Album Reviews

Pennsylvanian five-piece death metal/hardcore band Outer Heaven is finally back with their anticipated sophomore 'Infinite Psychic Depths' out on July 21st, 2023, via Relapse Records. The band presents its rawest and unbridled brutality, drawing your attention to the overwhelming rampage. Aside from expanding on the first full-length album 'Realms of Eternal Decay' which was one my favorite albums of 2018, the quality of the gut-wrenching riffs, jackhammer drums and dense guitars are more powerful here and laden with buzz-saw riffs.
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Four years ago, the international death metal act KHNVM showed great potential for establishing an obscure and brutal style in the death metal genre. KHNVM was formed by Obliterator (guitars, bass and vocals) and released the debut album 'Foretold Monuments of Flesh' in 2019 via Testimony Records. Two years later KHNVM made a significant improvement in embodying the aesthetics of U.S. death metal on the sophomore release 'Portals to Oblivion' and now we actually have a new mini album 'Visions of A Plague-Ridden Sky' which was released on June 23rd, 2023, through Bitter Loss Records and Neck Breaker Records.
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Oakland-based death/doom metal band Static Abyss is a new project formed by the members of the U.S. death/doom band Autopsy, the band’s lineup includes Chris Reifert (vocals, drums) and Greg Wilkinson (guitar, bass). “Aborted From Reality” is a follow-up album to the 2022 debut album “Labyrinth of Vein” which set a grimy and eerie tone for the band.
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Three years after their comeback album 'Cosmic World Mother' symphonic black metal outfit …And Oceans returns with their most inspiring sixth album 'As in Gardens, So in Tombs'. Featuring original members Timo Kontio (guitars) and Teemu Saari (guitars), the band's line-up also includes Kauko Kuusisalo (drums), Antti Simonen (keyboards), Mathias Lillmåns (vocals), and Pyry Hanski (bass guitar) and unfolds a grand symphonic approach in the vein of 90s Scandinavian black metal.
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On their newest album Bloodbound dive a bit into folk music territory, but don't worry, they still sound like Bloodbound, just an evolved version. They did a great job merging their signature sound with new elements to create this new masterpiece about the Viking era.
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The Swedish masters of gothic metal Tribulation have been depicting their musical works in such an opulent manner with their gloomy trait as they have created a legacy in the canon of dark gothic music. The truth is, I have never doubted their artistic genius not even when the band announced the departure of guitarist Jonathan Hultén. One of the founders of the band passing the torch to guitarist Joseph Tholl (ex-Enforcer) who makes his first appearance on the latest EP “Hamartia” released on April 7th, 2023, via Century Media Records.
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Having their lead singer and guitarist relocated from Canada to the equally cold climate of Finland, did not in any way stop Smoulder’s rise to the top of the new wave of epic heavy metal. ‘Violent Creed of Vengeance’ is their second full length after the debut 'Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring'.
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Vargrav’s latest EP outing “Encircle the Spectral Dimension” was released on April 16th, 2023, via Werewolf Records. This time V-Khaoz Stormrage keyboardist strengthens himself with prominent vocalist Graf Werwolf von Armageddon (Satanic Warmaster, Orlok, Grieve, etc…..). The notion of expanding the band into a two-piece, the other instruments are handled by two guest session members such as bassist and guitarist Trollhorn of the Black Harvest and drummer Baron M. Tarwonen.
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Dutch progressive avant-garde death/doom metal septet Phlebotomized is well-endowed with the passion of experimenting with different styles. Their fourth album 'Clouds of Confusion' released on May 26th via Hammerheart Records is truly a grandeur piece, full of bombast. Although the band’s music has changed over the years, my first acquaintance with the Dutch band was during the late 1990s, in particular the band's first studio album 'Immense Intense Suspense' which cemented a unique style for being utterly eerie, atmospheric and somewhat doomy.
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Norway’s black metal elite act Tsjuder returns after eight long years only to craft a masterpiece, the sixth album “Helvegr” was released by Season of Mist on June 23rd, 2023. Unfurling under the banner of true Norwegian black metal since 1993, Tsjuder became widely known for their hellish intensity, the two founding members Nag (vocalist, bassist), Draugluin (guitarist and backing vocals), with the guest session drummer of Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats Jon “The Charn” Rice proves to be the perfect replacement for the ex-drummer AntiChristian.
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