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    

   

Ancient Thrones Interview

 

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

We released the album in September, and then played release shows in December. We had a great 2025 and we’re looking to continue that momentum into the new year. 

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

It’s much more aggressive, with a focus on extremity. We purposefully wanted to look at Melancholia through a death metal lens and pay tribute to bands like The Black Dahlia Murder and The Red Chord, bands we came up on in the early 2000’s. Our previous record was more atmospheric and carefully constructed. We took that structure from The Veil and obliterated it through the intensity in this album. As a band we never want to make the same album twice, and we’re always looking at pushing ourselves and our listener into new territories. 

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

We had this album written in 2021, and began recording in 2022. We wanted to maintain our DIY focus in everything about this band, and so we were able to take our time with the production, mixing and mastering. We made mistakes, and we learned a lot of valuable skills in making this record that will be beneficial to whatever we decide to do next. It’s good to have that space you need to ensure the end product meets the high bar we set for ourselves as an independent band. 

4.The lyrics on the new recording are a concept album, can you tell us a little bit more about the story you have covered with the release?

The album follows a person who’s colourblind and takes psychedelic drugs to see colour. They start to see the life they think they would have if they were given that privilege. That’s the initial idea, and it sort of speaks to a cautionary message about what happens when you give yourself over to external things to cure what’s missing inside of you.

5.Originally the band was known as 'Abysseral Throne', what was the cause of the name change and also the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Ancient Thrones'?

Abysseral Throne was a band that I started in 2011, so it didn’t make sense to continue to use that name when the lineup drastically changed in 2018. We loved that band, but if you listen to the music we did then and what we do now, there are few parallels. Ancient Thrones was sort of a way to let the fans of Abysseral know we were still here, with the same drive but that we were reinvigorated to be something new. The new name comes from Wolves in the Throne Room lyrics from the song “Astral Blood”. 

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

It was painted by Carter Doody, a local Canadian artist who we were fans of for many years. The idea is sort of to present an idea of a beautiful, but dangerous place with elements from real life that could possibly exist within nature. It’s like looking at a landscape when you’re tripping on acid. The colours and shapes are unnatural, twisted and distorted purposefully. There’s a lot of direct translation from the lyrics of the record on full display throughout the art. 

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

We’ve been blessed to open for so many great bands, The Faceless, Black Crown Initiate, Rings of Saturn, etc. It would be hard to pinpoint a favourite. Our last run with Necrohol and Omnivide was a highlight from recent years. 

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for 2026?

Under wraps at the moment, but short answer is yes. 

9.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received ant interest?

It’s hard to say. We’ve done this for so long on our own, a label would really have to provide us with something unique. When we don’t even have our own government providing us any kind of funding, you really start to see outside resources as a fantasy. There’s a lot of positives being with a label and the idea of it is cool to us, we’ve just been very focused with keeping this band internal to our wants and needs. If there are any labels interested in talking to us, we’d certainly have the conversation. 

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

Internationally it’s cool to see people are digging the album. We’ve seen a spike in people buying and supporting the record sort of throughout the world. It means a lot to us. 

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

We’re back in our writing dungeon to figure out what comes next. I can’t say much else, other than we don’t intend to write the same thing twice. New influences, perspectives and experiments are what we’re always looking for. 

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

Our music tastes are pretty diverse in the band but some things we've been listening to recently are Deafheaven, Blood Incantation, Archspire, Ulcerate, The Armed, Drain. 

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

We're thankful for all the support for our music and you can check out Melancholia wherever you stream your music or purchase merch & vinyl through our Bandcamp. 

acebook.com/Ancientthrones | Instagram.com/ancientthrones

Ancient Thrones/Melancholia/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Ancient  Thrones  are  a  band  from  Nova  Scotia,  Canada  that  plays  a  very  dissonant,  technical  and  progressive  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2025  album  "Melancholia".

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  technical  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in a   great  amount  of  blast  beats.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  dissonant  style  and  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  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,  tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing  

 Classical  music  style  keyboards  can  also be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  album  also  having  its  progressive  moments.  Whispers  are  also  added  on  one  song  as  well  as  a  couple  of  tracks  also  being  long  and  epic  in  length,. Clean  playing  is  also  added  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  some  of  the  music  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  psychedelic  touches  and  a  few  songs  also  add  in  some  whispers  and  spoken  words.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  and  covers  a  colorblind  individual  and  his  experiences  with  psychedelic  drugs  as  a  last  ditch-attempt  to  enjoy  life  in  color.

  In  my  opinion  Ancient  Thrones  are  a  very  great  sounding  dissonant,  progressive  and  technical  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Moon  Fused  Key"  "A  Pellucid  Prism"  and  "Vacant".  8  out  of  10.

 Facebook.com/Ancientthrones | Instagram.com/ancientthrones

Album order (Vinyl, Digital) - https://ancientthrones.bandcamp.com

Lyric Video - "A Moon Fused Key" https://youtu.be/IfDBNhlJ0sI

Music Video - "Melancholia" - https://youtu.be/_LvSTJ78kd8

Playthrough - “A Turning Point” - https://youtu.be/zQ3wZqZj9EQ

        

The Ominous Circle/Cloven Tongues Of Fire/Osmose Productions/2025 Full Length Review

 

  The  Ominous  Circle  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Cloven  Tongues  Of  Fire"  which  was  released  by  Osmose  Productions.

  A  very  distorted  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  a  great  portion  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Elements  of  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  chaotic  yet  melodic  style.

  Vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls   while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.  Black  metal  screams  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  album  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  the  album  also  has  its  dissonant  moments  and  one  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  words.

  On  this  recording  The  Ominous  Circle  takes  their  blackened  death  metal  style  into  more  of  a  dissonant  direction  as  well  as  adding  in  elements  of  doom  metal  to  create  something  very  different  from  their  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Ominous  Circle  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  dissonant  blackened  death  metal  with  a  touch  of  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lowest  Immanations"  and  "Utterance  Of  The  Formless".  8  out  of  10.

  Bandcamp: https://osmoseproductions.bandcamp.com/album/cloven-tongues-of-fire

All Digital Links: https://bfan.link/TOC-Cloven-Tongues-of-Fire

https://youtu.be/MwsZEe67Qdw  

Ianthan/Pinacles austères/Hypnotic Dirge Records/2025 EP Review

 

  Ianthan  are  a  solo  project  from  France  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric,  dissonant,  avant  garde  and  experimental  mixture  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2025  ep  "Pinacles austères"  which  was  released  by  Hypnotic  Dirge  Records.

  Keyboards  start  off  the  ep  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  while  elements  of  doom  metal are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  recording.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  both  the  riffs  and  solos  also  add  in  a  god  amount  of  dissonant  melodies.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  avant  garde  and  experimental  sounding  while  some  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  clear  vocals.  The  ep  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments  along  with  some  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  also  being  utilized  when  the  music  speeds  up.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to them  as  well  as  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  words,  trumpets  are  also  used  briefly  and  a  later  track  is  also  an  instrumental.  

  Ianthan  plays a  musical  style  that  takes  a  very  experimental  and  avant  gadre  form  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  doom  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover  dark  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ianthan  is  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric,  dissonant,  avant  garde  and  experimental  mixture  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Caverne"  and  "Parvenu".  8  out  of  10.

  https://hypnoticdirgerecords.bandcamp.com/album/pinacles-aust-res

    

Defacement/Doomed/Unorthodox Emanations/2025 Full Length Review

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

https://www.facebook.com/officialdefacement

https://www.instagram.com/defacement_band

https://defacementofficial.bandcamp.com  

  

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

 

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

  

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

  

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

  

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

  

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

  https://hebephrenique.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/hebephrenique    

Protocol F40.1/Fatalritual/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Protocol  F40.1  are  a  band  from  Lithuania  that  plays  a  very  dissonant  and  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2025  album  "Fatalritual"  which  will  be  released  in  September.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  dissonant  melodies.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  death  metal  growls  as  well  as  the  recording  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  elements.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  brutal  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  songs  also  mix  in  both  modern  and  old  school  influences  along  with  some  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times,  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  samples  and  the  whole  recording  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  Protocol  F40.1  plays  a  style  of  blackened  death  metal  that  is  very  dissonant  and  brutal  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  war,  sociophobia  and  horror  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  Protocol  F40.1  are  a  very  great  sounding  dissonant  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fatum  Militare"  and  "Flagellent".  8  out  of  10.

Protocol F40.1 - R.B.M.K (Official video)

Outergods Interview

 

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

Aside from the usual PR campaign/promotion, we're tightening up our live set ready for Mangata Festival on the 12th of July, as well as future shows we're looking at locking in. We want to ensure our live set sounds as powerful as possible. Aside from that, I (Nathe) have been demoing a couple of song ideas, which may end up as part of album 3.

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

I would say it is a more refined version of what I was writing for the debut album. My head's a bit all over the place at the moment, as it was during the writing of "Kingdom...", though for different reasons, so that chaos is still very much in the music. That said, I feel like I’ve finally found the "Outergods sound" on this record.

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

Both Sam (who was the vocalist and lyricist on the first album) and Pat tend to lean into the dark fantasy and cosmic horror themes when writing the lyrics, and they both tend to pull from things that are happening in reality, real experiences, but weave in aspects of dark fantasy and cosmic horror. In terms of songwriting, I stopped writing metal music for a few years when I shifted my focus to my Lost Outrider project. Doing this unintentionally helped my songwriting process, especially when it came to writing for "Dethroned...", as well as helping when it came to the electronic aspect of our music.

4.I know that the bands name comes from the writings of H.P. Lovecraft and the Elden Ring, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these fictional worlds?

Yeah, the band name is taken from the lore of HP Lovecraft. I find so much inspiration in the lore of Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring. I love the mood of the games, the world and character design, the stories, lore and how it makes me feel when I play those games. So, naturally, that seeped into our music. It's the same with The Lord of the Rings. All of these things are what I gravitate towards for escapism. Even when I was a kid, I used to love playing games like Quake, which has that dark, gothic and Lovecraftian vibe.

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

This was all done by my brother, Tim Sinfield. He has done 99% of the artwork for all my musical projects. I gave him a very high-level concept, then he put together a couple of sketches, and I think it was the 2nd sketch we went for. There is a lot of detail in there, even down to the pommel of the sword having the Outergods symbol on it, which is also in the eclipse of the debut album artwork. It's a great cover. I love it.

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

So far, I'd say Bloodstock, Mangata Festival, and Cryptopsy. The crowd responses were great, and I felt we were locked in.. I'd describe our stage presence as intense, as we bring all the sounds from the record into the live environment and ensure there is no compromise when it comes to transferring our music to the stage.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?

We have Mangata Festival coming up in July, and we are also in the process of arranging shows post-July. We're unsure about touring just yet.

8.The new album was released on 'Apocalyptic Witchcraft', how would you compare working with them to 'Prosthetic Records'?

I'd say they are both pretty similar in many ways. Both labels are really great to work for. With Prosthetic Records, it was always easy to get hold of our A&R contact, and we were very fortunate that we got to work with a label like that for our first release. With Apocalyptic Witchcraft, they are also always available to help with any questions we may have, and they put so much effort into this release with the promotion, music video, physical release, etc., which is great considering we're a small band. Having physical media is really important, especially for this genre, and both labels went all in on that, which is amazing. I was close to giving up during the writing process of "Dethroned..." due to a multitude of factors, but Apocalyptic Witchcraft's help with this release gave me hope.

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

It's been really positive. We have built up a nice following from all over with our music, especially since the release of "Dethroned...". Europe is very supportive of extreme metal, and we have seen great response from there.

10.Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

I (Nathe) have a solo project called Lost Outrider, which is the polar opposite of Outergods as it's a mix of alt pop, witch house and hyperpop. Pat has a black metal band called Antre, who were also featured on the Cyberpunk 2077 in-game radio station. Bret has a death metal band called Mordhau, and Dan has a metal band called The Cartographer, who are playing Bloodstock this year.

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

I think it will be an expansion of "Dethroned...", just as our sophomore was an expansion of "Kingdom...". I can't see us changing our sound too much, but instead we'll build on what we have done so far.

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

We are all listening to a plethora of music at the moment, from melodic death metal and grindcore, all the way to J-rock, J-pop, and video game soundtracks.

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

Thank you for taking the time to check this interview out, and if you haven't already and our music sounds like something you'd like, check out our new album "Dethroned & Devoured", which is out now through Apocalyptic Witchcraft.

https://linktr.ee/outergods

Outergods/Dethroned & Devoured/Apocalyptic Witchcraft/2025 Full length Review

 

  Outergods  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  with  elements  of  grindcore  and  industrial  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Dethroned  &  Devoured"  which  was  released  by  Apocalyptic  Witchcraft.

  Industrial  style  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  lot  of  blast beats  can  be  heard.

  Tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  fast  riffing  while  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  dissonant  sounding  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  spoken  words  are  also  used  at  times.

  Synths  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording   along  with  the  music  also  capturing  the  brutality  of   grindcore.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style  when  they  are  utilized  and  angry  shouts  are  also  added  on  a  few  tracks,  a  couple   of  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  chaos,  madness  and  decay. 

  In  my  opinion  Outergods  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  death  metal  band  with  elements  of  grindcore  and  industrial  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Origin"  "Phantasm"  and  "A  Mausoleum  At  The  Edge  Of  Time".  8  out  of  10.

  https://linktr.ee/outergods 

Noise Trail Immersion/Tutta La Morte In Un Solo Punto/I, Voidhanger Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Italy's  Noise  Trail  Immersion  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  dissonant  mixture  of  post  black,  death  metal  and  nathcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Tutta  La  Morte  In  Un  Solo  Punto"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  I,  Voidhanger  Records.

  A  very  fast  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  riffs  bring  in  more  of a  dissonant  style.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  mathcore  elements  and  the  riffing  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  a  couple  of  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  and  the  closing  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  On  this  recordign  Noise  Trail  Immersion  takes  post  black,  dissonant  death  metal  and  mathcore  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  very  diverse  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Italian  and  cover  nihilism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Noise  Trail  Immersion  and  if  you  a  fan  of  post  black,  dissonant  death  metal  and  nathcore,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Divampa  l'Ignoto"  "Lo  Spettacolo"  "Finzione"  and  " Tutta  La  Morte  In  Un  Solo  Punto".  8  out  of  10.

https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/tutta-la-morte-in-un-solo-punto  

Ataudes/Merecemos la Extinction/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Ataudes  are  a  band  from  Argentina  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2020  album  "Merecemos  la  Extinction".

  A  cosmic  horror  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  brutal  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  more  of  a  dissonant  style.

  A  lot  of  the  music  brings  out  a  lot  of  90's  era  death  metal  elements  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  some  of  the  faster  riffing  mixing  in  tremolo  picking  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  soundscapes.

  Ataudes  plays  a  musical  style  that  mixes  the  old  school  black  and  death  metal  style  in  with  the  more  modern  dissonant  style  to  create  something  very  heavy.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Spanish  and  cover  cosmic  horror,  death  and  nihilism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ataudes  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "En  Descomposición"  "Fin  de  la  Existencia"  and  "Hacia  el  Abismo/La  Muerte  nos Espera".  8  out  of  10.

First album - Link youtube     

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

Guyođ Interview

 

1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

Absolutely! Right now (early 2025) we are rather busy, as our focus lies on our next output, the follow-up to "Heart of Thy Abyss". In concrete this means, we are recording and producing the new material (all by ourselves) and putting finishing touches on the songs, while taking care of the artwork, music video(s), photo shooting, booking, contacting labels and distributors... all of the things that come with the whole process. We will also take care of mixing and mastering on our own this time around (as we did on our split EP "Alluvial Soil" in 2022), and are quite excited for the result, as you can imagine. We do not get bored, in our dark realms right now, that much can be said!

2.So far you have released a split and full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recordings?

With pleasure! The two songs that we chose for "Alluvial Soil" were both slower material for us, more kind of doom-metal oriented, if you will. Picking those two had multiple reasons. First, not all of our songs were sufficiently advanced in the writing process in those early days, but "Unfathomable Depths" and "Into the Temple of Vepar" were exactly as we wanted them to be already. Also, since we joined with our friends in LEHM (who have a very doomy sound) for the split, it made sense to us to choose slow material to have this common thread shining through.

As for the album, we wanted, NEEDED to show that our palette was wider than that though. Doom metal is definitely one of our major influences and an important pillar in our sound, but black and death metal are certainly equally important ingredients to us. Those tendencies already came through in the songs on the split a bit, but our whole sound and musical range just becomes more clear if you listen to the album. Listeners will find more chaos and rage on the one hand, but even deeper holes of slow doom to sink into on the other.

3.One of your songs covers the Goetic demon Vepar, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in demonology and occultism?

Certainly, glad you picked up on this one. Since we are a thematic band focusing on the element of water, the oceans and their dark, brooding depths, it made sense for us to hail Vepar in one of our songs. One could say that in our approach to creating art we are very much torn between Romanticism and Modernism. On the one hand, our work can be seen as an ode to a rather romanticized image of nature. One that stands very much above humankind in terms of being far more powerful, enduring, eventually indomitable. We are basically trying to detach ourselves from humanity and all its pitiful attempts of controlling nature. At the same time, there are Modernist elements in our lyrics, where we take on more subjective and abstract stances. In our music, you could interpret this ambivalence in our atmospheric parts standing for Romanticism, and the more complex, intricate parts for Modernism.

To really get back to your actual question now, I would say that demonology and occultism can be seen as counter movements to living in a modern world, attempts to flee from, or come to terms with the material world. I daresay that our live shows (which we like to call rituals or ceremonies) are very much in that otherworldly spirit. Even though we do not consider ourselves true occultists, we still like to borrow elements of it to create the atmosphere we wish to feel ourselves, and that we hope for people feel when listening to our songs, or seeing us live.

4.Some of your lyrics where also inspired by the writings of Charles Baudelaire and Herman Melville, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in their writings?

Since I just mentioned Romanticism and Modernism, these two authors fit in very well. Baudelaire is sometimes referred to as "the first Modernist", while Melville can be seen as a representative of (gothic) Romanticism. However, us using part of these men's works on our album has to do with our ocean-themed approach. In Melville's case, we actually did not use his own words, but quoted line from the 1956 "Moby Dick" movie in our "Thy Everlasting Lightless Realm"-trilogy. Baudelaire however is more directly and heavily featured in that same trilogy, as his poem "L'homme et la mer" ("Man and the Sea") is used in its totality there. However, we decided not to use the French original, but an English translation by Cyril Scott. Both Baudelaire, as he compares the human psyche to the sea, as well as Melville's epic about the white whale just spoke to us and really fit our music well, we think.

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

Well, we always refer to the sea in one way or another. Sometimes we just relish in the majesty of this force of nature (in "Guyot" or "Watcher in the Dark", for example). Other times we use the nautical setting to tell other stories. "First Wave of Destruction", the album's opener, tells about the downfall of humankind through the forces of water and can be paralleled to how humanity destroys itself by flooding the world with war and terror. (If you listen closely, you will detect war-sounds in the intro sample, behind the rushing waves.) The afore mentioned trilogy is a sort of inner monologue of a person drowning. The three chapters focus on the process of going down ("Descension"), body and soul being detached, or life leaving the body ("Abscission") and a final rush of (futile) rebellion against death ("Eruption) at the end. One last example, "Unfathomable Depths" is actually heavily based in Stanislaw Lem's novel "Solaris", which is set on this mysterious planet that is totally covered with this menacing ocean.

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Guyođ'?

Our band name is a modification of the term "guyot", which refers to seamounts, dead underwater volcanoes flattened to table mounts by the tides.

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

Absolutely! We collaborated with the Serbian artist Khaos Diktator for that one. Our singer Ōjin brought him up since he was a big fan of his work. We were very happy that he agreed to work with us, and the artwork is based on a few basic inputs and ideas from us, leaving him enough freedom to create something on his own. We especially enjoy the mysterious atmosphere of this underwater cave with the light shining on the sunken hull of a ship. The obscure tentacles all around the scenery enhance the menacing flair and raise associations to Lovecraftian topics. Even though we have not yet dealt with Lovecraft's world in our music yet, his work is definitely also an influence to us. Back to Khaos Dikator, we are so happy with what we created that we can already disclose that he will also be responsible for our next artwork.

8.Out of all the tours and shows the band has played so far, which one stand out the most?

As for singular shows, probably our late night show at Kaltenbach Open Air 2024, probably Austria's most renowned extreme metal festival. The vibes of playing our sinister material in the middle of the night was just unbeatable. We were lucky that our trusted video maker Reviddy had time to film the show for us. We released a live video for the song "Thy Everlasting Lightless Realm, pt. I: Descension" last October, which gives people who have not seen us live yet how a GUYOÐ live ritual looks like.

As for tours, our first longer one took place in early 2024, when we hit the road with our friends in NEKRODEUS and played a few shows in Austria, Switzerland, and Italy. The whole experience was very special for us, since, as I said, it was the first time for us being on the road together for longer than a few days. On a personal level, you get to know each other just more intensely when you spend that much time together, and we certainly grew closer together as a band. Also playing with Nekrodeus is always a blast - they are an awesome, intense live band and great people to have around. Also to mention, Reviddy was with us for the whole tour and created a little tour aftermovie which can be found on our official channel.

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

As for now, only 2 shows in April (in Croatia and Slovenia) are disclosed for this year. We are still very much occupied with the new release, but further live shows will certainly be announced in due time!

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

Pretty good! We received messages from people all around the globe who stumbled over our music and apparently enjoy what we create. Just recently, an acquaintance of ours sent us a video of our music video for "Watcher in the Dark" being played in a club in Tokyo, which of course made us pretty proud. Needless to say that we have still a lot of room to grow our audience. Right now, our streaming numbers of Spotify do not look that great, for example. But what matters most is what we receive back from individuals who reach out to tell us how much they like our music. This is the greatest reward as a musician.

11.When can we expect new music and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

Our upcoming release can be reckoned with in 2025. We are a bit cautious about making too precise predictions, since we are still working on it. Also, it is still not decided which label we are going to release it on, but time will tell. Musically, the new songs definitely have a fresh feel about them and refine our style more closely. Our basic ingredients are still the same, so people should be able to recognize our style, while still getting something new and different.

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

Our singer Ōjin has Korgonthurus or Wolvennest in his heavy rotation. Rehoboth (drums) currently delves into Triptykon, or All Them Witches, while Daikakuji (bass) listens to Abditory or Reek of Death (a band from our region who have just released their new album, which Daikakuji mastered). I myself really enjoy listening Dordeduh or Mord'A'Stigmata at the moment, both excellent bands!

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

Well, thank you very much for this opportunity, I found your questions very inspiring. And to anybody who reads this: check out our sinister material and get in touch. We hope to hear from you! Do not go gentle into that night, let the depths embrace you!

Website: www.guyod.net
Facebook: www.facebook.com/guyodofficial
Instagram: www.instagram.com/guyod_official

Guyođ/Heart Of Thy Abyss/Kvlt und Kaos Productions/Grazil Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Guyođ  are  a  band  from  Austria  that  plays  a  blackened  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Heart  Of  The  Abyss"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Kult  und  Kaos  Productions  and  Grazil  Records.

  Water  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  elements  of  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.

  Shouts  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  death  metal  growls  are  also  added  onto  some  of  the  tracks.  Some  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  faster  sections  of  the  album  also  adding  in  a  good  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.

  Clear  vocals  can  also be  heard  briefly  along  with  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  some  dissonant  touches.  Clean  playing  is  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  as  well  as  a  couple  of  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  whispers  and  spoken  words,  stringed  instruments  are  also  introduced  on  a  later  song  as  well a some  of  the  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  The  ocean,  The  Unknown,  Misanthropy,  Goetia  and  the  poetry  and  writings  of  Charles  Baudelaire  and  Herman  Melville.  

  In  my  opinion  Guyođ  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "First  Wave  Of  Destruction"  'Into  the  Temple  Of  Vepar"  "Unfathomable  Depths"  and  "Watcher  In  The  Dark".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/guyodofficial

https://www.instagram.com/guyod_official/
https://www.guyod.net/
https://guyod.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/intl-de/artist/04LKK9TaUJp7zzecwmdGZr?si=dXOvz3VQQj6dOjf5Ub_48Q
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/guyo%C4%91/1707219562

https://www.bandsintown.com/a/15542930-guyodj?came_from=257  

      

Immortal Bird/Sin Querencia/20 Buck Spin/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Chicago,  Illinois's  Immortal  Bird  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  dissonant  mixture  of  black,  death  metal,  grind,  hardcore  and  noise  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Sin  Querencia"  which  was  released  by  20  Buck  Spin.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  dissonant  direction  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  grindcore  elements  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  A  lot  of  the  mid  tempo  sections  are  also  very  heavily  influenced  by  hardcore  and  noise  rock  and  clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing  as  well  as  the  guitar  leads  also  bringing  in  more  of  a  technical  style  when  they  are  utilized  and  as  the  album  progresses  some  of  the  tracks  also  mix  in  an  influence  of  thrash  metal,  aggressive  shouts  are  also  introduced  on  a  later  song.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover   complicity  and  complacency  in  our  current  reality.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Immortal  Bird  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  dissonant  black,  death  metal,  grind,  hardcore  and  noise  rock,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Bioluminescent  Toxins"  "Ocean  Endless"  and  "Sin  Querencia".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/immortalbirdband

https://immortalbird.bandcamp.com

https://www.instagram.com/immortalbird

https://linktr.ee/immortalbird