Dead Sun | This Life Is A Grave | Emanzipation Productions

Release Date: 19 December 2025

Format: CD/Digital

Genre: Death Metal

Country: Sweden

Dead Sun began in 1996 as Rogga Johansson’s project for pushing his melodic instincts inside death metal, running parallel to his early work in Terminal Grip. The band delivered two demos before slipping into a long silence, then stirred back to activity in the early 2010s with a compilation that mixed past material with fresh recordings. Since then, Dead Sun has kept a steady rhythm of releases, always circling the same Swedish core that shaped Johansson’s writing from the beginning. With “This Life Is A Grave”, Rogga teams up with drummer Thomas Ohlsson and continues the band’s journey through dark melodies, heavy riffing, and an atmosphere built on steady gloom.

“This Life Is A Grave” sticks close to the Swedish melodic death metal identity that long-time listeners expect from Johansson’s projects. The riffs come thick and catchy, carrying a cold, autumn energy, while the vocals grind through the songs with harsh bite. The guitars move between heaviness and sorrowful melody, giving each track a shadowy personality without drifting into anything sugary. The album has a consistent tone, the kind that pulls you into its grey world and keeps you there from start to finish.

Johansson’s style is immediately recognizable in how he builds songs. He writes with directness, using sturdy rhythm patterns and bleak melodic lines that suit his doom-tinged sensibilities. Ohlsson’s drumming adds punch and pushes the material forward with steady force. Nothing spirals away from the core idea of melodic death metal, and that focus keeps the album grounded and easy to follow. The pacing remains steady, and the atmosphere stays dark without collapsing into repetition.

“This Life Is A Grave” may not shift Dead Sun into new territory, although it does show how firmly Johansson has settled into this melodic death metal space. It delivers what the project promises, a cold and riff-driven ride shaped by Swedish influences and Rogga’s distinct creative fingerprints. Fans of his many bands, along with listeners who crave straightforward melodic death metal (and more close to Godgory), will find this to be a solid addition to his long list of releases.

Score: 7.0

https://www.facebook.com/DeadSun666

https://www.instagram.com/dead_sun666/#

https://rjdeadsun.bandcamp.com/album/end-of-the-rising

https://music.youtube.com/channel/UC1oz8tg1PPmkIx_UrZMpwSg

Trold | Til Gilde Under Ulven (Live At Copenhell '25) | Mighty Music

Release Date: 19 December 2025

Format: Digital/LP/ CD

Genre: Folk Metal

Country: Denmark

Trold have grown fast in the Nordic folk metal scene, and their roots run deep in a world of myths, wild humor, and loud celebration. Formed in Denmark, the band has spent the last years turning every stage into something closer to a rowdy forest gathering, where shouts, laughter, and heavy riffs mix together in a thick haze. Their studio releases built the foundation, but their reputation truly exploded through live shows where the line between band and crowd almost disappears. With “Til Gilde Under Ulven (Live At Copenhell '25)”, they trap that atmosphere inside a release that carries the heat, noise, and madness of that famous afternoon at Copenhell.

The album opens its gates with the crowd roaring like a summoned beast, and Trold jumps right in with a performance that radiates energy from start to finish. The guitars cut across the air in a bright, lively way, the drums push everything forward with marching force, and Allan Madsen’s vocals are wild and earthy in the best possible manner. It is the kind of performance where the band sound locked in with the audience, building a momentum that stays strong through the entire show. You can almost picture the dust, the raised fists, and the sun shining on bodies that refuse to stand still. The festival magic is captured clearly, without getting messy or losing shape.

Songs like “Med Høtyv Og Fakkel”, “Troldmanden” and “Heksen” come across with the same playful aggression that made the studio versions so popular. Live, they have more bite, more sweat, and more chaos. Trold uses their folk elements as a spark rather than a decoration, pushing rhythms that invite movement, chanting, and loud voices from the crowd. When they dive into longer moments like “Den Gamle Sump (Medley)”, the performance grows even bigger and more theatrical in a fun, noisy way, the sort of thing that makes strangers throw arms around each other. The whole album keeps that spirit alive, staying warm, fast, and festive without losing clarity.

As a whole, “Til Gilde Under Ulven (Live At Copenhell '25)” works like a bottled storm, chaotic in flavor but steady in how it hits. It is loud, colorful, and proud of its roots, the kind of live release that reminds you why folk metal thrives on stages where sun and sweat mix together. Trold sounds hungry, joyful, and absolutely in their element. It is easy to imagine fans returning to this release whenever they want that Copenhell afternoon back, even long after the festival dust has settled.

Score: 7.5

https://www.facebook.com/troldband

https://www.instagram.com/troldband/#

https://troldband.bandcamp.com/

https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCV0EC4mU_F5RWhqFvlkufuQ

Noirsuaire | The Dragging Poison | Osmose Productions

Release Date: 26 December 2025

Format: CD/Vinyl

Genre: Black Metal

Country: France

Noirsuaire is the solitary creation of musician N, a project born in an attic on the French side of the Pyrenees. After early demos and smaller releases that hinted at a vision rooted in the darker corners of the '90s underground, “The Dragging Poison” arrives as the first full-length. The project draws its bloodline from the raw French lineage connected to names like Bekhira and Seigneur Voland, while also leaning toward the ghostly aggression once found in Nastrond or the early rampage of Marduk. With the album mixed and mastered by Sébastien Tuvi at BST Studios, the sound is shaped with intention, keeping the harshness intact while giving every layer enough presence to strike with clarity.

“The Dragging Poison” moves with a steady, oppressive temperament. Noirsuaire keeps the guitar work firmly rooted in a frozen, serrated tradition, always pushing forward, always maintaining that cold Pyrenean temperament. Vocals carve through the noise with a rasp that sticks close to the genre’s older foundations, and the production amplifies this approach without softening the edges. The pacing remains consistent, keeping the atmosphere in line with the themes of vampirism, folklore and occult devotion that circle the album’s narrative. David Thiérrée’s artwork strengthens this dark framework, matching the project’s fixation on an older European shadow world.

Noirsuaire’s songwriting avoids theatrics and instead stays locked on a narrow, hostile path. Tracks like “The Trance Of Bedless Bones” and “Fogged By The Leaves Of Pestilence” bring an abrasive harshness that suits the project’s minimalistic brutality. When the title track “The Dragging Poison” appears, the project leans deeper into a grim, trance-like march, gripping in its repetition and weight. Later moments such as “Sworn By Sinister Wisdom” build a more relentless haze, while the self-titled closer “Noirsuaire” wraps the album in a storm of scraping riffs and poisonous atmosphere.

As a whole, “The Dragging Poison” stands as a stark tribute to a specific spirit of black metal, one shaped by solitude and devotion to the rawest corners of the genre’s lineage. Noirsuaire doesn’t shift from that vision, choosing instead to carve it with discipline and a bleak sense of tradition. The album is unwavering, frozen in its chosen aesthetics and strengthened by the focused production behind it.

Score: 7.0

Facebook: facebook.com/noirsuaire

Instagram: instagram.com/noirsuaire

Bandcamp: noirsuaire.bandcamp.com

Email: noirsuaire@gmail.com

Alkemia | Alkemia | Inverse Records

Release Date: 2025

Format: Dugital

Genre: Stoner/Punk Rock

Country: Finland

Alkemia formed in Finland with a simple starting point, rough stoner energy mixed with punk attitude. The band members recorded their debut “Alkemia EP” partly in a professional studio in Espoo and partly in their rehearsal space in Helsinki. They worked through mixer changes and scheduling delays, moving at their own pace, and shaping something that reflects their noisy, sweaty practice room spirit. Their taste leans toward groups like Eyehategod and Bad Brains, and you can hear that raw edge living in their approach.

The EP moves with loose swagger, almost like the band is playing two meters in front of you. The guitar tone keeps everything gritty, the vocals stay rugged, and the rhythm section pushes forward with a steady stomp. The sound never tries to smooth out or soften anything, it stays rough on purpose, suited for basement gigs and dim club nights. The band’s punk streak appears in the straight punch of the songs, while the stoner side adds a thicker, fuzzier presence.

There is an unfiltered charm here, the kind that comes from musicians who simply plug in and go for it. The songs move fast and don’t bother with complicated structures. Instead, the EP thrives on repetition, noise, and immediacy. At times the delivery can blur together, which fits the scruffy attitude but also keeps the EP from reaching deeper impact. The ideas are solid, although they could gain more shape with sharper transitions or stronger hooks.

Still, as a debut, “Alkemia EP” sets the band on a clear path. They know what they want to sound like, and this release captures that intent with honesty. It is rough, sweaty, and loud, exactly the terrain Alkemia seems to enjoy inhabiting. For listeners who like their stoner punk raw and unfiltered, this EP will scratch that itch. For others, it might come across as a bit one note, though never dull.

Score: 6.5

Links: 

https://www.facebook.com/bandalkemia 

https://www.instagram.com/bandalkemia 

https://alkemiaband.bandcamp.com

Pentakolo | Exiled To Infinite Gloom | Unholy Domain Records/Cavernous Records

Release Date: 27 July 2025
Format: Digital/CD/Cassette
Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Country: Italy

Pentakolo is a death thrash duo from the mountains of northern Italy, formed in 2021 by Deba and Tom. Their background is rooted in raw underground metal, shaped by early thrash, primitive death metal and the cold energy of northern European influences. After their first demo and the rough EP "Dominion From The Abyss" in 2023, the band spent years sharpening their identity on stage while supporting groups like Master and Necrodeath. This led to their first full length "Exiled To Infinite Gloom", released through Unholy Domain Records and Cavernous Records. Listeners who gravitate toward old school aggression with a harsh, hardcore edge will likely connect with Pentakolo’s vision.

"Exiled To Infinite Gloom" moves with abrupt motion and blunt attack, the kind you expect from a duo that writes with instinct instead of overthinking. The music keeps a cold grip, driven by jagged riffing and drums that strike with constant pressure. Deba’s voice stands over the mix like a rusted blade, carrying the same raw character the band hinted at on their earlier work, only now with stronger direction. The songwriting remains compact and direct, not weighed down by decoration or unnecessary flourishes. This approach gives the album a steady pace that fits its grim tone.

The sound production keeps everything rough enough to preserve the underground identity, while still allowing the aggression to stay clear to the listener. The riffs come in short violent bursts, shaped by early death metal muscle and thrash speed. There is a cold atmosphere around the guitar work that gives the album its personality, making it feel like a modern echo of the era Pentakolo clearly admires. The vocal delivery adds a harsh layer that never softens, built to match the coldness of the riffs without drifting into monotony.

As a debut full length, "Exiled To Infinite Gloom" delivers exactly what Pentakolo haa been building toward since their formation. It captures their rough character, their sharp underground instincts, and their passion for the classic forms of death and thrash metal. It is an album made by a band that knows where it stands, and that certainty gives the listening experience a steady impact. Fans of Obituary style stomp or Celtic Frost rooted ugliness will likely feel right at home with this release.

Score: 7.0

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/pentakolo_occvlt

https://pentakolo.bandcamp.com/album/exiled-to-infinite-gloom

https://www.facebook.com/UnholyDomainRecs

https://www.facebook.com/CavernousRecords

The Mist | The Dark Side Of The Soul (An Anatomy Of The Soul) | Alma Mater Records

Release Date: November 7, 2025

Format: Studio Album

Genre: Thrash Metal

Country: Brazil

The Mist rose from the ruins of Mayhem in 1989, driven by Vladimir Korg’s move from Chakal into a band ready for something darker and more imaginative. Their early albums “Phantasmagoria” and “The Hangman Tree” carved out a corner of Brazilian thrash that mixed aggression with eerie, literary storytelling. After shifting styles, line-ups, and finally dissolving in the mid-90s, the band reformed decades later with a renewed spark and eventually signed with Alma Mater Records. Their path back to the studio was long, shaped by reunions, departures, and small releases that showed a band rebuilding itself step by step. “The Dark Side Of The Soul (An Anatomy Of The Soul)” marks their first full album in thirty years.

The Mist returns with an album that sounds charged with the weight of their past without being stuck in it. “The Dark Side Of The Soul (An Anatomy Of The Soul)” digs deep into psychological territory through Vladimir Korg’s vivid lyrics, delivered with a rasp that turns each line into a warning. The thrash foundation is immediate and aggressive, pushed forward by riffs that keep tension high and by drumming that treats every shift as a new strike. Even with the conceptual structure, the record moves with purpose and the narrative adds character without getting tangled in its own ideas.

The three-part structure gives the album a steady climb. The opening section uses raw storytelling to explore life and loss through blunt, disturbing questions. It has a direct edge that fits the band’s history but also signals a more poetic ambition. The middle section is the most imaginative, tying organs to emotional states in a way that suits the harsher delivery. Korg leans into theatrical imagery, sketching a world where the body and soul argue, accuse, and sometimes mock each other. Some moments echo early The Mist in their darker atmospheres, though the production lifts everything into sharper focus.

The final section lands with darker reflections about death and what remains when matter and self part ways. The confrontational tone never slips, and the closing shouts tie the story together with brutal simplicity. Tue Madsen’s mixing brings out the aggression in the guitars and the grit in Korg’s voice, and the artwork by Michael Whelan adds another layer of eeriness to the release. The band sounds unified, driven by the same energy that fueled their return on recent tours and recordings.

After such a long break between albums, The Mist delivers a release that stands firm on its own character. It has intensity, imagination, and a clear sense of direction. It shows a veteran band pushing themselves forward with confidence, and that alone gives “The Dark Side Of The Soul” a strong presence in the current thrash landscape.

Score: 7.5

https://www.facebook.com/themistband/

https://www.instagram.com/themistband/

https://x.com/themistband

Danko Jones | Leo Rising | Perception

Release Date: November 21, 2025

Format: Album

Genre: Punk Rock

Country: Canada

Danko Jones has walked the rock circuit since the mid nineties, always on the move, always plugged into their own high voltage gospel of bass, drums, guitar and sweat. The Toronto trio built their name through constant touring, short nights of sleep and a catalogue that keeps their fans loud and loyal. Their line up has been solid for more than a decade and that stability shows. They work like a band that has nothing to prove to anyone, just a hunger to keep the machine running.

“Leo Rising” arrives as their twelfth full length, a number that signals how deeply they have dug into this life. The album opens with the swagger of “What You Need” and moves straight into the bounce of “Diamond In The Rough”, where Marty Friedman drops in and adds extra fire. The energy stays high through “Everyday Is Saturday Night” and “I Love It Louder”, a run that sets up the album’s attitude clearly. Danko’s vocals keep their familiar bite, backed by riffs that go straight for the gut without hesitation.

The middle section brings their trademark mix of cheeky lyrics and no nonsense strike. “Hot Fox” and “Pretty Stuff” lean into the band’s playful spirit, while “I’m Going Blind” and “Gotta Let It Go” drag the mood into more grounded territory, speaking from the well worn life of three musicians who spend most of their existence among suitcases and soundchecks. “It’s A Celebration” sits right in the pocket of pure rock adrenaline, a burst meant for live crowds who know how to shout every line back.

Eric Ratz returns to the production chair and keeps the trio’s sound punchy and immediate. Everything sits tight, loud and straight to the point, without unnecessary shine. The band recorded from separate locations again, a routine that clearly suits them. It does not blunt their chemistry, it simply reflects how they operate these days, always in motion.

“Leo Rising” captures Danko Jones doing what they do best. The trio hit hard, keep the tempo hot and deliver songs built for stages packed with sweaty strangers who just want noise and fun. This album will sit comfortably among their strongest work, sturdy and ready for the road, another loud chapter in a career that refuses to slow down.

Score: 8.0

https://linktr.ee/dankojones

Wounded In Forest | Antihuman Artist | Inverse Records

Release Date: December 5^th, 2025

Format: Digital

Genre: Death Metal

Country: Finland

Wounded In Forest comes from Oulu, Finland, carrying the scars of a long journey that began in another band and ended with the death of their former drummer. Instead of letting the loss end everything, the remaining members rebuilt themselves, changed roles, and pushed forward with a rawer approach. The result is a band driven by grief, anger, and storytelling. Their lyrical world expands from real Finnish history into violent fiction, and their dual-vocal approach creates a tension that fits their dark narratives. “Antihuman Artist” is their first EP, set in the brutal era of the Great Wrath and centered on a character shaped entirely by cruelty.

“Antihuman Artist” moves with a harsh directness, keeping its focus on old school death metal delivered with a cold northern bite. The guitars grind steadily, sometimes breaking into faster tremolo lines that sharpen the atmosphere. The drumming keeps the ground shaking, switching between frantic bursts and steadier blasts with no intention of softening the impact. The two vocal styles, the deep growls and the sharp screams, work like different personalities trapped in the same broken mind, and the contrast strengthens the EP’s twisted historical theme.

The EP’s narrative spirit comes through clearly, not through theatrical tricks but through the constant pressure in the music. The riffs cut forward with a grim determination, echoing the brutality of the story they follow. Each track holds its own ground, and the band maintains a dark momentum from start to finish. The music stays loyal to its death metal foundation, pushed by a cold emotional core that matches the violence described in the lyrics.

As a debut, “Antihuman Artist” introduces a band that knows exactly what world needs to build. Wounded In Forest taps into historical horror and turns it into something harsh, straightforward, and uncomfortably human. The EP walks inside the darkest corners of Finnish history and treats them with unfiltered aggression, fitting the narrative they chose to tell. It is a strong start from a band that clearly draws fuel from real pain and real events.

Score: 7.5

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/woundedinforest

https://woundedinforest.bandcamp.com

Voodoo Highway | Made In Kachot | Voodoo Highway

Release Date: 24 October 2025

Format: Live Album

Genre: Hard Rock

Country: Italy

Voodoo Highway has always lived in that sweet spot where hard rock swings with swagger and the Hammond organ roars like it grew up on gasoline. Formed in Italy and known for albums like “Broken Uncle’s Inn”, “Showdown”, and “The Ordeal”, the band earned a steady reputation for energetic hooks and a bluesy fire that set them apart from their European peers. After seven years away from the studio and stage, their reunion show at RockaFE Festival becomes “Made In Kachot”, a live document of their return to action.

The album plays like a band stepping back under the lights with zero hesitation. The crowd ambience adds raw charm and the band sounds hungry, loud and ready to hit from the first second. Federico Di Marco’s voice still carries that smoky edge, and the mix keeps him right where he needs to be. Behind him, the Hammond roars in all the right places, the bass keeps its warm thump, the guitar riffs cut through with character, and the drums lock everything in with punch and swagger. The sound never slips into chaos, it stays lively and rough in a way that suits a reunion show recorded straight from the stage.

Older classics come alive with noticeable attitude, especially “Gasoline Woman” and “Till It Bleeds”, songs that already had a rebellious streak in studio form. Played live, they gain extra grit. The new recording approach by Samuele Grandi keeps the atmosphere intact, treating the show as a living moment rather than something to polish into perfection. Christian Bondandini’s artwork mirrors that spirit, loud colors and chaotic motion, exactly what a sweaty night in Ferrara must have felt like. By the time “Running Around” closes the set, the return of Voodoo Highway lands with solid impact.

“Made In Kachot” works as a bridge between the band’s past and whatever they plan next. It reminds listeners why people cared in the first place, while making it clear that the spark is still there. With a new studio album on the horizon, this live release stands as proof that the long break didn’t cool them down. It only loaded the spring.

Score: 7.0

https://linktr.ee/voodoohighway

The Harbinger | Gates Of Hell | Inverse Records

Release Date: December 12th 2025

Format: Digital

Genre: Melodic Death/Doom Metal

Country: Finland

The Harbinger came together during a freezing Finnish winter in 2016, slowly chiseling their identity through line up changes and early releases. Their first EP “Shadows Dance” arrived through singles between 2020 and 2021, followed by “Dead Ends” in 2023, which showed a band growing more confident in their mix of sorrowful melodic doom and harsher death metal fire. With “Gates Of Hell”, released through Inverse Records, the band steps forward again with a darker and heavier approach.

“Gates Of Hell” moves with a steady, cold determination. The Harbinger leans into heavy melodic sensibilities, the kind that echo the greys of Finnish winters. The riffs shift between sorrow and aggression, while the guitars bring a clear nordic melodic streak that gives the songs character without softening them. The vocals travel across harsh roars and lower growls, pushing the narrative of inner struggle and psychological collapse. Nothing here feels ornamental, the band keeps the songwriting focused and consistent from start to finish.

There is a constant balance between weight and melody across the EP. The Harbinger works within the slow burning tension of doom but regularly lift the pace with sharper death metal movements. This contrast gives the EP its voice, creating a sound that is gloomy without sinking into monotony. You get the sense that the band understands exactly where their strengths lie, and they build every track around that core. The result is an EP that maintains atmosphere through its entire runtime, steady, heavy and bleak.

By the time “Gates Of Hell” reaches its closing track, the band’s identity feels firmly carved. This is a release aimed at listeners who enjoy sorrow-soaked melody wrapped inside harsh guitar work. It shows a band comfortable in their northern darkness, expanding their earlier direction with more focus and more intensity. The EP will likely resonate with fans of Finnish melodic death doom who want something honest, cold and heavy without unnecessary theatrics.

Score: 7.0

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/theharbingermetal

https://www.instagram.com/theharbingermetal

https://theharbingermetal.bandcamp.com