Vomit Division--Hangover Highway (CD) {2026 Metal On Metal Records)

Vomit Division play black speed metal that's quite easy on the ears, with plenty of guitar harmonies and a melodic leaning to the music. The vocals are delivered primarily in a black metal style. They lean into thrash territory occasionally, but it's not terribly aggressive stuff, with more of a rock 'n roll vibe overall. The songs are well-written and distinct, with abundant hooks and plenty of riffs to go around, but unfortunately this material doesn't scratch my particular itch for black thrash - I prefer much more aggressive material. I feel like this would appeal most to those who want a more 1980s sound. They remind me just a little of Midnight, but with a more pronounced speed metal side, and less intense. The best song here is "Bad Decisions Make Good Songs," and I'd love for this band to continue in that direction. Overall, it's not bad stuff, but it's not aggressive enough for me.

www.metalonmetalrecords.com

Aldaaron--Par-dela les cimes (CD) {2025 Paragon Records}

Aldaaron play pagan black metal with the added elements of synths as atmosphere and plenty of interesting embellishments otherwise, like choirs and violin and some clean vocals, but these are used sparingly. The synths aren't there to be symphonic, but to fill out the sound and add atmosphere and depth. While they use blastbeats quite a bit, they're also no strangers to using slower melodies, really rounding out their sound. The vocals are harsh screams, full of anguished feeling. Their songs are extremely long, routinely being close to ten minutes or over, and there are just four tracks on this record. It's evocative music, reminding me a lot of cold weather, especially during the second song with all the blowing wind samples included. This is fairly laid-back material, even with all the blastbeats, and while I wouldn't say it's relaxing, it's definitely not making my bang my head so much as nod along. It's more introspective material than most metal. It's thinking-man's metal, and is for and by the intelligent. If you want black metal that has more of a sonic palette than most bands, this is one to check out.

www.paragonrecords.org

Cruel Force--Haneda (CD/LP/CS) {2026 Shadow Kingdom Records}

Cruel Force is back with a masterful display of speed metal bordering on thrash. They've progressed from the subject matter of Satan and evil they once wrote about back in the black thrash days, but they're still truly underground-sounding, and at the same time a matured band. You can still hear influences like Venom in their guitar work, but it's now much more of a diverse attack, with harmonies, melodies, killer solos, and awesome little fretboard runs. The production is clear and powerful but keeps an underground feel to it with a grittiness that really gives the recording a feeling all its own. I like the direction this band has taken, because they've truly separated themselves in a genre that's overrun with imitators and copycats. Having come a long way stylistically, I think this is a band that finally found its footing and voice, and I'm looking forward to this release when it finally comes out so I can buy it. Look for it on March 27.

www.shadowkingdomrecords.com

Necrochakal--Golgothian Orgies of Bestial Lust (CD/LP) {2025 Floga Records}

This is the first full length from this Grecian act, but the band has existed since 2012. They play a vicious version of black thrash that's full of blasting rhythms and aggressive riffs that make me wish I had long hair to windmill again. Yes, now I'm an old bald fuck. They have quite a bit of war metal influence, not just black thrash, which is what gives them their absolutely barbaric sound, full of blastbeats and ultraviolence. They're tight and precise, with perfect execution, and the singer's rhythmic delivery accents the whole affair perfectly. The recording is pristine but not overly digital-sounding, and the drums have that "wet" sound I like so much. It's a very natural production. This is absolutely brutal and catchy and any real fan of underground thrash should go find this immediately. I bought this record instantly upon hearing it. 

www.flogarecords.com

Infernal Diatribe--Mahabhuta Pralaya cd&digital{Satanath Rec./More Hate Prod./The End Of Time Rec.}

 

Infernal Diatribe  is a band that comes out of India's ever growing black metal scene.Mahabhuta Pralaya consists of  eight tracks of occult black metal that is played with a mix of extremly fast and some slowe mid paced passages.The guitars are played with some very well performed patterns that are fast and chaotic in a few of the songs.The  drums are equally as relentless with a mix of fast paced blast beats and some slower more controlled mid paced drum patterns.The vocals are raw black metal screams and some gruff growls and screams are used in a few of the songs.Mahabhuta Pralaya  plays a good style of raw black metal that should please fans of this genre of metal.

Infernal Diatribe

https://www.facebook.com/TheInfernalDiatribe/

https://www.instagram.com/infernal_diatribe_india/

Satanath Rec.

http://satanath.com/

https://satanath.bandcamp.com/album/sat412-infernal-diatribe-mahabhuta-pralaya-2025

https://www.instagram.com/satanathrecords/

https://www.youtube.com/user/satanath666

More Hate Prod. 

http://www.morehate.com/

https://morehate.bandcamp.com/

The End Of Time Rec.

https://www.discogs.com/label/257945-The-End-Of-Time-Records

Victim Of Reality--The Dump Of Human Hopes cd&digital{Satanath Rec.&The End Of Time Rec.}

 

Victim Of Reality is a  death,doom band that comes out of Belarus and this is a review of the debut full length.The Dump Of Human Hopes is six tracks of death doom that is comprised of sorrowful and dreary songs.The guitars are played with some very well delievered passages.The guitars are played with some slow patterns but the band does play some faster paced patterns almost black metal mixed with doom for a very interesting and nice mix of genres before returning to the slower,mid paced guitars.The vocals are heavy death metal growls that are powerful in their delievery.Their are also some black metal screams used in a few of the songs that are just as good within the bands style.Victim Of Reality has  crafted a great release of death doom metal with some black metal influence used throughout the songs for a very well delievered release.                                                                              Satanath Rec.                                                                                                                                              http://satanath.com/                                                                                                                                    https://satanath.bandcamp.com/album/sat411-victim-of-reality-the-dump-of-human-hopes-2025              https://www.instagram.com/satanathrecords/                                                                                              https://www.youtube.com/user/satanath666                                                                                              The End Of Time Rec.                                                                                                                                   https://theendoftimerecords.bandcamp.com/                                                                                                  https://www.discogs.com/label/257945-The-End-Of-Time-Records

                                                                                                                                   

Golgata--Sjalabod cd&digital{Satanath Rec./WP&RO Prod.}

 

Golgata is a two man band coming out of Sweden's melodic black metal scene.Sjalabod is the bands fourth full length release.Featuring eight tracks of very well played black metal with a mix of fast and some slower more mid paced passages for a nice mix.The guitars are done with some extremely well performed guitar patterns that showcase the bands intensity.The guitarists do play some well performed patterns.The drums are performed with a mix of fast and some slower drum patterns both are done with skill and execution.The vocals are grim,raw black metal screams and some deeper gruff screams both vocal styles are done with powerful vocals.This is my first time hearing Golgata but they deliever a very well performed release of melodic black metal.                                                                                         Golgata                                                                                                                                                           https://www.facebook.com/people/Golgata/100063876795210/#                                                                 https://www.instagram.com/golgata_official/                                                                                               Satanath Rec                                                                                                                                                  http://www.satanath.com/                                                                                                                             https://satanath.bandcamp.com/album/sat401-golgata-sj-labod-2025                                                           https://www.instagram.com/satanathrecords/                                                                                               https://www.youtube.com/user/satanath666                                                                                                 WP And RO Prod.                                                                                                                                          https://www.facebook.com/WPandRO666/                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Void--Forbidden Morals (CD/LP/CS) {2025 Shadow Kingdom Records}

Void play intense technical thrash metal with a seriously powerful vocalist that's capable of both screams and melody. The comparisons to Annihilator, Testament, and Forbidden are all accurate, but this band has so much more to offer, and they have a truly underground feel. They're more visceral than any of those bands ever were. The guitarists shred away on each and every song, with little runs and sweeps accenting the furious riffs. I haven't heard a straight thrash metal album this good for a long, long time, in years in fact. I can't stress how innovative the guitar playing and arrangements are on this record - this is truly lightning in a bottle, and a high water mark for the band. I can't see how they'll surpass this effort on their third record, although I desperately want them to, since this is so good. I wish them nothing but continued success. I am now a fan.

www.shadowkingdomrecords.com

Underking--Dungeon Crawler (Digital) {2025 Independent}

This MLP is fucking incredible. It's totally original, melding traditional heavy metal with unique melodies and modern metal's rhythms. Vocally, I'm reminded of the mighty clean vocals of Borknagar, soaring over the music with enough power to give the listener goosebumps with almost folk-like melodies. There is some metalcore influence to the music, and who knew it would sound so damn good stacked on top of a traditional metal foundation? It's not enough to turn off old metalists like me, as the influence is completely understated and the epic heavy metal takes absolute precedence. Lyrically this is very much Dungeons & Dragons, with songs about dungeon crawls, dwarves, quests, and the like. I really can't say enough how fantastic this record is. I hope for more of the same from the band and for labels to get wise to this and spread this music far and wide.

underking.bandcamp.com

Vampiric Oath--Doctrines of Withering Nature (CD) {2026 Vampiric Militant Legions Records}

I really didn't expect this to be this good. I figured "oh, another vampire-obsessed black metal band." Man, was I wrong. This is an international two-man project, with one living in Romania and the drummer living in Finland (of course, the national home of black metal these days). The vocals are all over the black metal spectrum, from spoken to howled to growled, often all in the same song. This is also fairly technical stuff, especially where the drums are concerned, with thing you don't normally hear on a traditional black metal record. For instance, all the little drum rolls and fills and embellishments and the occasional slow guitar melody. It's definitely done primarily in the Finnish black metal style, full of dark, cold melody and speed, but fully capable of increasing the intensity and becoming brutal at times. The production overall is perfect, but truly shines on the vocals in particular, accenting everything the vocalist is doing with absolute clarity. I can't stress enough that this is not just another Satanic Warmaster clone, and that the black metal legions should go out and find this. It's worth the effort.

vampiricoath.bandcamp.com

Savage Master--Dark & Dangerous (CD/LP/CS) {2025 Shadow Kingdom Records}

Savage Master is one of, if not the, leading truly underground traditional metal bands in the scene today. The album is full of memorable riffs and songs, showing a band that is at the peak of their creativity. Stacey Savage's vocals are perhaps at their most polished so far - gone are the growing pains of those first few records, and I think she's truly found her voice here. Likewise, all the other instruments are similarly polished, and they all shine on this recording. What is the same as in the past is the occult nature of the lyrics, and it fits their metal extremely well, with an almost King Diamond-like perfection. The devil and metal do go hand-in-hand, you know. I look forward, now that the band has found its footing sound-wise over the past couple of records, to seeing what they do next. It's almost as if their first couple of LPs were demos, just showing us what they had the potential to do. Now they get to show us the results of that potential.

www.shadowkingdomrecords.com

Wolfenstein--Death Brigade (CD) {2026 CDN Records}

I don't classify this as regular thrash metal at all. Sure, on the surface it might appear that way, but when you get down in the dirt with this band, they're closer to a mixture of first-wave black metal, early death metal, and, yes, thrash. Take the vocals - the singer is vicious, blasphemous, and delivers his vocals with a yelled growl and not a shout like most thrash bands. He reminds me a lot of the vocalist from Demolition Hammer, actually. This has a lot in common with early Kreator, early Sepultura, and Sarcofago, as well as Exodus and Razor. These vocals are delivered over often frenzied thrash, songs whipping by at light speed. The entire record isn't even twenty-five minutes long, and that's a good thing. I'm left wanting more. This isn't feel-good party thrash and it slays all of those bands where they stand. If Wolfenstein keeps at it, they're going to be mentioned in the same breath as Evil Army and Desolus, at least by me, and that's rarified company.

www.cdnrecords.com

Foul Temple--Upon The Infernal Altar {Digital}{Independent}

 

Foul Temple is a black metal  band coming out of Australia that performs a fast and aggressive style.Upon The Infernal Altar  is the debut  full length that is released through the bands  bandcamp.The guitars are played with crazed fast paced guitar patterns.The drumming is done with extremely fast blasting drum passages.The vocals are raw black metal screams and screeches that are extreme in every sense of the word.Foul Temple  plays a raw and violent style of black metal is defintly  recomended to all those who love primitive,raw black metal. 

Foul Temple 

https://foultemple.bandcamp.com/music

https://www.facebook.com/foultemple/

Putred--Blestemul Dim Adanc cd{Awakening Rec.}

 

Putred is  a five man  band coming out of  Romania's  death metal scene.Blestemul  Dim Adanc is the bands third full length featuring nine original tracks and a cover  of Benediction's  Subconscious Terror.The band plays a slow mid paced death metal  that is done with some really well written and performed songs.The guitars are heavy and crushing with some very well executed guitar patterns.The guitarist does add some solo's and memorable guitar patterns.The vocals are death metal growls that powerful in their delievery.Their are some raw,gruff growls and screams used in a few of the songs to give each song it's  own idenity.The drums are a mix of heavy slow drums and some faster drums are used throughout a few of the songs. If you are a fan of  well delievered and slower death metal then be sure to check out Blestemul  Dim Adanc  when it is released soon. 

Putred

https://putred.bandcamp.com/album/blestemul-din-ad-nc

https://www.facebook.com/metalputredalmortii/

Awakening Rec.

https://awakeningrecordscn.bigcartel.com/

https://awakeningrecordscn.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/AwakeningRecordsCN/

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

Blades of Steel--Blades of Steel (CD) {2025 Independent}

Fantasy, witches, and sorcery are the name of the game here with this epic traditional metal band from Brazil. Their sound is reminiscent of Manowar, but with a dose of almost-thrash. The vocalist is good. Her vocal melodies and tone are perfect for this band and she sings with a true metal style rather than a flowery style like so many other female-fronted bands. The guitarists are no slouches, either, they have riffs, and tons of them. I really like the recording overall, especially on the vocals. They're smooth, not too much out front, and recorded to make the most of her voice - someone knew what they were doing. The rhythm section is also highlighted in the same way, the bass guitar being super punchy like Verni or DeMaio. This is an excellent effort by a new band that I think will only get better with time, and I hope they put out more material.

blades-of-steel.bandcamp.com

Final Dose--Endless Woe (LP/CS) {2026 Wolves of Hades Records}

This is raw black metal crossed with aggressive punk in much the way Darkthrone did it not too far back. The punk elements tend to take a back seat in most songs, letting the black metal elements do most of the work, adding just a bit of urgency to the music that keeps it vital. The vocals would be at home on any release of tortured black metal, but also on an anarcho-punk record. They're screamed in a higher register most of the time. They're also distorted most of the time, either through a quirk of recording or through effects (which I believe is likely). It makes the entire record sound more raw, hearkening back to the four-track recordings of old. I found this to be just ok stuff. It's not as exciting as I thought it would be, on the black metal side or the punk side. I had hoped for more aggression than what's on this record - it seems too laid back. However, they do a great job of giving their music atmosphere, and it's a dark, tortured one. 

www.wolvesofhades.com

Speed Queen--...with a Bang! (CD/LP) {2025 High Roller Records}

Speed Queen from Belgium plays speed metal with a definite Exciter influence, as well as a lot of NWOBHM and early Motley Crue feel. It reminds me a lot of the albums Metal Blade would release in the 1980s as the speed metal scene was burgeoning. It has that same atmosphere to it. The vocals aren't incredibly melodic, they're more melodically-yelled, if that makes sense, in a flat style. They often punctuate the choruses of their songs with gang vocals, which gives this album almost a punk sound at times. In fact, the drums accentuate this punk side of the band, being a bit simpler than the average metal band. I wasn't terribly excited by the lyrical material, with stuff about women, partying, and other similar subjects. I prefer darker material. Where this band does shine, though, is the guitar work. They trade amazing dueling leads and have effective harmonies all throughout the record. Their guitarists are doing all the heavy lifting here. In all, I'd have to say this is worth picking up if you like old heavy metal, but if you're a stickler for fantastic vocalists, I'd steer clear. He gets the job done, but isn't spectacular.

www.hrrecords.de

Wolven Vault--Draconic Rites (Digital) {2025 Independent}

Word has it that CDs and tapes are in the works for this release, and that's good news. I am always telling bands they need to have physical product, even if it's strictly limited due to demand. Serious bands have physical product! On to the music. This is perfectly performed and recorded black metal from Poland, their first full length. The production is good, but it emphasizes all the right things for black metal - it's not a "slick" production, but a natural-sounding one. There's plenty of separation, and each instrument is audible. It reminds me a bit of earlier (slower) Marduk from before Panzer Division, but only a little. This band has riffs, and tons of them, that take little surprise turns here and there and some manage a surprising amount of heaviness for black metal. Vocally, the singer sounds spiteful and hate-filled, the way black metal ought to be, with strong mid-range growled vocals. The songs are tastefully arranged and are well-written with a ton of hooks, which is rare in black metal today. I listed to this record three times before I wrote this review, since I wanted to convey it's sound a bit better, and each time it was more rewarding.

wolvenvault.bandcamp.com

Detestial--Conjuring the Age of Mayhem (CD/LP) {2025 Evil Spell Records}

This is the first full length from this black/thrash band from Greece. This reminds me quite a lot of the early Witchery albums, back when Toxine was singing for them and they had a more classic thrash sound. Where they differ is that Detestial uses more traditional black metal riffs as the basis of their sound, rather than thrash. The thrash is an added level of intensity that is leaned into occasionally and not the core of the music. The black metal riffs here remind me of the best of the Norwegian scene, and specifically of Mayhem and Marduk. They have the same sort of intensity and evil feel. If there were more blastbeats, it would be even closer to traditional black metal, but they emphasize the use of thrash beats instead, which definitely sets them apart in a crowded scene. This band is incredibly tight, too, which only adds to the intense nature of their music. This is entirely worth the effort to track down, and fans of black metal and black thrash will not be disappointed.

www.undercover-records.de

Morbosatan--Morbo, Coca, Satan (CD) {2025 Ablaze Productions}

This is the third full length from this Peruvian black/death/thrash outfit. They remind me a little of their countrymates Anal Vomit, as they play a similar mixture of black thrash and death metal. They also may remind the listener of Mortem. Their execution is loose and lethal, with no need for precision beyond the instruments being on time. Their DNA can likely be traced back to the early South American scene, with bands like Sarcofago, Sepultura, and Holocausto as probable influences, perhaps with a dose of Canada's Blasphemy. The vocals are primarily a low growl, showing their death metal roots. The vocal patterns are well thought out and they punctuate the riffs perfectly. The production is bass guitar heavy, and you can really hear what the rhythm section is doing. This album is definitely for fans of the old Brazilian scene or of the current Peruvian or Chilean scenes.

ablazeprods666.bandcamp.com