Album Reviews

'Helionomicon' is the second part of Ulthar’s double album that was released on February 17th, 2023 via 20 Buck Spin. Upon listening to 'Anthronomicon', it feels that both of these songs were cut from the same cloth, with each of the two songs having a running time of 20 minutes. Considering the lengthy immersion in dissonance Ulthar somehow managed to bring something that is quite demented and unsettling. Perhaps it’s the use of the avant-garde, odd concepts. Although the similarities to Blood Incantation are merely superficial, the guitars do explore the experimental aspects of the band.
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Three years since debuting its first studio album 'Solar Spectre' international blackened death metal outfit Omega Infinity is finally back with its second album 'The Anticurrent' out via Season of Mist on February 24th, 2023. Comprising the members of Ne Obliviscaris and Todtgelichter, the duo Tentakel P. and Xenoyr encapsulates the industrial sonic design of extreme cosmic vibes. Pushing their musical ideas into a more avant-garde style towards experimentation Omega Infinity shows innovative ways to exert their craft out of the box and needless to say that the sophomore is full of electronic, bizarre atmospheres.
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Beneath My Feet is a Swedish metalcore band formed in 2010. Their debut album dates back to 2014 called 'Origins' and now 9 years later there is finally their second album called 'In Parts, Together. Beneath My feet combine influences from the American metal sound and the British hardcore scene together with pop influenced melodic choruses and catchy riffs.
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The Australian deathcore formation is busy since 2013 releasing their first album in 2019 called 'Global 'Warning. 2 years later there was 'Epilogue' which was a re-release of the debut + 7 new numbers written in 2020. That was a very long and chaotic ride. 'Director's Cut' is their third release with 11 brand new tracks.
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Forget about Excalibur, forget about the Sword of Power. These are kitchen knives compared to the might and power of Megaton sword.
‘Might and Power’ is the Swiss collective’s second full length after the ‘Niralet’ EP and their much applauded debut ‘Blood Hails Steel, Steel Hails Fire’. Often heralded as Switzerland’s answer to Eternal Champion, Megaton Sword is a champion-pardon the pun-at writing epic hymns that will have you storming into battle, battleaxe in hand. Or at least storming to the front of the stage, beer in hand.

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Host is a new side-project band formed by the members of the British death doom metal giants Paradise Lost/ Nick Holmes (vocals) and Gregor Mackintosh (guitars). The debut full-length album 'IX' offers a dark electro mixture of Goth wave music. The in-depth take on the 80s gothic synth artfully portrays the unique sonic textures as well as the early nostalgia which has deepened through time. This is the first time where Nick Holmes and Gregor Mackintosh show their knack for playing a musical style that is not purely metal, but it’s all about the experience and the music speaks for itself. Therefore, 'IX' certainly delivers a beautiful fusion of synth-pop music and heavy guitars that have so much in common with bands like Depeche Mode, Sisters of Mercy and The Cure.
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Stripping the band down again to essentially himself, Dutch multi-instrumentalist Ruben Vermeulen has also radically reinvented Funus itself, shifting the songs stylistically in an almost 180-degree turn. While the predecessor' Adrift Alone' was a rather dissonant affair of black metal. 'Mono', however dives deeply into the dreamy realm of shoegaze ,with nigh a trace of his old style left.
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Four years after debuting their first studio album 'Lone' Portuguese-based atmospheric, funeral doom death metal band Oak returns with their much-anticipated sophomore release 'Disintegrate' released via the French underground giant label Season of Mist on February 10th, 2023. The sophomore features one monolithic track of forty-five minutes which leaves you sprawling in its gloomy melancholy shades. The duo Pedro Soares (drums) and Guilherme Henriques (vocals and guitars) take a distinctly creative approach to atmospheric funeral doom. Their inspiring, cinematic, yet melancholy dirges lead the listener tearfully through a sound that is as bleakly imaginative as it is vividly lush.
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Finnish melodeath legendary band Insomnium was founded in 1997 and my first encounter with them was in 2006 with their astonishing album 'Above The Weeping World' album. With each album they've grown themselves into the popular and consistently great band they are nowadays, and now we are back with full-length album number 9 called 'Anno 1696.' I'm curious what they have in store for us.
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Taking their name from H.P. Lovecraft's story 'The Cats of Ulthar', the U.S. black/death metal trio Ulthar has focused on themes of cosmic dread, establishing themselves as one of the promising acts in the genre of death metal. Ulthar,led by Steve Peacock (bass, guitar), Justin Ennis (drums) and Shelby Lermo (guitars, vocals), returns with a stellar two releases 'Anthronomicon' and 'Helionomicon' out on February 17th, 2023 via 20 Buck Spin. Within the last few years, the band has refined its range and complexity, developing an innovative approach to blackened raw death metal. Having cemented its sound with the debut album 'Cosmovore' Ulthar navigates the cavernous cosmic sounds of death metal with a very fresh and unique approach.
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