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

+++

https://www.instagram.com/twinserpentband/

​​​​​​​https://www.facebook.com/twinserpentband/

https://twinserpent666.bandcamp.com/ 

Baalzagoth/No God, No Savior/Putrid Cult/2026 Full Length Review

 
  Baalzagoth  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  with  elements  of  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "No  God,  No  Savior"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Putrid  Cult.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in more  of  a  90's  style  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  lot  of  brutal  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  Tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  fast  riffing  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

   Some  of  the  slower  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  doom/death  metal  as  well  as  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  choirs  and  clear  singing,  spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  a  later  track  is  also  an  instrumental  that  also  introduces  synths  and  acoustic  guitars  onto  the  album.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Demonology,  Blasphemy  and  Anti  Christianity.      

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Baalzagoth  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "True  Messiah"  "Behemoth"  "no  God,  No  Savior"  and  "Gloria  Apostasiae".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/EIkfUZ0Nqv4

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Tyrannus/Mournhold/True Cult Records/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Scotland's  Tyrannus  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  black,  death,  thrash  metal  and  post  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Mournhold"  which  will  be  released  on  May  15th  by  True  Cult  Records.

  Synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  touches  of  post  punk  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  When  keyboards  and  clean  playing  is  utilized  they  also  take  the  music  into  more  of  an  atmospheric  direction  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  elements  of  death  and  thrash  metal  as  well  as  some  of  the  vocals  adding  in  more  of  a  thrash  metal  style  and  clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  On  this  recording  Tyrannus  takes  and  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  death,  thrash  metal  and  post  punk  to  create  something  very  different  from  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Lovecraftian  Horror  and  Anti  Fascism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Tyrannus  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  black,  death,  thrash  metal  and  post  punk,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Violent  Inheritance"  "Flesh  Eternal"  and  "Back  To  Grey'.  8  out  of  10.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TyrannusEtImperium   
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyrannusetimperium 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheTyrannus
Bandcamp: https://truecultrecords.bandcamp.com

Twin Serpent/True Norwegian Blackgrass/Svart Records/2026 Full Length Review

  Twin  Serpent  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  crust  punk,  country  and  bluegrass  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "True  Norwegian  Blackgrass"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Svart  Records.

  A  very  heavy  crust  punk  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  are  also  done  in  more  of  a  clear  style.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  more  of  a  70's  rock  style  along  with  some  female  vocals  also  being  used  at  times  and  the  banjos  also  add  in  elements  of  country  of  bluegrass.

  At  times  the  music  also  adds  in  the  lo-fi  atmosphere  of  black  metal  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Clean  playing  is  also  added  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  sticking  to  either  a  2  or  3  minute  limit  and  most  of  the  album  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  Twin  Serpent  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal,  crust  punk,  country  and  bluegrass  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  cover  love,  betrayal  and  defiance.  

  In  my  opinion  Twin  Serpent  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal,  crust  punk,  country  and  bluegrass  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Space  Heater"  "Freak  Flag"  "Radiophobia"  and  "Anti-Nation  Blues".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.svartrecords.com/en/product/twin-serpent-true-norwegian-blackgrass/14218

https://orcd.co/truenorwegianblackgrass   

Gravemass/This Is The Way/Endgame Records/2026 Full Length Review

  Gravemass  are  a  band  from  Vancouver  B.C,  Canada  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  death  and  speed  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "This  Is  The  Wat"  which  was  released  by  Endgame  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  brutal  sounding  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  shouts  and  spoken  words  and  elements  of  speed  metal  are  also  utilized  at  times.

  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  he  heard  along  with  some  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  

  Gravemass  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  death  and  speed  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Blasphemy  and  Anti  Christian  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Gravemass  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  death  and  speed  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this b and.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Slave  To  Pain"  "Harvest  Of  Souls"  "Fallen"  and "Poison  Temple".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/sR9gy-AD8-E

https://gravemass.com/gravemass-epk/  

Desiccation/Legatum Mortuorum/Carbonized Records/2026 Full Length Review

  Desiccation  are  a  band  from  California  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Legatum  Mortuorum"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Carbonized  Records.

  A  very  fast  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  mixed  in  with  a  few  death  metal  growls  and  when  synths  are  utilized  they  also  add  in  more  of  an  atmospheric  touch.

  Clear  singing  is  also  utilized  at  times  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  elements  of  doom  metal.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  album  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  as  well  as  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  and  later  tracks  also  introduce  clean  playing  onto  the  recording.

  Desiccation  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  doom  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  loss  and  grief  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Desiccation  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  mixture  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "All  Light  Is  Gone"  and  "Lamentations  Beyond  The  Wall".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.desiccation666.bandcamp.com 

https://www.instagram.com/desiccation666 

https://www.youtube.com/@desiccation666   

Escaping Agartha/Lurkers Of Languid Waters/Hypnotic Dirge Records/2026 Full length Review

  Escaping  Aghartha  are  a  band  from  North  Carolina  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  and  doom  metal  with  elements  of  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Lurkers  of  Languid  Waters"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Hypnotic  Dirge  Records.

  A  very  slow  and  heavy  doom  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  clear  singing  a  few  seconds  later.  Harsh  vocals  are  mostly black  metal  screams  mixed  in  with  a  few  growls  while  dissonant  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  a  lot  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style.  When  synths  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  elements  of  ambient  along  with  some  water  sounds  also  being  utilized  at  times.  clean  playing  is  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  album.

  The  album  also  has  its  progressive  moments  along  with  a  couple  of   tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  most  of  the  album  also  sticks  to  a  slower  musical  direction,  spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  danger  of  eels  and  biology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Escaping  Agartha  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  ambient,  black  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Eel  Black  Market"  "Degrade  And  Impede"  and  "Journey  To  The  Sargasso  Sea".  8  out  of  10.

  https://hypnoticdirgerecords.bandcamp.com/album/lurkers-of-languid-waters       

In Malice's Wake Interview

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

Post recording comes with a huge number of tasks that we do in house - finalising artworks/merch and layouts (I do the artwork personally, so it does take some time, but I've always enjoyed having a hand in the visual aspect of the band's aesthetic also.  Organising cds/vinyls/t-shirts and preorders have taken a lot of time, as well as preparing for a small show we played the weekend past.  We are also arranging a local album launch and preparing for shows interstate.  

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

I believe it is a very natural progression from the previous 2 works - Light Upon the Wicked and The Blindness of Faith, while removing any inhibitions around songwriting and experimentation.  It has a very genuine demonic feel and the subject matter of exploring the afterlife has provided a very dark atmosphere amongst which to create songs.  As time has progressed we have leaned more and more into the influence of OSDM that Mark and I especially are fond of.  

3.This is also going to be your first album since 2020, can you tell us a little bit more about the long wait in between releases?

It is mostly a reflection of life being extremely busy for all of us - we have many children, and between work, family and everyday life, it does stretch the writing and recording cycle, despite it being a very high priority for us.  This approach means that the work is always as good as we hoped it would be at the end of the cycle, but that it takes a little more time than it may for other bands.  On the flipside, this sustainable pace is what has allowed us to still exist and love creating music nearly 25 years on.  

4.The older albums had more of a death/thrash style while the new album also shows black metal becoming a part of the mix, what was the decision behind going into this direction?

This was always more of a natural expression of what we wanted to create for ourselves.  The Death & Black Metal influences are just in line with what we find ourselves listening to as metal fans these days, and this will naturally bleed into the music.  There was never a conscious decision in this regard, just more of what has come out while we write with a genuine love and passion for creating music.  

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

After some sitting with it I decided I wanted all the songs on this album to tie into the an exploration of life after death.  It is something we can know nothing about and it is so hard to imagine - we have endless stories, cultural explanations, and near death experiences to draw on, but this great unknown became a great topic to write about.  Some songs explore reincarnation going wrong, visions of the afterlife through near death experience, conversations with demons, and the possibility of being trapped in eternity of pure nothing.  

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

With the previously mentioned theme of death, I wanted to create an abstract painting of the afterlife, with more of a hellish focus.  It features a path leading into an infernal landscape - I wanted this to invite the viewer to take the path along with us and explore the great unknown.  We are all heading through this gateway sooner or later.

7.Out of all the shows and tours the band has done so far, which one stands out the most?

We have very limited touring experience outside of Australia unfortunately and hope to change this now that life's demands are becoming less intense.  However some of my personal favourites have been some of the supports we have played.  Sharing the stage with Possessed, Triumph of Death and Bloodbath have been some of the greatest highlights for me personally while playing in this band.  

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

Currently in the works, but yes absolutely.  Touring here in Australia and then finally heading OS has been something we've been working towards for years.  Hopefully we have some plans to announce before too long.  

9.Currently the band is unsigned, but has worked with a label in the past, are you open to working with another label again in the future?

Absolutely.  We are very capable of great reach independently, but cannot deny the greater impact of being on a strong label.  We were close to signing on this album, but the release date would need to be extended and we had already taken longer than we wished to release this one, so decided to remain independent.  We have utilised the incredible promo teams of Bleeding Art Collective and Clawhammer PR with the release of this album and they have been wonderful.  

Thanks for the great questions!

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instagram.com/inmaliceswake
inmaliceswake.bandcamp.com
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Onslaught Kommand/Live At Blitzkrieg/Live Show Review

 

  This  is  a  live  review  of  a  shows  from  Chile's  Onslaught  Kommand  which  shows  them  bringing  their  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  grindcore  and  you  can  also  fins  this  live  show  on  youtube.

  Death  metal  growls  start  off  the  live  set  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavy  and  brutal  direction  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking,  blast  beats  and  grindcore  elements  can  be  heard  and  black  metal  screams  are  also  used  at  times.

  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Live  audience  reaction  can  also  be  hear d in  between  the  songs  along  with  all  of  the  songs  also  sticking  to  a  very  heavy  and  brutal  direction  throughout  the  live  set.

  On  this  recording  Onslaught  Kommand  bring  their  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  grindcore  to  the  live  stage  to  create  a  very  brutal  concert.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  gore,  perversions  and  explicit  violence.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  live  set  from  Onslaught  Kommand  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  death  metal  and  grindcore,  you  should  check  out  this  video.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Old  Death  Ripper'  "Satanic  Storming"  "Third  World  Stoning"  and  "Visions  Of  Blood  And  Gore".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/sdoVboAS1fQ?si=-cFtOTTgfl9F_Xqw

Cruel Division/Carcosa/Cultkill Music/Santa Diabla/2026 EP Review

  Cruel  Division  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  death,  post  metal,  crust  pun  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  ep  "Carcosa"  which  will  be  released  in  May  as  a  joint  effort  between  Cultkill  Music  and  Santa  Diabla.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  brutal  sounding  blast  beats.

  Throughout  the  ep  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  mid  tempo  sections  also  add  in  elements  of  crust  punk  and  hardcore.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style,  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  one  song  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  synth.  

  Cruel  Division  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes,  black,  death,  post  metal,  crust  punk  and  hardcore  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  everyday  life,  existentialism,  loss  of  reality  and  cosmic  horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Cruel  Division  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  death,  post  metal,  crust  punk  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Carcosa"  and  "Amniotic  Misery".  8  out  of  10.

  Cruel Division Bandcamp

Cruel Division Facebook

Cruel Division Instagram        

   

Absu/The Temples Of Offal/Return Of The Ancients - Remasterd 35th Anniversary Edition/ATMF/2026 Compilation Album Review

  U.S.A's  Absu  have  returned  with  a  compilation  which  consists  of  their  1991  and  1992  ep's and demo,  rehearsal  and  rough  tracks   and  this is   a  review  of  their  2026  compilation  album  "The  Temples  Of  Offal/Return  Of  The  Ancients-Remastered  35th  Anniversary  Edition"  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  more  of  an  occult  style  of  death  metal  with  touches  of  black  metal  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  ATMF.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  compilation  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  solos  and  leads  bring  in  the  classic  90's  death  metal  style.

  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  brutality.  As  the  compilation  progress  screams  are  also  introduced  along  with  the  music  also  avoiding  the  black  and  thrash  metal  elements  which  dominated  future  releases,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  a  later  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  synths.

  On  this  compilation  Absu  focused  more  on  a  death  metal  style  instead  of  the  black/thrash  metal  style  which  dominated  later  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Sumerian  Mythology.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  collection  from  Absu  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band  and  early  90's  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  compilation.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Immortal  Sorcery"  "Sumerian  Sands"  "Eternal  Rest"  and  "Dawn  Of  Invocation".  8  out  of  10.

  https://metalodyssey.8merch.us/?product_cat=&s=ABSU&post_type=product    

   

Bewitched/Diabolical Death Mass/Osmose Productions/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Bewitched  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  has  a  history  going  back  to  the  90's  and  plays  a  blackened  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Diabolical  Death Mass"  which  will  be  released  on  April  24th  by  Osmose  Productions.

  A  very  dark  and  ritualistic  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  thrash  metal  elements.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  vocals  bring  in  more  of  a  first  wave  black  metal  style.

  A  lot  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  era  while  also  being  very  modern  at  the  same  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  remain  very  true  to  an  old  school  style  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  as  well  as  the  album  also  bringing  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  some  of  the  songs  also  show  an  influence  of  traditional  metal.

  On  this  recording  Bewitched  remain  true  to  the  blackened  style  of  thrash  metal  that  they  have  established  on  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Bewitched  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Diabolical  Death  Mass"  "Black  Spells  &  Unclean  Spirits"  "By  Satan  Enslaved"  and  "Enforcer  of  Evil".  8  out  of  10.

  Online release page: https://osmoseproductions-label.com/bewitched-diabolical-death-mass/

Pre-Order/Order on: https://tinyurl.com/bewitched-store
Bandcamp: https://osmoseproductions.bandcamp.com/album/diabolical-death-mass
All Digital Links: https://bfan.link/BEWITCHED-Diabolical-Death-Mass

Suicidal Winds/In The Fire 666/Wolfkult Religion/2025 Full Length Review

 

   Suicidal  Winds  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "In  The  Fire  666"  which  was  released  by  Wolfkult  Religion.

  Melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  start  off  the  album  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  thrash  metal  elements.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  riffing  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  lot  of  blast  beats.

  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  remain  true  to  an  old  school  style.  A  lot  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  and  90's  era  as  well  as  being  modern  at  the  same  time  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  growls,  

One  track  is  also  an  instrumental  along  with  the  album  also  adding  a  modern  touch  to  a  classic  style  and  the  whole  recording  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction  and  clear  chants  are  also  added  towards  the  end.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism, Demons,  Darkness,  Death  and  Hell  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Suicidal  Winds  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUD E "Sathanas  Cruciatus"  "Never  Betray  The  Darkness"  "Sacrifice  To  The  Lord  Of  The  Lord  Of  Hate".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hQ18ipRkHk&feature=youtu.be    

Strega/Mors Mortiys Morte/Masked Dead Records/Sulphur Music/2026 EP Review

 

  Strega  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  blackened  form  of  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  ep  "Mors  Mortlys  Morte"  which  will be  released  on  April  30th  as  a  joint  effort  between  Masked  Dead  Records  and  Sulphur  Music.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  traditional  metal  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  some  keyboards  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  clear  singing.

  Most  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in t he  80's  era  while  also  sounding  very  modern  at  the  same  time.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  all  of  the  songs  also  sticking  to  more  of  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  throughout  the  recording.

  On  this  recording  Strega  expands  on  the  blackened  style  of  heavy  metal  that  they  introduced  on  their  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Italian  and  cover  dark  fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Strega  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  heavy  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Mors  Mortlys  Morte".  8  out  of  10.

  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/strega.officialband

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/strega_band/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/intl-it/artist/0d8ysjxCVUOv4a5woB2CDp

Desolus/Dwellers Of The Twilight Void/Hells Headbangers Records/2026 Full Length Review

  Desolus  are  a  band  from  Washington  D.C  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Dwellers  Of  The  Twilight  Void"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Hells  Headbangers  Records.

  Horror  movie  style  synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  recording  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  thrash  metal  elements.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  lot  of  blast b eats  can  be  heard  along  with  the  vocals  adding  in  a  first  wave  black  metal  style  mixed  in  with  some  German  thrash  metal  touches.

  A  lot  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  era  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  remain  very  true  to  an  old  school  style.  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,  some  of  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  touch  of  early  death  metal  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  they  also  bring  in  a  Slayer.

  Desolus  plays  a  musical  style  that  goes  back  to  the  80's  era  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Apocalyptic,  satanic,  science  fiction,  doom,  darkness  and  evil  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Desolus  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dweller  Of  the  Twilight  Void"  "Threading  The  Atom"  "Primoridal  Evil"  and  "Nefarious  Dominion".  8  out  of  10.

  https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/item-group.asp?pgpid=41038