Category Archives: Death Metal

Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Genre, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, New Releases, Record Collecting

New Releases – 14th September 2018

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It’s time for more new releases. In today’s special themed post I’ll be overusing the word “legends”.

Deicide – Overtures Of Blasphemy

The satanic, squirrel-shooting death metal legends are back with another new album. Not heard the whole thing but songs like Seal The Tomb Below sound great. Got me thinking this might be an old-school victory along the lines of last year’s Immolation album. And Overtures Of Blasphemy also comes hot on the heels of news that Hammerheart Records are lining up reissues of the band’s back cat too… good times! Praise Jesus!

Abhorrence – Megalohydrothalassophobic EP

The legends of filthy Finnish death return with a surprise new EP. It’s their first new music since 1991 and seems to be a subterranean, Lovecraftian affair about the catastophic ecological end of the human race. Typical. You wait years for a new Abhorrence release and then the catastrophic ecological end of the human race happens just as you get your hands on it.

Virgin Steele – Virgin Steele and Guardians Of The Flame

Cool new reissues on CD and vinyl of the first two Virgin Steele albums with Jack Starr on guitarr. Not the best stuff these legends ever put out but still well worth a listen and they’ve been out of print for a while too so if you don’t have them already, now’s your chance! Lots of bonus tracks but I think I’ve got it all on previous editions already. But it’s neither here nor there cause these are getting bought again anyway.

Twisted Sister – You Can’t Stop Rock N’ Roll

Legends legends legends. Deluxe reissue of the band’s second album with some bonus tracks added and a live bonus disc of the 1983 Marquee show too. The Marquee show has been released in the past so I don’t think there’s anything new here for diehards but I don’t have the Marquee show so I’ll bite. The album and the Marquee show disc are getting separate LP releases too for all you vinyl-loving legends out there.

Elsewhere, Blasphemy’s 1989 demo Blood Upon The Altar gets spruced up and reissued by those legends over at Nuclear War Now! Conan’s Existential Void Guardian should satisfy anyone that can’t go a whole week without some new doom metal. And there’s even a new Uriah Heep album! Legends all.

But that’s really about the lot for this week. Happy hunting and hope you all have an awesome weekend full of exciting new music.

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Albums, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Genre, Heavy Metal, Now Playing/Mini-Reviews

Now Playing: Memoriam – The Silent Vigil

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Memoriam – The Silent Vigil (2018)

I initially thought Memoriam’s second album The Silent Vigil was a weaker repeat of their debut album 2017’s For The Fallen but I’ve been drawn back to it a lot in the last couple of weeks and it’s clicking with me now. The authentic old-school death metal sound is a thrill (even if the inconsistent production from song to song can be a bit distracting) and I just love the whole world-weary character of the music, from Karl Willetts’ weathered, crusty vocals to Scott Fairfax’s earthy, war-torn riffs. It’s not quite as memorable or as well-executed as the debut but, like the ominous tree-thing on the cover, it’s a grower. There’s such a deep and powerful vibe here, I know there will be times when this will be the only album that will do. And when there are a gazillion extreme metal albums competing for your attention every week that’s no mean feat. Pay your respects.

CD Edition – with bonus track

Albums, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Genre, Heavy Metal, New Releases, NWOBHM, Record Collecting

New Releases – 7th September 2018

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A shitload of new stuff out today so enough of my yakkin’, whaddya say? Let’s boogie!

Allfather – And All Will Be Desolation

You can’t call your album And All Will Be Desolation unless you’re going to reduce everything to rubble. And Allfather’s second album is precisely the kind of bruising, burly, bearded, fuck off racket that will do precisely that. Blackened sludgy goodness for fans of High On Fire, The King Is Blind, old Mastodon.

The Skull – The Endless Road Turns Dark

The ex-Trouble outfit returns with their second album of psychedelic doom. I’ve not kept up with all the Trouble and ex-Trouble activity but I found The Skull’s new track Breathing Underwater pretty compelling. So I’d like to check this out. Not to be confused with the much-loved Bob Kulick band Skull.

Satan – Cruel Magic

Returning NWOBHMers Satan are back with their third post-reformation album. Not too sure about the new song The Doomsday Clock. Hope the album will be a bit better… they get extra points for the brill album cover though. And for being called Satan.

Saxon – Thunderbolt (Tour Edition)

Saxon reissue their latest album with a couple of bonus live tracks of Thunderbolt and Nosferatu (The Vampire’s Waltz). Not quite enough of a bonus to make me want to buy it again. I imagine there will be another live album before long anyway. There always is with Saxon.

Fart jokes ahoy! as members of Asphyx, Autopsy and Hail Of Bullets team up in Siege Of Power and release their death/doom debut Warning Blast. Exciting on paper but not too fussed by what I’ve heard. And there are also new albums from Clutch, Cauldron, Krisiun, Suicidal Tendencies and on and on and on. What were all these bands thinking bringing their albums out on the same day as Allfather? Stupid tossers.

Happy hunting everyone! See you next week for more new release shenanigans.

Albums, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Genre, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, New Releases, Record Collecting, Thrash Metal

New Releases – 24th August 2018

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Time for some more new releases chat.

Alice In Chains – Rainier Fog

Third album for the post-Staley lineup of AIC. I did enjoy the first outing Black Gives Way To Blue but it didn’t get me hankering for more exactly. Quite liked the new song Never Fade but not that fussed about some of the other stuff I’ve heard. Still haven’t bought their last album so I can’t see myself rushing out to get this.

Mantar – The Modern Art Of Setting Ablaze

I never bothered with this German punk sludge duo because… punk sludge! But I gave their new song Taurus an arms-folded “impress me” kinda listen and I actually got quite into it. Top quality punk sludge. I love that stuff. I’m gonna just call it pudge though cause I’m super efficient.

Solitary – Nothing Changes (20th Anniversary Edition)

The UK thrashers (recently featured on the Contract In Blood box set) caught my attention with 2017’s rather good The Diseased Heart Of Society and keep the momentum going by reissuing their 1998 debut album with extra demos. Definitely want to hear more of this band’s stuff and, if you like thrash, you should too.

Skull – No Bones About It

Double helping of boaby here! Skull’s 1991 debut album, their only album, gets an absolutely bonus-laden 2CD reissue. Features Boaby Kulick (ex-just about everybody) and Boaby Rock (ex-Vinnie Vincent Invasion). Don’t know about these guys at all but you can’t beat a bit of boaby.

And that’s about the lot, a week dominated by pudge and boaby. Let me know what you’re tempted by today and let me know if you’ve heard of Skull! Were they as good as Blackthorne, that’s what I want to know.

Albums, Death Metal, Genre, Heavy Metal, Now Playing/Mini-Reviews

Now Playing: Venom Prison – Animus

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I’ve been listening to this pretty solidly this week (with a wee break for some Blackfoot and some Wolfsbane). Animus is an incredibly powerful debut and I’m excited to read that the Welsh band is back in the studio now recording the follow up. If Eliran Kantor’s depiction of a rapist being fed his own dismembered boaby isn’t enough to give you the… err… willies, then Venom Prison’s punishing mix of death metal and hardcore will. The muscular, groovy and inventive riffing is driven home with tight editing, tasty melodic guitar lines and Larissa Stupar’s intense vocals. Real force of character here and I can’t wait to hear what they come up with next.

Best death metal act to come out of Wales since Shakin’ Stevens
Classic Rock, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Genre, New Releases, News, Record Collecting

New Releases – 17th August 2018

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Don’t know about you, but I would like to hear some death metal today. Fingers crossed.

Cemetery Urn – Barbaric Retribution

Ermagherd. Derth Mertle. The cover caught my eye and it only took about 45 seconds of Down The Path Of The Dead to make me want to buy this. One for fans of Dead Congregation.

Innumerable Forms – Punishment In Flesh

Death metal! Quite doom-laden stuff, quick preview reminded me of early Paradise Lost. Another ace cover. Another must-hear.

And, not a new release yet, but I can’t not mention the new Steve Perry track taken from his upcoming album Traces (out Oct 5). Totally not metal but this song and the return of Perry has really cracked a big smile on the HMOverlord’s misanthropic granite visage. Great to hear that voice again, reminds me of the For The Love Of Strange Medicine stuff, which has got me a bit excited.

And that’s about the lot for this week. See you next week for another mix of raw death metal and smooth AOR. Just the way you like it.

Albums, Black Metal, Death Metal, Genre, Heavy Metal, New Releases, NWOBHM, Record Collecting, Thrash Metal

New Releases – 10th August 2018

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Finally, some good new releases! It’s been quite a while since we’ve had as fun-filled a week as this. And it’s mostly all new stuff too, none of your deluxe box thingies and vinyl reissue “remastered” gubbins. Just NEW METAL.

Haunt – Burst Into Flame

Retro-styled true metal has become quite the rage in the last few years but I’m usually unconvinced. The bands always have the sound down but the songwriting often falls short. Having listened to the title track from this album, I reckon this US band might have the goods though. It’s strident, catchy stuff. Definitely worth checking out.

Night Demon – Live Darkness

Speaking of retro metal… Night Demon have become quite the rage in the last few years but they haven’t caught on with the HMOverlord yet. Always feel like I just haven’t given them a fair shake of the stick though so maybe this new live album will finally win me over. Athenar from HMO-favourites Midnight makes an appearance so that’s a promising sign.

The Spirit – Sounds From The Vortex

Here’s some intriguing sounding black/death shenanigans from Nuclear Blast. The tracks I’ve heard remind me of Tribulation stuff or the Vampire record from last year… quite a bit like Dissection too. Got that waltzy thing going on. And with a list of comparisons like that, this has to be a must-hear.

Ill Omen – The Grande Usurper EP

Don’t know much about this band, I believe it’s an Australian one-man black metal act of the murky and cavernous variety. I’m a bit of a hard sell with that kind of stuff but I listened to a track from this at work and got right into it. I’ll grab this one on Bandcamp.

Gloam/Obscure Evil – Split EP

New to me but the cover caught my eye. Only one track from each band but I bet it’s quality over quantity. I heard the Gloam track Black Swords Of Desecration and it thrashed about all over the place. Brilliant. And the other band is called Obscure Evil which means they must be good. Surely?! Another one for Bandcamp.

And that’s about it for me. Anything else you’re looking for today? Anything you’re avoiding like the plague? Let me know in the comments. Happy hunting.