Pagan Altar |Mythical & Magical |Dying Victims Productions

Release Date February 27^th, 2026
Format CD/LP
Genre Heavy/Doom Metal
Country UK

Pagan Altar is a name whispered in the shadows by anyone who actually gives a damn about the history of British metal. Formed in London back in 1978, these guys were far too weird and mystical for the radio, blending heavy/doom with a gloomy, rustic folk vibe that felt like it was unearthed from a burial mound. Led by the late, legendary Terry Jones and his son Alan, the band spent decades as a cult secret before finally getting the respect they deserved. "Mythical & Magical" is their third full-length, pulling together songs that sat in the vault since the late seventies and early eighties, finally seeing the light of day to prove that some things just get more potent with age.

If you want music that sounds like a damp forest at midnight, "Mythical & Magical" is the gold standard. This album is a massive, sprawling beast that ignores every trend from the last forty years. Alan Jones handles the guitar like a wizard, weaving these intricate, soulful leads that dance around the crushing weight of the riffs. It’s got that ancient, dusty atmosphere that Dying Victims Productions is smart to keep alive. This isn't just a collection of songs. It’s a trip into a world of folklore and dark magic that leaves most modern "occult" bands looking like plastic toys.

The vocals from Terry Jones are the real deal, high, reedy, and full of a haunting character that you just don't hear anymore. When he tells stories in tracks like "The Cry Of The Banshee" or "The Crowman," you believe every word of the nightmare. The rhythm section of Trevor Portch and Mark Elliot keeps things grounded, providing a thick, thumping pulse that allows the melodies to soar. There’s a certain melancholy hanging over the whole experience, especially on the longer epics where the folk influence bleeds into the heavy rock foundations.

This reissue is a mandatory pickup for the double vinyl alone, especially with that etching on the final side. It’s the peak of the band’s output, showing off their mastery of that specific "NWOBHM meets 70s rock" style they perfected. The production on "Samhein" and "The Sorcerer" captures warmth and a resonance that digital-obsessed bands can’t replicate. It’s a 20th-anniversary celebration of an album that was already timeless when it dropped, proving Pagan Altar is the true king of the underground.

Score: 8.0

Mütiilation |Pandemonium Of Egregores |Osmose Productions

Release Date December 26^th, 2025
Format CD/LP/Digital
Genre Black Metal
Country France

Mütiilation is the undisputed king of the French black metal underground, a name that carries more filth and history than a mass grave. Meyhna'ch has been spewing venom since the early nineties, surviving the collapse of the Les Légions Noires and outlasting almost every other ghost from that era. After decades of isolation and a long silence, the project resurrected itself to remind everyone why France became the epicenter of raw, depressive sickness. This isn't some trendy revival but a continued descent of a man who has made misery his life's work.

"Pandemonium Of Egregores" is the sound of a legend who finally found a way to balance his hatred with a bit of actual melody without losing his edge. It’s still got that classic, wretched Mütiilation stench, but it’s wider in scope. We’re talking about a trip through rural nightmares and urban decay that feels dangerous. The production isn't a total basement disaster anymore, which actually makes the riffs on "Shadows Over The Valley" cut deeper. Meyhna'ch sounds like he’s screaming from a different plane of existence, and the atmosphere is thick enough to choke on.

The music here is more expansive than the old-school raw demos, especially on "Fifty Winters." It’s cold as a tombstone, dragging you through a bleak landscape where the guitars weave these haunting, melodic lines that stick in your brain like a parasite. "Hashischin Cage" brings that chaotic energy back home, proving that even when the song structures get a bit more involved, the core is still pure, unadulterated black metal. It’s a grim vision of a world that’s already dead, just waiting for the dirt to be thrown on top.

This "Pandemonium Of Egregores" is a massive win for anyone who worships at the altar of the black legions. It’s got the attitude of a veteran who doesn't give a damn about modern trends, delivering four massive chapters of darkness. The title track, "Pandemonium Of Egregores," is a total vortex of sound that captures the total isolation Meyhna'ch is known for. It’s a fierce, uncompromising return that proves the French scene still belongs to its original architect. If you want something that actually sounds like it was birthed in a shadow, this is it.

Score: 8.0

www.osmoseproductions.com

https://www.facebook.com/meyhnach

https://osmoseproductions.bandcamp.com/album/pandemonium-of-egregores

Bitterness |Hallowed Be The Game |G.U.C.

Release Date 06.02.2026
Format CD/LP/MC/Digital
Genre Thrash Metal
Country Germany

Bitterness has been stomping around the South German scene since 2001, proving that they aren't just some flash-in-the-pan act. These guys have survived over two decades and 300 shows by keeping their heads down and their riffs heavy. While the name "Bitterness" might sound like a depressing goth project, anyone who has seen them live knows it’s actually shorthand for relentless "Old School Thrash Metal." They’ve spent years blending that classic German aggression with a gloomy death metal edge and a splash of Gothenburg melody, carving out a reputation as a band that delivers the goods without the bullshit.

If you’re looking for some over-produced, sugar-coated garbage, keep walking. "Hallowed Be The Game" is a nasty, roaring reminder of why German thrash stays on top of the pile. This is the band’s eleventh or twelfth outing depending on how you count the boxes, and they sound pissed off. Recording at Iguana Studios was a smart move, Christoph Brandes gave the production a punch that actually has some guts. It’s heavy, it’s loud, and it captures that specific brand of "Bitterness" that mixes high-speed violence with those darker, melodic undertones that keep things from getting stale.

The band really leaned into their roots here, but they brought some friends along for the ride to spice things up. Seeing Andreas “Gerre” Geremia from Tankard show up on "High Sobriety" is a total win. His vocals bring that drunken, chaotic energy that contrasts perfectly with Frank’s delivery. Then you’ve got Michael Goldschmidt ripping through solos on "High Sobriety" and "Win-Windustry", adding some serious fire to the fretboards. The songwriting doesn't mess around, delivering tracks like "AMOK : KOMA" and "Hypochristian" that are designed to level a front row.

Visually, they nailed it too. Getting Andrei Bouzikov to do the cover was the right call, the dude has worked with Municipal Waste and Havok, so he knows how to wrap a thrash album in art that actually looks like the music sounds. The whole package is like a massive middle finger to the weak stuff coming out lately. "Hallowed Be The Game" and "Losing" show that these guys haven't lost an ounce of their aggression over the last twenty-five years.

Wrapping things up with a Misfits cover like "Scream!" is just the cherry on top. It’s a fast, mean 43-minute ride that proves Bitterness is still a powerhouse. They aren't slowing down, they aren't softening up, and they sure as hell aren't apologizing for it. This is a top-tier German metal album that deserves to be played loud enough to make the neighbors call the cops.

Score: 8.0

https://www.facebook.com/bitternessthrash

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https://bitterness-thrash.bandcamp.com

https://guc-area.de.tl

https://www.facebook.com/guclabelmailorder

https://www.metal-store24.de

Chalice |Divine Spear |Dying Victims Productions

Release Date February 27^th, 2026
Format CD/LP
Genre Heavy Metal
Country Finland

Hailing from the frozen streets of Helsinki, Chalice crawled out of the Finnish underground back in 2016. These guys aren't exactly rookies; they’ve put in time with heavy hitters like Ranger and Satan’s Fall, so they know their way around a denim-and-leather anthem. After dropping a demo and an EP that got the cultists talking, they delivered "Trembling Crown" in 2020. That record proved they weren't just another bunch of kids worshiping at the altar of the 80s, it had a certain dramatic flair that made it stand out from the endless pile of generic retro-metal releases.

Now they’ve returned with "Divine Spear," and let’s be real, this isn’t some upbeat party album for your weekend kegger. It’s got that cold, miserable Finnish vibe baked into the riffs. The songwriting is ambitious, pulling in some cinematic, progressive elements that make the tracks feel like more than just a collection of riffs. They’ve stepped away from the usual "new wave of traditional metal" tropes to create something that actually has some breathing room and atmosphere.

The guitars from Verneri Pouttu and Mikael Haavisto are the real stars here. They switch between electric attacks and acoustic moments without making it sound like a cheap gimmick. It’s a theatrical approach that actually works because they have the skills to back it up. Songs like "Dwell Of A Stellar Trance" and "The Pact" show off a band that spends more time thinking about melody and "narrative" than just trying to play as fast as possible.

The production is a major plus. It’s got a natural, warm sound that doesn’t feel like it was sucked through a computer. You can actually hear Joni Petander’s bass and Olli Törrönen’s percussion, which is a rarity in an era of over-compressed garbage. It’s an elegant, sometimes slow-moving beast of an album, but for those of us who appreciate a little darkness and "melancholy" in our metal, it’s a journey worth taking. It’s a step up from the debut, even if you have to be in the right headspace to fully absorb the drama.

Score: 7.5

https://chalicefin.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ChaliceFIN/

https://www.instagram.com/chalice_fin/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIrRyD3NJAUzJoUok07k4UA

Wreck-Defy |Dissecting The Leech |Massacre Records

Release Date February 20^th, 2026
Format CD/LP/Digital
Genre Thrash Metal
Country Canada

Born from the frozen north and fueled by pure aggression, Wreck-Defy has been a persistent force in the underground for years. Led by the relentless riff-work of Matt Hanchuck, the band has consistently pulled together heavy hitters to create a devastating sonic assault. With a pedigree that links back to some of the most respected names in the scene, they’ve built a reputation for delivering high-octane metal that ignores trends in favor of pure, neck-snapping power.

If you’re looking for some polite, middle-of-the-road noise to have on in the background, get out now. Wreck-Defy is dropping "Dissecting The Leech" and it is a total beast of an album. Bringing in Greg Christian on bass was a genius move. The low end on this thing is thick enough to choke on. Greg Wags Wagner sounds like he’s been gargling broken glass and spite, spitting out lyrics about corruption and the absolute state of the world with a venom that most younger bands can't even simulate.

The guitars on "Dissecting The Leech" are absolute saws. Matt Hanchuck and his army of guests, including the legendary Chris Poland, turn songs like "Revolt" into a masterclass of frantic energy. There is zero fluff here. Every solo is a frantic burst of adrenaline, and the rhythm section of Christian and David Allan keeps the foundation heavy. It’s the kind of music that makes you want to put your head through a wall, especially when "Under The Sun" starts building that dark, oppressive atmosphere.

What really sticks is how angry this album sounds. It tackles the trauma and the garbage of modern society without sounding like a whiny lecture. "The Haunting Past" carries a massive emotional burden, but it delivers it through a crushing wall of sound. The production at Trident Studios is massive, giving every kick drum and rasp the space to actually hurt. This isn't just another release but a middle finger to the weak, corporate garbage polluting the airwaves.

Wreck-Defy is proving that Canada is still a powerhouse for the thrash stuff. This lineup is elite, and they play like they have something to prove, even though their history speaks for itself. "Dissecting The Leech" is 48 minutes of pure, unadulterated chaos that demands your attention. If your speakers aren't smoking by the time the final note fades, you aren't playing it loud enough.

Score: 8.5

Wreck-Defy online:

www.facebook.com/Underground4560

Full House Brew Crew |Glasgow Grin |ROAR

Release Date February 6^th, 2026
Format CD/Vinyl
Genre Heavy/Groove Metal
Country Greece

Raised from the concrete of Athens, Greece, Full House Brew Crew has been grinding for years, but "Glasgow Grin" is where they finally stop playing nice. Led by Vagelis Karzis, who has put in serious time with Rotting Christ and Wolfheart, the band has shifted from their earlier vibes into a much more hostile territory. They’ve moved away from just being another heavy group and stepped into a space where the aggression is the point. This isn't a project done in the shadows but a focused, loud-as-hell unit that wants to leave a mark.

If you want music that sounds like a bar fight in a basement, "Glasgow Grin" is your ticket. These guys aren't interested in being your friend or making sure you're comfortable. The guitars on tracks like "No Gods, No Chains" and "The Other Side" are absolutely savage, thanks to a production job that makes the riffs sound like they’re coming through a wall of oversized amps. Saku Moilanen’s engineering gave the band a punchy, punishing sound that makes the drums sound like they’re being hit by a sledgehammer. It’s loud, it’s angry, and it’s got enough muscle to knock the teeth out of anyone expecting a soft radio rock album.

The vocals from Karzis are the real deal here, no fake tough-guy acts, just genuine tension and rage. You can tell he’s writing about real-world garbage and the frustration of the daily grind. Songs like "From The Gutter" and "Reign Of Terror" carry a heavy vibe that is thick and mean. The band sounds like they finally stopped caring about what’s popular and just decided to play the nastiest, heaviest groove metal they could muster. The bass and drums lock in so hard it creates a massive wall of noise that just keeps coming at you without any apology.

It’s refreshing to hear a band from the Greek scene step away from the traditional black or melodic death metal sounds to deliver something this heavy on the groove side. "Glasgow Grin" is an arrogant, powerful display of what happens when a band decides to just let loose. There’s no filler and no waste. It’s a middle finger to anyone who thought they were slowing down. If you need something to fuel a bad mood or a long night of making poor decisions, this is the album you need to be blasting.

Score: 8.3

Full House Brew Crew:

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/fullhousebrewcrew/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/full.house.bc/

YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYJAav9FkLE5gm6IGBs7cRg

Induction |Love Kills! |Reigning Phoenix Music

Release Date February 6^th, 2026
Format CD/Vinyl/Digital
Genre Symphonic Power Metal
Country Germany

Born from the loins of metal royalty, Induction isn't just riding on the co-called Hansen coattails. While Tim Hansen has that legendary DNA, he’s spent the last few years carving out a path that’s more than just a tribute to his old man’s legacy. After tearing up stages with Stratovarius and Sonata Arctica, and surviving a revolving door of members, the band finally locked in a killer lineup in 2024. With Gabriele Gozzi handling the pipes and a fresh rhythm section, they’ve evolved from a "project to watch" into a legitimate heavyweight contender in the German scene.

"Love Kills!" is a massive middle finger to anyone who thinks power metal is dying or getting soft. These guys aren't playing around with flowery nonsense. They’re delivering high-speed, soaring anthems that actually have some balls. The production is huge, handled by Tim himself, and you can tell they wanted this to sound like a stadium-filler. It’s got that classic European bombast but delivered with a modern aggressiveness that keeps it from sounding like a dusty relic.

The guitars on "Love Kills!" and "Gods Of Steel" are absolutely relentless. Tim and Justus Sahlman are trading riffs that would make a veteran headbanger weep, and Gozzi’s vocals are the real deal, high-octane and theatrical without being annoying. "Dark Temptation" shows they can handle the drama without losing the pace, while "Beyond Horizons" is the kind of anthem that makes you want to drive through a brick wall. It’s fast, it’s loud, and it’s defiantly epic.

By the time you hit the massive closing of "Empress," you've been dragged through a gauntlet of soaring choruses and neck-snapping transitions. It’s an ambitious album that manages to be loud, proud, and obnoxious in the best way possible. Induction is clearly done playing the "rising star" game and is now just aiming to dominate. If you want your power metal with a side of aggression, this is the one to blast.

Score: 8.0

Induction:

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/inductionofficial

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/inductionofficial/

X | https://twitter.com/induction_off

TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@inductionofficial

YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/c/Induction-official

https://www.inductionofficial.com/

Cattle Hammer |Dark Thoughts With Lights Out |Road To Masochist

Release Date February 6^th, 2026
Format CD/Vinyl
Genre Blackened Sludge/Drone Metal
Country United Kingdom

Born from the wreckage of the UK underground in 2023, Cattle Hammer is the brainchild of Duncan Wilkins, a man whose resume includes filth-peddlers like Fukpig and Mistress. If you know his history, you know he isn't here to write radio hits. The band crawled out of the gate with a massive 71-minute endurance test called "Methlehem", proving they have zero interest in brevity or your comfort. Now, they’ve returned to follow up that initial descent into madness with their first proper full-length, a four-track exercise in misery titled "Dark Thoughts With Lights Out".

Look, "Dark Thoughts With Lights Out" is a suffocating experience, which is clearly what these guys wanted. It kicks off with "Gloomsower", and right away, the sludge is thick enough to choke on. The vocals sound like someone being buried alive, screaming through a foot of wet soil. It’s slow. It’s painful. It drags its feet like a death march where the destination is just a bigger hole in the ground. There’s no flash here, just a vibrating, low-end drone that wants to rattle your teeth out of your gums.

Then you get "Rotting", which opens with some spoken-word bitterness that actually makes you feel like garbage. The riffs are massive, vibrating monoliths that just hang there in the air, refusing to move. It’s the sound of total stagnation. It makes you feel like time is stopping, but not in a cool way, more like watching your own life waste away while you’re paralyzed on the floor. It’s a total bummer, which, in the world of blackened sludge, is usually a compliment, though the pacing might test the patience of anyone who isn't already half-dead inside.

By the time "Watchmen, Alone" and "Body Puzzle" roll around, the band leans harder into the drone part of their description. "Watchmen, Alone" starts with some disorienting noise before the hammer finally drops in slow motion. It’s mean and brutish, but it stays in that one gear for a long time. "Body Puzzle" finishes the job with riffs that sound like planets grinding together. The vocals are panicked and claustrophobic, adding to the general sense of "I need to get out of this room."

It’s a decent debut if you want to feel like a total wreck, but it's a lot to take in one sitting. The production is raw and stays away from any studio magic, which keeps the misery feeling real. It’s cruel, it’s loud, and it definitely doesn't care about your mental health. If you’re into the kind of stuff Khanate or Burning Witch put out, you’ll find some common ground here, even if it feels a bit like a slog to get through the whole thing.

Score: 6.5

https://www.facebook.com/cattlehammer/

https://roadtomasochist.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/roadtomascochist/

Meteora |Dissonance |H-Music

Release Date January 23^rd, 2026
Format EP
Genre Symphonic Metal
Country Hungary

Hailing from the concrete and history of Hungary, Meteora has been grinding through a massive conceptual journey that started back in the summer of 2025. They kicked things off with "In This Silence", followed it up with "Broken Mind", and now they’re dropping the final hammer with "Dissonance". This band doesn't just play songs, they build these massive, theatrical worlds. They’ve spent the last year proving they have the stamina to put out a trilogy of EPs, eventually weaving them all together into a full-length beast called "Darkest Light".

"Dissonance" kicks the door down with "Darkest Light", which hits with a waltz-style swing that’s got more drama than a gothic soap opera. The triple-vocal attack is where these guys actually flex. You’ve got the clean female leads, the male melodic lines, and the "beast" growls all fighting for space in a way that actually works. Having Nils Courbaron from Sirenia show up for a guest solo adds some serious shred credentials to the mix, giving the track a technical edge that keeps the symphonic elements from getting too soft.

The middle of the EP shifts into "Shadows Of Ignorance", where Noémi Holló takes the lead and absolutely crushes it. This track is the result of guitarist Dániel Baranya and keyboardist Atilla Király teaming up on the writing, and you can hear the chemistry. It’s got that haunting atmosphere that makes you want to stare at a graveyard in the rain, but it keeps enough energy to stay relevant. It’s a successful experiment for the new writing duo and keeps the momentum high before the final descent into the heavy stuff.

When Meteora decides to get aggressive, they don't mess around. "Dissonance – My Reality Pt. IV" is easily some of the heaviest material they’ve put to tape. The harsh vocals are front and center, backed by jagged riffs that move away from the fluff and get straight to the point. Then they wrap the whole trilogy with "Witch Hunt – Tragedy Of Delusion". This one is a monster, full of black metal influence and Wagnerian intensity. It’s massive, loud, and closes the chapter with enough fire to melt the winter frost.

The production on this is top-tier for the genre. Getting guys who have worked with Machine Head and Swallow The Sun to handle the mix and master was a smart move. It sounds huge without losing the individual layers of the choir or the grit of the guitars. "Dissonance" is a hell of an ending to this EP cycle, and it shows Meteora has the creative juice to keep going for a long time. If you want symphonic metal that actually has some teeth, this is your fix.

Score: 8.0

https://www.facebook.com/meteorabandhungary

https://shop.hmusic.hu/

Aeon Gods |Reborn To Light |Scarlet Records

Release Date February 20^th, 2026
Format CD/Digital/Vinyl
Genre Epic/Power Metal
Country Germany

Aeon Gods roared out of the German scene with a heavy fixation on ancient myths and a lineup that sounds like they just stepped off a chariot. Led by Alex ‘Sol'ra-Tu’ Hunzinger, this crew operates under a "myth-driven" banner, adopting god-like personas and theatrical flair. Their previous work established a foundation of symphonic weight, and now they’re pivoting their focus toward the scorching sands and cryptic underworlds of ancient Egypt.

If you’re hunting for a journey through the “Amduat” without the dry history lecture, "Reborn To Light" is the ticket. Aeon Gods take the legend of the sun-god Re and turn it into a high-speed chase through the night. The production is massive, thanks to Simone Mularoni’s desk work, ensuring the guitars and keyboards fight for dominance without one killing the other. It’s got that big, cinematic energy that fans of the epic style crave, trading the usual European forests for desert temples and divine warfare.

The songwriting leans heavily into the "Amduat" and "Re's Dying Reign" multi-part sagas. Instead of just throwing random tracks together, the band links these chapters to tell a story of solar cycles and rebirth. "Barque Of Millions" and "Soldiers Of Re" bring that classic power metal gallop, fueled by grand choirs and a lot of melodic firepower. It’s the kind of stuff meant for a big stage, which makes sense considering their upcoming tour with Victorius.

While the album stays firmly in the lane of bands like Sabaton or Wind Rose, it packs enough orchestral muscle to stay interesting. "Feather Or Heart" and "Blood And Sand" provide a balance between aggressive riffing and those huge, soaring hooks that stay stuck in your skull. The Egyptian theme isn't just a gimmick but baked into the atmospheric passages and the way the keyboards layer over the percussion. It’s a loud, proud display of heroic metal that plays to the back of the room.

Score: 8.0

https://www.facebook.com/AEONGODS

https://aeongods.com/

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https://www.tiktok.com/@aeongods

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