Sonny's Forum Threads

I am digging the Epitaphe track which I randomly just went to first on the list (well not so randomly since I have little excitement for Archgoat), although it does go on a bit.  At this point I have lost all interest in Enslaved, not that they are undeserving of any credit for the later efforts but it is getting a little too tame for me now.  Will try and get round to more of this list this week.

Hulder - Verbolgen (2026)

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.

4.5/5

Revenge - "Infiltration.Downfall.Death" (2008)

It's been a very long time since I checked out the third full-length from these Canadian war metallers who I generally like but rarely love & "Infiltration.Downfall.Death" is no different in that respect. The production job is very raw & noisy & so are the performances. I think one of the key factors in my unwillingness to fully commit to Revenge is that the vocals often feel ill-timed but they tick all my boxes on paper & are certainly brutal as fuck. I think this was probably the weaker of their three albums to the time but I still enjoy it.

For fans of Conqueror, Diocletian & Blasphemy.

3.5/5

Daniel can make two Hall entries, one for each clan change, but submitting them through one post is discouraged because he just wants to cut and paste the commentary without having to dissect it.

I would argue as a fairly distant observer of Doom Metal (and the Fallen clan in general) that Fires in the Distance is one of my favourite albums of the year. While the albums by Draconian and Warning deserve special acknowledgement for their bands history as well as the time it took for them to release.

I also want to point out two Fallen albums that I heard that aren't included in the initial list: Hanging Garden's Isle of Bliss and Slift with Fantasia. 

Well, looks like we have another winner here from Sonny.  Heck, I even enjoyed the Poisonblack track!  But let me not underestimate the importance of the contribution from DK here as I have taken a few albums from his selection to check out, namely:

Hundred Year Old Man - Sleep in Light

Coffins - Sinister Oath

Erdve  - Epigrama

My favourite track has to be that Big Brave one though.  I have heard Ardor before but I definitely need to revisit it based on today's listening experience.  It's experimental climes feel more reachable to me nowadays and so I shall be placing this record into rotation shortly.

Still can't get on with Solstice, which is probably sacrilegious in doom circles I know.  But I was pleased to see the return of the funeral doom closer, thoroughly enjoying that Arcana Coelestia track.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Sw9mEcyXo1pGyFHR3znLT

1. Ulver - "Capitel I: I troldskog faren vild" (from "Bergtatt: Et eeventyr i 5 capitler", 1995)

2. Mörk Gryning - "Omringningen" (from "Tusen år har gått", 1995) [submitted by Karl]

3. Oranssi Pazuzu - "Myöhempien aikojen pyhien teatterin rukoilijasirkka" from "Muukalainen puhuu", 2009)

4. Taubrą - "Rembrandt of Death" (from "Therizo", 2023) [submitted by Vinny]

5. Abigail - "Open the Gates of Hell" (from "The Final Damnation", 2016)

6. Emperor - "Sworn" (from "IX Equilibrium", 1999) [submitted by Vinny]

7. Darkspace - "3.13" (frpom "Darkspace III", 2008) [submitted by Sonny]

8. Troll - "Når natten endelig er her" (from "Trollstorm over Nidingjuv", 1995) [submitted by Karl]

9. Profane Order - "Ancient Blood" (from "Slave Morality", 2017) [submitted by Sonny]

10. Doedsvangr - "Blodskam" (from "Within the Flesh", 2026) [submitted by Vinny]

11. Allegiance - "Den kristnes död" (from "Hymn till hangagud", 1996) [submitted by Karl]

12. Arkona [Rus] - "Зов битвы" (from "Во славу великим!", 2005)

13. I - "Days of North Wind" (from "Between Two Worlds", 2006) [submitted by Sonny]

14. Sort Storm - "Svartsinn" (from "I vinternatt", 2026) [submitted by Karl]

15. Svartidauði - "The Perpetual Nothing" (from "Flesh Cathedral", 2012) [submitted by Sonny]

16. Helheim - "Viten og mot (Stolthet)" (from "Heiðindómr ok mótgang", 2011)

17. Unverkalt - "Death Is Forever" (from "Héréditaire", 2026)

18. Dessication - "Cursed in Cold Silence" (from "Legatum Motuorum", 2026) [submitted by Vinny]

19. Mactätus - "Knust kristendom" (from "Blot", 1997) [submitted by Karl]

20. Primitive Warfare - "Malevolent Abolition" (from "Primitive Warfare EP", 2019) [submitted by Sonny]

21. Forgotten Tomb - "Kill LIfe" (from "Love's Burial Ground", 2004)

A new month means a new feature release for The Fallen and selection falls to me this month. I have gone for the 2024 sophomore release from Arð, the doom metal project of Winterfylleth's keyboard player Mark Deeks. Arð play religious-themed doom metal that explores the history of Northumbria and is thematically a bit different to the norm. As always, if you are so inclined, then let us know what you think either below or as a review.

https://metal.academy/releases/51838

New Godflesh album coming out this month. I really liked tge last one, so if it still fits into the Sphere (I have no idea), it could challenge at the top here. Which would be in line with some of the other clans where a new release almost 10 years after the previous release by the band stands at number 1. See Neurosis and Converge. Cult of Luna's new album could challenge Neurosis I guess, but it may come out too late in the year.

I first took notice of Suffering Hour with their 2021 album, "The Cyclic Reckoning", which I found interesting for its incorporation of influences from Eighties' gothic rock into its blackened death maelstrom. This EP is a different beast however, the gothic element to the guitar sound has been completely stripped away and replaced with dissonant guitar leads and the tempos have been ramped up, resulting in a more immediately visceral and in-your-face experience. The production here is somewhat thicker and muddier than previously and when coupled with such frantic and hectic material it kind of feels to me like Gorguts playing War Metal. I have only recently really been converted to the charms of disso-death (mainly thanks to Ulcerate) and the version of that employed here by Suffering Hour works really well with the rampant black metal blasting. The opening title track is probably the most accessible track on the EP and does still exhibit a little bit of the gothic feel of earlier material, but after that it is pretty much a relentless maelstrom with the sub-two minute "Anamnesis" that follows "Impelling Rebirth" leading the charge. At less than fifteen minutes total runtime, none of the five tracks on offer here are likely to become boring, but that is even less likely when you hear how much is going on within such short compositions.

At my advancing age, I generally prefer to stick to stuff I suspect I will enjoy, but I am glad I have persisted with delving into more dissonant styles because sometimes a record like this comes along and revitalises my jaded perceptions with a good old-fashioned (metaphorical) slap in the face.

4/5

As an aside, I have messaged Ben about this so hopefully he will rectify it, but this isn't actually in The Horde, even though it has a death metal primary tag, hence the reason I chose it for a Horde feature. I am guessing this is just a bug or oversight of some kind.

Similar to The Fallen, The Revolution has a clear leader at this stage with Converge crushing it. Four albums have the required minimum number of ratings:

1. Converge - Love Is Not Enough [4.43]

2. Sylosis - New Flesh [3.63]

3. concealer. - This Room Could Be Heaven [3.33]

4. ERRA - Silence Outlives the Earth [3.13]

Several other releases that require a single additional rating to qualify include another Converge album:

Crystal Lake - The Weight of Sound

DevilDriver - Strike and Kill

Fear of Domination - Katharsis

Converge - Hum of Hurt

Haste the Day - Dissenter

Atreyu - The End Is Not the End

Worm Shepherd - Dawn of the Iconoclast

Immolation - "Descent" (2026)

Since I found my way to the Horde and I finally got to grips with death metal, Immolation have been a band that stood out to me as being something a bit special. Not special in an innovative, envelope-pushing way, but in a truly-getting-it, well-oiled machine kind of way. Their songwriting chops are unbelievably good and although they don't strive to break new ground, they always manage to make their tracks interesting and vital and seem to unerringly hit the spot with me. It often feels like they tap into an earthiness that feels redolent with the iron scent of spilled battlefield blood and which has the ability to make this old man feel properly alive and alert to the endless incoming of lethal death metal riffs and the hot shrapnel of searing solos. They are also incredibly consistent and while some of their releases may be genuine standouts, I haven't yet heard an Immolation album I didn't enjoy. The last couple, "Atonement" and "Acts of God" were really solid efforts that once more gave me enough of a fix to carry me through until the next one came out, but in "Descent" I think they may have turned in their best work for quite some time, an album able to sit comfortably beside "Close to a World Below" or "Unholy Cult".

The production is crisp and clear and allows the band to showcase how tight they are, allowing perfect expression of the brutality of the riffs and rhythm section. The drums in particular seem really well recorded, the kicks, snares, toms and cymbals all perfectly distinguishable and seeming to come at the listener from all angles, surrounding them in a percussive straightjacket that holds them in place while the riffs pummel the shit out of them. I love filthy-sounding, abyssal, old-school shit above almost all other styles of death metal, but Immolation achieve a similar effect on me with a clarity and precision normally employed by more technically-focussed acts that speaks volumes for their ability to generate a brutally evil atmosphere by sheer skill, not having to turn to production tricks to achieve it or to hide technical deficits.

So, a question I am sure many will ask is "do Immolation do anything new on "Descent"?" Well, no, but what they do do they do better than virtually anybody else, so does that mean you should listen to this? Abso-fuckin'-lutely it does. Is it better than their first five albums? No, not really, but if they aren't to hand or you now know them so well you can replay them in your sleep, then "Descent" will give you a fresh take on an old friend and should satisfy your craving for quality no-frills death metal.

4.5/5 [90/100]

So far there are six contenders that have reached the minimum number of ratings:

1. Cryptic Shift - Overspace & Supertime [4.13]

2. Lamb of God Into Oblivion [4.00]

3. Zerre Rotting on a Golden Throne [3.83]

4=. Kreator Krushers of the World [3.63]

4=. Sylosis The New Flesh [3.63]

6. Wildhunt Aletheia [2.83]

Others with potential to challenge when they achieve the required number of ratings are:

DevilDriver - Strike and Kill

Hellripper - Coronach 

Ripper (CHL) - Towards Rebirth (my personal pick of these bubbling under)

Rob Zombie - The Great Satan

Deathraiser - Forged in Hatred 

Exodus - Goliath

There are ten releases from the Infinite's 2026 release schedule that have already hit the minimum number of ratings. Interestingly, a number of them also lead the rankings in several other clans as well as here in The Infinite.

1. Neurosis - An Undying Love for a Burning World [4.50] (#1 by virtue of higher number of ratings) Also #1 in The Fallen

2. Kaatayra - Caminhos de água [4.50] #1 in The North

3. Cryptic Shift - Overspace & Supertime [4.33] #1 in both the Horde and The Pit

4. Protest the Hero - Within [4.17]

5. Myrath - Wilderness of Mirrors [4.00] #1 in The Guardians

6. Crimson Glory - Chasing the Hydra [4.00]

7. Plini - An Unnameable Desire [3.83]

8. Urne - Setting Fire to the Sky [3.38]

9. Stam1na Apnea [3.33]

10. ERRA Silence Outlives the Earth [3.13]

It is quite incredible that releases that sit under The Infinite umbrella are leading in six out of the nine clans. I guess the Metal Academy likes progressiveness in their metal more than is immediately apparent.

The Infinite is another clan from which I have listened to nothing so far this year (although I have got Cryptic Shift on as I type this) so please post any red hot recs for myself and anyone else who is interested to check out.

At this point six releases from The Guardians have received three or more ratings and are:

1. Myrath - Wilderness of Mirrors [4.00] (Myrath is #1 by virtue of more ratings than Crimson Glory)

2. Crimson Glory - Chasing the Hydra [4.00]

3. Lovebites - Outstanding Power [3.50]

4. Edenbridge - Set the Dark on Fire [3.33]

5. Exxûl - Sealed Into None [3.17]

6. Wildhunt - Aletheia [2.83]

There are several bubbling under with a couple of ratings each and the following actually have higher average ratings than Myrath:

Therion - Con orquesta

Iron Savior - Awesome Anthems of the Galaxy

Beyond the Black - Break the Silence

Masterplan - Metalmorphosis

Personally, it appears I haven't rated anything from this year in The Guardians so if anyone has any hot recommendations that I should check out then I would be glad to hear them.

At 2/3 of the way through the year, only four releases have so far achieved three or more votes. 

These are:

1. Soen - Reliance [3.38]

2. Karnivool - In Verses [2.83]

3. Gaerea - Loss [2.67]

4. Mirrorcell - Long Nights in Lovescape [2.50]

None of these have a particularly high site rating, so there is plenty of scope for others to stake a claim.

Some other releases that have gained at least one decent rating are albums by Alter Bridge, Clawfinger, Evanescence, Black Veil Brides, Dead Air Divine and Machinae Supremacy. Let us know what you think we should all be checking out from the Gateway this year.

Here's a bit of a weird one. We are two-thirds of the way through the year and looking at the 5+ ratings chart, there are only two entries in the top 500 from the current year, Neurosis and Converge, which are sitting in the pretty lofty positions of 11th and 23rd of all time. OK, fine, both are bands that have very committed fans, but for there to be nothing else from 2026 in the top 500 while the two that are sit so high seems a bit of an anomaly to me. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

IAN were reommended to me by someone over on RYM, I do love this atmospheric sludge/post-metal type stuff and recently there has been a few bands that have stood out to me. I think there was a tendency at one time that there were too many copies of bands like Neurosis, Isis and Cult of Luna, but I really enjoy some of these newer releases. I think I have another one lined up in next months playlist.

Quoted dk

Cheers, David. I agree with you that atmospheric sludge / post-metal has now moved beyond the blatant copyism that plagued it for so long and a number of the recent bands are a lot more interesing as a result. I love CoL, Neurosis and Isis as much as anyone, but those guys have nailed that style down and new bands aping them have got to be something really special to even come close, so those doing something a bit different with it are developing the genre whilst forging themselves a more interesting path for the listener.

Close for me, but I have Judas Priest's "Turbo" and "Ram It Down" even lower - yes even lower than the 'Ripper' Owens' pair.

Quoted Sonny

I have to admit that I actually really dig "Turbo" (4/5) & I don't mind "Ram It Down" (3.5/5) either. The Priest records that I struggle with are "Jugulator" (3/5), "Demolition" (2.5/5), "Nostradamus" (3/5) & "Redeemer of Souls" (3/5).

Nope.  Not feeling this one I am afraid.  My usual understanding of progressive elements on a record usually sound to me like it is all over the place as an opus, and this is exactly my experience here.  Not for me.

Thanks for checking it out anyway, Vinny. 

Hope never to hear again in my life:

ZOMBIESHARK!

Exactly the reaction I was hoping for!!

It is terrible isn't it, but I have to cover the whole range of Horde sub-genres and cyber metal hasn't had much representation during my tenure as playlist compiler, so I felt obliged to include a track. It'll probably be a little while before any features again, I am sure you will be glad to hear Vinny.

To be honest, I didn't see any of these messages until Daniel just told me about them. I can see that there was a big spike over a couple of days, but I have no idea why. I've reset the server now anyway, so things should be fast.

In future, it would be great if someone could send me a private message if things get bad. Perhaps not every time you have an issue, but if there's any consistency to it.

In the meantime, I'll continue to work on the new site.

"The Crawl" only has death doom as its genre, but I think there is enough genuine death metal present to justify a place in The Horde. 

https://metal.academy/releases/66934

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Sw9mEcyXo1pGyFHR3znLT

1. Old Forest - "Grond - Hammer of the Underworld" (from "Into the Old Forest", 1999) [submitted by Sonny]

2. Mork - "Utryddelse" (from "Monolitt", 2026) [submitted by Vinny]

3. Dimmu Borgir - "Master of Disharmony" (from "Enthrone Darkness Triumphant", 1997) [submitted by Karl]

4. Svrm - "Попіл" (from "Мертвий край", 2026) [submitted by Vinny]

5. Valhalore - "Augury of Death" (from "Valhalore EP", 2015)

6. Hades Almighty - "Funeral Storm" (from "Pyre Era, Black!" EP, 2015)

7. Abysmal Lord - "Sabbat" (from "Disciples of the Inferno", 2015)

8. Vafurlogi - "Úr himinsölum" (from "Gneisti af eldi Guðs", 2026) [submitted by Vinny]

9. Drudkh - "Memory" (from "Thaw", 2026) [submitted by Sonny]

10. Vehemence - "En Quête du Graal" (From Assiégé Pour l'Éternité, 2026) [submitted by Xephyr]

11. Gehenna - "A Myth" (from "Seen Through the Veils of Darkness", 1995) [submitted by Karl]

12. Sakna - "Alltid" (from "De Syv Dødssynder", 2025) [submitted by Vinny]

13. VI - "La terre ne cessera de se consumer" (from "De praestigiis angelorum", 2015) [submitted by Sonny]

14. Siebenbürgen - "Om hösten död" (from "Loreia", 1997) [submitted by Karl]

15. Saidan - "Ethereal Blood" (From Fangdriller, 2026) [submitted by Xephyr]

16. Nyogthaeblisz - "Ordnance for Adamic Holocaust and Cosmocidal Entropy"(from "Abrahamic Godhead Besieged by Adversarial Usurpation", 2019)

17. Bizarrekult - " Blikket Hennes" (from "Alt som finnes", 2026) [submitted by Vinny]

18. Imperium Dekadenz - "Truth Under Stars" (from "Into Sorrow Evermore", 2023) [submitted by Sonny]

19. Christ Agony - "Urtica Diaoica Cultha" (from "Daemoonseth Act II", 1994) [submitted by Karl]

20. Silencer - "I Shall Lead, You Shall Follow" (from "Death - Pierce Me", 2001) [submitted by Sonny]

I lose track of Gorgoroth very easily I find. The early movement of vocalists proper gets confusing for me and by the time we get to this record there’s three of them doing the vocals. There are also four different drummers (albeit one of them only does track three – and it is the mighty Frost). Taking time to bring myself up to speed on Gorgoroth goings on, I can see legal battles, prison sentences, court appearances, trademark registration challenges, firings and assaults of band members. No wonder the line up appears to stick in my mind as being unstable then.

Aside from the fact that most people involved sound like abhorrent individuals, Gorgoroth have always managed to make vicious and scathing black metal that is pleasing to my ear. Aside from the fact that this album has a stupid title that screams immaturity, the content itself is most entertaining. Anyone who thinks that Gorgoroth are smash and grab, one blistering pace of black metal in the vein of Marduk style of band, will find evidence to the contrary on their fourth full length offering. There is variety of pace and tempo on this album and tracks like ‘The Virginborn’ employ a much more exploratory style of writing than I was expecting going into the record.

At the same time, there is still enough necro to keep the kvlt crew happy. Album closer ‘Slottet i det fjerne’ (a Darkthrone cover) caters for this element perfectly, awash with feedback and production values straight from 1994. Similarly, opening track, ‘Destroyer’ makes no bones about the lack of pleasantries to begin the album. Whilst I accept discomfort as being expected and acceptable on a Gorogorth record, there is elements of a little overkill here. It could be my subconscious playing with me a little, knowing that there are multiple different performers on a revolving platter contributing to the record, but the album at times does sound like it may be two different albums put together. Not in terms of the pace and tempos, just more in terms of the content of the album overall.

I cannot say it is a fault, or a criticism as such even, yet there is a sense of layering being applied that sort of catches me off-guard. ‘The Devil, The Sinner and His Journey’ is a bit of a weird track for inclusion in my book and I would argue that the album is at its strongest in terms of consistency through the middle section of the record onwards. There is also a tendency for a crooning, folk-tinged vocal effect to creep into tracks at times, which sounds a bit amateur in all honesty. Still, it is distinctly a Gorgoroth record at the end of the day so there is still plenty to enjoy overall, despite my little niggles with it.

3.5/5

Sacrilege and Onslaught aside, the UK's thrash output during the 1980's was pretty fucking woeful. It was almost as if we Brits just didn't 'get' thrash metal at all and struggled to get up to speed with this new, more aggressive style of heavy metal and those pesky Yanks and Europeans were just making us look lame and lazy by comparison. As a result I have been on the lookout for decent British Eighties' thrash metal albums ever since, with little to no real success, so I was stoked to see an underground band of thrashers from a north-west England seaside town pop up as a feature and hoped against hope that this would be some kind of underground classic. Oh well, you can't blame me for hoping! As you can probably guess, this falls a fair way short of my, admittedly unrealistic, expectations.

I am guessing that D.A.M. were huge fans of Anthrax's "Spreading the Disease" album, because I think that is what they seem to be striving for here. Vocalist Jason McLoughlin does his very best Joey Belladonna impression, rhythm guitarist John Bury attempts to reproduce Scott Ian's trademark choppy, chuggy riffs and the gang vocals on the choruses that the New Yorkers loved to employ are present and correct. Unfortunately they lack the two chracteristics that made Anthrax what they were back then - the infectious, sing-along choruses and the sheer effusive sense of excitement and fun that set Anthrax apart from their West Coast and European peers. Anyone who loves 80s Anthrax also knows how vital Charlie Benante's lively and energetic drumming was to the band whereas, here, the production has rendered the percussion limp and lifeless, sounding like someone leathering their kit with a couple of fish rather than drumsticks! Hell, "Total Destruction" even starts with a flat copy of Charlie's drum intro to "Indians".

Look, I don't want to sound too down on them for that because, to be honest, for a few years in the 1980s Anthrax bottled lightning and managed to make it work, through sheer force of personality, excellent songwriting ability and technical ability. So, without these essential, but mercurial talents, D.A.M. merely sound like cheap imitators and would maybe have been better advised to plough their own furrow rather than follow in the steps of a unique act like Anthrax. In truth, I actually don't hate "Human Wreckage" but, as someone who was (and remains) a big fan of "Spreading the Disease" and "Among the Living", I can't unhear D.A.M.'s Anthrax worship and so I just keep wishing I was listening to one of those albums instead. I am sure these guys were probably a blast in the metal pubs and clubs of England's North West back in the day, but in the stark, cold spotlight of recorded music they just come up a bit short and sound too derivative.

3/5

In my review of Saint Vitus’ self-titled debut album, I called out my enjoyment of Scott Reager’s vocals, highlighting their deranged style being a perfect fit for Chandler’s guitar sound. Just as with the debut album, Reager’s performance is front and centre on Die Healing also, yet this is never at the detriment of anything else on the record. For a guy who had straight up gone to ground for a decade, he appears to have just walked back into the studio like he had just nipped out for ten minutes to get a packet of cigarettes and some bourbon. There is no scenario in any parallel universe whereby Saint Vitus records this album with any other vocalist, and it works at all. He’s creepy to the point of having a skin-crawling effect. Tracks like ‘Dark World’, ‘Let the End Begin’ and ‘In the Asylum’ are perhaps unrivalled within my doom listening experience to date in terms of that true force being formed by this perfect marriage of the vocals and guitar.

Listen to the psychedelic musings on ‘Trail of Pestilence’ and just try and keep your jaw off the floor. Die Healing is a real all round band record though. For all the waxing lyrical I am doing about the vocals and guitar the album would not be anywhere near as successful without the drums of the late Armando Acosta and the bass of the also sadly departed Mark Adams. ‘Sloth’ might be one of the most appropriately named doom tracks in the history of the genre, it is so oppressively heavy it reaches the point of suffocation. It is albums like this that are the reason why I switched from The Guardians into The Fallen clan. The atmospheres here are so wonderfully threatening in such an effective yet completely inoffensive way; they are a genuine by product of the instrumentation, just so unforced sounding and organic in nature.

My only real criticism of the album is the lacklustre closing track. They should have closed the album with ‘In the Asylum’ in all honesty as anything trying to follow that was going to be struggling. ‘Just Another Notch’ is primetime filler unfortunately which even Reager’s vocals can’t save. Oddly, he sounds the tamest of all on this track in comparison to the others. Final track aside, there is much to be celebrated on Die Healing even if it marks the end of the band for at least a decade.

4/5

I hadn't heard of these Germans before seeing this nominated as a monthly feature, so went into it completely blind. A bit of background digging reveals that Slaughterday were formed in 2010 and for most of their career to date they operated as a duo with Jens Finger taking care of the six- and four-strings and Bernd Reiners the drums and vocals with a huge cast of supporting drummers, bassists and guitarists helping them out with their live shows. However, for this their fifth full-length, they have inducted reinforcements into their ranks and have expanded the band into a five-piece with Christian Wiesener taking over bass duties, André Janssen drums and Tobias Koops boosting the six-string attack as second guitarist.

So what do we have here? Well, this is pretty much meat and potatoes old-school death metal with obvious influence from usual suspects such as Autopsy, Bolt Thrower and Vader and I say that with no hint of sniffiness because that is exactly the kind of death metal that floats my particular boat. Sure, the more demanding death metal listener will likely feel unfulfilled by the lack of ambition displayed on "Dread Emperor", but I don't imagine that upsetting the Slaughterday guys that much. The performances are very solid indeed, the band obviously know their way around their instruments and have an excellent grasp of what OSDM is about. After a portentious instrumental intro track the band charge out of the blocks with opener proper, "Obliteration Crusade", and proceed to attempt to rip your face off with sheer riff power. Throughout this and the subsequent eight tracks they deploy a withering arsenal of riffs in order to batter down any resistance to their undemanding, but energetic, old-school blitzkrieg. Reiners' vocals are rough, gruff, roaring bellows and are plenty powerful while the rhythm section drive in the rhythmic piles upon which the individual tracks are built in an unshowy wholly dependable way. There is a significant amount of soloing present on "Dread Emperor" and it is with this that I have reservations. The thing is that the solos are actually quite melodic, even to the point of sounding like Maiden or Priest solos at times and I am not completely convinced that they suit the violence of the riffs and vocals, consequenly making the album as a whole sound a lot less aggressive and menacing than it should. I would have preferred more Kerry King and less KK Downing. I have been a big defender of James Murphy's contribution to Death's "Spiritual Healing" where a similar argument can and does get used, so this may be a bit of a hypocritical stance, but I think Murphy's skill was to enhance the more brutal aspects of "Spiritual Healing", where I find the melodicism of the solos here distracting.

Still, that aside, I love the riffs which still manage to give me that warm, fuzzy, OSDM buzz that I can just never get enough of so, derivative and unambitious it may well be and, in truth, I am unlikely to be running out to score a copy any time soon, but I actually quite enjoyed it and that is good enough for me. That cover is pretty badass too. I have been playing the Elder Scrolls Oblivion remake on PS recently and the creature on the cover is exactly like one of Oblivion's Nether Liches, tough bastards that they are!

4/5 [79/100]

OK, yeah, that seems to have done the trick, Ben. Thanks.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Sw9mEcyXo1pGyFHR3znLT

1. Pillorian - "By the Light of a Black Sun" (from "Obsidian Arc", 2017) [submitted by Vinny]

2. Rotting Christ - "The Forest of N'Gai" (from "Passage to Arcturo", 1991) [submitted by Karl]

3. Satanic Warmaster - "Black Circle of Death" (from "Exultation of Cruelty", 2024) [submitted by Sonny]

4. Ulg - "Dark Woods" (from "Windark", 2017)

5. Dimmu Borgir - "Ulvgjeld & blodsodel" (from "Grand Serpent Rising", 2026) [submitted by Vinny]

6. Sammath - "Ferocious Mortar Fire" (from "Across the Rhine Is Only Death", 2019) [submitted by Karl]

7. Shining - "Claws of Perdition" (from "IV: The Eerie Cold", 2005) [submitted by Sonny]

8. Ancient Rites - "(Ode to Ancient) Europa" (from "Dim Carcosa", 2001)

9. Agastus - "Black Moon's Blood" (from "Dawn of Martyrdom", 1996) [submitted by Vinny]

10. Venusberg Cardinal - "Mundus Loss" (from "Atlas of Dungeons", 2023) [submitted by Sonny]

11. Serpent Lord - "Constrictor" (from "The Once Forgotten Ways of Old", 2026) [submitted by Vinny]

12. Violet Cold - "Mamihlapinatapai" (from "kOsmik", 2019)

13. Psicosfera - "Copulent (XII)" (from "Beta", 2018) [submitted by Sonny]

14. Firtan - "Innenschatten" (from "Innenwelt", 2016) [submitted by Vinny]

15. Octinomos - "Nuclear Blitz" (from "Welcome to My Planet", 1999) [submitted by Karl]

16. Heltekvad - "Ærbødig er den som sejrer" (from "Morgenrødens Helvedesherre", 2022) [submitted by Vinny]

17. Malefic Levitation - "Black Forest Worship" (from "The Ancient Plague EP", 2017) [submitted by Sonny]

18. Equilibrium - "Unter der Eiche" (from "Turis Fratyr", 2005)

19. Skogen - "I döden" (from "I döden", 2014) [submitted by Sonny]

20. Hirilorn - "Last Ride on the Winds of Eternity" (from "Legends of Evil and Eternal Death", 1998) [submitted by Karl]

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rSh9MnfQo9HmPLo2W5MBa

1. House of Capricorn - "Ashlands" (from “Morning Star Rise", 2014) (submitted by Sonny)

2. Konvent - "Puritan Masochism" (from "Puritan Masochism", 2020) (submitted by Vinny)

3. High on Fire – “Lambsbread” (from “Cometh the Storm”, 2024) (submitted by dk)

4. Rorcal - "Extinguished Innocence" (from "Silence", 2023) (submitted by Vinny)

5. Candlemass – “Destroyer” (from “King of the Grey Islands”, 2007) (submitted by dk)

6. Devil Electric - "Jill & Jack Shit" (from "Tahlia", 2026) (submitted by Vinny)

7. Shades of Deep Water - "Death's Threshold Part 1" (from "Death's Threshold", 2019) (submitted by Sonny)

8. Crouch - "Hatchets and Hammers" (from "Breaking the Catatonic State", 2026) (submitted by Vinny)

9. Gorge - "Smoke Signals" (from "Village Raid", 2021) (submitted by Sonny)

10. Katla - "Satan" (from "Katla EP", 2018)

11. Body Void – “Human Greenhouse” (from “Atrocity Machine”, 2023) (submitted by dk)

12. Thorr's Hammer - "Norge" (from "Dommedagsnatt", 1998) (submitted by Vinny)

13. Khemmis - "The Bereaved" (from "Absolution", 2015) (submitted by Sonny)

14. Ritual Arcana - "Subtle Fruits" (from "Ritual Arcana", 2026) (submitted by Vinny)

15. Serpentcult - "Screams from the Deep" (from "Weight of Light", 2008) (submitted by Sonny)

16. Pyrithe – “Glioblastoma” (from “Monuments to Impermanence”, 2022) (submitted by dk)

17. Reverend Bizarre - "Strange Horizon" (from "Harbinger of Metal", 2003)

Here is my new, expanded review:

The Immortal Bird that recorded this 2015 album is very different from the three-piece that exists to this day with only vocalist Rae Amitay remaining. Drummer Gary Naples and guitarist Evan Anderson Berry left not long after "Empress/Abscess" hit the shelves, being replaced by Matt Korajczyk and Nate Madden respectively. Bassist John Picillo left in 2019 and hasn't been replaced with Madden doubling up on both four- and six-string guitars. It is good then that Rae Amity has remained as the only constant factor in the band because there is a rounded depth to her ravaged, bellowing shrieks that would be quite difficult for any other singer to replicate. She has a line in controlled fury that is distinctive and powerful and which would put the ineffectual bellowings of many metal tough guys to shame.

Immortal Bird play an amalgam of black and death metal that sounds immediate and confrontational with a suggestion of crusty sludginess that gives the material a further coating of grimy filthiness along with a twist of dissonance for added discomfort. With the five tracks on "Empress/Abscess" only nudging a hair's breadth over thirty minutes there is never any danger of attention wander, although the more timid listener may want to flee and lock themselves in the bathroom. Comfort is not something that Immortal Bird are interested in dishing up, they have a jagged and angular approach to songwriting that will keep you on you toes and which, with other bands, I often struggle. However just when it feels like the band are pushing you to the edge they have an uncanny ability to suddenly drop into a killer riff and sweep you away on a tide of moshpit fury. I get the feeling that the convulsive nature of the songwriting isn't to appear intellectually sophisticated or technically smug, which I feel is the case with some of the acts who write this way, but it is done with the aim of unsettling and disorienting the listener so that when they drop one of those killer riffs it hits all the harder.

So, overall, with a sometimes challenging but always interesting songwriting style, some genuinely exhliharating riffs and one of, if not the, finest female vocalists in all of metal there is plenty here on this short album to keep drawing me back to it time and again. Immortal Bird are one of those bands that I genuinely cannot fathom why they aren't bigger than they are.

4.5/5

Ethereal Tomb – standout track. Nasty sludge goodness.

Fortunate that I spotted that Sonny originally had the wrong song included I guess.

Another great playlist Sonny, ending on the customary funeral doom note. I need to listen to some more Slow (not sure I have heard all the albums).

Graves at Sea are a strange one for me, sometimes the vocals are a bit to much for me.

Both Smote albums from 2025 are really good, and that's another great track selection.

Other picks added to the further listening list: Opium Lord, Ophis, Wildspeaker  and Eternal Rot.

Oh and I'll wait for the album release before another Warning listen. Be good to listen again in the context of the full album, the track here bodes well.

I feel similarly about "Mind Wars" to be honest Vinny. As with Holy Terror's 1987 debut album "Terror & Submission" (which I'd suggest is more of a speed metal record than this one), I come away from it with a middling feeling of mild enjoyment without ever having that the deal has truly been sealed. I do think that "Mind Wars" was a slight improvement on "Terror & Submission", although I've gone with a 3.5 rating for both of them.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0R0a3qxSe1XkOMxBN6gkwi

1. Deteriorot - "The Bataan Death March" (single, 2026) [submitted by Karl]

2. Immolation - "Attrition" (from "Descent", 2026) [submitted by Vinny]

3. Monstrosity - "Veil of Disillusionment" ( from "Screams from Beneath the Surface", 2026) [submitted by Vinny]

4. Brodequin - "Theresiana" (from "Harbinger of Woe", 2024)

5. Cephalic Carnage - "The Isle of California" (from "Lucid Interval", 2002) [submitted by Sonny]

6. Oppressor - "Genocide" (from "Solstice of Oppression", 1994) [submitted by Karl]

7. Blood Incantation - "Slave Species of the Gods" (from "Hidden History of the Human Race", 2019) [submitted by Vinny]

8. Epitaph - "Engraving the Epitaph" (from "Seeming Salvation", 1992) [submitted by Karl]

9. Intestine Baalism - "Banquet in the Darkness" (from "Banquet in the Darkness", 2003)

10. Gibbeting - "The Cursed Fortress" (from "Execution Rampage", 2026) [submitted by Karl]

11. Discordance Axis - "Radiant Arkham" (from "The Inalienable Dreamless", 2000)

12.Foetorem - "Oozing with Pustulent Fluids" (from "Incongruous Forms of Everlasting Rot", 2026) [submitted by Vinny]

13. Deathwards - "In Death I Become" (from "Towards Death", 2018) [submitted by Sonny]

14. Casket Grinder - "Celestial Devourment" (from "Trip to Oblivion", 2016) [submitted by Karl]

15. Drumcorps - "Cut & Grow" (from "Creatures", 2022)

16. Decapitated - "Mother War" (from "Nihility", 2002) [submitted by Vinny]

17. Wailing - "Crushed by Eons of Inequity" (from "Oracles of Devastation", 2026) [submitted by Karl]

18. Vacuous Depths - "Worshippers of Death" (from "Humiliation", 2022) [submitted by Vinny]

19. Malthusian - "Telluric Tongues (Roaring Into the Earth)" (from "Across Deaths", 2018)

20. Goemagot - "The Ethics of Omnipotence" (from "Eradication of Insignificant Beings", 2013)

21. Fluids - "Humanity Reviled" (from "Not Dark Yet", 2021) [submitted by Vinny]

22. Misery Index - "Plague of Objects" (from "Heirs to Thievery", 2010) [submitted by Sonny]

23. Vital Remains - "Dawn of the Apocalypse" (from "Dawn of the Apocalypse", 2000) [submitted by Karl]

24. Gates of Ishtar - "Where the Winds of Darkness Blow" (from "A Bloodred Path", 1996)

25. War Därmen - "Sector Alpha" (from "Colonization", 2022) [submitted by Karl]

26. Frozen Soul - "Wraith of Death" (from "Crypt of Ice", 2021) [submitted by Vinny]

27. Eye Eater - "Other Planets" (from "Alienate", 2024)

A new month, a new North playlist. It isn't exactly black metal weather here in Ol' Blighty at the minute, but if you do happen to check the playlist out, let me know what you think.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Sw9mEcyXo1pGyFHR3znLT

1. Zeicrydeus - "Ten Thousand Spears Atop the Bleeding Mountains" (from "La Grande Hérésie", 2025) [submitted by Karl]

2. Khold - "Dødens grøde" (from "Phantom", 2002)

3. Krahnholm - "Scorching Storm" (from "Granting Death", 2018) [submitted by Sonny]

4. Primordial - "Empire Falls" (from "To the Nameless Dead", 2007) [submitted by Vinny]

5. Antaeus - "Devotee" (from "Cut Your Flesh and Worship Satan", 2000) [submitted by Karl]

6. Gorrch - "Vorago" (from "Stillamentum", 2026) [submitted by Vinny]

7. Helheim - "Jormundgand" (from "Jormundgand", 1995) [submitted by Karl]

8. Mist of Misery - "Epitaph of Penitence" (from "Absence", 2016)

9. No Point in Living - "Impatience" (from "The Cold Night", 2017) [submitted by Sonny]

10. Svartkonst - "Death Magic" (from "Black Waves", 2020) [submitted by Vinny]

11. Diabolical Masquerade - "Blackheim's Quest to Bring Back the Stolen Autumn" (from "Ravendusk in My Heart", 1996) [submitted by Karl]

12. Sig:Ar:Tyr - "Helluland" (from "Northern", 2016)

13. Misþyrming - "Ég byggði dyr í eyðimörkinni" (from "Söngvar elds og óreiðu", 2015) [submitted by Sonny]

14. Fire Magic - "Siege of Eternity" (from "Memories of Fire", 2026) [submitted by Vinny]

15. Majestic Mass - "Clandestine Supremacy" (from "Savage Empire of Death", 2018)

16. Graufar - "Buried in Flames" (from "Via Necropolis", 2026) [submitted by Vinny]

17. Xasthur - "Cursed Revelations" (from "Telepathic With the Deceased", 2002)

18. Thyrfing - "The Voyager" (from "Vansinnesvisor", 2002)

19. Crom Dubh - "The Invulnerable Tide" (from "Heimweh", 2015) [submitted by Sonny]

Here is my review:

Formed in 2015 by rhythm guitarist Brandon Corsair (Drawn and Quartered, Draghkar, Azath) Serpent Rider have been in existence for a decade now and following a couple of split releases, a 2021 split with Ezra Brooks and a four-way split in 2022 which featured the two tracks from a 2019 demo, the band's debut full-length album, The Ichor of Chimaera, is finally here. The five-piece play a traditional style of heavy metal that has its roots in the 1980s and USPM bands like Manilla Road and Cirith Ungol, but with the modern sheen and vitality of latter-day acts such as Smoulder and Eternal Champion. I mention those latter two in particular, because, like them, Serpent Rider feature a female vocalist, the splendid R. Villar, and also like to tip their hat to epic doom masters like Candlemass, Solstice and Solitude Aeternus.

The Ichor of Chimaera is an album that is steeped in the traditions of metal and is clearly the product of a band that is well-versed in that world. The riffs are great, from the rip-roaring, nitro-charged gallops of opener "Steel Is the Answer" and "Tyrant's March" to slower, more hulking and ominous doomy slabs such as "The Hero's Spirit". The guitar sound is thick and powerful and the lead breaks often provide some real highlights for me, as lead guitarist Paul Gelbach unleashes some full-blooded, white-hot solos that give the tracks a real keen edge. The five-piece don't shy away from inserting the odd catchy hook here and there either, with the choruses of "Radiant" and "Tyrant's March" refusing to stop bouncing around inside your brain long after the album stops spinning.

Lyrically Serpent Rider stick to the tried and tested formula of epic metal which inhabits the fantasy worlds created by the likes of Moorcock and Robert E. Howard and there is nothing wrong with that, but it is a very safe option to be honest. The vocals, provided by R. Villar are very much suited to the material and are exceedingly well-enunciated with barely a single word being missed, even by my tinnitus-ravaged hearing. She has a very classic-sounding delivery and has a really nice tone, often reminding me in a weird way of Morris Ingram on Solstice's New Dark Age, particularly on "Tyrant's March", a track which does display hallmarks of Rich Walker's phrasing. If I had one misgiving then it would be that sometimes the vocals sound a little bit reedy when pushed up against the thickness and depth of the guitars in full flow, but this is truly a minor niggle.

Kudos must also go to the rhythm section for the sheer depth and power of the band's sound with Brian Verderber basswork and Brandon's riffing combining to devastating effect. Drummer Drake Graves provides a bit more than just time-keeping with some interesting fills and more complex beats than you may expect - the title track for example has a really interesting drum track and is worth paying particular attention to.

I would heartily recommend The Ichor of Chimaera to anyone who has any love for heavy metal in general or epic metal specifically. Well-written and consummately executed this should tick all the boxes for fans of good, old-fashioned, fist-pumping metal. Sure, it doesn't address real-world horrors or the psychological pressures of modern life, but sometimes it is OK to just have a good time and forget about all that shit and at this minute I can't think of many better ways to do it.

4/5

Finland’s Convocation are not exactly new to me, nor are they an artist that I have invested a lot of time with either. I recall trying them once and quickly finding myself distracted and off elsewhere on my to do list soon enough. Not that they necessarily did anything wrong, I usually find that aside from mood as an obvious influence over my enjoyment of a record, some music simply must be listened to from a critical perspective. No Dawn for Caliginous Night Is not background music and nor does it impose itself on the listener intentionally. Simply put, it is so well written, performed and arranged that to attempt to listen to it casually is very near to being an insult to Convocation.

I am a fan of both funeral and death/doom and to date, I do not recall that I have encountered an album that successfully combines the two sub-genres so eloquently. It is rare for the chug of the guitar that we get treated to around the six-minute and forty-second mark of album opener, ‘Graveless yet Dead’ to be present amongst such desolate sadness. Likewise, the poignancy of the melancholy of instrumental track ‘Between Aether and Land’ is uncharted territory across such a blended style of extreme metal.

 If I recall correctly, one of the guys involved in Convocation was (maybe still is) in Desolate Shrine, and I get snippets of their sound throughout this record. The definitively gloomy sound of Finnish funeral and death/doom permeates the record as you would expect. Finland has a proud heritage already in this field and No Dawn for Caliginous Night carries on that fine lineage. With such a well-produced album it is great to hear the rumble of the low end with just as much clarity as the slow-picked guitar notes, with even the harsh vocals receiving a great airing. Listen closely to ‘Lepers and Derelicts’ and appreciate the busy nature of the track as the guitars appear to chime a tune within the track. I have already lost track of how many times I have listened to this album now. Each time I do, I discover or notice something new. As if I needed any excuse to keep coming back, constant discovery is an added boon.

4/5

Made the most of the bank holiday and listened through this playlist today.  I can safely say that I never want to listen to Skyforest again as long as I live and I was a little put off by Fermenting Innards also.  But on the whole I enjoyed this one.  I have started to limit myself to four takeaways a month and my four this time are: Thus Defiled, Beltez, Crurifragium and Fides Inversa.  Agatus would have been ahead of Beltez probably but since "Dawn of Martyrdom" is on feature this month for The North, I will still get to it anyways.

The "obscure" bands still work best for me though Sonny so keep them coming.

Will do. 

I am becoming increasingly frustrated by the fact that so many aren't available on Spotify though. I will have to try a bit harder to promote some of them via reviews etc.

Bethlehem - "Dictius te necare" (1996)

I first encountered Germany's Bethlehem through the mid-90's tape trading scene through their 1993 demo tape & 1994 debut album "Dark Metal" (both of which I quite liked) which led me to track down their sophomore record "Dictius te necare" through the same channels once it hit the shelves. It saw Bethlehem adjusting their sound somewhat, mainly off the back of a lineup change that saw vocalist/keyboardist Andreas Classen (Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult/Shining) being replaced by new front man Rainer Landfermann (Pavor) whose psychotic howls are the main talking point with this release. The blackened doom metal instrumentation isn't all that different to what we heard on "Dark Metal" but it's the over-the-top theatrics of Landfermann that the clear focal point & will ultimately decide on your reaction to "Dictius te necare" as I think it's fair to say that he's more than a little divisive. He is also the main catalyst for the album's DSBM credentials as he sounds like he's in all sorts of agonizing pain on these seven tracks. Personally, I think the album needs him too as the riffs & single-guitar lineup aren't all that exciting but I do really enjoy the deep, stripped-back atmospheric material that pops up from time to time on most tracks. The doomier material is also where I think Bethlehem are at their best with lengthy closer "Dorn meiner Allmacht" being the clear album highlight in my opinion. I can't subscribe to the general consensus that "Dictius te necare" is some sort of classic release but it's certainly worth a listen for those with a penchant for the doomier & more depressive side of black metal.

For fans of Silencer, Shining & Forgotten Tomb.

3.5/5

Thanks Daniel. I will give it a spin.

Edit: I must have been punch-drunk or some other synonym for fucking stupid yesterday because I thought you were suggesting an album titled "Orphaned Land" from a band called Israel. Luckily I mustn't be as dumb today because I just got out of bed and it popped into my head that you were actually recommending the israeli band Orphaned Land. In the words of a much smarter man than I - Doh!!

I can't remember having listened to them before, but I wil certainly check them out.

It looks like my picks this month have missed the mark, Vinny!! 😉

FALLEN: Candlemass

HORDE: Obituary

NORTH: Mayhem

PIT: Metallica

A good few pick ups from this month's list.  currenty spinning that Argentum album and have Solar Temple and Cabinet lined up for later also.  Good to see Drautran on the list, another band who put out one good record and then went on indefinite hiatus. Even more awesome is the Cirith Gorgor track from one of bm's more underrated albums.  That Misotheist album arrived on vinyl last week and is my bm record of the year so far.

You can't go wrong with Leviathan, ever.  I listened to that Woe track and remembered how great it was and then recalled how I went off the album really quickly (after about three listens), but still can't figure out why.

Not digging Caladan Brood or that Kostnatění track (was a bit too obscure for me and there was a saxophone on one of the tracks which also got an instant skip response.

A quick question: do you enjoy me picking more obscure bands that may not have had too much exposure (I have hundreds), or would you prefer to hear better established acts?

The former, every time.

Went through this today.  Although I am still not massively as in to death metal as I was I still took some recs in that Solstice album and Rotten Sound.  Good mix of classics and more modern stuff here which kept me listening whilst I was working.