heavy-metal-darkness

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

Engorgement |They Rot Beneath Our Floor |Comatose Music

Release Date March 20^th, 2026
Format CD/Digital
Genre Brutal Slam Death Metal
Country United Kingdom

Engorgement hail from the UK and they have finally crawled back out of the woodwork after more than thirteen years of silence. It has been a long time since their debut "Excruciating Intestinal Lacerations" dropped, leaving fans waiting for the next dose of filth. The band has returned to the scene via Comatose Music with their sophomore album, "They Rot Beneath Our Floor". The lineup features veterans of the scene, and they enlisted Floor Van Kuijk to handle the mixing and mastering at his studio, ensuring the final product sounds massive.

The production on this thing is absolutely thick. Van Kuijk knows how to make a band sound like a demolition crew, and he did a killer job here. The guitar tone is tuned down to the basement, creating a wall of noise that hits you right in the chest. Nothing about this recording sounds thin or weak. It is just a barrage of low-end frequencies designed to disturb the peace. The drums are mixed high enough to crack skulls, providing a relentless beating that drives the whole machine forward.

Musically, Engorgement keeps it ignorant and heavy. Songs like "Keep Festering" and "Blunt Force Osteotomy" are perfect examples of their approach. They lock into a mid-paced groove and just hammer it home. Stu Hine sounds like he is gargling sewage, delivering vocals that are barely recognizable as human speech. It is exactly the kind of caveman heaviness you want from a release like this. There is no showing off, just pure, rhythmic violence that appeals to the lizard brain.

The artwork by Christian Castro is totally sick and matches the gore-obsessed themes perfectly. "They Rot Beneath Our Floor" is a solid release that gives death metal fans exactly what they crave. It is heavy, aggressive, and doesn't mess around with anything unnecessary. If you want a soundtrack for stomping around and breaking stuff, this album does the job. It is a fun, brutal ride that hits the spot without trying to be anything it isn't.

Score: 7.5

https://www.facebook.com/Engorgement

https://www.comatosemusic.com/

A Tear Beyond |Afterthought |Independent

Release Date April 18^th, 2025
Format CD/Digital
Genre Gothic Metal
Country Italy

A Tear Beyond formed in Vicenza back in 2008, bringing together six musicians from various backgrounds to create a sound that merges reality with imagination. Their journey began with the debut "Beyond" in 2012, followed by "Maze Of Antipodes" in 2015 and "Humanitales" in 2018. Over the years, they have built a reputation for theatrical live shows, sharing stages with heavyweights like Nightwish, Moonspell, and Septic Flesh. This collective treats their band as a mix of visual art and sonic power, using masks and costumes to represent the balance between elements like fire, wind, and madness. With their latest release, "Afterthought", they conclude a conceptual narrative known as the Forgiveness Saga.

A Tear Beyond is a traveling circus of the macabre coming straight out of Vicenza. With "Afterthought", these Italians continue their obsession with masks and melodrama, blending gothic metal with a heavy dose of industrial noise. If you dig the dark vibes of Moonspell or the electronic pulse of Lord Of The Lost, this stuff hits the right nerves. They aren't interested in playing it safe. They want to drag you into their weird, theatrical world where reality blurs with fantasy and the music serves as the soundtrack to a twisted play.

The sound on this disc is massive. You get crunchy guitars from Ian Vespro and Undesc Grotesque locking horns with Phil's keyboards and orchestral arrangements. It’s a collision of organic instruments and cold, mechanical loops. The rhythm section, with Cance on bass and Skano on drums, keeps the whole machine moving forward without stalling. It’s heavy, catchy, and filled with layers that reveal themselves after a few spins. The electronics drive the songs, giving them a modern edge that keeps the gothic elements from sounding dusty.

Lyrically, this is deep stuff. We are looking at the conclusion of "The Forgiveness Saga," a concept that dives into the mess of human relationships, fear, love, hate, and the struggle to forgive. Tracks like "Deliverance" and "Unravel" pack an emotional punch that matches the heaviness of the riffs. Claude Arcano delivers a vocal performance that captures all that drama, shifting between aggression and melody. The addition of Sara Yuna Gramola’s vocals on a few tracks adds a nice contrast, making the heavier moments hit harder.

This release proves that A Tear Beyond deserves the attention they get. They have shared stages with giants like Nightwish and Septic Flesh, and you can hear that big-stage energy here. "Afterthought" is a cohesive journey through the dark corners of the human mind. It demands your attention. It’s not background music for doing your taxes; it’s music for staring into the abyss and waiting for it to blink.

Score: 7.8

Instagram @atearbeyond
Facebook @atearbeyond
YouTube @ATearBeyond

Sunday, February 1, 2026

AmongRuins |Advent Of Chaos |Theogonia Records

Release Date February 20^th, 2026
Format CD/Digital
Genre Melodic Death Metal
Country Greece

AmongRuins started their path back in 2012, originating as a studio project before evolving into a full band ready to hit the stage. After making waves in the scene with their 2023 output "Land Of The Black Sun", the Greek outfit returns to the frontlines with "Advent Of Chaos". This new full-length sees the band pushing their sound into heavier, darker territory, utilizing the talents of Sverd on vocals and bass, Thanos and Alex Flouros on guitars, and Scott Naylor on drums to craft a modern metal assault.

This album kicks the door down immediately. The production work from Saku Moilanen gives the album a massive, thick sound that rattles the speakers. AmongRuins aren't messing around with "Advent Of Chaos"; they bring a heavy, driving energy that hits hard. The guitar work is the driving force here, balancing those crushing, palm-muted rhythms with the kind of soaring lead lines that get stuck in your head for days. It is heavy, it is loud, and it sounds fantastic.

Sverd delivers a vocal performance that sounds like he is tearing his throat out. His growls possess a raw power that sits perfectly on top of the instrumental violence. The inclusion of guests adds a cool dynamic to the tracklist. When Christianna steps in on "Into The Flame" or George Prokopiou joins the fray on "Open Wounds", it adds a haunting layer to the music. These additions don't soften the aggression; they just make the heavy parts hit even harder by comparison.

The rhythm section locks in tight, providing a concrete foundation for the melodies to do their work. Tracks like "Red Divine" and "Frozen To The Core" show a band firing on all cylinders. The keyboards and atmospheric elements from Christos Mitros hang in the background, adding a cinematic darkness without drowning out the guitars. It’s a balance of brutality and emotion that keeps you banging your head while actually feeling the music.

AmongRuins has delivered a serious album here. "Advent Of Chaos" is a beast of an album that merges the aggression of death metal with the hooks of traditional heavy metal. It is dark, it is heavy, and it demands to be played at maximum volume. If you are looking for music with guts and melody, this release delivers the goods.

Score: 8.3

https://www.facebook.com/AmongRuins

https://www.instagram.com/AmongRuinsOfficial/

https://www.youtube.com/user/AmongRuinsOfficial

Slaughterday |Dread Emperor |Testimony Records

Release Date 13.02.2026
Format CD/LP/MC/Digital
Genre Death Metal
Country Germany

Slaughterday formed in the East Frisian city of Leer back in 2010. This heavy powerhouse comes with a pedigree that amounts to death metal nobility in the northwestern corner of their native country. The original and still remaining core duo consists of string-shredder Jens Finger, who served as the guitarist of Oldenburgian death metal legends Obscenity from 1994 until 2010, and is also the growler of new label mates Temple Of Dread. The other half of the duo is personified by vocalist and drummer Bernd Reiners, who has also lent his voice to Aurich based death thrashers BK 49 among other acts. Since their inception, they have released a string of well-received albums starting with "Nightmare Vortex" in 2013, followed by "Laws of the Occult", "Ancient Death Triumph", and "Tyrants of Doom". "Dread Emperor" marks their sixth full-length studio album.

"Dread Emperor" hits like a sledgehammer to the face immediately. Slaughterday proves once again why they are top dogs in the German scene, delivering a barrage of riffs that worship at the altar of the Florida greats. The sound is thick, gritty, and incredibly loud. Jens Finger churns out guitar lines that swing between doom-laden heaviness and high-speed aggression. The transition between the slow, crushing segments and the faster, chaotic parts keeps the energy up. It is pure death metal worship, fueled by distortion and adrenaline, catering to anyone who likes their music heavy and hostile.

One thing that makes this album rip is the songwriting. While plenty of bands can play fast, Slaughterday writes songs that actually stick in your brain. The choruses are catchy, and the haunting melodies layered over the rhythm section give the tracks a dark atmosphere. You can hear the experience in the way the duo structures the songs. They know when to let a riff ride and when to switch gears into a blast beat. Reiners’ vocals are deep and guttural, matching the cosmic horror themes perfectly.

Speaking of themes, the Lovecraftian vibe is strong here. The lyrics paint pictures of ancient monsters and cosmic terror, which fits the music like a glove. The production by Jörg Uken at Soundlodge is top-tier. The drums sound huge, and the guitar tone has enough filth to please the old school purists without sounding like it was recorded in a trash can. The artwork by Pär Olofsson is also sick, perfectly capturing the vibe of the music contained within.

If you are looking for a soundtrack to the apocalypse, this is it. "Dread Emperor" is a solid addition to the band's discography and a great start to the death metal year. It is aggressive, melodic in the right places, and heavy as hell. Slaughterday has delivered the goods once again. Crank it up and let the cosmic rot take over.

Score: 8.0

https://spkr.store/collections/slaughterday

https://www.facebook.com/testimonyrecords

https://www.instagram.com/testimony_records

https://www.slaughterday.de

https://www.facebook.com/slaughterdayofficial

https://www.instagram.com/slaughterdayofficial

Marianas Rest |The Bereaved |Noble Demon

Release Date 16.01.2026
Format CD/LP/Digital
Genre Death/Doom Metal
Country Finland

Born in the gloom of the Finnish coastal town of Kotka, Marianas Rest has been churning out misery since 2013. These guys drag you into a cold, wet trench and leave you to contemplate every bad decision you’ve ever made. After finishing a trilogy focused on isolation and hitting us with the war-torn vibes of their last record, they’ve jumped over to Noble Demon for their fifth outing. This isn't a band that follows trends, they just sit in the rain and wait for the black clouds to burst.

If you want speed, go find some thrash kids. "The Bereaved" is a heavy-as-hell funeral march that hits like a lead pipe to the chest. This album is a massive, crushing celebration of death and the poor bastards left behind to clean up the mess. It’s got that signature Finnish DNA, depressing, beautiful, and loud. The production is thick, the atmosphere is suffocating, and the riffs have enough dirt on them to bury a city. It’s the kind of music that makes you want to drink cheap whiskey in a dark room while staring at a wall.

Jaakko Mäntymaa sounds like he’s coughing up his own soul with those screams, and the rhythm section provides a pulse that’s steady and punishing. But the real star is Nico Mänttäri on lead guitar. He isn’t some shredder trying to show off; he plays lines that actually hurt to listen to because they’re so drenched in misery. When you hear "Thank You For The Dance" or the absolute gut-punch of "Pity The Living," you aren't listening to a "performance", you’re listening to a breakdown.

The songwriting here is top-tier for anyone who worships at the altar of melodic doom. Songs like "Rat In The Wall" and "Divided" are relentless, suffocating you with massive chords before "The Colour Of You" closes the door on your fingers. It’s a miserable experience in the best possible way. There’s zero filler, no weak spots, and a total commitment to making the listener suffer alongside the band. If you have a heart, this record will probably break it.

Score: 8.3

https://www.facebook.com/marianasrestofficial

https://www.marianasrest.com/

https://www.instagram.com/marianasrestofficial/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdcCG_mNj82WjjExpiJEwVA

https://www.facebook.com/nobledemonrecords/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2X3FMgVqyn1XVdhLF-rmjg

https://www.instagram.com/nobledemonrecords/

https://nobledemon.bandcamp.com/

Necrosexual |Road To Rubble |Black Metal Archives

Release Date February 27^th, 2026
Format Vinyl/CD/Cassette/Digital
Genre Thrash Metal, Horror Punk
Country USA

Born in the gutters of Philadelphia in 2011, Necrosexual is the brainchild of the tall, dark, and denim-clad frontman known as The Necrosexual. These guys have spent years stalking the underground, blending old-school metal filth with a tongue-in-cheek obsession with the macabre. After dropping their debut "Grim-1" back in 2018, they’ve finally returned to drag us back into their neon-lit nightmare of leather, blades, and bad intentions.

"Road To Rubble" is a grease-stained joyride through a wasteland where the beer is warm and the law is dead. This isn't some over-produced plastic garbage, it’s a middle finger to the mainstream, mixing the speed of classic thrash with the snotty attitude of horror punk. The bass-heavy attack provides a nasty foundation for riffs that sound like they were forged in a basement full of "Venom" and "Celtic Frost" records. It’s got that raw, primitive energy that makes you want to put on a spiked wristband and go looking for trouble in a back alley.

The songwriting focuses on grim stories of cannibals, wasteland warriors, and midnight lust. "The Brimstone Brothel" is a high-speed collision of punk aggression and chaotic drumming that perfectly captures the band's frantic spirit. Meanwhile, "Kiss The Knife" brings a bit of that dark, melodic sleaze that reminds you why the "Plasmatics" were so dangerous. The Necrosexual himself bellows through the tracks with a bestial rasp, sounding like a man who has spent too much time breathing in exhaust fumes and graveyard air.

The production strikes a solid balance, sounding like a relic from the 1980s without being a total mess. You can hear every divebomb and whip strike clearly, which helps the more melodic leads cut through the distortion. While the vibe is rooted in the underground, the execution is professional enough to make the riffs stick in your head long after the engine shuts off. It’s an honest, loud, and filthy display of metal worship that stays true to the band's roots without ever slowing down for a breath.

Score: 7.0

https://www.facebook.com/Grimmestofalltime

https://blackmetalarchiveslabel.bandcamp.com

Ensanguinate |Death Saturnalia |Soulseller Records

Release Date February 6^th, 2026
Format CD/LP/Digital
Genre Blackened/Death Metal
Country Slovenia

Ensanguinate comes out of Slovenia, adding another entry to the list of bands obsessed with the dark arts. This is their second full-length album, following up on their previous work released through Soulseller Records. The band operates as a four-piece unit featuring A.C. on guitars and vocals, G.C. on drums, J.C. handling guitars and organ, and K.O. on bass. Their music focuses heavily on occult themes, and for this release, they have turned their attention specifically to female figures in mythology and occultism, drawing inspiration from entities like Kali and Lilith.

"Death Saturnalia" hits the speakers like a chaotic storm. Ensanguinate has dialed in a sound that drips with filth and aggression. The production is thick, making the guitars sound massive and the drums thunderous. You get that blackened death metal assault, but they threw in some strange 70s influences that make the whole thing sound evil. It isn't just about speed; it is about creating a nightmare atmosphere that sticks to you. The organ parts specifically add a creepy layer that most bands forget to include these days, giving the album a distinct flavor.

The guitar work on songs like "Angel Of A Thousand Poisons" rips. A.C. and J.C. trade riffs that sound ancient and twisted. There is a primal energy here. The leads scream while the rhythm section hammers down like an anvil. It triggers that immediate headbanging reflex. They keep things interesting by shifting tempos, going from blast beats to slower, heavier passages while maintaining the intensity. A.C.’s vocals sound like they are coming from the bottom of a grave. The delivery matches the lyrical focus on dark goddesses. You can hear the venom in the delivery on tracks such as "The Whip And The Pendulum." It pairs well with the drumming. G.C. destroys the kit, providing a battering ram of a foundation for the rest of the noise. The whole band sounds locked in, executing this occult ritual with serious intent.

Running just over 40 minutes, "Death Saturnalia" gets in, wrecks the place, and leaves. There is no wasted time here. Dávid Glomba’s cover art gives you a perfect warning of what to expect inside. This is pure, unadulterated darkness for people who like their metal raw and dangerous. Ensanguinate delivered a killer album that demands volume. If you dig sounds that worship death and darkness, this belongs in your collection.

Score: 8.0