Drain Down | Defiance | Kernkraftritter Records

 

Release Date: 25 April 2025

Format: Digital, CD

Genre: Thrash Metal

Country: Germany

Founded in 2018 in Freiburg, Drain Down mix the aggression of thrash metal with the street energy of hardcore and the raw nerve of punk. Their first statement came with the EP “Use Your Brain” in 2018, followed by a European tour with The Exploited that sharpened their live presence and attitude. The debut album “Defiance” arrived in 2021, with “Toxic Society” in 2024 confirming their commitment to politically charged thrashcore. Now, with “Mental Pollution”, the trio continue to attack modern decay with even tighter precision and sharper intent. Recorded again at Iguana Studios, this time guitarist Heiko Kratz takes over the main vocals, adding a more direct punch to their social commentary.

“Mental Pollution” rips forward with a sense of urgency and anger that fits its title perfectly. The guitars bite hard, the bass grinds underneath, and the drums keep a pace that borders on chaos without losing control. Kratz’s vocal delivery has a raw, honest edge that works well with the band’s themes of corruption, betrayal and societal collapse. There’s a balance between thrash aggression and hardcore directness that keeps the energy high. The songs hit fast and straight, without long buildups or filler moments, and the production gives everything the necessary punch to stay impactful.

What makes the album work is its spirit. Drain Down sounds like a band with a clear purpose, to throw their frustration back at a world gone wrong through riffs and sweat. The mix of metallic precision and punk tension feels natural to them, and that’s where their strength lies. There’s no attempt to overcomplicate or dress things up; it’s raw thrashcore with conviction, the kind that works best in dark clubs and crowded pits.

“Mental Pollution” isn’t about surprise, it’s about impact. It captures the rough, live energy that defines the band and channels it through songs built for movement and release. The production stays true to the underground roots while giving enough punch to make each riff land hard. Drain Down have delivered a record that’s honest to their identity, furious, socially aware, and relentless.

Score: 7.0

Links:

https://www.draindown.de

https://www.facebook.com/draindown

https://www.instagram.com/drain_down

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue9op_tH2SQ&list=RDue9op_tH2SQ&start_radio=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7any4qFjsoc&list=RD7any4qFjsoc&start_radio=1

Human Fortress | Stronghold | Massacre Records

 

Release Date: 17 October 2025

Format: 2CD, LP

Genre: Epic/Power Metal

Country: Germany

For over two decades, Human Fortress has stood as one of Germany’s reliable epic metal acts, mixing grand themes with melodic power and heroic spirit. Since their debut in the early 2000s, they’ve crafted a catalog built on storytelling, memorable choruses, and an unwavering devotion to the classic heavy metal flame. After lineup changes and years of evolution, “Stronghold” arrives as the band’s eighth full-length, signaling a new direction with fewer keyboards and a stronger focus on guitar-driven energy. Produced at Soundhoops Studio and mixed by Alex Krull, this album tightens their sound into something heavier and more direct, keeping their melodic essence alive but grounding it in rawer metallic soil.

“Stronghold” opens with a powerful burst that sets the album’s steel-hearted tone. The twin guitars of Todd Wolf and Volker Trost dominate, pushing riffs forward with determination while Gus Monsanto’s vocals rise confidently above the storm. His delivery has that theatrical edge fans have come to expect, carrying every word with a storyteller’s authority. Songs like “The End Of The World” and “Mesh Of Lies” strike with memorable hooks and marching rhythm sections, while “Under The Gun” and “Death Calls My Name” pulse with urgency and a dark, martial drive. The production gives the guitars extra bite, and Apostolos Zaios’ drumming ties everything together with firm precision.

Lyrically, “Stronghold” moves between introspection and battle imagery. The words paint pictures of downfall, resistance, and human struggle, connecting past themes of honor and endurance with a modern tension. Even without the prominent keyboard layers that once defined parts of their sound, the album retains the melodic core that makes Human Fortress distinctive. There’s a balance between power and melody, giving the songs an anthemic edge without drifting into overindulgence.

“Stronghold” isn’t like a band reaching for something new, but rather a sharpening of their steel. It’s focused, direct, and confident in what it wants to deliver: classic heavy metal with an epic heart. The production by Alex Krull adds weight and clarity to every track, allowing the band’s energy to come through without unnecessary ornamentation. For long-time followers, it’s a satisfying return to form that feels honest and unpretentious.

A solid release from a veteran band that knows its ground well. “Stronghold” may not aim for grandeur beyond its reach, but it offers well-crafted songs, tight performances, and the kind of battle-tested spirit that keeps Human Fortress standing tall in the world of epic power metal.

Score: 7.5

Human Fortress online:

https://www.human-fortress.de/

https://www.facebook.com/humanfortressofficial

https://www.instagram.com/human_fortress

Evoken | Mendacium | Profound Lore Records

 

Release Date: October 17^th, 2025

Format: CD/LP/Digital

Genre: Death/Funeral Doom

Country: United States

Evoken has long stood as one of the most defining names in American funeral doom metal, carrying a reputation for turning despair into slow-moving grandeur. Since the early 90s, the New Jersey band has shaped the genre’s darker edge, fusing the crushing weight of death metal with a suffocating sense of grief. Albums like “Quietus” and “Antithesis Of Light” cemented their legacy as a band that doesn’t just write heavy music, but creates environments of decay and contemplation. “Mendacium,” their seventh full-length, continues that lineage with a more oppressive and cavernous sound, presented via Profound Lore Records.

The album unfolds like a ritual inside a forgotten monastery. There’s an immediate sense of age and confinement, as if the songs were echoing through the stone halls of some abandoned sanctuary. The atmosphere is thick, unhurried, and purposefully suffocating. Evoken works with patience, allowing sorrow to grow until it becomes physical. Every chord hangs like a tolling bell, every growl resounds like a prayer from the void. The tracks’ structure is simple on the surface, but the weight of their layering and the slow harmonic movement make them sound massive and desolate.

Compared to “Hypnagogia,” “Mendacium” steps away from melancholy and turns toward spiritual decay. The sound is rawer, darker, and more ritualistic, less about mourning and more about damnation. The vocals emerge from the depths, distant but commanding, while the guitars move like waves of stone, occasionally breaking into melodic fragments that vanish before they can bring light. There’s a quiet experimentation in the background, some gothic undertones, a few atmospheric passages, that enrich the gloom without softening it.

Conceptually, the album takes place within the fevered mind of a dying Benedictine monk haunted by visions, faith, and something inhuman lurking behind the veil. That premise gives the album a sense of narrative tension, even without the need for lyrical clarity. The pacing, transitions, and soundscapes follow that descent, from the early ritual chants to the final surrender.

“Mendacium” is not the most devastating or elegant work Evoken has made, but it radiates the grim identity that has always defined them. It’s an album meant to be absorbed, an hour-long meditation on decay, faith, and the horror of introspection. The production by Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal ensures that every layer is heavy and suffused with atmosphere, giving the album its catacombic depth.

Evoken don’t aim for urgency here. “Mendacium” is dense, ritualistic, demanding time and immersion. It doesn’t strike immediately but leaves a residue of gloom that lingers long after the final echo fades. For longtime followers of funeral doom’s most devoted craftsmen, it’s a strong return to the abyss, faithful to their art and spirit.

Score: 7.0

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful" – Seneca

https://www.facebook.com/evokenhell

https://www.instagram.com/evoken_doom_official 

https://www.profoundlorerecords.com 

https://www.instagram.com/profoundlorerecords 

https://www.facebook.com/profoundlorerecords 

https://x.com/profoundlore 

https://www.profoundlorerecords.bandcamp.com

Funeral Vomit | Upheaval Of Necromancy | Xtreem Music

 

Release Date: December 19th, 2025

Format: CD, LP, Cassette, Digital

Genre: Death Metal

Country: Colombia

When Funeral Vomit crawled out of the Colombian underground in 2020, the world was in chaos. The band turned that atmosphere of sickness and dread into their language, and since then, they’ve stayed loyal to their vision of death metal that sounds as if it’s been exhumed from the very soil. Their debut “Monumental Putrescence” made a clear statement of intent, and two years later “Upheaval Of Necromancy” takes that same path with even more rotting precision.

This second album is an exercise in horror and ritual. Everything about it reeks of the old crypts, the damp air, the smell of decay, the sense that something buried is stirring again. The production is thick and suffocating, guitars tuned low enough to rattle coffins, drums hammering like shovels against a tomb lid, and vocals that sound less human and more like a ghost roaring through decomposed lungs.

The album begins with “Intro (The Disentombment)”, a grim invocation that pulls you straight into darkness. From there, “Upheaval Of Necromancy” and “Sulphuric Regurgitation” tear through the silence like a ritual gone wrong, their riffs soaked in filth and menace. The whole album follows that ancient spirit of early 90s death metal, when brutality was born from atmosphere and menace instead of technical display.

“Hematophagia” grinds forward like a slow bleed, “Altars Of Doom” rips through in a burst of carnage, and “Cryptic Miasma Stench” sinks the listener deep into the rot. By the time “Outro (Effluvia Of The Mass Grave)” arrives, it’s not so much closure as it is burial, the last handful of soil thrown over the listener’s head.

Funeral Vomit isn’t interested in subtlety or modern sensibilities. Their music is a ritual act, a hymn to decomposition. “Upheaval Of Necromancy” sounds as if it was recorded inside a tomb, and that’s its power. It’s unrefined, disgusting, and loyal to its purpose, death metal in its most cadaverous form.

A fitting continuation for a band that thrives in the graveyard, “Upheaval Of Necromancy” confirms Funeral Vomit as faithful disciples of the old ways, dragging their instruments through the dirt and emerging with a sound that belongs to the worms. For those who crave death metal that smells like formaldehyde and damp soil, this one delivers exactly that.

Score: 7.0

https://www.facebook.com/funeral.vomit

https://www.xtreemmusic.com/

Giöbia | X-Æon | Heavy Psych Sounds Records

 

Release Date: October 2025

Format: LP/Digital

Genre: Neo-Psychedelic Rock/Space Rock

Country: Italy

Giöbia have always treated sound as a kind of magic trick, one built from swirling guitars, hypnotic rhythms, and organ tones that shimmer like mirages. Formed in Milan, this Italian quartet has spent over a decade exploring the borderlands between late-60s psychedelia and cosmic rock, creating music that feels like an endless hallucination under the Mediterranean sun. From their early days with “Hard Stories” to the vibrant chaos of “Plasmatic Idol” and the acid-drenched “Acid Disorder,” they’ve become a reference point for the European psych scene.

With “X-Æon,” Giöbia turns their spaceship toward a darker, more cinematic frontier. The album expands their signature sound into something larger and more introspective. Guitars stretch like starlight across the mix, and Melissa Crema’s organs and synthesizers wrap the songs in a soft electric fog. “Voodoo Experience” opens like a ritual under ultraviolet light, before “Fractal Haze” dissolves into spiraling patterns that’s endless. “The Death Of The Crows” drifts through sorrow and mystery, while “1976” channels an eerie nostalgia for a decade that still echoes through fuzz pedals and analog synths.

The monumental “La Mort De La Terre” closes the album with four connected movements, each more immersive than the last. Its progression moves from cosmic serenity to something almost apocalyptic, as if the band were soundtracking the final dream of a dying planet. The transitions are seamless, the production is rich but not overbearing, and every note is like it’s been touched by the band’s meticulous care for atmosphere.

Giöbia no longer sound like they’re paying tribute to psychedelia’s past; they’re inhabiting their own version of it, a self-contained dimension where sound bends time. The album’s balance between ritualistic trance and melodic craft shows a band completely at ease with their identity. It’s not a perfect work, its long passages sometimes dissolve into repetition, but its immersive quality and emotional depth make it hard to turn away. “X-Æon” is an invitation to drift, to stare at the ceiling and imagine galaxies moving behind your eyelids. Giöbia remains among the few bands who can make the psychedelic experience sound sincere, alive, and still expanding.

Score: 7.5

https://www.facebook.com/giobiaband/

https://www.facebook.com/HEAVYPSYCHSOUNDS

Phantom | Tyrants Of Wrath | High Roller Records

 

Release Date: 25.04.2025

Formats: CD/LP/MC/Digital

Genre: Speed/Thrash Metal

Country: Mexico

Phantom is a speed/thrash metal band from Guadalajara, Mexico, formed in 2021. Initially a fun project, the band quickly gained traction with three demos and a split release alongside four other groups. Their debut full-length “Handed To Execution” and the EP “Transylvanian Nightmare” earned attention from fans and critics, establishing Phantom as a band to watch in the extreme metal scene.

 “Tyrants Of Wrath” delivers 48 minutes of relentless speed and aggression, capturing the spirit of classic thrash while pushing forward with sharp execution. Phantom balances their fast-paced riffs and thunderous drums with moments of unexpected creativity. It charges out of the gate with a ferocious energy that few bands capture this year. Phantom blends breakneck riffs, relentless drumming, and aggressive vocals with a sense of melody. Songs like “Thunderbeast” and “Nimbus” show a wide spectrum, from old-school intensity reminiscent of Assassin’s “The Upcoming Terror” era (and not only) to moments that bend the genre into slightly unexpected forms without losing focus.

 “Nazghul” experiments with structure, and retains the sheer aggression that defines the album, while “Dark Wings Of Death” delivers a climactic ending with pure intensity. Instrumentals like “Poltergeist” and “Nocturnal Opus 666” add atmosphere without slowing the flow, serving as sharp interludes that keep the energy up.

The production is tight and aggressive, letting the riffs bite and the drums pound without drowning the overall sound. “Tyrants Of Wrath” is deliberate, high-energy, and defiantly thrash, showing that Phantom has refined their craft and know how to make an album that grabs attention from start to finish. Overall, Phantom has delivered one of the best thrash/speed metal albums of the year being aggressive, precise, and unrelenting. Fans of Razor, Dark Angel, and early Assassin will find themselves nodding along, impressed at how much fire the band packs into every second.

Score: 8.5

https://www.hrrecords.de

https://www.facebook.com/hrrecords

https://www.instagram.com/highrollerrecordsofficial

https://www.instagram.com/phantom__speed

https://phantombandgdl.bandcamp.com

https://linktr.ee/phantomthrash

SAD | Fullmoon's Bestial Awakening | Purity Through Fire

 

Release Date: October 31, 2025

Format: CD/A5 Digipack/Vinyl

Genre: Black Metal

Country: Greece

SAD formed in Greece in 2005 and have built a long and intense legacy in the underground black metal scene. Driven by the duo of Ungod (music, arrangements, instruments) and Nadir (lyrics, vocals), the band has released a steady stream of albums, splits, and collaborations through respected labels such as Drakkar, Obscure Abhorrence, and Old Temple. Since joining forces with Purity Through Fire in 2020, SAD has remained consistent in delivering music that honors the raw, primal essence of true black metal. Their ninth album, “Fullmoon’s Bestial Awakening,” continues that dedication, following 2023’s “Black Metal Craft”.

 “Fullmoon’s Bestial Awakening” is a fierce reminder of why SAD has lasted two decades in the abyss. It’s unflinching, cold, and soaked in the kind of dark energy that only experience can command. The album channels the pure spirit of late ’90s black metal, echoing the grimness of labels like Sombre Records and Drakkar, while maintaining the harsh honesty that has always defined the band.

Ungod’s instrumentation dominates like a one-man storm. The riffs move from raw speed to more majestic passages with natural flow, charging the music with narrative spirit rather than chaos. His arrangements keep a balance between aggression and bleak atmosphere, creating long, absorbing compositions that reward patience. The drumming remains relentless but measured, reinforcing the hypnotic nature that SAD has always embraced.

Nadir’s vocals are as venomous as ever, harsh, occult, and expressive without drifting into theatricality. His presence is spiritual, channeling the lyrical themes of isolation, transcendence, and human decay with determination. Together, the two create a soundscape that is blistering and strangely meditative, as if forged in the same black flame that lit the early underground.

The production stays true to the band’s roots. Cold and direct, avoiding modern slickness. The atmosphere is raw but not unlistenable, it captures the essence of black metal’s origins while allowing every layer to remain audible. This approach gives “Fullmoon’s Bestial Awakening” the authenticity of something carved from darkness rather than polished in a studio. There’s a sense of timelessness across the eight tracks without rush, expanding their ideas patiently, pulling the listener into long, immersive passages where repetition becomes ritual. It’s an album to experience in full, a journey through desolation that is oddly invigorating.

“Fullmoon’s Bestial Awakening” stands as another strong offering from a band that refuses compromise or trend-following. It’s a work born from dedication to the old ways, sharpened by maturity and unwavering intent. Fans of authentic black metal, where melody hides beneath frost and fury, will have enough material to get lost in.

Score: 7.8

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063648343729#

Aeternia | Into The Golden Halls | Cruz Del Sur Music

 

Release Date: October 17, 2025

Format: CD / LP / Digital

Genre: Power Metal

Country: Germany

Aeternia is a German power metal band formed in 2020. They first drew attention in 2022 with their debut EP “The Quest,” which revealed a passion for old-school grandeur and melodic might. Now under Cruz Del Sur Music, they present their full-length debut “Into The Golden Halls,” an album that blends heroism, melodic brilliance, and storytelling rooted in myth and legend.

 “Into The Golden Halls” is a glorious entry into the realm of traditional power metal, full of bright guitars, choral melodies, and a kind of energy that belongs to the golden age of the genre. From the first seconds, Aeternia shows they have studied the greats, those bands who made fantasy and melody inseparable companions, and they use that heritage to forge something proudly their own.

The twin guitars of Martin Kramer and David Ponwitz bring that essential galloping fire, while Daniele Gelsomino’s vocals resound with power and grace. There’s a fine sense of storytelling throughout, as if every riff is tied to an ancient tale. “Dragon’s Gaze” and “Trial By Fire And Water” strike the balance between power and melody with an almost theatrical flair. The rhythm section (Sven Hamacher on bass and Hendrik Czirr on drums) keeps everything grounded, adding muscular drive to the songs without making them heavy for heaviness’ sake.

The self-production choice gives the album an honest tone. It’s not overly slick or digitally inflated, it sounds human, and that works in its favor. The guitars gleam, the vocals rise naturally in the mix, and the drumming sounds vibrant. Thematically, the album moves between myth and valor, from battles and dragons to inner strength and destiny. The lyrics fit perfectly with the classic power metal spirit. Cinematic and heroic, but delivered with sincerity. The shorter total running time makes the album compact, with no filler and no wasted energy.

“Into The Golden Halls” is a promising debut that makes traditional power metal powerful in the first place with heart, melody, and grandeur. Fans of Blind Guardian’s early work or Helloween’s classic years will encounter many moments to savor. It’s music made for raised fists and open imaginations.

Score: 7.5

https://www.cruzdelsurmusic.com

https://www.facebook.com/cruzdelsurmusic

https://cruzdelsurmusic.bandcamp.com

https://www.instagram.com/cruzdelsurmusic

https://www.facebook.com/aeterniaofficial

https://www.instagram.com/aeternia_band

Plague Pit | A Whispered Curse | Road To Masochist

 

Release Date: October 3rd, 2025

Format: 10” Vinyl/Cassette

Genre: Necrotic Death Metal

Country: United Kingdom

Formed in Bristol in 2024, Plague Pit emerged from the UK’s filthy underground with a violent sound born out of blackened hardcore chaos. Their early demo, “Give In To Death,” hinted at their appetite for decay, but it was their live shows, often shared with acts like Coffin Mulch and Thou, that revealed something more sinister brewing. Their debut EP, “A Whispered Curse,” drags that rot into the open, a foul mix of death metal corrosion and crust-fueled aggression that’s as physical as it is oppressive.

The EP opens with “The Seventh Bell”, a grim and cavernous invocation that rises slowly before erupting into a storm of death metal ferocity. There’s an occult atmosphere around it, as if the band is calling up the ghosts of early 90s death metal and feeding them through their own rusted machinery. “Womb Of Orchids” lurches with distortion and corrosion, veering between savage punk energy and pounding, almost suffocating heaviness. Its closing section slips into eerie ambience, offering a brief moment of decompression before “The Weeping God” crushes everything again under its collapsing pace and mournful guitars.

The title track, “A Whispered Curse,” closes the EP with a towering sense of finality. Its bass intro drags the listener down into the tomb, where colossal riffs grind against howling feedback and distant echoes. The whole song breathes that damp, sepulchral atmosphere of ancient catacombs, where every note sounds like it’s played through dirt and bone. There’s no flashiness here, no modern gloss, only decay and punishment served straight.

As a debut, “A Whispered Curse” is impressively focused. Plague Pit sounds like horror summoned; unrelenting, ugly, and proud of its stench. The production is raw and heavy, leaving enough space for the vocals to claw their way through the mix like a revenant from the crypt. It’s music that doesn’t want to impress, it wants to infect. For those drawn to the foul lineage of Bolt Thrower, Entombed, and Deviated Instinct, this EP delivers a proper descent into the pit. “A Whispered Curse” doesn’t just mark Plague Pit’s arrival, it drags the listener down with them.

Score: 7.5

https://www.instagram.com/plaguepitviolence

https://roadtomasochist.co.uk/

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

https://www.instagram.com/road_to_masochist/

Season Of The Dead | Zombie Chronicles Vol.1 | Time To Kill Records

 

Release Date: November 14, 2025

Format: CD/Vinyl/Cassette

Genre: Death Metal

Country: United States/Italy

The twisted trio behind Season Of The Dead, Titta Tani, Giacomo Anselmi, and Enrico Giannone, know exactly what kind of nightmare they’re summoning. With roots that trace back to the cult horror lineage of Necrophagia and Goblin, they’re reviving that vintage VHS stench of death and decay that defined underground horror metal decades ago. Add guest monsters like John McEntee and Chuck Sherwood of Incantation, Fiore Stravino of Fulci, and Dave Neabore of Dog Eat Dog, and “Zombie Chronicles Vol. 1” becomes a meeting point of death metal history and horror obsession.

The album unfolds like a blood-soaked anthology. Each track plays as a short horror story, splattered with rotten riffs, gurgling growls, and that slow-burning tension familiar to Italian horror cinema. You can almost hear the flicker of the film reel between songs, as if Lucio Fulci himself was somewhere behind the curtain orchestrating the carnage. The guitars buzz with that grainy, necro production that recalls the earliest Necrophagia releases, while the drums move with ritual precision, hammering through scenes of possession, cannibalism, and apocalypse.

Vocally, the dual presence of McEntee and Stravino keeps the horror shifting between styles of terror, the deep cavernous growls of Incantation’s tombs and the more theatrical, splatter-soaked screams from the Fulci camp. The result sounds like a séance between American and Italian horror traditions. Giacomo Anselmi’s guitar work has a cinematic streak, throwing eerie melodies and unsettling chord shapes into the gorefest, while Titta Tani’s drumming brings structure and chaos in equal measure.

“Zombie Chronicles Vol. 1” succeeds in being exactly what it promises: a horror soundtrack disguised as a death metal album. It’s made to please those who grew up on late-night VHS marathons and still remember the stench of fake blood and burning film. The production keeps everything raw enough to match the aesthetic, grimy, loud, and menacing.

There’s a sense of purpose behind the madness. Each track contributes to a larger horror vision, one that honors the undead and the spirit of old-school terror metal. “Necromancy” opens the portal with ritualistic intent, while “Voodoo Ritual” and “Events Of Flesh” plunge straight into the slaughterhouse. “The Other Side” and “Bloodfreak” close the cycle in total decay, like the final reel melting in the projector.

“Zombie Chronicles Vol. 1” is made for horror maniacs, death metal purists, and anyone who believes that the best art still comes from the grave. It’s the sound of shovels digging into old soil, resurrecting something foul and familiar. A grotesque and fitting tribute to horror’s most unholy corners. Play it loud, and preferably, in the dark.

Score: 7.5

Season Of The Dead

https://www.facebook.com/seasonofthedeadband

https://www.instagram.com/seasonofthedeadband/

Time To Kill Records

https://timetokillrecords.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/timetokillrecords/

https://www.facebook.com/timetokillrecords/

https://www.youtube.com/c/TIMETOKILLRECORDS

https://timetokillrecords.com/

Vittra | Intense Indifference | Independent

 

Release Date: September 19, 2025

Format: LP, Digital

Genre: Melodic Death/Thrash Metal

Country: Sweden

Sweden has always been fertile ground for melodic death and thrash hybrids, and Vittra is one of those bands that sound like they were born in the heart of that tradition. Formed under the name Vildvittra and later renamed after the spectral beings of Swedish folklore, they blend the storytelling spirit of their homeland with the aggression and structure of melodic death metal. Their 2022 debut, “Blasphemy Blues”, introduced a young band that knew exactly what kind of sonic fire it wanted to ignite. Two years later, “Intense Indifference” arrives as a step forward, focused, feral, and charged with renewed precision.

The album moves between fast thrash energy and melodic death metal tension, the kind that made Dark Tranquillity and Children Of Bodom such benchmarks. Riffs snap like electric wire, and the drumming drives everything forward with unrelenting force. David Döragrip’s vocals are full of character-harsh, cutting, and expressive enough to keep every song grounded in emotion. There’s no sense of studio gloss here; this is a band that sounds like they mean every strike of the pick.

Tracks like “The Leap” and “Reign Supreme” are pure adrenaline, crafted with thrash-tight precision, while “Transylvanian Buffet” takes a more theatrical direction, adding piano and some oddball flair that gives the album texture without turning it into a novelty act. “Burn(h)er” burns with anger and control, a song that merges rhythmic drive and melody in equal share. By the time the band tears through their version of Slayer’s “Piece By Piece,” they sound entirely at home paying tribute to one of metal’s key architects.

What gives “Intense Indifference” its strength is how natural it feels, no overthinking, no pretense, just sharp songwriting and pure energy. The production by Johan Murmester and mixing by Lawrence Mackrory keep everything tight and alive. Guest appearances are subtle but effective, giving color without stealing focus. Vittra sounds like a band fully aware of their identity. They channel their Scandinavian roots, not through nostalgia, but through conviction and craft. Intense Indifference is an album that stays fierce from start to finish, a clear statement that melodic death and thrash still have plenty of blood left in their veins.

Score: 7.5

https://linktr.ee/vittraofficial

https://www.vittraofficial.com

http://www.facebook.com/vittraofficial

http://www.instagram.com/vittraofficial

http://www.youtube.com/c/vittraofficial

http://www.tiktok.com/@vittraofficial

Omnivide | Arise | Seek And Strike Records

 

Release Date: 10 October 2025

Format: Digital/CD/LP

Genre: Progressive/Death Metal

Country: Canada

Canadian quartet Omnivide returns with their second release, the EP “Arise”, a year after their impressive debut “A Tale Of Fire”. Emerging from the Canadian progressive scene, the band quickly earned attention for blending technical precision with symphonic grandeur, earning award nominations and a deal with Seek & Strike Records. With this new chapter, Omnivide refines their identity and push their creativity to new heights, leaning further into the progressive and cinematic directions hinted at in their debut.

“Arise” opens with “Prelude”, an atmospheric introduction that ushers in a darker and more intricate world. From there, the EP unfolds through tracks that balance aggression and melody with careful construction. “Void” strikes first, filled with energetic rhythm changes and harmonized guitar passages that reveal the band’s detailed songwriting approach. The dual vocal style is more integrated this time, serving the dynamic shifts naturally without excess.

“Tyrannical Saviour” sharpens the intensity with a tight structure and relentless drive, while “Omnipotent” combines the grandness of symphonic layers with calculated rhythmic interplay. These songs bring out the progressive elements more strongly than before, suggesting the band’s growing comfort in their own skin. The closing title track “Arise” stretches the EP’s ambition to its limit, offering a sweeping composition that moves from explosive riffing to expansive melodic passages. It’s the kind of finale that leaves a lasting impression and confirms the EP’s cohesive vision.

Production-wise, the sound is well balanced, clear enough to highlight the complexity of the arrangements while maintaining the punch needed for metal this intricate. Each instrument has its place, giving the songs enough space to expand naturally. “Arise” solidifies Omnivide as a band with genuine potential in the modern progressive metal landscape. The EP shows growth, ambition and confidence, with enough energy to draw in fans of acts like Opeth, Ne Obliviscaris, or Obscura. It’s a release that promises even greater things ahead and confirms that Omnivide’s rise is only beginning.

Score: 8.0

https://www.facebook.com/OmnivideBand

https://www.instagram.com/omnivide_band/

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

Tithe | Communion In Anguish | Profound Lore Records

 

Release Date: September 19, 2025

Format: LP, CD, MC, Digital

Genre: Death Metal, Dissonant Death Metal

Country: USA

Portland, Oregon’s Tithe has been carving a relentless path through extreme music since their formation, blending ominous atmospheres with grinding death metal precision. The trio of Matt Eiseman (vocals, guitar), Alex Huddleston (vocals, bass), and Kevin Swartz (drums) has steadily expanded their sound, delivering music that grips and unsettles in equal measure. Their third album, “Communion In Anguish”, continues this journey with a focused, punishing approach.

 “Communion In Anguish” is a concentrated dose of tension and aggression. Tithe channels layers of dissonance into a tightly wound death metal framework, where Eiseman’s anguished wails and Huddleston’s guttural lows collide over Swartz’s relentless drumming. The album maintains a gripping intensity across its 35 minutes, moving between moments of suffocating heaviness and bursts of kinetic energy without losing focus.

The album is cohesive, with each element contributing to a larger, immersive soundscape. Songs like “At The Altar Of Starving Children” and “Shallow Grave Of Karmic Retribution” demonstrate a precise understanding of how to balance raw aggression with atmospheric tension, and the production by Keith Merrow captures the trio’s dynamics with clarity and punch.

Tithe’s approach to death metal here is uncompromising. The vocal interplay, the layered guitar work, and the rhythmic drive all push the listener through a dark, immersive journey, creating a sense of urgency and unease that sticks long after the album ends. This is music built to confront and consume the listener, with no shortcuts or filler, just focused, punishing sound.

Score: 7.7

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