SRD
The yawning abyss has the tendency to purge out the puss that spreads misanthropy and melancholy of unknown dimensions, and to offer a cause for every misanthrope to overstep the virtual boundaries of the society, and plunge a knife deep in the back of a fellow man. Since the time of Cain, this has been the way. Srd, five troubadours of the dark, see their calling in serving up nothing less than hell itself with their black'n'roll melodies, as well as fuelling its eternal recrudescence, and manifesting humanity's agony of the last millennia.Srd Website Srd @ Bandcamp Srd @ Facebook Srd @ SoundCloud Srd @ YouTube |
ATER ERA
Ater Era is a Slovene extreme metal band characterized by a primal black metal sound and an unusual tendency towards psychedelic and ambient interferences.The band was born as a solo project in June of 2006 and created to further evolve the darkness invoked by its defunct forerunner: the black metal act Torka (2001-2005). Initiator was S.S. band vocalists, guitarist and songwriter. The following two year of songwriting ended up in recording sessions, in summer 2008. In autumn's solitary decline is Ater Era’s debut album entirely performed and recorded by S.S. himself. In early spring of 2009 A.S., Human Host Body's drummer joined Ater Era as a full member. In December 2009 Ater Era performed their first live appearance in Koper. In the beginning of 2010 the departure of D.K »Tenebra« caused a temporary hiatus. In the meanwhile the band (just as a duo at the time) started composing and recording the second album. In November 2010 the line up was finally completed by the new bass player I.J., who is also playing guitar in a black metal band called Krvnik. In September 2011 “In autumn’s solitary decline” was finally released through Mater Tenebrarum Records. In May 2013, "Beneath inanimate grime", the second full length album, has been released through German label Pestilence records. Ater Era @ Bandcamp Ater Era @ Facebook Ater Era @ Last.fm Ater Era @ SoundCloud Ater Era @ YouTube |
BRITOF
Graveyard rocknroll from the bowels of hell!Britof offers you a dose of filth, blasphemy, guts, doom and gore... Hail satan! \m/ Bass/vox: Kokta Guitar: Pok Drums/vox: Alex Britof @ Bandcamp Britof @ Facebook Britof @ Instagram Britof @ YouTube |
SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL
Kostolom is the epic second LP from the duo Alex Terrible and Jack Simmons’ band Slaughter to Prevail. The album expands on the dynamic extremes of their 2017 debut, Misery Sermon — pairing Alex’s dark, cathartic lyrics with Simmons’ pummeling riffs and tense, cinematic solos. “We wanted to make each song for us stand out in a different way,” the guitarist says. “On some of the songs, we focused on wanting to keep it uptempo, building to a breakdown as the focal point. Other songs it was about groove or the chorus — ‘how can we make this melodic?’ The albums we love the most have those dynamics, and we want to use them to make each part hit harder.”The songs evolved over several years, the first demos constructed shortly before the release of Misery Sermon. And they finally finished the material in late 2020, with everyone (Alex, Simmons, bassist Mikhail Petrov, guitarist Dmitry Mamedov) having tracked their respective parts at home. (Evgeny Novikov recorded his drums at a nearby studio in Moscow.) Tracks like “Made in Russia” and “Head on a Plate” pile-drive their detuned riffs straight into your skull, offering a platform for Alex at his most menacing. But the frontman also stretches out across the record, adding clean choruses to anthems like “Baba Yaga” and “Your Only.” Alex’s words — largely sung in Russian, with occasional bursts of English — are also more balanced than the bleak song titles may suggest. “The lyrics,” Simmons says, “are quite personal to anyone who listens, I think — of personal struggle, keeping a positive mental attitude and going through the shit to have a better life and achieve your goals.” As always, Slaughter to Prevail aim to provoke you, even as they empower you. “We want something that causes an emotion — whether it’s good or bad, disappointment or excitement or whatever,” Simmons says. “We don’t want something that’s stereotypical.” Slaughter to Prevail Website Slaughter to Prevail @ Facebook Slaughter to Prevail @ Instagram Slaughter to Prevail @ Spotify Slaughter to Prevail @ Twitter Slaughter to Prevail @ YouTube |
IGORRR
Initially influenced by the likes of Meshuggah, Chopin, Cannibal Corpse, Bach, Domenico Scarlatti, Taraf de Haidouks and Aphex Twin, traces of these artists can be found littered across Igorrr’s discography, but Serre has never been interested in remaining static or merely recycling ideas, and his work has dramatically evolved accordingly. It deeply explains how Igorrr’s music is such an explosion of creativity while keeping a cohesive universe records after records.In recent years, Igorrr has also become a collective, rather than the work of one man alone, which has brought a new level of intensity into the group live representations. Igorrr Website Igorrr @ Facebook Igorrr @ Instagram Igorrr @ Twitter Igorrr @ YouTube |
SANGUISUGABOGG
Ohio’s most promising and upcoming Death Metal ou6it SANGUISUGABOGG comes backwith their anAcipated full-length sophomore album Homicidal Ecstasy. AHer releasing theircriAcally acclaimed full-length album Tortured Whole in early 2021 the group went aboveand above by creaAng a reimagined, violent, more mature and technical Brutal Death Metalexplosion that can withstand any maneuvers. Mixed by Kurt Ballou (Converge, High on Fire,Nails, Every Time I Die, etc.) and mastered by MulA-Grammy Award Winning MasteringEngineer Alan Douches (Sepultura, Nile, Thrice, Fleetwood Mac, etc.), Homicidal Ecstasy willblow you away with unique and ferocious tracks as ‘Black Market Vasectomy’ or with aheavy, raw and fiery vocals feat. Aaron Heard from the band Jesus Piece on ‘Face Ripped Off’.Sanguisugabogg @ Bandcamp Sanguisugabogg @ Deezer Sanguisugabogg @ Facebook Sanguisugabogg @ Instagram Sanguisugabogg @ Spotify Sanguisugabogg @ YouTube |
BRUJERIA
Decades before Breaking Bad, Narcos, or Mayans M.C., BRUJERIA put the world of cartels and ritualistic murder on wax with a brutal power equivalent to when Compton arrived in pop culture via NWA.BRUJERIA emerged, shrouded in mystery and infamy, in 1989. They forcefully introduced phrases like Matando Güeros, La Migra, Marijuana y Brujerizmo into the lexicon of extreme subcultures from hardcore punk to death metal. The brutal death grind band from Mexico came to represent the notoriously violent world of illegal drug trafficking, vicious retaliation, and a sinister syncretism between Afro-Caribbean sorcery like Palo Mayombe and Santeria with outright demonic possession. They brandish rifles and machetes. Most importantly, they’re armed with an arsenal of brutal riffs. Rumors abound that frontman Juan Brujo ingeniously surrounded himself over the years with members of legendary bands like NAPALM DEATH, CARCASS, and AT THE GATES and performers from beloved TV shows like Orange Is The New Black and Jackass. But nobody knows for certain. That’s because the men and women of BRUJERIA conceal themselves with bandanas, serapes, and balaclavas. Conjured like a cabal whenever society reaches a new tipping point between order and chaos, Brujeria sacrifices songs to full-length albums and singles, as decidedly apocalyptic as the Mayans, by their own calendar. Records like Raza Odiada (1995) and Brujerizmo (2000) are undeniable classics. Ripping excoriations of daily news like “Amaricon Czar” (2019) and “COVID - 666” (2020) are bitingly topical. Coco Loco (a metal mascot as iconic to many metalheads as IRON MAIDEN’s Eddie or MEGADETH’s Vic Rattlehead) returns in 2023, emblazoned on a ferocious fifth full-length album dubbed simply Esto Es Brujeria. BRUJERIA makes the metal version of the corrido, a traditional Mexican song style built on storytelling. The narratives cover everything from history to daily life for outlaws. In Brujeria’s case, the narrator’s tales range from righteous murders of oppressors and rivals to drug deals gone wrong. On Esto Es Brujeria, their blistering new platter, they growl about everything from being Party Boss to a first night in jail. Brujeria’s 1993 debut, Matando Güeros, was so extreme that record stores and distributors returned copies en masse the moment translators made English versions of the lyrics available. But it was too late to stop BRUJERIA, as word of the devastating riffs and wild tales of drugs, sex, and murder spread. The book Heavy Metal: The Music And Its Culture included it on their 100 Definitive Metal Albums list. One of the songs landed on the soundtrack to Harmony Korine’s controversial drama Gummo. Two years later, sophomore slab Raza Odiada declared war on then - California governor Pete Wilson (portrayed on the album by DEAD KENNEDYS’ frontman Jello Biafra) and his controversial immigration policies. Drug smuggling and related themes abounded, as well as a song supporting Mexico’s revolutionary Zapatistas. A music video for “La Ley De Plomo” somehow made it (briefly) to MTV. Melody Maker called 2000’s Brujerizmo “wonderfully demented thrash” and “murderous noise, absolutely bereft of anything approaching accessibility.” CMJ praised Brujo’s “growling political rants,” while NME declared, “They take a hyper-violent idea to its logical, bowel-churning, and comically thrilling end.” The title track remains one of BRUJERIA’s most streamed songs on Spotify. After a long absence, BRUJERIA returned with Pocho Aztlan in 2016. The band’s first album with Nuclear Blast Records injected fresh blood into the unstoppable crew in the form of new recruits. The songs combined the focused groove of Brujerizmo with the impenetrable death grind of the mid - 90s. Esto Es Brujeria brings BRUJERIA roaring full circle into the post-pandemic era, with the deep polarization, civil unrest, ongoing brutality, and social upheaval of the day ripe for the band’s notorious critiques. Steeped in dense myth, extreme metal’s most notorious antiheroes materialize anytime, anywhere, to spin their tales of anarchic mayhem and lawless fury . They are eternal banditos, prepared to party. Brujeria Website Brujeria @ Deezer Brujeria @ Facebook Brujeria @ Instagram Brujeria @ SoundCloud Brujeria @ Spotify Brujeria @ Twitter Brujeria @ YouTube |
SMEDJA IN SMETKE
Primitive music for primitive people.ACAB, XXX, DIY. Smedja in Smetke @ Bandcamp Smedja in Smetke @ Facebook Smedja in Smetke @ Instagram |
VADER
Vader is a Polish death metal band from Olsztyn. Formed in 1983, the group was founded by then-bassist Piotr "Peter" Wiwczarek and guitarist Zbigniew "Vika" Wróblewski. Vader went through several lineup changes over the years, with Wiwczarek as the only constant member. Since 2011, the band has comprised Wiwczarek on guitars and vocals, guitarist Marek "Spider" Pająk, bassist Tomasz "Hal" Halicki, and British drummer James Stewart.Starting as a heavy metal group, Vader eventually went to thrash, speed, and then in the late 1980s became a death metal band. It would not be until nine years after forming that they managed to release their debut album The Ultimate Incantation (1992); Vader has released eleven more studio albums since then. The band's name was inspired by Darth Vader from the Star Wars film series. Lyrical themes include stories by H. P. Lovecraft, World War II, horror, and science fiction. According to Billboard magazine, by 2002 Vader sold approximately 500,000 releases around the world. Vader @ Bandcamp Vader @ Deezer Vader @ Facebook Vader @ Instagram Vader @ ReverbNation Vader @ SoundCloud Vader @ Spotify Vader @ Twitter Vader @ YouTube |
BIO-CANCER
Bio-Cancer are a thrash metal band from Athens, Greece, formed in late 2010.Bio-Cancer @ Bandcamp Bio-Cancer @ Deezer Bio-Cancer @ Facebook Bio-Cancer @ Instagram Bio-Cancer @ ReverbNation Bio-Cancer @ SoundCloud Bio-Cancer @ Spotify Bio-Cancer @ Twitter Bio-Cancer @ YouTube |
WARSIDE
Within Warside, there is an indomitable friendship that has bound its members together for over 20 years. We are more than a band, we are a family. Our unwavering bond is felt in our music, every note is imbued with this deep connection. There is also a real desire for integrity, honesty and transparency with the music we create. Each song is a deep dive into our soul, reflecting our experiences, emotions and beliefs.We could tell you their names, but would it really matter? Is it of any importance to know that they are French, from a town where you could drown yourself in absinth and blood from brawls? All that matters is who they look up to: Trailblazers, that want it, right there and right now, who welcome followers and destroy naysayers. What’s the common denominator among those, that resonates with them ? The deep fire that rages inside for the real stuff, real people, real music, and real commitment. This rage to simply not quit, and yearn for more, always. This primitive urge to fight, scream, shout, destroy and survive. They believe that everyone has those feelings inside. And what they want to do is show you this side of yours. This brutal, unforgiving side that you have, they call it Warside... Warside Website Warside @ Bandcamp Warside @ Deezer Warside @ Facebook Warside @ Instagram Warside @ Spotify Warside @ YouTube |
THY ART IS MURDER
THY ART IS MURDER ascended the ranks of extreme metal’s top-tier bands with a meteoric underground rise as explosive as humankind’s seemingly inevitable descent into doom and death.Australia’s most harrowingly brutal export since George Miller’s Mad Max franchise invites audiences worldwide to join them in a fresh Armageddon. A soundtrack to a divisive postmodern dystopia. Two-time ARIA Music Awards nominees and tourmates with genre-titans like Cannibal Corpse, Slayer, Kreator, Lamb Of God, and Killswitch Engage, THY ART IS MURDER offers a savage take on blackened death metal combined with a heady but accessible approach to social commentary. Songs like “Reign of Darkness,” “Atonement,” “The Purest Strain of Hate,” and “Puppet Master” became anthems for outsiders, those who dare to challenge, provoke, and resist the dark world around them. They make dark, chaotic, nihilistic, heavy music with sharp smarts beneath its surface. Chris “CJ” McMahon (vocals), Andy Marsh (guitar), Sean Delander (guitar), Kevin Butler (bass), and Jesse Beahler (drums) spent lockdown isolated even more than most. The group’s guitar players put down their instruments for the first time since they started, resulting in a type of rebirth. “Sean and I didn’t even pick up our guitars for two years,” Marsh explains. “It was deliberate. The muscle memory… When we came back, it freed everything up. The hands went to different places than they were used to going. It was easier to get outside of the box of Thy Art Is Murder. We tried to explore new dimensions. It’s still within a tight paradigm, but we went to some new places.” The result is Godlike, 2023’s sixth full-length entry in the band’s ever-expansive discography. Sonically, new depths and dynamics are explored without sacrificing an ounce of intensity or urgency. Songs like “Join Me in Armageddon,” “Destroyer of Dreams,” “Blood Throne,” “Keres,” and “Lesson in Pain” deliver sharp stabs, guttural descents, and groove with muscular athleticism and confidence. Earlier in the year, the group emerged from pandemic hibernation with a tour celebrating the tenth anniversary of their sophomore album, Hate, including a pro-shot concert film captured in Melbourne. The Aggression Sessions capped off a groundbreaking collaborative series with Fit For An Autopsy begun with The Depression Sessions, joined by Malevolence and The Acacia Strain, respectively. (Fit For An Autopsy includes Thy Art’s longtime producer and mixer, Will Putney.) Godlike is the next logical step, cementing Thy Art Is Murder as death metal’s modern torchbearers. Thematically, the songs confront how cycles of violence continue over time and feelings of separation. Album closer “Bermuda” boasts what’s arguably McMahon’s strongest performance ever. The first group of its kind to crack the Top 40 on the ARIA Charts, the Sydney-born band has charted higher than any other homegrown extreme metal outfit in their native country. The “deathcore” rumblings of an early demo and EP, recorded when the original lineup were teenagers, opened the door to the genuine death metal force Thy Art Is Murder would become. Their first album, The Adversary (2010), is a classic with heightened aggression well beyond most of their contemporaries. Thy Art Is Murder first worked with Putney (A Day To Remember, Knocked Loose, The Ghost Inside) on Hate, which arrived in 2012 via Halfcut Records and earned a broader release in 2013 via Nuclear Blast. The Sydney Morning Herald wrote that the music video for the title track from Holy War (2015) sparked heated discussions with its graphic depictions of torture and violence. Despite the controversy and conversation, the Australian edition of Rolling Stone awarded the album four stars. Dear Desolation (2017), which Metal Injection described as “a pounding adrenaline rush,” debuted in the Top 100 in the US and Australia’s Top 5. As Kerrang! wrote upon the release of Human Target (2019), “When it comes to this stuff, few are capable of doing it with such devastating expertise.” Marsh notes the ambitious but controlled pace of their continued creative evolution. On Godlike, as with every album prior, “The dissonance in my mind between what we sound like and what I imagine we should sound like gets closer together.” MetalSucks put Thy Art Is Murder among the Top 50 Most Popular Metal Bands Right Now, According to the Internet (based on page views), next to Metallica, Slipknot, Ghost, and Iron Maiden. Six albums in and with electrifying performances in clubs and theaters across the globe and at crucial festivals like Summer Breeze, Download, Graspop, and Wacken, it’s easy to understand why. Thy Art Is Murder Website Thy Art Is Murder @ Facebook Thy Art Is Murder @ Instagram Thy Art Is Murder @ Twitter Thy Art Is Murder @ YouTube |
DYING FETUS
Formed in 1991, DYING FETUS have matured into one of the premiere extreme death metal/grindcore acts to emerge from the massive global metal underground. The band is recognized worldwide as a prime example of songwriting perfection, combining an innovative mix of technical virtuosity and catchy song structures to create the ultimate blend of death metal, hardcore and grind.Dying Fetus Website Dying Fetus @ Bandcamp Dying Fetus @ Deezer Dying Fetus @ Facebook Dying Fetus @ Instagram Dying Fetus @ ReverbNation Dying Fetus @ SoundCloud Dying Fetus @ Spotify Dying Fetus @ TikTok Dying Fetus @ Twitter Dying Fetus @ YouTube |
FIT FOR A KING
Fit for a King, also known as FFAK, is an American metalcore band from Dallas, Texas formed in 2007. The band comprises guitarists Bobby Lynge and Daniel Gailey, vocalist Ryan Kirby, bassist Ryan "Tuck" O'Leary, and drummer Trey Celaya. They released two independent EPs entitled Fit for a King in 2008 and Awaken the Vesper in 2009. They also released one independent album, Descendants, in 2011. After the band signed to Solid State Records, they released six studio albums through this label: Creation/Destruction (2013), Slave to Nothing (2014), Deathgrip (2016), Dark Skies (2018), The Path (2020) and The Hell We Create, which was released on October 28, 2022. In addition, a redux version of their debut studio album was released through the label in 2013.Fit for a King Website Fit for a King @ Facebook Fit for a King @ Instagram Fit for a King @ Spotify Fit for a King @ TikTok Fit for a King @ Twitter Fit for a King @ YouTube |
ALPHA WOLF
An iron will is only ever hardened within the forge, and Australia’s fastest rising metalcore act Alpha Wolfhave proven they are made of sterner stuff. The five piece bared their teeth in 2019 with the release oftheir EP Fault in joint partnership with Greyscale Records and SharpTone Records, it became a line in thesand that set expectations for all that would follow.The band played sold out shows across Australia both headlining, and in support of acts such as Polarisand August Burns Red; as well as a slew of international tours across Asia, Europe, and even dippingtheir toes in to the American market. If Fault was the line in the sand however, Alpha Wolf desired to make their mark permanent, somethingetched in stone for all to see. The band needed to push themselves harder, the band needed to provethey were worthy of their name, the band needed ‘a quiet place to die’. 2020 sees Alpha Wolf bite harder than ever with their Sophomore release ‘a quiet place to die’, theculmination of every lesson learnt, every hit taken, and every loss felt. ‘a quiet place to die’ is the endresult of five individuals who have faced the fire and refuse to flinch, pouring their everything into makingsomething they are truly proud of. The path to this point has only made their thirst greater, and soonenough, the wolves will be out for blood. Alpha Wolf Website Alpha Wolf @ Bandcamp Alpha Wolf @ Facebook Alpha Wolf @ Instagram Alpha Wolf @ Spotify Alpha Wolf @ Twitter Alpha Wolf @ YouTube |
KNOSIS
Knosis @ InstagramKnosis @ Spotify Knosis @ Twitterk |
D.R.I.
D.R.I. (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles) are a hardcore punk band formed in Houston, USA in 1982. Current line-up comprises founding members vocalist Kurt Brecht and guitarist Spike Cassidy, as well as drummer Rob Rampy and bassist Greg Orr. D.R.I. never gained a mainstream audience, but integrating hardcore punk roots with thrash-metal influences was a stylistic catalyst for their contemporaries - most notably Agnostic Front, Corrosion Of Conformity, Verbal Abuse, Cro-Mags, Dr. Know - alongside whom they are considered pioneers of what they called "Crossover" in their third album (1987). To date, D.R.I. have released 7 albums. Since then, the band has continued touring and intermittently going on hiatus. In 2004, D.R.I. released a web-only demo track "Against Me", their first recording in a decade. For years, there has been talk of an eighth D.R.I. album, which has yet to materialize. D.R.I. has also its own label called "Rotten Records".D.R.I. Website D.R.I. @ Bandcamp D.R.I. @ Deezer D.R.I. @ Facebook D.R.I. @ Instagram D.R.I. @ ReverbNation D.R.I. @ SoundCloud D.R.I. @ Spotify D.R.I. @ YouTube |
THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER
Detroit's Black Dahlia Murder, named for the infamous 1947 slaying of Elizabeth Short, aka the Black Dahlia, specializes in blackened Scandinavian-style death metal replete with blastbeats, guttural vocals, and blindingly fast guitar chops. Emerging in 2002, the band issued their debut LP, Unhallowed, to acclaim in the metal press one year later. 2007's Deflorate placed high on the U.S. album chart, and over the next 18 months, Black Dahlia Murder became a mainstay on festival stages across the United States and Europe. 2010's Ritual proved a crucible that precipitated lineup changes and became their highest-charting effort to date, while 2013's equally celebrated Everblack debuted at number 32 on the Billboard 200. 2015's dynamic Abysmal and 2017's taut and economical Nightbringers showcased a band in complete control of its artistic vision, delivering non-stop onslaughts of aggression, hooks, and melodic leads, while 2020's Verminous found the sweet spot between the group's old-school and progressive tendencies. On May 11, 2022, the band announced the untimely death of lead vocalist and co-founder Trevor Strnad.The Black Dahlia Murder formed in Waterford, Michigan, a suburb of Pontiac and Detroit. Its original members included vocalist Trevor Strnad, guitarists Brian Eschbach and Jon Kemppainen, bassist David Lock, and drummer Cory Grady. By the time they issued their initial demo, What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse later that year, they were already making concert appearances (e.g., the Milwaukee Metal Fest). After another pair of demos and the four-track A Cold-Blooded Epitaph, they signed with Metal Blade in 2003 and were soon recording their debut album, Unhallowed. The 2005 release Miasma and 2007's Nocturnal kept death metal as their core inspiration, though the band began exhibiting an increasingly melodic streak that came to fruition on 2009's brutal and majestic Deflorate. Their fifth studio album, Ritual, arrived in the summer of 2011. By 2012, only founding members Strnad and Eschbach remained in the lineup. The pair, along with lead guitarist Ryan Knight, who'd joined in 2008, enlisted bassist Max Lavelle and drummer Alan Cassidy. 2013's Everblack was greeted with almost universal acclaim. After a year touring, the Black Dahlia Murder went back into the studio. They re-enlisted producer Mark Lewis (who worked on 2011's Ritual) and former bass player Ryan Williams, who helped engineer Everblack. The band emerged with Abysmal, released in the fall of 2015, and followed it with a grueling schedule of touring for more than a year, playing headline and festival support gigs across the United States and Europe. It took its toll. Later in the year, guitarist Knight amicably left the group and was replaced by Brandon Ellis (Arsis, ex-Cannibal Corpse). In 2017, TBDM commenced work on a new album with bandmembers working separately in different Metro Detroit-area studios with various engineers, including former bassist Williams and Joe Cincotta. In the end, Ellis emerged as an important new songwriter as well as a guitarist. The finished album, Nightbringers, was issued in October 2017 through Metal Blade. Three years later, the band returned with their ninth full-length effort, the punishing Verminous. First recorded at Plymouth, Michigan's Pipeyard Studio by ex-bassist and studio guru Ryan "Bart" Williams, the bulk of the album was recorded in New Jersey at Ellis' home studio, the Shred Light District. It was mixed by Tue Madsen and mastered by Alan Douches. Produced by TBDM, Verminous offered the band a greater level of control over every facet of recording than ever before, enabling them to tweak and fine-tune small details right up until the point they sent it to Madsen in Denmark. The set was issued on April of 2020. The group was mapping out details for a concert tour when lead singer and lyricist Trevor Strnad died on May 11, 2022, only six days after he celebrated his 41st birthday. The Black Dahlia Murder Website The Black Dahlia Murder @ Bandcamp The Black Dahlia Murder @ Deezer The Black Dahlia Murder @ Facebook The Black Dahlia Murder @ Instagram The Black Dahlia Murder @ SoundCloud The Black Dahlia Murder @ Spotify The Black Dahlia Murder @ TikTok The Black Dahlia Murder @ Twitter The Black Dahlia Murder @ YouTube |
CANNIBAL CORPSE
Since 1988, Cannibal Corpse have been at the forefront of death metal, having helped shape and define the genre, and creating a seminal, incomparable body of work in the decades that followed. In 2021 they raised the stakes again with 15th album Violence Unimagined, growing ever more complex and intense, and now they return with its successor, the equally monstrous Chaos Horrific, starting a new chapter in their legacy. Written closely after the conclusion of the Violence Unimagined sessions due to the pandemic preventing them from touring like usual, echoes of that album exist in Chaos Horrific, but this is a whole new beast of its own. “To me this album feels sort of like a continuation of Violence Unimagined. The style is quite similar, but individually none of the songs on Chaos Horrific sound like songs on Violence Unimagined,” says bassist Alex Webster. “It’s a full-on death metal album, Cannibal Corpse style, and a very natural progression from Violence Unimagined.”While the band have always been noted for their technicality and complex songwriting, this does not define where the writing process takes them. “I believe that our songwriting has progressed in a manner where every song paves its own path whether it be a straightforward song or a technical song, sometimes a mix of both, so there’s no preconceived idea that we want to be more technical. The music just sort of takes its own course,” explains guitarist Rob Barrett. The band also had no specific plan for the record, always approaching each one with an open mind, just intent on writing the best songs that they can. “When we create a new record the writing flows freely and organically,” says guitarist/producer Erik Rutan. “One thing I had hoped for with the writing of Chaos Horrific was that the material would push the envelope a bit in a slightly different direction than Violence Unimagined; expand the dynamics, explore new territory without departing from what Cannibal Corpse is and always shall be. That naturally happened and is exactly what we achieved with this album.” The band also continue to uphold their legacy as they sonically progress and evolve with each and every release, never repeating themselves and working hard to make every song unique. With the intention of making albums on which every song is potentially the standout they have certainly pulled this off on Chaos Horrific’s ten tracks, showcasing a broad range of dynamics that propel the whole thing thrillingly. Kicking off with the aptly titled “Overlords Of Violence” they are in full on attack mode, the track a straight down the line rampant aural assault designed to kill. Then there are the likes of “Frenzied Feeding” and “Blood Blind”, the former alternating between high speed technical aggression and deeply atmospheric mid-tempo ugliness, and the latter a brutal, loping chug-fest that carries so much sonic weight it is quite devastating, but literally any track could be singled out. Likewise, every track stands apart from those alongside them, but together they make so much sense, the record flowing seamlessly. With the album named by drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz, the members all felt it was a great representation of the band, as is always the intention, and lyrically they linger in typically dark and twisted territory. Subjects covered include resetting the human race through mass mutilations (“Blood Blind”), fighting off hordes of zombies (“Chaos Horrific”), the selection of a random individual to be dismembered and sacrificed (“Summoned For Sacrifice”), and the violent revenge of victims of human trafficking (“Vengeful Invasion”). The album artwork - by longtime collaborator Vince Locke - is also suitably Cannibal Corpse-esque, featuring a chaotic tangle of the living and the undead, which evokes the lyrics of the title track. Having now produced six Cannibal Corpse albums - starting with 2006’s Kill - this is Rutan’s second release as a full fledged member, having officially joined in 2020, and his contributions have only improved the band. “He already was part of the Cannibal Corpse family so his transition from producer to guitarist/songwriter/producer was seamless,” says Webster. “Erik’s a super hard worker so somehow he’s able to do all of those things at the highest level. We were already very comfortable working with him, and it’s only gotten better. We’re energized and excited about the future, and Erik’s contributions are a big part of that.” Adds Rutan, “I feel like every album we’ve worked on together has progressed forward with a better understanding of each other, allowing us to push each other further even more to get the best out of one another.” Tracking at Rutan’s studio, Mana Recording in Florida, the band’s home state, was comfortable for all involved, though required everyone to work hard and be at the top of their game. Things went smoothly, and smoother than ever on the guitar front due to Barrett and Rutan having “custom guitars built with longer scale necks to hold the proper intonation necessary for lower tunings, which drastically reduced the hours spent on trying to track guitar that stays in tune throughout the session,” says Barrett. Webster asserts that it was a lot of hard work, and that “there’s a lot of attention to detail in the studio. We try to get the best possible tones from our gear, and capture the best possible performances. This can take a lot of time and effort but the end result is absolutely worth it.” Rutan states that the sessions were a “powerhouse”, with so much effort going into what has emerged as a massive album, further asserting that “everything about recording albums is hard but damn I love doing it! Creating albums, something that will last an eternity beyond our time, is something so very special, and every album we create I feel very grateful to have such an opportunity to do so.” With the pandemic behind them, Cannibal Corpse were thrilled to hit the road again in 2022, finally able to unleash the Violence Unimagined tracks live. “We’re so grateful to be able to get back out there and play for all of our fans,” says Webster. “We’ve always enjoyed it, but after being forced off of the road for almost two years we appreciate the opportunity to play live that much more, and we are so thankful for all of the fans who’ve come out to the shows since we’ve been back at it. It’s great to see you all again!” They are already looking ahead to the touring in support of Chaos Horrific, every track on there destined to go off like a bomb when played live, and the band are primed and ready to destroy everything in their path. Though they have not given much thought to the fact that 2023 is their 35th anniversary, Rutan sums up how everybody feels about this milestone. “I think it is such an amazing feat. It speaks to the work ethic and dedication that everyone has put into Cannibal Corpse. When you think about how many bands never make it a decade, let alone three plus, it is such a testament to the creativity aspect and determination and loyalty towards what we do.” Cannibal Corpse Website Cannibal Corpse @ Bandcamp Cannibal Corpse @ Deezer Cannibal Corpse @ Facebook Cannibal Corpse @ Instagram Cannibal Corpse @ ReverbNation Cannibal Corpse @ SoundCloud Cannibal Corpse @ Spotify Cannibal Corpse @ Twitter Cannibal Corpse @ YouTube |
MUNICIPAL WASTE
Thrash should leave you breathless, busted-up, and maybe even a little drunk (in a cutoff denim vest adorned with barely legible patches).Since 2001, Municipal Waste have uncompromisingly stuck to their guns as hard-partying and even harder-hitting torchbearers of 21st century thrash metal. The Richmond, VA quintet—Tony Foresta [vocals], Ryan Waste [guitar], Philip “Landphil” Hall [bass], Dave Witte [drums], and Nick Poulos [guitar]—have transformed from a cult favorite into metal mainstays for a generation. Along the way, Decibel touted The Art of Partying in its coveted “Hall of Fame” and asserted it “revved up interest in thrash and inspired a fresh wave of youthful new bands.” Metal Hammer christened The Art of Partying one of “The 50 Greatest Thrash Metal Albums Ever,” while Loudwire pegged The Art of Partying as “The Best Thrash Album of 2007” and Hazardous Mutation as “The Best Thrash Album of 2005.” The guys have sold out countless shows on multiple continents and piled up tens of millions of streams in the process. 2017’s Slime and Punishment bowed in the Top 3 of the Billboard Heatseekers Albums Chart, and The Last Rager EP only accelerated their momentum in 2019. However, Municipal Waste maintain course as vicious and vital as ever on 2022’s Electrified Brain [Nuclear Blast]. “We’re not writing any love ballads to sell records,” affirms Tony. “We’re just doing what we’ve always done since the band started—and that’s try to write fun, fast, and ripping hardcorepunkmetal.” The boys commenced work on Electrified Brain before the Global Pandemic swallowed 2020 whole. However, they took advantage of the time off the road to perfect their assault. “It allowed us to focus on putting together structured songs,” says Ryan. “We wanted to diversify some of the tempos and bring in some new dynamics that we hadn’t ventured into before.” “It was by far the hardest I’ve ever worked on a record personally,” adds Tony. “We all put a lot into this one.” They recorded in Philadelphia with producer Arthur Rizk [Power Trip, Code Orange]. The sessions would be the first time the band reunited in person after a year. Together, they achieved “a thicker and heavier sound.” Now, the single “Grave Dive” hinges on a downright mean palm-muted riff as a percussive onslaught commences. It builds towards a gang chant call-and-response before a lead rips. “It’s in the vein of songs like ‘Headbanger Face Rip’ and ‘Wave of Death’,” Tony notes. “It’s an inspirational song for our fans to cause bodily harm to themselves, but in a fun and healthy way, of course.” “High Speed Steel” practically splits asphalt with its jagged thrashing. Elsewhere, the title track “Electrified Brain” charges forward on a breakneck riff as a solo wails underneath the vocal snarl. “Electrified Brain is a part of a continuing story about a character we created called ‘The Deathripper’,” the frontman goes on. “The band has a lot of angles we return to lyrically. This is just one of them. Another example would be the large amount of Kurt Russell songs we’ve amassed throughout our catalog. Ryan wrote the lyrics to ‘Electrified Brain,’ and it’s one of my favorites.” “Crank The Heat” trudges over a thick doomy groove into menacing verses. “Our approach to writing it matches the lyrical content insofar as not trying to overthink things all of the time and remembering to enjoy what you’re doing,” exclaims Tony. At the same time, they’ve expanded their influence throughout alternative culture. Ryan released a signature Waste guitar with RIP Custom Guitars, and Dave owns a vegan restaurant called Hang Space in Richmond. Of course, Municipal Waste will present their next beer from Three Floyds Brewing soon. In the end, Electrified Brain will give you everything you’d want from a Municipal Waste record or heavy metal record, period. “We hope you walk away with some bloody ears, blown speakers, pissed off parents, black eyes, and a healthy distrust of authority,” grins Tony. Municipal Waste Website Municipal Waste @ Bandcamp Municipal Waste @ Deezer Municipal Waste @ Facebook Municipal Waste @ Instagram Municipal Waste @ ReverbNation Municipal Waste @ SoundCloud Municipal Waste @ Spotify Municipal Waste @ TikTok Municipal Waste @ Twitter Municipal Waste @ YouTube |
IMMOLATION
Just as one can smell a storm swelling on the horizon, the cataclysmic tremor that is IMMOLATION approaches to unleash its latest, immense creation: ACTS OF GOD. Due to be released in winter of 2022, this 11th studio album serves as the next chapter of IMMOLATION’S Death Metal epic. With 5 long years passed since the most recent studio album, ATONEMENT, ACTS OF GOD vigorously showcases IMMOLATION’s ability to consistently create fascinating sounds, while still keeping their feet firmly rooted in the old school, New York Death Metal for which they are renowned.Emblazoned with a haunting new masterpiece by artist Eliran Kantor, ACTS OF GOD displays a trifecta of angelic beings desperately trying to prevent one another’s flesh from melting in a blackened light from above. The muted colors and ethereal images will ring familiar to fans of IMMOLATION’s previous album covers. “We wanted this cover to feel much darker; more melancholy and hopeless. The music has always been very dark, and a lot of Kantor’s work had the feeling that we were going for; the semi-surreal colliding with a classic, almost renaissance feel,” explains founder and vocalist/bassist Ross Dolan. “It’s unnerving. It really reflects the music perfectly,” agrees founder and guitarist Robert Vigna. The album’s third track “The Age Of No Light” is a powerful, hard hitting song with an extreme yet catchy melody. “It’s quick, hits hard, and gets straight to the point” explains Vigna. Consistently changing speeds and patterns throughout, the song is short but remains both dynamic and memorable. “Blooded” has all the usual IMMOLATION elements: the slow, the fast, the explosive, the big overlaid sections of groovy harmony eventually dropping into evil, ripping guitar work. “It’s a little powerhouse,” describes Vigna, “it’s straightforward, and it has all the elements you would expect from us in a nice, neat package.” A song like “Immoral Stain” is a slightly mid-paced track with an intense, creepy atmosphere. Equipped with plenty of unusual moments, the beat is catchy, dark, and echoing. Searing guitar starts to recite a story and then quickly begins a conversation with thunderous vocals and a vociferous beat. “That whole section of build up just needed to be done exactly as it is. That’s what makes it sound different and interesting,” describes Vigna. Much like the rest of the album, while the lyrics cover the usual, general topics of genuine evil and the great deception of religion, the specifics are most certainly left to the listener’s interpretation. Fortunately for IMMOLATION fans, there is no shortage of corruption and catastrophe in this world. Fittingly, the concluding track “Apostle” was the last song written for the album. “Some of those chorus sections have a weird almost dream-like quality,” describes Dolan. Its steadily growing momentum discharges rounds of guitar solos and relentless vocals which eventually lead way to an explosive finale to the album. The creative journey for ACTS OF GOD began with years of notes, and an abundance of inspiration. With Vigna at the helm of the structural writing as usual, further composing and concepts were tossed back and forth amongst all 4 members. Eventually, they began to skeletonize the beginning of what would become a full length, studio album. While the recording process and entering the studio can be a very sterile experience for some musicians, the ferocity of the demos combined with the expertise of long time friend and recording counterpart Paul Orofino of Millbrook Studios (BLUE OYSTER CULT, BAD CO, GOLDEN EARRING), assured that this would not be an issue for IMMOLATION. “Having such a level of comfort is key,” remarks Dolan. Final touches were brought about on the mixing and mastering by Zack Ohren of Castle Ultimate Studios. Firmly aligned with Nuclear Blast Records, the often coveted sound of IMMOLATION has reemerged from the depths of a cursed and cruel world to illuminate our minds and ears with exquisite, sonic destruction. Immolation Website Immolation @ Bandcamp Immolation @ Deezer Immolation @ Facebook Immolation @ Instagram Immolation @ ReverbNation Immolation @ SoundCloud Immolation @ Spotify Immolation @ Twitter Immolation @ YouTube |
SCHIZOPHRENIA
Back in January 2020, SCHIZOPHRENIA came out of nowhere with their debut EP ‘VOICES' to hit the Extreme Metal underground like a bomb. The big question was: would these youngsters from Antwerp, Belgium be able to top this with their debut full-length album? Answer: WOW, HELL YES!SCHIZOPHRENIA have crafted a pure Deathrash diamond on which the band is displaying everything that Extreme Metal has made so legendary over the past decades! On top of the uncompromising ferocity and groove of the ‘VOICES' EP, their debut full-length RECOLLECTIONS OF THE INSANE is going even further in every aspect, sometimes even flirting with some melodic Death/Black Metal influences! Morbid Angel, Demolition Hammer, Slayer, early Sepultura, Dissection, Death, At The Gates, Obituary, Bolt Thrower, Pestilence…if any of these bands already gets you going, then imagine a blend of all those bands combined with SCHIZOPHRENIA’s unique and fresh interpretation of Extreme Metal! Schizophrenia @ Bandcamp Schizophrenia @ Deezer Schizophrenia @ Facebook Schizophrenia @ Instagram Schizophrenia @ Spotify Schizophrenia @ Twitter Schizophrenia @ YouTube |
ELLENDE
The austrian black metal project was founded in the year 2011 by L.G. as a soloproject and turned into a live project in 2012 with session musicians.The band’s name comes from a Middle High German adjective originating from the West Germanic *alja-landja-, which can be translated as „being out of the(/one’s) country“. In the sense of „exiled“, this took on a negative connotation over time, reflected nowadays in modern German elend, i.e. „miserable“. Ellende is strictly L.G.’s solo-project. All other people involved are session/live musicians. Ellende Website Ellende @ Bandcamp Ellende @ Deezer Ellende @ Facebook Ellende @ Instagram Ellende @ Spotify Ellende @ YouTube |
GROZA
Black Metal from Bavaria, Germany. Founded in 2016.Groza @ Bandcamp Groza @ Facebook Groza @ Instagram Groza @ Spotify |
SERVANT
Servant is a German black metal band from lower saxony which was founded in 2021 within the release of their well reviewed debut ‘Blessed By The Light Of A Thousand Stars’. Servant stands on the shoulders of great Scandinavian bands without the lack of an individual sound. Servant presents their style of Black metal both in a majestic and furious way.New Album ‘Aetas Ascensus’ out now! Servant @ Bandcamp Servant @ Facebook Servant @ Instagram Servant @ Spotify |
