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This is the solo project of drummer Yianni
Tranxidis (GOG, ex-Black Mass, ex-Garroted), he enlisted some
musicians from those bands and the vocalist of Morgued. The result
is 3 songs & 17 minutes of good classic death metal that draws
influences from old bands out of the Canadian, US and Swedish scenes
to my ear. The vocals superbly growl out of some haunting horrific
lyrics over some killer songs and equally matched musicianship.
- Dale
https://grotesqueries.bandcamp.com/
http://www.caligarirecords.com/
I have to admit surprisingly to never having
heard of this French band despite them having been around 16 years
now. From the band name thought they might be a joke band yet to my
surprise they play simple, but enjoyably harsh and evil second wave
(with dashes of the first) black metal. It reminds me of a little of
a raunchier, rougher crazed style similar to mixing Immortal on
“Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism” with early Burzum. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/hatsbarnofficial
https://www.osmoseproductions.com/
 
A Swedish one man band with hidden identity.
At 27 minutes this is a little too short to be called album. I do
kind of love that they made the cover like an old cut ‘n paste UG
flyer. Hinsides play very caustic olden demo tape days style tinny
and low-fi raw black metal. But despite how raw it is there is some
good work in the energetic and creative songwriting with some great
cold rhythms and riffing. The vocals are those of a possessed
demon! - Dale
https://www.shadowrecords.se/
https://regainrecords.bandcamp.com/
This is the third full length release from Washington's Hisemtuks Himi.N. The songs on the new release continue the bands established melodic black metal style. The guitars are played flawlessly with some fast paced skillful passages and songwriting. Usually I am not a fan of keyboards in the newer bands, but Nathen does a great job of creating and executing some well done keyboard passages. ‘Witch Of The Night’ is a masterpiece of melodic black metal, if you are a fan of this genre, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy today. - Patrick
https://plaguedemonrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://hisemtukshimin.bandcamp.com/
  
This band features two members that are
currently or previously were in the Australian bands Nocturnal
Graves and Denouncement Pyre. Hunters Moon produces a mix of old
Scandinavian second wave black metal and harsh darkened Aussie death
metal. The riffing on here is massive and the songwriting and
playing are smooth and impressive. - Dale
https://hellsheadbangers.bandcamp.com/
http://www.hellsheadbangers.com/
Well, far out doom metal from fucking
Malaysia, sweet! These two songs were recorded live, and it sounds
like it, I mean that in a good way, it has a raw edge & it is heavy
as lead. There is almost no vocals on these songs, the music is
stripped down and simple, but the crushing classic doom rumble (with
a small tinge of stoner fuzz) is satisfying for me. It is a cool mix
of Saint Vitus, Electric Wizard, Sleep and lots of Black Sabbath.
Only for real diehard doom fans IMO. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/iblissband666
https://regainrecords.bandcamp.com/album/unholy
The Costa Rican band Insepulto has been releasing material (even if sparsely so) since 2010. This album is their third album, and the first release in the last eight years. This is a duo band and two those men are also in bands like Lacerate, Inanimate Flesh, Necrogod and Morbid Stench. The music on here is straight forward, not remarkable yet very enjoyable old school (1990s) heavy death metal some great slightly gurgled, acid tinged growls that I really like. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/insepultocr/
https://ironbloodanddeath.bandcamp.com/
 
You get eight tracks of heavy mid paced death
metal that is crushing and intense. The musicians do speed to a
faster pace at times and show off their aggressive side. The vocals
are deep death metal growls that are powerful in their delivery and
some gruff growls and screams are used in a few of the songs. This
is a really promising debut that features some excellent
musicianship in both the performance and delivery. - Patrick
intolerancedeathmetal.bandcamp.com/
https://godzovwar.com/
http://www.memento-mori.es/
Irae is a one man band that is a prolific band
deeply entrenched in Portugal’s UG black metal scene. That man
Vulturius is also in a number of other bands like Decayed, Morte
Incandescente, Cunnilingus + more. Irae tends to stay in the
mid-tempo range and this only enhances the gloomy and brooding evil
aura that encompasses their music. There are bouts where they speed
and his 2nd wave black metal side comes to violently
play. The emotive & distinctive rasping vocals on here are great.
Recommended. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/IRAE666/
https://signalrex.bandcamp.com/
 
Just finished reviewing a split of Greek bm
bands, by random coincidence up next is Karma Violens is also from
Greece. These guys are very different though, playing more modern
really riff-y dark deathrash metal. I like some of the haunting
background accents. If I am being honest this is a little over
produced for my tastes, and the riffing at times borders on
metalcore, which I dislike. These guys are talented and the music
well put together in it’s own clean, antiseptic and non-organic way.
- Dale
https://www.facebook.com/karmaviolens/
https://karmaviolens.bandcamp.com/
Coming out of Oregon's black metal scene is
the solo project playing raw, satanic black metal. This is the debut
album featuring nine tracks of cold and destructive black metal. For
the most part the music is in mid paced range, and that is played
with a lot of talent. Things do speed up for a faster more
aggressive pace throughout. The vocals are a mix of a whispering
type of vocals with some harsh black metal screams and chants on
this recording. Kirth Roth plays an interesting and original style
of black metal. - Patrick
https://kirthroth.bandcamp.com/
https://bchrecords.storenvy.com/
 
As you know I don’t review a ton of hardcore
punk stuff. But when it is good, fast and/or heavy I am there for
it. Kings play speedy and memorable hardcore with infectious mean
sounding choruses. There is even some ripping metal riffs and brief
guitar fills. The vocals are fucking top shelf hc vocals from hell.
I think fans of the metal parts of earlier Biohazard mixed with
stuff like Madball, Cro-Mags, DRI, Sick Of It All etc… will dig
this. - Dale
https://kingsneverdieofficial.com/
http://metalville-shop.de/
This Slovakian band is made up of members of
Malokarpatan, Remmirath and Algor. If you worship early ‘90s black
metal that was a mix of first and second wave bm and the earlier
works of bands like Necromantia, Mortuary Drape, Root, Master’s
Hammer (especially them!) and can not get enough then you need to
get your claws on this album as soon as possible. - Dale
https://krolok.bandcamp.com/
https://www.osmoseproductions.com/
I am a long time admirer of the Swedish band
Sorhin who date back to 1993 and still exist today apparently
despite lying dormant for many years. I mention them because one
half of that duo Mikael Österberg is behind this one man band. The
sweeping black metal music of Lifvsleda invokes the feelings in me
as a listener of an alternating duality of seething evil & gloomy
melancholy. Österberg’s rasping vocals are in superbly malicious,
dripping with black metal supremacy! - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/lifvsleda
https://www.noevdia.com/
 
Malformed is a young new Finnish band with a demo under their belts, they’ve gotten the attention of Denmark’s Rotten Productions, to spread their filth further into the UG scene. They produce extremely heavy & brutal death metal with some technical flourishes, and the odd tasty yet slightly manic guitar solos. The vocals are obscured and shady death growling with gurgling accents, and the combination works well. I think fans of Cryptopsy, Demilich, Gorguts and the like will dig this. A good young band to keep an eye upon. - Dale
https://malformeddm.bandcamp.com/
https://extremelyrottenprod.com/
'Merciless Storm' is the latest EP from this Finnish band. This release contains four tracks of violent, uncompromising, and chaotic blackened death metal. The music is straight forward and effective. These guys have been releasing music since 2012, but they only had one demo and an EP in their first 8 years. They seem to be picking up steam as of late with a mini-album three years ago and now this EP. Fans of filthy old school death with bm touches should check this out. - Patrick
https://www.facebook.com/MaliciousFin
https://invictusproductions.net/
 
Mantiel create brooding, dismal and evil black
metal drenched in a freezing atmosphere. I enjoy the ominously
sinister toad croaking bm rasping vocals, they are really good and
morbid sounding. The music reminds me of a mix of the early works of
Burzum & Immortal. Despite the gloomy and creeping extended intro to
start their side of the split. Wampyric Rites turn up the raucous
speed & aggression with a cold bm assault, before returning on the
following track with another slower atmospheric piece, and a lengthy
cold synth outro. Solid split vinyl. - Dale
https://infernaprofundusrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://www.ipr666shop.com/
I often say I am not a big fan of melododeath, I find it waters down the dm & melodic metal equally. So, I have oft said if I want to listen to metal with lots of melody, I will just listen to heavy metal music instead. That is where bands like Mega Colossus come in, bursting at the seams with catchy melodic heavy metal and memorable songs with unforgettable choruses. If that is how you roll too, and dig bands like Manilla Road, Heavy Load, Riot, Brocas Helm etc… then you will likely dig this too. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/colossusmetal
https://www.cruzdelsurmusic.com/
 
The lyrics throughout all their releases, this
Californian band focuses on the horrors, gas attacks, death and
destruction wrought across the entrenched battlefields of World War
I. This is the WWI metallic soundtrack that is a wall of audio
barbarity, and annihilation. Which should please fans of bands like
Order From Chaos, Impiety, Marduk (“Panzer Division Marduk”), War,
Axis Of Advance. Four albums already and I have only discovered them
now, somehow. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/minenwerfer
https://www.osmoseproductions.com/
Poland’s Monasterium on their 3rd album
present some solid classic doom metal in the vein of Solitude
Aeturnus, Solstice & Candlemass. Some old school heavy metal
sequences pop up reminding me of Iron Maiden or old King Diamond
musically. The vocals must be good for this style and they are here
too, also reflecting the style / bands above. Recommended for doom
hounds like me, but if you only dabble or like a few bands in this
sub-genre you can find better. - Dale
https://ninerecords.bandcamp.com/
http://shop.nine-records.com/
 
This is a two label release of this Finnish
bands second album. The triumvirate mix old black metal, more akin
to the later end of the first wave of black metal, with doom
elements. The sinister atmosphere Moon Oracle creates is very
immersive; you can feel the evil and impending kismet close in on
you. For me, this stripped down ritualistic music is fantastic. This
will appeal to devotees of the early to mid ‘90s works of Mortuary
Drape, Necromantia, Ancient Rites, Master’s Hammer, Root, Mystifier
and the like. - Dale
https://moonoracle.bandcamp.com/
http://www.bestialburst.com/
https://signalrex.com/
The Italian horde Morbus Grave plays
primordial death metal. Like the early days when death metal bands
had some thrash remnants yet were clearly doing something new &
different. The excellent stripped down, but driving heavy material
on here really brings feelings of reminiscence and enjoyment to an
old tape trading goat like me. Wroshippers of Possessed, Slaughter,
Repulsion, Impetigo, Autopsy, Massacre, Nunslaughter and the like.
This is for you. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/MorbusGrave
https://chaos-records.bandcamp.com/
  
Nar is a brand new band band from Indonesia. They may be new, but their style of brutalizing death metal is anything but. This band produces punishing, barbaric and crushing fast music intended to grind you into the dirt. The vocalist has some killer, dominating death growls that roil and churn with the anger of a caged beast. This EP has four songs of old school, embryonic dm that harkens back to the classic earlier days of Suffocation, Cannibal Corpse, Malevolent Creation. - Dale
https://nekrassioustapes.bandcamp.com/
When hardcore is fast, when it is vicious, has attitude, and goes for the throat, and even throws in a little metal. That is when I am a hardcore fan. Night Fever from Denmark bring all of the above in spades. They write high octane, rip ‘n tear, catchy but pissed off music. There is some old school heavy metal guitar leads that pop up now and then too. The vocalist also is a monster on the mic. You should give this a listen. - Dale
https://nightfeverhc.bandcamp.com/
http://www.svartrecords.com/en
This is interesting, as Nightside from Finland
were around from 1996 to 2001ish. They released a demo, a couple EPs
and an album in that last year, and then disbanded shortly
afterward. Now they return 20 years later! This new 3 song demo, now
released by PTF is harsh. The music is cold and hateful sounding 2nd
wave black metal backed with haunting synth, picking up where their
album left off all those years ago. Second wave bm diehards who can
not get enough will like this. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/Nightsideblackmetal/
https://shop.purity-through-fire.com/
 
The music on this release is delivered with
fast frenzied guitars that are primitive and aggressive attacking
pace. They do slow to a more mid pace range at times, which results
in each song giving a nice mix of an extreme and more controlled
pace. The vocals are grim raw bm screams with some good demonic
growls. Niohoggr with this recording has crafted a release of dark
atmospheres and destructive black metal hymns which is sure to
please all fans of extreme black metal. - Patrick
https://niohoggr.bandcamp.com/music
https://plaguedemonrecords.storenvy.com/
This Seattle band composes really heavy &
pulverizing riffed (think Bolt Thrower or Grave) dark death metal
that is slow to mid paced and very doom influenced. The vocals are
deep, obscured kinda whispery growls that further their gloomy
suffocating aura well. I will keep an eye on these guys, damn good
shit. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/norothovcascadia
https://www.caligarirecords.com/
Northern Crown
presents their third album of epic heavy metal doom. The music is
classy and skillfully performed, the highlights for me being moody
guitar & top notch smooth vocals from F. Serafine. Some influences I
hear are Candlemass, Isole, Spirit Adrift, While Heaven Wept, My
Dying Bride, Mirror Of Deception. There could be a little less synth
and more heavy parts, by my tastes, otherwise a quality album. -
Dale
https://www.facebook.com/NorthernCrownDoom/
https://music.northerncrownband.com/
What an absolute killer split line-up here! It
is well known how much I worship Nunslaughter and think they are
Satan’s gift to death metal. The Nun 3 tracks on here superb classic
Nunslaughter! Now Blood I tape traded for their stuff in the early
‘90s and liked them a lot back then. Blood is also a veteran UG band
that has stuck to their roots and still play excellent gut wrenching
metal of death, the way it is supposed to be done! Get this!! -
Dale
http://www.hellsheadbangers.com/
https://hellsheadbangers.bandcamp.com/
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