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

 

CONFESSOR A.D - Too Late To Pray review

CONFESSOR A.D - Too Late To Pray

Nihilistic Holocaust




Imagine if you will, back in the early 90s AMON AMARTH decided to ditch the whole Viking shtick and concentrated on just something sounding more thrash oriented as well as having melodic death metal traces. Well here you go What If-ers. CONFESSOR A.D. is a band hailing from France that fits that scenario.


On this their debut EP the band puts forth five cuts of unashamed early 90's influenced death thrash with a vocalist who could be a stand in for Johan Hegg. Although according to their promo info the band states that black metal is within the mix I say no. 

The only thing I can say bad about this release is that at times the drummer sounds like he's banging on Tupperware. Other than that the riffs are sinister at most times, happy and melodic at others. Song structures grab a hold of you and wanna induce slam pit action. All in all a cool sounding start plus they do a hipster hate song which is huge points in my book.

http://nihilistic.shost.ca/

https://nihilisticholocaustrecs.bandcamp.com/album/too-late-to-pray

EXCORIATE - Of the Ghastly Stench review

EXCORIATE - Of the Ghastly Stench

Nihilistic Holocaust




So here we have a cassette demo by a Chilean death metal act put out by a French death metal webzine. Did I just get transported back to 1989 or what? As far as the band goes, EXCORIATE actually started out in 2002. Over the years they've managed to put out a few demos and splits. Hell after all these years they're still putting out a demo is weird given all the availability of self releasing. 

Well be that as it may EXCORIATE do a fine job of waxing nostagia for people like me who actually remember. The handful of cuts on here push the whole death doom and gloom estectic of the late 80's death metal crunch. Opener,"Teofisto", is an instrumental that sets up the mood which is an obvious throwback style of the past. Next comes the bleeding into an actual cut, "Oh! Peaceful Derketa", which drags you along kicking and screaming. What follows is a mix of dirty death doom on the next two cuts.

EXCORIATE would do right by putting their whole discography on a compilation. After that they could do a new full length. They're the type of band you would expect to hear on Greyhaze Records.

http://nihilistic.shost.ca/

https://nihilisticholocaustrecs.bandcamp.com/

BLACK BLEEDING - The Awakening reissue

BLACK BLEEDING - The Awakening reissue

Nihilistic Holocaust




It's getting to the point where I should change the header for the blog to Home of the Reissues since I've been reviewing a lot this month. That's fine of course because then you and I would miss out on past gems that for some reason didn't get their due respect or at least some recognition that fans would want to know about. Case in point right here, BLACK BLEEDING, a blackened death three piece from Belgium but considers themselves a Belgian/ French band. 

The band is not new in fact they've been around since the late 90s and have three full length albums under their belts to show for it. Their most recent was A Bright Future which was released in 2014. This one here, The Awakening, was a demo they put out back in 2005. It was originally released on tape by Nihilistic Holocaust back then. But now the original label has re-released it with new artwork, layout and basically making it look like a semi-decent package. Trust me if you've seen the older cover art then you'll be glad at the upgrade.

Of course I had to go listen to their last two full lengths (the previously mentioned A Bright Future from 2014 and it's predecessor The Great Satan from 2009) to get some feeling because this one predates those two. The Awakening is five songs of which I believe the band was in the midst of a re-branding in order to see where they were headed. The albums that came after this are more melodic which is why this is interesting because on here the songs all have an old school feel, yeah there's melody but also more experimentation. 

This thing opens with "The Sleeper has Awakened", and uses a soundbite from the movie Dune as well. A good send off with savage blackened death riffage, both cavernous and shrieked vocals. After a barrage of sound the band knows how to throw a segue in before the soloing and blast beat attack commences. That same theme carries through on the next three cuts. I'd say " Lord of the Worms" is a punisher. Then we get to cut five, "Demonic Quantum Boundaries" where the band starts off with some psych blues rhythm and whispers but then kicks into overdrive with a hellish assault. The thing ends almost hypnotically with a jam out and them a atmospheric keyboard outro. 

Rating: 4/5

http://nihilistic.shost.ca/Label/moreinfos/moreinfos_blackbleeding3.htm

https://www.facebook.com/beerbleeding

https://blackbleeding.bandcamp.com/