Sydney-based death metallers Deracination were a relatively unknown member of the early Australian extreme metal scene back in the day. In fact, this CD was actually released as a self-financed demo tape at the time & has only been rediscovered as anything more significant over the last decade after US label Dark Symphonies decided to re-release "Times of Atrocity". The five-piece band were located relatively close to my home in the northern-Sydney suburb of Hornsby & originally began life as a Christian death/thrash act under the Holy Rite moniker before electing to head further towards the death metal side of their sound which triggered the name change. I didn't like Holy Rite's 1989 "Mosh for the Master" demo much to be honest & preferred them under the Deracination moniker, although a quick look at my score will tell you that I wasn't overly enthused by "Times of Atrocity" either.

You really do need to treat "Times of Atrocity" as a demo tape because it definitely sounds like one. The sessions were recorded with producer Grant Leffler (who also worked with local thrash metal acts Frozen Doberman & White Trash) at Sydney's Machine Head Studios but there was little in the way of production afforded to it with the rhythm guitars sounding messy & the drums being particularly weak. Still, Deracination seem to possess an understanding of song-writing techniques as the catchier tracks are generally fairly entertaining & manage to get my head bobbing away for a while. Unfortunately, they're mixed in with some pretty flat material that makes up roughly half of the tracklisting & sees the back end of the record noticeably petering out. The vocals of John Courtney aren't overly monstrous, leaving the listener with plenty of room to make out the faith-based lyrical content but still giving Deracination a decidedly underground feel. The musicianship isn't terribly amazing but I do enjoy the way the band work with time signatures to create additional interest. The thrash leanings of Holy Rite are still clearly evident throughout much of the runtime, particularly on tracks like "Death by Fire" with its obvious plagiarism of Slayer's "Angel of Death". Drummer Gary O'Connell's chops would improve significantly before I got to know him as a member of fellow Sydney death metallers Destrier during the mid-1990's while the guitar solos are noticeably lacking in structure & technique.

The links with Christianity may have afforded Deracination a little more interest than they deserved within that demographic however the band had drifted out of view by the time my own death metal band Neuropath started gigging around the city more regularly in 1994. Mortification/Horde/Deliverance/Light Force/Paramæcium/Revulsed drummer Jayson Sherlock has contributed to the CD artwork & design which is a clear indication of the way the Christian community supports their own though. "Times of Atrocity" certainly has more enjoyable moments than I remember it having & I've actually been surprised to find songs like "Perverted Dreams", "Mankinds Search for God", "Decapitation", "Blood Sacrifice" & "Demonic Destruction" reaching an acceptable level of appeal this week. Unfortunately, they don't have the class or strength to carry the weaker numbers like "Death by Fire" or "Possessions of the World" though, leaving "Times of Atrocity" to reside mainly in the discount bins at the back of your average second-hand store these days.

For fans of Mortification, Cancer & Vengeance Rising.

After almost exactly one year to the day of the release of A Dark Poem Pt.1: The Shores of Melancholia, Green Carnation release the final act of their trilogy. This one, The Messiah Complex, is a little less refined than the previous two. For starters, this one only features three songs, followed by an orchestral suite that recalls the different themes to bring A Dark Poem altogether. 

There are some really good ideas on display here. I enjoyed how well Green Carnation are able to transition seamlessly between motifs on "Unconditional Artificial Chemistry" and how heavy the apex of "The Messiah Complex" gets. But the real letdown of this final project is just how "non-progressive" it is. I never found myself being challenged by these songs like how I did on Sanguis and especially on The Dark Shores of Melancholia. And I think a big reason for that is because this part does not develop enough. Having only three distinct, "new" ideas could work in some contexts, but here it just feels like needless banter. It's like watching a three hour long movie where the plot twist has already been poorly spoiled by the writers, but you have to sit through the rest of it just to see if your predictions are correct. The Messiah Complex could stand on its own as a solid EP, but when you carry the title of A Dark Poem with you, it does lose some grandeur that one might expect, especially when it comes from a band as renowned as Green Carnation.

Best Songs: Unconditional Artificial Chemistry, The Messiah Complex

For Fans Of: Evergrey, Leprous, Thy Catafalque, Foscor, Vulture Industries

‘Downset’ is the debut album by American hardcore punk band, Downset. Released in 1994, this is a hard-hitting, no-holds-barred blend of metal and rapping, relentlessly throwing verbal bombs at the establishment, the justice system and society. 

Musically, this is pretty simple stuff, with lots of heavy, grooving guitar riffs and aggressive rapping and shouting, all the songs stick to this simple formula. The production gives it a rough and gritty sound which suits the music, and all songs maintain a high energy throughout the entire album. Meanwhile, vocalist Rey Anthony Oropeza spits out absolute hatred and hostility with lines such as “physical rape is psychological murder”. 

Overall, this album is nothing overly remarkable, but its short duration makes it easy to digest and doesn’t give any time to bore the listener. With highlights including tracks like ‘Anger’, ‘Ritual’, ‘Take ‘Em Out’, ‘ Downset’ and ‘Breed the Killer’, and along with its visually striking artwork, ‘Downset’ is an auspicious debut, and certainly shows a lot of potential for this band.   

The day I've written this review was pretty eventful. I've just watched the last one of the 3 non-Skywalker Saga Star Wars films. And now here I am talking about the final part of a trilogy by this Norwegian gothic progressive metal band that has spanned through this year and the last. Green Carnation and German dark rockers Lord of the Lost each had their own trilogy going on, and now it's over. Green Carnation have made their grand conclusion!

A Dark Poem Part III: The Messiah Complex is in fact slightly more complex and adventurous than the other parts. First there was the trauma of Part I, then the depression of Part II, and now the fear covered in this album. Specifically the fear of technology's evolution caused by AI potentially leading to the fall of mankind.

"Unconditional Artificial Chemistry" would especially explore that concept. Spooky keys pave the way for crushing riffing. Kjetil Nordhus still has his vocal power sung over the audible bass by Stein Roger Sordal. The chorus balances the metal heaviness with melancholic orchestration to get implanted into your mind. Next up, the title track starts off slow and steady. The keys by Endre Kirkesola add to the sorrow, and then Jonathan Pérez levels up the drumming, alongside the beautiful bass and guitar.

"Broken Souls, Common Enemies" shows the band unleashing all their heaviness and melody in a fantastic blend. Nordhus continues his strong cleans, even throwing in a bit of growls. I can also hear some flute. And of course, we have the stunning guitar work of Bjorn Harstad and Tchort, the former giving us a wonderous solo to remember. And now comes the ultimate of the Dark Poem saga, a titular "Orchestral Suite" by the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra. Nearly 17 minutes of flowing strings and brass, almost like a Vivaldi symphony. The opera choir adds some of that choral aspect. And in the middle is the recital of the poem Ophelia. It's slightly draggy but still highly listenable.

That orchestral suite makes it kind of a cheat to expand what would've been a 3-track EP into a nearly 40-minute album, but I don't mind. The Dark Poem saga ends with an excellent display metallic strength and orchestral grandeur. Sheer poetry!

Favorites: "Unconditional Artificial Chemistry", "Broken Souls, Common Enemies"

I had high praise for 2024’s Verses in Oath by Hulder, awarding it all five available stars, no less. As is so often the case, when looking back at any release that I have afforded a maximum score to, I find it hard to stand by that rating afterwards as I drift away from listening to the album. So, I will park an intriguing revisit to that album for some point in the future to see if it really does live up to that level of implied quality. The fact is though, with Verbolgen, Hulder have produced another high-scoring record. My confidence levels in that statement are also high given that I am on about my tenth listen through and my vinyl copy arrived yesterday.

Having read a recent interview, I am aware that there have been some changes to how Marz has approached this album. Namely, in the sense that there has been a more collaborative approach to the writing of the record, with husband Sam afforded more input and a freer rein to develop ideas. There are also two drummers credited on the album. Live regular, Vapula occupies the stool for four tracks with former Aeternus and Gorogorth drummer Vrolok covering the remainder. My understanding is that Vrolok approached Marz and Sam about getting involved. High regard to be held in when someone of such repute within the scene comes to you with a request to collaborate. (Morrigan, also formerly of Aeternus did the album artwork incidentally).

Regardless of who does what individually on the album – and I can hear the difference in drumming style – the main reason that Verbolgen stands out is how enthused, invigorated and outright passionate the performance comes across as a collective sound. The sum of all contributions here may have managed to create one of the best black metal albums of 2026. The record really does have it all. Atmosphere, symphonia, blastbeats, a flute, a hurdy gurdy and an album arrangement to die for. The build on the record is only equalled by its temperance. The switch into a more epic soundscape around the mid-point of the album is noticeable. At the same time, within any track individually, Hulder can infuse variety of pace, tempo and instrumentation without ever killing momentum.

Able to wear a host of influences on their sleeves, Hulder carry a true air of authenticity. Whether it is the blistering and bludgeoning stylings of Horna and Gorgoroth, or the more dramatic elements of Emperor and Satyricon, Marz and company have an impressive array of references in their kitbag. And so once again I sit here with a maximum score seemingly one click away. However, I am going to be taking a much tougher slant on five-star ratings, meaning I am going to have to get super-critical. Although there is nothing wrong with it, album closer, ‘The Glow of Dawn’ feels underwhelming as an instrumental track to end on. It sounds very much like a finale to a record, yet for a record that manages to work up such high standards of songwriting, it does feel almost unnecessary.