This is a nasty record. Everything about it is just gross, be it the cover, the vocals or overall sound. Just, yuck. But, like most war metal, it’s hilariously fun to listen to. And, even though I had to take a shower after my playthough, I found Pissgrave‘s ‘Posthumous Humiliation‘ to be a very memorable experience. You like Revenge? Then don’t miss out on this one! What would this album be without its review from my man, Maxen?

Hard to say how long it’s been since I listened to long-time deathcore unit I Declare War. I mostly remember them for their Christmas-themed EP ‘Bring The Season‘, but that shit dates back to 2007. To be honest I had no idea they were still around. It seems I missed out on their past three full lengths. Don’t know why I thought they were defunct. Maybe because there are no original members left? No matter. Thanks to this outstanding new EP, I now know I’ve got some digging to do.

Underground deathcore seems to be enjoying a careful revival with bands like I Declare War and Annotations of an Autopsy dropping EP’s out of nowhere. And Hell Followed With is a band I never thought I would see rise from the piles of ashes that is 2010s deathcore again. Despite Pat Hahn being the only remaining original member, their new ‘Chimerical Reality‘ is a solid return to the scene. Let’s hope they stick around!

Rings of Saturn are just the best. They put out some of the most brutal and technical death metal/deathcore, while at the same time not taking anything too serious. These metal-making sci-fi geeks are often hilarious, and it suits their somewhat eccentric sound. Just take a look at some of their music videos. Their fifth full-length ‘Gidim‘ is another great album they can add to their discography.

Brutal death metal of the slam persuasion is a difficult genre. I can rarely find a memorable album because most of them tend to sound rather similar. But now and then, you’ll find a record that stands out, which is the case for PURULENCE‘s ‘Autophagy‘. The snare sound on this one is nasty as hell,

Another one of those mainstream bands who can rarely do anything wrong for me. Since the return of Jesse Leach on vocals, I’ve been loving every Killswitch Engage release. I’m not one of those Howard Jones-hating kids, but I started with Leach back in the day, so he’s the one I prefer. I admit ‘Atonement‘ isn’t as good as the previous two, but the metalcore legends stay true to their sound.

Legendary Italian melodeath quartet Hour of Penance are back with an incredibly awesome stomper. Any death metal fan should buy this record. Everything about ‘Misotheism‘ is gorgeous.

Venom Prison holds a place among my most beloved up-and-coming death metal acts. I first saw them at Ieperfest 2017 and I was dumbstruck by their performance. Their first record ‘Animus‘ was great, but this year’s ‘Samsara‘ take it even further. It’s a gem which any death metal/hardcore fan should hurry to add to their library.

Vegan straight-edgers SECT have put out another beast of a political hardcore record. Pun intended. ‘Blood of the Beasts‘ is short but extremely powerful. This record musically speaks to me in a way that it is more than just hardcore. You can clearly hear the eclectic influences of subgenres such as d-beat hardcore, punk, and grindcore, all of which are most suited to the message SECT wants to deliver.

Speaking of strong messages, here is Une Misère‘s ‘Sermon‘. This release has been on my wish-list long before it came out. I’ve been entranced by Iceland’s most promising sludge/hardcore unit from the very beginning, when they released their first single. This band has been on the rise for a few months now, and deservedly so. Give it a spin and know what I mean.