Album Reviews

It’s been four long years since the Kadiköy, Türkiye-based death metal formation Engulfed released their full-length album 'Engulfed in Obscurity' and now we have a new album from these veterans who showed talent and an obscure sound that gives us a strong offering to fans of death metal. Engulfed was formed in 2010 by vocalist and bassist Serkan and takes a big step forward on the second album 'Unearthly Litanies of Despair' out via Me Saco Un Ojo Records (Vinyl) and Dark Descent Records (CD) on April 19th, 2024.
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Four years after releasing their sophomore 'Mortal' Oakland California based death metal trio Necrot returns with utmost brutality in their third studio album 'Lifeless Birth' released April 12th, 2024, via Tankcrimes. The returning members Chad Gailey (drums), Luca Indrio (bass, vocals), and Sonny Reinhardt (guitars) are back in the game, fiercely and vicious as ever the successor offers aggressive riffs that tends to flow with technical precision as well as the progressive guitar work.
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German heavy metal outfit Attic returns with a majestic record 'The Return of the Witchfinder' released on Ván Records on April 5th, 2024. Any fan who is into 80s heavy metal will be enthralled by the performance and the theatrical vocals of Meister Cagliostro; not just because of the King Diamond and Mercyful Fate influence, but because Attic has remained consistent in bringing the magic of occult heavy metal. After releasing two superb albums 'The Invocation' and 'Sanctimonious' which were instant classics played in the retro style of modern bands such as Hell, Portrait, and In Solitude, 'Return of the Witchfinder' has its charm in bringing the pure nostalgic feeling of epic metal.
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It’s always a pleasure welcoming the return of one of the forefathers of British gothic/doom metal My Dying Bride, who have returned with their 15th studio album 'A Mortal Binding' released on 19th April via Nuclear Blast. For the past three decades the band has carved out the contrasting elements of death doom and softer melancholic music to the more melodic and darker spectrums of gothic metal. The new album finds the sextet Aaron Stainthorpe (vocals), Andrew Craighan (guitars), Lena Abé (bass), Shaun MacGowan (keyboards, violin), Neil Blanchett (guitars) and drummer Dan Mullins resurrecting the old-fashioned style of My Dying Bride.
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There is a general notion that suggests a blue cover artwork for a death metal album is a must-buy in the genre as we have a few examples of legendary bands that have had a blue album cover like Death’s “Spiritual Healing”, Entombed’s album “Left Hand Path”, Morbid Angela’s “Altars of Madness”, Luciferion’s “Demonication (The Manifest)” and Krabathor’s “Cool Mortification” but it seems that Portland Oregon-based death metal act Witch Vomit has a similar treat for the fans. Their third full-length album “Funeral Sanctum” released by 20 Buck Spin on April 5th is an onslaught of cavernous brutality.
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Germany's sci-fi cosmic act Vorga has returned with a stellar album 'Beyond The Palest Star' out since March 29, 2024, via Transcending Obscurity Records. The follow-up to the debut 'Striving Toward Oblivion' exemplifies their style in cosmic black metal where I would say that the sophomore cements the signature sound of Vorga. Despite the infusion of synth and the guitar department's technical ability, there is a modern sounding synth that shows the atmospheric mix of furious and melodic black metal.
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Japan’s death doom band Coffins returns with its sixth album “Sinister Oath” released on March 29th, 2024, through Relapse Records. Governing their sonic malevolence since 1996, the band has been crafting a swampy death-doom style through their evil blasphemy. For many years, Coffins and their countrymen Anatomia have presented a unique identity that made them the purveyors of slow and heavy sludge doom.
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Aborted is a Belgian/international death metal/grindcore band that next year will blow out 30 candles already. But that doesn't stop these guys to release some brutal gore/grind/death core. 2 weeks ago they released album number 12 and the most special thing about this release is that they have a guest appearance for every single song on this release. I will reveal who the mystery guests are and of course we will talk about the new songs of this legendary band.
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Italy’s prime technical death metal outfit Hideous Divinity returns with a new album titled “Unextinct” out via Century Media Records on March 22nd, 2024. The endeavor sees the Italian stalwarts harnessing their destructive arsenal to astonishing levels of technicality, the band’s lineup consists of Enrico Schettino (guitars), Enrico Di Lorenzo (vocals), Stefano Franceschini (bass), and a new drummer Davide Itri offer a bombastic bluster.
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The second album “Maze Envy” from California-based black/death metal act Civerous sees the return of the band after three years of break. As a result of hard work, the quintet set a new path for themselves in the underground scene, while the album throbs with evil blackness spewing forth a wholesomeness of decay. The band's approach hasn’t changed from the early demos “Raw Demo I”, and “Demo MMXIX”. The new outcome offers five songs plus two instrumental intermezzos that tremble a convulsing sound of blackened death metal.
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