Album Reviews

The year 2022 marks the third decade of the Mexican occult death metal band The Chasm. The duo of Daniel Corchado (bass, guitars, and vocals) and Antonio León (drums) reaps their achievement that took thirty years of crafting their uncanny craft in the genre of death metal. Being one the most prominent bands in the Latin American scence, the duo reigned most supremely atop the crown, alongside bands like Cenotaph, Shub Niggurath and Brujeria. In 1994 The Chasm attained great status when they launched their debut album 'Procreation of the Inner Temple'.
Read More >

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Michigan death/doom quintet Temple of Void forges the hammer of doom in the classic authentic way that brings flashbacks of early Paradise Lost. With its heavy hammer and anvil, the fourth album 'Summoning the Slayer' wields power and might. The lineup features Mike Erdody (vocals), Jason Pearce (drums), Brent Satterly (bass guitar), Alex Awn (guitars) and Don Durr (guitars). Temple of Void has persistently built a solid cavernous sound, yet they still managed to keep the influences of the early 90s within the core of the songwriting.
Read More >

Bad Omens brings us another full length album titled 'The Death of Peace of Mind' combining metal with electronic and synth-wave elements. Overall this album is fun to listen to. While it may not be a perfect album, it spotlights Noah Sebastian's vocal range and it's definitely got some bangers.
Read More >

Crawling out from the putrid catacombs the U.S. death metal act Blasphematory steeps deeper into old school brutality on their sophomore release 'The Lower Catacombs'. Formed in 2018 the New Jersey trio of Joe Aversario (bass, guitar, and vocals), Chris Warhead (drums) and Tom Deceiver (rhythm guitar) has succeeded in defining their sound. Blasphematory molds the grisly and vile essence of cavernous death metal. Like the creeping mist cascading over the swampy waters, the vocals maintain a creepy effect. Thudding bass guitar and the sinister atmosphere of the intense riffing, as well as the crushing drums, take its classic place in the composition.
Read More >

12 years after its establishment, the New York-based technical death metal band Artificial Brain launches its third self-titled studio album. During a five years hiatus, they evolved from their sophomore 'Infrared Horizon' in the technical areas. Artificial Brain’s songwriting expertise has taken great twists in a different direction. At the same time, the guitar department that is handled by Oleg Zalman, Jon Locastro and Dan Gargiulo provides a multilayered approach. On drums, Keith Abrami and bassist/synthesizer Samuel Smith spewed out a cacophony of loud dissonant notes, rhythms and blast beats.
Read More >

New York-based death metal formation Undeath is back with the highly anticipated sophomore release 'It’s Time… to Rise from the Grave'. Although the band’s first full-length album 'Lesions of a Different Kind' has become an instant classic, the U.S. quintet derives influences from brutal death metal bands like Cannibal Corpse. As a result, the song structure spawned from the groovy riffs. However, the production is propped by a grimy concrete slab of modern brutality.
Read More >

For the first time, Iron Bonehead Productions unearth some long unknown side projects known as Trolldom of the Swedish instrumentalist Swartadapuz. The demo 'Av Gudablod Röd…' debuted in 2016 on which the musician grasped the pure inspiration from the classic era of black metal, On the first studio album 'Av Gudars Ätt' Swartadapuz brings an aura of magical enchantment to his trademarks. The album contains four lengthy songs and an instrumental interlude. In its dark mesmerizing nature, it is evident that the merging of the synth and the atmospheric elements serves to create an ancient feeling.
Read More >

Along the manifold side project bands of Swedish multi-instrumentalist Swartadauþuz, Iron Bonehead Productions brings forth the most ancient musical creations of Trolldom. The two debut albums 'Av Gudars Ätt' and 'I nattens sken (Genom hemligheternas Dunkel)' are masterfully crafted in the timeless, ageless classical way that can only belong to the realm of 90s black metal. 'I nattens sken (Genom hemligheternas Dunkel)' was written between 2004 and 2008. The recording of this marvelous debut moved forward in 2018 and the mixing took place in 2021.
Read More >

Finnish renowned black metal veterans L.L. (all instruments), and M.M. (Vocals and lyrics) present their symphonic oeuvre under the moniker of Pestilent Hex. The debut album “Ashen Abhorrence” finds its way into the magical hallmarks of melodic/symphonic black metal of the early nineties. The Finnish duo delivers an excellent performance of musical work that makes its debut as one of the finest albums of the year 2022. There are plenty of similarities that illustrate the style of Obtained Enslavement albums “Witchcraft” and “Soulblight” which recreates the same magical feel.
Read More >

I was very pleased to hear that Dawn of Solace released a EP with some acoustic versions of their new songs. I admittedly just found them a few months ago, through Kaunis Koulematon, where when I first saw them live I immediately fell in love with Mikko's clear vocals. As some of you maybe already know, I absolutely adore acoustic records, so I just new I had to check out this EP.
Read More >