Booby Trap |L(i)mbo |Firecum Records

Release Date: December 1^st, 2025
Format: CD/LP
Genre: Thrash Metal, Crossover
Country: Portugal

Booby Trap is a bunch of old-school Portuguese thrashers who've been kicking around since 1993, mixing raw thrash metal with hardcore punk attitude. They split after a couple of records in the 90s, then came back swinging in 2012 and have been dropping solid stuff ever since. Now on their sixth full-length, these guys from Aveiro have been doing this for over three decades.

"L(i)mbo" marks a real shift for Booby Trap, they ditch English and go all-in on Portuguese lyrics for the first time. The themes dig into personal shit, close-to-the-bone experiences, no bullshit owed to nobody, with that looming apocalyptic vibe of judgment day closing in and no turning back. It's about staring down the end and raging through it full throttle.

This album, before we overcome this childish cover that sucks, slams hard with that classic crossover punch. Fast riffs, pounding drums, and vocals that spit fire in the mother tongue. The production keeps everything raw and aggressive, letting the guitars tear through and the rhythm section drive everything forward like a runaway truck. Tracks like "Um Dia de Cada Vez" and "Máquina Militar" deliver that relentless energy, while the Trust cover "Antissocial" fits right in with the band's pissed-off spirit. It's intense, sharp, and stays heavy without letting up much.

Solid effort from veterans who still got plenty of venom left. It's not gonna blow your mind with wild new tricks, but it delivers the thrash/crossover goods with attitude and bite. Worth throwing on when you need something to crank up and bang your head to.

Score:  7.0 

https://boobytrapofficial.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/boobytrap.pt

https://www.instagram.com/booby_trap_rocks

https://www.firecum.com

Disaffected |Spiritual Humanized Technology |Larvae Records/Firecum Records

Release Date: November 10, 2025

Format: CD/Vinyl

Genre: Progressive Death Metal

Country: Portugal

Disaffected was formed in 1991 in Portugal, starting as a death/thrash metal band before moving toward a more progressive and demanding direction. Their debut album “Vast” in 1995 became a landmark of the Portuguese underground, even gaining exposure through MTV. After “Rebirth” in 2012 and “The Trinity Threshold” in 2017, the band returns with their fourth full length, “Spiritual Humanized Technology”, released through Larvae Records and Firecum Records.

“Spiritual Humanized Technology” works as a conceptual album, focused on the tension between humanity and technology, life and renewal. The music follows a progressive death metal path, marked by long compositions, shifting structures and a strong sense of atmosphere. Darkness is always present, but it is balanced by groove and space, giving the album an expansive character that fits its thematic scope.

The writing favors evolution over immediacy. Songs such as “Soul And Words”, “The Stream We Abide” and “Here In Alpha” unfold gradually, allowing ideas to develop and return in altered forms. This approach gives the album a thoughtful pace and a clear internal logic, making the listening experience immersive without becoming confusing. The band’s past in death metal remains visible, though it is filtered through a more reflective and exploratory lens.

Lyrically, Disaffected step away from narrow extremes and focus on broader questions. Topics like existence, decay, rebirth and the role of technology in human identity appear throughout the album. This gives “Spiritual Humanized Technology” a philosophical edge that matches the layered songwriting, reinforcing the progressive character not only in sound, but also in meaning.

Production is solid and detailed, allowing the music’s darker tones and rhythmic depth to come through clearly. The album demands attention and patience, rewarding repeated listens with new connections and nuances. Taken as a whole, “Spiritual Humanized Technology” stands as a strong and mature chapter in Disaffected’s discography.

Score: 8.0

Links:

https://disaffectedmetal.bandcamp.com/music

https://www.facebook.com/disaffectedmetal

https://www.instagram.com/disaffected_official/

Dragon’s Kiss | The Return Of The Wild Dogs | Firecum Records

 

    Dragon’s Kiss is a heavy metal band known for their no-nonsense, full-throttle approach to speed metal and rock’n’roll. Formed in Portugal, the band gained a dedicated following after the release of their 2014 debut, “Barbarians Of The Wasteland.” Their music leans heavily into the fast, raw energy of early metal and punk-infused speed metal, paying tribute to classic metal heroes while staying grounded in straightforward songwriting and pure aggression. The band includes two lead vocalists—Tiago “Bastard” Teixeira and Adam “Rock’n’roll Outlaw” Neal—backed by the twin-guitar attack of Hugo “Rattlesnake” Conim and Dário “Tornado” Granadeiro, with António “Thunder” Seixas on bass and Marco “Pain” Dores on drums.

 “The Return Of The Wild Dogs” is exactly what the title promises—loud, furious, and straight to the point. Dragon’s Kiss wastes no time getting down to business. The guitars bring a punkish, rock’n’roll swagger, cutting through with dirty, energetic riffs that lean more on attitude than speed. There’s a rough-edged looseness to the sound, giving the songs a barroom brawl kind of feel—less about precision, more about impact.

The vocals are riffraff, with a street-punk flavor and shouts in a way that keeps the momentum alive. The drums hit hard and steady, driving the songs forward with confidence and grit. It’s the kind of rhythm section that sounds built for denim, leather, and fists in the air.

Everything about the album feels alive and loud. The six tracks—like “Seekers Of The Night,” “Road Warrior,” and “Wild Dogs Revenge”—carry the same fired-up spirit from start to finish. There’s no drag, no detour, and no filler. Just six slabs of heavy metal rock’n’roll that sound like they were made to blow out speakers and get heads banging.

The sound stays rough and loud without getting messy. Everything feels live and in your face, unfiltered and intense, capturing the energy straight from the source. Dragon’s Kiss aims to hit hard, and they do. For fans of Motörhead and Tank, “The Return Of The Wild Dogs” will hit the spot. It’s an honest, wild album that doesn’t pretend to be anything other than what it is: loud, fast, and ready to smash its way into the metal underground.

Score: 7.0

https://www.facebook.com/dragonskissband/

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

https://www.instagram.com/dragonskissband_2024