcamp.com/album/miasmatic-deathless-chamber

MORTAL SCEPTER - Ethereal Dominance review

 

MORTAL SCEPTER - Ethereal Dominance

Xtreem Music

MORTAL SCEPTER's second album answers the question which is what if SODOM continued on the evil path instead of shitting the bed. Yeah I'm serious. Look I'm old and so are the bands I remember from back in the day. Instead of just hoping for nostalgia from my faves I look for some new acts who will carry the torch to the future. 

MORTAL SCEPTER, a four piece Blackened Thrash act from Dunkirk, France are oddly enough carrying the torch of Teutonic Blackened Thrash to the hilt on this release. This is their second full length on the Xtreem Music label. And just for the record Xtreem Music is the go to European label for Extreme Old School Metal. Yeah that's a free plug. 

But anyways musically these guys really take the SODOM & DESTRUCTION influences then add in their own flavor which makes this a great release. The vocals come across sounding like a young Angel Ripper. The riffs are dark and maniacal. The guitar soloing is like lightning from Valhalla. The drum work is actually perfect. It's just solid with the song structures. You can barely notice the bass. 

Oh yeah MORTAL SCEPTER write good songs that are memorable which in 2025 is unusual. Personally I'd rather have a band like this playing music I remember from the past then certain old acts hanging on just for name recognition. 

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/ethereal-dominance

MALFORMED - Confinement of Flesh review

 

MALFORMED - Confinement of Flesh

Dark Descent Records

All I can say is wow because this is the second Finnish Death Metal band release I've heard this year that's influenced by old school USDM. I just have to laugh a bit about that. I remember when early Finnish DM was influenced by their Swedish neighbors. Of course a few acts came out and created something on their own. I shouldn't have to name drop. 

Anyways this is the full length debut by Finland's MALFORMED who started out back in 2022. Prior to this they've released a demo, a live album and an five song EP. I've been playing this one for some time while I'm making a killer dinner. Just for the record cooking and blasting Death Metal work well. You should try it and thank me afterwards. 

Musically yeah this Finnish DM band loves the old school USDM variety from the early 1990s plus some Finnish Death Doom. Overall their sound covers the bases aka: the vocals are brutal. The riffs are good quality, there's some Tech Death savoy from the early days and the soloing is really good. I like how the bass lines are thick and high in the mix. The drum work is fairly decent as well. 

Overall yeah it's a decent release but I've got a couple hundred or more Death Metal releases on the shelves behind me which I've enjoyed for decades. There you go.

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/confinement-of-flesh