TOWER - Let There Be Dark review

 

TOWER - Let There Be Dark

Cruz del Sur Music

I like when newer bands start out strong with that fury of the past and then recreate it all in their own image. On this TOWER's third full length they've forged something powerful and slightly different then last time I heard em. And just from the beginning here I'm gonna say this fuckin album rules.

I first got into this New York five piece act with their second album Shock to the System. I saw em on that tour and they were amazing. It was great female fronted Metal as far as contemporary acts go these days. They were very rock influenced but had plenty of NWOBHM influence within. So that album was one of my top favorites of 2021. It still is in fact I'd label it a classic album of the 2020's decade.

So with this new one yeah it's forged in a different and better way. Starting with the obvious, Sarabeth Linden's vocals are over the top. I mean she has that operatic high style plus some hard rockin vocals to boot. I thought she was captivating to hear last time around. But on this album I'd say Sarabeth Linden is one of the greatest vocalist in Metal right now.

The second thing which is great about this album is the amazing rocking guitar duo of James Danzo and Zak Penley. The riffs are in that speedy NWOBHM style and the solos just bite yer head off. Along with that the band has new drummer Keith Mikus who joined in 2022. This guy is pretty fuckin dynamic in his playing. Also there's original bassist Philippe Arman who also came back into the fold in 2022. So this is like a super fuckin line-up. 

Now when the opening cut "Under the Chapel" hits then you know, if you're a fan, that this is not exactly the TOWER you knew. Since the album title is Let There Be Dark then yeah TOWER has moved slightly to the darker side. Also this album has more of a metallic edge as well as still being melodic and aggressive sounding. 

This album is just fantastic as in one of the best albums of 2025.

https://www.cruzdelsurmusic.com/store/

LISTEN HERE:

https://towernyc.bandcamp.com/album/let-there-be-dark

AVULSED - Phoenix Cryptobiosis review

 

AVULSED - Phoenix Cryptobiosis

Xtreem Music

So last year I gave a huge amount of praise to the CHRIST DENIED - Christopsy full length. And here I am again ready to do the same for the eighth full length by AVULSED. Now aside from the music, what both bands have in common is that they are fronted by probably the most important man in Spain's Extreme Metal scene. 

I'm talking about Dave Rotten (aka: David Sanchez Gonzalez). Now I'll get to the music portion in a few but Dave Rotten is respected for starting Repulse Records back in the mid 90's to the early 2000s. And after that he started one of the best underground Extreme Metal labels that's been around for over a decade. I'm talking about Xtreem Music. If you love Extreme Metal and especially Death Metal then max out your Pay Pal account when you check out that website. 

So onto the music, AVULSED are, I think, the longest running Death Metal act from Spain. The band started out in the early 1990's releasing just demos. Their first full length came out in the mid 90's which was Eminence in Putrescence. In all honesty I first got into em in 2006 when I found a promo CD in the dollar used bin at a local record store. That release was Gorespattered Suicide which officially came out the year before. 

After hearing that one I became a fan and the feelers came out to find anything else by AVULSED. I will say some of the releases I've picked up over the years are good (full lengths and a compilation of demo material). But the best by far was 2016's Deathgeneration. That album is a DM masterpiece. 

So here we are a decade later with the band's new one and Dave Rotten has gathered together a new league of extreme metal musicians on guitars, bass and drums to continue the fight. So first impressions, well the opening instrumental "Limbs Regeneration" kinda sucks. Then again I hate opening instrumentals in the first place. After that the brand new AVULSED appears and it's pretty cool. 

To me this album sounds like a culmination of this band's musical history. The main line is always going to be aggressive sounding old school DM. But you're gonna hear some death thrash as well as death doom. There's certainly some melodic touches which I cringe at. But over all it's a damm good album by a legacy leader. 

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/phoenix-cryptobiosis

GRAVE INFESTATION - Carnage Gathers review

 

GRAVE INFESTATION - Carnage Gathers

Dark Descent Records / Invictus Productions

I learned about GRAVE INFESTATION last year with their split EP with NOROTH. That release came out on Carbonized Records. I liked the band so much that I got their debut full length, Persecution of the Living, which came out in 2022. While I'm still keeping that one in the frequent play stack, out now is their second full length. And I have to say this one is even better. 

GRAVE INFESTATION are a Canadian four piece act who's whole reason for existing is to create old school sounding Death Metal. Sound-wise it's four knuckle dragging Neanderthals with instruments recording in their cave. It's first generation sounding Death Metal meaning you're gonna hear some thrash parts. 

For an old fuck like me this is like old fashioned candy. This release is a perfect throwback to 1987/88 when the first era of Death Metal really got going. The riffs are morbid as fuck. The rhythm section is pure diabolical. The guitar soloing is so sick sounding it would make a new school kid puke. And of course the vocals are ghastly. 

Now some lame ass piece of shit would thumb their nose at something like this. Not me because I don't care if there's a song that sounds like it could've been on the Scream Bloody Gore demos. Or that they're Canadians but sound like early USDM. Fuck that shit! GRAVE INFESTATION's second album is hate that's their handshake to the world. It's an amazing album. 

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/carnage-gathers

FELGRAVE - Otherlike Darknesses review

 

FELGRAVE - Otherlike Darknesses

Transcending Obscurity Records

Someone here is a fan of that Robert Fripp's solo album where he went really Metal as well as some KING CRIMSON. That person who I'm thinking of is FELGRAVE main man M. L. Jupe who is responsible for vocals, guitars, bass and the keyboards. On drums there's Robin Stone who does an amazing job with that. 

So what we have here is the second full length by M. L. Jupe under the band name FELGRAVE who hails from Norway. The tag line on this is Death/Doom but that's a mild way of putting it. This album has three long tracks which are actually horrific soundscapes which no one on prescribed medication should attempt to check out. I mean I like my beer but I'm almost ready to call a friend about some low dose mushrooms while listening to this one. 

When I listen to this I'm thinking real Prog Metal. I mean this release makes DREAM THEATER sound like a fucking joke. FELGRAVE combines Black Metal (especially with the harsh vocals) Death Metal (a lot of heavy riffs) Doom and Prog Rock. Alright fuck the mushrooms, can ya still get acid these days? I mean the good stuff like we had in the past. We'd drop acid and listen to BLACK SABBATH at 78 speed on the turntable. 

Be that as it may this is probably the most exciting non generic genre sounding release I've heard in a long time. This is not mere music. It's an experience in forty-eight and a half minutes. After my first listen I needed a ten minute break before I continued. And it felt like I was deaf for that whole time. 

As I mentioned before Otherlike Darknesses is three long tracks. You've got two eighteen minute numbers book ending a twelve and a half minute cut. Each cut is a mega opus of Extreme Metal mayhem that gives forth to a variety of shifts and tones. It's like going psycho to somber all the way through. Even better is that it's addictive because repeated listens is a must. 

Obviously this release won't appeal to the straight forward genre purists. Which it shouldn't because this is a release for psychos, hey how ya doing? I've heard bands in the past try to get to this level of sophistication in extreme sound structures. But as for now FELGRAVE has reached that summit and it sounds amazing. 

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://felgrave-label.bandcamp.com/album/otherlike-darknesses

VULVECTOMY - Aberrant Vaginal Gestation review

 

VULVECTOMY - Aberrant Vaginal Gestation

Comatose Music

Well obviously anyone who reads this blog will not be shocked that not only do I know who they are but I own their two previous releases. VULVECTOMY are a four piece Brootal Death Metal band from Italy. Their second and third full lengths, the ones I got, came out on Sevared Records years ago. Now this full length, their fourth, is out on Comatose Music which is a label from my home state. They also specialize in lo-fi, heavy as fuck, filthy brootal sounding metal. 

Obviously VULVECTOMY has found a new home since being silent for the past twelve years. The only difference over time has been a switch on drums with Marco Coghe (from DEVANGELIC) taking charge. No more drum machine shit. The new guy is damm good and adds a better dynamic to the band's sound / style. Guitarist Mario Di Giambattista is also in DEVANGELIC. 

Musically this is their best album overall. Instead of treading along as just another BDM band. VULVECTOMY now come across as a Death Metal band which is slow, trudging and heavy as fuck with a mutated beast from some abandoned mine-shaft on vocals. Speaking of which Diego Fanelli's vocals are way better on here. No full blown pig squealing this time around although he comes very close. Giorgio Cavaliere's bass sound still seems buried in the mix. But Mario Di Giambattista's guitar riffs are fuckin incredible. 

Years ago VULVECTOMY were like a little fish swimming in a huge Brootal Death Metal pond dominated by sick fucking US bands. With this album I'm not gonna say they're the shark eating everything in sight. But I will say this is damm good. The album artwork might be tame as far as what they put out in the past. But their song titles and lyrics are still sick as fuck which would make CARCASS blush and MORTICIAN proud. 

https://www.comatosemusic.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://comatosemusic.bandcamp.com/album/aberrant-vaginal-gestation

OBSCUREVIOLENCE - Refuting the Flesh EP review

 

OBSCUREVIOLENCE - Refuting the Flesh EP

Transcending Obscurity Records

Back in early January when I was checking out the Transcending Obscurity Records 2025 label sampler this was one of many bands that I really was interested in hearing more from. The song from that compilation was "Pulse of Subconscious Cruelty" which is the last cut on this release. 

OBSCUREVIOLENCE are a three piece Blackened Death act from Russia. Hey I hope they're alright. I mean there's a fuckin war going on over there. As much as I love my violent metal I wanna see the musicians playing instruments and not running around with assault rifles. 

Let me indulge you all in a rare moment of honesty. I am former military. I've seen and participated in warfare. With that said I think if there was a huge Metal Fest over in the battle ground zone with bands from Russia and Ukraine all playing Metal it would bring some peace. Put down the guns, pick up the instruments and rock. I want your metal not your causalities. Nuff Said. 

Now as far as this debut EP goes OBSCUREVIOLENCE are not breaking any new ground as far as modern day Blackened Death Metal goes. But on all of these six tracks there's not only an attention to detail but there's a ferocious sound that demands attention. I like how Sergey B's bass lines are thick sounding in the mix. He also has that Russian bear like vocals. 

Add to that the drum work by Dmitry L falls into that octopus arms insanity of playing. This guy is a fuckin maniac on the kit. It's a sound of total punishment. Finally there's guitarist Sergey T who knows how to produce some savage riffs and sometimes in the dissonant style. His lead work is definitely in the dive bomb realm.

All in all yeah OBSCUREVIOLENCE do Blackened Death Metal right. It's brutal, diabolical and inviting which is what want these days. 

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://obscureviolence.bandcamp.com/album/refuting-the-flesh

DEFENDER - City Ad Mortis reissue review

 

DEFENDER - City Ad Mortis reissue

Hammerheart Records

Just for the record I think the good people at Hammerheart Records are killing it with their series of reissues. I mean if you're into cool sounding stuff from the past which was never properly recognized then here ya go. Obviously the people at this label know how to read the scene. 

Case in point DEFENDER were a Dutch five piece speed metal band from the late 80's. Aside from their Tales of the Unexpected four song demo put out in 1985. The band's only vinyl output was this five song EP from 1987. Now for those of you who have read this blog for a long time (and frankly who doesn't?) you know that my heritage is Dutch. Add to that for decades I've always supported my Dutch Metal. 

So in my not so humble opinion DEFENDER's City Ad Mortis EP is the holy grail of Dutch Metal. Go see how much an original copy of it is selling for on Ebay. But for me musically DEFENDER was a band that falls into that could've / should've been huge catagory. I mean they had all of the classic chops. 

Sound-wise the band had a melodic touch to speed metal with the obvious NWOBHM / early MAIDEN influence. Simon Menting was a great vocalist who could do a killer "heavy metal" scream. Their songs were actually complex as far as randon speed metal was at the time. I mean you could say that DEFENDER were better than their contemporaries. 

As well as the original EP cuts this reissue has three tracks which I believe were supposed to be part of a DEFENDER full length which never happened. These three cuts are more in the vein of early Euro Power Metal. Yeah go figure right. They're pretty cool but it also begs the question of what if? Be that as it may this reissue is a must have. Nuff Said!  

https://www.hammerheart.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2fYB-YIKrE

TANKARD - The Morning After Picture Disc Reissue review

 

TANKARD - The Morning After Picture Disc Reissue

Hammerheart Records

When it comes to the Big 3 of Teutonic Thrash you have SODOM, KREATOR and DESTRUCTION. Number four was always TANKARD and ironically they turned out to be the most consistent act overall. Don't argue with me on that point alright. I mean those three bands mentioned put out absolutely amazing stuff in the late 80's. But once the 90's hit they all changed their tune, threw away the evil, got into social / political stuff and became generic. TANKARD stuck with what the know best. Sure the results over the years haven't always been perfect but they stuck to their guns.

So why not give one of TANKARD's best albums a picture disc reissue treatment. I mean it is one of their best album covers. When I first got this one way back when, aside from the music, the album cover got me. I was that guy on the cover plenty of times in my early days. If you're older like me then you might understand what I'm talking about.  

Now as far as being a TANKARD fan I'll always say that their second album, Chemical Invasion, is my favorite. The Morning After has always been my second favorite album by em. Yeah you know this is classic sounding German drinking Thrash. But it's a picture disc so it's for fans only.

https://www.hammerheart.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnO15Yc9BAU

MUSKEG CHARNEL - Decomposition Part 4: Livor Mortis review

 

MUSKEG CHARNEL - Decomposition Part 4: Livor Mortis

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

This might be an investment because MUSKEG CHARNEL still has three more releases to go in their seven-part series of albums. Now in all honesty I wasn't too fond of this act's Part three release aka: Decomposition Part 3: Rigor Mortis which came out in 2023 on this label. But hey things change sometimes and after checking this one out they have. 

MUSKEG CHARNEL is a one man Black Metal act from Erie, Pennsylvania. The one man is named Wretch and of course he performs all instruments and sings. Don't mock where this guy is from. I know it's been decades for me but the last time I was in Erie, Pennsylvania (I was riding with "friends" on motorcycles, nuff said) the place was a shithole. It might be better now I don't know but then again it still might be a shithole to inspire this type of Black Metal composition. 

With that said this latest release by MUSKEG CHARNEL is far better than the last one. Sure there's still that cool mid-1990's Swedish Black Metal influence or template which Wretch is dependent on. And of course that's the brutality meets melody part. I mean the tremolo picked riffs, icy sounding keyboards, the background guitar distortion and yeah the vocals which vary from harsh to sort of Death Metal growls are all there.

But then Wretch does the unthinkable (aka: what us old fucks want) he puts in some originality which makes things more interesting as well as engaging to the listener. I mean three songs in and you're hit with a title track that's cold, cruel and repellent to human beings. Wretch also knows how to work well with atmosphere, which is what Black Metal is all about, and make the best of scary human feelings. 

I mean if you think about your death it's always a wow holy shit moment like waking up from a nightmare. Which brings this album into a more cool focus. This is a total late night Black Metal type of release to play. Wretch is all about the process of decay and death. In the end yeah this is a investment like Black Metal insurance. After hearing this one I'm cool with my blackend 401K. 

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/decomposition-part-4-livor-mortis

SADISM - Tribulated Bells reissue review

 

SADISM - Tribulated Bells reissue

Hammerheart Records

As much as we look at how these days Death Metal is a world wide extreme metal genre. We kinda forget that there was a time long ago when only certain area's of the world got the spot light as far as the genre goes. Sure nowadays fans accept the fact that there's been some incredible extreme metal to come out of Central and South America decades ago. That's because of reissues which is what I'm here to discuss. 

SADISM originally started out in 1988 and would go onto becoming the most pure sounding Death Metal band from Chile. They're still around today. They put out their tenth full length Obscurans in 2023 and on Hammerheart Records. What we have here is their debut full length from 1992 reissued with some extra goodies. It originally came out as a cassette on Toxic Records. 

Sound-wise this is first generation sounding Death Metal. It's obviously influenced by the early Florida DM scene. And sure I'll name drop DEATH's Scream Bloody Gore as well as MORBID ANGEL's Altars of Madness for a reference. So yeah there's some thrash in their sound. 

As far as the original nine cut full length goes. I'm not into the opening instrumental title track but everything else is dark violence and brutal fuckin hate. You've got great evil sounding vocals, the riffs are diabolical, there's wild soloing but the drum work is gonna blow your fuckin mind. So yeah the original album is a must have for anyone into collecting old school extreme metal from South America. If ya just want some more old school DM then it's really a must. In a better world Tribulated Bells should've been considered one of the best Death Metal albums of 1992.  

 

The second CD, or LP if you get it on vinyl, contains a bunch of cool hard to find stuff from SADISM. Starting with a handful of cuts off of their Darkside EP cassette which was a self release in 1993. After that there's the three cuts from the band's second demo From the Perpetual Dark from 1991. And finally there's the four tracks from their Perdition of Souls demo from 1989. 

As much as I like the Tribulated Bells album I have to say the extras by SADISM on here are just killer as fuck. But hey I'm an old school Death Metal SOB. And hails to a great job by Hammerheart Records on this reissue. This everything you ever wanted by early SADISM. 

https://www.hammerheart.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hammerheart.bandcamp.com/album/tribulated-bells

PENTAGRAM - Lightning In A Bottle review

 

PENTAGRAM - Lightning In A Bottle

Heavy Psych Sounds

So it's been a decade since PENTAGRAM has released a full length. Their last one was Curious Volume which came out in 2015 on Peaceville Records. I have that one and in all honesty I cannot tell ya the last time I've listened to it. Hey look when it comes to PENTAGRAM I still blast their 70's and 80's stuff religiously. 

So when this new one came out I was like OK at first. Second time listening to it I wondered what their old time fans are gonna think of it. Now I'm in for a fifth listen and yeah I've got a whole helluva lot to say. For starters Bobby Liebling sounds damm good on here. I mean really fucking good. For all of you people who gave him shit years ago well go fuck yourselves.

Now this line up which backs him up was started in 2024. First off long-time guitarist Victor Griffin is gone. He's replaced by Tony Reed who I'm not familiar with as far as his past bands. On bass there's Scooter Haslip another unknown to me. But on drums there's the one and only Henry Vasquez from SAINT VITUS as well as more recently the super group LEGIONS OF DOOM. 

So musically this album is one part classic PENTAGRAM somewhat  sounding and the other half a bit up tempo. Opener "Live Again" sounds like something a NOLA band would do. The second cut "In The Panic Room" follows the same style. So this is not what a long time fan of the band would expect. Then again their last album tried to go the whole stoner doom route. "Solve the Puzzle" is another harder edge cut so is "Thundercrest". 

Then again there are great classic PENTAGRAM sounding cuts like "I Spoke To Death" or "Lady Heroin" which I think is one of the best cuts on here. "I'll Certainly See You In Hell" sounds like a 1970's relic. All in all it's fuckin 2025 and this new album has some variety on it which I like. Bobby and company are trying to stay relevant in an era which doesn't give a rat's ass.I think this album is damm great, period end of story. 

https://www.heavypsychsounds.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/pentagram-lightning-in-a-bottle

LADY BEAST - The Inner Alchemist review

 

LADY BEAST - The Inner Alchemist

Dying Victims Productions

Well make no mistake I've been hailing the work of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's LADY BEAST for quite a while. The last thing I had written about em was the reissue of their second album from 2015 Lady Beast II. That was last year and it came out on this label. But I originally got into LADY BEAST back in 2020 with their The Vulture's Amulet full length. I've been a fan ever since. 

So here we have the band's fifth full length and yeah I'm bias but fuck you it's damm good. First off it works well when your key musicians are still around after over twenty years. I'm talking about vocalist Deborah Levine, guitarist Chris Tritschler and drummer Adam Ramage. In recent years the band added devotees like Amy Bianco on bass and guitarist Andy Ramage (from ARGUS) who provides some killer lead work.

 

For me LADY BEAST are in my not so humble opinion a great sounding traditional metal band. Of course it's better when you have an amazing vocalist. Deborah Levine comes across as soulful, nasty and powerful sounding. And after all of these years she still sounds amazing. In fact I'd say she's at her very best on The Inner Alchemist. 

Musically this release is a melodic metal masterpiece. This is what I want to wake up to every day. I mean years ago I'd wake up and do my morning constitutional then play the radio for the weather. After which I'd push play on the turntable to hear some get the fuck up music. As always it was an album that was on the turntable for weeks. The Inner Alchemist is one of those albums. 

You tell me, wouldn't you wanna hear "The Wild Hunt" with it's cool ode to NWOBHM rhythm as well as atrocious soloing? Or how about "Through The Eyes of War" where Deborah Levine sings cool and crafty over a solid riff package and then Andy Ramage comes in with a savage sounding solo. Only to have Amy Bianco join in with a thunderous bass attack. 

Yeah I like this album a lot and the single "Inner Alchemist" should prove I'm right about this band. LADY BEAST fuckin rules!

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/the-inner-alchemist

THE SLIME - Crab-Walk to Oblivion review

 

THE SLIME - Crab-Walk to Oblivion

Self Released

Listening to this is like being at a club decades ago during a DRI show. I should know because I was there. As far as DRI goes yes Violent Pacification was good. Dealing With It was better but their Crossover album sucked. So when I was reading the promo info on this band. The PR person describes this band as being "hardcore/crossover". WTF?

OK I get it your young. But if you were around in the late 80's HC scene then you would know that the term "crossover" is a bad word. The term was created by major label hacks to describe bands who they signed as being liked by the HC crowd and metal heads. Alright but what about the punk fans who liked SABBATH or PRIEST? Would you call them "crossover"? 

Basically it, crossover, started because DRI was playing shows with SLAYER. Next thing you know the major labels started signing all of these Hardcore bands. At first it was called "crossover" but then a year or two afterwards it was called Metalcore. You had HC bands trying to sound Metal and it pretty much sucked. Sorry for the history lesson buy hey I had to. 

Anyways this is the debut full length by THE SLIME a four piece act who hail from Toronto, Ontario. That's in Canada for all of you punks. I think there was an old early 1980's Punk band called The SLIME as well. Be that as it may this band started out in 2020 and so far has released a handful of short form releases prior to this full length. 

As far as Crab-Walk to Oblivion goes well for starters the album cover artwork has a guy with a BAD BRAINS T-shirt on. At least that's cool. Musically as far as these eleven songs go, in slightly over fifteen minutes, I like it. Ah yeah I'd say they're influenced by DRI as well as maybe a few other HC bands from the late 1980's. 

But I give these guys credit. They've taken a sound from fuckin decades ago and actually put a cool original spin to it. There's a few cuts on here that sound more diabolical then their ancestors could've produced. The musicianship is very wild with caustic vocals careening over wild ride riffs. The rhythm section is on fire. 

I think in 2025 and you're into Hardcore Punk then THE SLIME should be one of your favorite bands. I mean back in the day my favorite Canadian Punk bands were DOA and the DAYGLO ABORTIONS. And that's just off the top of my memory as I write this review. There's plenty more but for now yeah THE SLIME fuckin rule.  

LISTEN TO & BUY IT HERE:

https://theslimehardcore.bandcamp.com/album/crab-walk-to-oblivion

VRAG - Renduletlenul review

 

VRAG - Renduletlenul

Filosofem Records

Well some full disclosure here, this my first time checking out VRAG. Then again not a lot of newer Hungarian Black Metal comes my way and Filosofem Records is a label out of Hungary. Hopefully I'll rectify that in the future. But anyways VRAG is a one man Black Metal act. The one man is Vrag (aka: Roland Neubauer) who sings and performs all instruments. Here's a photo of the guy. Imagine hiking through the woods and you meet up with him? Hell you would rather bump into Bigfoot or a Dogman. 

Be that as it may VRAG has been around since 2010. In that time there's been some demos released, compilations and some split releases. It wasn't until 2014 when Vrag got his game on to release a full length which was Mourningwood which came out on Dark East Productions. Renduletlenul is now the fourth full length by VRAG and the second one on this label.

Musically I have to be honest when I was listening to the opening title cut I'm thinking OK this is straight up early 90's BM in sound. It's like that generic take on early 90's Norwegian BM as opposed to the stuff from Eastern Europe at the same time. But hey I like it because it fits the bill as far me being a BM fan. Look when it comes to Black Metal, 99.9% of the time I wanna hear something cold, cruel and hateful. 

This six song release by VRAG fits the bill with classic icy tremolo picked riffs. The drumming is super exciting. And the vocals are a like a raspy reptilian quality. The song structures move from harsh reality to melodic atmospheric touches. VRAG navigates the harsh and beauty perfectly. There's some ambient touches which are not boring time consuming stretches. 

In the end I really like this album a lot. I mean sound-wise it can sit next to any of the older stuff and feel comfortable being there. The production is great as in not mainstream commercial or wannabe kvlt low fi crap. It's just a great record which means I've gotta go buy this band's back catalog. Nuff Said!

https://www.facebook.com/filosofemrecords/

LISTEN HERE:

https://vraghungary.bandcamp.com/album/rend-letlen-l

HEXECUTOR - Where Spirit Withers in Its Flesh Constraint review

 

HEXECUTOR - Where Spirit Withers in Its Flesh Constraint

Dying Victims Productions

Let me just begin this by saying to all of you Extreme Metal musicians in France. For decades your nation has had some great bands and I love the music a lot. But the exchange students you send over to America, especially where I live, to our institutions of higher learning are fuckin assholes. Obviously they don't listen to Extreme Metal. Just saying.

With that said here we have the third full length by this French four piece blackened something or other act. They originally started out in 2011, put out some short form releases and in 2016 released their full length debut Poison, Lust and Damnation. That caught the eyes of the people at Dying Victims Productions so they signed em and their next album, Beyond Any Human Conception of Knowledge, came out in 2020.

So here we are in 2025 with a new album and the question is what took you so long? I say that because over the past five years I've dealt with French exchange students who are rude to restaurant staff, illegally park and want to know the secret of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing. Thankfully I didn't divulge the secret. LOL!!!!!

Be that as it may musically HEXECUTOR are sound-wise a Blackened something or other type of band. I mean their opening title track is half instrumental meets SLAYER add to that a love for old SODOM and then classic metal. So yeah this first track won me over. But HEXECUTOR are far more into a broad style which takes the listener into a wild place metal wise. 

Listen to the beauty of the guitar soloing which is part fluid / melodic as well as lighting strikes. Then there's the drum work which is damm good. Finally you've got to give credit to vocalist / guitarist Jey Deflagrator. Sure the songs are all sung in French save for one but he adds that 80's Heavy Metal scream. 

In the end yeah the blackened something or other description for HEXECUTOR works well. Their love of Thrash, Traditional Metal and the realm of hate works well.

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/where-spirit-withers-in-its-flesh-constraint

UNBOUNDED TERROR - Something Is Rotten In Humanity review

 

UNBOUNDED TERROR - Something Is Rotten In Humanity

Xtreem Music

Can I just say this album rules, you should buy it and move the fuck on? OK I guess not but hey this album rules. When it comes to Death Metal from Spain then UNBOUNDED TERROR are the epitome of that nation's greatness as well as heavy as fuck, kick your ass sounding DM.

The band started out back in 1991 and put out their debut full length, Nest of Affliction, the following year. Unfortunately things didn't go so well after that. It wouldn't be till 2020 when the band, with 3/4th's of a new line-up, returned with their Faith in Chaos full length. Mainman Vicente Paya (vocals & guitars) keeping the DM faith of hate alive for another decade.

So here we have the fourth full length by UNBOUNDED TERROR which is just diabolical sounding. The riffs are fuckin killer and Vicente Paya has a perfect blast furnace vocal style. The few guitar solos are like fireworks and have a beautiful fluid style. 

Vicente Paya got this line-up together in 2019, put out two decent albums but here we have the perfect one. Something Is Rotten In Humanity is Death Metal perfection whether it's bludgeoning riffs or some slam pit action rhythms. Who they remind me of from the past doesn't matter. Putting out great Death Metal in 2025 does matter and UNBOUNDED TERROR do it.

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/something-is-rotten-in-humanity

CHRISTIAN MISTRESS - Children of the Earth review

 

CHRISTIAN MISTRESS - Children of the Earth

Cruz Del Sur Music

So does anyone else remember CHRISTIAN MISTRESS? Well yeah I do, back in the late 2000's they where what you would call "a thing". Basically they were a new female fronted Metal band with some good musicianship. some people in the Metal media put em into the Doom genre category. I didn't but hey I'm not a hiptard. 

The band, who were from Seattle, Washington, started out in 2008. Their debut full length, Agony & Opium, came out in 2010 on 20 Buck Spin records. Their second and well received album, Possession, came out in 2012 on Relapse Records. This was their high point. Then in 2015 the band released To Your Death which was a decent rocker. After that the band went silent. 

I own all three of the CHRISTIAN MISTRESS full lengths. I still think Possession is a great album. But here we are ten years later and the band is back but not what you think. The band right now is still Christine Davis on vocals, Tim Diedrich who joined in 2014 on guitar, Jonny Wulf is still on bass and Reuben W. Storey still on drums. Back in the day this band was a five piece act but those two original guitarists are gone. 

So what does CHRISTIAN MISTRESS sound like ten years later? Well in all honesty they're not as good as they use to be. Musically this eight song release reminds me of a time decades ago when you'd have an average sounding rock band with a female singer and you thought they were OK. At their high point years ago CHRISTIAN MISTRESS were probably filling a five hundred capacity venue. Listening to this I think they'd be lucky to get thirty people to see em in a bar on a Saturday night. 

https://www.cruzdelsurmusic.com/store/

LISTEN HERE:

https://christianmistress.bandcamp.com/album/children-of-the-earth

SHRIEKING DEMONS - The Festering Dwellers review

 

SHRIEKING DEMONS - The Festering Dwellers

Transcending Obscurity Records

So here we have the debut full length by this Italian Death Metal act. Prior to this they put out an EP in 2021. Now just to be honest the first time I listened to this one my impression was not high. Here I am a second time around and I'm willing to give em their due. 

Musically SHRIEKING DEMONS are into old school sounding Death Metal which I listen to every morning with my coffee. What you don't do that? They have a female vocalist which is cool since I'm all for women in Extreme Metal especially if they throw a twist or two in the vocals. 

Unfortunately there's plenty of guttural vocals by Gabriele Rossi but not much shrieking. Still she's a good vocalist and not into melo-deth singing. As far as the music goes it runs the gambit of say the early days of USDM circa DEATH and AUTOPSY sounding material. 

That shouldn't be surprising since lead guitarist Giorgio Trombino and drummer David Lucido have worked together in other bands and are Extreme Metal veterans of the Italian scene. Giorgio Trombino adds some very cool guitar work and David Lucido is damm good with his drum work. 

In the end yeah this is a good album in that early evolution stage of the DM genre (the late 1980's) when there were hints of thrash in the sound. Personally I think their next album (plus some more original inspiration) will be better. The talent is there. I mean just look at em. 

  

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://shriekingdemons-label.bandcamp.com/album/the-festering-dwellers