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

VARIOUS ARTISTS - HPGD 2025 Full Year In Review 24 Track FREE Sampler Compilation review

 

VARIOUS ARTISTS - HPGD 2025 Full Year In Review 24 Track FREE Sampler Compilation

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Well it is that time of year when Horror Pain Gore Death Productions releases a free compilation of tracks from the releases by bands who they've put out stuff by that year. This works out in two ways. The first is obviously they appreciate their fans and wanna show that maybe there's a release by one of their bands that you missed. 

The second is simply showing everyone how great an Extreme Metal label they are. Of course that's just my opinion. I have to say that because I wanna give praise to people who do good before my time comes when I can't do it anymore. In my not so humble opinion I thought their roster of 2024 releases were incredible. But in 2025 they surpassed that. 

Some of my favorite bands which appear on this compilation and have great if not amazing releases this year are as follows. There's some damm good Black Metal / Blackened Thrash from Florida's ANCESTOR OF KAOS. Chicago's BLOOD OF THE WOLF put out one of my favorite Death Metal albums of the year.  As far as Grindcore goes there's no denying KOSUKE HASHIDA's release as greatness. 

Also there's no denying that the reissues by ORGAN DEALER and PERCUSSOR are mandatory. Also if you don't already own a copy of that HEMDALE reissue then why are you even reading this? Next of course were the compilations. The first being BOCC's Obrint el taut EP collection and of course the King Of The Kill 3 compilation.  

The bottom line / the truth is that I'm not gonna say every release by Horror Pain Gore Death Productions from January to December 2025 retained some overpowering quality to be reminded of like a tattoo on your face. I definitely have my favorites which nothing can deny and will be seen in my year end favorites listings. 

Be that as it may when I listen to this compilation from the label's 2025 artist releases. I wonder if I mis-judged a few acts like MUDSHOW, EMBERS OF OUROBOROS or MENTAL FUNERAL. Either way this is an amazing compilation of Extreme fuckin Metal with a variety of sounds awaiting to kick your fuckin ass. Nuff Said!

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/hpgd-2025-full-year-in-review-24-track-free-sampler