Death Metal

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    Hateful - Set Forever On Me (2020)

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    Unleashing nearly 40 minutes of crafty Technical Death Metal, today we have Italy’s Hateful and their third full-length release “Set Forever On Me”. While most bands in the genre currently focus on technical wankery, this band actually delivers cohesive songs that are both technically proficient and enjoyable to listen to. The band’s sound is a mixture of old-school Death/Necrophagist Tech Death Metal with a few modern touches, so you know you are in for a treat.

    The band quickly blasts into the playful craftiness of “On the Brink of the Ravine”, flanked by intricate drumming and engaging riffs, the band sets a very hectic pace. The band’s ability to still sound like a traditional Death Metal band is quite evident as tracks like “Phosphenes” and “Oxygen Catastrophe” have heavy roots and just need some technical sprinkles to come together, and deliver brilliant headbanging passages.

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    Cult of Lilith - Mara (2020)

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    Crafting one of the richest and most unique musical experiences of 2020, today we have Iceland’s Cult of Lilith with their debut full-length release “Mara”. Surrounding their Death Metal with tons of unique atmospherics, different instruments, and weird thematic elements in some songs, this is one of those Extreme Metal releases that are hard to classify, but very familiar to enjoy. If we had to name a similar band, we could say that this band is a Death Metal version of Fleshgod Apocalypse with some additional folky/baroque elements.

    Opening with the brutal “Cosmic Maelstrom”, the listener quickly gets a Brutal Death Metal/Deathcore vibe thanks to the screams/growls combination and the intense riffing, but the atmospheric elements quickly set the band apart. As the album progresses, the Stranger Things-esque opening of “Purple Tide” and dreamy opening to “Atlas”, show the band’s unique ability to craft intricate and aggressive pieces with lush contrasting elements and still deliver their signature brutality.

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    Oneiric Celephaïs - The Great Flood (2020)

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    Delivering a swift Progressive Death Metal debut EP, today we have Oneiric Celephaïs with “The Great Flood”. Hailing from Italy, this technically proficient foursome unleashes over 24 minutes of superbly crafted music, perfectly balancing brutality and craftiness. Delivering a balance between Obscura and Persephone, this release is highly recommended for fans of the genre.

    Leading with the elegant and dreamy opening of “The Eldritch Dark”, the band slowly eases the listener into their musical world. “The Aeon of Death” delivers the first doses of heaviness with perfectly weaved in onslaughts of intense riffs, a playful bass guitar line, and engaging drumming. The band’s Death Metal core is nicely complemented by the proggier guitar leads and intricate tempo changes, allowing their sound to be instantly catchy and engaging.

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    Writhing - Eternalised in Rot (2020)

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    There must be something in the water in Australia that is helping the produce some killer Death Metal bands like Psycroptic and Writhing. Introducing themselves with a crushing two-track EP, Writhing delivers “Eternalised in Rot”, a short but sweet release that showcases the sheer power and brutality behind the band’s music.

    Opening with the pummeling “Void of Derision”, we get the typical chugging riffs, extremely crafty drums, and hellish growls. There are certain proggy/technical DM elements that are nicely blended into the music's regular course of brutality and devastation. Rounding up the EP, we have the blistering “Eternalised in Rot”, a very lively piece with brilliant headbanging moments and a creative interplay of crushing guitars and a blistering drumming.

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    Descend - The Deviant (2020)

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    Breaking the funk of multiple weeks of non-stop Black Metal releases being reviewed, today we have an excellent Progressive/Melodic Death Metal outfit from Sweden named: Descend. Combining elements of bands like Opeth, Cynic, In Mourning, and Persefone, “The Deviant” is one hell of a cinematic experience filled with technical intricacies and superbly catchy songwriting.

    Warming up the listener with the melodic instrumental opener “Avalin”, the band nicely builds up to the proggy melodies of “Blood Moon” and its crafty tempo changes. The mixture of clean and harsh vocals is nicely balanced, and the addition of female vocals on tracks like “The Purest One” add an extra layer to the band’s excellent sound. For those looking into more experimental/free-style songs, “Lily” has a nice mixture of fast-paced sections and highly crafty instrumental interludes.

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    Uerberos - Stand over Your Grave (2020)

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    Delivering a blistering onslaught of crushing Death Metal, today we have Uerberos and their brutal sophomore release “Stand over Your Grave”. Hailing from Poland, this outfit delivers crushing intensity paired with a crystal clear production that makes these nearly 40-minutes and nine tracks feel like a bag of bricks to the head.

    Roaring at the listener since the first song, “Levitation”, the band’s intensity delivers waves of punishing chugging riffs, catchy hooks and firm growls. With great finesse and ravaging brutality tracks like “Ruthless Execution”, “Beautiful Crimson of Your Blood”, and “Flaming Darkness”, deliver a masterful combination of hectic drumming, a pulsating bass guitar line, and tons of brilliant moshing moments. It is quite refreshing to hear such a young band deliver expertly crafted songs that are both engaging and destructive.

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    Eisregen - Leblos (2020)

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    As one of our favorite bands, and very hated by our friends, Eisregen is one of those bands that plays on their bizarre lyrics and funky music to deliver high-octane intensity filled songs with interesting arrangements and a good dose of melody. The band’s sound is quite an amalgamation of Gothic/Death/Black/Dark Metal, which is the core strength of “Leblos”, a very diverse and powerful double album. If you like weird music, this is certainly going to be of your liking.

    Starting with the playful “Ruhet sanft”, the band leads with a Lacrimosa-meets-Bethlehem sound and a very engaging and unique opener. As “Pechschwarz” and “Erstschlag” roll by, we get the harsh intensity of the band with incisive guitars, devilish vocals and overall catchiness that the band has been cranking out for the past 10 years. Losing Dr. Franzenstein from their line-up a few years back has not slowed down the band’s funky synths and keyboards as tracks like “1000 Jahre Nacht”, “Wangenrot”, and the amazing title track heavily deliver on the atmospheric side.

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    Sinister - Deformation of the Holy Realm (2020)

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    Storied Dutch Death Metal outfit returns with a vengeance on “Deformation of the Holy Realm”. Unleashing nearly 45 minutes of crushing music, the band’s new line-up elevates their level of aggression to new heights. While many older bands keep to their guns and style, Sinister has been incorporating more modern Death Metal elements into their sound, allowing them to keep their signature style and stay relevant to new trends.

    Creating a very regal and epic mood, the atmospheric opener “The Funeral March” perfectly leads the listener into the brutality of “Deformation Of The Holy Realm”. The track wastes no time in delivering blistering drumming, pummeling vocals and superbly crunchy riffs. New guitarist Michal Grall perfectly captures the band’s essence and gives it an extra level of brutality as we can hear on songs like “Apostles of the Weak” and the heabanging galore “Unbounded Sacrilege”.

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    Blight - Temple of Wounds (2020)

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    Canada’s Metal scene has been on fire in the recent years, with plenty of bands unleashing masterful creations. Today we have Blight, a band that is just releasing their ‘debut’ release after more than a decade of combined existence, but “Temple of Wounds” clearly shows why it was worth the wait. Featuring a monstrous and sinister sound, the band unleashes nearly one hour of crushing Black/Death Metal filled with ravaging riffs and hellish vocals.

    Setting a relentless mood with the pummeling guitars of “Dar-Akh-Qayin”, the band creates a very ritualistic and mysterious aura. Similar to Behemoth, but with its own brand of evilness. The band’s melodic edge creates very sinister atmospheres, and intoxicating passages as we are presented in the opener, “Elsewhere & Elsewhen” and the magical “Before the Monolith”. Perfectly blending in and out of chaotic brutality and incisive melody, the band has a very refined and effective style.

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    Centinex - Death In Pieces (2020)

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    Keeping the Swedish Death Metal flag flying high, today we have another gargantuan release from legendary Centinex titled “Death In Pieces”. While the band went through a full line-up change before this album, Martin Schulman has pulled together a great cast and delivers the goods in the ten songs unleashed in this release. If you like older Grave, Entombed, and the usual Swedish suspects, this album will certainly bring back some good memories.

    As the horns blow on the opening track “Only Death Remains”, we are instantly transported to the 90’s with the band’s timeless sound. In your face drumming and crafty riffs are just what the doctor ordered as tracks like “Derelict Souls” and “God Ends Here” continue to flow as an initial blast of energy. The band does not fuck around, and their craftiness is clearly demonstrated with the superbly catchy and traditional chugging riffs of “Tomb of the Dead”, one of our favorite tracks.

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