Blackwater Drowning |Obscure Sorrows |Bleeding Art Collective/Blood Blast Distribution

Release Date February 27^th, 2026
Format CD/Digital
Genre Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore
Country United States

Blackwater Drowning comes out of North Carolina tearing up the pit as a five-piece melodic death metal and metalcore squad. Singer Morgan Riley and guitarist Jeremy Bennett started the whole thing. They brought in Ron Dalton Jr on second guitar, Aria Novi smashing the bass, and Aamon Dalton blasting the drums. They dropped two early EPs and their first full-length "Sonder//Satori" a few years ago. Since then, they shared stages with heavy hitters like Soulfly, Jinjer, and Crypta. Now they return swinging with "Obscure Sorrows", getting Cryptopsy axeman Christian Donaldson to handle the mixing desk and Giannis Nakos to paint the cover art. Guitar shredders Greg Burgess from Allegaeon and Japanese master Yo Onityan drop in for guest solos.

The music smashes straight into your skull with total hostility. They blend raspy, blackened vocal attacks with massive grooves. The guitars deliver serious riffage. Melodic leads weave through the brutality, giving you plenty of reasons to snap your neck. Lyrically, they attack crazy folklore like La Llorona, old curses, and real-life miseries like depression and death. The aggression stays absolutely vicious. The orchestration adds massive layers to the violence. Everything impacts with intense force.

You get a serious dose of heavy music here. The drumming crushes skulls with relentless blasting and heavy double kick patterns. Riley tears her vocal cords apart with massive screams and deep growls. The two guitars rip through frantic thrash sections and heavy breakdowns. Sometimes the slower melodic parts drop the adrenaline a little too much. The songs have massive hooks, keeping you engaged through the violence. The production sounds aggressive. Donaldson gave them a huge wall of sound.

"Obscure Sorrows" delivers the goods for anyone who lives in the pit. It brings plenty of violence and neck-breaking riffs. Blackwater Drowning stepped up their songwriting game on this release. The guest guitar solos rip hard and add extra fire to the tracks. The orchestration makes the whole album sound absolutely huge. You will definitely trash your living room listening to this one. Blackwater Drowning came to destroy.

Score: 7.5

https://www.blackwaterdrowning.com

https://www.facebook.com/blackwaterdrowning

https://www.instagram.com/blackwaterdrowning

https://www.bleedingartcollective.com

https://www.instagram.com/bleedingartcollective

https://www.facebook.com/BleedingArtCollective

Auditory Anguish | AFA | Creator-Destructor Records

Release Date: November 14th, 2025

Format: Digital, 12” Vinyl

Genre: Death Metal, Hardcore, Metalcore

Country: USA

Hailing from Southern California, Auditory Anguish has steadily built a name for themselves in the underground hardcore and death metal scene. With previous releases like “Tragedies Of Western Existence” and “Crime Rituals”, the band has toured extensively across the West Coast, blending hardcore energy with death metal heaviness. Their latest EP, “AFA”, marks their first release under Creator-Destructor Records, bringing their raw, intense sound to a wider audience.

Auditory Anguish’s “AFA” is a concentrated burst of aggressive music, moving quickly from one track to the next without any filler. The EP leans on short, impactful songs, delivering unrelenting energy that shifts between crushing breakdowns, dark grooves, and intense vocal assaults. There’s a clear sense of urgency throughout, with each track striking hard and leaving little space for respite. Guest appearances, like those from Tzompantli on “Tierra Santa”, add subtle layers without distracting from the main force of the band.

The production, handled by Taylor Young and Nick Townsend, keeps the sound dense yet controlled. Vocals sit prominently over the guitars and drums, giving the songs a raw edge that fits the aggressive style. Despite the brevity of each track, “AFA” manages to present a complete snapshot of the band’s sound, mixing metallic hardcore rhythms with death metal heaviness in a way that’s straightforward and engaging. For fans of bands like Xibalba, Deftones, Trash Talk, the EP delivers on expectation with tracks that hit hard and maintain momentum. It doesn’t overstay its welcome; instead, it condenses everything the band does into a short, sharp collection of songs.

Overall, “AFA” is like a strong, direct statement from Auditory Anguish, combining intensity, aggression, and precise execution in a compact format. It’s a solid addition to their discography, offering a focused experience for listeners who appreciate hardcore-infused death metal.

Score: 6.5

https://auditoryanguish.bandcamp.com

https://www.instagram.com/auditoryanguish

https://creator-destructor.com

https://creator-destructor.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/creatordestructorrecords

https://x.com/CD_Records

https://www.instagram.com/creator_destructor_records

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

Refiner | Refiner | Rottweiler Records

 

Format: Digital/CD

Genre: Metalcore

Country: USA

Release Date: September 26th, 2025

Christopher Adam, the driving force behind Refiner, joined Rottweiler Records in early 2025 and quickly made his presence known. A multi-instrumentalist with a sharp instinct for blending aggression and melody, he introduced Refiner as a project meant to explore the more emotional side of metalcore, with layers of electronics and atmosphere. After two EPs, “Return To Dust” and “Mistake”, this self-titled album arrives to pull all his creations together into one unified release, enriched with a few new ideas.

The album opens with “All Aboard”, an introduction that builds a sense of excitement before “Not The End” lands with massive guitars and strong, determined energy. The song has an uplifting tone that matches its lyrical push toward resilience. “Upside Uʍop” brings in a darker groove, where electronic elements move against the heavy riffs in an interesting way. “Return To Dust” sounds the most anthemic, with melodies that stick easily and choruses that hit an emotional nerve without becoming melodramatic.

One of the main surprises here is “Selfish Days”, which adds freshness to the collection. The contrast between harshness and reflective moments works well, giving the album a personal depth. The final vocal track, “Mistake”, brings everything together with its mix of aggression and introspection, giving a sense of closure.

The physical release adds instrumental versions of each track, which underline the structure of the songs and how well the electronic and metalcore elements blend together. The remix “God Doesn’t Make Mistakes” closes the album on a slightly different tone, more experimental and layered, while the radio edit of “Return To Dust” serves as a condensed reminder of the album’s main focus.

Overall, Refiner is a cohesive and thoughtful project. The sound is tight and consistent, the production has punch, and Christopher Adam’s songwriting shows sincerity. It doesn’t aim to overwhelm with technicality or overproduction, it’s straightforward, emotional, and designed to leave an impression through energy and honesty. For fans of Neck Of The Woods, Bleeding Through, and My Place Was Taken, this album will offer a familiar yet engaging experience, one that blends heaviness with reflection. It might not shake the foundations of metalcore but it has a clear sense of purpose and identity.

Score: 6.5

https://www.facebook.com/refinermetal

https://www.rottweilerrecords.com/

Exoneration | Monuments To Nothing | Rottweiler Records

 

Release Date: August 29th, 2025
Format: Digital/CD
Country: USA/Netherlands

When two musicians from different continents decide to create something together, the results can be unpredictable. In the case of Exoneration, the project unites American guitarist and programmer Corey Stiles with Dutch vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Arnaud Zijp. The duo signed with Rottweiler Records at the end of 2024, quickly delivering a holiday single before turning their attention to a full-length release. The result is their debut album, "Monuments To Nothing", an ambitious dive into metalcore that arrives with plenty of noise and intensity but struggles to leave a lasting impression.

The album opens with “The Abyss We Crown,” a track that storms in with aggression, establishing the kind of turbulent guitars and caustic vocals that dominate the album. “Thorn” and “Birth By Death” follow a similar route, driven by sharp riffing and relentless growls, creating an overwhelming wall of sound that doesn’t always find direction. Midway through, “Psalm 115” introduces choral layers, breaking the pattern momentarily, while “Basilisk,” featuring Candlebearer, pushes harder with heavy passages that briefly raise the energy before returning to familiar territory.

One of the more unusual moments comes with “Soul Of A Great Warrior,” an instrumental that shifts between pounding heaviness and short-lived melodies. It suggests that Exoneration has the ability to step away from their usual formula, even if the piece itself feels more like a sketch than a statement. Later tracks like “Martyr” and “Where Else Should We Go” (featuring Hillyn) lean on big choruses and added vocal variety, yet the overall impact fades quickly. By the time the closing track “Unfettered” arrives, the album’s promise of diversity feels buried under sheer volume.

Lyrically, "Monuments To Nothing" seems built on grand concepts—struggles, destruction, and empty pursuits—but the delivery doesn’t always match the ambition. There’s plenty of force, yet much of it feels unfocused, resulting in an album that is loud and aggressive without carrying much substance beneath the surface. For listeners who want sheer heaviness without much else, Exoneration provides plenty of firepower. For others searching for depth or innovation, "Monuments To Nothing" risks being exactly what its title suggests. A grand construction without solid foundation.

Score: 5.0

http://www.exoneration.band/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563351883433

https://www.rottweilerrecords.com/

Accvsed | Dealers Of Doom | Arising Empire

 

Since their formation in 2021, Accvsed has adhered to one principle: presenting themselves to the world authentically, without playing a role or sugarcoating their expressions. They channel their deepest traumas and fears into their music, creating a distinct and energetic blend of bold guitar riffs, unique vocals, and raw emotion. This combination shapes their sound into an unstoppable force.

Hailing from Wiesbaden, Accvsed quickly realized that being a local band was not their ambition. They moved swiftly and made a significant impact on the music scene with their debut EP, “House Of Doubt”, released in December 2023. The breakthrough single “Currents” led the 6-song EP, establishing a foundation for their constantly evolving musical style and garnering them worldwide attention. This success resulted in support shows and festival appearances throughout Germany and its surrounding countries.

Now, two years later, the German heavyweights unleash their debut full-length “Dealers Of Doom” via Arising Empire. Spanning ten tracks, the album thrives on pure aggression and raw intensity. The sound is built on a foundation of punishing breakdowns, thick riffs, and a vocal delivery that carries the weight of anger, fear, and despair in equal measure. The energy is relentless, often leaving little breathing space, with each track hitting like a direct strike rather than offering relief or reprieve.

Songs like “Day Of The Locust” and the title track “Dealers Of Doom” set the tone early with hammering rhythms and suffocating heaviness. “Don’t Let Me Fall Apart” and “Total Eclipse Of Self” reveal the more personal and emotional side of the band, yet still remain firmly rooted in the same punishing sonic territory. Later cuts such as “Make Sure It Hurts” and “Obsidian” underline the band’s preference for intensity over variety, building walls of sound that hit hard but rarely shift direction.

This is an album designed for listeners who want their metal as heavy and unforgiving as possible. It thrives on sheer force and unrelenting pressure, offering catharsis through volume and aggression. However, for those looking for range, experimentation, or moments of contrast, this may feel too one-dimensional. There are flashes of strength and moments that catch the ear, but the album largely stays in its own lane from beginning to end.

“Dealers Of Doom” is an honest, aggressive, and heavy metalcore release that fits well alongside bands like Thrown, After The Burial, and Landmvrks. It won’t be for everyone, but for those who seek heaviness above all else, Accvsed delivers exactly that.

Score: 6.0