Release Date
February 27th, 2026 Format CD/LP Genre Death/Doom
Metal Country
Sweden
Spawned in
Stockholm back in 1991, Internal Decay operated
in the underground tape-trading days before dropping their debut "A
Forgotten Dream" in 1993. Even though they tracked it at Sunlight Studios with Thomas
Skogsberg, the band avoided the standard chainsaw distortion, choosing a
more atmospheric and gloomy direction. They faded into silence after a single
compilation track in 1994. The members split up to join acts like Therion and A Canorous Quintet.
Over thirty years later, Mikael Vega and Kim Blomkvist resurrected the beast. Backed by new
blood, they unleashed this new EP on the Hammerheart
label.
"Fires Of The Forgotten"
delivers three tracks of sorrow-drenched melodic death metal. The music crawls
through the speakers, channeling the early days of Paradise
Lost and My Dying Bride. Guitars weave
melancholic melodies over steady, pounding drums. The atmosphere is grim and
desolate. Vocals roar as a deep, agonizing growl, fitting the funereal doom
pacing perfectly.
It is just straight-up old-school
misery. The guitars drag you into the dirt. Internal
Decay delivers some seriously bleak riffs. The drumming pounds heavily. Mikael Vega and Björn Sundling
play sinister, weeping harmonies. The bass from Linus
Nirbrant thumps constantly in the background. Hearing an old band return
and play proper, gloomy death metal with zero nonsense is great.
These three songs deliver a heavy
dose of melodic sadness. The return of Internal Decay
adds a seriously dark chapter to their story. Fans of early Anathema and Sentenced
will spin this EP constantly. The playtime goes by fast, leaving a massive
desire for a full-length release soon.
Release Date 27.03.2026 Format CD/Vinyl Genre Power/Thrash Metal Country United Kingdom
Pariah is the
ultimate mutation of the legendary UK act Satan.
When tons of bands were just playing fast for the sake of speed, these guys
brought serious guitar chops to the table. Russ Tippins
and Steve Ramsey steered the ship through the
late eighties and late nineties, dropping three albums that completely blurred
the lines between thrash, power, and traditional heavy metal. Finding a
specific box to put them in is a waste of time. They just played heavy music
with actual brainpower behind the riffs. Now, Hammerheart
Records is dropping "The Kindred", "Blaze Of
Obscurity", and "Unity" all over again.
"The Kindred" kicks off
their run by smashing NWOBHM melodies into aggressive speed. The riffing is
relentless, ripping through the speakers with massive technical skill. Then
they unleashed "Blaze Of Obscurity", which operates as the absolute
peak of their entire existence. The songwriting on that second album is insane.
Every single riff and vocal line snaps into place perfectly. It is a massive
barrage of killer guitar work and heavy metal thunder that obliterates anything
standing in its way.
Fast forward nine years after they
split up, they returned with "Unity". Originally dumped out to a tiny
audience of a thousand CDs on their own label, it brings back the classic
chugging speed of thrash metal mixed with old school melodic leads. The vocals
and the song structures take a different path here, pushing hard into a raw
power and thrash hybrid. The riffs slice right through the mix, keeping the
aggressive energy up while delivering those classic twin-guitar harmonies Tippins and Ramsey are
famous for.
Getting all three of these albums in
one massive reissue campaign is a huge win for any headbanger. The musicianship
across the board is absolutely killer. There is a serious level of technical
insanity and pure riff power packed into these sessions. Hammerheart Records giving these albums a proper
physical treatment means this savage metal assault is finally back out in the
wild where it belongs.
Release Date March 20th, 2026 Format CD/LP Genre Death
Metal Country Austria
Before the
world knew what hit it, these Austrian freaks were busy dragging the genre
through a sewer. Formed in the late 80s, Pungent Stench
became the ultimate black sheep of the extreme scene. While everyone else was
obsessing over surgical precision or occult nonsense, this trio was focused on
filth, perversion, and a massive dose of pitch-black humor. They didn't just
play death metal; they made it crawl. By the time 1990 rolled around, they were
already local legends of the obscene, ready to drop a debut that would make
even the toughest metalheads want to take a bleach shower.
"For God Your Soul... For Me
Your Flesh" landed right as the Florida and Swedish scenes were peaking,
but it didn't sound like anything from those camps. This is a savage blend of early
grindcore speed and a disgusting, slow-motion sludge that echoes the heaviest
parts of Obituary. It’s a hostile, primitive racket
that ignores technical flash in favor of a raw, churning energy. This remaster
by Erwin
Hermsen at Toneshed Studio gives the bass a monstrous rumble, making the whole
experience feel like being trapped in a collapsing morgue.
The riffs on "A Small
Lunch" and "Blood, Pus & Gastric Juice" are absolute filth.
They lurch with a d-beat swagger before diving back into a sickening, mid-paced
crawl. The guitar tone is thick and crusty, stripped of any fake gloss,
delivering a relentless assault that sticks in your brain. It’s got that
classic thrashy undercurrent, but warped into something far more depraved. This
reissue is packed with ten bonus tracks including "Dead Body Love"
and "In The Vault," making it an essential hoard of sickness for
anyone who misses when metal actually smelled like death.
Visually, these guys always had the
most beautiful, sick frontcovers in the history of death metal along with "Been Caught Buttering."
They understood that the art needs to be as repulsive and provocative as the
music. The aesthetics of this era are legendary, perfectly capturing the sick
vibe of the songs. This isn't for the weak or those looking for pretty melodies.
It’s a masterpiece of gore that stands sick as one of the most twisted debuts
ever recorded. If you want your extreme metal to actually sound dangerous, this
is the gold standard.
Release
Date November 28th, 2025 Format LP/CD Genre Death Metal Country Austria
Pungent
Stench emerged
from the depths of Austria back in the late eighties, bringing a sickening mix
of groove and gore to the developing death metal scene. Before they released
their full-length classics, the trio of Martin Schirenc,
Jacek Perkowski, and Alex
Wank built their reputation on split releases and underground
compilations. This self-titled collection gathers those earliest recordings
into one package, documenting the band right before they gained wider
notoriety. It serves as a history lesson on how twisted the underground sounded
over three decades ago.
The studio side covers the material
originally found on the split with Disharmonic
Orchestra. These tracks are crude and abrasive. The sound remains thick
and unpolished, preserving the analog production values of 1989. Tracks like
"Pulsating Protoplasma" and "Dead Body Love" churn with a
primal aggression. There is no digital cleanup here to sanitize the atmosphere.
It sounds like a bunch of maniacs bashing out noise in a dungeon. The guitars
have that distinct buzz, and the drums crash with a hollow thud that defines
the era.
The second half offers a live set
recorded at Rockhaus in 1989. Live recordings
from this time period are often chaotic, and this session captures the erratic
energy of a young band. It includes songs not found on the studio portion,
giving a broader look at their early setlist. The audio quality is rough, which
suits the music. It places the listener right in a sweaty club to witness the
birth of something gross. The performance is loose and frantic, showing the
group in their most natural state.
Hammerheart Records put
together a compilation that appeals to the die-hard collectors. This is not for
people who want pristine production or technical wizardry. It is for the freaks
who worship the roots of the genre. The packaging includes the original artwork
and liner notes, adding value for the physical collectors. "Pungent
Stench" stands as a testament to the days when death metal was dangerous
and disgusting. It is a raw document of a legendary act finding their footing.
Immortalis emerged from the German underground during the early
nineties, a time when the lines between thrash and death metal were still being
blurred by pure aggression. They managed to drop one full-length bomb, "Indicium De Mortuis", in
1991 before sinking into the shadows, leaving behind a cult legacy and a hell
of a lot of expensive original pressings. Originally handled by Morbid Music and recorded at
the legendary Stage One
Studio by Andy Classen,
this album remains the band's definitive middle finger to the mainstream. This
reissue via Hammerheart
Records finally brings the madness back to life, including the "Final Death" demo from 1993
for those who need their fix of raw, skeletal history.
If you think
you’ve heard everything the nineties had to offer, "Indicium De Mortuis" is here to slap that smirk off
your face. This isn't your typical polished garbage; it’s a filthy, cryptic
slab of death metal that sounds like it was recorded in a basement filled with Slayer posters and rotting
meat. The production is thick and ugly in the best way possible, capturing a
vibe similar to those early Dan
Swanö projects where the atmosphere is just as heavy as the riffs. It’s
got that eccentric German rawness that fans of Pungent Stench or Disharmonic Orchestra crave, mixed with the
sheer violence of the Florida scene.
The vocals
are a total standout, with a roar that mimics the guttural intensity of Barney Greenway during his
peak. Every time a track like "Burning
Existence" or "Subordinate
Gods" kicks in, the drumming hits like a bombardment of artillery
fire. The guitar work is a twisted mix of Possessed-style insanity and mid-paced crushers that lean heavily
into the doom-laden side of the genre. It’s heavy as hell, relying on rhythmic
destruction to flatten the listener. You can hear the influence of Deicide and Massacre dripping off the
strings, but Immortalis
keeps things weird and unpredictable.
This reissue
is a mandatory pickup for anyone who worships at the altar of the old school.
Having the "Final Death"
demo included on the second disc is a killer bonus, showing the band’s
evolution into an even more stripped-down and vicious entity before they
vanished. "Indicium De
Mortuis" is a masterclass in how to be malevolent without needing
high-tech triggers or over-produced fluff. It’s dark, it’s unrelenting, and it’s a total relic of an era when death metal
was actually dangerous. Stop hunting for overpriced originals and just grab
this monster.
Release
Date: February20th, 2026
Format: Vinyl
Genre: Thrash Metal
Country: United Kingdom
Holosade come from
Darlington, County Durham, formed in 1985, deep in the UK underground where
demos, split EPs and tape trading meant survival. Frontman Philip de Sade has been the driving force since day
one, steering the band through four demos, a split that sold fast enough to
turn heads, and finally their full length debut in 1988. “Hell House” was meant
to be a shorter release, eight songs changed the plan, and history quietly
happened. Now Hammerheart Records drags this
cult beast back into the light, where it belongs.
There is something raw and stubborn
about “Hell House” that still holds up. This is UK heavy thrash with a strong
American streak, closer to the tougher side of late 80s crossover minded thrash
than the classic British mold. Riffs bite hard, rhythms stay street level,
vocals snarl without posing. It sounds hungry, not polite, and that hunger
keeps the album sharp even decades later.
Songs like “Madame Guillotine” and
“Psycho” sit at the core of the album, packed with hooky aggression and
memorable lines that stick without trying too hard. Horror inspired lyrics and
artwork fit the music perfectly, adding grime and character instead of cheap
shock. Simon Jones of Sabbat,
credited as Jack Hammer, adds extra muscle on
guitar, pushing the material into nastier territory when needed.
“Hell House” earned its reputation
the slow way, through word of mouth and worn out copies, then vanished for
years after the band went silent. That long absence only fed its cult status.
Hearing it again now, mastered by Andy Sneap,
shows how solid these songs always were. Nothing fancy, nothing fake, just
proper heavy thrash written by people who lived it.
This re issue is more than nostalgia
bait. It is a reminder that the UK underground had plenty of fire outside the
big names. Limited to 300 copies, this vinyl pressing gives “Hell House” its
overdue spotlight. For fans of Overkill, Anthrax, Lääz Rockit, Xentrix and Meliah Rage,
this one hits the sweet spot between rough edges and memorable songwriting.
Release
Date: 13.02.2026
Format: Limited Picture Disc Vinyl
Genre: Heavy Metal
Country: Germany
Running
Wild emerged
from the German underground in the early 80s and grew into one of the defining
forces of European heavy metal. Under the steady vision of Rolf Kasparek, the band forged a sound tied to
history, rebellion, and battle-hardened metal tradition. By the end of the 80s
and early 90s, Running Wild had already carved a
legacy that many bands chase for an entire lifetime.
“Death Or Glory” stands as a
towering monument in classic heavy metal. Released in 1989, it captures Running Wild at a creative peak where every song
strikes with authority and fire. The album speaks in bold metal language,
heroic themes, proud melodies, and relentless drive. This is heavy metal built
for raised fists and shouted choruses, grounded in strong songwriting and a
spirit that refuses compromise. Its reputation as a cornerstone of the genre
remains unchallenged decades later.
“Blazon Stone”, released in 1991,
pushes the energy further and turns momentum into triumph. The songs surge with
speed and epic character, wrapped in Running Wild’s
signature historical vision. This album became the band’s biggest commercial
success for a reason; its metal anthems resonate far beyond trends or eras.
“Blazon Stone” delivers battle-ready heavy metal that stays sharp, memorable,
and powerful with every listen.
Together, “Death Or Glory” and
“Blazon Stone” represent an era where Running Wild
shaped the identity of heavy metal itself. These reissues through Hammerheart Records honor albums that remain
essential, influential, and alive with metallic pride. This is pure classic
metal heritage, loud, proud, and unbreakable.
Runemagick emerged in the early 1990s as the personal vision of Nicklas Rudolfsson, a figure deeply rooted in the Scandinavian extreme metal underground. What began as a largely solitary project soon evolved with the involvement of Robert Pehrsson, adding new momentum during the band’s formative years. Early Runemagick material blended death, doom, and black metal elements, shaped by the dark heritage of acts such as Bathory, Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, and Candlemass. Over time, lineups shifted and activity levels fluctuated, yet the project never dissolved. Across decades, Runemagick remained a persistent entity, guided by Rudolfsson’s dedication and an unbroken connection to its core identity.
“Cycle Of The Dying Sun (Dawn Of Ashen Realms)” stands as a focused continuation of Runemagick’s long path through death doom. Entirely written and performed by Nicklas Rudolfsson, the album reflects a singular vision, grounded in restrained pacing and an austere atmosphere. The material unfolds at deliberate tempos, favoring heaviness through persistence and tone rather than speed or excess. This approach aligns closely with the band’s established language, presenting a work that settles into its own space without distraction.
The production, handled at Sonic Train Studios and Necrotic Noise Studio with Andy La Rocque overseeing the final sound, supports the album’s steady character. The sound is solid and grounded, allowing the songs to develop gradually and maintain cohesion across their full length. Guest contributions are sparse and carefully placed, adding subtle layers that expand the album’s depth without shifting its central focus. The result is an immersive experience that remains consistent throughout.
Lyrically and thematically, the album explores decay, cycles of existence, and the erosion of worlds, ideas long familiar within Runemagick’s universe. These themes are presented in a measured manner, reinforcing the album’s meditative quality. The six core compositions form the foundation across all formats, while the CD and digital editions extend the material further, deepening the overall scope without altering its fundamental character.
“Cycle Of The Dying Sun (Dawn Of Ashen Realms)” functions as a natural progression from “Beyond The Cenotaph Of Mankind”, moving further into a stark and contemplative realm. It reflects an artist fully immersed in his own vocabulary, shaping an album that remains consistent, focused, and firmly rooted in the traditions that have defined Runemagick for decades.
Dead Head is a Dutch
thrash metal band formed in 1989, shaped by the late eighties extreme metal
surge and driven by long term dedication. With more than three decades behind
them and most of the original lineup still active, the band continue to release
material through Hammerheart Records,
keeping a steady presence in the European underground and beyond.
“Repression Tank” is
the renewed version of Dead Head’s 2009
album “Depression Tank”, now reissued under a new title by Hammerheart Records. This edition reflects the
period when vocalist and bassist Ralph de Boer first
joined the band, adding a different push to their sound. The album has been
reworked with updated production and a stronger sonic balance, aligning it with
the band’s later releases while staying rooted in aggressive thrash metal
traditions.
Musically, “Repression
Tank” focuses on speed, sharp riffing and relentless pacing. The songs
emphasize pressure and urgency, built around tight structures and fast moving
rhythms. There is a raw drive running through the album, supported by heavy
grooves and a harsh vocal delivery that keeps the tension high. The updated mix
gives the material more power and separation, allowing the songs to sound
heavier and more defined than the original version.
The overall character
of the album is intense and confrontational, reflecting the darker themes
suggested by the title. There are moments where the band slow the pace
slightly, adding a darker edge and expanding the atmosphere, then quickly
returning to full throttle. These shifts help maintain interest across the
running time and give the album a solid sense of progression without drifting
away from its core identity.
Disc two adds
historical value with live recordings from the early years of Ralph de Boer’s tenure. These tracks capture the
band in a more raw state, highlighting the energy of that era and serving as an
effective companion to the revamped studio material. Taken as a whole,
“Repression Tank” presents Dead Head as a
veteran thrash band still driven by intensity and consistency, offering a
strong release for longtime followers and newer listeners exploring their
catalog.
Master was formed in
the early 1980s and stands among the original architects of death metal. Led by
Paul Speckmann since day one, the band has
followed a long road of constant touring and releases, keeping its sound rooted
in underground values while addressing real world themes. Decades later, Master remains active and visible, driven by
persistence more than trends.
“Spirit Of The West”
arrives as one of the most varied chapters in the Master
catalog. Death metal sits at the core, but it shares space with thrash
metal speed, punk attitude, and unexpected stylistic turns. The album sounds
rough around the edges in a deliberate way, favoring energy and message over
decoration. This approach matches the long standing character of the band and
keeps the focus on songs that speak plainly.
Several tracks
underline this range without breaking the album’s identity. “You’ll Be Blamed”
and “Sign Up” push fast thrash driven ideas with Speckmann’s
destintive vocal delivery. “The Serpents Tongue” and “Whatever, Wherever,
Forever” stay closer to traditional death metal pacing and structure. “Rights
Of Life” and “Envy” bring out a punk influenced aggression that recalls late
80s extreme metal without turning nostalgic.
“Another Day In
Phoenix” adds a different vocal approach and becomes one of the album’s most
talked about moments. “Pistols, Whiskey And Coyotes (The Spirit Of The West)”
introduces a darker rock and metal crossover flavor that fits the album’s theme
surprisingly well. The Johnny Cash cover
“Ring Of Fire” closes the release in an unexpected way, underlining the album’s
willingness to step outside strict genre borders.
“Spirit Of The West”
does not aim for refinement or technical display. Its strength lies in
attitude, variety, and Speckmann’s ongoing
need to comment on life and society through heavy music. For longtime
followers, this album offers something familiar mixed with enough twists to
keep attention high. For newer listeners, it presents a clear view of what Master represents in extreme metal history.
Release Date: 16
January 2026
Format: CD/LP
Genre: Funeral/Doom/Death Metal
Country: United States
Evoken formed in New
Jersey in the early nineties, long before funeral doom had a clear shape. Their
approach was heavy, sorrow-ridden and unflinchingly slow, taking the bleak
edges of death metal and stretching them until every sound felt like a long
stare into the void. Across the decades they built a strong name among fans who
prefer their doom harsh, stoic and unrelenting. These reissues bring back two
early milestones, “Shades Of Night Descending” from 1994 and the full length
“Embrace The Emptiness” from 1998.
Hammerheart
Records revisits a crucial era for Evoken. “Shades Of Night Descending” still has the
raw presence of a band carving its identity, with a stark production that gives
the music a cold, abandoned atmosphere. The sound is rough around the edges,
which works in its favor. Every slow passage feels stripped down, like the
group is forcing listeners to stare directly at the ugliness and sorrow that
shaped early funeral doom. Even the more melodic lines come across like small
flickers inside a collapsing environment.
“Embrace The
Emptiness” follows with a cleaner approach. The band uses the clearer
production to open the door to deeper emotional weight. The album sinks the
listener into a heavy darkness that never loosens its grip. Evoken handles the long arrangements with a steady
sense of gloom. The music surrounds you with thick shadows, turning the album
into a slow descent where all warmth has been drained out. There is no comfort
on offer here, only the chill of isolation.
This reissue works
well because these albums belong together. One shows Evoken
learning how to sculpt their style, the other shows them taking that early
identity and pushing it into something that shaped much of the genre. The
remaster brings out details without softening anything, giving longtime
listeners a solid reason to revisit and new listeners a strong introduction to
the band’s formative years.
Vintersorg has always been tied to the
landscape and the mind, one foot in icy Nordic forests and the other in
astronomy books and philosophical ponderings. Andreas
Hedlund built this project in the mid nineties and shaped it into
something recognisable through soaring baritone vocals, raw black metal roots
and a growing interest in cosmic themes. This box set brings together
“Hedniskhjärtad”, “Till Fjälls”, “Ödemarkens Son” and “Cosmic Genesis”, four
albums that chart his evolution from earthy pagan metal to star bound
progressive expression.
Hammerheart Records presents these albums in a carefully assembled collection with remasters
handled by Hedlund himself. The sound is
noticeably clearer without losing the rough edges that defined his early work.
“Till Fjälls” and “Ödemarkens Son” still have that wild northern temperament,
driven by melodic leads and Scandinavian folklore, while “Cosmic Genesis” leans
into science inspired lyricism and broader arrangements. Hearing these albums
together shows how quickly Vintersorg expanded
its horizons, not through drastic switches, rather through an ongoing push
toward richer ideas.
“Hedniskhjärtad”
remains the elemental spark, direct and personal, a window into the project’s
roots. The following albums present a steady climb, with the songwriting
growing more expressive and the vocals stretching into larger shapes. By the
time the box reaches “Cosmic Genesis”, the universe seems wide open, and Hedlund dives into it with hunger for discovery.
The thread linking all four releases is his instinct for combining harshness
and melody in a way that still feels connected to cold landscapes and
introspective wandering.
As a
collector’s edition, this set works well for long time followers and for anyone
who wants a full view of Vintersorg’s early
path. The expanded poster, the rebuilt artwork and the careful sound treatment
give these albums a new life without rewriting their history. Listening to them
in sequence is like watching an artist climb from mountain shadow to starlit
heights, always curious, always ready to explore the world around him and the
one inside his own head. This box set captures that journey with respect and
energy, a strong reminder of how powerful these albums still are.
Hostilia sprang out of Gothenburg in 2021, started by
the Lindeblad brothers, William on lead guitar and Albert on drums, two teenagers moving with the confidence of
veterans. Their first demo turned heads in the underground and, after some
reshuffling, the band solidified with bassist Gabriel
Sepúlveda, guitarist Petter Hernroth and
vocalist Tim Angelini. From day one they
pushed themselves on stage, treating tiny rooms as battlegrounds, blasting
through sets with the stubborn fire only very young musicians have.
That
stubbornness paid off. Their name spread around Gothenburg, they were invited
to perform at Restaurant 2112 in front of
members of In Flames and The Halo Effect, and producer Jakob Herrmann ended up offering them studio time
simply because their intensity stuck with him. The band’s live session EP from
2024 showed a band ready to sprint forward. More eyes followed when William performed with Gene
Simmons in front of thousands, and when Hostilia
joined Bombus on tour they proved
they could win over crowds who had never heard their name before. Suddenly they
were being offered shows with Dismember and
a tour with The Haunted. Swedish media
picked them up, exhibitions featured them, and the so called next wave of
Swedish metal suddenly had a youthful, loud representative.
“Face The
Fire” arrives at exactly the moment Hostilia’s
story starts gaining speed, and the album mirrors that sense of acceleration.
There is zero hesitation in how they play. The band leans into classic thrash
roots, steering everything through tight riffing, breakneck pace and Tim Angelini’s raw vocal bite, which gives the
songs a very direct punch.
The title
track “Face The Fire” sets the album’s attitude quickly, with riffs moving like
they’ve been carved from the Bay Area tradition, only filtered through the
Swedish school. “Bone Collector” and “Power Out” carry that same sharp-edge
aggression. The material stays energetic from start to finish. It gives the
impression of a band that refuses to slow down or decorate their songs with
anything unnecessary.
Hostilia’s
biggest strength comes from how locked in they are with each other. The rhythm
section moves like one organism, William’s
lead guitar adds a wild streak, and Petter’s
production work keeps everything raw with enough bite to match their live
energy. The guest appearance from Anders Björler on
“The Storm” is a fun nod from a veteran to a young band charging into the
future, and the album benefits from that moment of outside personality.
There are
moments where their youth shows, mostly in how directly they push every song
forward. Subtle shifts are rare, and the aggression runs at full blast for long
stretches. Sometimes that gives the impression of a band sprinting when pacing
could have added more impact. Still, the fire in their playing outweighs the
rough edges because there is no hesitation or second guessing in what they want
to do.
“Face The
Fire” paints Hostilia as a young thrash band
stepping into bigger rooms without flinching. Their hunger is loud, their riffs
hit hard, and their future looks wide open. This album doesn’t feel like a
finishing point, more like the moment they plant their flag and say, we’re here
now, deal with it. Thrash fans who bleed with Testament,
Exodus and Slayer
will connect easily with what Hostilia is
throwing at them.
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