The Horde

Ben, please add the new Neaera album All Is Dust.

July 2024

01. Slugdge – “Slave Goo World” (from “Esoteric Malacology”, 2018) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

02. Vomitory – “The Dead Awaken” (from “Opus Mortis VIII”, 2011) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

03. Malevolent Creation – “Multiple Stab Wounds” (from “The Ten Commandments”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

04. Immolation – “Those Left Behind” (from “Dawn of Possession”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

05. Asphyx – “Diabolical Existence” (from “The Rack”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

06. PainKiller – “Warhead” (from “Guts of a Virgin”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

07. The Chasm – “Storm of Revelations” (from “Procession to the Infraworld”, 2000) [Submitted by Sonny]

08. Comecon – “Omnivorous Excess” (from “Megatrends in Brutality”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

09. My Dying Bride – “Erotic Literature” (from “As The Flower Withers”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

10. Pungent Stench – “Games of Humiliation” (from “Been Caught Buttering”, 1991) [Submitted by Sonny]

11. Autopsy – “Destined to Fester” (from “Retribution For The Dead” E.P., 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

12. Pestilence – “Twisted Truth” (from “Testimony of the Ancients”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

13. Adramelech – “As The Gods Succumbed” (from “Psychostasia”, 1996) [Submitted by Sonny]

14. Unleashed – “Before the Creation of Time” (from “Where No Life Dwells”, 1991) [Submitted by Sonny]

15. Fuming Mouth – “Timeless” (from “Daylight Again” single, 2024) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

16. Convulse – “Incantation of Restoration” (from “World Without God”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

17. Bolt Thrower – “Destructive Infinity” (from “War Master”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

18. Hypocrisy – “Suffering Souls” (from “Penetralia”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

19. Ulcerate – “Drawn Into The Next Void” (from “Stare Into Death & Be Still”, 2020) [Submitted by Sonny]

20. Mithras – “Behind The Shadows” (from “Behind the Shadows Lie Madness”, 2007) [Submitted by Sonny]

21. Eternal Rot – “Devouring Purge” (from “Anatomia/Eternal Rot” split album, 2024) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

22. Atræ Bilis – “A Kingdom of Cortisol” (from “Aumicide”, 2024) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

23. Replicant – “Orgasm of Bereavement” (from “Infinite Mortality”, 2024) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

24. Critical Defiance – “All The Powers” (from “The Search Won’t Fall”, 2024) [Submitted by Daniel]

25. Vredehammer – “From The Abyss” (from “God Slayer”, 2024) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

26. Muldrotha – “Red in Tooth & Claw” (from “Red in Tooth & Claw” single, 2021) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

27. Defeated Sanity – “Generosity of the Deceased” (from “Disposal of the Dead/Dharmata”, 2016) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

Edge of Sanity - "Nothing But Death Remains" (1991)

Swedish melodic death metal establishment Edge of Sanity first came to my attention through metal radio programming back in the very early 1990's off the back of their 1991 debut album "Nothing But Death Remains" which is a very different prospect to the one that saw them completely blowing up off the back of their 1996 fifth album "Crimson". You see, Edge of Sanity began life in much the same way as many of their Swedish peers i.e. as a far more conventional death metal band that took its earliest steps over ground that was already well trodden. Not being much of melodeath fan myself, I have to admit that this idea holds a stronger appeal for me than it may to many others so this week's revisit of "Nothing But Death Remains" has only proven something that I already strongly suspected. Yep, I actually prefer Edge of Sanity's rawer early works over their widely celebrated mid-1990's material.

While "Nothing But Death Remains" may have a fairly tinny production job by today's standards, it wasn't anything out of the ordinary for a young band at the time & there was already a class to Edge of Sanity's compositions that defied this record's status as an early 90's debut. The boys hadn't adopted the signature BOSS HM-2 pedal driven Entombed/Dismember wall of sound as yet but they certainly sounded like they had already spent a bit of time paying their dues as the musicianship is all solid & the song-writing offers enough variation to keep me interested. The tracklisting is quite consistent with only the disappointing second track "Human Aberration" failing to meet an acceptable standard. I really enjoy the use of guitar harmonies but the Dave Vincent-ish vocals of band leader Dan Swanö are probably the highlight of the record for me personally. There's a graveyard atmosphere that Edge of Sanity rarely achieved again here &, despite the fact that "Nothing But Death Remains" is hardly essential listening for the average death metal listener, it's far from the misfire that many fans of the Swede's later material would have you believe it is.

For fans of Bloodbath, Uncanny & early Hypocrisy.

3.5/5

Skeleton of God - "Urine Garden" E.P. (1993)

Colorado four-piece Skeleton of God are another band that I sought out back in my tape trading days in my quest for ever more extreme forms of metal with their debut E.P. "Urine Garden" receiving quite a few plays back in the day. The Skeleton of God sound could be described as a quite technical, avant-garde & progressive take on the brutal death metal model although these guys were clearly still finding their sound so some tracks are definitely more unusual than others. You can't deny the ambition from such a young group of dudes but I do have to admit that I prefer the conventional material like highlight track "10 Second Infinity" over the more intentionally weird inclusions (see the opening title track for example). The way Skeleton of God construct their riffs is quite unique though & this attribute gives the band their edge, along with the gutteral vocals of guitarist Jeff Kahn which are very effective. It's a real shame that the production job isn't adequate for this type of release though as I feel it may have picked up more of an underground reputation with a cleaner & more powerful sound.

For fans of Human Remains, Wicked Innocence & Embrionic Death.

3.5/5

A majestic opening standout of progressive tech-/melodeath fury:

Blood Duster - "Fisting the Dead" E.P. (1993)

The debut release from a legendary Melbourne band that I saw play live many times back in the 1990's. It includes 25 tracks across 19 minutes, eight of them being hilarious intros that have been borrowed from D grade horror films like "Bad Taste". This music is not meant to be taken too seriously but boy is it entertaining. Early Blood Duster offered a well-constructed & produced sound that took the blast-beat driven goregrind of early Carcass & combined it with the groovy death 'n' roll riffs of post-1991 Pungent Stench. The use of double-kick in the blast-beats leaves a little bit to be desired by today's standards but we didn't notice it all that much back in the day. The song-titles & lyrics are as over the top as you'd expect from a goregrind act with ditties like "Vulgar Taste (Of A Rotten Cunt)", "Knee Deep in Menstrual Blood (The Bleeding Bitch Returns)" & "Blood Fart" being some of the better ones. Throw this one on a drunken party with your mates & press the "repeat" button cause it's all over in a flash.

For fans of Macabre, Pungent Stench & early Carcass.

3.5/5

Absu - "Barathrum: V.I.T.R.I.O.L." (1993)

I've always quite enjoyed the down-tuned early Immolation death metal meets Darkthrone black metal feel of this album. It's got a dark & evil atmosphere & the production really reminds me of my tape-trading days in the late 80s/early 90s. Proscriptor's drumming is probably the highlight for me. I'm not too keen on the female vocal stuff & the keyboards are very primitive but I dig the raw brutality of this record. It may be my favourite Absu release actually.

3.5/5

Cavern Womb - Stages of Infinity (2024)

Y'know, for as much as I go off about Chilean Thrash Metal as one of the most prolific scenes in Metal at the moment, East Coast NA Tech Death is starting to get really, really close to being the thing to look out for. Whether it's Replicant from New Jersey that everyone but me seems to love, or Tomb Mold from Toronto, or Lunar Chamber from Florida that had that standout EP from last year, things are looking up. Well after showing up to a Philly concert myself recently there's another PA/Philly band that's coming out of the woodwork showing some promise with this ripping 25 minute EP that sounds way to mature for a band that has only had a 3 song split before dropping this beast. I do think we're getting a bit inundated with some similar sounding Tech Death since there's just so damn much of it nowadays, but Cavern Womb's songwriting and mix of influences has really propelled this one to the top for me. Stages of Infinity definitely lives up to its Tech Death tag, but not in the same way as other bands who seem to throw some complex riffing and some fretless bass at the wall and see if it sticks. In my opinion, you can tell from the first song that this EP is extremely tight in the way it moves and transitions in between each riff and tempo without it feeling jerky or forced. That continues through the whole thing and only gets better as it goes, with "Cryopreserved" and "A Vessel For The Esoteric" being some of the best Tech/Progressive Death Metal I've personally heard in a while. This kind of sound definitely appeals to my personal tastes as its less about brutality and more about weird progressive/psychedelic adventures in between some incredibly compelling riffs. I'm going to be listening to this one way more and it may turn into one of the few EP's that make my year end list, I'm seriously enjoying this one. This happened last year with the Lunar Chamber EP, although I think this one is even better at a glance, so these guys need to get their acts together and release full lengths already! (...Y'know whenever they feel like it and all that.)

4/5

US brutal death metallers Disfiguring the Goddess have a couple of new collaborations out right now. The first is the "Transfigere" E.P. with Ohio goregrind solo artist Putrid Stu whose 2021 "Taking Care of Business is Our Business... and Business is Good" collaboration E.P. with Phoenix brutal death metallers Fluids I quite enjoyed.

The second is the "Breaking Fourth Wall" E.P. with Californian brostep producer Big Chocolate which admittedly sounds like an awful combination on paper but in reality this dude is the main member of disfiguring The Goddess anyway.

Disfiguring The Goddess are hardly a premier exponent of their craft with their back catalogue showcasing as many misses as hits in my experience but I have enjoyed some of their releases so who knows. This one might be one of the better ones like 2012's "Sleeper" E.P. which I really enjoyed.

Here's my review:

Sweden's In Mourning would make my acquaintance fairly early on in their recording career off the back of this month's The Horde feature release "Shrouded Divine" which represents their initial foray into the full-length album format. The record had been floating around for roughly a year by the time I revitalized my interest in metal & began progressively exploring every new extreme metal release of any significance, at which time I discovered that In Mourning had a bit about them which would ultimately prove to be enough to see me investigating each of In Mourning's five subsequent albums as they came to fruition. There have certainly been some that appealed to me more than others as I wasn't much of a fan of 2010's "Monolith" sophomore record yet regard its 2012 follow-up "The Weight of Oceans" as one of the better melodic death metal records I've ever heard but there are few that would deny the class that these artists exude in the way they go about things. Interestingly though, I don't think I've returned to "Shrouded Divine" in the fifteen years since I first wrapped my ears around it & I was wondering whether that might be a telling fact going into this week's revisit. Let's find out.

If I'm being completely transparent then I'll have to admit that "Shrouded Divine" took me a bit of time to warm up to on this occasion, perhaps due to the fact that my first listen came immediately after the very strong Blut aus Nord The North clan feature release "Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue With the Stars" which resides much further within my wheelhouse. In Mourning simply sounded a little lightweight in comparison but subsequent listens saw the album starting to open up a bit for me & by the end of my third spin I could clearly see the appeal in this professionally produced & executed extreme metal record. Despite the consistent labelling of In Mourning as a melodic death metal band, "Shrouded Divine" doesn't offer much in the way of death metal at all to be honest. In fact, I'd suggest that the ties with the melodeath sound are tenuous at best given that the tag is intended to draw together releases that share a complex harmony-driven sound. In Mourning's early sound was much more in line with the progressive metal of Opeth & if you take away the very deep & gutteral vocals of guitarist Tobias Netzell (formerly of Swedish doom/death act October Tide & progressive rock/metal outfit Thenighttimeproject) then you'll find that In Mourning have a lot more in common with Dream Theater than they do At The Gates so the album is best suited to an "extreme progressive metal" tag in my opinion. I feel that the tendency to want to find a death metal subgenre to associate with the album is mainly to differentiate it from the Fates Warnings & Queensryches more than it is to throw In Mourning in with the Dark Tranquillitys & In Flames'.

In Mourning have pulled their sound together very nicely when you consider that this was their first studio effort. The musicianship is all of a high quality & there's an impressive level of cohesion that sees the sum of the various parts amounting to significantly more than they may have in isolation. There are a couple of elements that don't sit as well with me though to be fair. The occasional use of blast-beats from drummer Christian Netzell is largely nullified by his drum sound which leaves them sounding like he's tapping away on a matchbox. The use of screamier vocals for a bit of variety was a nice idea in theory but these ones sound like they would have fit very comfortably on a generic deathcore record. Unlike Ben though, I actually think the clean vocals are a nice touch & provide some welcome variation. Despite being a progressive band, In Mourning aren't the most complex example you'll find & they don't take too many other risks either with many off their riffs sounding fairly familiar. You won't struggle to recall the signature Opeth octave chords or the rhythmic bottom-string djent riffs that were so popular at the time while listening to "Shrouded Divine". Thankfully though, In Mourning pull it all off with aplomb in what is generally a very tight, finely-honed debut effort.

Most progressive metal fans should find the tracklisting on "Shrouded Divine" to be pretty consistent once they've given the record the time to sink its teeth in a bit. In fact, I don't think there's a weak track included as such. There aren't really enough genuine highlights to see me feeling like returning to the album all that often though either & that's perhaps the record's biggest detractor for me personally. It certainly sounds very pleasant & quite accessible for an extreme metal release. It doesn't get my blood pumping all that often though & that's the difference between a release that draws me back time & time again & one that I maintain a fondness for without ever really feeling the urge to return to. "Amnesia", "By Others Considered" & (my personal favourite) closer "Past October Skies (The Black Lodge Revisited)" are my pick of the bunch & are all very solid examples of their type but I'd question whether any of them should be granted access into my Hall of Metal Glory for all eternity. They're certainly nothing to be scoffed at though & I can very easily see why a record like this one might appeal to my brother much more than it might to my blackened soul.

At the end of the day, "Shrouded Divine" was a pretty good way to kick off a recording career as it provided a solid platform for In Mourning to build & improve on over the many years since. It's perhaps been relegated to the reserve bench a bit since I heard 2012's "The Weight of Oceans" a few years later but I don't think many fans of extreme progressive metal will struggle to find the appeal in a record like this one & I'd suggest that it still sits in the top half of the band's back catalogue overall.

For fans of Barren Earth, In Vain & Persefone.

3.5/5

This is why we need clan-central combo genres.

FYI: From next month the new The Horde playlist track submission limit will be 30 minutes for each of the four nominators after irunak James-Lee has elected to take part.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0R0a3qxSe1XkOMxBN6gkwi?si=75c89d5e349b41e4

Tracklisting:

01. Slugdge – “Slave Goo World” (from “Esoteric Malacology”, 2018) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

02. Vomitory – “The Dead Awaken” (from “Opus Mortis VIII”, 2011) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

03. Malevolent Creation – “Multiple Stab Wounds” (from “The Ten Commandments”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

04. Immolation – “Those Left Behind” (from “Dawn of Possession”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

05. Asphyx – “Diabolical Existence” (from “The Rack”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

06. PainKiller – “Warhead” (from “Guts of a Virgin”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

07. The Chasm – “Storm of Revelations” (from “Procession to the Infraworld”, 2000) [Submitted by Sonny]

08. Comecon – “Omnivorous Excess” (from “Megatrends in Brutality”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

09. My Dying Bride – “Erotic Literature” (from “As The Flower Withers”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

10. Pungent Stench – “Games of Humiliation” (from “Been Caught Buttering”, 1991) [Submitted by Sonny]

11. Autopsy – “Destined to Fester” (from “Retribution For The Dead” E.P., 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

12. Pestilence – “Twisted Truth” (from “Testimony of the Ancients”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

13. Adramelech – “As The Gods Succumbed” (from “Psychostasia”, 1996) [Submitted by Sonny]

14. Unleashed – “Before the Creation of Time” (from “Where No Life Dwells”, 1991) [Submitted by Sonny]

15. Fuming Mouth – “Timeless” (from “Daylight Again” single, 2024) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

16. Convulse – “Incantation of Restoration” (from “World Without God”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

17. Bolt Thrower – “Destructive Infinity” (from “War Master”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

18. Hypocrisy – “Suffering Souls” (from “Penetralia”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

19. Ulcerate – “Drawn Into The Next Void” (from “Stare Into Death & Be Still”, 2020) [Submitted by Sonny]

20. Mithras – “Behind The Shadows” (from “Behind the Shadows Lie Madness”, 2007) [Submitted by Sonny]

21. Eternal Rot – “Devouring Purge” (from “Anatomia/Eternal Rot” split album, 2024) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

22. Atræ Bilis – “A Kingdom of Cortisol” (from “Aumicide”, 2024) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

23. Replicant – “Orgasm of Bereavement” (from “Infinite Mortality”, 2024) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

24. Critical Defiance – “All The Powers” (from “The Search Won’t Fall”, 2024) [Submitted by Daniel]

25. Vredehammer – “From The Abyss” (from “God Slayer”, 2024) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

26. Muldrotha – “Red in Tooth & Claw” (from “Red in Tooth & Claw” single, 2021) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

27. Defeated Sanity – “Generosity of the Deceased” (from “Disposal of the Dead/Dharmata”, 2016) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

Dark Tranquillity - "Skydancer" (1993)

While there were a few different players in the race for the earliest example of the sound we now know as melodic death metal, I can definitely tell you that Sweden’s Dark Tranquillity were the first exponent that I encountered personally. I can say this with confidence as I can still remember being impressed with how fresh & exciting their approach was, even if their overall sound didn’t sit that comfortably within my wheelhouse. I think it may have been Dark Tranquillity’s 1992 “A Moonclad Reflection” E.P. that first graced my ears but it wasn’t until I discovered the band's very solid 1991 “Trail of Life Decayed” demo that I started to pay attention. Their debut album “Skydancer” would cross my radar shortly after release too & I found myself being thoroughly impressed with the level of compositional complexity on show. I've often wondered whether that might have skewed my opinion on the record a little though as I’ve always seemed to rate it a touch more highly than other metal enthusiasts with the common opinion being that it was merely a blip on the timeline that saw Dark Tranquillity’s popularity exploding with their 1995 sophomore album “The Gallery” two years later. This concern has seen me revisiting “Skydancer” with fresh ears this week & I’m glad that I have because it’s seen me drastically adjusting my position on this seminal yet divisive record.

Let’s get one thing straight from the offset, “Skydancer” isn’t the super-polished product that the melodic death metal scene would start producing in the coming years. It’s still very much a product of the underground scene at the time with the production job having a rough edge to it & the performances lacking the precision that the subgenre would eventually make one of its major calling cards. It does, however, sport a sound that was already clearly identifiable as Swedish melodic death metal, even if it does stand out a little in the Dark Tranquillity back catalogue given the additional layer of rawness its managed to maintain. The vocals of current In Flames & former Ceremonial Oath & Passenger front man Anders Friden already possess that raspy blackened edge that has become part & parcel of the Gothenburg sound while the complex melodic interplay of future HammerFall guitarists Niklas Sundin & Mikael Stanne (Grand Cadaver/The Halo Effect) weaves in & out of the interesting bass lines of Martin Henriksson. Despite some pretty fast blast-beats for the time, I’d have to suggest that the drumming of Anders Jivarp is the weaker component of the groups offering as he can’t boast the power & control of the modern-day exponents of the melodeath sound.

I have to admit that my initial thoughts upon my first revisit of “Skydancer” weren’t all that positive. It’s fair to say that I was caught off guard by just how far the early tracks fell beneath the shelf my nostalgia had placed them on all these years & it wasn’t until the third song “A Bolt of Blazing Gold” that things started to look up. The triple play of “Skywards”, folk number “Through Ebony Archways” & “Shadow Duet” (my album highlight) saw Dark Tranquillity hitting a more consistent flow through the middle of the record but things take a sharp curve towards the negative at the end of the album with both “My Faeryland Forgotten” & “Alone” failing to connect with me. There’s simply not the consistency I’ve come to expect from the more premium examples of the Gothenburg sound here & I've struggled to identify the appeal that the album had on me the last time our paths crossed a good fifteen years ago now.

The use of a duel clean vocal delivery at various points across the album was misguided in my opinion. Engineer Stefan Lindgren takes on the male cleans with guest female singer Anna-Kajsa Avehall also making a contribution on a few songs. I don’t think it’s a surprise that neither have gone on to anything of significance in the future as the efforts of both parties lack a level of professionalism & are noticeably pitchy at times, particularly that of Avehall which goes against the usual arrangement of dodgy male metal vocalists being backed by more capable female singers. I generally enjoy the clean folk guitar sections but unsurprisingly struggle a bit with the more metallic folk influences. Interestingly, it's the slower & more atmospheric parts of the tracklisting that offer me the most consistent appeal which isn't the norm for this hard-nosed ol' extreme metaller.

Look, “Skydancer” isn’t a horrible record by any stretch of the imagination but it clearly isn’t everything I’d pumped it up to be over the years either. It presents Dark Tranquillity as very much a work in progress & I think I'm gonna have adjust my position on the album significantly by suggesting that newcomers to the band &/or the Swedish melodeath scene might want to skip past the band’s first couple of proper releases & jump straight into “The Gallery” because it took a good couple of steps up from “Skydancer” & “A Moonclad Reflection”.

For fans of In Flames, At The Gates & Insomnium.

3/5

Pungent Stench - "Dirty Rhymes & Psychotronic Beats" E.P. (1993)

I feel like I was lucky to have come across Austrian death metallers Pungent Stench fairly early in life to be honest because, as a general rule, I can do without any sort of silliness or humour in my extreme metal, preferring to imagine that the sounds being omitted from my speakers are truly the work of Satan or some horrifying zombie creature. But I’d suggest that I was perhaps a little more open to the concept when I first wrapped my ears around Pungent Stench’s 1990 debut album “For God Your Soul… For Me Your Flesh” as I was simply gorging myself on anything even remotely tied to the death metal genre & it fit the mould nicely with its disgusting subject matter & filthy aesthetics. I thoroughly enjoyed that record which saw me going back to explore Pungent Stench’s 1989 split album with fellow Austrians Disharmonic Orchestra, a release that I quite liked too. These early experiences saw me purchasing 1991’s “Been Caught Buttering” sophomore album on cassette as soon as it hit the shelves & playing the absolute shit out of it too. It was the band’s strongest release to the time in my opinion with the song-writing perfectly balancing the band’s deathly atmosphere with a clear tongue-in-cheek shock factor. So, by the time 1993’s “Dirty Rhymes & Psychotronic Beats” E.P. hit my CD player two years later, I would certainly have called myself a fan of Pungent Stench. Perhaps a slightly reluctant one but a fan nonetheless.

I think it’s fair to say that “Dirty Rhymes & Psychotronic Beats” represents somewhat of a gap-filling exercise that was drawn upon in order to make the extended period between 1991’s “Been Caught Buttering” album & 1994’s follow-up record “Club Mondo Bizarre – For Members Only” more palatable for Pungent Stench’s growing fan base. It clearly fits the bill for what your average E.P. generally tries to achieve too as it’s more of a collection of random songs than it is a fluent creative statement. Different versions of the same track? TICK! Silly novelty tracks? TICK. Cover versions? TICK! Useless, extended noise outro on the last track to make the release seem like you get more value for money than you actually do? TICK! You know the drill, right? But that’s not to say that there’s not anything here to keep you entertained because this E.P. still clearly highlights the things that made Pungent Stench an attractive prospect for your average death metal fan in the first place i.e. catchy song-writing with fun themes & memorably hooks.

The seven-song tracklisting begins with a two-minute intro piece called “Praise The Name of the Musical Assassins” which utilizes a layered, sample-heavy electronic music platform through which to express itself. It’s a very effective way to kick things off & I don’t think my background in electronic music has done me any harm at all in seeing me unexpectedly favouring this piece over the rest of the tracklisting. The proper metal material begins with “Viva la muerte” which I’d suggest is probably the most effective metal number included. It sees Pungent Stench placing their creative cards down on the table right from the word go as this isn’t your standard death metal number. Oh no… there’s a noticeable groove to the tightly-performed riffs that is more in line with the Entombed-led death ‘n’ roll movement than the sound the Stench began life with. That sound has never really been my cup of tea but it seems to fit in with this band’s image & themes quite nicely. The cover version of Warning’s “Why Can The Bodies Fly” takes the hardened extreme metaller even further outside of their comfort zone with its quirky electronic component doing its very best to make me feel alienated. Thankfully though, I’m a pretty big fan of the original which makes this a nice novelty inclusion, despite not being up to the same standard as the German’s 1982 effort. The wheels start to fall off a little bit from there though with two of the remaining three metal tunes (i.e. “Blood, Pus & Gastric Juice (Rare Groove Mix)” & “Four ‘F’ Club”) lacking the substance to keep me interested. “Horny Little Piggy Bank” has enough in the way of chunky, groove-laden heaviness to get my blood pumping though. Closer “Blood, Pus & Gastric Juice (Tekkno-House-Mix)” is no doubt the biggest eye-opener for the dedicated metalhead as it’s essentially an electro-industrial, early techno-infused remix that has very little to do with extreme metal. I don’t mind it actually but then I was a techno DJ throughout the 2000’s & probably would have considered playing this track as it’s pretty well done to tell you the truth.

So, as you can see, “Dirty Rhymes & Psychotronic Beats” requires a bit of effort & a few obvious challenges to be overcome for your hard-nosed death metal fan. The death ‘n’ roll sound that Pungent Stench had adopted certainly isn’t for everyone but they do it very well if that’s something that you’re into. I sit somewhere in between so the E.P. wasn’t without its obstacles but I’m pleased to say that, despite it being clearly the least significant release for the band to the time, I found enough enjoyment in the material to make this revisit a worthwhile exercise. Just don’t expect it to be up to the same sort of standard as Pungent Stench’s first two albums because you’ll be disappointed. Oh... & I'd also avoid spending too much time looking at the intentionally repulsive cover artwork as I'd suggest that it's enough to turn off all but the most desensitized punter.

For fans of Blood Duster, mid-90’s Gorefest & “Swansong”-era Carcass.

3.5/5

Here's my review:

I was lucky enough to discover Vader very early on in their recording career with 1992’s “The Ultimate Incantation” debut album first crossing my path shortly after release & at a time when I was completely obsessed with death metal (which… let’s fact it… has never really changed, has it?). I quite liked it too although the fact that I haven’t returned to it since the 1990’s is probably a sign that its impact wasn’t as significant as some of the more classic death metal releases of the time. It did, however, do enough for me to see me seeking out its follow-up “De Profundis” as soon as it hit the streets as well as a couple of Vader’s earlier demos in 1989’s “Necrolust” & 1990’s “Morbid Reich”, both of which I got some enjoyment out of. “De Profundis” would be the record that would cement Vader as an artist worthy of deeper attention for me though so I’ve been excited to take another look at it this week.

Now, let’s get the obvious out of the way right from the start. “De Profundis” is a well-executed example of mid- 90’s death metal produced by a band that clearly possessed a strong pedigree in the extreme metal underground. The band can all play their instruments well & the production is more than acceptable. Those statements alone will generally be enough to ensure a strong score from me given my undeniable affiliations with the genre & era. The question has to be asked about Vader’s credentials for the higher tier ratings though & we're about to take a look at why.

For all the positives on display on “De Profundis”, the major elephant in the room is the fact that they are so clearly trying to emulate the most premium band in the entire global scene at the time in Morbid Angel. The worship is absolutely blatant at times with the riff structures, vocal style & phrasing, drumming & guitar solos all paying homage to the one & only Morbid Angel, a band that I was as obsessed with as any other artist in my life-time when “De Profundis” hit the streets. This leads to the question of whether Vader can compete on that lofty scale & the answer is a categorical no which immediately limits Vader’s scoring potential given that they’ve been relegated to tier two status right from the get-go. The class in their execution & the consistency in their song-writing ability are their feathers in both caps though & Vader draw upon both of those attributes to create a high-quality (if a touch generic) death metal record.

The vocals of front man Piotr Wiwczarek are worth discussing because they’re slightly different to what you would usually expect from a death metal band. His tone is simply not as monstrous or growly, perhaps even semi-clean, & I see this as a slight weakness if I’m being honest. His intelligibility could be argued to be a strength though as it gives Vader a level of accessibility that some of their peers are not always afforded. There are plenty of blast-beats on offer & Morbid Angel’s Pete Sandoval has clearly been an influence on drummer Krzysztof Raczkowski although he lacks the unparalleled power, control & precision of his idol. The guitar solos are probably the highlight of the record for me & we once again see Morbid Angel being the major influence here with Trey Azagthoth’s psychotic chaos being reflected pretty accurately here & with great effect too just quietly. I love the sheer over-the-top energy they bring to proceedings & can accept the similarities to the man who was very much my own personal idol at the time.

One of the real strengths of “De Profundis” is the consistent quality in the song-writing with the tracklisting being very consistent & offering no weak tracks as such. It doesn’t, however, offer as many highlights as I would generally need from an elite death metal release with only the outstanding “Blood of Kingu” (I’m assuming yet another reference to Morbid Angel’s lyrics) being the clear classic of the nine songs. “Of Moon, Blood, Dream & Me” stands out as the weaker number included & is affected by Wiwczarek’s vocal performance which seems to struggle a bit at times but it’s still worth a few listens & isn’t a major distraction.

Look, despite the fact that “De Profundis” doesn’t attempt anything majorly new & targets one band’s sound in particular, I can’t deny that I fucking love that sound so I was always going to find a lot of entertainment in Vader’s sophomore effort. In fact, I’d suggest that it may well be the Pole’s best full-length overall although I do tend to reach for their 2005 “The Art of War” E.P. as my go-to Vader release these days. I can’t see too many battle-hardened death metal fanatics not getting some jollies out of this one.

For fans of Morbid Angel, Hate & Malevolent Creation.

4/5

 (Symbolic)

 (Zombie Ritual)

Gotcha bro I gues if the site has a heavy focus on reviews we need clearer guidlines both about the rating system and the criteria that needs to be covered in a review. Otherwise we are all just taking shots in the dark. The numbers and such aren't any good if we don't some kind of universal understanding.

Thanks mate. I think it'll work better this way moving forwards so I'll be continuing in that fashion. It simply means that I'm not including any tracks that haven't been fully vetted by a knowledgeable party purely in the interest of variety. Variety isn't as important as quality. If anyone else wants to proceed with their clan playlists in this manner then I'd support it.

I'm across about two thirds of the Illdisposed back catalogue Andi. I remember picking up "There's Something Rotten... In the State of Denmark" back in my tape trading days & got some mild enjoyment out of it. I liked their earlier & more conventional death metal albums a little better unsurprisingly enough.

This was my short review from many years ago now & it's stood the test of time with "Tools of the Trade" still proving itself to be a solid inclusion in the Carcass back catalogue. In fact, I'd suggest that I now place it alongside "Heartwork" on the second shelf beneath the wonderful "Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious" which is one of my all-time favourite releases from any genre.

I've always found this little E.P. to be an invaluable part of any serious Carcass fan's collection. Sure it only features one brand new track but it still has plenty to offer. Not only is the title track an absolute cracker but you also get the album version of "Incarnated Solvent Abuse" (arguably their career highlight) as well as re-recorded versions of two early Carcass songs that had not previously had the opportunity to be presented with a decent production. The fresh versions of "Pyosisified (Rotten To The Gore") & "Hepatic Tissue Fermentation II" are great improvements on the originals in my opinion. The fact that the tracks all seem to have been recorded during the "Necroticism" sessions is also a welcome bonus as it makes for a more even & flowing listening experience; a trait that isn't always made a priority when putting together EPs like this one.

4/5

Full of Hell - Coagulated Bliss (2024

Genres: Grindcore, Metal

You read the genre-tagging right.  I'm calling this "metal" on top of calling it a grindcore album because for a good portion of the album, it is so diversified and out-there that it's a difficult one to really peg down.  I'm getting switches between some thought-provoking noise rock, drawn out and brutal doom metal with noisy metalcore backdrops, black and death working in tandem and even a little sludgy stuff here and there.  This is Full of Hell going batshit insane, but with catchiness and accessibility covering it all so it never goes too far like Naked City's Torture Garden.  Full of Hell have always been one of the most artistic bands of the modern age.  They helped to justify the existence of the otherwise passable Merzbow with their collabs, Sister Fawn and the self-titled collab, the former of which was my number 1 FoH and the latter of which was my number 3.  The album goes for more straightforward grindcore on a more consistent level after the seven-minute doomy epic Bleeding Horizon ends side A, but the first half is organized chaos, justifying its directionless genre-bending with the bandmates's personas dominating the album's brutal presence.

Of course, it's safe to say that half the tracks are grindcore, warranting the tag, but with that seven minute epic steering closer to that joke of a genre tag RYM calls "downtempo deathcore" than anything, it's safe to say that this album covers the multitude of bases within the realms of extreme metal and metal punk hybrids, with thrash and crossover thrash being absent, and leaving room for some Orchid-style powerviolence.  It's highly accessible despite its plethora of metallic flavors, so I think the best tag for this album would either be "metal" or "extreme metal" as opposed to choosing any one specific genre.  I think to do otherwise might be a little insulting to this testament to FoH's metal cabapilities.  Although next time, I'd like to see them do this and incorporate some of the industrial sounds of Sister Fawn. Otherwise, this album is basically FoH's "When the Kite String Pops."

100/100

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0R0a3qxSe1XkOMxBN6gkwi?si=addda1a87c2c4fac

Tracklisting:

01. Afterbirth – “Hovering Human Head Drones” (from “In But Not Of”, 2023) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

02. Imperial Triumphant – “Lower World” (from “Vile Luxury”, 2018)

03. Eucharist – “Mirrorworlds” (from “Mirrorworlds”, 1997)

04. StarGazer – “Old Tea” (from “A Merging To The Boundless”, 2014) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

05. Edge of Sanity – “Hell Is Where The Heart Is” (from “Infernal”, 1997)

06. Pungent Stench – “Splatterday Nightfever” (from “Been Caught Buttering”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

07. Morgoth – “Cursed” (from “Cursed”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

08. Entombed – “Crawl” (from “Crawl” E.P., 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

09. Slimelord – “Gut-Brain Axis” (from “Chytridiomycosis Relinquished”, 2024) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

10. Massacre – “Succubus” (from “From Beyond”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

11. Neuropath – “Vulgar Rebirth” (from “Nefarious Vivisection” demo, 1995) [Submitted by Daniel]

12. Gorguts – “Inoculated Life” (from “Considered Dead”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

13. Celestial Sanctuary – “Yearn For The Rot” (from “Soul Diminished”, 2021) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

14. Magefa – “Amputated By Force” (from “New Era Of Darkness”, 2019) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

15. Deconsekrated – “The Axiom” (from “The Hidden Paths” E.P., 2020) [Submitted by Sonny]

16. Napalm Death – “Mass Appeal Madness” (from “Mass Appeal Madness” E.P., 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

17. Sketetal Remains – “Unmerciful” (from “Fragments of the Ageless”, 2024) [Submitted by Sonny]

18. Mortician – “Mortician” (from “Hacked Up For Barbecue”, 1996) [Submitted by Sonny]

19. Coffins – “Domains of Black Miasma” (from “Sinister Oath”, 2024) [Submitted by Sonny]

20. ZOMBIESHARK! – “Loxosceles on the Isosceles” (from “Die Laughing.”, 2024)

21. Septage – “Intolerant Spree of Infesting Forms (Septic Worship)” (from “Septic Worship (Intolerant Spree of Infesting Forms), 2024)

22. Gadget – “Remote” (from “Remote”, 2004)

23. Nightmarer – “Skinner” (from “Cacophony of Terror”, 2018)

24. Defaced Creation – “Baptised in Fire” (from “Serenity in Chaos”, 1999)

25. Kraanium – “Rock Filled Orifice” (from “Chronicles of Perversion”, 2015)

26. Kuroi Jukai – “II” (from “Kuroi Jukai”, 2015)

27. Ultra Vomit – “Une souris verte” (from “M. Patate”, 2004)

28. Vulvodynia – “Raped, Pillaged & Gutted” (from “Finis Omnium Ignorantiam”, 2015)

29. Coldworker – “The Crawl Inside Me Uninvited” (from “The Contaminated Void”, 2006)

30. Hour of Penance – “The Ravenous Herald” (from “Devotion”, 2024) [Submitted by Sonny]

Too atrociously poppy in the chorus for a symphonic death metal song:

Here's my review:

Florida technical death metallers Nocturnus were a fairly big player in our household from very early on in their recording career. I was lucky enough to discover their 1990 debut album “The Key” shortly after it was released & purchased a copy on cassette. It showcased a highly ambitious band of talented musicians that were looking to push the envelope when it came to both atmospherics, imagery & technique & I found it to be a very solid release indeed. Perhaps not the undeniable classic that many death metal fans will have you believe it is but a worthy purchase that has commanded consistent revisits over the years. 1992’s follow-up album “Thresholds” simply wasn’t in the same caliber from what I remember of it although it was certainly worth a listen at the time & didn’t discourage me from picking up this month’s The Horde feature release (i.e. Nocturnus’ self-titled 7” from 1993) on vinyl immediately after it was released. I don’t remember much about it now to be honest & have no idea what happened to the record I owned but I do recall being a touch underwhelmed even if I certainly found entertainment in it. I’m interested to see how those recollections stack up now actually as I recently revisited “The Key” & it’s renewed my interest.

The ”Nocturnus” 7” is nothing more than a two-song single but includes two previously unreleased non-album tracks intended to showcase the band’s brand new lineup. Bassist Emo Mowery had now filled the empty position that was filled by session musician Chris Anderson on the “Thresholds” album while James Marcinek had now joined the fold at the expense of founding member & band leader Mike Browning (Morbid Angel/Acheron) who had been controversially axed. The two songs take a similar stylistic approach to the one found on “The Key” but there are a few notable differences & characteristics that are worth pointing out.

The first & most obvious thing you’ll notice about this release is the shocking production job which is extremely rough & sees Nocturnus’ trademark flashy guitars being largely nullified. It’s a real shame because this flaw goes a long way to ensuring that the record was never going to have much of an impact, even if you absolutely loved the song-writing. Front man Dan Izzo had been brought in for the “Thresholds” album to enable Browning to focus purely on his drum kit. Here we see him trying awfully hard to sound like notorious Deicide vocalist Glen Benton & doing a reasonable job of it too. In fact, I’d have to suggest that it was a good move to swap him in for Browning as his more angry & aggressive delivery would seem to me to be a better fit for a death metal band. So would the drumming of Marcinek actually, at least I’d take it over the simplistic contribution that Browning gave us on “The Key”. The keyboards of Louis Panzer are still on show but don’t play as prominent a role in these compositions which was an interesting move given that this was one of the major drawcards that was seeing people flocking to Nocturnus. The other was the consistent layers of ultra-shredding guitar solos that were a majorly exciting prospect for this budding young lead guitarist but, once again, the solos have been toned down significantly here which I find to be a really strange decision. Perhaps that’s why we’ve seen these two tracks isolated on a dedicated single? I dunno but it was pretty annoying that Nocturnus had dropped a good chunk of their signature features.

When taken for what they are though, these two songs aren’t too bad & certainly offer enough to keep me interested & entertained. The lengthier “Possess The Priest” has a slight edge over the more aggressive “Mummified” but there’s not a lot between them as they’re both decent enough examples of the technical death metal subgenre. I’ve often seen people trying to utilize the progressive metal tag with this record but I don’t think that’s appropriate as this material is far more consciously technical than it is conceptually expansive. The riffs can sometimes be quite thrashy but I never feel that I’m listening to anything other than a death metal artist at any stage.

So, it would seem that the “Nocturnus” 7” single is bit of a mixture of positives & negatives overall, isn’t it? The production is arguably the most unfortunate & release-defining element but I’m pleased that Nocturnus possessed enough class to overcome that failure to give us a reasonable record nonetheless. Sadly, I can’t see it being enough to draw me back to the single at any point in the future but I don’t think your average Death. Atheist or Pestilence fan will find it to be too repulsive, even if it’s not on the same level as the universally worshipped releases that those bands were dishing out during that period. But then, I’m not sure I ever saw Nocturnus on the same level as those artists in the first place. Not many are though to be fair.

3.5/5

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0R0a3qxSe1XkOMxBN6gkwi?si=0f873b007fa541cb

Tracklisting:

01. Cenotaph – “Crying Frost” (from “Epic Rites: 9 Epic Tales & Death Rites”, 1996)

02. Children of Bodom – “Lake Bodom” (from “Something Wild”, 1997)

03. Hypocrisy – “Adjusting The Sun” (from “The Final Chapter”, 1997)

04. My Dying Bride – “Vast Choirs” (from “Towards The Sinister” demo, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

05. Entombed – “But Life Goes On” (from “But Life Goes On” demo, 1989) [Submitted by Daniel]

06. Neuropath – “Masticated Cadaver” (from “Nefarious Vivisection” demo, 1995) [Submitted by Daniel]

07. Benediction – “Jumping At Shadows” (from “The Grand Leveller”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

08. Unaussprechlichen Kulten – “Die teufelsbucher” (from “Häxan Sabaoth”, 2024) [Submitted by Sonny]

09. Internal Bleeding – “Driven to Conquer” (from “Driven to Conquer”, 1999)

10. Theory in Practice – “The Visionnaire” (from “The Armageddon Theories”, 1999)

11. Pyrrhon – “The Invisible Hand Holds a Whip” (from “What Passes For Survival”, 2016)

12. Gutalax – “Toi Toi Story” (from “Shit Happens”, 2015)

13. Massacre – “Dawn of Eternity” (from “From Beyond”, 1991) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

14. Cancer – “Tasteless Incest” (from “Death Shall Rise”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

15. Coffins – “Hour of Execution” (from “Beyond The Circular Demise”, 2019) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

16. Verminous – “Salvation by Extermination” (from “Impious Sacrilege”, 2003) [Submitted by Sonny]

17. Found Dead Hanging – “Solar Powered Sun Destroyer” (from “Dulling Occams Razor” E.P., 2003)

18. Behemoth – “Here & Beyond” (from “Zos Kia Cultus (Here & beyond)”, 2002) [Submitted by Sonny]

19. The Ritual Aura – “Precursor of Aphotic Collapse” (from “Laniakea”, 2015) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

20. Incantation – “Blasphemy” (from “Blasphemy”, 2002) [Submitted by Sonny]

21. Contaminated – “Cosmic Shit Show” (from “Celebratory Beheading”, 2024) [Submitted by Sonny]

22. Mortician – “Redrum/Outro” (from “Mortal Massacre” single, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

23. Cannibal Corpse – “Frenzied Feeding” (from “Chaos Horrific”, 2023) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

24. Malevolent Creation – “The Will To Kill” (from “The Will To Kill”, 2002) [Submitted by Sonny]

25. Tower of Rome – “They Say She Died Because She Was Too Honest” (from “All is Lost, All is Lost, All is Yet to be Found”, 2004)

26. Sete Star Sept – “Pilot Error Snooze” (from Beast World”, 2016)

27. Sissy Spacek – “Meat Slave” (from “Disfathom”, 2016)

28. Cephalic Carnage – “Zuno Gyakusatsu” (from “Lucid Interval”, 2002) [Submitted by Sonny]

29. Karmacipher – “Necroracle” (from “Necroracle”, 2016)

30. Fulci – “Gore Life” (from “Opening The Hell Gates”, 2015) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

31. Glossectomy – “Self Mangled Malformation” (from “Impediments From Dysplasia” E.P., 2014)

32. Hymenotomy – “Orgasm Achieved By Disemboweling Pregnant Women & Inserting Decapitated Fetuses Into Hairy Anus” (from “Some Necrophiles Having Sex With Naked Autopsied Bodies In the Morgue”, 2015)

I have a deep connection with Bolt Thrower that goes back to the earliest days of them appearing on John Peel's late night radio show which saw them becoming the only death metal band I got into prior to departing from metaldom at the beginning of the nineties. Despite the criticisms levelled against them, such as them producing the same album over and over, I have never bought into this view and think they are one of the most consistent bands in metal and have never produced a bad album. Anyway, here's my review:

Despite making a massive contribution to the birth of metal, the UK hasn't been overly blessed with important acts in the more extreme sub-genres. There were, of course, the twin grindcore godfathers, Napalm Death and Carcass and a few notables in the doom metal arena, but otherwise it has been the US and Europe that have led the way since the early 1980s. The sole exception and lone british banner fluttering among the death metal hordes, was Coventry's Bolt Thrower. War Master was the Midlanders' third album, following the rough and ready, crust and grind-influenced debut, In Battle There Is No Law! and it's much more professional sounding follow-up, Realm of Chaos, which had heralded a direction-change with the band moving into more conventional death metal territory. War Master saw Bolt Thrower heading further in that direction, ditching the grind element altogether in favour of a slower, mid-tempo, more cavernous sound that has more in common with Autopsy than fellow Brits like Carcass.

I must be honest at this point and admit that, for me, Realm of Chaos marks the band's highpoint, striking a perfect balance between the crusty grind of the debut and their later, conventional death metal sound, but that doesn't mean that War Master is any great drop-off in quality, in fact, quite the opposite as it is still one hell of a great record. The riffs on War Master are fantastic, possessing an inherent level of brutality, whilst still exhibiting a degree of melodicism which renders them instantly memorable. The songwriting is very good, and although most of the riffs stay within the mid-tempo range, the band don't shy away from either slowing down further to hulking, death doom pacing, or putting their foot down and letting rip. Karl Willetts has a great death metal growl, almost stripping paint as he barks out the lyrics which deal almost exclusively with the terrors of war, that puts him near the top of my list of favourite death metal vocalists. Production-wise War Master is a step up from Realm of Chaos with a chunkier, more bass-heavy sound that allows Jo Bench's four-string performance to shine and which is more conducive to this type of slower-paced, war-ridden death metal.

The solos are mostly of the brief, squealing style favoured by many death metal stalwarts since they were introduced by Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman back in the day and whilst they are perfectly functional and fit well within the song structures, they aren't on anything like the same level as the riffs. Despite seeing criticism of it elsewhere, I actually really like Andy Whale's drumming on here as it has tons of energy and some nice touches, such as the military tattoo-like beats at the end of Afterlife.

War Master saw Bolt Thrower finally getting near to a sound they were striving for and, as a result, they have often been accused of regurgitating the same material over and over again for the rest of their career, which is a bit harsh and personally I think is bullshit. When a band has hit on what they see as a signature sound, however, I am sure there is a temptation to plough the same furrow again on subsequent releases, and although BT never strayed far from the template they established on War Master, such is the quality of their material that only the most demanding or churlish of death metal fans could complain at the results. Evidently, this is a full-throated roar of challenge from a band in full command of their abilities, producing one of the best albums of their career and spearheading the British fightback against the scandinavian and american death metal hordes.

4.5/5

After a slow start getting the melodic stuff and the cybergrind out of the way, things picked up quickly and from track 5 onwards things looked much better with the filthy sound of Cryptworm leading the way. I have never listened to Anal Cunt before, mainly because I always thought they were supposed to be a bit of a joke band, but I actually quite liked this track, so never say never. Excellent stuff from Deicide, Disbelief, Plague of the Fallen and, of course, Neuropath. Good stuff too from Terrorizer, Mongrel, Horrifier, Nihilist and Napalm Death, so plenty of ammunition for further delving into The Horde's archives. The last two, like the first four, left me a bit cold, but overall this was another sterling playlist, so thanks for this, Daniel.

Wow! I've gotta say that the third full-length from these Finnish death metallers has well & truly blown me away which was perhaps somewhat inevitable given that it falls so clearly within my musical comfort zone. Gorephilia offer a dark & dank take on the classic 1990's death metal model with very little in the way of invention however they simply go about their craft so efficiently & effectively that I'm left feeling similar feelings to those that I first felt as an early teenager while discovering this great genre to begin with. The main influence is clearly classic Morbid Angel although (unlike Ben) I'd suggest that the era in question sits closer to "Blessed Are The Sick" & "Covenant" than it does to "Domination". Its actually pretty obvious a lot of the time too but the execution is nothing short of splendid which gives Gorephilia a strong sense of class & pedigree. Plus, there are a few more strings to Gorephilia's bow than that as they also possess a darker, murkier & slightly doomy Immolation/Incantation vibe that drags the atmosphere deeper into graveyard territory.

The guitar solos are perhaps the weak point as they lack a little finesse & often cross over into out-of-key territory but not in a way that feels intentional. It's more from a lack of understanding. The battering blast-beats, swampy yet powerful guitar tone & monstrous death growls more than make up for them though with the quality of the song-writing improving noticeably as the tracklisting progresses. "Devotion Upon the Worm", "Not for the Weak" & closer "Ark of the Undecipherable" are all devastating examples of modern death metal but the atmospheric interlude "Death Dream" is perhaps my favourite inclusion with its clean guitar arpeggios & eerie yet quite beautiful lead work providing a lovely change of scene before the final deathly assault. "In The Eye Of Nothing" is everything that a death metal band should aspire to be in my opinion & has been so successful in its undertaking that I'd even go so far as to sit it right alongside its more celebrated influences at the table of death metal's more elite performers.

4.5/5

Stortregn - "Finitude" (2023)

The sixth full-length from this Swiss outfit is arguably their best & has had me thoroughly engaged over the last couple of days. Forget the tech death talk that's floating around the internet as that tag is not expansive enough to cover Stortregn's sound which sits right in the middle of the space between melodic death metal & progressive death metal with smatterings of Dissection style melodic black metal also entering the equation to go with the really effective raspy blackened vocals. The level of musicianship is wonderfully proficient, particularly the drumming with the ultra-fast blast-beats being astoundingly tight & powerful. I'm not usually a big melodeath fan but I have to make an exception with "Finitude" as it gets the balance of extremity & ambition just right. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that I would place it behind only At The Gates' magnificent "Slaughter of the Soul" record for the melodeath subgenre as a whole which I'm aware is a very big call.

4/5

A full single track EP Daniel.  I applaud this choice.  I love me some Gorguts!  I thoroughly enjoyed istening to this track through as the highlight of a list that was strong overall I thought.

You are never going to go too far wrong with a list containing Demilich, Nihilist, Darkthrone, Repulsion, Bolt Thrower, Carnage, Morbid Angel and Nile.   

So with the start of a new year it's once again time to have a look at the covers for all the releases for each clan. I personally like to rate a whole stack of covers all at once, rather than doing them one at a time throughout the year, as it allows me to get a better feel for where each cover sits in comparison to others. With that in mind, I've just rated every cover for releases in The Horde for 2023.

Below are the releases that are currently competing for the prestigious 2023 The Horde Cover of the Year Award (i.e. they rate at least 3.7 and have 3 or more ratings). The winner will be announced on the 1st of February, so there's still time to get your ratings in.

Neuropath - At Damnation's Core

Bodyfarm - Ultimate Abomination

Demon King - Vesania

Sulphur Aeon - Seven Crowns and Seven Seals

Catacomb - When the Stars Are Right

Suotana - Ounas I

7 H.Target - Yantra Creating

Fires in the Distance - Air Not Meant for Us

Darkthrone - Goatlord: Original

If you want to contribute and rate some covers, the easiest way is to go to The Gallery and select The Horde and 2023.

https://metal.academy/gallery?cid=4&type=overall_cover_rating&myRating=&fromYear=2023&toYear=2023&exclude=0

I look forward to seeing which release gets up for the win!

Still a quiet week at work this week so managed to get through all of the playlists for my clans before end of first week of Jan.  From this list I still confess to being in a bit of a rut with death metal of late so I did skip a few tracks (Epiphanic Truth, Pyrrhon, Amon Amarth, Anata and Sacrilege all got short shrift).  My positives came in the form of Edge of Sanity, Setentia,  Neuropath and Death.  I have zero time for Cattle Decapitation though, have never understood the hype around the band at all and this track did nothing to change that opinion.

I cannot lay any claim to being a source of much knowledge when it comes to death metal, having come to it quite late on. I turned away from metal during the nineties and was listening to hardly any, let alone the burgeoning death metal scene, at the time of the release of Neuropath's two demos in '95 and '96 that make up the contents of this compilation. Luckily for us all, we have the inside track on this release from the horse's mouth, so to speak, in the shape of Academy co-creator Daniel, lead guitarist and songwriter with the Sydney brutal DM pathfinders. From the CD liner notes and the interview with Hessian Firm, it is apparent that Daniel and vocalist Mark see the evolution between the earlier demo, Nefarious Vivisection, and the later, Desert of Excruciation, as a quantum leap in both technical and songwriting abilities. I certainly would not disagree with this assessment as the technical skills on show are obviously much improved and the songwriting has matured with an increased emphasis on technicality and complexity that is testament to the hard work and dedication that the guys put into the band during what amounts to just a few months between the recording of the two demos.

Now I don't know if Daniel and the rest of the band may consider this blasphemous, but I must sheepishly admit that I like the tracks from Nefarious Vivisection a bit more than the Desert of Excruciation material. I guess it has become apparent that I am a bit of a caveman when it comes to my taste in metal, the more technical, avant-garde, experimental stuff often leaves me cold and I would much rather have something relentlessly brutal and bludgeoning than any number of time-changes and finger-knotting guitar leads and to this end Nefarious Vivisection fills my criteria perfectly. The filthy-sounding riffs stick in my head better than the more complex stuff of the DoE tracks, Masticated Cadaver and the closer here, Rectal Palpitation, being the favourites that stick with me most. Then the clincher is the absolutely fucking brutal vocals supplied by Mark that are some of the best death metal vocals I have ever heard, rivalling Reifert, Vincent, Chuck and even Demilich's Antti Boman.

I really love digging through early metal demos and, sure, there are a lot of poorly-recorded shit out there, but sometimes you find a genuine pearl or two and I would suggest that is exactly what we have here, a rugged, uncut death metal diamond. I now have a CD copy with pride of place in my collection, nestling next to Diabolical Conquest and Altars of Madness where it belongs!

4.5/5

I will get around to a full Neuropath album review eventually but this track underlines the Suffocation influence brilliantly for me.  The diving guitars and stop/start rhythms are great.

I'm not surprised that you've picked up the clear Suffocation influence in that particular track either as it was the last song I wrote for the "Desert of Excruciation" demo & "Pierced From Within" was the biggest release for me that year. I'm sure everyone's well aware that they're still my favourite band to this day too.

For the record, I share your struggles with the melodic death metal subgenre too.

I've done my review. Here's its summary:

I felt up to facing one of my worst enemies, the heavier side of death metal. This is the kind of devilish aggression I'm normally in a feud with, and yet I can't help but take it on. The chaotic nature smashes me around and leaves me breathless. It's so horrifying yet so good! OK, I have to agree that this isn't death metal per se. Imagine blending together the standard death metal that you might find in 90s Hypocrisy and Bolt Thrower with the sludgy side of Neurosis and Will Haven, and a bit of Entombed's Wolverine Blues. You end up getting an excellent extreme death 'n' roll/sludge/groove metal sound, that barely any other band has tried, with songs ranging from sludgy and melancholic, to dynamic and groove-filled, to deathly while still melodic but not overly melodic, all in monstrous guitars, annihilating bass, devastating drums, and inhumane vocals. So get ready to face a true powerful beast!

4.5/5

Edge of Sanity - Crimson (1996)

Edge of Sanity are completely new to me and I have only come to Crimson via a project I am running on RYM. My time is a bit limited at the minute, so I have only given it a solitary listen yet, but this has very definitely grabbed my attention. Although I am a massive fan of progressive rock, there are only a few prog metal albums I rate very highly. Often the metallic version of prog leaves me cold, but this was great. At times it's death metal chugging has me desperately yearning for a good headbanging session (neck injuries notwithstanding), whilst at others it's touch is far more subtle and emotionally engaging. There are even sections of the sole forty minute track that take me back to my old gothic rock worshipping times, with the vocalist doing a more than credible Andrew Eldritch impression. Musically interesting, without resorting to excessive technicality or avant-garde pretensions and whilst still engaging the primal headbanger in me, this is scintillating stuff and although I don't have time for replays just yet, this is absolutely a release I will be returning to and hopefully will be able to deliver a full review for.

I'm going to assign a provisional 4/5, but suspect this may increase when I give it the time it so obviously deserves.

So just like that we find that a new month is upon us which of course means that we’ll be nominating a brand new monthly feature release for each clan. This essentially means that we’re asking you to rate, review & discuss our chosen features for no other reason than because we enjoy the process & banter. We’re really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on our chosen releases so don’t be shy.

This month’s feature release for The Horde has been nominated by myself. It's 2018's "Within a World Forgotten" debut album from US death/war metal outfit Infernal Coil, a record which royally ripped my face off at the time through its sheer ferocity.

https://metal.academy/releases/13675

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0R0a3qxSe1XkOMxBN6gkwi?si=39a8716e43f344ce

Tracklisting:

01. Sadist – “Perversion Lust Orgasm” (from “Crust”, 1997)

02. Amorphis – “On Rich & Poor” (from “Elegy”, 1996)

03. Adramalech – “The Book Of The Worm” (from “Psychostasia”, 1996) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

04. Edge of Sanity – “Crimson, Pt. 1” (from “Crimson”, 1996) [Submitted by Daniel]

05. Godgory – “In Silence Forever” (from “Sea of Dreams”, 1995)

06. VoidCeremony – “Forlorn Portrait: Ruins of an Ageless Slumber” (from “Threads of Unknowing”, 2023) [Submitted by Daniel]

07. Hypocrisy – “Roswell 47” (from “Abducted”, 1996)

08. Baring Teeth – “An Illusion of Multiple Voices” (from “Ghost Chorus Among Old Ruins”, 2014)

09. Pestilence – “Malleus Maleficarum/Anthropomorphia” (from “Malleus Maleficarum”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]

10. Blind Equation – “Fade Away” (from “Death Awaits”, 2023)

11. Immolation – “Burn With Jesus” (from “Here In After”, 1996) [Submitted by Sonny]

12. Vader – “Blood Of Kingu” (from “De Profundis”, 1995) [Submitted by Sonny]

13. Deicide – “They Are The Children Of The Underworld” (from “Once Upon The Cross”, 1995) [Submitted by Sonny]

14. Leng Tch’e – “Derisive Conscience” (from “The Process of Elimination”, 2005)

15. Torture Rack – “Forced From The Pit” (from “Primeval Onslaught”, 2023) [Submitted by Sonny]

16. Nile – “I Whisper In The Ear Of The Dead” (from “In Their Darkened Shrines”, 2002) [Submitted by Daniel]

17. Oni – “Creature of Chaos” (from “Incantation Superstition”, 2023) [Submitted by Sonny]

18. Necrophobic – “Nailing The Holy One” (from “Darkside”, 1997) [Submitted by Sonny]

19. Gorerotted – “Dead Drunk” (from “A New Dawn For The Dead”, 2005)

20. Cryptopsy – “Pathological Frolic” (from “Blasphemy Made Flesh”, 1994) [Submitted by Sonny]

21. Birdflesh – “Coffinfucker” (from “Night of the Ultimate Mosh”, 2002)

22. Exumed – “Clawing” (from “Horror”, 2019) [Submitted by Sonny]

23. Abyssal – “I Am The Alpha & The Omega” (from “Antikatastaseis”, 2015)

24. Altarage – “Cataract” (from “Worst Case Scenario”, 2023) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

25. First Days of Humanity – “Chainsaw Dripping With Cum” (from “Atrocities” E.P., 2020)

26. Circle of Dead Children – “Destiny Of The Slug” (from “Human Harvest”, 2003)

27. Last Days Of Humanity – “Garbagebag With Human Waste” (from “Last Days of Humanity/Lymphatic Phlegm” split, 2004)

28. Phyllomedusa – “Covered With Slime As Decoration II” (from “Desiccation in Progress (Version II)”, 2011) [Submitted by Daniel]

29. Napalm Death – “Morbid Deceiver” (from “The Curse” E.P., 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]

30. Ozigiri – “Girl At The Grave” (from “おじぎりなら死にましたけど?” E.P., 2020)

31. XavlegbmaofffassssitimiwoamndutroabcwapwaeiippohfffX – “Gore” (from “Gore” E.P., 2016) [Submitted by Daniel]

32. Disgorge – “Womb Full Of Scabs” (from “She Lay Gutted”, 1999)

33. Regurgitation – “Acid Enema” (from “Tales of Necrophilia”, 1999)

34. Coprocephalic – “Concrete Exhumation” (from “Gluttonous Chunks”, 2013)

35. Vulvectomy – “Abdominal Ectopic Pregnancy” (from “Abusing Dismembered Beauties”, 2013)

At least some of the material on "The Sound of Perseverance" was originally intended for Chuck's clean-sung progressive metal project Control Denied so it's hardly surprising that it doesn't sound like death metal.

Here's my review from a year or so back:

As most diehard extreme metal fans will know, there’s a rare & highly desirable brand of metal that is destined to forever bubble away beneath the service of the underground scene, leaving its blackened mark on only a chosen few who share knowing nods in dark, smoky dungeons of metal worship without ever daring to give up their unholy secret to those deemed to be unworthy. This particular brand of metal isn’t about glossy production jobs, technical prowess or pushing genres into previously untraversed territories. It’s about presenting extreme metal in it’s most evil & primal form & generally resides within the confines of the unholy trio of extreme metal subgenres i.e. thrash metal, death & black metal. The exact ratio of an artist’s composition isn’t important but it dare not step outside of those three. Additionally, there needs to be an element of mystery about the artist in question with much left to the listener’s imagination. It also helps a lot if these artists have never released an album but existed for just a relatively short time, releasing only a few crude demos, 7 inches or limited edition EPs so that the audience can always be left wondering what could have been & if the most pure realization of metal should stay in the underground forever. Sadistic Intent is one of these acts & I love them all the more for it.

I first discovered this underground Los Angeles death metal outfit back in the early 1990’s through the tape trading scene. From memory I found their 1990 “Impending Doom…” E.P. to be pretty interesting but it wouldn’t be until their 1994 “Resurrection” E.P. that they’d really get me raising an eyebrow or two with their talent for creating raw, dark & authentic old school death metal falling right in line with my musical preference at the time. I followed them onwards in the hope that I’d eventually see a full-length album being released at some stage. I’m glad I didn’t hold my breath because that’s still yet to eventuate but they did manage to release another excellent E.P. before drifting out of my sight in 1997’s highly regarded three-track effort “Ancient Black Earth”.

To cut to the chase, Sadistic Intent are a pure death metal band in the traditional sense of the term. They don’t provide a good imitation of late 80’s death metal here. "Ancient Black Earth" IS late 80’s death metal. It’s just that it was written, recorded & released in 1997. See what I’m getting at? These dudes simply get it. They understand what’s required to create a genuine old-school death metal atmosphere as they’ve clearly lived it. This sort of approach has become somewhat of a trend over the last decade or so & has seen lesser bands elevated to much higher levels of acclaim & fandom than Sadistic Intent can ever hope to achieve. They really are their own worst enemies as not releasing a full-length is never a great marketing ploy but one gets the feeling that they don't really care. The quality of their material however is very hard to deny.

It won’t take you long to figure out who Sadistic Intent were listening to around 1989. I’ll give you a hint. They start with “M” & end with “orbid Angel”. Ya with me? The short 16 minute duration of the “Ancient Black Earth” E.P. sounds almost exactly like “Altars Of Madness” & “Blessed Are The Sick” at times which certainly can’t be a bad thing now, can it? Are they as good as Trey & co? Well… in a word no but then who is? I mean “Altars Of Madness” is the still the greatest death metal release of all time in my opinion so I’ll take whatever I can get. Very few artists have been able to accurately replicate the riff structures that Trey Azagthoth created back in Morbid Angel's hey day but Rick Cortez & Vince Cervera make a really good fist of it here & even do a pretty decent job at the insanely chaotic guitar solos too even though they’re not in the same league as far as technical ability goes. The blast beats at the start & end of the title track (my personal fave) sound like they’ve been torn straight from Morbid Angel’s “Blasphemy” & I frankly lose my shit when that happens. Then you toss in some super-evil yet easily intelligible Dave Vincent-style death growls of pure darkness & I’m 100% in… hook, line & sinker. There are also a few riffs tossed in that remind me more of the early 90’s Swedish death metal sound but they’re very well done & still manage to maintain a blasphemous & undeniably evil atmosphere.

If you’re a fan of 80’s & early 90’s death metal then you probably owe it to yourself to give this E.P. a spin or four. “Ancient Black Earth” provides categorical proof that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel to make high quality extreme metal. Sadistic Intent deliver on their promise with passion, substance & an unquestionable pedigree & in doing so prove themselves worthy of standing alongside their idols. This is underground death metal of a very high quality.

For fans of Morbid Angel, Repugnant & Mortem.

4/5

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0R0a3qxSe1XkOMxBN6gkwi?si=ffc0c97f8f9a4361

Tracklisting:

01. Ceremonial Oath – “The Day I Buried” (from “Carpet”, 1995)

02. Nightfall – “Ishtar (Celebrate Your Beauty)” (from “Athenian Echoes”, 1995)

03. Quo Vadis – “Legions of the Betrayed” (from “Forever”, 1996)

04. Pyrrhon – “The Mother of Virtues” (from “The Mother of Virtues”, 2014)

05. Morbid – “My Dark Subconscious” (from “December Moon” demo, 1986) [Submitted by Sonny]

06. A Canorous Quintet – “Through Endless Illusions” (from “As Tears” E.P., 1995)

07. Sarmat – “Formed From Filth” (from “Determined To Strike”, 2023) [Submitted by Daniel]

08. FesterDecay – “Rotten Fester Decay” (from “Reality Rotten to the Core”, 2023)

09. Nile – “Wrought” (from “Festivals of Atonement” E.P., 1995) [Submitted by Sonny]

10. Necrophobic – “Unholy Prophecies” (from “The Nocturnal Silence”, 1993) [Submitted by Sonny]

11. Obituary – “Intoxicated” (from “Slowly We Rot”, 1989) [Submitted by Vinny]

12. Gorguts – “Condemned to Obscurity” (from “The Erosion of Sanity”, 1993) [Submitted by Sonny]

13. Frozen Soul – “Atomic Winter” (from “Glacial Domination”, 2023) [Submitted by Vinny]

14. Celestial Sanctuary – “Biomineralization (Cell Death)” (from “Insatiable Thirst For Torment”, 2023) [Submitted by Vinny]

15. Defleshed – “One Grave To Fit Them All” (from “Grind Over Matter”, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]

16. Tribal Gaze – “Cold Devotion” (from “The Nine Choirs”, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]

17. Brutality – “These Walls Shall Be Your Grave” (from “Screams of Anguish”, 1993) [Submitted by Sonny]

18. As The Sun Sets – “Untitled One” (from “7744”, 2002)

19. Aevangelist – “Hosanna” (from “Writhes in the Murk”, 2014)

20. Internal Bleeding – “Inhuman Suffering” (from “Voracious Contempt”, 1995) [Submitted by Daniel]

21. Suffocation – “Rapture of Revocation” (from “Pinnacle of Bedlam”, 2013) [Submitted by Daniel]

22. Goemagot – “Too Decomposed to Rape” (from “Eradication of Insignificant Beings”, 2013)

23. The Red Chord – “Fixation on Plastics” (from “Clients”, 2005)

24. Disgorge – “Deranged Epidemic” (from “Cranial Impalement”, 1999)

25. Archagathus – “Drunk As Fuck” (from “Dehumanizer”, 2014)

26. Full of Hell – “Burning Myrrh” (from “Weeping Choirs”, 2019) [Submitted by Daniel]

27. Napalm Death – “Sometimes” (from “From Enslavement To Obliteration”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]

Following my immediate purchase on CD of VoidCeremony's debut album in 2020 after just a couple of streams online, I was keeping an eye out for the follow up for what felt like an eternity. With its bass-heavy presence the debut took the prog element of prog-death and put it on a plinth all of its own before surrounding it with some great OSDM vibes to ground proceedings nicely. Some three years later and Threads of Unknowing picks up essentially where Entropic Reflections Continuum: Dimensional Unravel left off. Damon Good's bass still commands a lot of attention (and rightly so) and that OSDM vibe is still present also, thankfully.

The main immediate difference to note this time is that production job that makes the drums sound like the are incredibly brittle. Despite the obvious hard work of Charles Koryn, his efforts are stifled somewhat by knob-twiddler, Gabriele Gramaglia. The leads shine well enough though. Soaring and uplifting, they do a quality job of expanded the soundscape of Threads... without giving us any pretentious traits to get annoyed over, These, cleaner, more progressive elements are the strongest part of the album for me and I agree that VoidCermony do work better as a progressive outfit as opposed to a technical/prog-death band. I do not have a problem with the vocals actually. I can see where the aversion comes from but I find them perfectly acceptable.

Whilst I am not as instantly blown away by their sophomore album, I still find Threads of Unknowing to be a solid record and one that does grow with each listen. Yes, it is bottom-heavy, with the second half of the record easily outstripping the first half, but this is still a mighty fine album, delivered by some very professional sounding individuals. Drums aside, I have no real issue here.

4/5

XavlegbmaofffassssitimiwoamndutroabcwapwaeiippohfffX - "Gore" E.P. (2016)

I’d suggest that most Metal Academics are probably fairly aware of the fact that subgenres like slam death metal & deathcore are unfairly treated on most other metal websites. In fact, this was one of the major reasons for Ben & I even starting to discuss the possibility of a Metal Academy site in the first place. In saying that though, there are some pockets of the subgenres I mentioned that are more maligned than others & it's hardly surprising that South Africa’s XavlegbmaofffassssitimiwoamndutroabcwapwaeiippohfffX (short for Acidic Vaginal Liquid Explosion Generated by Mass Amounts of Filthy Fecal Fisting and Sadistic Septic Syphilic Sodomy Inside the Infected Maggot Infested Womb of a Molested Nun Dying Under the Roof of a Burning Church While a Priest Watches and Ejaculates In Immense Perverse Pleasure Over His First Fresh Fetus) fit into that bracket now, is it? I mean, you could be forgiven for making the immediate assumption that they’re a novelty band because the reality is that they clearly are, not only because of their ridiculous moniker & completely absurd logo but also because they also seem to want to showcase & highlight all of the commonly criticized traits from both genres. While that may be true though, sometimes I just find that I like what I like & how cool I may appear is not something that I've ever been too concerned with.

2016’s “Gore” E.P. was the Durban duo’s first release with Kris Xenopoulos (Vulvodynia) handling all of the instrumentation & Duncan Bentley (Vulvodynia/Wormhole) taking on all vocal duties. The sound you can expect to hear sits somewhere between slam death metal & deathcore with a slightly stronger emphasis on the former even though the breakdowns often tend to angle a touch more towards the other direction. Kris’ performance behind the drum kit is worth mentioning as he possesses some impressive chops for someone that’s presumably more of a guitarist based on his prior experience. The blast-beat sections are amongst the strongest components to the band’s sound & are accentuated by a bright & crystal-clear mix that brings the kick drums right to the front. It’s a really well produced little E.P. actually which admittedly isn’t all that uncommon for groups that tackle these sort of niche subgenres these days.

Duncan’s vocal performance offers a bit of variety. He’ll no doubt annoy those who can’t stand a pig-squealed “BBBBRRREEEEEE” or two because he seems to be consciously trying to highlight the absurdity of that technique here. He also displays some level of hardcore pedigree at times through some more aggressive beatdown-style deathcore rants. Another element that might piss of the purists out there is XavlegbmaofffassssitimiwoamndutroabcwapwaeiippohfffX’s tendency to indulge in a bit of humour, both lyrically & instrumentally. You won’t understand the lyrics but I’m led to believe that they’re particularly silly (see the weakest inclusion "Dicks Out For Harambe" for example) while the random u-turns into disparate musical genres like djent, groove metal or even jazz require an open-mind but are well-executed nonetheless.

Look, I’m not gonna suggest that any non-believers try “Gore” on for their very first slam or deathcore experience but it’s not half bad when taken on musical value alone. I love me some brutal death metal & there’s certainly some brutality about this stuff. I’m also a bit of a sucker for decent production jobs in my extreme metal & it ticks that box too. I can’t see myself giving this twelve-minute release too many revisits in the future but fans of artists like Acrania, Ingested or the previously-mentioned Vulvodynia will no doubt find some appeal in this unfairly maligned piece of over-the-top extreme music.

3.5/5

So, my first time checking out the Horde playlist as a bona fide member of the clan. Top discoveries for me this month were Horrendous and the unpronouncable Sanguisugabogg with their charmingly-titled Testicular Rot. Others that caught my ear were 200 Stab Wounds, Splatterhouse and Torture Rack.

Immolation, Bloodbath, Tzompantli, Atheist and Teitanblood are familiar already and were represented by great tracks.

I didn't really care for Fleshvessel, Geryon, The HIRS Collective, Waking The Cadaver and Aborted - but I still have much to learn!

All in all, great fun and an enjoyable listen.

So now that I have (finally) completed the Death Metal the 1st Decade clan challenge, I think I will put this thread to bed now. I have thoroughly enjoyed this time travel back to the late 80s / early 90s via the early releases of death metal and have found some absolute corkers to keep me going for many a year. As a bit of a death metal skeptic going in, it just goes to show that you can teach an old dog new tricks! I have discovered plenty of new favourites and believe I now have a much better understanding of a genre I had merely scratched the surface of before. This is not the end of my death metal exploration, not by a long shot, but I don't need this thread to log it any more and so will bring it to a close now. Thanks for indulging me and for joining me for the ride...

For all the influence and respect that Suffocation (rightfully) receive across the extreme metal community, their game plan is not particularly a difficult one to follow. With the talent in the band it seems almost effortless for them to take the depths of brutality and the fast flowing torrents of technicality and combine them into this vicious and yet measured assault that I have come to enjoy over the years. Whether it is the frenzied attack of the debut album some fifteen years before this or the tangible and tactile structures of Pierced From Within or Effigy of the Forgotten, the band have medals of honour littered throughout their discography. Yet, at the same time they have "the rest of their discography". The likes of Despise the Sun, Blood Oath and indeed this month's feature release never get anywhere near the same levels of rotation as the aforementioned releases do. Within minutes of listening to the self-titled it is clear that this most certainly is not Pierced from Within, but then again I would not want it to be in all honesty. Despite not living up to that standard, Suffocation is by no means a bad or even mediocre death metal album.

The album feels restrained in its delivery yes, but by no means is this at the expense of entertainment and most certainly is not Suffocation going soft. Instead, the record feels like it is simply exploring all the good parts of the bands sound in glorious detail. By varying the pace across the record, the band create a celebration of themselves. They leave themselves completely exposed in some regards but the quality of the song writing is so high that there is little to no threat here for them. Tracks like Bind Torture Kill explore the full gamut of their range and you can hear the old school roots of their existence shining through very clearly. As we have come to expect, Hobbs' guitar laying is nothing short of exemplary and original guitarist Guy Marchais supports well also. Mullen, of course, can do no wrong as we already know and puts in a consistent and entertaining performance throughout with his clear yet still inherently extreme vocals providing their grim and scathing attack as always.

I feel like there are times when the drums of Mike Smith get a bit of a poor representation in the mix (opening track Oblivion springs to mind as being a noticeable point of this issue for me) but there is still enough weight to them to make them an integral part of the overall experience. With so much quality on show, I guess mixing the record to let all parts shine is a challenge I personally would not want to take on so Joe Cincotta has my sympathy on this. But there is nothing here to take away from this self-homage that Suffocation create on a record that needs a lot more attention from me than it has had to date. Bangers like Entrails of You are evidence that there is more than just shock value to the content of Suffocation, their brand of extremity has thought and feel behind it.  

4/5

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0R0a3qxSe1XkOMxBN6gkwi?si=604056b7251a4b8a

Tracklisting:

01. Nocturnal Graves – “Beyond The Flesh” (from “An Outlaw’s Stand”, 2022) [Submitted by Daniel]

02. Phlebotomized – “Bury My Heart” (from “Clouds of Confusion”, 2023)

03. Contrarian – “In Gehenna” (from “Sage Of Shekhinah”, 2023)

04. Sadist – “Escogido” (from “Tribe”, 1996)

05. In Flames – “Stand Ablaze” (from “Subterranean” E.P., 1995)

06. Balmora – “July, Unending” (from “With Thorns Of Glass & Petals Of Grief” E.P., 2023)

07. Hellwitch – “Delegated Disruption” (from “Annihilational Intercention”, 2023)

08. Torture Rack – “Morning Star Massacre” (from “Primeval Onslaught”, 2023)

09. Creeping Death – “Intestinal Wrap” (from “Boundless Domain”, 2023)

10. Apparition – “Unequilibrium” (from “Feel”, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

11. Bandit – “End Of The Rainbow” (from “Siege of Self”, 2023)

12. Ulcerate – “Confronting Entropy” (from “Vermis”, 2013) [Submitted by Daniel]

13. Gigan – “Electro-Stimulated Hallucinatory Response” (from “Multi-Dimensional Fractal-Sorcery & Super Science”, 2013)

14. Houkago Grind Time – “Bakyunsified (Moe To The Gore)“ (from “Saving The World By Overloading It With Mincecore Brigade“ E.P., 2019)

15. Cavalera – “War” (from “Morbid Visions”, 2023)

16. Blind Equation – “BXE666” (from “Born To Die” E.P., 2020)

17. Aevangelist – “Veils” (from “Omen Ex Simulacra”, 2013)

18. Crisis Sigil – “Skybox” (from “God Cum Poltergeist”, 2023)

19. Septage – “Of Gangrene Limbs” (from “Septisk eradikasyon” E.P., 2021)

20. Atavistia – “Cosmic Warfare” (from “Cosmic Warfare”, 2023)

21. Burnt By The Sun – “Buffy” (from “Burnt By The Sun” E.P., 2001)

22. ZOMBIESHARK! – “Idiot Machine” (from “Born From A Wish” E.P., 2022)

23. Cattle Decapitation – “Humanure” (from “Humanure”, 2004)

24. Deeds of Flesh – “Summarily Killed” (from “Path of the Weakening”, 1999)

25. Tithe – “Demon” (from “Inverse Rapture”, 2023)

26. Disfiguring The Goddess – “Black Earth Child” (from “Black Earth Child”, 2013)

27. Inhume – “Incineration Of The Body By Own Will” (from “In For The Kill”, 2003)

28. Suffocation – “Translucent Patterns of Delirium” (from “Suffocation”, 2006) [Submitted by Daniel]

29. Acranius – “Life Sustainment Will Continue Mutilation” (from “When Mutation Becomes Homicidal”, 2013)

30. Katalepsy – “Lurking In The Depth” (from “Autopsychosis”, 2013) [Submitted by Daniel]

31. Devangelic – “Which Shall Be The Darkness Of The Heretic” (from “Xul”, 2023)

I don't recall hearing a bad release by Bloodbath to date and Unblessing the Purity keeps this consistency going nicely. It is a nice break from the more traditional Swedish sound you would associate with the band and shows the bands versatility well.  If there was ever any doubt in anyone's mind around the ability of the reknowned artist that comprised the band at this time then this EP would immediately dispel them.  I note the references to Polish death metal which is not one of my preferred styles of death metal with me having very little time for Vader in all honesty.  However, there is a real bite to the riffing on this release that is so superbly tied into the percussion and vocal delivery that I find it exceeds those relevant comparisons pretty quickly.

This is Åkerfeldt at his very best for me.  No clean singing and throaty as that wolf in the main part of the great album artwork probably would be.  The guitar work, as well as being rhythmically superb, also generates fantastic atmosphere on tracks such as album opener Blasting the Virginborn.  Those urgent and stabbing riff sections really driving the tension of the track.  With its huge sound and tight performances, Unblessing the Purity is probably as perfect a 15 minute blast of raging death metal that you could ask for.

4/5