Century Media

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    Arch Enemy - Blood Dynasty (2025)

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    As one of the most eagerly awaited releases of 2025, today we have Arch Enemy and their latest opus “Blood Dynasty”. With a long storied career, the stakes are always high when big bands release new albums, and luckily for all, this release delivers in every single aspect. Riding their explosive and highly melodic sound, Alissa White-Gluz and company deliver eleven tracks and over 44 minutes of ravaging music.

    Opening with the ripping “Dream Stealer”, we are treated to a prime Arch Enemy song with blistering guitar work, Alissa’s growls, and tons of catchiness. The band’s musicianship can never be questioned, and as tracks like “Illuminate the Path”, “March of Miscreants”, and “A Million Suns

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    Swallow the Sun - Shining (2024)

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    Always consistently good over the years, Swallow the Sun has constantly strived to deliver some of the most melancholic and depressing Death/Doom Metal music. With “Shining”, the band shakes things up and infuses more Gothic Metal elements to their original sound, creating a very interesting and different aural experience. With a ‘livelier’ sound, this release unravels ten tracks and around 49 minutes of crafty music that will certainly turn some heads. When something is labeled as the “Black Album” of Death Doom, you know there will be some controversy around it.

    Opening with “Innocence Was Long Forgotten”, we instantly get a very distinctive difference in the band’s traditional style. While you still have the bleakness of Swallow the Sun, you also get some softer touches, making the song sound like Lacrimas Profundere, Beseech, To/Die/For, etc. There are definitely some vintage STS elements on songs like “What I Have Become”, at least in some parts, perfectly blending new elements with the old. Mikko Kotamäki does a great job mixing up his traditional snarls and growls with more emotive clean vocal sections.

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    Cemetery Skyline - Nordic Gothic (2024)

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    Unleashing one of the catchiest and most engaging releases of 2024, today we have Gothic Rock supergroup Cemetery Skyline and their debut release “Nordic Gothic”. Featuring a line-up with Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity), Markus Vanhala (Omnium Gatherum), Santeri Kallio (Amorphis), Victor Brandt (Dimmu Borgir) and Vesa Ranta (Sentenced), this outfit delivers a very refreshing synthwave-infused 80’s/90’s music unlike anything you have ever heard before. For fans of Depeche Mode, Lacrimas Profundere, End of Green, etc. this release features ten bangers that will be stuck in your head for days.

    The release starts with the bombastic “Torn Away” and its dramatic synths that create a very dynamic and engaging atmosphere. Mikael Stanne’s deeper clean vocals have a certain Ville Valo-esque undertones, but as soon as the chorus section hits, Stanne’s trademark sound appears. Keeping things super lively, “In Darkness” delivers some crunchy Markus Vanhala riffs alongside crafty drumming from Vesa Ranta, the band is showcased having endless fun creating some superbly catchy melodies, and some epic vocal arrangements.

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    Kanonenfieber - Die Urkatastrophe (2024)

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    Delivering over 50 minutes of fierce World War I inspired Black Metal, today we have rising newcomers Kanonenfieber and their sophomore release “Die Urkatastrophe”. With an elaborate live show production and a Eisregen-meets-Mgła style, this band unleashes some kick ass music and this release masterfully builds on their earlier work and success. If you are looking for uncompromising and catchy Black Metal with a different angle than most bands, definitely check this one out.

    After setting the mood with the intro, the band does not fuck around and delivers the pummeling “Menschenmühle”, a track that feels like an all-out-war just broke out and it is raining blast beats. The German lyrics really immerse the listener into the music, with Noise unleashing all hell in vocals alongside well crafted riffing. The band’s guitar driven melodies quickly stand out as tracks like “Sturmtrupp”, “Der Maulwurf”, and “Lviv zu Lemberg” completely demolish the listener with their fierce nature and masterful melodies.

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    Dark Tranquillity - Endtime Signals (2024)

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    As one of our favorite bands of all time, Dark Tranquillity has always consistently delivered high quality releases and “Endtime Signals” is not the exception. After shedding a few members since their 2020 release, the band returns with fourteen tracks of signature DT music, filled with dynamic guitars, immersive keyboards and Mikael Stanne’s characteristic snarl. There are definitely some minor noticeable adjustments as now Martin Brändström and Johan Reinholdz have taken over the songwriting from departed drummer Anders Jivarp.

    Opening with “Shivers and Voids”, we get the traditional guitar driven DT music that we all love, full of highly melodic passages and subtle keyboards to keep things smooth and enjoyable. On “Unforgivable” we have a more dynamic style of guitar leads that have a different but still well crafted and blistering style. Johan Reinholdz is a good guitarist, but certainly not at the level of Christopher Amott, who did the leads on 2020 “Moment”.

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    Borknagar - Fall (2024)

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    After blowing everybody away with their 2019 release “True North”, Borknagar is back stronger and even catchier than ever. The band has always distinguished themselves as one of those Folk/Viking/Black Metal with signature Progressive and melodic elements, and with “Fall”, the band takes them even further. If you like any of the band’s previous releases, this one has a bit of everything from all their stylistic changes over the years.

    Opening with the epic “Summits”, this track has all the Borknagar staples: soaring clean and harsh vocals, crafty drumming, proggy guitars, and atmospheric magic. As the first single of this release, the band fires in all cylinders and creates a very powerful and dynamic atmosphere. As you can expect the deadly combination of clean vocals from both Lars and Vortex, makes this band the equivalent of having two of the best players, of any sport, on the same team.

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    Insomnium - Songs of the Dusk (2023)

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    Just a few months after unleashing the melancholic masterpiece “Anno 1696”, Insomnium returns with a three song EP titled “Songs of the Dusk”. Featuring over 20 minutes of music, the band exploits their moody and doomier side in the release. As expected, filled with melancholy and gloom, this Finnish band continues to surprise listeners with high quality music and brilliant execution.

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    Marduk - Memento Mori (2023)

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    Unleashing their first full-length release in nearly 5 years, today we have legendary Marduk and the piercing “Memento Mori”. Consistency has been one of the band’s greatest strengths as they pummel through ten tracks and over 40 minutes of punishing Black Metal music. With a straight-forward and yet quite violent approach to the genre, the band certainly delivers on all expectations as this release is filled with excellent tracks with the band’s signature DNA.

    The band obliterates the listener with their signature short burst of devastation from the opener, “Memento Mori”. This piercing track has the Marduk signature violent drumming and aggressive riffing complementing Mortuus’ pummeling bass guitar line and snarls. Focusing on crafting piercing riffs, Morgan delivers that magical mixture of old-school BM style with a mixture of more modern and incisive elements, as we can hear on songs like “Heart of the Funeral”, “Blood of the Funeral” and on the chilling “Shovel Beats Scepter”.

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    Omnium Gatherum - Slasher (2023)

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    Few Melodic Death Metal bands have had the consistency and tenacity of Omnium Gatherum. Slowly building up their reputation when they were on LifeForce Records until their switch to Century Media, the band has gradually gotten better and better. With “Slasher”, the band reminds us of their quality with four killer tracks, one cover, two outtakes from their 2021 “Origin” release, and a brand new song. Be prepared to headbang non-stop from start to finish of this sweet EP, so be warned and be ready.

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    Grave Pleasures - Plagueboys (2023)

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    Unleashing somber waves of catchiness and a very engaging vibe, today we have Grave Pleasures and their latest opus “Plagueboys”. Featuring a very unique mixture of Post-Punk with some darkness to it, and even some elements of Surf/Indie Rock, this band has been captivating audiences for nearly a decade now (with this name), and they just keep getting better and better. If you are looking for something ‘slow’, dark, mysterious, and non-Metal, this release will be to your liking.

    Starting strong with the memorable “Disintegration Girl”, we get that gloomy signature vibe from the band, particularly when Mat McNerney’s signature vocals come out. The playful interplay between Juho Vanhanen lead guitars and Valtteri Arino dominant bass guitar line is another strength from this band, making sounds like “Heart Like A Slaughterhouse”, “When The Shooting's Done”, and “High On Annihilation”, just extremely catchy and very diverse.

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