Eviction |The World Is Hours Away |Brutal Planet Records (Reissue/Remastered)

Release Date: December 15th, 2025
Format: Vinyl/CD
Genre: Crossover, Thrash Metal
Country: USA

Eviction emerged from Pittsburgh in the late 1980s, a city better known for steel than spotlight. Built on punk attitude and thrash aggression, the band grew inside a tight underground network of record shops, fanzines, basements, and sweat-soaked clubs. Their history is full of lineup shifts, noisy rehearsals, and stubborn persistence, all of it feeding into a sound shaped by frustration, humor, and working-class realism. In 1990, that path led to their debut album “The World Is Hours Away”, a release that quickly gained cult recognition among crossover fans.

Listening today, the album still speaks in a blunt and physical language. The songs rely on speed, tension, and street-level themes, pushing forward with a raw energy that mirrors the era it came from. Tracks like “Listen”, “Drunken State”, and “American Way” reflect a band focused on social pressure, personal limits, and everyday anger, without drifting into abstraction. The writing stays sharp and grounded, keeping its message clear and confrontational.

The remastered edition by Brutal Planet Records gives the album a renewed presence without sanding down its edges. The sound remains aggressive and unfiltered, now presented with better balance and definition. This version makes it easier to appreciate the tight interaction between riffs, rhythms, and vocals, while preserving the album’s original impact. The packaging also reinforces its historical value, framing the release as part of a larger underground story rather than a nostalgic artifact.

“The World Is Hours Away” stands as a solid document of American crossover thrash at a moment when scenes were colliding and rules were loose. It captures a band reacting to its surroundings in real time, speaking plainly and loudly. This reissue strengthens that legacy and places the album firmly back in circulation where it belongs.

Score: 8.0

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Megace |Inner War |Golden Core Records/ZYX Music (Reissue)

Release Date: July 2025
Format: Double LP
Genre: Progressive Metal, Technical Thrash Metal
Country: Germany

Megace formed in Hamburg in 1988, at a time when German thrash metal was pushing far beyond raw speed. The band entered the scene with a strong interest in demanding song structures and progressive ideas, drawing attention early through demo releases. With vocalist Melanie Bock, Megace gained a distinctive presence, combining aggressive delivery with melodic control in a way that separated them from many contemporaries. Their debut album “Human Errors” earned wide praise and slowly became a cult favorite, keeping the band’s name alive well beyond its original release period.

“Inner War” represents the second chapter of Megace’s story, originally released in 1999 and now finally receiving its first vinyl edition through Golden Core Records. The album reflects a period where technical precision and progressive thinking shaped much of the European metal underground. Thrash elements remain part of the foundation, though the music places stronger focus on melody and complex arrangements, creating a sound that sits comfortably between intensity and careful construction.

Melanie Bock’s vocal performance plays a central role throughout the album. Her range supports the music’s shifting dynamics and reinforces the emotional direction of the material. The interaction between vocals and instrumentation gives the album a distinct identity, separating it from more conventional releases of its time. The songwriting favors layered structures and evolving themes, rewarding attentive listening without drifting into excess.

This 2025 vinyl edition adds further value by including a bonus LP with demo versions and rare material, all remastered specifically for vinyl. The production, originally handled by Charlie Bauerfeind and Dirk Schlächter, benefits from the updated mastering while retaining its original character. With printed inner sleeves, liner notes, lyrics, and archival images, the release presents “Inner War” as a complete historical document rather than a simple reissue.

“Inner War” stands today as a strong example of German progressive thrash metal from a transitional era. Its growing reputation over the years explains the demand for this edition, and the album’s balance of technical discipline and melodic direction remains engaging decades after its first appearance.

Score: 8.5

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Megace |Human Errors |Golden Core Records/ZYX Music (Reissue)

Release Date: July 2025
Format: CD/LP
Genre: Progressive Metal, Technical Thrash Metal
Country: Germany

Megace formed in Hamburg in 1988, right when German thrash metal was entering a more demanding phase. Speed and aggression were no longer enough for some bands, and technical depth started to matter more. From their early days, Megace followed that path without detours. The presence of singer Melanie Bock gave the band a clear profile early on, combining harsh thrash delivery with controlled melodic lines. After several well received demos on Aaarrg Records, the band secured a deal with 1MF Records and entered Dust Music Studios in 1991 to record their debut album.

"Human Errors" arrived at a time when technical thrash was reaching new levels of ambition. The album presents tightly written material that focuses on precision and structure, with progressive ideas woven directly into the songwriting. Rhythms shift often, riffs take unexpected turns, and the overall flow stays focused. The vocal performance adds another layer, alternating between sharp aggression and clear melodic passages, giving the songs a distinct character that separates them from many German thrash releases of that era.

What makes the album lasting is its balance between technical ambition and coherent songwriting. The arrangements stay disciplined, allowing the material to unfold naturally without unnecessary expansion. The progressive elements serve the songs instead of overwhelming them, and the thrash foundation remains clearly present throughout. This approach placed Megace alongside other forward thinking acts on the Aaarrg Records circle, while still maintaining an identity of their own.

The 2025 reissue by Golden Core brings “Human Errors” back into focus with fully restored and remastered sound, using separate masters for vinyl and CD. The CD edition also includes two previously unreleased 1989 demos recorded at Ralph Hubert’s studio, offering additional historical context without altering the main album experience. The packaging is handled with care, featuring a detailed booklet for the CD and a printed insert for the LP.

More than three decades after its original release, "Human Errors" still holds its position as a strong example of early German progressive thrash. Its discipline, technical depth, and distinctive vocal approach keep it relevant for listeners interested in that era’s more demanding side of metal. This reissue reinforces the album’s reputation and secures its place within the genre’s history.

Score: 8.5

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Megace |The Demo Collection |Golden Core Records/ZYX Music

Release Date: August 2025

Format: CD/Vinyl

Genre: Progressive Metal, Technical Thrash Metal

Country: Germany

Megace was formed in Hamburg in 1988 and emerged during a fertile moment for German metal, when thrash was stretching its limits and technical ambition was becoming part of the language. From the beginning, the band followed a more complex path, blending sharp thrash roots with progressive structures and an unusual vocal approach. Fronted by Melanie Bock, whose range allowed harsh and melodic delivery to coexist naturally, Megace quickly separated themselves from many of their peers. Early demos circulated widely on tape, built a strong underground reputation, and later fed directly into the acclaimed debut album “Human Errors” in 1991, followed years later by “Inner War”.

“The Demo Collection” finally gathers those formative recordings in one place, restored and remastered with obvious care. These songs document the band’s development across several years, lineup changes, and shifting ideas, while keeping a clear identity intact. The material reflects a period when Megace were actively shaping their sound, testing structures, refining themes, and expanding their musical vocabulary. Even as these are demos, the vision is fully formed, with intricate arrangements, restless energy, and a strong sense of direction.

What stands out most is how naturally the progressive elements are woven into the thrash framework. Complex rhythms, unexpected turns, and layered songwriting appear frequently, but they serve the songs rather than pulling attention away from them. Melanie Bock’s vocal performance is a central factor throughout the collection, offering expressive contrast and emotional range that elevates the material and keeps it engaging across the long runtime. The restored sound gives these recordings clarity and balance, allowing details that were once buried on tape to come forward.

Beyond the music itself, this release works as a historical document of a band that mattered, and still matters, within the German progressive thrash scene. The extensive liner notes, rare photos, and thoughtful presentation turn “The Demo Collection” into more than an archive release. It captures Megace in motion, driven by curiosity and ambition, and shows why these demos remained highly regarded for decades.

Score: 8.0

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-Jaime- |Above And Beyond |Self-Release (Jaimekalv Records)

Release Date: November 14^th, 2025
Format: Digital/CD
Genre: Progressive Metal
Country: Norway

Jaime began as a personal project in Bergen and grew into a full band with musicians sharing long years of work together. The band shaped its identity through steady writing and live activity, focusing on progressive metal that values melody, emotion, and clear themes. Over time, Jaime turned into a collective effort where different voices and musical backgrounds meet around a common vision.

“Above And Beyond” arrives as a full length album that places emotion at the center of its sound. The lyrics circle around identity, inner struggle, and the need to belong, written in a way that stays open and relatable. The album speaks plainly, avoiding abstraction, and keeps its focus on human experience. This approach gives the material a grounded character that stays consistent across the running time.

Musically, the album blends modern progressive metal ideas with elements drawn from classic influences. Technical passages appear alongside melodic sections, while keyboards add atmosphere without dominating the songs. Vocals play a major role, shifting between strength and vulnerability, helping the stories comes across clearly. The songwriting favors balance, allowing intensity and reflection to coexist without excess.

Production work handled by Jaime keeps the sound clear and well defined. The mix highlights detail while preserving warmth, making the album accessible without stripping away depth. “Above And Beyond” reads as a thoughtful and mature release, one that communicates its themes with honesty and focus.

Score: 7.5

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Asaru |V.O.I.D. |Schwarzdorn Production

Release Date: January 23^rd, 2026
Format: Digital/CD/Vinyl
Genre: Black Metal
Country: Norway

Asaru was formed in 1995 by Frank Nordmann and belong to the early wave of European black metal acts that took the Norwegian template seriously while shaping a personal path. Over nearly three decades, the project survived constant lineup changes, pauses, and long silences, always guided by Nordmann’s vision. Their work has remained tied to classic black metal values, austere, cold, and disciplined, with a long gap since the previous full length making their return especially notable.

“V.O.I.D.” arrives more than ten years after “From The Chasm Of Oblivion” and presents a clearly framed concept built around elements and their human counterparts. The album unfolds with a strict thematic focus, where fire, earth, air, and water are mirrored by ideas of mankind, religion, war, and downfall. This structure gives the material a strong narrative flow without the need for excess explanation, allowing the atmosphere and lyrical direction to speak for themselves.

Musically, the album stays loyal to the Norwegian black metal tradition, echoing the cold severity associated with names like Emperor, Gorgoroth, and early Immortal. The sound is sharp, icy, and firmly rooted in genre orthodoxy, with a strong emphasis on tension and forward motion. The production, handled at Strand Studio in Norway, supports this approach with a raw but controlled sound that avoids unnecessary polish and keeps the overall character austere and focused.

Lyrically and conceptually, “V.O.I.D.” presents a bleak worldview centered on elemental forces and human self destruction. Themes of religion and war are treated as extensions of natural cycles rather than abstract ideas, giving the album a grim philosophical edge. The material feels carefully assembled, serious in intent, and consistent in tone, offering a complete listening experience grounded in classic black metal ethos.

“V.O.I.D.” stands as a solid and mature return for Asaru, reinforcing their long standing identity without dilution. It is an album that respects tradition, delivers a coherent concept, and maintains a clear artistic direction across its entire runtime. For listeners devoted to orthodox black metal with thematic depth and restraint, this release fits comfortably into that lineage.

Score: 7.5

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Aether |Verfallsschemen |Amor Fati

Release Date: December 18^th, 2025
Format: CD/LP
Genre: Black Metal
Country: Germany

Aether emerged from the German underground with a clear focus on bleak atmosphere and emotional erosion. The project has steadily built a reputation through a stark aesthetic and a disciplined approach to songwriting. With its second full length album "Verfallsschemen", Aether deepens its artistic identity and sharpens its vision, moving further into a world shaped by nihilism, inner collapse, and cold introspection.

"Verfallsschemen" unfolds as a unified descent rather than a loose collection of compositions. The album dwells in slow erosion, grief, and mental disintegration, presenting its themes through extended structures and deliberate pacing. Melancholy dominates the album, intertwined with moments of inner violence and exhaustion. The music remains grounded in traditional black metal language while allowing space for long passages that sink into repetition and hypnotic motion. The atmosphere remains suffocating and bleak, reinforcing the album’s inward gaze.

The emotional character of the album is severe and uncompromising. There is no release offered, no uplifting resolution hiding beneath the surface. Instead, Aether focuses on portraying decay as a constant state, where despair settles in gradually and refuses to fade. The songwriting avoids sudden shifts or dramatic contrasts, preferring a steady emotional pressure that builds through endurance rather than shock. This approach strengthens the album’s immersive quality and keeps the listener locked inside its bleak framework.

Production choices favor rawness and cold textures, supporting the album’s themes without distracting from them. The sound remains harsh and grounded, emphasizing atmosphere over technical display. Vocals emerge as distant and tormented, reinforcing the sense of isolation that defines the record. Everything works in service of the same emotional direction, maintaining cohesion across the album’s extended runtime.

"Verfallsschemen" stands as a solid and focused release that speaks to listeners drawn to introspective and desolate black metal. It demands patience and emotional engagement, rewarding those willing to sink into its bleak world. The album does not chase impact through excess, instead relying on endurance, atmosphere, and thematic clarity.

Score: 7.5

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