CONDEMNER - Male Patratis Sunt Atra Theatra Parata review

 

CONDEMNER - Male Patratis Sunt Atra Theatra Parata

Self Released

After giving this release a bunch of listens I was reminded of a crazy time from my past. Trust me there's a lot of em. But one time I came home from a party. It was after 3 AM and I was drunk as fuck but I had some beers leftover from when I went to the store. So I'm home and decide to blast some MORTICIAN. The CD was not over before the cops show up telling me there's been a noise complaint. Good times but bad decisions on my part and I think I woke up on the floor. 

But anyways I'm listening to this the second album by this Texas based Blackened Death Metal three piece act. Musically we are talking cryptic in everything this band does. You've basically got diabolical riffs, heavy ass drum work and a coal miner singing. Slow and methodical it is. Sounds like it was recorded at a practice space oh hell yeah. 

Then again look at the cover artwork and you get the idea. This is all about pain and torture. It's old school DM to it's lowest point and still sounds cool. 

LISTEN TO AND BUY IT HERE:

https://condemner.bandcamp.com/album/male-patratis-sunt-atra-theatra-parata

BLACK FUNERAL - Wallachian Voivode EP review

 

BLACK FUNERAL - Wallachian Voivode EP

Dark Adversary Productions

So I've been a BLACK FUNERAL fan since, whoa wait a minute I'll save that story when they put out another full length. What we have here is a two song EP by this Texas black metal institution. Mainman Akhtya Nachttoter (vocals / bass / electronics) still thinks it 1995 when it comes to black metal and good for him. For those of you who don't know, Akhtya Nachttoter thinks Texas is Norway. I'm just saying. 

Anyways this is a good / typical BLACK FUNERAL release to say the least. The first track, "Wallachian Voivode (Screams of the Impaled)" is an almost twelve minute long opus about you know who. It has all the obvious points which are part ambient and full on grim & frosty sounds. Azgorh Drakenhof, who joined the band in 2015, is perfectly skilled in cold and cruel blackened riffs. Add to that everything else he adds to the sound is perfect. 

The drum work by An Unnamed Spirit, who's been with the band since 2020, is decent enough. On the second track, the five and half minute"Scholomance (The Dragon's Elixir)", he's pretty much keeping time while Akhtya Nachttoter bass plays and vocalizes across harsh and ugly vocal tones. Azgorh Drakenhof contributes the most cold brew riffs imaginable from the US. 

In the end I'm bias, I'm a BLACK FUNERAL fan. Now when is the next full length coming out?   

https://darkadversary.bigcartel.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://blackfuneral.bandcamp.com/album/wallachian-voivode 

INFESTATION OF EVIL - Engulfed by Shapeless Cruelties review

 

INFESTATION OF EVIL -  Engulfed by Shapeless Cruelties

Self Released

Ya know it's one thing to be an old school sounding death metal / death thrash act. It's another thing to have your debut full length sounding like it was recorded on a 1980's era boombox. I mean are we really going to that extreme to be old school? 

Be that as it may INFESTATION OF EVIL are a four piece act from El Paso, Texas who actually are a cool sounding band if you can think better of the production / recording of this their debut full length. I wanna get their compilation from last year aka: Antiquus Maledicte Compendiumfrom just to compare sound-wise. 

Yeah this is something which I'd expect from a Nuclear War Now reissue. No offense to that great label but they've put out some stinkers for the devoted. With that said INFESTATION OF EVIL are a damm good death metal, death thrash and death doom type of band. But honestly this recording sucks.

LISTEN TO AND BUY HERE:

https://infestationofevil.bandcamp.com/album/engulfed-by-shapeless-cruelties-2

SADISTIC FORCE - Midnight Assassin review

SADISTIC FORCE -  Midnight Assassin

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

I've been checking out a lot of extreme metal acts from Texas this year whether it's new stuff or some reissues all of which have come in for review. Lot's of good stuff has come in as far as extreme music goes and this one fits the bill. This second album by the Austin, Texas three-piece SADISTIC FORCE was tagged as blackened speed metal. OK sure it's that but a whole lot more and in a cool way. 

First off I think the whole US "blackened" whatever (thrash or speed metal) has been a generic dud over the past bunch of years. But of late I've found some cool stuff. So here we have a band that comes along and breaks out from that pattern. Basically SADISTIC FORCE know how to fuckin rock as well as rip faces off. This is real old school sounding speed metal and not hardcore influenced thrash.

First and foremost I love the guitar soloing on this release. It's the hard rocking part. Black n Roll anyone? Add to that the savage vocal style with a few Tom G Warrior grunts to kick it old school. The riff package is old school and damm good. "Speeding Black Leather Hell" is absolutely amazing. The title track invites you to an early black metal experience and switches to a riff savvy kick ass tune. Hell Fuckin Yeah!

I could go on about this album's greatness ("Nuremberg Nights" is MOTORHEAD worship to a point). Or the white heat of "The Butcher's Apron". The short intro comes across like the opening moments of a horror slasher movie. But hey look at the cover artwork and you'll understand. "Campaign of Sin" is a fuckin anthem. All nine tracks on this album rule. 

 

SADISTIC FORCE are making metal which is offensive to safe sedate mainstream losers and I fuckin love it. Midnight Assassin is perfect in that all the tracks are unique. There's no repetitive generic style at all. This band has taken all that is great out there and combined in into one. Fire at will! 

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/midnight-assassin

  

LEFT TO ROT - Breath of the Tomb EP review

 

LEFT TO ROT - Breath of the Tomb EP

Self Released

Straight outta Texas kickin ass and taking names, here we have the debut release from this Austin based death metal three piece act. Take note of this band's name. I'm sure you'll be seeing it a lot in the near future. Oddly enough I've been getting back into demos and short form release collections by older bands. I guess irony has come into play with something new which sounds old.

On this five cut EP (four songs and an intro) LEFT TO ROT make it clear that they're influenced by old school US death metal from the early 90's. Think CANNIBAL CORPSE and DEICIDE as mainstays for what you'll hear from em. After my first listen I was cool with it as in OK you're another OSDM revival band. I've probably got at least a hundred CDs by OSDM revival bands that have come out over the past fifteen years. But then why do I own all of those releases? Because the music is cool.

So for starters LEFT TO ROT do have a brutal yet murky sound which does come across as dark as well as threatening. Their songs are mid-paced with an emphasis on thick guitar tones, well done drum work and some classic heavy handed bass. The vocals are standard guttural but varies in delivery. Of course the guitar soloing is in the dive bombing surgical strike variety. 

As I mentioned earlier remember this band's name. Not just because I like it. But there are millions of OSDM fans out there and a few of em run labels that specify in this style of extreme. So don't be surprised to see this band putting out a full length next year on one of those labels. 

LISTEN TO AND BUY IT HERE:

https://lefttorot.bandcamp.com/album/breath-of-the-tomb

MORDANT RHED - Fuck Your Feeble World EP review

 

MORDANT RHED - Fuck Your Feeble World EP

Self Released

In all honesty when I see a photo of a band wearing ski masks these days I think they're into terrorism or they're antifa (yeah same thing). Normally I just think "no thanks". But hey thankfully this band, who hail from the great state of Texas, are neither. 

MORDANT RHED are a four piece black metal act who started out a few years ago. To their credit they've put out an EP from 2018, Live at the Z Bar, and three releases in 2023. Prior to this four song EP the band released a four song demo in January, to which a couple of tracks are on this EP. Add to that there's the "15 Winters" single. Once again that song appears on this EP. So the bottom line is don't buy their back catalog because it's all on this release. 

Musically MORDANT RHED might be from Texas but sound like they're from mid 1990's Europe. The fun part is where. The vocals  have a combo of banshee screech and guttural vulgarity. The guitars have that typical old school pissed of hornet's sound. There's a bass player but he's keeping rhythm. And the drum work is blast beat basics. So actually this sounds kinda cool. 

I have no idea if this band wanted to sound like a 90's black metal band from parts overseas but they nail it. The production is actually cool as fuck. I feel like I'm writing about a European black metal demo in 1995 then from Texas 2023. What's really cool is that MORDANT RHED are not into homage. This is them and I like it a lot. 

LISTEN AND BUY HERE:

https://mordantrhed.bandcamp.com/album/f-ck-your-feeble-world-ep

SAVIORSKIN - Invicta Mori / DoomFather review

 

SAVIORSKIN - Invicta Mori / DoomFather

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

So this is my first time checking out this gothic death doom act who hail from Houston, Texas. Although I have heard some tracks by them on the Horror Pain Gore Death Productions' compilations. I never listened to any of their full lengths, this is their third, until now. But I'm very familiar with the style of metal they're producing.

Throughout this album you can hear influences from what is known as the Peaceville three aka: PARADISE LOST, MY DYING BRIDE and ANATHEMA. Add to that there's a touch of early 1990's industrial metal or mechanized tempos. It's as if Justin Broadrick (JESU, GODFLESH) came in to toss in some ideas. There is a guest on this release but I'll get to that later.

To me this is late night music in right now as I'm writing this review. The vocals are a mix of wounded growls and melancholy clean singing. Musically the band's sound is one foot in death doom and the other in some epic gothic metal style. The early part of the album shows off more of the experimentation. Like on opener "Iconoclast" you've got everything previously mentioned plus a cool guitar solo which breaks out of the darkness. 

Mid-way through the album the band breaks from the harsh reality to add some melodic touches. What continues onward is once again on par with the band formula. The special guest on here is MORGOTH's vocalist Marc Grewe who contributes on the album's last track, "Sycophant." The album is nine songs worth of miserable joy. By the way the CD version contains the band's four-song DoomFather EP as an extra.

In the end I'm PARADISE LOST fan therefore any band that takes them as an influence and injects some personal touches, I'll also like. This third album by SAVIORSKIN is damm good. I'm sure people into this style of metal will go ape-shit over it. Oddly enough Horror Pain Gore Death Productions is known for putting out releases by bands who's sounds are what I'd call beating people up music. And I like that a lot about em. So this release is like OK I beat the shit out of someone last night but I have a sensitive side. 

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/invicta-mori-doomfather

KRULLUR - Dead Live! review

 

KRULLUR - Dead Live!

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

This release brings back cool memories from my past. Not that it's about this particular band. Instead it's the live format which brings back times when I'd blast tapes of live shows which were either from locals or bands from other places. The key part is the band are playing to locals and the crowd appreciation is obviously noted. 

So who we have here is KRULLUR a death grind band who hail from Texas and started out back in 1990. Career wise during the 1990's they put out a handful of short form releases (some demos and a split release). In 2001 they finally put out a full length, Open Ass Surgery, which came out on Facepeel Records. Unfortunately that would be the last sounds from these Texans for a while.

In 2013 the band did make a comeback with a six song EP, Grounds for Termination. Once again some time would pass till 2016 when Horror Pain Gore Death Productions released their seven song Failure To Comply EP. So here we are with a live album from the band. Actually it's original members Jay Langston on drums and Marty Langston who's their lead guitarist. They're joined by bassist Brian Lowden who joined the band in 2015. Finally there's Kirk who joined the band in 2019 and handles guitar and vocals. 

This album was recorded in the band's home town of Houston Texas. Musically it's 1990's nostalgia death grind at it's best. The vocals have that snarling punk rock aesthetic while the riffs, heavy as fuck bass lines and drums are ripping metal. The guitar leads are dive bomb lighting bolts. They also include some covers in their set. There's "Musclehead" by NAPALM DEATH which I can see. But they also cover "Kill Ugly Pop" by LIP CREAM which was a surprise.

In the end this is a damm great release. I mean I wanna see this band kick ass in a small local club. I'm too fuckin old for the slam pit action which should commence. I'll just be the old guy on the side with a evil smile on his face. Yeah this fuckin rules!

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/dead-live

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/ 

TRENCHANT - Commandoccult review

 

TRENCHANT - Commandoccult

Godz Ov War Productions

Alright so you name your band after what I believe is a knife used during the first World War in Europe. Add to that your album cover has a depiction of a WWI German Army Stahlhelm helmet. Then of course there's your songs with lyrics which are definitely war/conflict related. So I'm just going to go out on a limb and say you're a War Metal band.

With all of that said this is a debut album by TRENCHANT a three piece death metal act from Austin, Texas. The band has only been around since 2016 but the members are all veterans of some extreme bands I've known over the years. For example their bassist was in the black metal act AVERSE SEFIRA. Their drummer was in MORBOSIDAD and their guitarist/vocalist was in IMPRECATION. 

Of course after one listen to this release you realize that they're not kids writing songs about their experiences on Call of Duty or whatever it's called video games. If anything TRENCHANT come across as a more blackened version of GOD DETHRONED especially with the vocals. And as we all know, or should, GOD DETHRONED have had their own foray into War Metal.

Be that as it may Commandoccult has it's own defining moments. As the title suggests the theme is war and occultism. Musically the band's lyrics are more abstract to the subject matter as opposed to a more direct approach which is basic in War Metal acts. The album starts off pretty simple but by it's middle point that's when the real beast comes out. 

Yeah this is straight forward blackened death metal which at times tosses in some tech death soloing. There's a touch of melody choked in at parts. But mostly you've got deadly riffs, jackhammer drumming and low or no bass whatsoever. I liked the addition of the MOLESTED cover, "Pyre at the Tarn". In the end this is a good start.

http://godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

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

UNHOLY DESECRATION - Unholy Horde review

UNHOLY DESECRATION - Unholy Horde

Confused Records




So here we have some blackened death metal from the great state of Texas. Pardon the pun but the state has always been a hotbed for extreme metal. This five piece hails from the city of Mission which if you look it up is down close to the border with Mexico. 


So why am I giving you the geography lesson? Because after listening to this, their debut release. You would think they were from a European nation. If I had a coin with Sweden on one side and Poland on the other. I'd give it a flip and win each time. 


When I started listening to this release I was giving an OK thought. But by the halfway mark I knew something cool was going on here. UNHOLY DESECRATION just started out a few years ago. But they're obviously seasoned vets who came together with a plan. By my second listen I knew this was gonna be a winner.


Now as far as the sound on here you've got some AMON AMARTH and VADER influences in abundance. Melody and brutality are intertwined in combat for supremacy. And yet neither one can survive without the other. Vocal wise the singer here sounds like Johan Hegg. Nothing wrong with that since I like Hegg's vocals. In fact I use to be a huge AMON AMARTH fan until their albums started sounding like a viking version of AC/DC. 


Musically on the other hand their influences really don't define them. They're not trying to be South Texas vikings. Instead this is the music of a satanic murder cult. They know how to pound nails into eardrums with savage riffs as well as slash throats with sharp guitar soloing. Yeah I like it. So next year at Wacken how bout it?


https://www.facebook.com/confusedrecordstx/

https://unholydesecration.bandcamp.com/album/unholy-horde-3

https://www.facebook.com/Unholy-Desecration-186232872029248/

OATH OF CRUELTY - Summary Execution at Dawn review

OATH OF CRUELTY - Summary Execution at Dawn

Dark Descent Records




I should do a January listing of all the great albums that I missed at the end of the previous year because I'm so fuckin busy in December. This here is the debut full length by this Texas extreme metal act. The tagline on this is death thrash and yeah it's all of that. But if you think about it, a spiked gauntlet here, a cool thrash riff there, some blast beats and a dive bomb solo and you say blackened thrash as well. 


Well you've gotta like a band who start their album off with a song titled "Pounding Hooves of Shrapnel". Otherwise musically this is quite technical is respects to the drum work pounding in sync with the riffs as well as the vocals. There's an upfront destructive pummeling mixed with some decent melodies and total black metal worship from a bygone era. The solos are scythe like slices cutting through the mania. 


OATH OF CRUELTY are some accomplished musicians with a love of the past which comes across so much on this album. Whether it's the Tom G. Warrior type grunts, blackened throat vocals, some SLAYER like riffs and the Teutonic thrash drum work which also borders on modern black metal powerhouse pounding, yeah it's controlled chaos at it's finest.


http://www.darkdescentrecords.com/

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/summary-execution-at-dawn

https://www.facebook.com/OathOfCruelty

DEVOURMENT - Obscene Majesty review

DEVOURMENT - Obscene Majesty

Relapse Records




Two decades ago this Texas based act released their debut full length Molesting the Decapitated. At the time it was herald as a masterpiece of brutal death metal perfection with tech death proficiency. In other words they were IMPETIGO on steroids and I liked it.  But my attitude toward that record and this band has changed over time. The two major parts of that record were the vocals and the drum work. Those two portions would go onto up the ante' for the brutal death metal genre's future.


I'm not going to elaborate on everything that happened to DEVOURMENT's career afterwards, which pretty much sucked. I also think that whole slam death metal thing which followed with dozens of copycat bands was, to put it nicely, not that cool. Like I said I'm being nice because I could really get critical. But now we have a new album by DEVOURMENT and it's what I'd call a true follow-up of Molesting the Decapitated because everything in-between has sucked.


Most prominently this album has the sick and twisted original Ruben Rosas back on vocals. This is the guy who set the standard for the future of noxious brutal death metal vocals. Add to that drummer Brad Fincher returns to the bookend position. It's Fincher's accelerated beats, maniacal snare blastbeats and jazz influenced interplay which made the rhythm section portion of the band so exciting. 


Of course the riffs and bass work, sandwiched between the standouts, are standard fair almost to the point of recycling. The guitars create a wall of noise when needed most of the time. Where as when things slow down the crushing atmosphere in minimal. It's during those times where the bass makes some intrusion.


In the end I see DEVOURMENT's return to the past release as being decent. Citing it as anything more than a return to form would mean overlooking a whole genre catalog that's been brutalizing audiences of death metal fans for years.


https://store.relapse.com/

https://devourment.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/DevourmentOfficial

TRENCH WARFARE - Hatred Prayer review

TRENCH WARFARE - Hatred Prayer 

Transcending Obscurity Records




What we have here is the debut full length by this Texas five piece act who delve in blackened death territory. If you're confused well so was I thinking this was a long time grind act also from Texas. But no and that would've been easier to write about. Still these guys are also from Texas.


TRENCH WARFARE remind me of South American blackened death performed by people involved in Satan worshiping death cults. They have that crass crunchy punishing speed which touches on death grind. Some times they toss in some death doom which comes across as meat and potatoes.


There are two basic components which make TRENCH WARFARE as well as this release worthwhile. First are the vocals by Jay Gorania. The guy has a singing style which comes across more like someone giving a sermon. Then again he puts forth something like a satanic hardcore/grind vocal with added curses. 


The second component is the punishing riffs with come across as scraping the sides of a granite wall. The genre tag line might say blackened death. But these guys are forging through grind, some death doom and even a straight up 80's style hardcore feel. Hey they're from Texas so what would you expect. 


https://tometal.com/

https://trenchwarfaremetal.bandcamp.com/album/hatred-prayer-black-death-metal

https://www.facebook.com/trenchwarfaretexas?fref=ts

ARCHANGEL A.D. - Warband review

ARCHANGEL A.D. - Warband 

Self-Released




Ever hear of the Impossible Burger? It's basically a veggie burger with the color and texture of ground beef. The thing is made up of bamboo, sage brush, Tannis root, kudzu and plenty of food coloring. By adding a slew of toppings it's supposed to give you the idea that you're actually eating a burger. But in the end regardless of what you slap onto it you know it's not a real burger. Which is the same attitude I give to modern day thrash.


Regular readers of SFM666, this site and the lost in-between years, will note I've given the thrash genre hell because too many of it's modern practitioners all want to concentrate on the add ons, the toppings to still use burger analogy's. They fail to realize that good thrash depends not on what you add to it in order to stand out amongst the past or pack. It's the basic essentials that count. I'm talking about the basic riffs, edgy vocals as well as leads and a decent structure to songs which have a familiar ring to em so listeners can grasp onto.


ARCHANGEL A.D. from Texas gets it. This their debut EP originally came out last year. The reason why I'm reviewing it now is because it just now came in for review and is available on CD. Would be really cool if it were on vinyl but hey one step at a time. Like I said ARCHANGEL A.D. hail from Texas and are a four piece act (yeah well the best thrash acts are four piece acts anyway). Musically they nail the basics with a sound reminiscent of an in-between version of Metallica and MEGADETH. 


Warband is six cuts one of which is an instrumental. They also delve into some doom on their fifth cut "Evil Dreams" which comes across as SOLITUDE AETURNUS, a former Texas native, trying their best to be thrashy. Although me thinks the band was pushing for a CANDLEMASS comparison. Either way US Thrash has something good going with this act. Please no revivalism, just a couple of good bands who know the greatness of thrash lies in the meat.


https://archangelad.bandcamp.com/releases

https://www.facebook.com/ArchangelA.D/

ABOLISHMENT OF FLESH - The Inhuman Condition review

ABOLISHMENT OF FLESH - The Inhuman Condition

Unholy Anarchy Records


Ya know when I first listened to this and the opening song was playing my thoughts were OK meat & potatoes death metal. As the release continued on my opinion shifted in a whole other direction. Actually this is fantastic death metal steeped in the American traditional brutal style. But there's plenty of influences embedded inside plus it's packed with shifting song structures that'll knock you back.

First off a little history for ya. The main man behind this Texas band is Ramon Cazares who's responsible for vocals, guitar (live) bass and drums (in the studio). The second guitarist is Izaak Chavez and I'm guessing he provides the lead work. Still this is basically Cazares' project. Years ago he was in the band ABOLISHMENT. But then that band pretty much split up leaving Cazares to continue on but now going by the name ABOLISHMENT OF FLESH.

On The Inhuman Condition, Cazares uses the basic brutal old school death metal template then builds upon it with some tech death and melodic touches. All of which leaves you feeling oppressed and plowed over but still a sense to carry onward. To me it's all about the song craft which builds with each of the eleven tracks. Either way it's modern death metal done right. 


https://unholyanarchy.aisamerch.com/

https://www.facebook.com/abolishmentoffleshofficial/


Sorry don't have access to any new material to post so here's something older:

CRIMSON DEVILS - A Taste For Blood review

CRIMSON DEVILS - A Taste For Blood

Self Released




Well this is the second time in 2018 (as well as in January) that I'm starting a review with the words "It's not Metal but I like it and know a lot about it." (Hmmm, is this gonna be a trend?) Here we have an Austin, Texas act who have a sound firmly plucked from late 90's Hard Fuckin Rock n Roll, Garage Rock or Hard Rockin Punk. Yeah pick your own genre tag but sound-wise this reminds me of bands like NINE POUND HAMMER, QUADRAJETS, HOOKERS and a host of other era acts.

Back in the late 90s when Scumfeast was a fanzine me and co-editor Andy would cover a lot of bands like this. It's just great fuckin music for anyone into loud shit that rocks your head, soul  or liver. Yeah this is definitely whisky soaked sounds with a hefty heap of Southern swagger. Eleven cuts in all. I like em all but "STFU" is my fave. Some label needs to sign this band up NOW.

https://crimsondevils.bandcamp.com/


https://www.facebook.com/crimsondevils/

WHORE OF BETHLEHEM - Extinguish the Light review

WHORE OF BETHLEHEM - Extinguish the Light

Black Market Metal Label





Waitaminute, I thought the whore came from Babylon? Well be that as it may what we have here is some blackened death from Texas. A little warning towards ya. If you're not feeling well, as in you've got a cold like I do now, then listening to this will be more miserable than you already feel. This is the second full length by the five piece WHORE OF BETHLEHEM. I never heard their debut, Upon Judas' Throne, which came out in 2014. But after a few painful listens to this all I can say is that it's pretty damm good.

I just gotta say having a head full of snot and coughing your brains out makes a song like "Overtaken By Evil" feel ten times worse. With it's staccato riffs and jack hammer blast beats it feels like you're being attacked by a horde of harpies being commanded by a thousand eyed beast. That's just one of the many joyful tunes on here that would make any cruelty obsessed person grim with delight.

If anything, WHORE OF BETHLEHEM remind me of early BELPHEGOR. I mean the riff style and drum patterns as well as the song structures are similar. It's partially there on the opener "Ritual Purification" and full on with "Invocation". Nothing wrong with that since I like BELPHEGOR. All in all a good nine tracks (one's an instrumental) of blackened brutality.

http://www.blackmarketmetal.net/

https://whoreofbethlehem.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/wobethlehem

NEXUL - Paradigm of Chaos review

NEXUL -  Paradigm of Chaos

Hells Headbangers Records




NEXUL hail from Texas, is a side project which features band members of NYOGTHAEBLISZ and HELLVETRON (two past faves of mine), are also members of the Ordo Satanae Imperium collective and with this their full length debut have released blackened death hell on the populace. For reality's sake I won't say it's more devastating then that hurricane which hit Texas weeks ago but for the extreme music public then yeah it's a burner.


Musically the sound on Paradigm of Chaos by this four piece is not far from what these guys do in their primary bands. Basically it's bringing blackened raw produced chaos in the vein of SARCOFAGO, BEHERIT and BLASPHEMY up to somewhat modern standard's pandemonium. After the lackluster and confusing intro, songs burst out with heated hatred like Satan spitting in your face. The cuts on here vary in time signatures from nothing over six minutes to short grind bursts. In fact there's nothing much on here that pitifully bored hipster types would call atmospheric. Then again for me necro drenched hell spawned filth is a good atmosphere. Yeah it's a matter of taste and for me right now that flavor is brimstone.


https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/

https://nexul.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Nexul-364297183771475/

TYRANNOSORCERESS - Shattering Light's Creation review

TYRANNOSORCERESS - Shattering Light's Creation

Tofu Carnage Records



I was thinking this was going to be black metal but no it has too much death metal song structures in it. This five piece act hails from Dallas, Texas. Hey I've been a Dallas Cowboys all my life, OK since I was nine, but trust me there's going to be no bias. So here we have the debut by this band with a somewhat cool name but after a half dozen listens I'm left wondering why I'm bored. 

Maybe it's because the opener "Haunting Black Infinity" starts out cool with a decent melodic BM stability and gruff Euro style vocals but there's no climax. The second cut, another long one like the first, opens with a typical atmospheric blackened melody until it turns to black metal AMON AMARTH or some other wannabe Euro trash anomaly. I can't attest to who wants their riffs back but try someone on Nuclear Blast. Then comes their third track "The Call to Chaos", another long one which starts off aggressive and powerful with intense tremolo riffage and then dies out after four minutes. 

The rest of this is seemingly uneventful. I'd say the high mark lies in the lest then three minute black metal treatise "Shattering Light's Creation". Then their last cut, "Senescent and Supreme" offers some hope when it ends. Be that at it may TYRANNOSORCERESS are extinct as far as this release goes. I'll take a shower now.

https://www.tofucarnage.com/

http://tyrannosorceress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Tyrannosorceress