El Muerto | Lost And Amsterdamned | Self-Release

 

Release Date: November 21, 2025

Format: Digital

Genre: Black/Death Metal

Country: Netherlands

Born from despair and rebuilt from its ashes, El Muerto is the project of multi-instrumentalist Ricardo Botello, whose story spans Mexico, Australia, and now the Netherlands. After working with underground acts like Sekhmet and Conscious Comma, Botello now channels his darkness into “Lost And Amsterdamned”, a debut EP that turns personal trauma into sound. It’s an unfiltered expression of pain, survival, and strange beauty, painted in the tones of black and death metal.

The production, handled by veterans like Tomas Skogsberg and Stefan Brown, gives the EP a sense of icy space and raw tension. The guitars dominate the mix, jagged and cold, cutting through with grim precision. Vocals echo with anguish and venom, and the drums, performed by Robin Stone, hammer with precision. The atmosphere is grim but cinematic, filled with the kind of haunted storytelling that once defined the best Scandinavian metal albums.

Each song tells its own story, “Enthroned In The Tower Of Shadows” is steeped in myth and betrayal, “Ghosts Of Torment” drags the listener into a battle with inner demons, and “Wolves Of Den Haag” reanimates real history with terrifying intensity. The lyrical themes stay close to death, trauma, and survival, yet the writing avoids cliché by treating them as allegory, more myth than confession. “A Song For Ran” in particular offers a sense of tragic release, drifting through sorrow like a hymn from the deep sea.

Musically, “Lost And Amsterdamned” moves between harsh aggression and solemn reflection. The influence of Immortal and Emperor runs through the riffs, while the spectral touch of Mgła and the progressive depth of Opeth appear in how the songs breathe and twist. The guest musicians, Zigor Muñoz, Tommaso Tani, and Stone, add layers that are alive and purposeful, turning what began as a solitary project into a communal storm.

There’s a ritualistic rhythm to the EP, a pulse that’s like a heart restarting after long silence. The production is rough around the edges, the songs occasionally wander but that imperfection is part of its character. “Lost And Amsterdamned” is less about black metal purity and more about human endurance in the face of its own abyss. If this is El Muerto’s rebirth, then it’s one that carries fire in its lungs and frost in its veins.

Score: 7.0

https://elmuerto2.bandcamp.com/album/lost-and-amsterdamned

Age Of Ruin | Nothingman | Self-Release

 

Release Date: 17 October 2025

Format: Digital / CD / Vinyl

Genre: Melodic Death Metalcore,

Country: USA

For over two decades, Age Of Ruin has been a name that storms through the American metal underground. Emerging in the late 90s, they were part of that fierce generation mixing European melodic death metal with American hardcore energy. Through lineup changes, scene shifts, and years on the road, the band has endured like veterans who simply refuse to rust. Vocalist Benjamin Swan, alongside the Flemings (Daniel and Christopher), guitarist Casey Flanagan, and drummer Hendrik Osinga, now returns with “Nothingman,” an album that represents persistence through chaos and dedication to the craft.

Produced by Mike Schleibaum of Darkest Hour and mixed by Will Beasley, “Nothingman” has the sonic hallmarks of its lineage. It’s fast, muscular, and drenched in melody without falling into overproduction. The dual guitars cut with precision, intertwining harmonies and thrash-driven rhythm sections that nod to classic influences like In Flames and Soilwork, while the hardcore undertones summon the ferocity of Madball and Killswitch Engage.

The band rely on sounding seasoned, fiery, and locked into their own chemistry. The rhythm section provides enough punch to make heads bang instinctively, while the guitars build an atmosphere that moves from melodic triumph to relentless aggression. “The Traveler” and “The Ghosts We Carry” show how the band weaves harmony into their intensity, while “Heavy Is The Crown” and “Bleed For Better Days” hit with pure kinetic energy. The title track “Nothingman” acts as the emotional anchor, pushing the band’s songwriting to its most anthemic point.

There’s a live energy running through the album designed to be shouted back from the pit, every chorus written with fists in mind. The mix keeps things organic, giving the sense of a real band playing in real rooms, which fits perfectly with their long-standing DIY roots and the spirit that’s carried them through decades. “Nothingman” sounds like a continuation of a legacy forged in sweat, riffs, and grit. It’s an album that doesn’t need to prove anything because the proof is already there. Age Of Ruin is still roaring, still thrashing, and still creating with the fire of musicians who understand what heavy music is meant to be, loud, human, and honest.

Score: 7.0

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https://ageofruin.bandcamp.com/album/nothingman

Niphredil | Fractures In The Crystal Vault | Self-Release

 

Release Date: September 9, 2025

Format: Digital

Genre: Atmospheric/Doom/Melodic Black Metal

Country: Ecuador

Niphredil from Ecuador is a band built on atmosphere and intensity. Their music walks a fine line between haunting beauty and crushing despair, merging doom metal’s cavernous weight with black metal’s melodic aggression. Founded with the vision of creating elaborate yet accessible compositions, the band draws from literary and mystical imagery, making their music both immersive and deeply reflective.

Their new release, “Fractures In The Crystal Vault,” contains two tracks. “The Masked Seer” and “Death By Dreaming.” Together they form a compact but expressive listen, stretching across 13 minutes that cover a wide emotional and sonic range. The band uses a combination of synths, programmed elements, and traditional instruments to build soundscapes that feel vast, heavy, and sorrowful.

“The Masked Seer” opens with slow, suffocating doom passages, where guitars grind beneath thick layers of atmosphere. The rhythm is ritualistic, and the synths move like dark fog over the composition, adding a supernatural depth. As the song progresses, the tempo shifts, revealing more melodic patterns that resemble the melodic black metal influences Niphredil mentions, Emperor and Altar Of Plagues come to mind for the melodic phrasing and tension-filled progressions.

“Death By Dreaming” expands the vision further. It introduces tremolo-picked sections that move with urgency, while the doom foundation remains underneath. The vocals are harsh, distant, almost buried within the mix, giving the impression of a voice lost inside the music rather than dominating it. The use of melody here is more pronounced, where the guitars paint an emotional arc that fades into ambience near the end.

The production is raw but balanced. It keeps the sound organic and avoids artificial polish, letting every instrument sit naturally within the haze. The synth layers are especially well-placed, weaving through the distortion and rhythm like echoes from another dimension. Even with programmed percussion the flow remains human.

As a release, “Fractures In The Crystal Vault” is compact but rewarding. Its 13 minutes leave a strong impression of what Niphredil is capable of. Grand soundscapes, thoughtful compositions, and a focus on atmosphere that never collapses into monotony. The music progresses with intent, and even in its most oppressive moments, it stays engaging.

Niphredil has managed to condense a wide creative vision, proving that intensity and depth don’t depend on duration. “Fractures In The Crystal Vault” stands as a striking example of atmospheric metal delivered with passion and imagination, a brief descent into a world where sorrow, mysticism, and heaviness coexist naturally.

Score: 7.0

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https://niphredil.bandcamp.com/music

Die Apokalyptischen Reiter | Freie Republik Reitermania | Self Release (Vinyl Box)

 

Release Date: 31.10.2025

Format: Limited 4x12" Vinyl Boxset (500 copies)

Genre: Death/Folk/Heavy/Groove Metal

Country: Germany

Die Apokalyptischen Reiter have always been a strange beast in the metal world. Formed in 1995 in Weimar, Germany, the band earned a reputation for blending metal with folk, rock, and even cabaret-like energy. Their concerts are part wild carnival, part battlefield, and part philosophical sermon. Over three decades, they’ve gone from underground chaos to a band that has played the biggest festivals in Europe, always staying fiercely independent and proudly weird. With "Freie Republik Reitermania," they celebrate their 30th anniversary not with a simple compilation, but with something only Reiter could deliver. A universe in a box.

The project is split into four chapters, each carrying its own flavor. The first side immediately plants its flag with "Der Freiheit Vaterland," an eleven-minute hymn that sounds like a declaration from the gates of their imagined republic. The second chapter brings newer songs like "Rache An Der Wirklichkeit" and "Wir Sind, Weil Ihr Seid," which carry that Reiter pulse, playful, furious, and always dramatic. The third chapter digs into rarities, remixes, and intimate versions, reminding listeners that the band has always lived in multiple worlds at once. The final chapter takes the journey into acoustic territory, recorded live, where their material transforms into something almost shamanic. Songs like "Wo Es Dich Gibt" or their take on "Ghostriders In The Sky" reveal another face of the band, stripped down, yet still wild-eyed and theatrical.

The vinyl box is more than packaging, it’s an entire concept. With fold-out XXL artwork doubling as a monumental board game, pewter figures of the biblical riders, and even a passport and currency for the fictional Reiter Republic, this is not just music, it’s myth-making. It’s rare to see a band commit so hard to their mythology, and it makes this release feel like an event rather than just a collection of songs.

At 87 minutes across 21 tracks, it’s a lot to take in, but it’s curated with care. Instead of sounding like a cluttered anniversary scrapbook, "Freie Republik Reitermania" carries the chaotic energy of Die Apokalyptischen Reiter while still offering something fresh. New anthems stand beside unreleased treasures and acoustic reinventions, painting a panoramic view of their 30 years together.

It’s ambitious, eccentric, and very Reiter. It might not be for casual listeners, the depth of the box set, the mythos, and the limited-edition nature clearly speak to the hardcore Reitermaniacs but as an anniversary celebration, it is exactly what fans could hope for. For 30 years they’ve built their own world, and with this republic in a box, they invite you to join them once again. "Freie Republik Reitermania" is not nostalgia, it’s a reminder, and a promise that Die Apokalyptischen Reiter still ride strong into their next decade.

Score: 8.5

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Hellbearer | Darker Fates | Independent

 

Release Date: October 17th 2025

Format: Digital/CD

Genre: Thrash Metal

Country: United Kingdom

Manchester’s Hellbearer is a young name in thrash, but their trajectory has been fast and furious. Formed in 2022, the quartet wasted no time in making themselves known with their debut “For Those About To Bear Hell.” That first strike was enough to land them high-profile support slots with 3 Inches Of Blood and Venom’s Abaddon, along with festival appearances including Bloodstock where their chaotic set whipped up serious audience carnage. Now they arrive with their second full-length, “Darker Fates,” a record that confirms Hellbearer as one of the fiercest new voices in British thrash.

Opening with the brief “Pull The Card,” the band waste no time plunging into high-octane riffing with “The Witch.” This combination of atmosphere and aggression runs across the whole album. Tracks like “Absolution” and “Counting Seconds” hit with a stomping precision that is tailor-made for circle pits, while “The Mantra” pulls listeners into a darker, more suffocating attack. The band also push into more ambitious territory with the longer “Afflicted,” balancing headbanging drive with more dramatic songwriting. Closing track “Sands Of Time” ends the album with an ending forged in fire and steel, tying the themes of mortality and fate into a storm of riffs.

Ash Allen’s vocals cut through with a raw, commanding growl, perfectly matched to the frantic guitar work and the thunder of Sam Hatt and Kieran Brooks in the rhythm section. Matthew Robinson’s lead guitar brings an extra edge, layering the songs with blistering solos that slice through the chaos. There’s a sense of urgency across the album that fits the lyrical direction, which often dwells on collapse, corruption, and the inevitability of ruin. The band write as if thrash is still a weapon of resistance, and in their hands, it remains sharp enough to wound.

“Darker Fates” is 52 minutes of thrash that scorches and stays relentless. It doesn’t bloat or pad, each track has intent and energy. The only thing that sucks is cover. For fans of Exodus, Testament, Machine Head, and Forbidden, this is an album that proves UK thrash is alive and swinging hard. Hellbearer has delivered an album that is punishing, inspired, and brimming with fire. Thrashing done right.

Score: 8.3

https://www.facebook.com/hellbearerthrash

https://www.instagram.com/hellbearerofficial

https://linktr.ee/hellbearer

WDNHF | Consideration | Self-Release

 

Release Date: September 21, 2025

Format: Digital

Genre: Experimental/Ambient Rock/Krautrock

Country: Germany

Thomas Wildelau, known primarily as the drummer of Hamburg’s sludge outfit High Fighter, has stepped into entirely different waters with his solo project WDNHF (pronounced Weidenhof). His debut, "Consideration", is a complete do-it-yourself creation, from writing and arranging to recording and mixing, and it shows how far an artist can stretch away from their roots when left alone with time, space, and memory.

This album carries the atmosphere of solitude. It’s music that wanders through foggy landscapes, closer to personal reflection than to stage-ready performance. Guitars, keyboards, percussion, and electronic touches are used not as weapons of impact but as quiet brushes painting long passages of introspection. The songs move patiently, sometimes drifting into near silence, sometimes lifting slightly with layered textures.

What makes "Consideration" unusual is its refusal to sit inside a genre. It bends toward krautrock repetition, ambient soundscapes, and moments that echo the singer-songwriter tradition, but it doesn’t anchor itself anywhere. Tracks like "Foggy Air" or "Old Knots" stretch forward without a clear destination, almost like fragments of thought, while "The Procedure" closes the record in an extended form that feels more like an open-ended meditation than a conclusion.

Listening to this album is demanding. The flow is slow, the structure loose, and the emotional weight heavy. It is not music to consume quickly or easily. For some, that could be rewarding, but for others it may come across as difficult to grasp, out of reach, and too far removed from a conventional metal or rock listening experience.

"Consideration" is more of a document of personal exploration than an album aimed at a wide audience. There is honesty in the way it was created, and that sincerity comes through, even if the result remains distant and challenging. It’s an album that requires patience and a very open ear, but it may not resonate with everyone.

Score: 6.0

www.wdnhf.com

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www.wdnhf.bandcamp.com

Hyperstrike | High Risk | Self-Release

Release Date: 12 September 2025

Format: Digital

Genre: Action Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Thrash Metal

Country: United States

Born in the Blade, forged in chaos—Hyperstrike is Seattle's action metal war machine. Founded in 2024 by bass-slapping juggernaut Ben "Chop Daddy" Bennett, this band doesn’t play music, they drop sonic bombs. With a shadowy past tearing through thrash titans Warbringer and Bonded By Blood, and reigning as the "Lord Of The Low End" in sci-fi shredders Xoth, Bennett knew exactly what kind of beast he was building. First, he wrangled in Ilya, the shredder known as "The Claw," an assassin with riffs sharper than steel. Then came Adon, the "Brain Lord," a maniacal force spitting venomous truths, carrying the fire from his days in Ghost Ship Octavius and the twisted depths of Spiritual Suicide. Together, they built a soundtrack for the end of the world: songs about nuclear meltdowns, cage fighters, and kings of the slain. The final weapon in their arsenal? Josh, a drum-detonating powerhouse known as "Goblin Hammer," whose percussive assault forged their chaos into a relentless onslaught. Hyperstrike is a raw, unfiltered force with hearts of steel and a taste for mania. No apologies. No survivors. Just unrelenting aggression. Brace for impact, because once the trigger drops, nothing will ever be the same.

“High Risk” is the debut full-length from Hyperstrike, and it plays exactly like the album art suggests. A cosmic casino where the stakes are life and death, and every spin of the wheel is soaked in neon danger. In its ten tracks, the band drives headfirst into a cocktail of thrash, melodic death metal, and pure arena-sized anthems. It’s not restrained, it’s not subtle, and it isn’t meant to be. This is metal with its foot glued to the pedal.

“Meltdown” wastes no time detonating the charge, a three-minute blast that feels like the floor caving in under your feet. “Leaving You Again” switches gears into heartbreak-as-combat, bringing in one of the catchier choruses of the album. The title track, “High Risk,” is pure adrenaline, with riffs flying like chips across the table. The deeper cuts, such as “Shadowbound” and “Slug City,” throw the listener into darker corners of Hyperstrike’s universe, where creatures lurk and the neon glow drips with menace. Then there’s “Steel Heart” and “King Of The Slain,” anthems of strength and triumph delivered with the blunt force of warhammers. The closer, “Savage Sword,” is exactly what it promises. Sharp, furious, and leaving nothing but wreckage in its path.

Production-wise, the album packs a punch-thick bass tones, slicing guitar leads, and a drum sound that crackles with live-wire energy. The vocals strike with power and intensity, leaning into theatrical territory without losing their bite. If Hyperstrike wanted to make an album that sounds like an action movie where every scene is the climax, they’ve nailed it. The point is “High Risk” never slows down and was built for blasting, and fueling chaos. Seattle has birthed a new beast, and “High Risk” proves they’re ready to throw down with the best of them. High Risk. No Risk. No Reward.

Score: 8.3

https://www.facebook.com/hyperstrikeband

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

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

Precious Blood | False Prophets | Self-Release

 

Release Date: 29 October 2025

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl

Genre: Blackened Caribbean Doom Metal

Country: USA

Precious Blood might be a new name on paper, but its three members are anything but newcomers. Formed in 2024, the New York City trio gathers together guitarist and vocalist AJ (Jesus Knevil, Snake Canyon), bassist and vocalist Dave Kramer (Blood Feast, Suaka, Stanley), and drummer and vocalist Grace Perez (The Wickedexorcist). Their combined experience in thrash, doom, and underground metal bleeds into their debut full-length, “False Prophets”. The result is an album with heavy riffs, rough textures, and a grim atmosphere, wrapped in a strange and unique Caribbean-doom cloak.

The term blackened caribbean doom might sound unusual bur it describes well what Precious Blood is aiming for. Songs like “Footsteps Of Babylon” and “El Muerte” dig into historical and cultural shadows, with rhythms and accents that pull away from standard doom pacing. There’s a tribal sway here, even under the weight of distorted guitars and harsh vocal deliveries. On the other hand, tracks like “Bludgeoned Charred” and “Shadow Of The Cross” dive into more straightforward thrash territory, sharp and direct, keeping the energy alive. The balance between these two sides gives the album a restless character, refusing to sit still.

The production, handled by Joe Hogan alongside the band, captures an earthy rawness. The instruments grind against each other without losing shape, and the vocals, shared between all three members, provide a chaotic, almost ritualistic quality. “Whore’s Grave” (my fave track), the longest cut, carries this approach to its extreme, moving from pounding sections to eerie chants that echo with unease. Meanwhile, “Old Man Abaddon” shows the trio’s knack for twisting doom into something more frantic, almost deranged.

“False Prophets” doesn’t always hit with the same intensity across its eight tracks, yet it never loses its strange, unsettling charm. It feels like a debut that plants its flag with confidence in its own twisted path. The Caribbean influences aren’t just window dressing; they are stitched directly into the riffs and rhythmic backbone. It is an album that sounds born of smoky bars, half-lit rituals, and history whispered in drumbeats.

This is a promising and unusual first full-length, one that shows Precious Blood carving out a sound rooted in doom and thrash but shaded with the darker history and spirit of the Caribbean. It may not hit as hard as it could in every song, but “False Prophets” already gives the band a character of their own, something distinct in a crowded underground.

Score: 7.0

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Juliel | Aftermath | Self-Release

 

Release Date: 2024

Format: CD, Digital

Genre: Progressive Metal

Country: Germany

Juliel is the project of Bonn-born musician Juliane Ehl, an experienced guitarist, singer and songwriter who has been active since her teenage years. Having played in several bands including Insinerate and Candela, and having spent years performing in cover groups while teaching music, she eventually returned to her own long-conceived vision: a concept album exploring themes of destruction and renewal. After years of writing, recording and producing, the debut full-length “The Time Of The Ashes” was released in 2024. Ehl not only handled vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards and orchestral arrangements, but also designed the artwork and overall concept.

“The Time Of The Ashes” is a concept-driven progressive metal album with a strong narrative arc. It tells a story of catastrophe and survival, beginning with the impact of a meteorite and the descent into a nuclear winter, then guiding the listener toward glimpses of hope, strength and eventual rebirth. The ten tracks together form nearly an hour of music, shifting between heavy riff-driven sections, cinematic orchestration and acoustic interludes.

Musically, Juliel balances metal power with a cinematic sense of drama. “Impact” works as a compact instrumental prelude before “Aftermath” introduces the core of the album’s sound: mid-tempo progressive metal infused with orchestral and soundtrack-style layers. Songs like “Desperation” and “Shadows” bring darker, heavier passages, while “Land Of Light” and “Sunflowers” lean into acoustic and folk-inspired textures. The title track, “The Time Of The Ashes,” stretches over ten minutes and anchors the album with its shifting dynamics, from quiet introspection to expansive instrumental passages.

The voice of Juliane Ehl is expressive and emotional, guiding the listener through the story with clarity but with a little bit mediocre results. Her guitar work moves confidently between aggressive riffs and delicate melodic lines, while the orchestral elements and violin parts heighten the atmosphere. “Phoenix” serves as a climactic finale, resolving the journey with grandeur, while “The Winds Of The East” closes on a more fragile, ethereal note.

The strength of “The Time Of The Ashes” lies in its balance of concept and execution. It is progressive in scope, varied in instrumentation and carefully structured to unfold as a narrative experience rather than a collection of isolated tracks. The mixture of metal energy, cinematic orchestration and acoustic intimacy ensures that the dramatic theme of survival after destruction comes through with consistency across the album. This album will likely appeal to listeners who enjoy progressive metal with strong storytelling, a cinematic edge and a wide range of moods, from heavy riffing to atmospheric passages. It is ambitious and has personal presentation, offering a journey that invites repeated listens to fully explore its world.

Score: 6.0

Official Site: www.juliel-music.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/juliel_music Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=10...

Tales Of Destiny | Ashes Of Destiny | Self-Release

 

Release Date: September 26, 2025

Format: Digital/CD

Genre: Power Metal

Country: Canada

Tales Of Destiny is a band with roots deep in the mid-90s Quebec metal underground. Born in Beaupré, near Mont-Sainte-Anne, they started as a band of teenagers trying to channel the power of Iron Maiden, Iced Earth, Slayer, and Children Of Bodom. After years of dormancy, the original five friends have returned with "Ashes Of Destiny", a full-length album that revisits songs spanning their early years, recorded anew with today’s energy and sound. It represents three decades of shared history and determination, given life again through this release.

"Lost Cries" immediately reveals the band’s focus on dramatic, melodic power metal driven by galloping rhythms and twin-guitar interplay. The vocals of Bruno Pouliot have that classic 90s metal timbre, slightly raw and passionate, fitting naturally over the music’s grand sweep. Guitars from Alexis Gaulin and Olivier V. Girard carve strong melodies, while Luc Coulombe’s bass and Simon V. Girard’s drumming provide a tight backbone. Across its nearly 50-minute runtime, the album carries a heroic tone without drifting into excess.

Songs like "Children Of Darkness" and "Rescued By An Angel" ride on energetic riffs and triumphant refrains, while "Flame Of Victory" bursts with that traditional power metal momentum that fans of Maiden or Helloween will immediately recognize. The band also keeps things varied, balancing aggressive tracks like "Demon Tears" with more atmospheric moments such as "Silence" and the shorter closer "Night Shadow". What ties everything together is the 90s metal spirit.

The production, handled by Olivier V. Girard at Holywaves Studio, gives the album a modern punch while retaining an organic edge. The guitars bite, the drums have presence, and the vocals are placed in a way that feels direct and energetic. It’s a sound that respects the material’s origins but brings it forward with contemporary weight and power.

"Ashes Of Destiny" is a proud return to the band’s roots, delivered with sincerity. For fans of classic power metal with a touch of aggression, this is an album that radiates authenticity and passion. Tales Of Destiny might has started as kids rattling church walls, but today they sound like seasoned musicians who never lost sight of their dream.

Score: 7.0

Links:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/15l1zeClpjaNKrItQ0NA0d
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tales-of-Destiny-115849881814416/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tales_of_destiny_metal_band/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalesOfDestinyMetalBand
Bandcamp: https://talesofdestiny.bandcamp.com/

Filet-O-Flesh | Inner Piece | Independent

 

Release Date: 10/31/25

Format: Digital

Genre: Death Metal

Country: USA

Brandon Chase, the mind behind Filet-O-Flesh, has carved out a place for himself in underground death metal with a raw and relentless approach. Hailing from Chicago, this one-man project made a bloody entrance with last year’s “And The Earth Shall Inherit The Dead.” Now, Chase returns with his second full-length, “Inner Piece,” which takes the horror-soaked themes even further, both in imagery and sound.

“Inner Piece” is an album soaked in gore-soaked theatrics. The cover art tells you everything you need to know, and the songs follow through with unfiltered aggression. Across eleven tracks, Chase blends the classic influences of American death metal with his own fascination for splatter horror and grotesque storytelling. The production is raw enough to maintain grit, and never loses the crushing heaviness that drives the music forward.

Tracks like “Obsessive Repulsive Disorder” and “Blessed Be The Hands That Flay” hammer with chainsaw riffing and blasting drums, while “Blueprint For Armageddon” and “By The Throat” inject a grinding intensity that nods to both old-school brutality and modern ferocity. His decision to cover “Pet Sematary” (all-time fave track them) gives a morbid twist to the RAMONES’ classic, reimagining it through a death metal lens. The title track “Inner Piece” captures the album’s grisly spirit perfectly, splitting open its sound with thick grooves and violent atmosphere.

Lyrically, Chase keeps close to the world of body horror, cannibalism, and decay. It reads almost like pages torn from a splatter comic, fitting the grotesque aesthetic that Filet-O-Flesh thrives on. This ties neatly into the brutal, cartoonish artwork, giving the album a complete identity that feels authentic to its underground spirit.

Overall, “Inner Piece” is a raw, bloody death metal slab that keeps its underground edge intact while expanding Chase’s vision for Filet-O-Flesh. It’s loud, gory, and brazenly brutal, exactly the kind of release that fans of underground death metal look for around Halloween.

Score: 8.0

https://www.facebook.com/filet.o.flesh/

https://filetoflesh.bandcamp.com/

Burned In Effigy | Tyrannus Aeternum | Independent

 

Release Date: 31 October 2025

Format: Digital/CD/Vinyl

Genre: Neoclassical Melodic Death Metal

Country: USA

Chicago’s Burned In Effigy returns with their second full-length “Tyrannus Aeternum”, a follow-up to their debut “Rex Mortem” from 2022. Emerging from the Midwest scene in 2017, the band quickly earned a reputation for technical precision and fierce energy, sharing stages with names like Orbit Culture, Obscura, and Revocation. With this new album, they expand their sound while remaining rooted in the sharp blend of melody and aggression that has fueled their rise.

Across eleven tracks, Burned In Effigy balance two driving forces: neoclassical grandeur and melodic death metal’s intensity. Songs like “Befouled Benefaction” and “Retribution” carry intricate guitar work layered with symphonic accents, giving the music a sense of sweep and drama. Shorter interludes such as “Procession” and “Gallows Hymn” add cinematic touches that break up the heavier assaults, making the experience more dynamic without pulling away from the momentum.

The rhythm section is relentless throughout. Matt Watkins’ bass provides a heavy backbone, while Eddie Dec’s drumming is filled with bursts of double-kick fury and shifting tempos that keep the listener on edge. Over this, vocal delivery from Mark “Smedy” Smedbron cuts with harsh growls, consistently matching the power of the instrumentation. Guitars remain the central driving element, with Steve Bacakos and Mike Hisson weaving together ornate riffs and solos that keep the neoclassical flavor alive.

Production, handled by Jordan Beal, gives the album a modern punch while letting the orchestral elements, arranged by Graham Southern, breathe inside the heavier mix. “Tyrannus Aeternum” is an ambitious release that doesn’t lose its focus. It delivers on its promise of ferocity while carrying a theatrical edge that will appeal to listeners who want precision and fire in equal measure. Burned In Effigy proves they are not only keeping pace with the melodic death metal scene but pushing forward with a sound that is immediately their own.

Score: 8.0

https://burnedineffigy.bandcamp.com/album/tyrannus-aeternum

https://www.facebook.com/burnedineffigyofficial

https://www.instagram.com/burnedineffigyil/

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

De Profundis | The Gospel Of Rot | Independent

 

Release Date: October 1^st, 2025

Format: Digital

Country: UK

Formed in London in 2005, De Profundis has spent the last two decades carving out a reputation as one of the UK’s most relentless and uncompromising death metal bands. Blending the brutality of old-school death with technical finesse and hints of thrash and black metal, they have steadily earned respect across the international scene. Over the years, they have shared stages with acts like Malevolent Creation, Rotting Christ, and Gorguts, releasing albums that continue to push their vision forward. Now celebrating their 20th anniversary, De Profundis return with a new line-up and a fierce new EP, “The Gospel Of Rot.”

“The Gospel Of Rot” is an EP in four tracks that captures the essence of modern death metal while keeping a raw, uncompromising energy at its core. Opening with “I: Corruption,” the band strikes with an unrelenting assault that crosses into thrash and blackened territory, instantly showing the renewed fire within their ranks. New vocalist Stefano Bassi delivers cavernous growls that add weight and menace, while Simon McAuliffe’s bass tone cuts through with an aggression that becomes an essential part of the EP’s character.

By the time “II: Deception” unfolds, the EP has already established itself as one of the band’s strongest statements to date. The riffs move between ferocity and intricacy, layered with subtle shifts that keep the songs engaging. “III: Indoctrination” stands out with relentless drumming and scorching lead work, embodying the controlled chaos that makes De Profundis so compelling.

The finale, a cover of Sepultura’s “Subtraction,” is handled with precision and respect, yet transformed into something distinctly De Profundis. It’s the EP’s momentum, closing things on a thunderous note. Mixed and mastered by Matt Jones at Capsaarx Studios, “The Gospel Of Rot” sounds powerful and balanced, carrying the weight and intensity of the band’s vision. The striking artwork by Pierre-Alain D. (3mmi Design) completes the release, visually reinforcing the EP’s themes of decay, corruption, and defiance. “The Gospel Of Rot” takes its place in the extreme metal landscape. After 20 years, they sound as vital and dangerous as ever.

Score: 8.0

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