Gorleben/Menetekel/Darkness Shall Rise/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Gorleben  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Menetekel"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Darkness  Shall  Rise.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  along with  keyboards  and  synths  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  All  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody  and  elements  of  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  recording.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.  Angry  shouts  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  some  clear  singing  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  album,  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  One  song  also  introducing  psychedelic  sounds  onto  the  album  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  apocalyptic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Gorleben  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Countdown"  and  "Menetekel".  8  out  of  10.

  www.facebook.com/GorlebenUran236

Kingdom/Primeval Cult Of Strength In The Womb Of Suffer/Osmose Productions/2025 FUll Length Review

 

  Poland's  Kingdom  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Primeval  Cult  Of  Strength  In  The  Womb  of  Suffer"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Osmose  Productions.

  A  very  dark  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  some    tremolo  picking  and  brutal  blast  beats.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  bring  in  a  more  chaotic  yet  melodic  style.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  along  with  one  track  also  being  an  acoustic  instrumental.  Spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  the  album  also  closes  with  a  cover  of  Deicide's  "Lunatic  of  God's  Creation".  

  On  this  recording  Kingdom  brings  out  a  very  fast,  brutal  and  aggressive  style  of  blackened  death  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Anti  Christianity,  Blasphemy,  Darkness  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Kingdom  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Behold  Thy  Light  Dying"  "Her  last  Stand"  "Womb  Of  Suffer"  and  "Blood  God".  8  out  of  10.

  https://bfan.link/KINGDOM-primeval-cult-of-strength-in-the-womb-of-suffer

No Shelter/Remission/Resolve/The Charming Man Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  No  Shelter  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  blackened  death  metal  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Remission/Resolve"  which  was  released  by  The  Charming  Man  Records.

  A  very  distorted  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  brutal  blast  beats.

  Vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  hardcore  style  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  black  and  death  metal  elements.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  food  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  album  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  Swedish  influences,  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  as  well  as  one  song  also  bringing  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  words.  

  

When  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  a  couple  of  songs  being  instrumentals  and  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing,  some  of  the  fast  riffing  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking,  touches  of  crust  and  d  beat  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  the  closing  track  is  a  cover  of  Entombed's  "Wolverine  Blues".  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  violent  and  angry  themes.

  In  my  opinion  No  Shelter  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  blackened  death  metal  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Rotten"  "Doomed"  "Ultimate  Disgust"  and  "Soaked  In  Fear".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=c3lq--qZtX0    

Sadistic Goatmessiah/Violence/Dying Victims Productions/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Sadistic  Goatmessiah  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  thrash,  speed  metal  and  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Violence"  which  will  be  released  in  September b y  Dying  Victims  Productions.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can be  heard  while  the  vocals  bring  in  more  of  first  wave  black  metal  style  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  elements  of  speed  and  thrash  metal.

  Most  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in t he  80's  era  while  the  songs  also  capture  the  raw  energy  of  punk  rock  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilzied  they  also  bring  in  more  of  an  old  school  metal  style  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  ritualistic  chants  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  a  later  track  also  adding  in  some  spoken  words.  

  Sadistic  Goatmessiah  plays  a  musical  style  that  goes  back  to  the  80's  era  of  black,  thrash  and  speed  metal  and  mixes  them  with  a  touch  of  punk  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Evil,  Darkness  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sadistic  Goatmessiah  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  thrash,  speed  metal  and  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  7th  Circle  Of  Hell"  "Messiah  Of  Death  And  Doom"  "Curse  of  Eternal  Winter"  and  "Darkness  And  Evil".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/ptktDiMdNAY?si=4gHihRnTWLm6aJlF

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/violence

  

Gam Interview

 

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?

- We are a blackened death metal band formed in Sweden in 2011.

2.Recently you have released a new ep, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

- Our style has evolved throughout the years. We started with an old school death metal sound and began to infuse more black metal as we progressed all the while keeping the raw brutality of death metal.

3.This is also your first release since 2019, can you tell us a little bit more about the long wait in between releases?

- Since the release of “Crowned and Reborn” in 2019 we have lived in different countries and have not been able to focus much on the music. Thankfully this has changed recently.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?

- Occultism, genocide, idolatry, chaos, liberation and death.

5.Originally the band was known as 'Vulture', what was the cause of the name change and also the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Gam'?

- Back when we started in 2011 there were, to our knowledge, no band in the genre named Vulture, a few years later a handful of bands with the name appeared and we decided to change our name to Gam which is Swedish for vulture.

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new ep cover?

- Since the lyrics are touching upon the Cult of Iron Gauntlet we decided to centre the artwork around an Iron Gauntlet depicting carvings of mediaeval torture methods. The artist Sergei Zolotov at Soul-Paralyzed Art made a great rendering of our idea.

7.Has the band done any live shows or are open to the idea?

- Not as of yet, we are open to the idea and it will happen somewhere down the line.

8.Currently the band is unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

- We had a deal with a German label for our previous release which unfortunately fell through the cracks due to the Covid crisis.  We are open to any means helping us to distribute our music.

9.On a worldwide level, how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black and death metal?

- Our focus has been primarily on making music and as none of the members can’t be fucked promoting or marketing, our music is truly underground. The reactions we have received about our rather unique sound has been positive.

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

- We are currently working on new material, exploring the darker elements of black metal without ever shunning away from the brutality.

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

- Our band members differ in music taste and style yet unites in their appreciation for the extreme music. Some of the bands that made an impression on all of us are: Deicide, Immortal, Dissection and Belphegor for example. Most of the metal bands we listen to are from the 90's and early 2000 era.

12.How would you describe your view on Occultism?

- A lifelong fascination for the ancient rituals, dark arts and mysticism without being an active practitioner. “Everything we call real is made of things that cannot be regarded as real” - Niels Bohr.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

- Hope you enjoy Iron Gauntlet coming out on all major platforms August first. Thank you for having us and appreciate your review!

https://www.facebook.com/GAMSWEDEN/

Defacement/Doomed/Unorthodox Emanations/2025 Full Length Review

 

  International  band  Defacement  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  dissonant  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Doomed"  which  will  be  released  on  Unorthodox  Emanations.

  A  very  apocalyptic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  brief  use  of  synths  before  going  into  more  of  a  brutal  and  heavier  direction.  Blast  beats  are  added  into  the  faster  sections  of t he  songs  while  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  guttural  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  and  the  music  also  gets  very  dissonant  sounding  at  times.

  Elements  of  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  music  while  the  album  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  riffing  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  at  times

   A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  clean  playing  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  album  as  well  as  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  ambient  and  noise  touches,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  identity  erosion,  spiritual  distortion  and  existential  collapse.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Defacement  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  dissonant  and  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Portrait"  "Worthless"  and  "Absent".  8  out  of  10.

  https://avantgardemusic.bandcamp.com/album/doomed

https://www.facebook.com/officialdefacement

https://www.instagram.com/defacement_band

https://defacementofficial.bandcamp.com  

  

lowheaven Interview

 

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?

lowheaven is a pandemic band. We started after the demise of previous bands, and the chaos that ensued during the lockdown phase of covid. The songs we created were directly impacted by the faltering of life.

2.You have a new album coming out in August, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

We never set out to create or be a specific style of band, but the intense chaos of life during the writing phase is evident. We started to realize that we were writing the soundtrack to our individual forms of hell. I think when that mindset really took hold is when lowheaven started to grasp what we really were going to sound like, and we continued to double down every chance we got.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?

The lyrical content is bleak, to say the least. As mentioned, the utter chaos of the pandemic, along with the full fledged meltdown of my (Dan's) life is completely on display. There's no hiding from that fact. I think it would have been tough to write about anything else, considering the significant lack of distraction that was provided by the lockdowns.

4.You have also mentioned an interest in the works of David Cronenberg,  Julia  Docourna and Horror Films, what influence does this have on the musical style that you play?

I think this played into the actual recording of the record more than the writing. I think we were continuously in the mindset of "how do we make this sound darker, more uncomfortable" and having that kind of imagery on display for us, most waking moments, it was definitely going to infiltrate the process. It's definitely a weird but necessary part to creating darkness, for us at least. 

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'ilowheaven'?

The only real clue I'll give you is that it slightly involves Jack Kerouac.

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

The artwork for the whole layout of Ritual Decay was created by Joel Villegas, someone we had been a fan of for a couple of years prior. We actually met while on tour with Holy Fawn. I inserted myself rather aggressively into a conversation that was happening, so I could share my joy and interest in his work. Since that point, we've been trying to find a way to work together on something, and this was the ideal project. He absolutely conquered this layout in a way I couldn't have even imagined when we first began speaking about it. There's something really special about Joel.

7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?

We take a lot of pride in our live show. We all grew up in a southern Ontario scene where the performance was of priority, and that's never left our bones. We've been lucky enough to play a plethora of incredible shows, I don't know that I could pick just one. Always just excited for the next show.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

There is some touring throughout the rest of the year, and it looks like 2026 is going to be quite busy. We're all extremely excited to get out there and play these songs live. It's been years of sitting on this stuff, so we're ready.

9.The album is going to be released on 'MNRK Heavy', how did you get in contact with this label?

The Cole's note is that our record was just put in the right hands by a friend of the band. It was quite the process, but we definitely feel like we ended up in the right spot. Sometimes things just work out, however rare that can be. And you just have to enjoy it.

10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of hardcore and post metal?

I think it's a bit harder for us to tell, as we are the type of people who just keep our heads down and keep working. That being said, seeing our name on the likes of Kerrang or New Noise has been pretty wild. Again, just trying to enjoy the moment.

11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

This is something we are always conscious of, with really anything we do. I think we have really established who we are, and now it's time to extend out what that sound is, make the prettier prettier, make the heavier heavier. But at this point, it's all about getting Ritual Decay into every ear possible.

12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also e=what are you listening to nowadays?

There are so many bands we all love, coming from so many different places, it would be hard to just choose a few.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Ritual Decay is out Aug 29th on MNRK heavy! You can order the physical representation now!

https://www.instagram.com/lowheavenband

https://x.com/lowheavenband

https://www.facebook.com/lowheavenband

https://www.youtube.com/@lowheavenband/videos

Deathhammer/Crimson Dawn/Hells Headbangers Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Norway's  Deathhammer  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  blackened  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Crimson  Dawn"  which  will b e  released  in  August  by  Hells  Headbangers  Records.

  Horror  movie  style  synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  thrash  metal  direction  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  first  wave  style  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  recording  also  making  an  80's  style  sound  more  modern.

  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  remain  very  true  to  an  old  school  style.  Back  up  shouts  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  and  most  of  the  album  sticks  to  either  a  mid  tempo  or  fast  direction.

  On  this  recording  Deathhammer  remain  true  to  the  blackened  thrash  metal  style  that  they  have  established  on  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Darkness,  Evil,  Blasphemy  and  Violence  themes.    

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Deathhammer  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Abyssic  Thunder"  "Nocturnal  Windz  Of  Fire"  and  "Into  The  Blackness  of  Hell".  8  out  of  10.

  https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/searchAdvanced.asp?searchfor=DEATHHAMMER&Search.x=0&Search.y=0

    

Proscription/Desolate Divine/Dark Descent Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Proscription  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Desolate  Divine"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  Dark  Descent  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  along  with  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  words  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  melody.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  tremolo  picking  also  being  added  into  the  faster  riffing  at  times  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  long  and  epic  in  length  and  one  song  is  an  instrumental  and  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  synths.

  On  this  recording  Proscription  brings  out  a  very  brutal  and  aggressive  style  of  blackened  death  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Anti  Christianity  and  Dark  Spirituality  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Proscription  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Gleam  Of  The  Morningstar"  "The  Midnight  God"  and  "The  Great  Deceiver".  8  out  of  10.

  https://music.apple.com/us/artist/proscription/1525431539

https://proscription.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ProscriptionHorde/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/1HWAHN5cOHGYjmad5lDhy1

Desaster/Kill All Idols/Metal Blade Records/205 Full Length Review

 

  Germany's  Desaster  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  continuing  the  blackened  thrash  metal  style  of  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Kill  All  Idols"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  metal  Blade  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  are  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  vocals  being  done  in  more  of  a  first  wave  black  metal  style.

  The  music  also  rakes  and  80's  style  into  a  more  modern  direction  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Elements  of  thrash  metal  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the recording  along  with  some  spoken  words  also  being  used  at  times  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  punk  rock,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  remain  true  to  the  old  school  era  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  On  this  recording  Desaster  remains  true  to  the  blackened  thrash  metal  style  that  they  established  on  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  hate  and  war  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Desaster  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Great  Repulsive  Force"  "Kill  The  Idol"  "Fathomless  Victory"  and  "Stellar  Remnant".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.total-desaster.com    

https://www.facebook.com/666Desaster666  

https://www.instagram.com/Desaster_official

     

Simple Existenz/Trummer/Undercover Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

    Simple  Existenz  are  a  solo  project  from  Germany  that  plays  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  black  and  dark  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2025  album  "Trummer"  which  was  released  by  Undercover  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  and  dark  metal.  Clean  playing  can  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  synths  also  giving  the  recording  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling  when  they  are  utilized  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  clean  viking  metal  style  which  also  have  their  rough  moments  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  album  more  of  a  black  metal  feeling.

  

   Spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  female  vocals  and  choirs  as  well as  a  few  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  grim  black  metal  screams.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  isolation,  decay  and  existential  emptiness.  

  In  my  opinion  Simple  Existenz  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  mixture  of  black  and  dark  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Das  Leis  des  Prometheus"  "Schmutz"  "Der  Tum"  and  "Silo".  8  out  of  10.

  https://simpleexistenz.bandcamp.com/album/tr-mmer

lowheaven/Ritual Decay/MNRK Heavy/2025 Full Length Review

 

  lowheaven  are  a  band  from  Toronto,  Ontario,  Canada  that  plays  a  mixture  off  blackened  noise,  post  hardcore,  screamo  and  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Ritual  Decay"  which  will  be  released  on  August  29th  by  MNRK  Heavy.

  A  very  powerful  sounding  bass  guitar  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavier  riffing  a  few  sections  later.  Vocals  are  mostly  screams  which  mix  black  metal  metal  and  screamo  together  while  also  adding  in  a  few  growls  and  clear  singing  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  distorted  yet  melodic  style  while  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  post  hardcore.  Noises  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  parts  of  album  along  with  some  of  the  vocals  also  adding  in  more  of  a  shouting  style  on  later  tracks  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  iowheaven  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal,  post  hardcore,  screamo  and  noise  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  reality  of  complete  social  isolation.

  In  my  opinion  iowheaven  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  blackened  noise,  post  hardcore,  screamo  and  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "In  Grievance"  "Nothing  Else  Frail"  "Fucking  Hell"  and  "Manic  Grave".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.instagram.com/lowheavenband

https://x.com/lowheavenband

https://www.facebook.com/lowheavenband

https://www.youtube.com/@lowheavenband/videos  

Hebephrenique/Decathexis/Gutter Prince Cabal/Brilliant Emperor Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Hebephrenique  are  a  band  from  Australia  that  plays  a  dissonant  mixture  of  black,  death  and  industrial  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Decathexis"  which  will b e  released  in  August  as  a  joint  effort  between  Gutter  Prince  Cabal  and  Brilliant  Emperor  Records.

  

    Dark  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  while  spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  briefly  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  dissonant  direction.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  vocals  also  bring  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.

  

   At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  avant  garde  and  technical  sounding  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  clean  playing  also  being  utilized  on  a  few  songs  and  elements  of  industrial  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  at  times  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  finally  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  melodic  style.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dystopian themes.

  

 In  my  opinion  Hebephrenique  are  a  very  great  sounding  dissonant  mixture  of  black,  death  and  industrial  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Visions  Of  Magdalene"  "Arguementum  Ad  Baculum"  and  "Decathexis".  8  out  of  10.

  https://hebephrenique.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/hebephrenique    

Infamie/Of Sulphur And Pestilence/Crypt Of Dr. Gore/2025 EP Review

 

  Infamie  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  ep  "Of  Sulphur  And  Pestilence"  which  was  released  by  Crypt  Of  Dr.  Gore.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  vocals  also  bring  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.  A  lot  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  amount  of blast  beats  and  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  along  with  the  guitar  leads  also  bringing  in  more  of  a  dark  and  melodic  style  and  the  whole  ep  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  Infamie  plays  a  musical  style  that  goes  back  to  the  90's  era  of  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  death  and  blasphemy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Infamie  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Pestilence  Empire"  and  "Cave  Bestiam".  8  out  of  10.

  Infamie : Of Sulphur and Pestilence | Infamie

Crypt Of Dr.Gore : Of Sulphur & Pestilence | Infamie | Crypt of Dr.Gore

Comatose/The Unhallowed Congregation/Malevolent Sounds/205 Full Length Review

 

  Comatose  are  a  band  from  Philippines  that  plays  a  blackened  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "The  Unhallowed  Congregation"  which  was  released  by  Malevolent  Sound.

  A  very  heavy  yet  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast beats.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark,  chaotic, melodic  and  old  school  style  style  along  with  the  music  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  Brazilian  style.

  Vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  mixed  in  with  a  few  black  metal  screams  while  the  songs  also  mix  in  elements  of  thrash  metal.  Evil  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  whole  recording  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  Comatose  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  90's  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  mixes  it  with  thrash  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Death,  Darkness,  Satanism  and  Horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Comatose  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Scrolls  Of  Profanity"  "The  Unhallowed  Congregation"  "Eternal  life  Eternal  Lies"  and  "Condemned  To  Darkness".  8  out  of  10.

  

Bandcamp

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Eternal Drak/The Warrior Order/2025 EP Review

 

  Columbia/Canada's  Eternal  Drak  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  blackened  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2025  ep  "The  Warrior  Order".

  A  very  fast  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  the  riffing  also  mixes  in  elements  of  thrash  emtal.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks.  A  couple  of  songs  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  synths,  clean  playing  and  spoken  words  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized  and  they  also  bring  in  a  cover  of  Metallica's  "Leper  Messiah".

  On  this  recording  Eternal  Drak  goes  for  a  very  modern  and  diverse  form  of  blackened  death  metal  that  is  still  influenced  by  the  classic  era  of  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Spanish  and  cover  Lucifer's  exile  to  the  underworld.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Eternal  Drak  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Oda  A  La  Luna"  and  "La  Nueva  Orden".  8  out  of  10.

  Digital - https://hypeddit.com/eternaldrak/thewarriororder​

Bandcamp - https://eternaldrak.bandcamp.com/album/the-warrior-order​

Online Store - https://eternaldrak.com/store

YouTube - https://youtu.be/1-0bf5dmCW0​

Spotify - https://hypeddit.com/eternaldrak/eternaldrak

  

All Hell/Sunsetter/Terminus Hate City/2025 Full length Review

 

  North  Carolina's  All  Hell  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of  black,  thrash  metal,  punk  and  deathrock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Sunsetter"  which  will  be  released  in  october  by  Terminus  Hate  City.

  A  very  fast  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  Elements  of  punk  and  thrash  metal  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing   and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  riffs  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  music  also  mixes  a  lot  of  old  school  touches  into  a  more  modern  sound  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  bringing  in  more  of  a  metal/punk  style  as  well  as  some  tracks  also  adding  in  an  influence  of  deathrock  when  synths  are  utilized,  spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks.

  On  this  recording  All  Hell  goes  for  more  of  a  modern  mixture  of  black,  thrash  metal,  punk  and  deathrock.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  the  curse  of  Cain  and  his  union  with  Lilith  which  causes  a  cursed  bloodline. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  All  Hell  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  thrash  metal,  punk  and  deathrock,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Exiled  Into  Nod"  "Sunsetter"  "Path  Of  Cain"  and  "The  Outer  Night".  8  out  of  10.

  Bandcamp: https://allhell.bandcamp.com

Facebook: https://facebook.com/allhellband
Instagram: https://instagram.com/allhellband
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5FVXnF7zGfuo8WF5qq4XHK

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/be/artist/all-hell/925520478   

  

Sikario Interview

 

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?

We really enjoy working on different things simultaneously. We believe that the success of a new record doesn't rely solely on the music or live performances.

In terms of live shows, we've been quite active promoting the album. In April, we supported Suffocation during their shows in Chile (Santiago and Concepción), and since then we've taken our performances to other cities across the country.

A couple of weeks ago, we released a new video for the song “Rotten Head”, and we're scheduled to shoot another video in July.

Right now, we’re planning the official release show for the new album. Our idea is to perform a longer set that includes songs from all our records—and maybe throw in a surprise or two.

2.In April you had released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

Musically, it's more straightforward and direct than our earlier albums, but it also reflects a greater level of maturity in how we create and perform music.

There are complex riffs, but the song structures on this record are more traditional. The album was conceived as a concept, so you'll notice instrumentals and other elements designed to take the listener through different stages and moods.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new album and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

As always, we focus on human behavior. Each song deals with common emotions that we all experience at different points in life—rage, revenge, faith, repentance.

In terms of our growth, there's definitely been improvement. Today, we approach each song as a complete concept. Everything must align—the lyrics, the riffs, the mood. If the lyrics express anger, then we need aggressive riffs to match that tone. Our goal is to achieve a balance between rhythm sections, solos, and vocals to fully convey each idea.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Sikario'?

When we started as a band, one of our biggest inspirations was Criminal. For a couple of years, our name was Diabolical Interventus, but we eventually felt it didn’t reflect our ideas or our music.

Around that time, Criminal released their album Sicario, which we consider one of their best—and one of our all-time favorites. As a tribute, we decided to take that name, but we replaced the letter "c" with a "k" to make it our own.

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

The artwork is very straightforward and closely tied to the album’s title. We wanted something simple but powerful: an elegant man with blood on his clothes.

It also reflects the album’s musical content—technically refined and elegantly executed, but also extremely aggressive and brutal.

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

Here’s our Top 5:

Suffocation (April 2024 – Santiago & Concepción, Chile):

We were honored to support Suffocation for two shows. We'd been playing regularly since returning from Mexico, so we were in great shape. The Santiago show had excellent sound, though we faced some minor technical issues—thankfully, our crew acted quickly. The next morning, we traveled to Concepción. Though there were delays and a rushed soundcheck, the production team was great and we delivered a brutal show. These were historic gigs for us—supporting one of the most iconic and brutal bands in the genre.

Terminal Prospect (Chile):

An unexpected invitation to play in a city four hours from Santiago, during a break with no rehearsals. The traffic was terrible, but the event turned out amazing. We gave a powerful, tight performance with no issues—and everyone was happy in the end.

Rotting Christ:

One of our first large-scale shows, opening for the legendary Rotting Christ during their 35th-anniversary celebration. It was a huge honor. We had a short set, but we played great and the crowd support was incredible.

Tianguis Cultural del Chopo (Mexico):

Our first show in Mexico, after a 14-hour flight and barely 3–4 hours of sleep. We performed in one of the most iconic cultural spaces in the country. While our performance could’ve been tighter, the experience was intense and meaningful—the perfect way to kick off our tour.

Shamrock (México):

Our last show of the Mexican tour. We were a bit tired, but everything clicked that night—the venue, the sound, the crowd. A truly special performance.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for 2025?

We’re currently working on a European tour for 2026, but we're also considering a few shows in Latin America—or possibly a return to Mexico—towards the end of 2025.

8.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

Yes, we’re actively looking for a label. One of the main goals of this album was to expand our reach and hopefully catch the attention of a label. We worked very hard with our producer, Erick Martínez, to achieve a professional sound, and we believe this release increases our chances of attracting label interest.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of extreme metal?

That's a tough question, especially today when people often only listen to a few seconds of a song or video.

But among those who truly listen and engage with our music, the response has been very positive. Of course, we want to reach more people, but we know that takes hard work—especially with so many great bands out there around the world.

10.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?

Only Tomás and Alberto are involved in other bands.

Tomás works as a session drummer and is currently recording with a few projects, including the Chilean metal band Unbowel.

Alberto plays guitar and does backing vocals for the thrash metal band Cabrio, who just released a new album last month. They’re currently promoting it through videos and interviews.

11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the fuutre?

That’s a big question…

We’re planning to continue with Age of Disease, an apocalyptic trilogy. Right now, we’re working on Chapters 2 and 3. The idea is to push our music to the limit—adding more technical death metal elements, more atmospheric sections, and possibly even some black metal influences.

12.What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are currently listening to nowadays?

Diversity is key in this band—haha!

Lately, we’ve been listening to: Cryptopsy, Hate, Machine Head, The Haunted, Dawnbringer, Vader, and Chilean bands like Torture Machine, Diametral, and Neural Dissonance.

13.Before we wrap up this itnerview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to explore our work—it means a lot.

Your support and the work you do to promote bands is essential for helping underground music grow.

To everyone reading this: thank you for giving new bands a chance. Keep supporting us and following us on our social networks… because you never know when Sikario will strike again.

https://www.sikario.cl
https://instagram.com/sikariometal
https://youtube.com/sikariometal
https://facebook.com/sikariocl
https://sikario.bandcamp.com