Urn/Demon Steel/Osmose Productions/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Urn  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Demon  Steel"  which  will  be  released  in  March  by  Osmose  Productions.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later  which  mix  the  first  and  second  wave  era's  together.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.

  Elements  of  thrash  metal  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  songs  also  makes  an  80's  style  sound  more  modern.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  Urn  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  and  thrash  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Death  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Urn  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  thrash  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Predator  Of  Spiritforms"  "Turbulence  Of  Misanthropy"  and  "Ruthless  Paranoia" .  8  out  of  10.

  https://bfan.link/URN-Demon-Steel

https://osmoseproductions.bandcamp.com/album/demon-steel

Vexatan/Diabolic Empire/2023 EP Review

 

  Vaxatan  are  a  solo  project  from  Brazil  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2023  ep  "Diabolic  Empire".

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  brief  use  of  synths  before going  into  more  of  a  heavy  an  brutal  direction.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  a  small  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of    mid  tempo  and  fast  parts  while  the  riffing  also  has  its  repetitive  moments  and  all  of  the  tracks  also  avoid  the  use  of  any  solos  and  leads.

  Vaxatan  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Blasphemy,  Anti  Christianity,  Horror,  Chaos,  Darkness  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Vaxatan  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  death  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Diabolic  Empire"  and  "Darkness".  8  out  of  10.

  https://vexatan.bandcamp.com/album/diabolic-empire

Light Dweller/The Subjugate/Unorthodox Emanations/Avantgarde Music/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Light  Dweller  are  a  solo  project  from  Arizona  that  plays  a  very  dissonant  and  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2025  album  "The  Subjugate"  which  will  be  released  on  February  28th  as  a  joint  effort  between  Unorthodox  Emanations  and  Avantgarde  Music.

  A  very  heavy  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  a  few  seconds  later.  Blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  dissonant  touches  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  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.  Programmed  beats  and  sound  effects  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dissonant  style,  synth  and  clean  playing  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Light  Dweller  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  dissonant  form  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  purgatory  and  the cessation  of  time.

  In  my  opinion  Light  Dweller  are  a  very  great  sounding  dissonant  blackened  death  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Echoes  From  The  Spectral  Void"  and  "Adrift  The  Expanding  Nothingness".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/lightdwellermusic

https://www.instagram.com/lightdwlr

https://lightdweller.bandcamp.com

https://avantgardemusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-subjugate

https://youtu.be/3q0v1-B_IMw

Felgrave/Otherlike Darknesses/Transcending Obscurity Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Felgrave  are  a  solo  project  from  Norway  that  plays  a  very  avant  garde  and  blackened  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2025  album  "Otherlike  Darknesses"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Transcending  Obscurity  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal.  All  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  keyboards  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  technical  and  avant  garde  sounding  while  blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  along  with  some  clear  singing  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  album.   

 Clean  playing  is  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  along with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  time,  death,  mystical  and  futility  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Felgrave  are  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  and  blackened  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Pale  Flowers  Under  An  Empty  Sky".  8  out  of  10.

Official Video Stream

Felgrave Bandcamp

Felgrave Facebook

Gallower/Vengeance & Wrath/Dying Victims Productions/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Gallower  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Vengeance  &  Wrath"  which  will  be  released  in  march  by  Dying  Victims  Productions.

  Horror  movie  style  keyboards  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  spoken  words  and  demonic  voices  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  era  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Elements  of  thrash  metal  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  first  wave  black  metal  style  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  remaining  very  true  to  an  old  school  extreme  metal  style  as  well  as  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  On  this  recording  Gallower  remain  true  to  the  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  that  they  have  established  on  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  a  15th  century  land  where  magick,  monsters  and  unholy  evil  reign  supreme.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Gallower  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Revelation"  "Prophecy  Of  The  Seven"  and  "Demonic  Ascent",  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFh362yfuOA

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/vengeance-wrath  

Whipstriker/Cry of Extinction/Hells Headbangers Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Brazil's  Whipstriker  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of  black,  thrash,  speed  metal  and  d  beat  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Cry  of  Extinction"  which  will  be  released  in  March  by  Hells  Headbangers  Records.

  A  very  apocalyptic  sounding  synth  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  speed  metal  direction.  Vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  first  wave  black  metal  style  while  the  album  also  add  in  a  lot  of  thrash  metal  elements  mixed  in  with  the  raw  aggression  of  d  beat  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  and  updated  with  a  modern  production.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  album  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  old  school  style  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  one  track  also  being  a  Destruction  cover  and  the  closing  track  which  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  On  this  recording  Whipstriker  goes  for  more  of  an  80's  influenced  mixture  of  black,  thrash,  speed  metal  and  d  beat.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  war  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Whipstriker  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  thrash,  speed  metal  and  d  beat,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cry  Of  Extinction"  "WWVI"  and  "Military  Scum".  8  out  of  10.

  https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/item.asp?cID=51&scID=510&PID=126847      

Tubal Cain Interview

 

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

Since recording Slime Abyss we have been working hard on some killer new songs for our next album. Bo Chrome Bones unfortunately is no longer playing with us due to living too far away.Our new bassist is Shinky Equimanthorn, we’re getting tight with the new line up

2.You have a new album coming out in February, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

Slime Abyss is more slimy sounding than our previous albums. I did more guitar tracks than I have in the past. There are harmonized guitar tracks and more effects. We also have a gong now. These songs are heavily NWOBHM influenced but still with a black metal sound 

3.This is also going to be your first album since 2020, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

Since the release of Summon the Mist we have played quite a few shows in Wisconsin and kept working hard on songwriting. We put a lot of time and energy into writing great songs and playing them as well as we can 

4.A lot of your lyrics cover occultism and fantasy themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

Fantasy and Occultism are part of black metal and metal in general. I think every metal head tries to read Aleister Crowley at some point. I found Crowley’s writing to very interesting and found that I have a deeper interest in occultism. Ancient, spooky and mysterious things are great subject matter for metal songs. I got into reading The Savage Sword Of Conan magazines when I was a kid which led me to reading Robert E Howard, HP Lovecraft and Michael Moorcock. Sword and Sorcery is also part of the symbolism and feeling of Tubal Cain’s metal 

5.I know that the band is named after the first blacksmith from the Old Testament, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this historic person?

Tubal Cain is an archetypal deification mask of traditional witchcraft and the left hand path. The old smithy was a direct descendant of Cain the first murderer.Tubal Cain was taught the art of forging by the fallen angel Azazel. Tubal Cain made the first plough and then the sword, the instrument of Cain’s craft. We are also forgers of Blackened Thrash Metal 

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

The album cover by Thomas Toye/ Illogical Comics, is a depiction of the ancient sea god Yam in dragon form, thrashing in the boiling sea beneath the rays of the black sun. On the shore is a depraved humanoid eating rotten fish, awaiting the return of the ancient ones 

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

In the fall of 2024 we had the pleasure of opening for Satan and Venom inc. It was great to see that people from the NWOBHM scene are still playing kick ass metal today. Another one of our favorite shows to play was the annual skate party at Forward Living skate park in Madison Wisconsin. We played the event many years in a row until the D.I.Y skate park eventually closed down unfortunately 

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

We are a tight and energetic live band. We enjoy playing our music and connecting with the audience. We’re all here together for the love of Metal.Right now we have shows booked in Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago 

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

We have been getting a really positive response from people world wide, especially in Europe and a lot of great responses to the Slime Abyss video by SZUM which can be watched on YouTube 

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

The new songs we are working on are in the same style. Raw School Blackened Street Metal For The People.We are always learning and evolving as musicians and writers. We will always have something new to bring.we never break the only rule of Tubal Cain.KEEP IT METAL!!!

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?

Some of our biggest influences are Darkthrone, Sabbat and Masters Hammer, First and second wave black metal are a big influence, as well as classic metal and thrash. We don’t only listen to metal. We also like techno, industrial, hip hop, classic rock, jazz and lots of other stuff. Lately we’ve been listening to a lot of Fates Warning and Candlemass

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

We would like to thank Darkness Shall Rise productions and all of our supporters. We hope you enjoy our new album and maybe we’ll see you at a show sometime 

Cheers 

Tubal Cain

www.facebook.com/tubalcainmetal