WINTER ETERNAL - Unveiled Nightsky review

 

WINTER ETERNAL - Unveiled Nightsky

Hells Headbangers Records

So there's a lot to unpack here. WINTER ETERNAL, cool name by the way, is a one man Black Metal band. The one man is Soulreaper (aka: Stelios Makris) who is responsible for the vocals, guitars and bass. The drum work is performed by session player V. Nuctemeron. Just for the record WINTER ETERNAL started out back in 2011. Originally this band was from Athens, Greece but relocated to Glasgow, Scotland. 

This is WINTER ETERNAL's fifth full length and third released on Hells Headbangers Records. Now for someone who does buy stuff from HHR over many years. This band has escaped my notice and I don't have an answer to why. Be that as it may musically this is not anywhere close to what you know sound-wise by any Greek or Scotish BM acts. 

If anything this release comes across as something similar to the more obscure Swedish Melodic BM acts of the past. But with a definite revamp to the style which it's fuckin needed for a while. And look it took a fuckin Greek to do it. So hey Scotland some immigrants to your nation are cool as opposed to those other ones who are assholes. Which lead to young girls having to carry knives and hatchets to defend themselves. 

But anyways if ya like Black Metal (ah duh?) then get this release, turn the sound up to a comfortable listening level, then kick back and relax. Let the waves of cold tremolo picked riffs cascade over you. The vocals will stagger you to be awake. Yeah I like this a lot. The cover artwork is cool as well.

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LISTEN HERE:

https://winter-eternal.bandcamp.com/album/unveiled-nightsky

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!

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LISTEN HERE:

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

PERDITION TEMPLE - Malign Apotheosis review

 

PERDITION TEMPLE - Malign Apotheosis

Hells Headbangers Records

So PERDITION TEMPLE, from Tampa, Florida, originally started out in 2009. Their debut full length, Edict of the Antichrist Elect, came in 2010. In all honesty I didn't know about this band until 2020 when they released their third full length release, Sacraments of Descension, also on Hells Headbangers Records. The sole reason I checked em out is because their bassist Alex Blume is also in ARES KINGDOM a band whom I'm a huge fan of. 

Be that as it may back in 2021 when I picked up Sacraments of Descension I was like damm this album is great. I mean US style Blackened Death Metal which basically sounds like early USDM but blackened to a touch. Their last album, Merciless Upheaval, from 2022 was great even though half of it was covers. But now on this latest release it's fresh, it's kick ass and probably the best thing they've done since their third album.

Malign Apotheosis contains eight cuts which are the epitomy of US Blackened Death. Which for you newcomers is totally different then what the Euro acts have been doing for decades. US Blackened Death is punishing in sound with savage riffs, diabolical melodies, dive bomb guitar solos, a hate filled rhythm section attack and nihilistic vocals. 

This three piece delivers all of that in spades. So when I listen to this one I wanna scream, I wanna punch someone and I wanna run out into the street with one of my firearms to light up the neighborhood in gunfire. I mean this album fuckin rules in so many ways of hate. It's a perfect full length from start to finish. 

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LISTEN HERE:

https://perditiontemple.bandcamp.com/album/malign-apotheosis

SHED THE SKIN - The Carnage Cast Shadows review

 

SHED THE SKIN - The Carnage Cast Shadows

Hells Headbangers Records

SHED THE SKIN are a Cleveland, Ohio Death Metal supergroup who I first learned about in 2018 with their second full length, We of Scorn. I liked em for their music but more for who was in the band. First and foremost is guitarist / vocalist Ash Thomas. At that time I wasn't familiar with him but then I learned more. 

I really learned about this guy from watching a Youtube show where he was discussing his love of Finnish Death Metal and showing off his collection of releases. Not only was it educational but inspirational. Ash Thomas was pulling out releases that I only owned half of. And I admit it was because of that show I updated my Finnish Death Metal collection. 

With that said I also checked out all of the bands Ash Thomas was in. And hell yeah they're all cool like ESTUARY, CORRUPTED MORTALS, THE VLADIMERS and SURGIKILL. But who else is in SHED THE SKIN well there's Kyle Severn drummer for INCANTATION. There's also Matt Sorg guitarist of RINGWORM. And also another RINGWORM alumni with bassist Ed Stephens who's also in the Thrash band VINDICATOR. 

So yeah here we have a US super group playing old school DM and if you think this is an American version of BLOODBATH I'll smack your face with the back of my hand. SHED THE SKIN come off sounding original as hell. They are fucking brutal, dynamic in the riff department and the guitar soloing is actually unique. Ash Thomas gives a vocal performance like a pissed off grizzly bear rudely awakened from his slumber. 

Ya want great fuckin Death Metal in 2025 well then here it is. Eleven tracks that will rock your head, slam pit your body and will destroy your worthless soul. I like this album a lot and I thought their last one, Thaumogenesis, from 2022 was the shit. All hail Ohio Extreme Metal and all hail SHED THE SKIN. Nuff Said!

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LISTEN HERE:

https://shed-the-skin.bandcamp.com/album/the-carnage-cast-shadow

MORTAL DECAY - Sickening Erotic Fanaticism Reissue

 

MORTAL DECAY - Sickening Erotic Fanaticism Reissue

Hells Headbangers Records

Well here we have another unholy grail from the past finally getting a decent reissue treatment and it's put out on vinyl. This is MORTAL DECAY's debut full length which originally came out in 1997 on Pulverizer Records on CD. Ah yeah his is definitely something which needed a damm good reissue for a long ass time. It would be nice if there was a CD reissue as well. 

For those of you who don't know, MORTAL DECAY were (well they're still around) a brutal / evil sounding Death Metal act from New Jersey in the 1990s. Their original claim to fame is really the first three demos the band put out from 1992 to 1995. I doubt it's still available now but years ago the band put out A Gathering of Human Artifacts which was all three demos on CD. That's a must have and also needs a reissue. 

But MORTAL DECAY's debut full length was different from their demos because the band brought in a new singer in Kelly Izquierdo. What's funny is their original vocalist John Paoline rejoined the band later on. And the band's last full length The Blueprint for Blood Spatter came out in 2013 on Comatose Music. By this time dear fuckin reader you're obviously realizing that I am a fan. 

So let me explain, back in the day MORTAL DECAY where contemporaries of the other New York City / New Jersey Death Metal scene bands. While a few of them were already signed to major labels. MORTAL DECAY relied on word of mouth advertising and tape trading. I mean these guys played shows with the well known bands but never got their due respect. 

But musically MORTAL DECAY were brutal and technical but down right fuckin evil sounding. I mean the stuff you hear today as far as Brutal Tech Death really pails in comparison. In fact even to their DM scene contemporaries at that time, late 1990's, I think these guys were far more interesting and evil sounding. Yeah this is a must have. 

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LISTEN HERE:

https://mortaldecay.bandcamp.com/album/sickening-erotic-fanaticism

SATANIC WARMASTER - Exultation of Cruelty review

 

SATANIC WARMASTER - Exultation of Cruelty

Werewolf Records / Hells Headbangers Records

So here we have SATANIC WARMASTER's seventh full length since starting out back in the late 1990s. And if memory serves me I believe the last album, Aamongandr, from 2022 came out in late December as well. Then again what would you expect since it's grim and frosty right now in various parts of the world especially in Finland where SATANIC WARMASTER calls home.

After a few listens to this new one I have to say that Werwolf (the main man / multi-instrumentalist) is probably the last man with integrity from Finland when it comes to creating true Black Metal. Look I've been a fan of SATANIC WARMASTER since the first album, Strength & Honour, from 2001. But I have to say Werwolf's more recent out put has become my favorites from him. Aamongandr, from 2022, became my new favorite album by SATANIC WARMASTER. This one continues on to that same territory.

Musically of course for fans of old you still get plenty of that patented cold, cruel sounding necro blackened brutality. It's a tremolo picked ice storm of riffs with Tupperware drum blastbeats and that blasphemic acid tinged vocal style. But then modern day Werwolf cuts in with the slow atmosphere breaks, tosses in beautiful melodies and dare I say it, sounds like some synths are added in the far background. 

But hey blast "Harken the Bells of Damnation" to the hilt and tell me in ain't twenty years ago sounding and better. Tell me that "As Blood Snarls a Macabre Silhouette" is not a head-banging Blackened rocker which turns into a slam pit frenzy? Tell me that "I Inhale the Cruelty of Winter's Breath" is not one of the best BM cuts you've endured in the past decade? Notice that there are no trend hopping bullshit going on. No stupidity, no hiptard bullshit and no weakness is what you find on this release. Yeah this one rules!!!!

https://www.werewolf.fi/

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LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzL7q29tASo

NUNSLAUGHTER - Devils Congeries Vol. 5 Compilation 3 CDs & DVD review

 

NUNSLAUGHTER - Devils Congeries Vol. 5 Compilation 3 CDs & DVD

Hells Headbangers Records

So as I've said many times before yes I'm a NUNSLAUGHTER fan but I only own their full lengths and a few EPs. So years ago when Hells Headbangers Records decided to do this compilation series on NUNSLAUGHTER short form releases I was always on board. Obviously because I'm not going to buy every short form release they've ever done. And by the way there are two many out there and it would cost a lot. I have the four previous volumes in this series. 

So here we have another cool collection of stuff which rules in NUNSLAUGHTER circles aka: Everything. I will say that the majority of the EP recordings are cool. The live stuff is OK. The cover songs are decent. But yeah this is for Fans Only especially if they don't wanna pay out the ass to own the oringinal vinyl. 

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LISTEN HERE:

https://nunslaughter.bandcamp.com/album/devils-congeries-volume-5

DESTRUKTOR - Indomitable review

 

DESTRUKTOR - Indomitable

Hells Headbangers Records

For some strange reason Australia is a nation that can boast some pretty fuckin extreme metal acts let alone two well known hard rock bands and two cool punk bands. I don't need to name drop em all. If you're into cool music then you should know who I'm talking about. But anyways years ago I heard DESTRUKTOR and I was floored on how cool they sounded. So of course I placed them in with the extreme metal greatness of Australia. 

Now that was based on getting their debut full length Nailed from 2009 and their last one Opprobrium from 2015. Both of which are greatness when it comes to Blackened Death Thrash. So here we are nine fuckin years later and I'm at a crossroads. Indomitable is a good release still holding true to the band's past style. I mean diabolical riffs, powerful drum work and cavernous vocals. But after nine years ya could've improved. Instead this is average sounding Blackened Death Thrash. 

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LISTEN HERE:

https://destruktor.bandcamp.com/album/indomitable

DECEASED - Children of the Morgue review

 

DECEASED - Children of the Morgue

Hells Headbangers Records

I belong to this Facebook Metal group site (don't laugh) and a while back someone posed a question on who in Metal is the most consistent band since starting out. To me the answer was easy and it's DECEASED. I mean they started out in the mid 80's. Their debut album, Luck of the Corpse, came out 1991. Over the years they've always had a sound which was part Death Thrash and part straight up Metal. Despite going through various line-up changes they still hold to a certain sound which is recognizable. They never sold out to musical fads / popular trends. I mean there's a clear reason why I call DECEASED America's best Metal band because of what I just told ya.

So here we have DECEASED's eleventh full length although I thought 2021's Thrash Times at Ridgemont High was a covers compilation album. But on here it's the mighty sound which you know carries you though out this album. Obviously when it comes to this band's sound it's King Fowley (vocals) who has the vision and it always stays true. I still say that their 2018 full length, Ghostly White, is fuckin amazing. 

So on here you got plenty of death thrash assaults to the head which make you wanna rise to the occasion of slam pit action. But this time around the musicianship kicks in a lot of melodic touches especially on some of the guitar soloing. But still it's the amazing song writing. I mean you've got the galloping riffs, the death thrash punishment, some doom style moments and of course their newer melodic yet harsh style. 

Every listen to this album excites the fuck out of me. Musically it's the epicness of cool sounding extreme metal. The song structures are diverse in the band's normal style but then kick out into wild territory. I mean this one here is a fuckin masterpiece, period end of story. 

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LISTEN HERE:

https://the-true-deceased.bandcamp.com/album/children-of-the-morgue

BLOOD FEAST - Infinite Evolution review

 

BLOOD FEAST - Infinite Evolution

Hells Headbangers Records

A couple of things to mention here as far as credit to goes. First off to guitarist and now vocalist Adam Tranquilli who has kept this band going (in a way) since starting out in 1986. Secondly thanks to Hells Headbangers Records for giving them a home label that's stood behind em for quite a while now. I mean this label put out their 2017 comeback album The Future State of Wicked which is still one of my favorite Hells Headbangers' releases. Add to that you have their Chopped, Sliced and Diced EP from 2018 which was also killer. And hey a bunch of years later we've got this new one. 

But before I get into this new one there needs to be some historical baggage unloaded. So let's go back to the late 2000's when you had that whole Thrash Revival. Now you had plenty of new bands just copying original Thrash from the 80's sounds. But you also had renewed interest by young fans in Thrash bands from the 80's who were not the Big Four or had major label releases. One of the many past bands which got renewed interest in was BLOOD FEAST from Bayonne, New Jersey which was not far from my NJ roots. BLOOD FEAST had a decent sounding debut full length titled Kill for Pleasure in 1987. Their four song EP Face Fate also from 1987 is also cool to collect as well. 

So in 2007 after about being broke up for seventeen years Adam Tranquilli decides to resurrect the band with some new people and hell yeah they're doing shows and fans are wanting more. So fast forward to this album here, because I've already gone through their recent history. The whole reason why I like em and this new album is that BLOOD FEAST are not bullshit artists. You listen to this release and it's pure late 80's Thrash. The production is still of that era. The song structures are still late 80's intact. They haven't changed to meet with the styles of popular ideas or tech advancements. 

Regardless of Adam having a line-up of people with him for ten years and less. Plus he's doing vocals now after the departure of Chris Natalini. Infinite Evolution is a cool as fuck album. I think there's a lot of irony in the title. But musically I think this nine song release makes the old school fan in me get excited. I wanna hear songs like "Eye of Glass", "Outbreak" and "Ravaging the Loins of Mary" live mixed in with classics from their past. I mean trust me this album is better than anything new by KREATOR or EXODUS. 

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LISTEN HERE:

https://blood-feast.bandcamp.com/album/infinite-evolution

WITCHTRAP - Hungry as the Beast review

 

WITCHTRAP - Hungry as the Beast

Hells Headbangers Records

WITCHTRAP are a three piece blackened thrash act from Colombia who I got into with the split they did with NUNSLAUGHTER in 2014 and their Evil Strikes Again full length from 2020. The band has been around since 1997 and has a ton of releases out be they full lengths, EPs and splits. By the way their last split release with NUNSLAUGHTER from 2014 is probably a collector's item by now.

Hungry as the Beast is their sixth full length and musically it's a throwback to the early days of thrash. When I blast this through the house speakers it's pretty damm cool. Listening to this, as an old schooler, it's totally enjoyable. I mean this was blasting while I was doing the dishes. So if you're an old thrash fan then I highly recommend this one.

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LISTEN HERE:

https://witchtrap-official.bandcamp.com/album/hungry-as-the-beast

THE LURKING CORPSES - Lurking After Midnight review

 

THE LURKING CORPSES -  Lurking After Midnight

Hells Headbangers Records

THE LURKING CORPSES are horror metal for adults where as GHOST are for kids and mainstream music fans. I got into this Fort Wayne, Indiana band with their last album Workin' for the Devil. That came out in 2014 and they also did a split with NUNSLAUGHTER in 2015. But anyways THE LURKING CORPSES have been around since 2003. Unfortunately I don't have their earlier releases yet. But hey here's their latest. 

Musically yeah you're gonna get some 60's style surf riffs mixed in with the eerie MISFITS / SAMHAIN punk and metal theme. Maybe some TYPE O NEGATIVE and 69 EYES influence for you goth types. Add in some thrash riffage plus soundbites from horror movies and there you go. It's Halloween with a good beat and you can slam to it or just bang your fuckin head. 

Vocalist Lord Vladimir Von Ghoul does a good Glenn Danzig impersonation as well as some DM vocals and the King Diamond screams. As far as the band goes aside from mainman Lord Vladimir Von Ghoul there's still longtime member The Nameless Horror on bass. After that there's drummer Friar Frightengale who's been with the band a long time. Guitarist Cousin Eerie came on in 2014. He's been the key to making this act more explosive with better riffs and soloing out the wazoo! 

In the end you've got fifteen songs perfect for Halloween playing. Then again it could be right fuckin now. For me I like it all now. Not every track is perfect but out of the bunch there's some winners which makes this a killer album. Nuff Said!

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LISTEN HERE:

https://lurkingcorpses.bandcamp.com/album/lurking-after-midnight

CEMETERY URN - Suffer The Fallen review

 

CEMETERY URN - Suffer The Fallen

Hells Headbangers Records

I got into Australia's CEMETERY URN a few years back just because they had band members who were in BESTIAL WARLUST, HOBBS ANGEL OF DEATH and ABOMINATOR. I mean that's three aces of Australian extreme metal right there. The first album I heard by CEMETERY URN was their self titled album from 2017. That also came out on Hells Headbangers Records. 

Here we have the fifth full length by this old school death metal act and honestly I think it's their best. Since getting into em years ago I now have all of their releases. So what makes this their best is a masterful attack. First and foremost is that D. Bloodstorm (aka: Damon Burr) is back on vocals. This guy gives forth some of the best blast furnace vocals around in Australian extreme metal. 

Add to that the guitar duo work of Andrew Undertaker (aka: Andrew Gillon) and Dan Maccioni. We're talking about a riff package which is punishing with solos that dive bomb like lightning from the sky. The drum work from Brandon Gawith is savage as all hell. New bass player, Bo Remy, carries the weight.

The eight songs on here are a monstrous bunch of savage to have you sitting on a chair waiting for your execution. The album starts off subtle but ends in a ferocious maniacal way. This is punishing OSDM with a sadistic smile. Yeah it's their best album as well as bestial to the hilt. 

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LISTEN HERE:

https://cemetery-urn.bandcamp.com/album/suffer-the-fallen

MEDIEVAL DEMON - Black Coven review

 

MEDIEVAL DEMON - Black Coven

Hells Headbangers Records

Decades ago Greece had a fairly cool black metal scene. I'm not about to name drop my way into a history lesson. If you're into BM then you know the facts. MEDIEVAL DEMON was actually part of that early Greek BM scene. Unfortunately while their contemporaries put out albums that we BM fans call classics. MEDIEVAL DEMON farted around until 1998 when they finally released a full length titled Demonolatria. 

If you've got that release, and I'm betting it's the reissue with the tame cover art. Then you know that MEDIEVAL DEMON were different then their fellow Greek BM acts. They were more towards the symphonic horror side of the scene. And then after that they split up. 

Now normally MEDIEVAL DEMON would've fell into that for sale pack of "obscure black metal". But no because in 2018 they came back and with a self released album Medieval Necromancy. Since then they've put out two more with this one, Black Coven, being the third and second one to come out on Hells Headbangers Records. 

Musically MEDIEVAL DEMON create old school melodic yet symphonic black metal. Their use of keyboards gives things a ghastly gothic touch. They're also one of the few BM acts to include saxophone in a few songs which comes off kinda cool. But the band cover the basics. Tortured vocals, melodic riffs with a few scorching solos. The rhythm section is solid. And when they kick into high gear it's cool as fuck.

Overall I believe since MEDIEVAL DEMON's resurrection a few years back that this is their best album. 

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LISTEN HERE:

https://medievaldemon.bandcamp.com/album/black-coven

ACID WITCH – Rot Among Us review

 

ACID WITCH – Rot Among Us

Hells Headbangers Records

Well with Halloween 2022 a few weeks away it's a perfect time for ACID WITCH to release something new. Here's the shocker it's a full length, their fourth and it's been five years since their last one. Yeah for the past couple of years it's been EPs and comp releases. 

I'll admit that I liked this Detroit act's early stuff. You had sludgey stoner doom mixed with all the horror shtick. While they always utilized the synths in their songs to a horrific creepy accent. 2017's Evil Sound Screamers brought their use to the forefront. That was a decent album but I'll always reach for 2010's Stoned as my go to ACID WITCH album.

So with this new one I'm kinda disappointed. Sure the band is still in full on cheesy horror mode. But overall it's like they're more influenced by King Diamond then the SAB 4. There's some cool old style headbanging tracks like "The Sleeper" and “Devil’s Night Doom”. But there's more of a prog-like psych style on other cuts with the added demonic screech howled vocals. 

If I were on drugs then yeah I'd be freaking out. "5508 Martin St" which is supposed to be a Detroit folklore cut is not scary or rocking at all. The opener "Gather Each Witch" as well as the title cut had me bored. How do you open an album without some excitement? Of course the latter half of Rot Among Us is no prize either. Yeah like I said earlier this is a disappointment with repetitive riffs throughout. And I thought missing the NUNSLAUGHTER show the other night was a bummer. This made things worse.

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LISTEN HERE:

https://acid-witch-detroit.bandcamp.com/album/rot-among-us

DEATHHAMMER - Electric Warfare review

 

DEATHHAMMER - Electric Warfare

Hells Headbangers Records

When you need Metal, go to Hell (aka: Hells Headbangers Records). When you want old school sounding blackened thrash, check out DEATHHAMMER. I've been a fan of this Norwegian duo since hearing their Phantom Knights full length back in 2010. And of course I've stayed a fan ever since. 

This is album number five for these guys. And as always these guys never disappoint nor do they deviate from their blackened thrash pedigree. Harsh riffs, psycho solos, pounding drum work and vocals which are cursed out or screamed is what you get here. There's no one else better at it than these guys. 

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LISTEN HERE:

https://deathhammer.bandcamp.com/

NUNSLAUGHTER - Red is the Color of Ripping Death review

 

NUNSLAUGHTER - Red is the Color of Ripping Death

Hells Headbangers Records

It's been quite a few years since NUNSLAUGHTER's last full length release Angelic Dread. Of course there's an obvious reason. With the passing of their long time drummer Jim Sadist back in October 2015. The band was put on hold but vocalist Don of the Dead vowed that they would continue. And as you know, if you're a fan, for the past few years there's been a ton of releases (aka: Splits, EPs, Comps and Live albums). But they haven't released a full length until now.

Now just to set the record straight I considered 2014's Angelic Dread to be NUNSLAUGHTER's best full length ever. So coming into this was interesting to say the least. You've got Don on vocals and Tormentor still on guitars. But now you've got new people like Wrath on drums who came on board in 2016. And last but not least is new bassist Detonate who joined in 2019. 

So the simple fact that I love NUNSLAUGHTER had to be put aside. And even with that in mind I like this album a lot. The bad production days are over with when it comes to NUNSLAUGHTER. Don of the Dead is all for quality when it comes to invoking his utter disgust. Sure the songs on here are on par with the band's fast and furious stance. But the longer cuts of the fourteen are amazing. 

Yes it's their same death thrash attack going on here. Sure it's death metal as their genre tagline goes. But I've considered their face peeling riffs and drum speed to be that of a thrashy nature. After multiple listens I'm happy to say Red is the Color of Ripping Death is my second favorite album by em. The title cut is a new NUNSLAUGHTER classic in my not so humble opinion. After that you've got a cool mix of face rippers which you expect but other cuts convey some sinister atmosphere. 

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LISTEN HERE:

https://nunslaughter.bandcamp.com/album/red-is-the-color-of-ripping-death

EXPUNGED - Self Titled EP review

 

EXPUNGED - Self Titled EP

Hells Headbangers Records

When it comes to releases by Hells Headbangers Records I'm pretty much hooked like a junkie. Blackened thrash from parts unknown, I'll take it. Some bestial blackened filth from a Midwest American burg band who's release is cassette only, sure why not. But once in a while this label will release something that's not so cliche. This here is one of em.

EXPUNGED is a new Canadian three piece who are into old school death metal. Although their take on it is not so cliche. The five cuts displayed on this EP are brutal, filthy and thrashy. If ya wanna pick it apart as far as past influences go it's a combination of early US and Swedish death metal. Good stuff.

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LISTEN HERE:

https://expunged.bandcamp.com/album/expunged-2

HEGEMONY - Enthroned by Persecution review

 

HEGEMONY - Enthroned by Persecution

Hells Headbangers Records

HEGEMONY is a three piece act hailing from Alabama but you can be forgiven if you thought they were a Finnish blackened death band. Yeah I was shocked, shocked I say, when I learned that. But always remember, when you see the Hells Headbangers logo on the back of a release you just buy it. You know it's going to be extreme.

This release is good if you're into a low-fi filth ridden sounding crud, which obviously I am. I know I mentioned the Finnish connection but I'd also add a hint of Columbian blackened death squad sounds. Oh so fitting since this band from the states comes from the deep south. 

Musically this debut album is relentless in it's brutal sound. The maniacal drum work leads the way through most of their cuts. The riffs are full on deranged passages which follow the drumming. Once in a while the bass sounds come in to be diabolical. And of course the vocals are cavernous/bestial. 

Listening to Enthroned by Persecution is as if they're about to be set on fire if they don't please a tyrannical ruler set upon by psychotic fantasies of grandeur. I've got some friends down in Alabama, hopefully who survived the hurricane. I'm gonna ask them about this band. 

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LISTEN HERE:

https://hegemonicdeath.bandcamp.com/releases

SHED THE SKIN - The Forbidden Arts review

SHED THE SKIN - The Forbidden Arts

Hells Headbangers Records




Alright call me bias but I'm like a magnet to almost everything Ash Thomas (guitar and vocals on here) is involved with. The guy is an incredible modern artist when it comes to death metal. If you're a fan of bands like CRUCIFIED MORTALS, ESTUARY and the DM supergroup SURGIKILL then you know what I mean. Buy the way the guy loves Finnish death metal.


Which brings us to this release and the third from this act who've been around for nine years now. Nice little side project since it also has Kyle Severn of INCANTATION and Ed Stephens plus Matt Sorg both of BEYOND FEAR and RINGWORM respectively. With this foursome the death metal influences rage on with some old school touches of Finnish and USDM.


Taking that into account, The Forbidden Arts sounds like something from thirty years ago. Thankfully the production is modern as in great bestial vocals and soloing that stands out. The riffs vs vocals is as heavy as an elephant sitting on your face. If this is not one of my favorite DM releases in a while then I'd be lying. 


https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/

https://shed-the-skin.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/shedtheskin