Carcerous/Doomsday Factory/2026 Full Length Review

    Carcerous  are  a  band  from  Bulgaria  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2026  album  "Doomsday  Factory".

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  brutal  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls.

  Black  metal  screams  are  also  utilized  at  times  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Synths  are  also  added  on  a  few  tracks  along  with  some  spoken  words  also  being  added  into  the  background  briefly  as  well  as  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  elements  of  doom  and  thrash  metal,  at  times  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  semi  melodic  tone.

  Carcerous  plays  a  style  of  blackened  death  metal  that  is  very  heavy  and  aggressive  sounding  as  well  as  adding  in  elements  of  doom  and  thrash  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  horror,  mythology  and  anti  religion  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Carcerous  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Horror  Without  Name"  "I  Saw  The  Death  of  God"  'Heaven  Is  Denied"  and  "Fear  The  Night".  8  out  of  10.

https://carcerous.bandcamp.com/

  

Aurora Borealis/Disillusioned By The Illusion/Non Serviam Records/2026 Full Length Review

  Maryland's  Aurora  Borealis  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  2026  album  "Disillusioned  By  The  Illusion"  which  was  released  by  Non  Serviam  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes  and  synths  start  off  the  album  while  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  whispers  before  going  into a   heavier  direction.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  brutal  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  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  technical  style  and  the  music  also  shows  influences  from  both  the  old  school  and  modern  era's  of  the  genre,  spoken  words  are  also  added  towards  the  end.

  On  this  recording  Aurora  Borealis  continue  to  expand  on  the  blackened  death  metal  style  that  they  have  established  on  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Aurora  Borealis  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECO(MMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Millisecond  Pulsar"  "Molten  Sea"  "Night  Cannibals"  and  "Your  Penumbra".  8  out  of  10.

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuroraBorealisBand/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aurora__borealis_official/
Bandcamp: https://auroraborealisofficial.bandcamp.com/music
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AURORA4DTH

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6OzXCWH8abO5qPzD09vmaU  

    

Voidmaker/A Cold, Unyielding Universe/Witches Brew/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Voidmaker  are  a  band  from  Boston,  Massachusetts  that  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "A  Cold,  Unyielding  universe"  which  will  be  released  on  May  25th  by  Witches  Brew.

  Keyboards  start  off  the  album  while  also  adding  in  some  orchestral  touches  and  the  clean  sections  also  take  the  music  into  more  of  a  progressive  direction.  Sci-fi  sounds  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast b eats  can  be  heard.

  Vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams,  death  metal  growls  and  clear  singing  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing.  The  album  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  thrash  metal  elements  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  adding  in  more  of  a  technical  style.

  Al  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  one  song  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  words  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  science  fiction,  cosmic  dread  and  what  waits  beyond  the  world  humanity  has  already  outgrown.  

  In  my  opinion  Voidmaker  are  a  very  great  sounding  technical  an  progressive  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Post-Human  Emergence"  "Ganymede,  The  Outpost"  and  "Wormhole/Lightchaser".  8  out  of  10.

Website: https://voidmakerband.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/voidmakerband/
Bandcamp: https://voidmaker.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/voidmakerband

  

  

The Fals/Where Cold Steel Gleams/Undercover Records/2026 Full Length Review

  The  Fals  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Where  Cold  Steel  Gleams"  which  was  released  by  undercover  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  demonic  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  while  spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  briefly  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  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  riffs  bring  in  elements  of  traditional  metal.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  clear  singing  and  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  touches  of  thrash  and  speed  metal,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  remain  true  to  an  old  school  metal  style  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  music  also  updating  a  more  80's  and  early  90's  style  for  the  modern  era.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  rituals,  destructive  sorcerers  and  the  harsh  legends  of  the  land  of  Fals.   

  In  my  opinion  The  Fals  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  heavy  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Incursion  Of  Plains"  "Where  Cold  Steel  Gleams"  and  "Pyramids".  8  out  of  10.

  YouTube: https://youtu.be/L94X52ckJZw

Bandcamp: https://thefals.bandcamp.com/album/where-cold-steel-gleams

Ulag Zone/Assault PT. II/2022 EP Review

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Italy's  Ulag  Zone  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  grindcore  and  the  ep  was  self  released  in  2022 and  called  "Assault  Pt.  2".

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls.  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  the  screams  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  grindcore  elements  can  also  be  heard.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  bring  in  more  of  an  old  school  death  metal  style.  Tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing  along  with  some  of  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody.  

Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  when  clear  singing  is  introduced  they  also  add  in  influences  of  power  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  death  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ulag  Zone  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black, death  metal  and  grindcore,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Spidergoat"  and  "Lupercus".  8  out  of  10.

  https://ulagzone.bandcamp.com/album/ulag-zone-assault-pt-ii

Ulag Zone/Assault/2019 EP Review

  Ulag  Zone  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  grindcore  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  self  released  2019  ep  "Assault".

  A  very  apocalyptic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  When  guitar  solos  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  grindcore  elements  can  be  heard.

  Vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  mixed  in  with  a  few  screams  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  touches.  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  some  dark  sounding  melodies  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style,  spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  

  Ulag  Zone  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes,  black,  death  metal  and  grindcore  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  voilent  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ulag  Zone  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  grindcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Artificial  Fucking  Peace".  8  out  of  10.

  https://ulagzone.bandcamp.com/album/ulag-zone-assault

   

Devour The Sun/Chapter II - Satyameva Jayate/2026 Full Length Review

  Devour  The  Sun  are  a  duo  from  Germany  that  plays  an  epic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2026  album  "Chapter  II  -  Satyameve  Jayate".

  A  very  ritualistic  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  the  vocals  add  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  scremas.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  tremolo  picking  and  brutal  blast  beats.  Spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  wit  the  album  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Clear  singing,  Asian  instruments  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  one  track  also  introduced  elements  of  Indian/Hindu  music  as  well  as  a  later  song  also  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing. 

  Devour  The  Sun  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  and  epic  form  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Vedic  History  and  Hindu  Epics.  

  In  my  opinion  Devour  The  Sun  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Passage  Through  The  Ocean"  and  "The  Consecration".  8  out  of  10.

  https://devourthesun.bandcamp.com/album/chapter-ii-satyameva-jayate

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Devour_the_Sun/3540495426

https://www.instagram.com/devour_the_sun_dbm/

Eternal Drak/The Violence Of Time/FirstWave/2026 Full Length Review

 

  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  2026  album  "The  Violence  Of  Time"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  FirstWave.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Elements  of  thrash  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  riffing  and  vocals  while acoustic  guitars,  clean  playing  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  are  also  utilized  along  with  the  solos  and  leads also  bringing  in  more  of  an  old  school  extreme  metal  style,  some  of  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  a  couple  of  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clear  singing.  

  On  this  recording  Eternal  Drak  continue  to  expand  on  the  blackened  style  of  thrash  metal  that  they  have  introduced  on  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  human  obsession  with  explanation.

  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  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "We  Force  It  To  Speak"  "The  Blasphemy  Of  Time"  "Where  Cause  Is  Buried"  and  "The  Cosmos  Reject  You".  8  out  of  10.

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

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMt45oS5uxY

https://eternaldrak.bandcamp.com/

http://www.eternaldrak.com |  https://www.facebook.com/EternalDrak | https://www.instagram.com/eternaldrak

Faded Remembrance/The Blessing Of Downfall/Bitume Productions/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Faded  Remembrance  are  a  solo  project  from  Hungary  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  black,  death,  doom  and  gothic  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2026  album  "The  Blessing  Of  Downfall"  which  was  released  by  Bitume  Productions.

  Synths  and  clean  playing  start  off  the  album  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Trombone's  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  the  harsh  vocals  being  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  with  some  first  wave  touches  and  aggressive  90's  style  doom/death  vocals  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  recording  also  add  in  elements  of  doom  metal.

   A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic in  length  while  the  clear  vocals  bring  in  more  of  a  gothic  metal  style.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  clean  playing  also  being  utilized  at  times,  the  album  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments  and  on  the  closing  a  track  a  brief  use  of  fast  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  On  this  recording  Faded  Remembrance  goes  for  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  black,  death,  doom  and  gothic  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's  era.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  philosophy,  human  nature,  inner  struggles,  faith,  emotion,  existence  and  nature.   

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Faded  Remembrance  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  black,  death,  doom  and  gothic  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  'The  Blessing  Of  Downfall"  "At  The  Gates  of  Avalon"  "Requiem"  and  "Slumber  In  The  Darkness".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/gsi-9l9Tl0E?is=gNUUU7MV3ix4IE7G

https://youtu.be/IlIgfdsqohM?si=-UaM7c9M8nDOY-GP  

Suicidal Winds Interview

 

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

Mathias: Well, right now we try to record some old tracks dating back from 1992 to 1994. Those tracks was never recorded in a studio. 

Peter: We will try to reach the old spirit with these recordings. Our old drummer Martin Hogebrandt, that was on the first two albums, is back!

 

A few months back you had released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

Mathias: I think this record is a bit different and more varied compared to our past records. But I think the style is still classic Suicidal Winds.

Peter: I agree, it’s a natural development, but still typically us.

 

From 2014 to 2025 there was no music being released, can you tell us a little bit more about the 11 year gap in releasing new material?

Mathias: Well, I guess work, kids and homes to take care of made it difficult to rehearse. Me and Fredrik actually rehearsed and made music in this period. But since his working times were chaos, nothing came out of it. I think I had maybe six tracks we did during this period on my old Phone that collapsed. So, all those tracks are sadly gone.

 

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

Mathias: The lyrics on this album deals with the end of the world and an overall hatred against it. Well, I think we have become better song writers. And I’m really proud of our work.

Over the years you have also covered some satanic, occult and anti-Christian themes, how would you describe your interest in the black arts?

Mathias: Well, of course it was an interest of mine and my way of describing a lot of hatred to the world. Hopefully I succeeded in doing so.

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

Mathias: The front cover is actually a photo of a fire. And when you stand and watch it the fire and smoke change formations all the time. So, I took a photo of it when I thought it was perfect.

 

Out of all the shows and tours the band has done over the years, which one stands out the most?

Mathias: our first gig in Göteborg was cool. Also most of our gigs in Germany, Bitterfeld was particularly great both times we played there.

Peter: Our gig in Turku, Finland is worth mentioning too. It was filled with aggression and intoxicated bodies. And also the show we did with Entombed was crazy when the organizer switched the power off in middle of the show because it was too late. Haha!

Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

Mathias: not at the moment. Right now the focus is just to record music.

Peter: I think it could be relevant after we have done next release/recording.

 

The band has been around for more than 30 years, what is it that motivates you to keep going after 3 decades?

Mathias: Well, we still listen a lot to music. And inspiration will never disappear. Maybe the next recording will be a little different, maybe not as fast as on ‘In The Fire 666’.

Peter: I think it’s our huge interest in extreme music that keep us going on.

10.Over the years you also have been a part of a lot of splits. Can you tell us a little bit more about the bands or musical artists that were a part of these recordings?

Mathias: The first split EP was with Bestial mockery a local black metal band. And we are close friends, so we released it ourselves. Then there was another split EP and split CD, right now I can’t remember the names of the other two bands, sorry, haha. Then we did a split 7” EP with Protector, a band I play the bass guitar in.

Peter: It was a split-7” with Polish Throneum on Iron Bonehead Productions. I was in contact with this underground-band in the past. A nice piece of vinyl. The split-cd was with American Gravewürm that I had been corresponding with since the 90’s. A true cult-band that is playing primitive and slow. 

 

The new album was released on 'WolfKult Religion', how would you compare working with this label to other labels you have been a part of in the past?

Mathias: WolfKult has been great and easy to work with. I’m really happy with the two releases on that label. No Colours. Pulverised and To The Death were also really good labels. The worst is Agonia Records, that label was crap

 

On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your newer music by fans of black and thrash metal?

Mathias: Well, no bad words yet and that’s promising. It feels to me that most people who already heard, liked it a lot.

 

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

Mathias: Well, our next release will be with music we did ‘92-‘94, I told you about in the first question. Back then we were more necro black metal like Samael. Beherit and other early black metal bands. So, I’ll guess people who were/are into black metal from ‘88-‘92 will be really pleased. And for sure I know we will be very pleased with it, haha.

 

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

Mathias: Well. I like music with distortion. Old black metal. Old death metal. Old heavy metal… not really much new music actually.

Peter: It’s pretty much the same for me. From 70’s Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Uriah Heep to 80’s NWOBHM. And of course and the thrash metal. In death metal all the great bands from late 80s and early 90s. For black metal its from early Bathory (mid-80ss) until the bands from early 90’s (like Samael, Rotting christ, Mayhem, Master’s Hammer, The Black, Darkthrone etc.). Honestly, not so much metal after that does interest me.

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

Mathias: Thanks a lot for the interview, cheers!

Peter: Thanks a lot for the interview. Support the underground, and look out for our upcoming releases!

https://www.facebook.com/SuicidalWinds666/#

Egregore/It Echoes In The Wild/20 Buck Spin/2026 Full Length Review

  Eregore  are  a  band  from  Vancouver  B,C,  Canada  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "It  Echoes  In  The  Wild"  which  was  released  by  20  Buck  Spin.

  A  very  dark  and  ritualistic  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  chants  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls.

  Blast  beats  are  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  album  while  shouts  and  clear  singing  are  also  utilized  at  times.  The  music  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  black  metal  elements  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  bringing  in  more  of  a  90's  death  metal  style,  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing .

  Some  of  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of   whispered  vocals  along  with  a  couple  of  the  songs  also  being very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  recording  progresses  synths  and  spoken  words  are  also  introduced,  one  song  is  also  an  instrumental  and  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  towards  the  end.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  occultism,  esotericism,  spirituality  and  psychological  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Eregore  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Voice  On  The  West  Wind"  "Nightmare  Cartographer"  and  "It  Echoes  In  The  Wild".  8  out  of  10.

  https://linktr.ee/egregore137

https://egregore137.bandcamp.com

https://www.instagram.com/egregore137

https://www.facebook.com/Egregore137 

Apostle/A Splinter In The Infinite Noumenon/Terminal Hate City/2026 Full Length Review

  Apostle  are  a  band  from  Georgia  that  plays  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  post  black  metal,  grind  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "A  Splinter  In  The  Infinite  Noumenon"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Terminal  Hate  City.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  hardcore  direction  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  Blast  beats  and  elements  of  grindcore  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  the  faster  riffing.  Shouts  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  the  clean  sections  also  add  in  touches  of  post  rock ,  spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks  and  the  recording  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments  as  well  as  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  death  metal  growls  .

  Apostle  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  an  atmospheric  form  of  post  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  grind  and  hardcore  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  existential  philosophy  and  the  writings  of  C.G  Jung.  

  In  my  opinion  Apostle  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  mixture  of  post  black  metal,  grind  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Exiting  The  God  Hologrom"  and  "At  Ease",  8  out  of  10.

  Bandcamp: https://apostlesucks.bandcamp.com

Store: https://www.terminushatecity.com
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/apostlesucks
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/apostlesux
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/67cjLOrbhdb2gFmS9OJKfS
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@terminushatecity

     

Skaphos/The Descent/Les Acteurs de L'Ombre Productions/2026 Full Length Review

  Skaphos  are  a  band  from  France  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  an  abyssal  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "The  Descent"  which  was  released  by  les  Acteurs  de  L'Ombre  Productions.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  clean  playing  also  being  used  at  times  and  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats.

  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  and  the  recording  also  brings  a  very  modern  approach  to  the  genre.

  On  this  recording  Skaphos  continues  to  expand  on  the  blackened  death  metal  style  they  introduced  on  the  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  abyss  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Skaphos  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Nesse  Ende"  "The  Descent"  and  "Mariana  Tomb".  8  out  of  10.

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Towering/The Oblation Of Man/Dolorem Records/2026 Full Length Review

  Towering  are  a  band  from  France  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "The  Oblation  Of  man"  which  was  released  by  Dolorem  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  music  also  adds  in  some  dissonant  touches  at  times.  You  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  melodic  style  and  melodies  are  also  added  into  the  guitar  riffing.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  lot  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  album  also  adds  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  some  angry  shouts  and  spoken  words  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  On  this  album  Towering  goes  for  a  very  modern  and  hypnotic  style  of blackened  death  metal  with  a  touch  of  the  old  school  era.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  annihilation  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Towering  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "To  Die  Once  And  Emerge"  and  "Embraced  Atonement".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLjRXT0uo0w    

   

Frusen Sorg/Smärtpunkter/Widsith Records/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Frusen  Sorg  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a mixture  of  black  metal,  crust,  d-beat  and  hardcore  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Smärtpunkter"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Widsith  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  aggressive  crust  punk  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  also  being  in  more  of  an  angry  hardcore  style  mixed  in  with  some  blackened  metal  screams.  Elements  of  d  beat  are  also  added  into  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  short  in  length  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  words  and  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  finally  utilized  they  also  add  in  more  of  an  old  school  metal  punk  style.

  On  this  recording  Frusen  Sorg  takes  black  metal,  crust,  d  beat  and  hardcore  punk  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  very  heavy  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover real  life  trauma.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Frusen  Sorg  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal,  crust,  d  beat  and  hardcore  punk,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUD E "Under  Svärtans  Skyddande  Vinge"  "Djuret  i  Mig"  "Du Stänkte  Din  Ski t På  Min  Själ"  and  :"En  Råtta  Som  Flyr  Från  Vårt  Sjunkande  Skepp".  8  out  of  10.

Linktr.ee

Widsith Records

The Metallist PR

Twin Serpent Interview

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

For those that have never heard of us before, we salute you. 

We’re a rowdy but cute four piece with punk and country tendencies trashing folk instruments and having fun. We like to keep the essence of punk in what we do, although I think it’ll shine through even if we tried to hide it. We love music in all its shapes and try to unify some favourites with this project. Lyrically we’re in space, both inner and outer.

We've done some appearances in various Norwegian festivals, mix tapes and house parties around our home town of Svartlamon, Trondheim. 

We’ve released one album prior to this one.

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

Our previous album is way slower and calmer in spirit. It was the initial spark for the band starting up as a solo project I had going on. During the recording of Feels Like Heaven, North Of Hell I figured it’s more fun to play as a band. And I’m glad I did! There's some nice cuts we still play live, but TNBG is the album that should define the band forward since it’s a joint effort and reflects us as a unit.

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

We mostly swim in a mixed medium of cosmic events, occult knowledge and the zeitgeist of this burning dumpster we call earth. Throwing in some personal issues and heartache to keep it grounded. We try to keep it on the positive side though, since we’re all playing in various bands already pointing out the misery of the world. 

Personal favourites with Twins touch on Dyson spheres, The hexagon storm of Saturn, 'Oumuamua and finnish healing spells. 

4.Some of your lyrics touch on cosmic and occult themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

The occult has been a big part of my life since I was a kid painting Warhammer figures and listening to black metal. I’ve always been mystified and awed by the cosmos and the world beyond our reach. I guess you could call me a dreamer. Although I have a more tangible aspect to my interest in the stars which dovetail to my love for discovery: navigation. I’ve spent countless hours staring at the night sky, memorising constellations and stars. As the sailors of old I consider the sky as a map.

After diving into my Finnish roots and discovering Finland has a rich history of magick I saw the line between astrology and astronomy blur once again. Add quantum theory in the mix and the unseen world became purely magical. I love both worlds alike, but I keep my decision making to empirical evidence.

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

It represents life in the form of a double helix. The very DNA that all living things have and to an extent share. Revealing itself as a twin serpent in mushroom dreams and ayahuasca trips. 

We wanted to have a positively charged band name against all the negative hard bands we usually operate with. (Barren Womb, Vaya Con Satan, Methanyahu)

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

The whole thing reflects heavily on the band name and the vibe the album title gives. Our own artist extraordinaire and bass player/singer Hanna Fauske is the mastermind behind the design. She wanted a theme we could play with across the whole release, creating a red line across single covers, music video and teaser videos etc. Usually working with body paint, naked skin and the weird, she put together this idea of two snakes in their habitat. The whole process was super fun and instead of corps paint, we got snake paint. LOL

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

The absolute weirdest festival we’ve played is a bit of a hidden gem. Iskremfestivalen outside of Oslo is arranged during the summer with a wiggle room of two to three weeks, depending on the mosquito count! It’s in the middle of a forest where hippie crust punks have created an Ewok village complete with treetop houses and mushroom tea. 

Also Trollkauk festival in Åndalsnes, a small one stage festival surrounded by insane LOTR nature with elves and trolls. This hippie powered festival had it all. Waterfalls to bade in, raves in the forest and crazy fireshows by night.

Our performance could be described as a journey. From waking up hungover in a ditch to hopping on a riggity train, having a brief moment of clarity just to end up resurrected in a trailer park in Europe with moonshine and furious dancing. 

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

Yes! The day before the release we begin our Norwegian tour hitting some of the most notorious underground venues in Norway. We’re also planning a small run in Finland this fall since it's my home country and our label Svart Records is Finnish. 

Tickets to shows: https://linktr.ee/TwinSerpent

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

On a worldwide level, it’s a bit early to say. But the underground scene in Norway seems to welcome us with open arms. The first record was released on a very D.I.Y basis and our whole story began while covid was crazy, so I feel we started off in incognito mode. But with this album and the backing of Svart Records and Fucking North Pole Records we’re gonna make waves!

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

Our next planned release will deep dive into Finnish folklore and magick in the form of a concept EP. It’s going to be sung in finnish and the whole vibe would resemble the tune Kipu Kivi from TNBG. We’ve got some new songs written for the next full length as well and they're on the level of the most rock or punk tunes of what we have to offer on this release. We have a whole lot more sketches of folky tunes as well, but I think we’ll try to separate the most vicious ones from the more mom friendly tunes on future releases. Time will show!

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?

Goes without saying that 16 Horsepower has had an impact. Although I’d say we don't sound so much like them, but there's definitely a vibe. Stuff we’ve kicked off as a unit would be The Tax Payers, Playboy Manbaby, Viagra Boys and The Lambrini Girls. My favourite country artists and heroes are Gillian Welsh and Hank Williams. Fugazi is the best band in the world. Right now I’m listening to Oranssi Pazuzu, Joshua Idehen, Snapped Ankles, Kuolemankello and Little Simz.

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

Thank you so much for this opportunity and I’d like to take the time to mention a couple of must not miss active Norwegian underground heroes:

Cult Member - crossover trash HC from the cold north

Pushwagnergruppen - Crazy dada punk from down south

NSB - Indierock / hip hop experiment from our backyard

Skyggesiden - 80s HC punk from UFFA/Svartlamon

Healthy Choices - Noisy alt rock athletes from the hood

And of course our other active projects:

Barren Womb - Two piece noiserock extraordinaire

Lucky Malice - Riot Grrrl punk legends

Probleman - Mid norwegian Emo kings

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https://twinserpent666.bandcamp.com/