Death Metal

  • Into the Arcane – Het Verlangen Der Geest (2017)

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    Featuring a very old-school Death/Doom vibe, today we have Into the Arcane and their debut EP titled “Het Verlangen Der Geest”. Delivering four tracks that will appeal to fans of Winter, Etherial Winds, and Phlebotomized, this music is for the old-school lovers of Doomy Death Metal bands with atmospheric elements.

    The album opens with the crafty “The Glass King” and its very melodic guitar work. This very catchy song is very rudimentary, but gets the job done as it brings back that old-school vibe that the scene has been missing since the late 90’s early 00’s. “The Innocent Hunter” brings a more atmospheric side to the mix with some very interesting piano sections and brilliant tempo changes. The band further explores their Doomy side and creates a very emotional track filled with masterful guitar leads.

  • Simulacro - Echi dall'abisso (2016)

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    Hailing from Italy, today we have Blackened Death Metal outfit Simulacro and their second full-length release "Echi dall'abisso". Packed with 45 minutes of punishing tracks, this release created a very thick and demoralizing atmosphere that will destroy your psyche and bend you into submission. Led by Xul and Anamnesi of Absentia Lunae and Progenie Terrestre Pura fame, this release is not for the weak of mind.

    The album opens with the incisive riffing of “ECO I”, in this song a think atmosphere is set with harsh vocals and pummeling drums flanking ethereally eerie female vocals. As the album progresses, the band gets crafty with some Post-Metal-ish moments in songs like “ECO II” and “ECO III”, remind us of the early sound of The Ocean. Usually in many releases the Bass guitar drowns in the mix, but here Ombra delivers the goods with a heavily emphasized bass guitar line in pieces like “ECO IV” and “ECO V”.

  • Sinister – Gods of the Abyss (2017)

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    Originally intended to be the demo of the band formed by Aad Kloosterwaard and Alex Paul when Sinister split up back in 2003, “Gods of the Abyss” sees the light of day via Vic Records. This four song demo marked the move of Aad to vocals, and also the new era of Sinister with a renewed Nuclear Blast record band in the day. The tracks presented here formed part of the “Afterburner” album in 2006.

    Leading with the piercing riffage of “The Grey Massacre”, we instantly get Sinister’s traditional intensity and viciousness with pretty solid vocals. One has to remember that before the band broke up in 2003, they had a terrible vocalist that single-handedly made “Savage or Grace” and “Creative Killings” two of the worst albums of the time. Anyways, the move of Aad to handle vocal duties was a pretty good one.

  • Serenius – Cocoon (2017)

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    Delivering over 50 minutes of brilliantly crafted Death Metal with tons of melodic undertones, today we have France’s Serenius and their third full-length release “Cocoon”. In a day and age when most band are moving their Death Metal sound to feature either Core or Progressive elements, it is quite cool to hear a band keeping the old-school style alive by injecting some energy into it, but keeping the essence intact.

    After the album opens with the crushing “World”, the band wastes no time in keeping the momentum going and delivers the high-octane “Identity”. This very melodic song is one of our favorites, and will surely get the headbanging started with its pace and brilliant guitar work. “The Shell” and “Shadows of Misery” continue the onslaught with even more catchier and craftier tracks that showcase the band’s musical range and the wide variety of unique ideas they incorporate into their music.

  • ghUSa – Öswedeme (2017)

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    Hailing from France, today we have Death Metal outfit ghUSa and their perfect hybrid of modern and old-school Swedish death metal. For a band being together since 1989 “Öswedeme” is the band’s second full-length release, filled with brilliant headbanging moments and crushing nostalgic passages. With a lively atmosphere and killer musical influences, this release will make you yearn for the early days of Swedish Death Metal and bands like Entombed, Grave, etc.

    Opening with the savage riffing and tension of “28 Days Later” the band sets the mood quite brilliantly for this engaging release. Things get cranked up to 11 with the brutal “h” and its Amon Amarth meets Entombed approach. The release continues with the Centinex-inspired “Project 9” which features crushing growls and fast paced drumming surrounded by a punishing bass guitar line.

  • Kratornas – Devoured by Damnation (2016)

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    Punishing the listener with 35 minutes of devastating Death/Black/Grindcore music, Kratornas unleashes “Devoured by Damnation” upon the masses. Originally from the Philippines, this band has that certain signature sound of Grindcore outfits like Deiphago. Keeping things always brutal and quite hectic, this is one of those albums that you won’t want to turn off.

    Opening with the pummeling “Spit on God” and followed by “Dead Burning Christ” and “Archangels of Destruction”, this release cranks up the intensity to 11 while perfectly mixing Black Metal shrieks, crushing riffs and demoralizing drums. This two-piece outfit produces some of the fiercest music you can find, but also keeps things interesting by crafting unique riffs and heavy duty tempos.

  • Lelahell – Al Insane​.​.​. The (Re​)​Birth of Abderrahmane  (2014)

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    Unleashing one of the most brutal releases to ever come out of Algeria, today we have Lelahell and their debut full-length release “Al Insane... The (Re)Birth of Abderrahmane”. Clocking in at around 40 minutes of music, this album is both savage and demoralizing. Elevating Death Metal to its most brutal shape, anybody will surely be blow away and rendered unconscious with such a vicious onslaught of senseless brutality.

    Wasting no time after the intro track, “Al Intissar” comes at you like a bag of bricks to the face. The riffing is pummeling and energetic, while the drumming is just out of this world with a its blistering double kick sections. The band continues their onslaught with the sheer brutality of “Voices Revealed” and “Kalimet Essir”, both tracks feature a perfect balance of punishing drumming and very prominent harsh vocals. The band at times reminds us of outfits like Nile and Melechesh with some Cannibal Corpse and Six Feet under sprinkled on top.

  • Epoch – Sacrosanct (2017)

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    Hailing from Belgium today we have the punishing release “Sacrosanct”. This debut release is filled with soul crushing Death/Black Metal tracks that put many other band’s to shame and showcase Epoch’s powerful talents. Clocking in at 36 minutes, this album will certainly keep you entertained and make your neck hurt from all the headbanging and moshing it incites.

    The album starts with the brutal “To Datechon, ho Katechon”, a track that instantly delivers the ‘in your face’ attitude of the band’s music. The riffing perfectly mixes distinctive 90’s Death Metal influences with some more recent Death/Black Metal elements of bands like Arkhon Infaustus. Epoch’s pummeling attitude continues as they unleash the sheer brutality of songs like “Vision Absolute”, “Altered States” and “Nine”.

  • Ex Deo – The Immortal Wars (2017)

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    Everybody’s favorite Roman-inspired band is finally back with another killer onslaught of dramatic symphonic elements and a catchy guitar riffs. “The Immortal Wars” marks Ex Deo’s return with nearly 40 minutes of superbly entertaining music, their first foray since the brilliant “Caligvla” back in 2012. If you like music that has a certain epic feeling to it, similar to bands like Sabaton and Fleshgod Apocalypse, you will love this one.

    Opening with the pummeling “The Rise of Hannibal”, the band wastes no time in showing off the big guns with dramatic orchestrations and a solid (and heavy) musical core filled with catchy riffs. Playful tracks like “Hispania” perfectly showcase the band’s skills in balancing heavy sections with hyper fast drumming with more melodic and atmospheric rhythmical sections for headbanging. The opening of “Crossing of the Alps” will greatly send chills down your spine, but it is the punishing Death Metal elements of this track that will make you love it.

  • Memoriam – The Hellfire Demos II (2017)

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    Keeping the old-school Death Metal flame alive, today we have Memoriam and their 7” vinyl release “The Hellfire Demos II”. Featuring members of Bolt Thrower and Benediction, this band gives us a taste of their crushing sound with two very promising tracks. If you grew up with late 80’s and early 90’s Death Metal, this release brings back that familiar rawness and catchiness of the era.

    Opening with “Drone Strike”, the band’s vocalist Karl Willetts instantly delivers his raspy vocals to a very powerful mix of pummeling riffs and tight drumming. The song’s tempo perfectly allows the listener to headbang to it while keeping things aggressive. The band does a pretty solid job in delivering a timeless Death Metal vibe with their music.

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