God damn, did everyone just decide to ignore everyone else’s release schedule and rush to get their new stuff out before festival season? This is a week packed way beyond the brim, erupting metal of all flavors like an un-constipated volcano.
Ahamkara – The Harrow Of The Lost
Genre: Atmospheric black metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
On this one the black metal elements are mostly always present, but slightly scaled back, given the low-fi treatment, and drenched in melancholy, longing melody. The aggression is there, but it comes from within a thick cover of mist. It flirts with some progressive rhythms twists, which isn’t done super smoothly.
Bark – The Time Has Come
Genre: Groove metal/death ‘n’ roll
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
This project reminds me a bit of the best parts of FFDP, meaning everything but the anthemic, on-the-nose slightly cringe-y melodic bits. It’s hard-rock-y, catchy rhythms with death metal-ish vocals and some heavy groove riffs that sometimes speed up into thrash. Lots of cool stuff for fun, adrenaline-boosting listening.
Behölder – In The Temple Of The Tyrant
Genre: Epic doom/heavy metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Gotta love it when someone manages to join the adventurous, bold qualities of heavy metal with the heaviness and gravitas of doom in such a smooth way that they’re seamlessly blended – always complementing each other and never pulling in different directions. Behölder add to it with the light-hearted fantasy-worship of power metal, but to such a moderate degree that it never breaks off from the purposeful, mid-tempo trot and dark-ish tone that is so important for the immersion. It’s being obvious about its D&D theme, and not at all taking it seriously, but also not treating it as silly, instead leaning into the role playing aspect and really getting stuck in the story.
Highlights: “A Pale Blood Sky” and “Draconian (SLAVE OR MASTER)”
Cadaver – Hymns Of Misanthropy
Genre: Experimental death metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Essentially a collection of unreleased material from the band’s early career, it is based on a number of tracks first recorded roughly and unfinished back in 1991. These have now been revisited and given the necessary finish to complete the album such as it might have been according to the original vision. So new? Yes and no, but it is regardless both a fun look back into the band’s past, as well as a fully functioning and concise experimental death metal album for today. It leans significantly more into psychedelic and jazz-like free-spiritedness than 2023’s “The Age of the Offended”, without going completely bonkers. While not every song is quite as noteworthy, it’s a fun and nostalgic detour for the band that is certainly worth the effort of unveiling from obscurity.
Highlight: “From the Past”
Caliban – Back From Hell
Genre: Metalcore
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
These German metalcore veterans are back, big and bold, fully embracing the current state of the genre, but retaining some of the instrumental melody and groove of years past. It starts really well with some near-deathcore heavy and epically grand tracks with lots of guest artists, then unfortunately takes a bit of a nosedive as far as originality goes about halfway through, making a partial recovery with the last track, but leaving a disappointing unevenness in quality. To me, its too caught up with trends to be any interesting, but for fans it’s got some really satisfying material on it.
Cancer – Inverted World
Genre: Death/thrash metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Returning with their first full-length in seven years, long-time death thrashers Cancer serve up more old-school, morbid, threatening riffage, and if you’re in the mood for dark groove and cut-throat hooks, this album will serve you well. It’s a thematically and tonally coherent thing that balances pleasing, chunky riffs with lowered-head, sinister growls with a deep, full bass to back it up. The album doesn’t stand out in any particular way, but delivers solidly and evenly, not with an extreme sense of purpose, but certainly coming from a place of real genre understanding and appreciation.
Highlight: “Until They Died”
Caustic Wound – Grinding Mechanism Of Torment
Genre: Death metal/grindcore
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5
You take one look at that depraved album cover and you know this is gonna be an ugly, ear-defiling abomination. You just hope that it’s gonna be a GOOD, ugly, ear-defiling abomination. Spoiler alert: It is. Caustic Wound play filthy, shadow-dwelling death metal first and foremost, but in the mayfly-attention-span-format of grindcore. Though, while it’s a savage, dirt-covered, rotting monstrosity to the core, it’s not completely inaccessible, nor does the production make it sound like an echo bouncing off a cave wall. The riffs are meaty, the squeals are sharp, the bass is very much present and menacing, and the vocals sound like they’re hacking up innards piece by shredded piece. The only real surprise is the 6:48-long finisher that dives into funeral doom for about three minutes, before returning to the manic assault.
Highlights: “Blood Battery” and “The Bleed Rail”
Changeling – Changeling
Genre: Progressive death metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5
This is a wild one. Combining the styles of such bands as Obscura, Fractal Universe, Devin Townsend and maybe even a little bit of Igorrr, you know it’s not gonna be a thing that goes easy on you. While it’s pretty easily definable as progressive, melodic death metal, it’s not even the slightest bit interested in sticking to the same kind of approach for more than a third of a song at a time. That doesn’t do wonders for its coherence, but that’s something that the people whom this thing was meant for won’t care too much about. Being mainly a solo project, but attracting musicians from several prestige projects, parts of it is pretty shreddy, but the overall feel is still not of this being a show-off-y thing. The compositions are adventurous, and the heavy bits genuinely heavy, although not exactly brutal. If you’re a fan of any of the aforementioned bands, I’m sure you’ll thoroughly dig this.
Highlights: “Changeling” and “World? What World?”
Coffin Feeder – Big Trouble
Genre: Death metal/deathcore
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5
This album has different album art on Spotify, where a lot of the background details and characters are yellowed out, possibly for copyright reasons? It certainly needs to be seen in its original, Steven Segal-slaughtering glory to be fully appreciated, and matched with the unhinged sonic assault that awaits within. This is basically Aborted after a matchmaking with the more hardcore-derived elements of deathcore. And it really works. Yes, it’s massively brutal, but also refreshingly direct and rhythmically adaptable. It’s certainly on the precise, technical side, and not really bringing tons of new stuff to the genre, but it’s very clearly made to be enjoyed. It’s heaps and boatloads of fun.
Highlights: “Plain Zero” and “Porkchop Express”
Conan – Violence Dimension
Genre: Doom/sludge/stoner metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5
Heeeeeeeaaavy. Conan is back, grinding out primal, bass-pounding stoner-sludge from the doomy lands where everything is rock hard and weighs just a little more than any mortal can lift. This is a band that truly nails their own style. If you liked 2022’s “Evidence of Immortality”, you have every reason to be ecstatic about this. It’s not exactly a nimble, shape-shifting thing, but it shows itself from a variety of angles, and presents as an absolute statement of songwriting. I want to like this more than I actually do, which makes me happy to be able to give it a higher objective score. For me it’s a bit too happy to get stuck pushing an entire mountain one millimeter at a time while banging its head against the cliffside, and while I admire the hell out of the artistic balls it takes to end the album on what is basically a 12 minute feedback-squeal track, it’s not really something I want to actively listen to.
Highlights: “Desolation Hexx” and “Foeman’s Flesh”
Deserted Fear – Veins Of Fire
Genre: Melodic death/groove metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 3/5
I first discovered Deserted Fear on their 2019 release “Drowned By Humanity” and became an instant fan, wowed by their mix of sinewy, yet groove-laden death metal and old school melodeath. If you, like me, was hoping for more of the same on “Veins of Fire”, you will be sorely disappointed. The band has veered dramatically off in a “In Flames at their most mainstream”-direction, basing everything on radio-rock, super energetic, nu-metal-like beats and rhythms. It’s catchy, but flows badly, and the fact that they’re still screaming and growling their throats out and giving the guitars all the crunch of a Swedish classic suggests a delusional perception that they can somehow win over the casual listener and diehard death metal fan at the same time. Pick a lane, guys.
Disfuneral – In Horror, Reborn
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
A young, promising, French death metal project that goes old school in a playful, thrash-y, riff-happy way. Yes, yes, all their songs are about horrors beyond the grave, and the tone is nice and malicious, but it’s very clearly played from a place of love for the genre, bringing about morbid happiness.
Echoes of the Extinct – Era of Darkness
Genre: Melodic death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
This is Finnish modern melodeath with a dark tone and plenty of catchy groove. It’s a sharp, precise thing that, despite its constant melodic leanings, has an ais of seriousness about it. They try a few different prog tricks here and there, with varying success.
Employed To Serve – Fallen Star
Genre: Metalcore/groove metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5
Combining the technical and melodic sensibilities of modern metalcore with the visceral aggression and snarling attitude of hardcore-flavored extreme metal bands like Venom Prison, and the jagged groove of the likes of Kataklysm, Employed to Serve join the ranks of actually heavy contemporary metalcore bands like Bleed from Within to claim highly deserved slots in the spotlight. “Fallen Star” vibrates with vigor, exploding with forceful performances and radiating positive, creative energy. It’s got some of the best fitting guest performances I’ve heard in a long time, with Will Ramos (Lorna Shore), Serena Cherry (Svalbard) and Jesse Leach (Killswitch Engage) lending highly welcome variation in flavor. A brilliant lighthouse of a release that will likely bridge the gap between the mainstream and the extreme for many.
Highlights: “Treachery” and “Last Laugh”
Eluveitie – Ànv
Genre: Folk/melodic death metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Delivering an absolute outburst of rage-fueled melodeath mixed with symphonic-like cleans and a bunch of enrichening traditional folk instruments, Eluveitie has produced a rousing, extreme-flirting folk album for the masses, the kind of which I can really get behind. Sure, there are more “genuine” folk bands out there, and the vocals and melodies can at times step a little bit closer to pop than what I would have liked, but it’s all performed with conviction, and retains an impressive gravitas throughout. The energy takes a bit of a dip towards the end, favoring melody and ambience, which makes the total experience a bit uneven. But the quality of the material remains high.
Highlights: “Premonition” and “Taranoías”
Felgrave – Otherlike Darknesses
Genre: Progressive death/doom metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
A three-song 48+ minute album of slightly depressive-toned, moderately dissonant, rhythmically morphing death metal played in a doom format. Several, extended sections on here show great promise, and although the production is not the best, the performances are strong. It’s all just blends a bit too much together.
Game Over – Face The End
Genre: Thrash metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Italian thrash that bring to mind Anthrax and contemporary Metallica. It’s kind of happy-go-lucky, uncomplicated, mostly mid-tempo stuff with a satisfying riff tone, gang vocals and a good amount of groove.
Ghost – Skeleta
Genre: Hard rock/heavy metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
I’m not gonna spend a ton of space talking about Ghost’s latest release, as there’s more than enough said about the band out there already, and I’m not interesting in analyzing the arena rock revival elements of the album, defend the band’s cultural status or attack them for their shift in sound. This is a ballad-heavy, fairly mellow release that’s technically simple but deceptively layered in terms of songwriting, as always. To me the most satisfyingly subversive and melodically outstanding tracks are on the second half of the album. Think of it a bit like Tribulation’s stunt turn into gothic rock on their latest album, and you can ease into a chilled-out state of appreciation for what it is, letting go of expectations chained to the past.
Highlight: “Cenotaph”
The Great Sea – Noble Art Of Desolation
Genre: Atmospheric black metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
As black metal goes, even the atmospheric kind, this is fairly gentle. Even with its raspy, primitive, Darkthrone-nodding side that is prevalent on most tracks, the edge of it is cushioned by layers of contemplative, dreamy melody. The tone remains hollow-eyed and fairly pessimistic, but travels far, reaching out for new horizons. It’s a blend of old and new that never sets off for too long in any distinct direction away from the core sound. It’s not experimental or particularly varied, but also certainly not devoid of force or pathos. It’s the kind that you can find yourself both headbanging to and getting glassy-eyed lost in.
Highlight: “No Peace Among Men”
Imminent Sonic Destruction – Floodgate
Genre: Progressive metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Blending grunge-like straightforwardness with progressive hard rock and metal makes for an interesting sound that kind of wants to be both deadpan and showman-like at the same time. I wouldn’t say that the two clash exactly, but makes the thing seem a bit undecided.
Insineratehymn – Irreverence Of The Divine
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Old school brutal death metal that delivers on savagery and stylistic purity. You can’t quite escape the feeling that you’ve heard it all before, but it’s well produced, is suitably impatient, and when it finds a malevolent groove, it leans well into it.
Kardashev – Alunea
Genre: Progressive/atmospheric deathcore
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5
I don’t often go in with as high expectations as I did with “Alunea”. Before even starting this entire weekly review session I fully expected Kardashev’s latest to claim the title of album of the week, such was my confidence in the band’s abilities, based almost solely on the accomplishment that is their astounding 2022 release “Liminal Rite”. Finally listening to the album, it was with an increasingly weighted heart I had to face the conclusion that it simply does not live up to its predecessor. Not even close. That’s not to say that it isn’t supremely competent, and might actually showcase the band’s dynamic range to a higher degree. But with “Liminal Rite” there was no doubt – you knew before you were even halfway through that it would stay with you for a long time. “Alunea” goes in a more technically progressive direction, with a slightly leaner production where everything isn’t cushioned in a layer of warm, unifying atmosphere. They handle the performances well, and might impress a whole new section of the metal fanbase. But it also brings a stark spotlight to some of the less original deathcore elements, and technically, it’s really not all that distinct. All of that said, it’s still a great blend of measured force and emotional depth that dares to go in a slightly new direction in the face of massive expectations.
Highlights: “Truth to Form” and “Speak Silence”
Landmvrks – The Darkest Place I’ve Ever Been
Genre: Metalcore/hardcore
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5
Landmvrks’ newest effort manages a quite difficult duality of feats, namely to be an effective, entertaining, hardcore-infused metalcore energy boost, and also convey tender emotion and expressions of hurt in a convincing, genuine way. Helped by the fact that some of the vocals sound quite a bit like the late Chester Bennington, and that rap is also among the wide spectrum of styles, there are some distinctly nu-metal-leaning parts on here that remind me a lot of Linkin Park. It’s a lot more than this though, and at its best it feels like a truly chameleonic experience, where the band shifts its style to suit its needs. While a few of the choruses won’t exactly blow your mind with their originality, and it touches upon a few tropes here and there, the craftmanship and sincerity on display here is worthy of high praise.
Highlights: “Creature” and “Requiem”
Machine Head – Unatøned
Genre: Grøøve metal/metalcøre
Subjective rating: 0/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Nope, the guys in Machine Head still aren’t done replacing O’s with Ø’s, which grants them another subjective zero rating from me. Why? Well, fellow Scandinavians will know that properly pronouncing song titles like “NØT LØNG FØR THIS WØRLD” sounds completely moronic, and ignoring this fact for the purpose of garnishing the album’s visual style speaks of a kind of ignorance that I simply cannot abide. If you’re wondering, think of the sound that the letter “U” makes in the word “burn”. Yep, that’s the “Ø”-sound. Now try to read a title like “BØNESCRAPER” out loud and keep a straight face.
Oh crap, there’s some music on here to review too I guess. “UNATØNED” finds the band at its most anthemic. It’s catchy as fuck, with earworm melodies fluffing out pretty much every song, moving the style a significant step in the direction of metalcore. As long as you accept this, and don’t care too much about the cheesiness involved, you will get your fill of energetic, groove-stuffed riffs, headbang-able rhythms and tight lead work. Just don’t expect any worthwhile artistic depth or intricacy.
Highlight: “UNBØUND”
Martoriator – Bloodpainted Visions Of Perpetual Conflict
Genre: Blackened death/war metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Set to the sound of air raid sirens and zipping bullets, Martoriator bring the carnage on their debut album. There is no joy to be found here, just the soul-and-body-crushing, hate-fueled onslaught of mechanized warfare. It’s a sound that leans over you, blotting out all light, and methodically pulverizes everything in its path with rumbling death metal force. A few of the songs are a bit one-dimensional in their execution, but it still goes along well with the theme of repetitive hopelessness.
Highlight: “66 Tons of Armored Hatred”
Opia – I Welcome Thee, Eternal Sleep
Genre: Gothic/doom metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
A gothic funeral march headed into black-and-white, silent woods. That’s not to say that this is an all-quiet, dead tempo thing. Swathed in bleak, mournful melody, but peaking into raspy, bass-drum-boosted heaviness, this Spanish/British doom project lands somewhere between the horizon-gazing, tragic-epicness you might expect out of Finland, and the colder, classical gothic qualities of such acts as My Dying Bride.
Pagan Altar – Never Quite Dead
Genre: Heavy/doom metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
NWOBHM outcasts Pagan Altar stick to their recipe of classic-doom-infused, 70s heavy metal. On “Never Quite Dead” they manage a highly refined expression where everything feels very considered and purposeful, and just a bit restrained. The sound isn’t exactly clean, but clear, full and detailed, while generously allowing the retro vibe to shine through. They take it quite easy at points, going into extended, understated single-instrument-and-vocals sections, with a bit of added atmosphere. It doesn’t do wonders for the progression, but it can be sublime to simply let trickle in through your ears. And then the riffs kick in again and you’re instantly charmed.
Highlight: “Saints and Sinners”
Phantom – Tyrants Of Wrath
Genre: Speed/thrash metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5
These guys really get the faithful/fun balance of creating engaging speed metal. Yes, you shouldn’t take it too seriously, and just throw your wildest, rowdiest energy at it, and at the same time, in order to really level it up, you gotta know which elements to weave in that will complement the base style and add another dimension to the listening experience. For Phantom, that is thrash shred, heavy metal fantasy and a dash of death metal viciousness. There’s even the tiniest hint of a blackened edge, but it doesn’t do much to dampen the mood. Like the skeletal-demonic warrior on the album cover, it’s here to frantically swing the axe, laughing and shrieking gleefully in the process, and would love for you to join in.
Highlights: “The Tower of Seth” and “Thunderbeast”
Sacred Steel – Ritual Supremacy
Genre: Power/speed metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Charismatic, style-confident, gritty power metal with strong heavy- and speed metal leanings. The songwriting is largely on point, going from chest beating, mid-to-low tempo grooves to galloping rippers. There is, however, a bit to be said about some of the performances, and it’s a bit too uneven and bloated to really excel. But there’s more than enough cool moments on here to merit a listen, and you might find that it ticks a lot of boxes for you.
Sijjin – Helljjin Combat
Genre: Death/thrash metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Do you wish your classic thrash metal was a bit more evil, without breaking out of the early 80s style or becoming chaotically heavy or noisy? Sijjin has just the thing for you. It lights a bit of hellfire under that speed-like proto thrash sound, then half-morphs into the goat-demon shape of raw, blasphemous, old school death metal. It’s a very focused, unadorned, tunnel-vision kind of sound, so if it works for you for a minute, it will keep you engaged throughout. The guitar work is semi-intricate and certainly not content with the path of least resistance, and the drums and bass happily follow suit, making for an exploratory interplay that also knows when to settle into familiar, satisfying patterns. The production is a bit flat, but results in a fairly distinct, purposeful sound, so I’m not complaining. It’s plenty irreverent, and decently varied.
Highlights: “Fear Not the Tormentor” and “Dakhma Curse”
Structure – Heritage
Genre: Atmospheric doom/death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
A heavily atmospheric, funeral-tempo, death doom album that comes as the debut full-length from solo(?) project Structure. It’s laden with tragic melody, and presents a very downcast tone, pointing to sorrow and loss but allowing for the slight chance of healing. The vocals are harsh and deep, and the riffs roll in like distant, crashing ocean breakers. I can’t quite escape the feeling that certain parts are overly slowed down, as if written for a higher tempo but then brought to a crawl to fit the style. But it’s gripping, well-considered and properly put together.
Trick Or Treat – Ghosted
Genre: Power metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Italian power metal that’s coated thick in Halloween-level spooky-theme. It’s a lot of carefree fun, with some great performances and nice production to go with it. Perhaps a bit too often it takes the easy route and goes exactly where you expect it to, but it blends riff happiness with melodic vivacity and a healthy level of silliness.
As always, if you think I’m completely off on an observation, unfairly dissed your favorite band, or need to give an album another shot, why not pop a comment down below?
The Metal Dispatch 