COSCRADH - Carving the Causeway to the Otherworld review

 

COSCRADH - Carving the Causeway to the Otherworld

20 Buck Spin

Hey Saint Patrick's Day is just a few weeks away and here's some cool Extreme Metal to play for the festivities. COSCRADH is a four piece Blackened Death Metal act from Dublin, Ireland. Trust me ya can't get more Irish than that. Also their band name COSCRADH means in old Irish "massacre" Which musically that's what you're gonna get when listening to this release. 

COSCRADH started out back in 2015. Since then they've released a few short form releases, a compilation titled Cra Aosta which has their early material on it and two full lengths. This is their second one and as far as their brand of Blackened Death Metal goes it's a slight break from the usual pattern performed by acts over the past two decades. 

First off COSCRADH sound fresh and unholy. There's a lot of head banging groove on their tracks. Yeah that's a shocker. The lead vocals are wild be they at times sounding like a drunken priest also high on acid and standing in a pit of fire. The backing vocals come across as a grunt DM version to a backing prayer. 

The guitar soloing is minimal with a few cool dive bomb solos and a few cool shreds. It's all good but the riff package and song structures with wild ass drum work make this album so fuckin cool. I mean listen to this for few days and then ask yourself "am I possessed now?" 

Last year I had given up on the whole Blackened Death Metal generic genre. And boom this new album comes out to feel there's some cool ones out there who'll create great stuff. Hell yeah this one rules! 

https://www.20buckspin.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://coscradh.bandcamp.com/album/carving-the-causeway-to-the-otherworld

AND HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dZ7sDrRFa0

VARIOUS ARTISTS - Iron Man’s Anthem: A Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne Compilation

 

VARIOUS ARTISTS - Iron Man’s Anthem: A Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne Compilation

Witching Buzz Records

So just for my obvious bias I hate tribute albums as a whole especially when it's a cash in over some Metal icon's death. I remember ones which came out after Lemme and Dio passed away. And I was like why didn't you record these songs before they passed away. I mean I've heard bands, in this case, do SABBATH covers and you could hate em or love em. But they did em anyways. 

So what we have here is an international band tribute to Ozzy which is almost all SABBATH material. There's a couple of songs on the end dealing with Ozzy solo stuff. But hey no one is gonna cover Randy Rhoads or Jake E. Lee era Ozzy. So they stick with the SAB 4 stuff. 

I'm not going to go all in on all of these covers. There's just some that need notice. Case in point Poland's RUNAWAY DEVILS do a good job with “Black Sabbath". Scotland's HEAVEN AND HELLVIS adds a little fun to the mix with ELVIS styled vocals on "The Wizard". Poland's CORRUPTION take "Paranoid" and give it a rockin Stoner Sludge treatment which I really liked. Now I gotta check em out since they're on the Polish label Ossuary Records and have a full length out from last year. 

Continuing on I like how ROOT ZERO, from England, took "Planet Caravan" and made it their own. They're a Prog Metal act who gave this cut airy female vocals and aggressive guy vocals plus totally made this a more atmospheric sounding song. The same can be said about Poland's POSTMORTAL who turn "Electric Funeral" into a slow Funeral Doom epic. Finland's NECRO WEASEL do a Hardcore version "Never Say Die". After all of these decades I'm surprised that song has not been covered by HC bands.

 

Either way that's about it. I told ya what I think is cool. So there you go.

https://www.witchingbuzz.ovh/

LISTEN HERE: 

https://witchingbuzz.bandcamp.com/album/iron-man-s-anthem-a-tribute-to-ozzy-osbourne

PROFANE ELEGY - Herezjarcha review

 

PROFANE ELEGY - Herezjarcha

Self Released

Ya know over the past decade I've come across some really cool sounding Black Metal from Pennsylvania. And yeah these bands are not from the larger cities. They're from the more rural parts of the state. In other words there's more nature, no urban bullshit, it's clean and probably no human asshole problems. In other words it's probably kinda Nordic. 

Which is probably why this debut full length by a Pennsylvania four piece act sounds very Scandinavian Black Metal. Sound wise it's part Swedish and Finnish Thrash bent BM which is cool as fuck. I'm shocked, shocked I say, that this is not released by a label. Someone needs to make a call and say that poser hiptard shit your label is releasing sucks! Check this band out!

Seriously this eight cut album will be one of your favorite BM releases this year. I'd say technically it's a concept album, if you follow the lyrics. There's a story being told. But for me it's the song craft which makes this a great album. I mean it's got the high pitched blackened vocals. There's plenty of intense riffs and a rhythm section that delivers maximum punishment. 

But then there's the atmospheric parts which add some Folk into the mix. A perfect example is the track "And Then We Are Gone" which is a hypnotic gem. I'd also call in the title track as well as opener "Exeunt Omnes" and the final cut "The Accuser" as being Old School Black Metal being done well by newcomers without sounding like copycats. 

The bottom line to me is that PROFANE ELEGY's Herezjarcha is without a doubt one of the best BM releases you need to hear in 2026. 

LISTEN TO & BUY IT HERE:

https://profaneelegy.bandcamp.com/album/herezjarcha

SHINE - Wrathcult review

 

SHINE - Wrathcult

Dark Descent Records

So here we have the debut full length by SHINE from Poland. The story behind this act is that it's a new band by former HAZAEL bassist / vocalist Tomasz Dobrzeniecki. Just for the record HAZAEL was a early 1990's Polish Death Metal band who put out two full lengths and then that was it. 

Personally, as someone who has been into Polish DM for a while, I thought HAZAEL 90's out put was average compared to their contemporaries. Now I'm basing that on an album and a demo I heard back in the day. Sure some people will say it's fuckin great. And I'll be "sure but was it better than VADER?" Ah yeah so sit down and shut the fuck up.

Which brings us to this new one by SHINE. First off Tomasz Dobrzeniecki is now just playing guitar. Vocals are done by Marek Krajcer who is fucking amazing to say the least. The rhythm section of bassist Wojciech Gąsiorowski and drummer Paweł Duda are full blown dynamic. Finally there's guitarist Mateusz Waśkiewicz who I'm suspecting does all of the lead work.

With all of that said this is the most generic sounding Polish Extreme Metal release ever. Seriously it's as if an AI program took five or six Polish Death Metal and Blackened Metal acts, combined em and produced this release. Anyone into Polish Extreme Metal knows that there's a certain feeling, a hate filled climate of aggression and a original touch to their music. 

This release is a generic insult.

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

LISTEN HERE:

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

APOLAUSTIC - No Plenitude Without Suffering review

 

APOLAUSTIC - No Plenitude Without Suffering

Transcending Obscurity Records

So this is a new band by Romain Negro the former vocalist / guitarist of the Swiss Black Metal band STORTREGN. OK fine but this sounds like a follow up from STORTREGN's last album Finitude which came out in 2023. In other words if you are a fan of Switzerland's long time Black Metal / Blackened Death act STORTREGN then you'll like this one a lot. 

There ya go it's Melodic Black Metal to the hilt. It's influenced by the old Swedish Melodic BM sound. And of course there's the Swede DM influence as well. All of which is cool in my book. Romain Negro is also responsible for the cover artwork as well. The guy is fully in control of everything. 

Musically yeah this is cool. Romain Negro has that high pitched roar of a vocal sound. It's a classic vocal sound which anyone into Black Metal for a generation knows well and likes a lot. Along for the ride in this band is drummer Nicolas Muller from the French Melodic Death Metal band AKIAVEL. And on guitar and bass there's Merlin Bogado from DYSSEBEIA who also used to play with STORTREGN during live performances. 

In the end the song writing wins out as far as Melodic Black Metal / Blackened Death goes. Romain Negro finds ways to reaffirm a genre which has been worn out for a decade or more by generic copycats. Yes like I said earlier if you like STORTREGN then you'll like this. But better yet if ya wanna hear a perfect album then here ya go. 

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://apolaustic-label.bandcamp.com/album/no-plenitude-without-suffering

CNOC AN TURSA - A Cry for the Slain review

 

CNOC AN TURSA - A Cry for the Slain

Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings

Ironic that I'm listening to a patriotic Blackened Folk Scottish band at the same time I'm reading a news article about two young Scottish girls who have been vindicated for defending themselves from a foreign born predator. Here's a photo of the girl defending herself. Looks like the battles against cultural oppression, attacks by foreigners and national pride still exist today in the great nation of Scotland. But hey check out this girl defending herself. Looks Black Metal to me.

So what we have here is the third album by Scotland's CNOC AN TURSA. Just for the record their name means Hill of the Standing Stone in Scottish Gaelic. That also coincides with the music which I mentioned earlier is Blackened Folk Metal. Their songs are all sung in Scottish Gaelic. Yeah I know it's authenticity to the max. 

What I like about this album is how the song structures are pretty much all Folk driven with the Metal style weaved in. Which for many Folk Metal bands it's the opposite if not just pandering to a genre. As far as the Black Metal aspect goes it's subtle. This is more of an epic yet melodic type of album which is definitely a listening pleasure. 

I mean the roar of the battle vocals. The powerful riffs which diverge into melancholy with leads that are Folk-ish. Of course there's a point where this all falls into what we use to call Pagan Fest type of music or Battle Metal. Either way I like this album a lot and need to find their first two releases. 

https://apocalypticwitchcraft.co.uk/

LISTEN HERE:

https://apocalypticwitchcraft.bandcamp.com/album/a-cry-for-the-slain

MEGADETH - Self Titled review

 

MEGADETH - Self Titled

BLKIIBLK Records

OK so this is it, MEGADETH's final album, alright sure but let me get out a few things. In all honesty I haven't kept up with MEGADETH of late. In fact I had to search the racks to find that the last release I have by em is Endgame from 2009. Maybe that alone should disqualify me to write about this latest release. But hey that's up to you the reader. 

As far as my history with MEGADETH goes well yeah I'm an old fuck so I was there since the beginning. I still think their first three albums in the 1980's are their best. After that it's a pick and choose kinda thing. I say that because when you get my age, average just ain't good enough. Now I will say that the band's 2007 full length, United Abominations, was pretty good. In fact I've listened to that one more than any other releases they put out previously in a long time. 

Which brings us to this their last album. Now obviously when a band says this is our last album, it's gonna suck.It's a fuckin given fact it will suck because the band has admitted it has nothing left to give artisically. We're looking at death throws, get it. But no don't pull the sheet over my face yet. 

So let's start with what I don't like about this album. I think the production sucks. Now sure most MEGADETH albums have what I'd call a "dry sound". That's why when you play their early albums you've got to tweek the knobs on your stereo to bring about a fuller sound. So I hate the sound on here which is OK since I doubt this label had the cash to put into it. 

Now what I like, opener "Tipping Point" is pretty cool. But the next track "I Don't Care" is a winner with an aggressive Thrash attitude of Fuck You. I also like "Let There Be Shred" because of the chorus; 

The second half of this release is less Thrash and more Hard Rock music with boring lyrics, odinary song structures but good solos. "Made to Kill" is decent musically but lyric wise it sucks. "Obey the Call" is worse but hey great solos. Mustaine sounds good on here. I'll give em that prop. But in all honesty this is what I expected aka: an average sounding MEGADETH album.  

https://www.blkiiblk.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NCM96mIQ4U

HIDEOUS MANGLEUES - All Your Friends Are Dead Reissue review

 

HIDEOUS MANGLEUES - All Your Friends Are Dead Reissue

Hells Headbangers Records

There's a lot to unpack here as far as personal history goes as well as other stuff. First off the original version of this CD came out in 1996 on Ecocentric Records. And for many Extreme Metal fans it's considered a unholy grail of Grind. I've got a copy albeit years after it came out and if memory serves me I think I got it "used". But there's some personal connection I have with HIDEOUS MANGLEUES. 

Back in the fall of 1989 I moved back to Pennsylvania from North Carolina. I don't want to get into the "whys" about it. In 1990 I saw an ad in a fanzine for the HIDEOUS MANGLEUES demo All Your Friends Are Dead. It was a thirty-two song cassette tape. It was like three bucks so I sent em a five for postage. Maybe a month went by until it came in the mail I fuckin liked it a lot. 

Now at that time I was also doing my own print fanzine, which was all about underground music, so I wrote to the band if they wanted to do an interview. I included a dozen questions to em in the package and that was it. Once again some weeks went by and the band sent me a package. In it was their interview answers as well as their new five song 7"er We Live... So yeah good times back in the 1990's. 

For history's sake HIDEOUS MANGLEUS started out in 1989. They were from around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They were a four piece act consisting of Sam Biles on vocals, someone named Feev on guitar, Joel Bonde on bass, and Curt Bonde on drums. Why were they not well known back then? Well when the mainstream music media and labels at that time pushed other acts then the underground ones get lost in the way. 

But hey the cool thing is that HELLS HEADBANGERS, as always, delivers the goods when it comes to bands from the past who deserve recognition. Plus they put it out on CD as well as double vinyl. Musically HIDEOUS MANGLEUS were early ghouls of Grind who had a background in Punk fuckin Rock as well as Metal. I always thought they were a fun extreme sounding band. This is a soundtrack for insanity and getting reissued is one of the best things ever. Nuff Said!

https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hideousmangleus.bandcamp.com/album/all-your-friends-are-dead-2

ARGUS MEGERE - Cerburea apusului review

 

ARGUS MEGERE - Cerburea apusului

Loud Rage Music

So when I saw this release come in for review and learned the basic PR info about it I got excited. ARGUS MEGERE is another Romanian Black Metal band fronted by Fulmineos (aka: Emilian Matlak). I'm familiar with one of his other bands ORDINUL NEGRU. I've got two of their full length releases and they're both damm good. After listening to this one a few times I can say yeah there's a huge difference in the two bands. 

Just for the record ARGUS MEGERE is a band Fulmineos started way back in 1996. Their first full length, Obscur și etern, came out in 2001. What we have here is their fifth full length. Now since I can't judge this upon the band's previous releases. I will say it's far different than ORDINUL NEGRU which is just great Black Metal. 

ARGUS MEGERE is a grandiose mix of a lot of things. I mean there's Folk influenced Black Metal, melodic atmospheric keyboard driven prog, straight up Black Metal as well as a touch of Doom. This is what, in the past, I described as late night Black Metal. There's five tracks on here with only one an instrumental, "Șarpele din Nouri", being under five minutes. The other four tracks are long epic journeys into atmospheric realms of rich sound. 

Always remember that in order to come away with this style you need great musicianship. Whether it's the delicate use of keyboards, the dynamic drum work, the melodic guitar sounds that run throughout and of course the various vocal styles being performed. I mean this is not just an album. It's a classic piece of music composed by the Romanian artist Fulmineos. 

A decade ago I said the future of Classical Music will be created by artists from the Black Metal scene. It was a total boast on my part at the time based on listening to one or two albums I liked. But here we are now and listening to this it's like I am proven right. Even better is that this is not what those hiptard losers back in the day thought Black Metal would "progress" into. 

Yeah this is Black Metal on it's own artist's terms producing some amazing sounds, ruling atmosphere and an enjoying tranquil touch at moments while still under greatness by a raw blackened attack. I like this a lot and also I can die now. I mean nothing is gonna beat this one so Boom! Just kidding but it is an amazing release which should be checked out.

http://www.loudragemusic.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://loudragemusic.bandcamp.com/album/argus-megere-cerburea-apusului

ANGERSEED - Rapture Is Mine… Glory Is Ours review

 

ANGERSEED - Rapture Is Mine… Glory Is Ours

Pest Records

If your feel for brutal / technical Eastern European Death Metal has subsided over the past few years because your old time favorites haven't put out some stuff then here ya go. ANGERSEED is here to fill your need. They are a four piece act out of Hungary who have been around since 2008. 

Yeah I know it's another cool band from the past who's around today to kick some fucking ass. As far as history goes ANGERSEED put out a demo in 2009. Afterwards they've released a few EPs and a full length, The Proclamation, back in 2016. Their only original member is vocalist Peter D. Maniak who is keeping this band and it's style alive. Hails to this guy! The guy has some great deep mean vocals.

Add to that I give props to drummer Jozsef Gava. I mean this guy is the best Metal drummer in Hungary. His performance on here is fuckin fantastic. This guy's drumwork on this release is a dynamic observation on whether a release is great or average. Jozsef Gava makes it great. Plus you've got guitarist Viktor Nagy who's riffs interplay with the the brutal drumming. Add to that his psychotic solos. 

Yeah ANGERSEED' Rapture Is Mine… Glory Is Ours is an amazing release. This is what I wanna hear as far as Eastern European Death Metal goes. Yes totally brutal with a slight Tech Death sound and drum work which is diabolical. Hell Fuckin Yeah! 

https://pestrecords.ucoz.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://pestrecords.bandcamp.com/album/angerseed-rapture-is-mine-glory-is-ours

CADAVRUL - Necrotic Savagery review

 

CADAVRUL - Necrotic Savagery 

Loud Rage Music

Obviously anyone into Extreme Metal knows that the great nation of Romania has a Black Metal scene worth it's weight in postage fees for vinyl and CDs. But for me I think their Death Metal scene gets overlooked a bit. I'm always looking for that cool as fuck Death Metal act from Romania who kick fuckin ass. 

Well people here we have one. CADAVRUL, which means "corpse" in Romanian, started out back in 2005. They put out a demo in 2006 and finally released a full length in 2013 titled Enter the Morgue which was a self release. So now all of these years later we have a new full length release which sound-wise could've came out in 1992. 

I'm just saying the style is completely Old School Death Metal which for anyone who reads this blog (and frankly who doesn't) knows that's the DM style I'm into for the most part. And in all honesty I don't give a fuck what year it is or where you're from. If it sounds good then it's a winner in my book. So yeah CADAVRUL's Necrotic Savagery is a winner for many reasons. 

First off sound-wise this album comes off closer to early US Death Metal than the Eastern European variety. The rhythm section pretty much nails it on every song without jumping out. The riffs are dark, dirty and savage. Plus you've got a vocalist who comes across as a bear woken up too early from hibernation and he's pissed. The guitar soloing is minimal but there's some cool melodic runs which are perfect. 

All in all it's been a while there for this Romanian DM act but hey their return is worth it. This is a perfect DM album, period end of story. So get it!   

http://www.loudragemusic.com/

LISTON HERE:

https://loudragemusic.bandcamp.com/album/cadavrul-necrotic-savagery

CATTLE HAMMER – Dark Thoughts With Lights Out EP review

 

CATTLE HAMMER – Dark Thoughts With Lights Out EP

Road To Masochist

Who was the motherfucker that came up with the phrase "The more things change. The more they stay the same"? I wanna know because that is my opinion of Extreme Metal over the past decade. I need to do an Op/Ed on that. But with that said here we have another cool sounding band that falls into that trap known as "For Fans Of" which they don't deserve but will be pigeon-holed into by others anyway. 

CATTLE HAMMER, ah yeah that's a cool band name and I do know what it means. This English Sludge/Drone band started out in 2023. Their mainman is guitarist / vocalist Duncan Wilkins who's mostly known by me as being in the Blackened Grindcore band FUKPIG. Since starting out a few years back they've put out a few short form releases. A two song full length titled Cattle Hammer's Methlehem came out early last year. They also put out a compilation of the 2023 demos last year.

So now we have their four song EP. It should also be noted that along with Duncan Wilkins on guitar and vocals there's second guitarist Wyles, J (?) along with the rhythm section of bassist Darren Donovan and drummer Issac Cartwright. This four piece is involved in creating some cool sounding, albeit familiar, sludgey drone. I mean sure listening to this is reminiscent of sounds I heard in the past. I'm talking about slightly blackened snail paced sludgy drone doom which was great for a late night blasting party of drinking and debauchery. It's not that boring crap that slips into the genre by hiptards.

In the end, and after a bunch of plays, I like this short form release a lot.CATTLE HAMMER are the epitome of great sounding Sludgy Drone in 2026. This is a cool late night volume up blast. You know who this is really "for fans of"? Extreme Metal fans who go about their day. Blasting something like this either before or after they go to work, or party, or whatever.  

https://roadtomasochist.co.uk/

LISTEN HERE:

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

HYPERION - Cybergenesis review

 HYPERION - Cybergenesis

Fighter Records

Just for the record back in 2020 this Italian Power Metal band put out a killer album titled Into the Maelstrom which I liked a lot. And like I always state honestly I'm not a Power Metal fan. But I like good music. So here we are six years later and HYPERION has just released the best album of their career as well as being a contending powerhouse to their German Power Metal peers. 

First off a lot of things have changed in this band in the years. Starting with new vocalist Max Morelli who joined in 2023. This guy has a better vocal style than his predecessor. He's a great Power Metal vocalist minus the heavy metal screams. Next up you've got new guitarist Francis Di Pasquale who is responsible for the exceptional lead work which runs throughout this album. I mean this guy can shred, create melodic leads and is also into guitar pyrotechnics like a English Power Metal band that I'm not very fond of to say the least. 

Anyways this eight song release should be manna from a Power Metal heaven for fans. I've gotta say "Yet We Still Fight" is my favorite cut on here. There's others like "The Shackles of Chronitus" which is Max Morelli's best vocal performance on this album. Mainman, guitarist and original member Davide Cotti is keeping this band alive and over the past few years has done well. If his vision was to create an amazing sounding Power Metal band that had an old school touch along with a tech sense on the guitars then he did it.

Don't be surprised to see this one in my end of year favorites.

http://www.fighter-records.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hyperionbandheavy.bandcamp.com/album/cybergenesis

MOONCHAPEL - Three Faced Trinity For A Two-Faced World review

 

MOONCHAPEL - Three Faced Trinity For A Two-Faced World 

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

This is the third full length release by Maryland's MOONCHAPEL who are also a one man act. The one man being Kyle Shuman who obviously performs all instruments along with vocals. He's also the mainman behind the band EMBERS OF OUROBOROS. That act had an album out also on this label last year titled The Autumnal Decline and Hermetic Maturation. 

This is my introduction to MOONCHAPEL and in all honesty musically this is nothing I haven't heard before. But that doesn't mean it's not intriguing. The genre tagline is Blackened Death Metal and yeah it has that going for it. Then again this release has a certain strong cryptic Black Metal quality. I like the subdued vocals as if they're coming out from walls by hidden faces all while the music is blasting a relentless assault. 

There's that old school raw quality in the overall sound which a lot of modern bands just don't do anymore. This is brutal horror that anyone into H.P. Lovecraft or Edgar Allan Poe will enjoy. This is an eight cut album and the first seven cuts convey an intense suspenseful agony that wants the listener to be in fear as well as hopelessness. The final and title cut comes across as a meaningful yet welcome to hell type of situation. 

Like I said earlier I've heard music like this before. MOONCHAPEL, on this release, definitely provide a far more believable evil atmosphere than what I've been hearing of late. To me this is Black Metal and it's only January. This release is something you need to play in October during Halloween. Fuck the pumpkins! Fuck the candy! Just blast this one because it's really fuckin scary. 

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/three-faced-trinity-for-a-two-faced-world

WOLFBASTARD - Satanic Scum Punks review

 

WOLFBASTARD - Satanic Scum Punks

Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings

WOLFBASTARD are an English Hardcore band who I first heard decade ago. Back then I was thinking this is the type of music punks should be listening to. Yeah was I fucking wrong. But anyways I got their debut self titled full length from 2015 and their third full length, Hammer the Bastards, from 2022. 

As far as this latest one goes to me it's the best one I've heard from em. Yeah the musical term is "Blackened Crust" which everyone who reads this blog (and frankly who doesn't) knows I hate the term "crust". The title of this album says it all and that's what you get. 

This full length is their best because of a few obvious reasons. The production is damm better for starters and the band does not lose a bit of rawness as well as savage in their songs. I think this is Derek Carley's best vocal performance and the guitar riffs are cool as well as part of the blackened package. The rhythm section of bassist Simon Fox and drummer Dave Buchan is solid. 

I mean this is the band at their best which is that they are Satanic Scum Punks. I don't think much of the album's intro or the ending cut but out of eleven cuts you've got nine to go blitz over. Once again I'll say it. If you're into Punk Fuckin Rock or Metal then this is what you should be listening to. Nuff Said!

https://apocalypticwitchcraft.co.uk/

LISTEN HERE:

https://apocalypticwitchcraft.bandcamp.com/album/satanic-scum-punks

SCRUDA - Extreme Speed Violence EP review

 

SCRUDA - Extreme Speed Violence EP

Godz ov War Productions

Bias alert, Poland's SCRUDA are a band that I like a lot. Last year I had their split release with GAROTA as a best of pick. Their full length, Fury Among Ruins, was in my top three best Thrash / Speed Metal releases of 2025. Oh yeah by the way not only were my top Thrash / Speed Metal releases of 2025 all Polish Blackened Thrash bands. They all came out on Godz ov War Productions. 

So with that said here we have a damm good six song EP from these Polish extremists. I don't know if these are throwaway tracks from the last album's recording sessions or new stuff. I really don't give a fuck because it's raw sounding Polish Speed Metal hell. Listening to this I know there's a smile on my face. I can just imagine the slam pit at their shows playing these songs.  

http://godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/extreme-speed-violence

WSTRET - Enlightened Misanthropy EP review

 

WSTRET - Enlightened Misanthropy EP

Godz ov War Productions

Here we have the second EP from Poland's WSTRET. Their debut two song EP, Subhuman Eschatology, came out last year on this label as well. The band is a two piece Blackened Death Metal act. The two architects of this release are Voiceless Tongue who handles the guitar and bass duties. Odivm takes care of the drum work and vocals. Here's a photo of em. They look like nice lads. Why don't you invite em over for Sunday quiche.

Then again you might want to check out this release before making a dinner guest list. Especially since WSTRET in Polish means disgust. Anyways musically this is straight up Blackened Death that has that dark crushing claustrophobic sound with bestial vocals. It's what we fans of come accustomed to for the past twenty plus years. I will give this duo props for not trying to reinvent the recipe. 

Enlightened Misanthropy is a five song release although there's an opening instro intro so it's basically four good cuts. If the label combined their last EP with this one then it would make a decent full length. Yeah this a band to keep an eye on for a future full length. 

http://godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/enlightened-misanthropy

UDREKA - Nieistnienie review

 

UDREKA - Nieistnienie

Godz ov War Productions

This is the debut full length by Poland's UDREKA. They're a four piece act who originally started out in 2023. Prior to this they released a three song EP, Zgnij, in 2023. So the first time I listened to this one I was like wow cool sounding Black Metal is back. Now don't get me wrong. Sure over the past decade there's been some decent BM releases. But they're few and far between when it comes to what this band is doing on this full length. 

Sound-wise UDREKA run the gambit when it comes to blackening Extreme Metal. You'll hear some Thrash, some Death Metal, some Doom and Folk. The cohesive element is a rip your head off attack to the senses throughout these eight tracks. Opener "Do bolu" starts off with horrendous screams and kicks in with a Blackened Thrash attack. The release ends with a punishing almost diabolical Blackened Doom sentence of death. And there's more to that ending track which I won't mention to ruin the excitement. 

UDREKA are the type of Black Metal band that old fuckers like me get excited about. This album is an amazing listening experience as far as fury and full on intensity goes. I'll bet when this band plays a show the crowd goes insane. Maybe because the vocals are powerful screams. The guitar work, whether cool riffs or solos, are slick And of course the rhythm section is busting out in perfection. 

It's obviously early to say but I'm guessing UDREKA's Nieistnienie will be considered one of the best Black Metal releases of 2026. So get it, get it now!

http://godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/nieistnienie

VARIOUS ARTISTS - Transcending Obscurity Records 2006 Label Sampler review

 

VARIOUS ARTISTS -  Transcending Obscurity Records 2006 Label Sampler

Transcending Obscurity Records

I'll just say that this is one of my favorite listening pleasures for the month of January. This compilation release is not just a label sampler. To me it's a bunch of songs from what are my most anticipated releases of the year. Now some asshole will say "you're biasd". Ah no I'm honest, you should try it some time. I am a fan of Transcending Obscurity Records obviously because they release albums by bands who I like. Unless you're a moron I can't see why anyone would not a label that puts out cool music you enjoy.

Now honestly I don't care for everything they release. But I'm old school and remember a time when you would be in a record store. You would see an album by an artist you didn't know but they were on a label which you had a bunch of stuff from. So you bought it anyway because you supported and respected that label. To me that model has not changed as far as common Metal sense goes. 

With all of that said here we go to dive into this 2006 compilation and it'll take a few days for me. But here we go and I'll only mention what I like. So VEILBURNER is on here. They're an amazing USBM act who for years now just put out great / interesting Blackened Death Metal. Speaking of hate filled music VIANDE from France sound diabolical as hell. Then again their last album was killer as fuck.

Keeping in on the Extreme Metal wagon of truth we've got CUTTERRED FLESH who hail from the Czech Republic and are pushing the whole Euro version of Brutal Death Metal. Denmark's DYSGNOSTIC are a Dissonant Death Doom act I've heard before but this song interests me. As far as Tech Death goes,and I'm not a huge fan, but Canada's GOREWORM sounds worthwhile.

 

DECIPHER from Greece are already a band I've written about this year as well as before.Their 2006 full length release is amazing. APOLAUSTIC from Switzerland sound really cool with their brand of Blackened Death Metal.  VERDUN from France are a Sludge Metal act who I believe I've heard before. I definitely want to check them out. 

Also there's MUERTO a Black Metal band from Mexico, hell yeah. BESOTTEN are a typical sounding Death/Doom Metal band from that hellhole called Portland, Oregon. I'm interested at least. Finally there's ABYSSAL RIFT with some interesting Death Metal sounds from Ohio. Now with that all said it looks like another cool year is gonna happen checking out various releases from Transcending Obscurity Records. 

 

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://transcendingobscurity.bandcamp.com/album/2026-label-sampler

ROTHEADS - Unfazed by Death reissue

 

ROTHEADS - Unfazed by Death reissue

Memento Mori 

This is my first reissue review for 2026 and it's by a Romanian Death Metal band who I never heard of. Now in all honesty I don't know anything about Romanian Death Metal. In fact I probably have two or three CDs on the shelves behind me by Romanian Black Metal bands but that's it. So call me names I just don't give a fuck because you're probably as ignorant as I am on this scene. 

So history wise ROTHEADS was originally a duo consisting of David who sang and played drums plus Bogdan (aka: Leonardo Spurcaciune) on guitars and bass. The band started out in 2014 and recorded this demo in 2016. By the way it should be mentioned that ROTHEADS are technically still around today. In fact their last full length, Slither in Slime, came out in 2022. Leonardo Spurcaciune is still in the band singing and playing guitar. 

So as far as this reissue goes well here's where the fun comes in. This does not sound like modern Death Metal from 2016. In fact this comes off sounding like a demo from the 1990's. Now let's go back in history. In the late 2000s there was that little old Old School Death Metal revival with young bands bringing back the old ways. So let's just say this Romanian band was six to eight years behind the revival. 

Be that as it may I like this release. ROTHEADS' sound is dark with deep guttural vocals, an old school grimy DM sound and even some Doom influence thrown in. The drum work is satisfactory. In a way this all reminds me of an American Death Metal act only known for their incredible demo and nothing else afterwards. What we have here are a handful of decent Death Metal cuts book ended by some insto intros and outros. Welcome back to the early days people. 

 

https://www.memento-mori.es/

LISTEN HERE:

https://rotheads.bandcamp.com/album/unfazed-by-death

FUATH - III review

 

FUATH - III

Northern Silence Productions

For some cool reason January always has some cool as fuck Black Metal releases. In just the past couple of weeks I've heard two amazing releases which will be remembered in December. Here's another one which needs attention. This is the third full length release by FUATH which is a one man band from Glasgow, Scotland. The one man is Andy Marshall who performs everything. 

Musically this is Atmospheric Black Metal in the same vein as early DRUDKH. In fact the four cuts on here are very similar to what DRUDKH has done. You've got two long tracks that bookend the release with two shorter tracks inbetween. Now with that said it is an amazing release as far as Atmospheric Black Metal goes. Andy Marshall channels DRUDKH through his Scottish lens. 

You have to appreciate the cascading and painful tremolo picked melodic riffs, harsh vocals and pummeling drum work that runs throughout this release. It's a renewed sound by someone else which fans from the past will congregate too instead of being jaded. All in all it's an amazing piece of work. One of the best of 2026 easily unless you're a jaded piece of shit. What's funny is I'm the 60 plus year old guy who's supposed to be jaded and I'm not. So yeah buy this one and then back track to this band's previous releases.    

https://northern-silence.de/en/

LISTEN HERE:

https://fuath.bandcamp.com/album/iii

DECIPHER - θελημα reDECIPHER - θελημα Transcending Obscurity Recordsview

 

DECIPHER - θελημα

Transcending Obscurity Records

Back in 2023 I called this band the new kings of Greek Black Metal after hearing their debut full length Arcane Paths to Resurrection. That album was released on Transcending Obscurity Records. So here we are a few years later with their follow up. And I can honesly say I wasn't wrong years ago. DECIPHER's sothmore album is not only better than their debut but it's just a great Black Metal album.

Basically this band does have a respect for past Greek Black Metal greatness. But then they take that and add a lot to make a sound which is more dynamic as well as mandatory concentration. Yes there's harshness and also melody along with intricate playing. Of the seven cuts on here it's the longer ones like "The Black March" and "Hail Death" which put forth an overwelming listening experiece.There's also some Blackened Death on songs like "Seven Scars" and touches on other cuts. 

I think the greatness of this release is in it's compositions which, all seven, are a listening pleasure. It's a perfect album which needs to be heard by all but especially those in that Black Metal repository of oldness.I keep on looking for the future of Black Metal. Here it is and it's harsh as fuck as well as beautiful.  

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://decipherbm.bandcamp.com/album/thelema

ENGORGEMENT -They Rot Beneath Our Floor review

 

ENGORGEMENT -They Rot Beneath Our Floor

Comatose Music

Just for the record I became a fan of the Comatose Music label because a local North Carolina Death Metal band, BLOODSOAKED, had all of their releases out on it. Comatose Music is also a label from North Carolina. Add to that they're are the purveyors of pretty much the best there is when it comes to truly extreme Brutal Death Metal. 

Now as far as my tastes go I like Brutal Death Metal when the sound is so repulsive and inhumane that it makes me smile in a truly sadistic manner. Seriously when the music is playing and I'm not feeling a sinister grin come around then the band ain't good enough. I don't listen to Brutal Death Metal for the enjoyment. I listen to it so to judge how offensive it is towards other human beings. And then I share it just to piss people off. It's like farting in an elevator but with music. 

So what we have here is the second full length by this English four piece Brutal Death Metal act. If you're a fan of this style of music then you've got a winner here. ENGORGEMENT on here pretty much encapsulates the greatness or nastiness of the sub genre. Let's start with the vocals by Stu Hine. This guy does the whole pig squiling, bestial vocals style to the hilt. At this moment in time I think he's the fuckin best. 

Of course the music has to have some proneness to it. ENGORGEMENT do a great job with a variety of riff signatures be they straight up Death Metal, some Death Doom, Grind and obviously the BDM. So shocker yeah this is actually a cool album to listen to even though it's generally offensive to 99.9% of the human race. I also props to the drum work. It's no punk rock guy banging on Tupperware.

In the end I can't help but wonder if this band started recording this release early in the day. Then stopped for tea in the afternoon like a lot of English people do traditionally. and then continued to record afterwards. I have to laugh at that especially because it reminds me of a friend who I served with in the military many years ago. Whenever the subject of irony would arise he would exclaim in a faux British accent "Well Let Me Slit My Wrists"!

So there you go. This is a damm good album and if you're a BDM fan it's a must have. I know it's only January but this release automatically rates a position as one of the best Death Metal releases of 2026 easily because I always have one represented. Nuff Said!

 

https://www.comatosemusic.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://comatosemusic.bandcamp.com/album/they-rot-beneath-our-floor