GRIM LEGION - Harbingers of Death review

 

GRIM LEGION - Harbingers of Death

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

If you're gonna play Extreme Metal than the opening assault of your release must be devastating. If ya wanna slow it down later on that's fine. But I come from a military background and as an expert in ambushes you just want to start by an explosion to fuck their asses up. Then follow with sustained fire into the kill zone. After that run across the field and make sure no one is living.

I look at a Death Metal release the same way and what we have here is pretty cool. The cover art on this release is damm good. Musically it's Old School Death Metal / Death Doom. If I was gonna name drop hell it's Sweden's GRAVE meets USA's INCANTATION. But of course we have to look who is in this band to get a better picture. 

GRIM LEGION is a five piece act from the great state of New Jersey. I can say that because I was born and lived there till 1976. Both guitarists of this band are also in EVOKEN as in John Paradiso and Randy Cavanaugh. The other band members are drummer Ryan Donato, bassist Markus Misery and damm good Death Metal vocalist Devlin Bane (aka: Carmine Vincent Matteliano).

Originally GRIM LEGION started out in 1988 and called it a day by 1991. To their record they did produce three demos. In 2011 the band reformed and eventually released a debut full length, Unholy Resurrection, in 2014 and also on this label. Fast forward to now and yeah if you're into the whole old school formula of Death Metal and some Death Doom then you'll like this one a lot. It's a punishing MFer, Nuff Said!

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/harbingers-of-death

IRON KOBRA - Eternal Dagger review

 

IRON KOBRA - Eternal Dagger

Dying Victims Productions

The first time I heard IRON KOBRA was on a split 7" incher they did with a band called ATOM SMASHER in 2023. Back then I gave the win to ATOM SMASHER on that split. But here we are a few years later with the third full length by this German four piece Metal act. After a few listens I was easily a fan of this release because it reminds of the late 1980's. 

The tagline on this release as far as a genre description is Heavy Metal. OK sure but no it's not. This is early Power Metal. What you have here musically is early MAIDEN - esque galloping rhythms, a lot of Speed Metal style and a great Metal vocalist. Back in the day we fans just called it Metal. It was the late 1980's, we were bored with the big name bands and this sound came out which was cool. 

Years, well decades, later I was playing a CD at a party and a friend said "I didn't know you liked Power Metal." I was like no I hate Power Metal because at that time the genre was / is pathetic. But no because of some music scribes cool sounding post Heavy Metal was defined as Power Metal. Whatever, so what we have here is cool as fuck.

I mean what's not to like. Opener "Trembling Dungeons" starts off with a great Heavy Metal scream by vocalist / guitarist Sir Serpent. And from that point on you get furious riffs, a pounding rhythm section and dynamic soloing. You get nine cuts in all and in my not so humble opinion IRON KOBRA's Eternal Dagger is my favorite album of this genre style this year, so far of course.

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/eternal-dagger

REVOLTING - Supernatural Anthems review

 

REVOLTING -  Supernatural Anthems

Xtreem Music

If you read this blog (and frankly who doesn't?) then you know I've been a fan of Rogga Johansson who has been the most important artist in Swedish Death Metal for the past three decades. The guy is involved in various bands my favorites being PAGANIZER and REVOLTING. 

Just for the record PAGANIZER has a decent album out this year titled As Mankind Rots on Xtreem Music. So here we have REVOLTING's tenth album. Hey I gotta say their last full length, Night of the Horrid, from 2024 was damm good. Plus it had the album cover of the year in my not so humble opinion.

Be all of that as it may REVOLTING's tenth full length is pretty fucking savage which is what this band has all been about. Musically this is a pilgrimage into what we Extreme Metal fans love about Swedish Death Metal. Listening to this makes me forget to a point the originals who created the genre. 

Which is why I respect Rogga Johansson because the guy keeps the genre music exciting without playing games. I like that a lot and this tenth full length by REVOLTING is cool as fuck. The album cover is not as great as the last one. But musically this is ripping Swede Death at it's finest. 

You've got Revolting Rogga on vocals and rip roaring riffs with dynamic soloing. Grotesque Tobias delivers some pounding bass work. And of course drummer Mutated Martin is one of the best percussionists in the genre. I mean seriously the guys a maniac. 

I thought REVOLTING's last album was great. This one here just blows that opinion aside with a slap across the face. I like this album a lot. Rogga you're a great Swede Death MFer!

https://fullofmetal.com/en/

LISTEN HERE:

https://xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/supernatural-anthems

ACOLYTHUS - Unearthly Kingdoms Neath Lifeless Stars review

 

ACOLYTHUS - Unearthly Kingdoms Neath Lifeless Stars

Inverse Records

So this came in on the PR info that it was Old School Finnish Black Metal. Ah really? I mean they don't sound like BEHERIT or IMPALED NAZARENE who were two of the most important Finnish BM bands of the early era. This band also does not sound like ARCHGOAT, HORNA, BEHEXEN, SARGEIST or SATANIC WARMASTER. All of whom are / were killer as fuck and literally defined the whole Finnish Black Metal scene for decades. 

Actually ACOLYTHUS come across as one or two Finnish BM bands from the 1990's who just copied what the Swedes and Norwegians were doing. Pardon me if I don't name drop because it's late and I'm too tired to search through two and half standing shelves of Black Metal releases to find a good sharp nail. Obviously after one listen it's clear that this Finnish three piece are influenced from a more melodic form of the genre. I like that to a point. 

The vocals are of that blackened screech as well as baritone style. You've got the icy tremolo picked riffs. The drum work is good but for me this is introduction Black Metal for people with nose rings and gender confusion issues. Nuff Said!  

https://www.inverse.fi/

LISTEN HERE:

https://acolythus.bandcamp.com/album/unearthly-kingdoms-neath-lifeless-stars

GORENCEPHALIC - Gore of the Forgotten EP Re-Release review

GORENCEPHALIC - Gore of the Forgotten EP re-release

Nihilistic Holocaust

So when this came in for review I checked out the band's line-up and saw that their drummer use to play in MYSTIFIER. That was a guarantee to check this out. Let me be clear on this point. If it wasn't for Greyhaze Records reissues of great Extreme Metal bands from South America then Metal fans here in the states wouldn't know shit about the greatness of bands from South America. 

With that said there's a bunch of things to say but the main thing I like about GORENCEPHALIC is their rhythm section. It's a standout which makes them non generic. Sound-wise this four piece band from Brazil is all Brutal Fuckin Death Metal with a progressive bent. But not too much since the rhythm section delivers in such a bad ass fashion. Usually it's the vocals and riffs matched with the drum work which defines Brutal Fuckin DM. 

Just for the record since I didn't mention it earlier, GORENCEPHALIC is a four piece Brutal DM act from Brazil who started out in 2023. Since then they've put out a handful of short form releases. Basically it's been a handful of singles and two EPs. This particular release originally came out in late 2024 as a five song EP. Now it's all five songs plus the song "Body Snatcher" which was an early single. Add to that you've got two live cuts. 

Now in all honesty when it comes to Extreme Metal from Brazil the first band name I'd always say is KRISIUN. Sure I like / have releases by the legacy bands from the great nation of Brazil as well as other nations from South America. But for me KRISIUN is it. GORENCEPHALIC just charged up behind em. I hope they release something really cool in the near future. 

https://nihilistic-webzine-distro.fr/

LISTEN HERE:

https://gorencephalic.bandcamp.com/album/gore-of-the-forgotten-2

 

FLESHCRAWL - Epitome of Carnage review

 

FLESHCRAWL - Epitome of Carnage

Reigning Phoenix Music

Well there's a lot to unpack here so let's hit it. FLESHCRAWL is the best German version of Old School Swedish Death Metal there is from that great nation. The band started out back in 1991 under this name and has since release a bunch of material as in short form and full length releases. This release here is the band's tenth.

I first got into FLESHCRAWL with their seventh full length, Made of Flesh, from 2004. That one came out on Metal Blade Records so yeah duh? Anyways back then Melo-Deth was still the rage with losers and here was a band cranking out ENTOMBED style Death Metal. Stranger still is that it would be four more years until the whole Old School Death Metal revival in Sweden and the US would come about big time. 

Since then I did pick up their 2007 full length, Structures of Death, which also came out on Metal blade Records. According to J-Dawg from Hells Headbangers Records the band's first EP, Lost in a Grave, is the best thing they've ever done. Unfortunately I never got that or any of their early material. Sorry I guess I'm just one of those people who likes their Old School Swedish Death Metal to come from Sweden. 

So with all of that said here we are with FLESHCRAWL's tenth full length. And to no surprise yeah it's Swede Death to the fuckin hilt. But what is surprising is that the line-up has changed so much but their sound hasn't. Drummer Bastian Herzog is the only original member but I'll give em props for keeping the legacy going. Bassist Manu Markowski has been with the band since 2011. After that everyone is new. 

On vocals there's Borisz Sarafutgyinov who joined in 2021 and sounds exactley like their last two vocalists. The guitar duo here is Christian Kalbrecht and Apu Justin Reisch who both joined in 2020. These guys have been totally schooled on the classic Swede Death sound of old. When I listen to this I'm thinking yeah ENTOMBED should've followed this left hand path instead of going where they did. In all honesty I'd rather listen to NIHILIST demo instead of Left Hand Path. 

With all of that said this new one from Germany's FLESHCRAWL rules. But let's remember that there's a guy in Sweden named Rogga Johansson who's been the king of Swedish DM for close to thirty years now with a ton of bands. So pick your Swede Death wisely.  

https://reigningphoenixmusic.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPiF73Z_NYI

AGELESS GATEWAY - Corruptor of Stars review

AGELESS GATEWAY - Corruptor of Stars

Godz ov War Productions

This is the debut full length by Poland's AGELESS GATEWAY which is a one man Atmospheric Black Metal act. The one man is Apparition who obviously performs everything. Honestly it took me three listens to this release in order to appreciate and respect the quality which this artist put into it. I mean it's 2026 and this style of BM has to be inviting without being generic in order to be liked. 

On this release I'll say it's a hell yeah. Apparition creates soundscapes which are in part brutal (hello he's Polish) with plenty of bestial attitude along with classic riffs which can be icy at times. But in the long run invokes horror. Listening to this is like walking into an old house. The hallway is freaky enough but then you enter a room. The door behind you shuts and then you are overwhelmed by a ghostly / ghastly haunt.

This might be Apparition's first release but damm! The illusions his compositions create are amazing as well as memorable and need to be listened to forever. It's 2026 and you want something which will last? 

http://godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/corruptor-of-stars

 

NECROMORBID - Ceremonial Demonslaught review

 

NECROMORBID - Ceremonial Demonslaught

Godz ov War Productions

So to all of you who read this blog (and frankly who doesn't). You know of late I've been pissing on modern day Blackened Death Metal because it's become generic. Certain labels just put out a new band's release which just sounds like an album I bought a year before. Now without trashing the whole sub-genre it's made me look for bands who forgo the generic sound and maybe push the intensity to another better level. 

So far this year I've found one Blackened Death Metal act who has risen to my expectations. This new one by NECROMORBID joins the ranks as well. Now forget the opening intro cut because it sucks. The second cut "Perverted Abhorrence Domain" really introduces what this band is all about. I mean let's check the fuckin boxes. 

You've got cavern style bestial vocals which grow on a hot take on later cuts. Amazing dive bomb guitar solos abound throughout. The drum work is a diabolical punishing style which I just love. The song structure riffs are in the backdrop and are like the belly of the beast. 

In the end who would've thought that Italy's NECROMORBID, with their third full length since starting out in 2015, would be monsters of Blackened Death Metal in 2026. Let this be a lesson which will put a sadistic smile on your face.   

http://godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/ceremonial-demonslaught

SZNUR - Cwel review

 

SZNUR - Cwel

Godz ov War Productions

I first got into this Polish band back in 2021 with their third full length Dom człowieka. Back then I called em misanthropic Black Metal with talent. Yeah I know that some misanthropic BM fans probably took it the wrong way but come on be honest. Be that as it may SZNUR already have a bad reputation to say the least. Here's their logo which some weak people will find offensive but not me.

Then there's this band photo of three members which looks like a Polish Black Metal version of The MENTORS. Once again it's no problem with me.

As far as this new album goes SZNUR have taken their early brutal BM style and added a huge touch of progressive atmospheric BM. But it's a rip roaring balance of the two. The song structures deliver a great amount of brutality via Polish anger with added melodic touches which I find cool as fuck.The diabolic lead guitar soloing is killer as fuck. 

In the end SZNUR's latest full length is beyond a winner in my not so humble opinion. This is Polish Black Metal in 2026 to get your hands onto. It's an amazing release.  

http://godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

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

GRAVEIR - The Festering Triad review

 

GRAVEIR - The Festering Triad

Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings

A few years back I had written a review in which I described the band as great modern day Black Metal. I sent it off to the label rep. He responded with the question "What's modern day Black Metal?" So I sent an email back explaining to him that modern day Black Metal in my opinion is not old school sounding and it's not hipster shit which is non metal but uses certain BM elements to fake it.

Modern Black Metal keeps the essential genre elements while also incorporating a variety of other extreme or prog Metal influences. The end result is a sound that not only is interesting but compelling to hear as if your life depended on it. His reply to that was "I like that!" Speaking of which here's a release by a band that falls into everything I've just said. 

GRAVEIR is a five piece Black Metal act hailing from Brisbane, Australia. In all honesty 99.9% of Black Metal from Australia is gonna be a winner with me as far as my history goes. This band started out in 2014 and this release here is their third full length so far. I've blasted this one for a week straight and found it to be a unique piece of work. Just thinking of it musically you're gonna hear violent attacks, morose atmosphere, prog like melodies and down right pain. 

Vocalist Gloom sings as if he's being lowered into a boiling cauldron of oil at certain times. Other instances he's screaming as if wanting to kill you and dance on your corpse. The guitar work by Snjor (aka: Dane Perry) and VVoid (aka: Chris Jackson) is over the top exciting, I mean whether it's the intense riffs, the few diabolic solos, the headbanging riffage or the almost symphonic song structures. These two guys combine to make an awesome sound.

If there's one thing I don't care for on this release is a few times where the drum work has that beating on a box snare sound. Overall the drum work on here is killer as fuck because XI (aka: Kris Wolf) is punishing as well as filling in at precise moments which are key to certain cuts. Sorry to bassist Pandora (aka: Alahna Bassett) but you're not heard in the overall mix. 

Be that as it may this release is the epitome of Black Metal in 2026. It is why I mocked hipster scribes in the past who thought their ilk would define the genre's future. Ah no because it was always going to be people into Metal who would be Black Metal's future. So hey pick up this release and enjoy the hate. It's one of the best hates this year.

https://apocalypticwitchcraft.co.uk/

LISTEN HERE:

https://graveircult.bandcamp.com/album/the-festering-triad-2

RISE OF KRONOS - Slaves Of Time review

 

RISE OF KRONOS - Slaves Of Time

Self-Released

When I saw this was Death Thrash from Germany it peaked my interest. Before I get into this release let me explain a few things. There are two types of Death Thrash. First off you've got the US version which is the cornerstone of the genre because of the early DM bands. Later on you had other acts, my favorite being RIGOR MORTIS, who turned it into a cool Extreme Metal genre. 

Then you've got the European version of Death Thrash which came later and if I'm gonna name drop I would say the very early era of Poland's VADER kicked it off. So here we have the fourth full length by Germany's RISE OF KRONOS. Prior to this the band was on MDD Records in Germany. But this one is a self release. 

Musically there's some cool things to say about this release as well as some bad shit. As far as that goes bassist / vocalist Tom Robinson has a damm good growl vocal style which is in modern tradition. He even squeaks in some venom tipped vocals to boot. The drum work is questionable since there's little organic work being done. Plus Robinson's bass lines are hardly heard. 

The guitar work as far as powerful riffage is decent but the soloing (dive bomb style) is generic. Be that as it may I'm shocked, shocked I say that RISE OF KRONOS are an unsigned band. Where's Metal Blade or Nuclear Blast at? But hey great album cover.

LISTEN TO AND BUY IT HERE:

https://riseofkronos.bandcamp.com/album/slaves-of-time

GROND - The Temple review

 

GROND - The Temple

Xtreem Music

So here we have the third full length by this Russian Death Metal / Death Doom act. Trust me right now I'm thinking of that Fawlty Towers episode where you don't mention the war. Be that as it may the tag line on this is Lovecraftian inspired Death Metal / Death Doom. In all honesty I've heard / seen this tagline starting back a few decades ago. It was originally a hipster tagline. I'm still waiting for a Steven King inspired Death Metal / Death Doom act. 

But hey H.P. Lovecraft, who I read in my mid twenties and scared the crap out of me, is gonna be the influence in modern day Death Metal, again then let's give it a real check out. I mean for two decades Dark Descent Records has been pumping out releases by bands who consider themselves H.P. Lovecraft influenced Death Doom. So here's a fucking shocker. GROND are pretty damm good on this album.  

There are plenty of things which I like about this release. First off is the drum work which is phenomenal. The vocals are of that savage beast wanting to tear your ass apart. The guitar work as far as the dense riffage is diabolic. But the guitar solos are insane. Combined this is a whole package of greatness in hatred. GROND is the band every SOB Extreme Metal nut bag should be listening to right fucking now.   

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-temple

SHEWOLFF - We're All Gonna Fukkin' Die EP

 

SHEWOLFF - We're All Gonna Fukkin' Die EP

Dying Victims Productions

As far as the whole sub genre of Blackened Punk goes I've found myself being a staunch critic of it. Personally I think 90% of it sucks. Most of the bands wish they were Blackened Thrash but don't have the talent. But once in a great while I'll hear a band that fits the whole Blackened Punk sound perfectly. Belgium's SHEWOLFF is one of those bands. 

Starting out a few years ago SHEWOLFF was a solo project by singer / guitarist K. Von Shewolff. Afterwards it became a three-piece band with Jeffrey Andreka on bass and Liam Wyns on drums. So musically this trio are all into a more Punk version of HELLHAMMER meets G.G. ALLIN. Which is a given since the HELLHAMMER demos, the first BATHORY album and of course VENOM were favorites by people who were really into Punk & Hardcore back in the day. And of cause we liked G.G. ALLIN.

On here songs like "Fantastik Fukk", the title cut and opener "Eternal Night" are cool as fuck. But then again this whole six song release is a fucking winner in my book. But I wanna hear more by this band. A great start here is my verdict. 

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/were-all-gonna-fukkin-die

PURE WRATH - Bleak Days Ahead review

 

PURE WRATH - Bleak Days Ahead

Debemur Morti Productions

This is the fourth full length by this Indonesian one man Black Metal act PURE WRATH. A few years ago I picked up the third full length, Hymn to the Woeful Hearts, which originally came out in 2022. It was in a store, it had a great cover plus the band name was cool as well as the release being on Debemur Morti Productions. I mean everything said yeah this was gonna be great. Musically it was standard Atmospheric Black Metal not much different from French or Quebec acts. I mean hey just look at the label they're on. But hey I liked it a lot.

So here we are with this newest one. And for the record the one man behind PURE WRATH is Ryo (aka: Januaryo Hardy) who is responsible for all instrumentation. Just for the record he uses plenty of keyboards as well as audio sound-bites. Also Ryo is involved in at least a half dozen other Indonesian Metal acts. So to call him prolific is a given.

While listening to this new release I can easily say compared to his previous full length this one has a darker touch. Ryo's vocals are always harsh with a emphisis on anger and despair. So the way the first two title tracks, Parts one & two, come at you is with fierce tremolo picked icy riffage but also toss in breaks of melodic keyboard moments. The other three tracks fall into the same depressive meloncolly trope.

This is late night Black Metal for depressive types who've given up on everything except being creative in their misery. It's that bare light bulb illuminating very little in a darkness that is put there by personal choices. Still it's another good release by Ryo. Although I'm really a fan of Hymn to the Woeful Hearts. In fact before I checked out this new one I ended up playing Hymn to the Woeful Hearts five times in a row that night. Go Figure?    

https://www.debemur-morti.com/en/

LISTEN HERE:

https://purewrath.bandcamp.com/album/bleak-days-ahead

INEPSY - No Speed Limit for Destruction reissue review

 

INEPSY - No Speed Limit for Destruction reissue

Tankcrimes

Back in 2008 a good friend of mine turned me onto this Canadian act with their first full length, Rock ‘n’ Roll Babylon, which came out in 2003. To me this is one of the best match ups of DISCHARGE and GBH meets MOTORHEAD and TANK. The band's second album, City Weapons, which came out in 2005 was decent. 

But this album, which originally came out in 2007, is when the band dropped the Hardcore influences and went straight up Hard Fuckin Rock n Roll. I mean the opening track is "Rock 'n' Roll Is the Only Way". And if that wasn't an obvious introduction to where this band was headed then you were an idiot. This was basically MOTORHEAD lite which at the time the band said was a change to a more Rock n Roll style. 

Now I'm not going to get into what people years ago said about this album whether good or bad. To me it just doesn't fuckin matter. If this was the first album by this band I heard I'd be like hell yeah. I mean ya got the gruff real guy vocals sorta Lemmy like. Of course there's plenty of other singers which come to mind. Be that as it may the songs just rock the fuck out. 

Just blast this album and tell me your head doesn't bang a bit. Do you find yourself tapping your hand on your knee? And what about some air guitar moments, do you kick into that as well? Well I do and that's why No Speed Limit for Destruction is a must have release. If you don't own it already then here ya go. 

https://www.tankcrimes.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://tankcrimes.bandcamp.com/album/no-speed-limit-for-destruction

DEATHSTORM - Cascophonies review

 

DEATHSTORM - Cascophonies

Dying Victims Productions

So here we have the fifth full length by Austria's Thrash veterans DEATHSTORM. I originally got into this three piece act years ago when they were on another label. But it was their fourth full length from 2020, For Dread Shall Reign, which really made me go holy shit this is cool. 

Now let me bore you with a thing I've said for years now. Mainstream Thrash sucks. Twenty years ago you had that Thrash revival which was cool for a moment and then the genre just blew chunks. The only reason I still give a fuck about Thrash is because of bands like DEATHSTORM as well as some Blackened Thrash acts who are not generic. 

So what's cool about this new album by DEATHSTORM? Well let's be honest here. The people of the great nation of Austria are very nice except for these three guys. Hate is the handshake they give to the world and it shows well on tracks like "Body in a Barrel", "Horripilation", "Mask of Sanity" and the final cut "Mortuorum Flies".

Musically it's speed infused hate filled old school Thrash. To me that's the best of the genre with plenty of cool soloing and riffs that want you to punch someone in the face. The drum work as well as bass lines are cool as fuck. The vocals are angry, pissed off and totally real guy sounding. 

The bottom line is if you're into Thrash in 2026 then this is the band you should be listening to. Nuff Said. 

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

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

NIGHT SPECTRE - Self Titled LP review

 

NIGHT SPECTRE - Self Titled LP

Dying Victims Productions

So this is the debut full length by a Greek five piece act who are on a nostalgia trip back to the late 1980's. Well hell yeah I like it and I'll get into name dropping later which needs to be addressed. But first I must admit that the promo info given to me was kinda cool. "NIGHT SPECTRE was forged in 2024, when a group of stubborn metalheads united with one goal, to unleash pure old-school heavy metal, burning with passion and true devotion."

Yeah I'll give em that but in all honesty this sounds like early IRON MAIDEN meets JAG PANZER. That was also mentioned in the promo info. So in essence this is first wave Power Metal. You've got the galloping riffs by the Brits with the US power heavy assault and hollowed vocals. In the end it pretty much rules. 

NIGHT SPECTRE basically are traveling on familiar territory which has been forgotten as far as original intent. In other words it's one thing to see / hear a band from the past replay their old stuff live. It's better when you see / hear a new band play that same sound which cranked you up decades ago and does it again. 

So yeah this release rules! 

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/night-spectre

SANDSTORM - Dungeon of Death Mini LP review

 

SANDSTORM - Dungeon of Death Mini LP

Dying Victims Productions

I've listened to this short LP release a few times. But in all honesty when I first heard the opening title cut I was in another world aka: my past. I was young again. I had long hair and banging my head. Yeah this release is nostalgic as white on rice. It's NWOBHN style but not the more popular bands from that 1980's era. No this is what we use to call Underground. You would be in the record store and see a cool looking album cover in the Import's section then buy it. I know, it was a innocent time back them. 

But anyways SANDSTORM, who started out in 2017, is a three piece act featuring two brothers from Sweden on guitar / vocals / bass and a drummer from Canada. Ah yeah I know it's kinda weird but hey it's 2026. The two Swedes are Stevie Whiteless on guitars / vocals and Reptile Anderson on bass / vocals. Their drummer from Canada is PJ “The Butcher” LaGriffe. 

Musically this is very melodic sounding stuff. In fact it does fall into PAGAN ALTAR territory a bit. In all I gotta say a Mini album is cool but not enough. Since starting out this band has released a handful of short form releases prior to this new one. I say put em all together on one CD. That's my suggestion but hey if you're really feeling nostalgic then check this release out. 

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/dungeon-of-death

MORTUARY - Great Black Earth EP review

 

MORTUARY - Great Black Earth EP

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Alright so there's a bunch to unpack here. First off there are a ton of bands world wide with the band name MORTUARY. This one here hails from Mexico. The original band (that's a key point which I'll explain later) started out in 1988. 

Now if you're one of those people, like me, who years ago decided to invest huge sums of money into buying reissued demos as well as obscure releases by Death Metal bands from way back when. Then you might have this band's debut full length release, Blackened Images, which came out in 1991 on some obscure label. I have the reissue from 2020 which came out on Iron Bonehead Productions. The cover art won me over better than the music.

Anyways here we are now with some new stuff by these Mexican Death Thrash vets. I mean prior to this they have released some stuff. They had a second full length, Shine of the End, from 1995 which I never heard. And they have some short form releases as well. But this is new stuff which basically says "Hey we're still around." "We're a nostalgia act and we head line shows for once. And we opened for SLAYER".

Be that as it may on this latest four song release modern day Mexican MORTUARY sounds pretty good. Basically it's an early version of SLAYER meets Death Metal soundwise. The only original member, like I pointed out earlier, is lead guitarist Alberto Martinez. He's still doing these dive bomb solos, like on the first album, like Kerry King on coke. 

With that said the new band Alberto Martinez has surrounded himself with are damm good. Musically it's still Death Metal SLAYER but props to bassist / vocalist Coke DeadMan. Whowever he is does a great job with the DM and Thrash style vocals. All in all it's a great release but more need to be done. 

Mexico's MORTUARY needs to put out a new full length. Secondly some label, maybe this one, needs to reissue the band's first demo from 1989 as well as all of the band's short form release material. Get your Metal Head credit card out there and buy, buy, buy! Nuff Said. 

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/great-black-earth

WHIRLWIND - 1640 review

 

WHIRLWIND - 1640

Dying Victims Productions

So the promo genre tagline on this is Heavy Metal. OK sure it's that but if I played this to some certain friends of mine, the types who buy HELLOWEEN tickets a year in advance. They would say it's Power Metal. After a few listens I kinda agree.

This is the second full length by WHIRLWIND who are a four piece act from the great nation of Spain. Musically it doesn't remind me of the classic 80's era of Heavy Metal. Instead it's a ringer for those early days when Power Metal was first coined. I mean it was thrashy, great guitar soloing and the vocals were powerful.

That's what WHIRLWIND is all about. Starting with Hector Llaurado who is an amazing vocalist. He's got what I always call that "real guy" sound and could reach some higher octaves but not to Halford levels. Secondly you've got guitarist and original creative mainman of this band Mark Wild. He is the mastermind / songwriter which is on point on all of these cool songs. 

Whether it's the 80's Metal style power classic cut "Through Fire and Blood", the full on early Power Metal sound of "Rage of the Conqueror" along with "Ready to Explode" or the thirteen minute epic "Marching to Victory" which ends this album. This release is a winner. Great looking album cover to boot.

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/1640

PIG'S BLOOD - Destroying the Spirit review

 

PIG'S BLOOD - Destroying the Spirit

Dark Descent Records

Of course I've known about PIG'S BLOOD. I've got their first two full lengths which came out on Godz ov War Productions. Normally Godz ov War Productions puts out stuff by Polish or Eastern European bands. So it was a shocker they released something from a Milwaukee, Wisconsin Death Metal act. I'm guessing someone in PIG'S BLOOD is Polish. 

PIG'S BLOOD started out in 2015 with a demo. Then came their first full length in 2017. Musically their sound was Midwest American Death Metal heritage of old. Their second full length, A Flock Slaughtered, came out in 2019 also on Godz ov War Productions. Still the band sounded the same with what I called a newer touch on the brutal side of the genre. Add to that you had some deathly doom blasting's. 

So here we are now and this third full length by PIG'S BLOOD is their best as well as more into what their new label, Dark Descent Records, produces on a yearly basis. Now is that an insult to Dark Descent Records? Yeah it is because four years ago I started having a problem with that label's releases sounding generic. The past two years I'm satisfied to say yeah I'm right and I'm bored with their stuff. 

Be that as it may PIG'S BLOOD pretty much rule on this release. The opening cut, "Standing in Depravity" sets the stage with blackened death vocals, a punishing sound which later rips into the next cut "Destroying the Spirit". There's plenty of tremolo picked riffs, trigger drum assaults, bestial / beast vocals. Actually this is the type of DM release you need to turn down late at night or the cops will show up. 

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/destroying-the-spirit

VOMITORY - In Death Throes review

 

VOMITORY - In Death Throes

Metal Blade Records

They're back...! Yes it's VOMITORY's tenth full length and if you could just see the sick sadistic grin I'm sporting while blasting this new full length release. Now for those of you who read this blog (and frankly who doesn't) then you know I love my Old School Swedish Death Metal to the hilt. Also if the so called Big Four of Old School Swede DM are DISMEMBER, ENTOMBED, GRAVE and UNLEASHED. Then VOMITORY is number five hands down. 

Now aside from rehashing the past, well fuck it. Terrorize Brutalize Sodomize from 2007 is still my favorite release by em. Raped in Their Own Blood from 1996 is number two. There was that period of loss after 2011's Opus Mortis VIII came out. VOMITORY were gone until their comeback in 2023 with All Heads Are Gonna Roll. That album showed that the band were still worthy of kicking your fucking ass. In Death Throes not only has you assholes on the ground but this band is stepping on your face.

Yes VOMITORY (aka: bassist / vocalist Erik Rundqvist, drummer Tobias Gustafsson, guitar riff maniac Urban Gustafsson and new lead guitarist Christian Fredriksson) have released an ultimate follow up as well as proving once again they refuse to change to wimp melodic times or asshole progressive, hipster bullshit. You've got ten cuts of ferocious, uncompromising Old School Death Metal. Yes VOMITORY is far more brutal sounding then their predecessors. 

Hey every track on here is killer but my favorites are "For Gore and Country", “Wrath Unbound" (the head banging slam pit starts here). The same can be said about "Two and a Half Men" and damm I do miss slam dancing, The real shit not that push and shove crap or that moronic dance assholeness. Yeah VOMITORY is back and just as bad ass as before. I'll be blasting this one for the rest of 2026 and beyond. 

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://vomitory.bandcamp.com/album/in-death-throes

CHARIOTS OVERDRIVE - The End of Antiquity review

 

CHARIOTS OVERDRIVE - The End of Antiquity

Gates of Hell Records

I am shocked, shocked I say because this band reminds me of CIRITH UNGOL in that the music is great but the vocals are horrible. OK horrible is not the right description. I'll just say they're out of sync with the style of music being produced on this release.

This is the debut release by CHARIOTS OVERDRIVE a four piece act from Georgia. By the way all four members of this band are from China. They started out in 2023 and prior to this they released a demo and a single. 

Musically this a mix of 80's Underground Metal, some Thrash and Power Metal. All in all I like their sound throughout this nine song release. The opening acoustic guitar instrumental opening sucks. Then it rocks with "Parasite" which is cool. Every song on here, except for the other instrumental "Sunken Throb" is cool. 

So here's the problem in not so humble opinion. CIRITH UNGOL had Tim Baker's over the top octave vocals. This band has a punk rock singer who can't push an octave above a real guy vocal to save his life. When he tries to push it higher then you feel screwed. The guy's name is Hong Zhao who plays rhythm guitar, some leads and sings. 

One dollar says they get deported as Chinese spies. 

http://www.gatesofhellrecords.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://chariotsoverdrive.bandcamp.com/album/the-end-of-antiquity