BLOOD OF THE WOLF - V: Indomitable review

 

BLOOD OF THE WOLF - V: Indomitable

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Fall season albums are always the surprise killers that show up unanticipated and reek fuckin havoc. This one here covers my yearly thirst for Eastern European Blackened Death to the hilt but hey they're a four piece from Chicago, Illinois. So sorry to my friends in VADER and BELPHEGOR but this US band is vintage sounding brutality with a blackened edge.

BLOOD OF THE WOLF started out in 2013. Their full length debut, I: The Law of Retaliation, came out in 2015. Since then the band title all of their full lengths with Roman numerals and then a worded title. Their first two full lengths were self released. In 2019 the band released a four song EP with was III: Blood Legend and came out on Horror Pain Gore Death Productions. Since then the band has stayed with the label with releasing 2022's IV: The Declaration of War and this latest one. 

Like I mentioned earlier this is Euro-centric Brutal DM with touches of blackening. These eight tracks are perfect in that realm of extreme. The vocals have that brute force aggression. The riffs are part diabolical and on the attack. Add in the drum work which is on par with the riffs as in punishing or machine gun firing. The guitar soloing is where I'd take a point off since they're not out there in for the kill as opposed to what the band is doing for the most part.  

Yeah this album is fucking amazing. There's no atmospheric breaks, no instro intros or boredom. It's a relentless attack which is made to beat you down to pulp. I like this album a lot. You would like this album a lot if you're an Extreme DM fan. If you've read some of my recent DM album reviews on this blog (and frankly who doesn't). Then you would know I've been bored with a lot of DM these days. This album by BLOOD OF THE WOLF shatters all of that. It's one of the best fucking sounding DM albums of the year. 

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/v-indomitable

HEXEKRATION RITES - Misanthropic Path of Carnal Deliverance review

 

HEXEKRATION RITES - Misanthropic Path of Carnal Deliverance

Godz ov War Productions

I've gotta hand it to the new Extreme Metal scene people of France. You started out late but cool with the Black Metal scene back in the day. Then you ruled the world in the late 2000's plus. But then the hipster bullshit plus shoe-gazing crap entered your fold. But you've recovered fairly well especially with music like this in my not so humble opinion. 

HEXEKRATION RITES is a French Blackened Death Metal act which not only should you own this their debut album. But also keep tabs on this band in the future. I'm saying this now so you won't forget. But for starters HEXEKRATION RITES is a three piece act who started out in 2018. Since then the band has released a demo and two EPs prior to this. 

Musically what they do will not impress some jaded piece of shit stick in the mud. But for me they take that Brutal Euro DM sound, give it a new coat of paint and then add in some diabolical guitar tones. Vocalist / Bassist HR has that cool bear like maul of singing style on some tracks. I like that a lot but then he'll move on into a more aggro vocal style as well. Also the drum work is a driving force to a brutal zone. 

Am I the only person out here in the wilderness who wonders why France is not great exporters in hate filled Death Metal? Seriously ask any Joe Blow about French DM and maybe they'll say GOJIRA. Be that as it may I hope they'll start saying HEXEKRATION RITES from now on. 

http://godzovwar.com/  

LISTEN HERE:

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/misanthropic-path-of-carnal-deliverance

ADORIOR - Bleed on My Teeth review

 

ADORIOR - Bleed on My Teeth

Dark Descent Records

For those of you who don't know (and you probably don't). ADORIOR were a cool blackened death / thrash band from England back in the late 1990's. What was great about em, obviously their sound was cool as fuck, is that they had this female vocalist named Jaded Lungs (aka: Melissa Gray). Her vocals were filth ridden hate pure and simple. But it was her singing style as in cursing and just roaring in a harsh scream or spoken wording over the music which was unique. 

The band were sporadic when it came to putting stuff out. I have their two previous full lengths; Like Cutting the Sleeping from 1998 and Author of Incest from 2005. They do have handful of splits out but I'm waiting for the compilation. Be that as it may I'm guessing the reason they are sporadic on releases is that they care about perfection. 

As of now Jaded Lungs (aka: Melissa Gray) is the only original band member. Along for the ride you've got guitarists S. Assassinator (who joined the band in 2019) and RC (who joined in 2022 as a bassist but now plays guitar). The rhythm section is filled by GRAVE MIASMA members. On drums is D. Molestor who's been in the band since 2001. And you have bassist Tom McKenna who joined ADORIOR last year. 

So with this line-up Jaded Lungs (aka: Melissa Gray) has come away with an intense extreme metal release. Musically the song structures are all over the place when it comes to blackened death with plenty of thrash thrown in. This is extreme metal opera with dive bomb guitar soloing which slice through layers of flesh. There's a bounty of trudging riff styles. A handful of death influenced blackened blast beats. Welcome to controlled chaos via extreme fuckin metal.

The bottom line is that this is now my favorite ADORIOR full length and it took a while to get here. This is extreme metal insanity which will blow you away and demand multiple listens. I just love Jaded Lungs (aka: Melissa Gray) singing over deathly musical chaos. 

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/bleed-on-my-teeth

BLACK HATE - Via Pvrgativa review

 

BLACK HATE - Via Pvrgativa

Odium Records

Mexico's BLACK HATE are a band that's been around for a while. Let me explain that in detail. Originally it was a one man black metal project. The one man is B.G. Ikanunna who started out in 2006 and was responsible for everything as is the case. B.G. Ikanunna was actually fairly prolific during this period. (Please note that the guy has been prolific all around as an artist. I mean he's been in a ton of other projects besides BLACK HATE).

So from 2007 to 2011, aside from a seven song debut demo, the guy appeared on a bunch of split EPs as well as releasing some EPs of his own and two full lengths. Then in 2012 B.G. Ikanunna decided to turn BLACK HATE into a real band with him just being responsible for vocals and later on guitars. Once again the band was on a creative spirit with a bunch of splits, EPs and more full lengths. 

Their last release was the 2020 full length Altalith. Now in all honestly that one seemed more like an EP with four actual songs and four short instrumentals. So here we are a few years later. B.G. Ikanunna is back with the same BLACK HATE line-up that's been going for a number of years now. And we have a new album with only one instrumental and it's the opener. 

OK so I like this album a lot mainly because it runs the gambit of blackening everything. Sure you still have the old school BLACK HATE avant-garde arrangements on certain cuts. But there's plenty of death metal groove in places. Add in is some melody and straight up traditional metal style. I mean hell yeah this is cool. And yes the production is still raw as fuck without sounding like crap. 

Aside from the opening instro you get the blistering, fist pumping first cut "Trembling Hands of Sorrow". The song is eight fuckin minutes of blackened insanity. Another highlight is "Luminous Ruins of Death" which is part blackened death n roll and part blackened occult worship. B.G. Ikanunna's vocals on here (as well as every cut on here) are full on filth, horror and hate filled. 

Another cool cut worth mentioning is “Tempestad (o de la transubstanciation)”. It's sung in Spanish, has a sort of tech death riff sequence running rampant and then channels doom as well as thrash. Yeah all in an eight minute time period. The final cut "Dark Night of the Soul" is the eerie cut of the album. It comes off early on sounding like a soundtrack for a Mexican horror/slasher film. But then it pulls out the blackened grandiose stamp of blood spitting filth. 

Yeah like what was mentioned earlier I really like this album. I say that because it's so off the beaten path of black metal proper. Plus it's from an artist who needs recognition to say the least. I guess this is where my bias comes in. My friends in Texas will know this. Mexico has always been a hotbed of extreme metal and with fans who are absolute fanatics. But very few bands from there get the big press afforded to other acts. 

BLACK HATE, especially on this latest one, should be checked out. Now with that said I believe some label should put together a compilation of the early stuff, not the LPs, but the short form releases. Add to that the BLACK HATE 2012 to 2019 catalog wouldn't be a bad idea either. Plus they do have that live album and you can check em out with this performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gCrmLUOnPk

  

https://www.label.odiumrecords.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://odiumrecords.bandcamp.com/album/black-hate-v-a-pvrgativa

BARBARIC HORDE - Perpetrators of Impurity compilation review

 

BARBARIC HORDE - Perpetrators of Impurity compilation

Godz ov War Productions

BARBARIC HORDE are a two piece act out of Portugal who for the past few years have sworn to bring back the sounds of war like hell via blackened filth ridden metal. They've sworn an allegiance musically to BEHERIT, PROFANATICA and BLASPHEMY. 

Now for proof of that then check out their debut full length, Axe of Superior Savagery, from 2020. If that's not convincing enough as far as hate infused metal then there's the follow up, "Barbaric Hammer Fist", from 2022. Both of which are easy to find and you won't get in trouble for ordering em.

Which brings us to this opus of disgust. The good people at Godz ov War Productions, I'm kidding because you can't be good to put this out, decided to release this compilation. Perpetrators of Impurity consists of BARBARIC HORDE's first two demos as in Gasmask Perpetrators from 2016 and Tainted Impurity from 2017. 

Personally I like the songs off of Tainted Impurity the best because it's what the band would later become. But as far as intensity and brutality go then this demo is better than their first album. The songs off of Gasmask Perpetrators are definitely raw and horribly produced. The drum sound is totally horrible but to a kvlt person it's probably "troo". 

In the end this is a damm good compilation for those of us who like the bestial old ways of filth ridden blackened reality. What we have here is a band who cares more about being true to their conviction as well as the influences which brought them here. A fun fact is that you can't fake this stuff. So yeah I love it.

http://godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/perpetrators-of-impurity

ULFUO - Of Existential Distortion review

 

ULFUO - Of Existential Distortion

Dark Descent Records

Here we have some extreme metal music from Iceland. Yes Iceland, a totally Nordic place known for their cold climate and occasional volcanic eruptions. Yeah an island country of ice and fire which is a perfect segue to this band's music.

This is the debut album by ULFUO, a five piece band, that started out in 2015 and prior to this had an EP titled First Sermon which came out in 2018. Musically this is basic blackened death metal but it has a few attributes which makes it kinda cool. 

Starting off we've got a vocalist, Breki Danielsen Imsland, who has an amazing vicious as well as thunderous sound. The guy can emit anger, pain and full on hate. Let's add to that note, musically ULFUO are creating some decent atmospheric BM stuff plus doom and a few examples of where modern BM acts have played their hand. 

Early on this album does take a traditional death metal role but mid way through the band's sound sheds the obvious and goes into some cool sounding extremities. "Faceless", the fourth track on here is where the band goes forth in exploring new sounds. The song "Gods Left Behind" is total black metal. 

In the end I think the latter half of Of Existential Distortion is the most exciting parts of the album. I mean there's some diabolical tremolo picked riffs matched with old school death metal riffing and then doom style picking. So yeah this alum starts off cool and ends amazing.

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/of-existential-distortion

BERATOR - Elysian Inferno EP review

 

BERATOR - Elysian Inferno EP

Dark Descent Records

What we have here is the debut EP from this blackened death act from Chicago, Illinois. Sure BERATOR are new but the four members are all extreme metal veterans. I could name drop a list of the former bands they've participated in but we're talking a few dozen. Be that it may this band does have plenty of evil baggage which rounds out their sound.

Elysian Inferno is six songs of pure blackened death that's a mix of US and Finnish styles. The atmosphere is dark like certain early US black metal acts. Their brand of death metal is old school. You've got some touches of doom along with it. Overall the riffs are like someone kicking down your front door. The vocals are roared and the rhythm section nails it. 

While just six amazing cuts is cool I await the day that BERATOR puts out a full length. Hey they're just two songs short on this one. They deserve an award for being the best new DM band of the year. Dive bombing guitar solos out the wazoo! Hell Fuckin Yeah!!!

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/elysian-inferno

BEGRIME EXEMIOUS - Rotting in the Aftermath review

 

BEGRIME EXEMIOUS - Rotting in the Aftermath

Dark Descent Records

Look I like many facets of death metal but the bottom line is always give me good meat and potatoes. By that I mean killer guitar riffs, an amazing rhythm section plus guitar solos galore and some damm good vocals. Add to all of that I want some songs that are down right diabolical. This new album by BEGRIME EXEMIOUS has all of that. In other words this is some damm good meat and potatoes.

BEGRIME EXEMIOUS is a death metal act from Canada. They've been around since 2005. In that time they've put out slew of releases which range from a handful of full lengths to a bunch of short form releases. By the way all of their full lengths were released by Dark Descent Records. So I've been following this act for a while now. One thing I can say for a fact is that this band is consistent in their sound and style.

What you have here is old school blackened death with a touch of thrash. Why is it better than most? Because the band executes it to perfection. Their nine cuts on here are amazing. If I were to see this band live I'd be happy to hear this album played in it's entirely. Now that's something I have never said about a newer death metal release. 

So what's so great about this one? Well first off the band covers all the bases. The vocals come off in a wide range of extreme styles. The riffs/song structures are more about grabbing you by the collar and dragging you in. Their thrash influence adds that slight bit of groove. Plus the dynamic drum work can easily entertain some slam pit action. There's plenty of molten leads and hey this band can doom out as well. 

Simplicity is the second factor on why this album is perfection. They don't try to out do the originators nor are they simple copycats. Sure I can hear some specific sounds that remind me of a few classics. But BEGRIME EXEMIOUS bring so much of their own design into the recipe that it makes it all sound damm good. 

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/rotting-in-the-aftermath

SARINVOMIT - Awaken Ye Impious Hordes of Shaitan review

 

SARINVOMIT - Awaken Ye Impious Hordes of Shaitan

Godz ov War Productions

I believe this album came out last year and this label is giving it a second chance. After giving it a few listens I agree it needs another run. The skinny on SARINVOMIT is that they're a blackened death act out of Turkey. Ya see a lot of that on the eastern front. I'm guessing it's the climate.

Be that as it may how could I not like a band who puts out a debut EP, from 2015, titled Baphopanzers of the Demoniacal Brigade. So right here we have the band's second full length release. Just for the record sound-wise SARINVOMIT punch all of the genre buttons and add just a small touch of Eastern flavor. 

Basically this is all about severe head trauma. Musically we're in dark territory, a virtual no mans land. It's a soundtrack to war with blastbeats like machine guns. The bass as well as the riffs are concussive artillery blasts. And the vocals are either battle cries or cries of agony from the assaulted. Decent stuff from a band with a very cool name.

http://godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/awaken-ye-impious-hordes-of-shaitan

GOATSMEGMA - Goat Separatist Movement review

 

GOATSMEGMA - Goat Separatist Movement

Godz ov War Productions

Well with a name like GOATSMEGMA how could I not resist on giving it a chance. I mean hey it's got "GOAT" in their name. Add to that the cool album title. So basically this is the second full length by this blackened death act from Estonia. Just for the record their debut came out in 2019 under the title Demonic Goat Smegma Eating Ritual. 

Below is a band photo of this bunch. Yeah if I was in a band called GOATSMEGMA I'd probably hide my identity in a Baader-Meinhof outfit, gas mask, machetes en all. But anyways musically this is full on raw blackened death. How raw you ask? Well this is demo quality circa 1990. 

I mean the drum work comes across like a sad machine gun. Mostly tom pounding and little else that's dynamic. The riffs come off as distorted fuzz. But the vocals are loudly barked and brutal. Also the singer also plays bass but you can't hear it at all.

In the end it's eight songs with an electronic intro. The high mark for em is their interesting song titles like "Enforcing Genocide in Order to Fulfill Lucifer's Will", "Sadistically Murdered by Goat Rebels" and of course the all time favorite "Drowning Into Goat Sperm". Most of the cuts are over or under the three minute range.

So here ya go with something that'll piss someone off.

http://godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/goat-separatist-movement

EGGS OF GOMORRH - Wombspreader review

 

EGGS OF GOMORRH - Wombspreader

Godz Ov War Productions

Switzerland is home to many notable contributors to literature, art, architecture, music, the sciences and there's EGGS OF GOMORRH. Now we all know when it comes to extreme music this nation has given us fans CELTIC FROST, CORONER, SAMAEL, KROKUS, ELUVETIE (don't laugh I've got a couple of their CDs) and then there's EGGS OF GOMORRH. 

The tagline on this release is blackened death metal and yeah there's that. But these Swiss extremists love their grind as well. This their second full length release is on full attack mode from the very start. Sound wise it reminds me of PIG DESTROYER before they got boring.

From the start you've got the in your face screamed vocals. There in that death metal / grind angular variety. Then we get the music which is a ferocious assault of riff packages. The drum work is totally maniacal and to me leads things along. 

In the end this album is dedicated to speed and hatred. There's an atmospheric break in the middle portion but a few minutes later this release goes back into full attack mode. It's decent to say the least.

http://godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

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

HAUNTER - Discarnate Ails review

 

HAUNTER - Discarnate Ails

Profound Lore Records

The intermingling of advanced stage black and death metal is nothing new. For the past decade we've seen plenty of acts push the progressive reaches of the mixed genre. HAUNTER, who hail from Texas, are the latest band to swim into this lake of darkness. 

Discarnate Ails is their third full length since starting out around a decade ago. Supposedly from what I've read they sounded very different back then as well as on their two previous releases. Since this is my first time listening to em I decided to keep a fresh outlook. 

What you've got here are three tracks with a run time of slightly over thirty minutes. Sounds like an EP to me. But anyways musically this four piece creates a sound that's haunting as well as punishing. Within the first minutes of opener "Overgrown With The Moss" you are treated to the whole package. You get the atmosphere, the blackened fury as well as some progressive DM touches. 

That's pretty much the pattern on all three cuts. Nothing wrong with that idea for me since I've heard it done by others years ago. I won't name drop. At least HAUNTER bring in some personality to the overall and over done sound. There's a variety of vocal styles thrown in. The band's song craft is exciting with all of the variants tossed in. Basically it's a decent sounding half hour. 

https://profoundlorerecords.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hauntertx.bandcamp.com/ 

MISANTHROPIC RAGE - Hallucinatory Phenomena review

 

MISANTHROPIC RAGE - Hallucinatory Phenomena

Godz Ov War Productions

There are those times when a release's title says it all. Poland's MISANTHROPIC RAGE are the benefit to that sage statement. On this their fourth full length this three piece blackened death act from Poland take you on a bad fuckin trip. On multiple listens I found myself eyes shut and watching a music induced hypnotic nightmare. 

There are some cool and great things about this album. First and foremost the avant-garde song structures are absolutely in part intense and otherwise beautiful. All of that is from multi-instrumentalist Dawid Wilku Starega. Whether it's the tranquil acoustic picking, the heavy handed DM riffs or the hypnotic lead work. It all works well. 

As far as the overall package of this release. I can't help but think of an H.P. Lovecraft vibe flowing through these seven cuts. Dawid Wilku Starega is also the main vocalist on here. He provides a variety of vocal styles all in the extreme area. After multiple listens this release just captivates. I've said many times before that black metal cannot go further as far as outside experimentation. MISANTHROPIC RAGE are an act who saw the walls and looked inward to a bounty of inspiration and influences. Here's another Polish band with an extraordinary release.

http://godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/hallucinatory-phenomena

VAHRZAW - The Trembling Voices of Conquered Me review

 

VAHRZAW - The Trembling Voices of Conquered Me

Transcending Obscurity Records

Since it's inception as an extreme music genre blackened death metal was usually recognized in two ways. First off you had the harsh yet melodic style and then the dark brutal stuff. So around 10 to 15 years ago bands started to expand from that template in order to incorporate more in order to come off as original. Most of that was bringing in doom or tech death elements. 

But recently there's been some bands who twist the template in experimental ways which will make you say "Whatafuck". That's where we are now with this fourth full length by Australia's VAHRZAW. The band has been around since the mid-90's and who knows what they were doing years ago. This is my first time hearing them. Obviously they've been honing their craft in order to get where they are now. Of course I'm guessing on that last point because after listening to this they would've made their mark already.

So musically take your blackened death template then add a chaotic twist. That twist contains atmospheric breaks, tech death song structures, a mix of harsh and brutal vocals, guitar solos which are either dive bomb, melodic/hypnotic or prog based. From there add death doom, thrash and some sludge metal. That's your recipe for this album. It's book-ended by two acoustic guitar intro pieces, there's another prog element. I'm still at that "Whatafuck" stage.

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://vahrzawband.bandcamp.com/album/the-trembling-voices-of-conquered-men-death-black-metal

VEILBURNER - Lurkers in the Capsule of Skull review

 

VEILBURNER - Lurkers in the Capsule of Skull 

Transcending Obscurity Records

A few years ago while writing about VEILBURNER's fourth full length, A Sire to the Ghouls of Lunacy, I clearly made an important point. When one thinks of bands from the blackened death genre you pretty much have a two sided idea of what to expect. VEILBURNER introduces a third option. Of course I found out that option was to create something which actually earns the term progressive. I also called it perfection.

VEILBURNER, who hail from a former home of mine aka the state of Pennsylvania, seem to have created something which forgoes the typical boring or pretentious aspects of what passes for prog in metal. They make it fuckin interesting. So on this their fifth full length this two piece act (yeah I know) does not repeat where they left off in 2018. On the contrary they take another step forward.

Of course their basic template is blackened death metal with plenty of avant garde Euro black metal touches. That's the easy part. From that point onward the band twists song structures into prog pretzel knots. Guitar solos dive in akin to the jazz work of Jeff Beck or even better, the Robert Fripp / Adrian Belew era of KING CRIMSON. Yeah I'm showing my age here because I'm ignorant as far as modern prog or jazz fusion go.

From that point onward you're enveloped in an ever changing soundscape. There's the dissonant tones hanging in backgrounds just waiting to jump out and grab you. The horror tinged melodic solos which morph into dentist drills while ABSU like drum runs pound away. Of course there's always an atmospheric break which is either murky or filled with grandeur.

Lurkers in the Capsule of Skull is an aptly titled over fifty minute journey into the subconscious of the truly discontented. While the heavy handed cuts full of discordance dazzle your open mind. It's the quiet yet suffocating “Para-Opaque” with it's dissonant tones, prog sound slate and whispered vocals which could be the most terrifying cut on the album. I believe my investment with time while listening to this release might've shaved a year off. Either way I believe VEILBURNER has earned their legacy with this one.

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://veilburnerband.bandcamp.com/album/lurkers-in-the-capsule-of-skull-dissonant-death-black-metal

BLACK CEREMONIAL KULT - Crowned in Chaos EP review

 

BLACK CEREMONIAL KULT - Crowned in Chaos EP

Godz Ov War Productions

The band's name could also be the title description of my wedding night from my first marriage. Who knew I married into a witch coven. But anyways here we have some Chilean blackened death metal the likes which all extreme music fans know and adore. Sound-wise this release is like meeting an old friend but more on that later.

BLACK CEREMONIAL KULT are a four piece act who got their start in 2014. Since then they've put out only short form releases. Here's another although it's probably their first official release that's not a demo or split release. What we have here are eleven songs overall with an intro and an outro as bookends. 

Now when I say this is like an old friend I mean think of the style of blackened death which puts forth an oppressive crushing sound. Add to that some bestial vocals from the netherworld. Top it off with a touch of Lovecraft horror atmospherics along  with that classic Chilean approach to extreme music. And you'll going hello old friend nice to hear from ya. 

https://www.godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/crowned-in-chaos

GNOSIS - Omens from the Dead Realm review

 

GNOSIS - Omens from the Dead Realm

Godz Ov War Productions

I've known a couple of bands named GNOSIS over the decades. This one hails from Florida and are a three piece blackened death act. And just for the record they don't push an American style of DM or BM in their overall sound. Personally I believe they've taken their cues from the old European scene. But you're first five popular spots would be wrong.

Musically the vocals are dungeon deep sounding, the rhythm section has been pushed to the back but the riffs are tremendous. It all reminds me of something from the early 90's when some bands couldn't cut it as death metal so they went full on black metal. Then two albums later they went gothic but that's another story.

This is the third full length by GNOSIS which makes me want to hear their early stuff. Omens from the Dead Realm can best be described as a listening pleasure since the band likes to mix things up. You've got some guest singers who break the monotony in the vocal department. There's some decent guitar solos which break from the norm. It's a perfect listen for those of us up at 4 AM in the morning.

https://www.godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/omens-from-the-dead-realm

SLAUGHTERCOFFIN - Unholy Soldiers of Satan review

 

SLAUGHTERCOFFIN - Unholy Soldiers of Satan 

Corrupted Flesh Records

Well with a name like SLAUGHTERCOFFIN this band has to be from, Sweden? Actually I was expecting this band to be from from one of the northern nations of South America. Whose band members were involved in or know some who perform satanic murder cult ritual killings on unknowing travelers who venture into the wrong neighborhoods.

But no this band is from Sweden and nothing against that. I love Swedish death metal. I've got friends from over there. They're heavily into death metal, black metal and doom. But they're so fuckin nice. Be that as it may I'm sure they'ed be into SLAUGHTERCOFFIN. They're a band which started out a few years ago and this is their first full length or compilation. I just don't know from the PR info. So I did some looking.

Unholy Soldiers of Satan originally was a four song EP. To make it a full length the label added three songs from the band's “End All Life” demo to enhance things. Actually it's a pretty smart idea. Musically the sound on here is blackened death metal/thrash with dependence of the HM Boss pedal for some crunch to their guitars. The vocals come off in that raw bestial style. In all it's old school satanic slam pit inducing stuff.

https://www.corrupted-flesh.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://corruptedfleshrecords.bandcamp.com/album/unholy-soldiers-of-satan-2

HELL-BORN - Natas Liah review

HELL-BORN - Natas Liah

Odium Records

If you were a BEHEMOTH fan back in the 1990's then you might remember that two of their members went off and started a new band HELL-BORN. In the first decade of the 2000's this Polish act was fairly prolific as far as releasing music. From 2001 to 2008 they put out five full lengths. If you ask me I'd say yeah that's pretty damm good as far as producing new music goes.

Now of those five releases I only have one, Legacy of the Nephilim, from 2003. And in all honesty I didn't get it until a few years after it was released. Worse yet I bought it used but hey it's a damm good album. So how do you like me now? But anyways a few years after I finally got into HELL-BORN's music the band went silent. So when I learned that they were coming out with a new album after over a decade since their last album, Darkness from 2008. I was kinda excited. 

You know when most bands return after utter silence after a decade chances are it's not gonna be so good unless you like lying to yourself which I don't. Sure there are exceptions and this new one from HELL-BORN is one of em. Natas Liah is an examination on how to do old school blackened death metal. This one sounds far better than the one I have which came out 17 fuckin years ago. 

What we have here is gruesome and brutal sounding as only the Poles know how to do it blackened fuckin death metal. The vocals come across as sung by a upright and uptight corpse. There's tremolo picked melodies as well as, wait for it, crisp solos. The drum work is held back to more thunderous than pounding. And the overall song structures have these amazing strokes of melody which is shocking. 

The spotlight, according to the PR info, is that NERGAL from BEHEMOTH returns to help out his old friends on a song. That would be the final cut on the album "Blakk Metal". Personally that's not much of a selling point since this whole album is great in every way by this awesome three piece. Natas Liah invites you in, entertains you in a devious way and frankly never lets you go. Perfection in blackened death has been made by these Polish veterans of extreme metal.

http://www.odiumrex.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://odiumrecords.bandcamp.com/album/hell-born-natas-liah

 

NECROPHOBIC - Dawn of the Damned review

 

NECROPHOBIC - Dawn of the Damned

Century Media Records

You know that saying "You Dance With The One That Brought Ya"? It fits the philosophy of anyone who's into extreme music. We tend to collect releases by bands who we liked a long time ago. Even though the bands have changed whether it's in their line-up or musical direction. NECROPHOBIC is one of those bands of course. 

If 2018's Mark of the Necrogram was a somewhat new beginning for the band, considering the circumstances which followed their previous release five years prior. Then this new one, Dawn of the Damned, is definitely cements their future. For a band previously known for it's blackened death pedigree this release, like it's predecessor, has a recipe more akin to second wave black metal from the 90's. 

So yeah I like that as well as original vocalist Anders Storkirk, who returned on their last album. Storkirk's bestial barks and high pitched squeals fit perfectly within this style. Also there's the guitar work, aside from your typical icy tremolo picked rhythms, which on solos has a traditional metal influence. The opening instrumental will have you thinking Yngwie Malmsteen joined the band.

From that point onward this album is a cold throwback to the 90's era of Swedish black metal. Dare I say it reminds me of when DARK FUNERAL were good. Don't laugh you know they were good at one time as well as the obvious relationship between them and NECROPHOBIC. I like the cross section of riff styles within the cuts whether it's orthodox black metal or basic guitar driven melodies. 

Finally this album just has this beefy production which charges out at you. Nothing is subtle or imaginative as far as atmosphere goes. This is a cold fuckin avalanche of sound which crushes. It's just damm good to see drummer Joakim Sterner, the band's last original member, find a way to keep NECROPHOBIC (who he started with David Parland (aka: Blackmoon) thirty years ago) alive and relevant in 2020.

https://www.centurymedia.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KaqA0sBxdc&list=PLUIOJdJ4UrXVDxuXaOIMcP-0UX96x7h4J&index=1