Apocalyptic Leaders--Tenebris Nox Immortuae cd&digital{War Prod.}

 

Greece's black metal band Apocalyptic Leaders return with their sixth full length.Tenebris Nox Immortuae starts off with a short intro then kicks into high gear with some memorable and well executed black metal.Musicially it is a nice balance of extreme fast traditional black metal with some slower atmospheric passages.The guitars are played with skill and excellent writing abilitly that has both aggressive fast paced guitars and some memorable mid paced guitars.Both guitar styles are played with near perfection.The vocals are raw black metal screams that fit the bands style perfectly,If you are a fan of cold and traditional black metal then be sure to check this release out today.                       Apocalyptic Leaders

https://apocalypticleaders.bandcamp.com/merch                                                                                        https://www.facebook.com/apocalypticleaders/

https://www.instagram.com/apocalypticleaders/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbR8fZ8PXbaB4Q_CpAG2_Hg                                                        War  Productions 

https://war-productions.org/

https://warproductions.bandcamp.com/merch                                                                                               https://www.facebook.com/WarProductionsPT/                                                                                           https://www.instagram.com/warproductions                                                                                                 https://bsky.app/profile/warproductions.bsky.social

Horrific Visions--Remnants Of Atrophy cd{Comatose Music}

Horrific Visions is a  five man band that comes out of San Antonio's brutal death metal scene and this is a review of the bands debut full length.Remnants Of Atrophy is nine tracks of brutal and vicious death metal that is intense and powerful music.The guitars are played with some intense and powerful guitar chords that are a mix of mid paced heavy guitar patterns.The guitarist doesn't shy away as they also have plenty of insanely fast and chaotic guitar passages for a nice balance.The drums are done with a mix of heavy and powerful drums and some faster more insanely fast blast beats.The vocals are performed with some brutal and powerful death metal growls.This is a great debut for all those who are fans of sick and relentless brutal death metal defintly pick this cd up when it is released.                        Horrific Visions                                                                                                                                            https://horrificvisions.bandcamp.com/merch                                                                                            https://www.facebook.com/hvsabd/                                                                                                            https://www.instagram.com/horrific_visions/                                                                                              Comatose Music                                                                                                                                          https://www.comatosemusic.com/                                                                                                                https://comatosemusic.bandcamp.com/album/remnants-of-atrophy                                                              https://www.facebook.com/Comatosemusiclabel                                                                                          https://www.instagram.com/comatose_music?utm_medium=copy_link                                                      https://www.youtube.com/user/ComatoseMusicLabel                                                                                                                                                                                 

 

Iron Savior--Awesome Anthems of the Galaxy (CD) {2026 Perception Records}

If I counted right, this is the sixteenth album from Iron Savior since their debut in 1997, making them one of the most prolific power metal bands still in existence. This time it's a collection of cover songs with a title and cover clearly inspired by the Guardians of the Galaxy movie franchise. This also tangentially ties in with their science fiction related themes from albums past. The catch to all this is that all these songs are rather anthemic pop songs that Iron Savior has chosen to metalize. A cheesy idea? Maybe, but I'll be goddamned if it doesn't work. There are songs originally by A-Ha, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Journey, the Eurythmics, Phil Collins, and Blondie, and there's even a fuckin' Patrick Swayze song here. This shows us how much of power metal is actually pop music with heavy guitars at its core, because when metalized these songs actually sound like power metal tunes with their big choruses and soaring melodies (some of them fall a tiny bit flat, but it's the exception and not the rule). The skill required to take these songs and perform them as metal music is considerable and enviable - the songs are recognizable yet completely different from the originals in most cases. This is a fun and unique record, and a great addition to Iron Savior's extensive discography, and the songs should plop right into their set list live with little issue.

perception.music

Azerothul--Vampyric Oath{digital}{Independent}

 

Azerothul is a one man band coming out of the Netherland's black metal scene and this is a review of his second EP.Vampyric Oath is six tracks of fast paced black metal that is played with some well executed passages.The guitars are done with some razorsharp fast guitar patterns that are played with experience and skill.The vocals are raw black metal screams and some screechy vocals are also used.This is a pretty good release if you enjoy raw satanic black metal that doesn't  follow any trends. Azerrothul

https://azerothul.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/people/Azerothul/61586372789874/

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

Wyrmseer--Demo MMXXVI (CS) {2026 Jems Label}

Wyrmseer hails from Louisiana, and this is the band's very first release. It's the solo project of Wrot, and so far it seems to be his only musical endeavor. Stylistically, this is strong second-wave black metal, cold and just-raw-enough, but with space in the production to hear all the instruments clearly. The vocals alternate between a distorted screech and a mid-ranged growl, which gives these songs a bit more of a dynamic sound. When the songs speed up, they have a very threatening atmosphere, and when they're slower, they're a bit more haunted. The five songs here are rather long, coming in at five and a half minutes and up with just one exception of around four minutes. This is excellent stuff, and I'm glad I stumbled onto it. It holds its own with any black metal band you choose. If this is what Wrot can conjure on a demo, I can't wait to hear what he can do with a full length record.

jemslabel.bigcartel.com

Ural--Anthropic Genetic Involution (CD) {2026 Xtreem Music}

Ural play a mixture of Bay Area and Germanic thrash styles, often having the speed of Kreator and the jagged riffs of Forbidden. The guitar playing is quite excellent, especially when the solos hit and the guitarists' talent truly shows. The vocals remind me a little of Death SS with a somewhat thick Italian accent and the little melodies the singer weaves alongside his yells and shouts, occasionally veering away from thrash vocals and into classic metal territory. The band is quite capable of technical playing as some of their transitions show, with the occasional wild rhythm and off-time riff. Some of this amazing playing is at the beginning of the song "Wrong Children," which actually made me sit up and listen. These themes come back and intensify as the song progresses. The songs themselves are a bit hit and miss, but the playing is interesting enough to keep me listening. I just wish this was a bit more intense and catchy.

www.xtreemmusic.com

Interview with Deathraiser

 

1.Hello how are things going in Brazil this week? Please introduce yourself to the readers?

Hello man, firstly I want to thank you for the interview opportunity, but I'm fine, this is William, drummer, let's go...

2.When did you first discover Thrash Metal and what is it about this genre of music that drew you in?

Discovering thrash metal as a teenager, when a friend lent me a K7 tape of Metallica, Kill em all, from then on everything changed, I had never heard that in my life, I already knew some "lighter" things, but that speed and aggression in the riffs left me impacted.

3.Who were the first bands and artists that you discovered and who are some of your current favorite bands?

At this time of discovery, Metallica was the first, then more bands appeared, Slayer, Megadeth, Exodus, the best known, after that we went deeper into Thrash metal, came Kreator, Destruction, Dark Angel and other more aggressive bands, they are influences for us to this day, of course, in addition to Brazilian metal as well.

4.Deathraiser was formed in 2009 when did you all decide to start this band? How did you choose Deathraiser as the name of the band?

Deathraiser came up with the name Mercilless before, the band was formed in 2006, but in 2009 we changed the name to Deathraiser, since then we have been the same lineup. The name came from the song by the band Attomica, from the album "Disturbing the noise", as we really liked that album, that's where the band's name came from.

5.Who would you say are the bands biggest influences and have they remained the same over the years? For the readers who have never heard Deathraiser how would you best describe the bands musical style?

Our influences remain the same, our sound proposal is to play old school, fast and aggressive thrash metal, our main influences are Sepultura (old), Sarcophagus, Attomica, Kreator, Demolition Hammer, Dark Angel, Slayer, among many others, we hate modernity (laughs).

6.Forged In Hatred is the bands second full length that will be released through Xtreem Music when did you all first come in contact with this label?

This contact came about through the extinct "Myspace", at the time we put out our first demo "Possessed by Thrash", and Dave from Xtreem Music contacted us to launch a new album.

7.Does the whole band take part in the writing process or does one member usually write the music for the songs? How long does it usually take to complete one song?

Our composition process is very slow (Laughs) that's why it took so long to release the second album (More laughs), but we started with the riffs, I also play the guitar, so that makes it a lot easier, and Thiago also does some riffs, and that's how the first songs appear, in the composition part it's more me and him, after putting together the skeleton of the song, the other musicians give their ideas. But there were songs that came out quickly and others that took too long, our process is careful for each riff (laughs).

8.Where does the band draw inspiration for the lyrics and what are some subjects written about on the new release?

A very good question, but I see few people talking about the lyrics, our lyrics process is also time consuming, we want to convey something with the lyrics, that's what happened in this second album, there were current and old issues that happened in our country, and in our locality, lyrics about the pandemic, problems that happened years ago in Brazil and that have now been revealed, and of course an overview of everything that has happened here in the last few years in our view.

9.Besides the upcoming Forged In Hatred release are there any copies of the debut release still for sale? What other merchandise do you currently have available for the readers to purchase?

We recently opened our virtual store, containing some items, such as the first album "Violent Aggression", shirts, and the CD, Vinyl and K7 version of the new album, you can check it out on the Link: https://deathraisermerch.lojavirtualnuvem.com.br

10.Has Deathraiser had the opportunity to play very many live shows over the years? If yes what have been some of your most memorable shows?Who are some bands you have gotten to share the stage with?

We played a lot of shows throughout our history, without a doubt our first tour through the North and Northeast of Brazil was something memorable, but for us every show is important, but we can say that one of our last shows alongside Violator in Belo Horizonte was very special, playing in the city where Sepultura and Sarcofago were created, visiting the tomb where the cover of the album "INRI" became was incredible for us.

11.Are there any tours or shows planned in support of Forged In Hatred? If yes where will the band be playing?

At the moment we are focused on playing here in Brazil this year, and we have plans for a European tour next year, which will be our main goal with this album.

12.Deathraiser comes out of Brazil's thrash metal scene what are your thoughts of the scene in Brazil over the years?

The Brazilian scene is very rich, we have great bands, since the 80s revealing bands to the world, this is very important for us, we know how difficult it is to have a band here in Brazil, it is not easy, but we know the importance of our bands and this is what motivates us to continue.

13.Who are your all-time favorite bands coming out of Brazil?Are their any new bands you could recomend to the readers?

As I said above, we have great bands, and memorable bands that influenced us, we can mention Sepultura, Sarcofago, Chakal, Mutilator, Attomica, The mist, among many others, from our generation, in addition to the friendship we have, they were also influential for us, such as Farscape, Violator, Blasthrash, that's what I always recommend.

14.Besides working in Deathraiser do any of the members currently work with other bands or solo projects? If yes please tell the readers a little about them?

At the moment we don't have other projects, but we wanted to, but over the years the commitments increased, so we don't have much time for other projects (laughs).

15.Thank you for taking the time to fill this interview out do you have any final comments for the readers?

Thank you, for us it's a pleasure to be able to have this conversation, for the bangers, listen to our new album, and you'll have a rush of thrash metal in your ears (laughs).                                                        Deathraiser https://www.facebook.com/DeathraiserOfficial/# https://www.instagram.com/DeathraiserOfficial Xtreem Music https://shop.xtreemmusic.com/english.main.index.php https://xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/forged-in-hatred https://www.facebook.com/xtreemmusic666?fref=ts https://www.instagram.com/xtreemmusic/ https://www.youtube.com/xtreemmusic

Exodus--Goliath (CD/LP) {2026 Napalm Records}

This is Exodus' thirteenth album, and it may prove to be unlucky. I've always loved that crunchy Exodus guitar sound, from the first record to today, and it's present here and turned way up. I have to say, though, that this is their first record since Shovel Headed Kill Machine that I've checked out, and that while it's ok, this isn't what I expect to hear from these legends. Rob Dukes' vocals are ok, but not nearly as expressive as Souza's. I don't mind them. The songs get a little better, but are still hit and miss, the further the listener gets into the record. They no longer have that magic they did in the 1980s and on a few album in the 2000s. The songs are all about a minute too long, coming in at five to seven minutes in length. Diehard fans will probably still buy this, but they won't be falling all over themselves to go get it. It stands as an acceptable addition to their canon, but just barely. The spark that ignited their popularity is gone for the moment, buried under forgettable riffs and sub-par songwriting.

www.napalmrecords.com

Stygian Steel--Black Lotus Veil (Digital) {2026 Independent}

Stygian Steel hail from Norway, and this is their only release so far. I keep finding these little gems of epic heavy metal, so let's keep these coming, metal scene! It's my favorite kind of traditional heavy metal. Stygian Steel features engaging songwriting and folk-like vocal melodies combining to form grandiose epics. I can hear some influence from Bathory's Viking albums, Manilla Road, Solstice (UK), and perhaps Borknagar. The vocals, while not flashy, really grow on you the more you listen to the record - the singer's rather flat style is endearing in the same way Ozzy's was. The drummer plays his ass off, and he's got plenty of room to do so, with big open riffs giving him the opportunity to really go around his kit in entertaining ways. The guitar solos are fantastic, going big every time to add to the epic feel of every song. They also experiment with some different sonic textures here and there, whether guitar effect or synth, which really adds to the atmosphere of the record. This is a top notch epic metal record, and it ranks up there with the best the genre has to offer. I'm a huge fan already!

stygiansteel.bandcamp.com

Triumph--Opposing Equality cd{Black Plague Rec./Pagan Fury Rec.}

 

Coming  out of Nevada's bestial black and death metal scene is Triumph and this is a review of his newest release.Opposing Equality is eight tracks of straight forward brutal black and death metal.The guitars are a whirlind of extremly fast paced patterns.Even though the guitars are played with high speed intensity their are some well delievered passages throughout the songs.The drums are chaotic blasting drums that are powerful and destructive.The  drums do slow to a heavier mid paced range throughout a few of the songs that are played with equally the skill and power as the faster paced drums.The vocals are raw black metal screams and some gruff growls that fit the music perfectly.If you are a fan of brutal and aggressive black death metal that doesn't follow any trends then be sure to pick up a copy of this cd today!!                                                                                                                            Triumph                                                                                                                                                       https://triumph-warmetal.bandcamp.com/                                                                                                  Black Plague Rec.                                                                                                                                        https://blackplaguestore.com/                                                                                                                      https://www.facebook.com/people/BLACK-PLAGUE-RECORDS/100063690631520/#                        Pagan Fury Rec.                                                                                                                                                            https://www.barbaricfury.shop/                                                                                                                              https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569458082691

Transilvania--Magia Posthuma (CD/LP) {2026 Invictus Productions}

Hailing from Austria, this is the third full length from Transilvania, and the first real new recording in five years since their 2021 full length. They play a slightly thrashed-up style of black metal that pulls in a few influences from first wave black metal, and a ton of influence from second wave bands. The riffs manage to be cold as well as energetic, and each song has quite a bit of inertia. They have that peculiar style of melody that so many black metal bands have, driven yet understated, reminding me a little of Dissection at some points, with some grandiose sections to spice things up. Songwriting is a strength for Transilvania, and they seem to have an almost classic heavy metal writing style with excellent transitions and enough repetition of riffs for the songs to be catchy but not hypnotic - it's almost thrash songwriting, really. The quality of riffing here cannot be overstated. The guitars are a pleasure to listen to, and it's a quite diverse set of songs with a few different riffing styles. While not necessarily a black thrash release, it does have elements of it present, but all black metal fans should find this interesting in some way. The songwriting alone is good enough to warrant repeated listens.

Nuclear Warfare--All Hail to the Liberator (Digital) {2026 Independent}

This is the seventh full length from this German thrash outfit since their debut in 2001. I would expect a band with as long of a career as Nuclear Warfare to be more polished and inventive as far as their songwriting and riffs. As it is, what's on this record doesn't move me much. The riffs are typical of Germanic thrash that see probably too much repetition, and above all they're pretty average fare that I've heard thrash bands use a million times. The vocals are a growlier version of Schmier's style and are probably the best thing about the release, other than some instances of lyrics that just aren't any good. "United by Thrash," guys? Been done. And then there's the song about going to the supermarket because you're all out of shit you need. Not kidding, it's called "Rough Day." The drums are steady but they sort of just sit in the pocket most of the time. Overall, just an uninspired effort that has me hitting the skip button repeatedly, and it's probably one you can skip, too.

nuclearwarfarethrash.bandcamp.com

Mortopsy--Putrefactive States Of The Human Form cd{Black Plague Rec./Pagan Fury Rec.}

 

Mortopsy is a solo band coming out of the Canadian brutal death,grind scene and this is a review of his debut EP.Putrefactive States Of The Human Form is  five tracks of early to mid 90's style of death grinding madness.The guitars are a mix of heavy mid paced guitar patterns and some faster more intense passages.Both guitar styles are played with intensity and well delievered.Their are even a few well performed guitar solos in a few of the songs for a nice touch to add to the bands style and sound.The vocals are extreme and brutal with some heavy death metal growls that are delievered with power.If you are a fan of well executed death grind Then do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of the debut EP. today.                                                                                                                                          Mortopsy                                                                                                                                                    https://mortopsy.bandcamp.com/album/putrefactive-states-of-the-human-form-ep                                    https://www.facebook.com/MortopsyBand                                                                                                  Black Plague Rec.                                                                                                                                          https://blackplaguestore.com/                                                                                                                      https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063690631520#                                                                Pagan Fury Rec.                                                                                                                                            https://www.barbaricfury.shop/                                                                                                                    https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569458082691

Iron Firmament--In the Land of Pre-Human Kings (LP) {2026 Wergild Records}

Here we have some suitably epic sounding black metal from the state of Washington that focuses on fantasy in the lyrics. They remind me a bit of Moonblood and Satanic Warmaster, but with their own twist on the style. They're not a clone like so many other bands, and there are clones aplenty in the scene. They have wondrous synths that occasionally appear in the music that helps the fantasy landscape to materialize in the imagination, really emphasizing the epic feel of the music. They rely heavily on tremolo-picked riffs, but they'll throw a curveball at the listener occasionally and vary their approach with an aggressive or epic riff, or even a quiet interlude. The repetition combined with all the tremolo-picking gives some of their songs an almost hypnotic quality. The production is suitably raw, but all the instruments are clearly audible and cleanly played. There is no slop here, the band is tight. If this interests you, you will have to settle for digital, since the LP is now sold out in pre-orders, but I highly recommend checking it out anyway. 

wergild.bandcamp.com

Nuctemeron--Demonic Sceptre (CD/LP) {2026 I Hate Records}

This is the first full length from Nuctemeron from Germany, but the band has existed and been releasing smaller records since 2016. Horror-inspired synths begin the record, setting the mood for this piece of black speed metal. They play in style similar to Nifelheim but without as much thrash in their sound, and more classic speed metal influence. The vocalist sounds like Schmier if he had huffed a balloon full of helium before recording each song - in other words, he's quite high-pitched and his line delivery is unhinged. He sounds quite unique. The production does quite a bit to mimic '80s metal albums, and it succeeds nicely. This could exist alongside bands from that era and fit right in. Musically, the band is competent, but they're a little loose. I think this is intentional, again to mimic those '80s albums where digital fixes of mistakes did not exist. I like it, and it makes them sound imperfectly human. This one's a must-hear for black thrash fans, and there's nothing here that disappoints.

www.ihate.se