Gravecity Bandits--Bandit Rock 'N Roll (Digital) (2026 Independent)

Finally, something a little different to review. Gravecity Bandits from Finland mix Motorhead, speed metal, and ferocious punk rock to bring us a real bastard of an album with a full speed ahead approach and not wasted effort. The production is dirty and mean and organic, and it absolutely perfect. It makes them sound gritty, tough, and dangerous, which is exactly what I want from tunes like these. Vocally, the singer uses a style similar to Lemmy, with maybe a bit more raspiness and punk snark in his voice. The band has the same fuck you attitude that pervades Pig Iron by Anti-Nowhere League, and I would reckon that band is an influence on this one. Attitude is all-important with music like this and these boys have all of it. They also bring some speed metal to the party, like on the songs "Built to Last" and "Speed Blues," and they merge them perfectly with the punk influences and Motorhead-isms to make a seamless whole. They have some musical chops, too, evidenced by the decent guitar solos and quick drum work that crop up in several songs. They can play, and they prove it. I recommend this highly and anticipate hearing more from this band in the future. They're a joy to listen to.

Black Odyssey--Black Odyssey (CD/LP) (2026 Independent)

Here's a band that gets it! They've released their own CD and LP physically, which is what bands should be doing! Now on to the music. For some reason, although this band's Archives page tells us they've been a band since 2010, this is their first full length and only release thus far, other than two singles prior to this record, likely in preparation for the album coming out. They give us dark heavy metal similar to modern Judas Priest, just without the vocal histrionics. Instead we get understated vocals that are similar to Halford's lower range, and they're fucking good. They're smooth and powerful and perfectly suited to the music. I have to commend them on a heavy, thick drum sound, which isn't always the case nowadays in this age of triggers and sound replacement. I can tell they were going the extra mile to get a good solid sound with a lot of what I call "wetness" to it. Some bluesy influences pop into the mix on the second track, "Bless Me Father," with its slow grind of a riff and emphatic vocals. It fits perfectly into the record with the tinges of doom in their songs. This is an incredible record for a first full length and I hope they continue to regularly make music. Every song is distinct and worthy of being on the record, and there are no songs where I felt like hitting the skip button. This is pretty dark stuff atmospherically, and there's no feel-good songs here, just shadowy riffs. Nine Euros gets you the digital album on Bandcamp, and with the way the mail is now with the fucking tariffs in place in the US, it's the best option for US fans to get this mighty slab of heavy metal.

blackodysseyband.bandcamp.com

Vehemence--Assiege pour l'eternite (CD/LP) (2026 Antiq Records)

This is the fourth full length from Vehemence from France, and they give us epic melodic black metal on this release. The melodies soar on this one, and they're amazing at building textures throughout the songs, with added layers of melody often happening behind or on top of the main riffs. The recording itself is a natural-sounding one, almost a live sound, especially where the drums are concerned. I won't give them too much shit for having such a nice recording, as the textures in this piece of black metal actually require a decent production. That doesn't stop them from including the rogue string scrape or pick sound on the recording, and that's a nice touch. It helps add just a bit of rawness. They're not afraid of other instruments, either, as a flute makes an appearance in one of the songs with a lilting melody. They can also blast fiercely, and they pepper these explosions in fairly readily in all the songs. It makes for quite an interesting listen. My high school French sucks, so I can't understand a damn word of the lyrics, but the songs appear to be about quests, forests, plains, and shit like that. I liked this album quite a bit, and will probably revisit it at some point. Worth the price of admission.

www.antiqrecords.com

Windswept--Howling in Baptismal Filth (LP/CS) (2026 Northern Void Records)

New Zealand often gets lumped in with the Australian scene, what I think is unfairly. They have a share of decent bands in New Zealand, and this is one of them. Windswept play rather melodic black metal that definitely takes its influence from the Norwegian gods, particularly Satyricon circa Nemesis Divina (at least that's what my ears make of it). They have a similar anthemic melodic approach even when they're blasting. The problem is I don't much like the recording - it's too clean. While it's very natural-sounding, it's pristinely recorded which isn't how I want much of my black metal to sound. I want it to be ugly, in your face, but all instruments still audible. Rough and rugged is the way, and this isn't so much. However, this is nitpicky. Sometime that stands way out is the frantic and frenzied vocal performance of Rachel Collins, their singer. She's a fuckin' beast and even has the look a black metal singer should have. Her vocals are some of the most filthy I've heard in black metal for a while, raspy screams that exude metalized blood. Apart from that there are some standout riffs and solid playing by all, and some great guitar harmonies. I just wish this was a bit dirtier-sounding, like I often do with modern black metal.

www.northernvoidrecords.com

Medieval Skull--Hellion Earth (Digital) (2026 Independent)

Well, I've definitely never heard this particular mixture before - epic heavy metal with black metal vocals. It really does sound unique, like a black thrash band playing Manilla Road's instruments. It's kind of a refreshing style mix. Of course, I'm a sucker for epic metal of all kinds, and this definitely scratches that itch. Some of the riffs are, yeah I'm gonna say it, medieval in nature, with that little gallop that epic heavy metal bands have. The riffs are big, also, with lots of space for the drums and vocals to do their thing. Vocally this almost reminds me of Gravewurm, with that high-in-the-throat black metal vocal style that's really raspy and not all that powerful. It works, though, and it meshes with the music, acting almost like another instrument. From what little I can make out, I hear lyrics about fantasy, dark quests, and other such epic metal fodder, which is perfectly suited for this music. Sometimes the drums are a little loose, which gives this a very human feel and in today's world that is worth something. Not a bad album at all, and one that I'll surely play again.

medievalskull.bandcamp.com

Heavy Metal Shapnel--Heavy Metal Hairspray (CD/LP) (2026 Nameless Grave Records)

This is '80s heavy metal in the vein of early Dokken, which is fine by me. I like the straight beats and easily listenable riffs! However, I'm gonna bitch about the lyrical content. Heavy Metal Hairspray, the album and the song, has some dumb as fuck lyrics. I don't even want to give you an example. I get what they're trying to do, but even as a song that lampoons '80s metal, it's too on-the-nose. And this song starts the album. It's not too agonizing from there until we get to the goddamn love ballad "When Love Isn't Enough." Fucking gross. That shit isn't metal. It's weak. It's followed up by "Love Is A Racket (Baby Grab My Handle)." DO YOU SEE? Do. You. See? Fortunately the rest of the album is mostly devoid of this stuff. So tuned out the dumbass lyrics and focused on the overall pretty excellent heavy metal music. The melodies are killer, worming their way into your brain very easily, and the songs don't overstay their welcome (at least, the ones with decent lyrics don't). The guitarist can fuckin' shred, too, the leads and harmonies are incredible, Yngwie-like even. Very talented. When they stay away from dumb ballads and goofy lyrics their tunes are great, and I can skip the stupid songs. I'll definitely listen to this more than once, even with the lyrics I hate. The music is just that good.

www.namelessgraverecords.com

Dishumane--Centurion's Demise CD,MLP and CS.{Blood Harvest}

 

Centurion's Demise is the debut EP. from the new band Dishumane featuring three full length and a instrumental.The three songs are pure old school death metal that are performed with power.The guitars are a mix of heavy mid paced patterns.The guitarist does cut loose with some faster guitar passages throughout the songs and adds some well played solo's.The drumming is done with powerful drum passages that like the guitars are a mix of heavy mid paced drums and some faster drums both styles are performed with skill. Centurion's Demise is a great introduction to this band that blends old school death metal with some brutal death elements for a classic sound and style.                                                 Blood Harvest                                                                                                                                              https://www.bloodharvest.se/                                                                                                                    https://bloodharvestrecords.bandcamp.com/                                                                                              https://www.facebook.com/BloodHarvestRecords#                                                                                    https://www.instagram.com/bloodharvestmailorder

Gnaargakh--Das Jungste Gericht{digital}{Independent}

 

Gnaargakh  is a solo black metal band coming out of Germany and this is a review of his debut full length.Das Jungste Gericht  is ten tracks of hateful,raw black metal that is performed with some good musicial passages.The guitars are played with fast and chaotic passages that are done very well.The guitars are chaotic but also have some very well executed passages entertwined into the music.The vocals are grim black metal screams and some gruff screams and growls are also used in a few of the songs.Gnaargakh plays  traditional hateful black metal that is well executed on the debut full length release.                                                                                                                                                        Gnaargakh                                                                                                                                                      https://gnaargakh.bandcamp.com/                                                                                                                https://www.facebook.com/gnaargakh

Sanctum Pyre--He Who Remains (CD) (2026 Steel Gallery Records)

Sometimes I come across a band and ask why a label hasn't snatched up and released their record, and this is one of them. (Edit: They did get picked up by Steel Gallery Records!) This shit is good, solid heavy metal with incredibly talented musicians and excellent songs. Someone, somewhere, should put this out physically. Every song has ear-catching melody to it, and the singer's vocals are pristine, smooth, and well-performed. It's anthemic stuff, performed with an epic edge that makes you want to turn up the volume and get lost in the interplay between the guitars and the singer's voice. There's some use of keys here, but mostly just to create quieter melodic moments in the songs here and there - they're not present all the time. The production is a perfect modern metal recording and it benefits a straight traditional metal act like this that has grandiose melodies because it can be enhanced, especially in the vocal department. They have done just that. The vocals are very produced, but in a way that makes them shine. Power metal maniacs as well as classic metal enthusiasts with get equal enjoyment out of this album, and it's worth the effort to go get.

sanctumpyre.bandcamp.com

Poisoned Priest--Goat Cult Bizarre (Digital) {2026 Independent}

All the way from Norway comes Poisoned Priest, bringing us great black thrash on this independent release, currently only available digitally. The thrash riffing reminds me of Toxic Holocaust, as does the songwriting. Where this band veers away from that formula is the black metal riffing that occasionally pops up in the middle of all the thrash, generating a colder atmosphere in some songs. Vocally, it's what you'd expect, with more black metal styled vocals with just a tinge of thrash yelling. And, obviously, we have the requisite Satanic lyrics. There are a few interesting guitar solos in some songs, nothing virtuosic, but they fit the music aptly. They're no strangers to a good blastbeat, either, and they put them to solid use in several songs, which tend to be my favorite on the record, like the song "Cross Crusher." (What a great name!). This is an excellent entry into the canon of black thrash, and fans of the genre will be suitably rewarded if they pick this up.

poisonedpriest.bandcamp.com

Grabunhold--Frostheim (CD/LP) {2026 Iron Bonehead Records}

German really does make for great-sounding lyrics when sung, it just has a hard edge and is perfect for metal, a lot like English. I can't understand a damn word of it, but it sounds cool. Grabunhold have a classic black metal sound and image, and apparently a fascination with Tolkien, which is also on-brand for black metal. The production is good, but has a nice loud, raw edge to it, like every instrument is pushed a little too far. This is fine. I don't want modern production values to invade black metal too much, it should at least have a fuzzy edge like this. Don't get me wrong, this is quite well-recorded - it just has that "something" that black metal needs. The vocals are more mid-ranged than high, which is perfect for this material. The vocals are quite powerful and the singer knows when to shut up and just let the music do all the work. The riffs alternate between quite aggressive and melodic, and constitute a nice mix of the two, as most good black metal seems to do. I only wish I had some English translations of the lyrics since I also enjoy Tolkien and would like to see what has so inspired this band. Perhaps they're included in the physical copy, I hope they are.

www.ironbonehead.de

Leatherwitch--First Spell (CD/LP) {2026 Listenable Records}

Leatherwitch is the solo project of Marta Gabriel, the longtime vocalist of Crystal Viper. Leatherwitch is largely a continuation of Crystal Viper's work, although there are some stylistic differences. For me, the vocals are smoother and more well-produced than on the last Crystal Viper record. Marta also leans in more heavily to classic metal melody, reminding me a bit of Warlock in that regard. The choruses are all written to be extremely catchy and some of them are serious earworms. I'm impressed with the level of skill she shows with all the instruments here as well - even the drums, which are notoriously neglected on a lot of one-person projects, often resorting to haphazard programming. No, these are the real deal and she plays them well, assuming she plays them and didn't just leave session musicians off the credits. I love when she hits a high note on this record, they're so smooth. She has the same smooth high notes that Journey frontman Steve Perry had, and his were like silk. She has the same texture if not the same range. It could be a trick of production, but you can't polish a turd, so the raw tracks have to be impressive at the very least. This is one all traditional metal fans ought to be able to enjoy and I hope there's more where this came from.

www.listenable.eu

Rotten Tomb--Vestiges Of Tortured Souls CD&LP and C.S{Nuclear Winter Rec.}

 

Rotten Tomb is a four man band coming out of Chile's death metal scene and this is a review of the bands newest full length.Vestiges Of Tortured Souls contains nine tracks of intense and powerful death metal.The music is very well delievered and written with some memorable guitars and drum passages.The guitars are performed with skill and are a mix of some mid paced heavy guitars and some faster more aggressive patterns.Both styles are played with intensity and their are some well played solo's throughout the songs.The drums are equally as well delievered with some faster drums.The drummer does slow to a more heavier mid paced in a few of the songs for a nice balance.The vocals are well performed death metal growls that are powerful in their delievery. This is my first encounter with Chile's Rotten Tomb but if you are a fan of pure death metal then defintly give this release a listen and pick up a copy today.                                                                                                                                    Rotten Tomb                                                                                                                                                https://rottentomb.bandcamp.com/album/vestiges-of-tortured-souls                                                        https://www.facebook.com/rottentombband/                                                                                                https://www.instagram.com/rottentombofficial/                                                                                          Nuclear Winter Rec.                                                                                                                                    https://nuclearwinterrecords.com/shop/                                                                                                        https://nuclearwinterrecords.bandcamp.com/album/vestiges-of-tortured-souls                                        https://www.facebook.com/martyrdoomproductions/                                                                                  https://www.instagram.com/nuclearwinterrecords/                                                                                        https://www.youtube.com/@nuclearwinterrecords

Diabolic Oath--Unholy Barbaric Hymns EP. CD&CS{Sentient Ruin Laboratories}

 

Portland Oregon's Diabolic Oath return with a new EP. featuring four tracks of brutal black and death metal.If you have never heard this band and love intense,violent black death metal then i defintly recomend this band and release.Musically the guitars and drums are performed with guitar and drum passages that are crazed but are well executed and performed.The drums are a mix of hyperspeed blst beats and some more controlled heavy fast drum sections.The vocals are raw black metal and some ferocious death metal growls are also used both vocal styles are well done.Unholy Barbaric Hymns  is a great release of extremly violent and punnishing black and death metal.                                                    Diabolic Oath                                                                                                                                                https://diabolicoath.bandcamp.com/album/unholy-barbaric-hymns                                                            https://www.facebook.com/DiabolicOathOfficial#                                                                                      https://www.instagram.com/diabolicoath/                                                                                                Sentient Ruin Laboratories                                                                                                                            https://sentientruin.com/                                                                                                                              https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/unholy-barbaric-hymns                                                               https://www.facebook.com/SentientRuin                                                                                                      https://www.instagram.com/sentientruin/                                                                                                    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7ZyzClXkP-mg6aR9CCi-4Q

Sanctiphagous--Ferrum Flammaque (Digital) {2026 Nekrolust Records}

Every once in a while I find a mighty black metal band that gets close to the aggression and violence of Panzer Division Marduk, and Brazil's Sanctiphagous get quite close to that sublime sound on this, their first full length. I may need to put an asterisk on full length, because the recording quality differs on the material past the first several songs, and this may be a hodgepodge of previous EPs. It's listed as a full length on the Archives, and it's a great representation of this band's material, so I'll call it a full length as well. On to the music. The tremolo picked riffs here are nearly as tasty as the ones on that classic Marduk record, and the blastbeats just don't stop. I'm not sure if the drums are sampled/programmed or live, but in either case, they're well done. The vocals even remind me of Legion's breathless delivery, half growled, half shrieked, half snarled, and they're sung with conviction and power. The songwriting is equally excellent, relying on shorter songs with fewer riffs and catchy transitions for hooks. Sometimes the songs are only a minute long, which is pretty unique in today's black metal scene. Synths do make a limited appearance on a few songs and they really fill out the sound of the record where they're included, since they're usually included over a slower riff. These sections, however, tend to be my least favorite if only because the music slows down a bit in these sections, and I want that violence to return! Keep in mind, the best recorded, and I'm assuming newest, material is at the front of this record, which is smart. It gives us a great glimpse of what's to come along with the history of recorded material that comes after. No physical format yet, from what I can tell, but you can get this digitally, and I will highly recommend doing so.

nekrolustrecords.bandcamp.com

Ignition--All Will Die (CD) {2026 Daredevil Records}

Ignition play fantastic and aggressive power metal, reminding me of the great Brainstorm in many ways. They're aggressive, bordering on thrash metal at times, like the heaviest moments of Primal Fear, except it's a whole album of these moments. The singer is a little gruff, using excellent melodies and a powerful voice to deliver the lyrics, reminding me of old Blind Guardian in tone and style. They also have big choruses a lot like Powerwolf with haunting melodies rather than feel-good stuff. All the guitar harmonies should keep the guitar fans happy, and indeed they do a great job of it, with melodies weaving in and out of the more aggressive riffs. This is the sort of power metal that I like - it's full on metal atmosphere and no weakness at all, even in the more melodic moments. Real heavy metal fans the world over will enjoy this record and this band should be as big as the bands I've compared them to, they're that good. 

http://www.daredevilrecords.de/

Witching Hour--Descending... Where Time Has Ceased to Exist (CD/LP) {2026 Dying Victims Productions)

I have to declare that I was unfamiliar with this band before hearing this, although I was aware of their existence. I'm glad I chose to review them. They play excellent black thrashing heavy metal with top shelf riffs and wonderful songwriting. Many people compare them to countrymates Nocturnal, but Nocturnal is straight thrash. Temper them with Deceased-style melodicism, however, and you'll have a good idea of what to expect, especially when the vocals hit. They're gruff but sung, and carry some melody, just like King Fowley. Long songs are also in their repertoire, also like Deceased, with the songs here ranging from six to eleven minutes in length. This gives the guitars plenty of time to play around with the riffs and some truly epic material results. This has a true '80s heavy metal feel as well as a Germanic thrash feel, both at the same time. It's quite a feat, and I have to say that while I normally hate long songs, this was quite good and the lengths of the songs didn't affect my enjoyment of the music. They felt a lot shorter than what they actually are. This album is for true metal diehards, and there should be no buyer's remorse!

www.dying-victims.de

Consecration--Exanimis CD&LPAnd CASSETTE{Nuclear Winter Rec.}

 

Consecration is  a  five man band coming out of the U.K that plays a good style of death doom metal.Exanimis  is the bands fourth full length featuring eight tracks of well composed and performed death doom metal.The guitars are performed with some slow to mid paced guitar passages that are well executed and delievered.Besides the heavy mid paced guitars there are also some very well performed acoustic guitars used in a few of the songs that add another layer to the bands sound.The vocals are heavy death metal growls that are crushing in their delievery.Their are also some raw gruff growls used in a few of the songs.If you are a fan of well composed death doom metal that even adds moments of atmosphere to their crushing sound and style i urge you to check this band out today.                            Consecration                                                                                                                                                https://consecration666.bandcamp.com/merch                                                                                          https://www.facebook.com/Consecration666/#                                                                                            https://www.instagram.com/consecration666                                                                                            https://www.youtube.com/user/ConsecrationDoom666                                                                          Nuclear Winter Rec.                                                                                                                                      https://nuclearwinterrecords.com/shop/                                                                                                      https://nuclearwinterrecords.bandcamp.com/album/exanimis                                                                      https://www.facebook.com/martyrdoomproductions/                                                                                https://www.instagram.com/nuclearwinterrecords/                                                                                    https://www.youtube.com/@nuclearwinterrecords

Hoc Est Bellum--Filth Majesty CD&LP and Cassette{Time To Kill Rec.}

 

Hoc Est Bellum is a band that was  started in 2022 and plays  bestial black metal.After releasing one demo in 2023 the band will be releasing their debut full length Filth Majesty at the end of June.The guitars are razorsharp fast and chaotic in the delievery.The drums are played with hyperspeed blast beats that are crazed and destructive in the delievery.The vocals are grim,raw black metal screams and some deeper demonic growls.If you are looking for a barbaric band that blends the best of black,grind and death metal together then be sure to pick up a copy of Filth Majesty when it is released.                          Hoc Est Bellum                                                                                                                                          https://hocestbellum.bandcamp.com/merch                                                                                                https://www.instagram.com/hoc_est_bellum_black_noise/                                                                          Time To Kill Rec.                                                                                                                                      https://timetokillrecords.com/                                                                                                                    https://hocestbellum.bandcamp.com/album/filth-majesty                                                                          https://www.facebook.com/timetokillrecords/                                                                                            instagram.com/timetokillrecords/                                                                                                                https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCydoZxnJqGq4AeETKM6uO-A

Signs of the Evil--Calling the Ancient Legions Under the Red Moon (CS) {2026 Infernal Arts Productions}

 

Signs of the Evil was originally formed in Peru  but has since relocated to the U.S.And this is a review of the bands second full length  Calling the Ancient Legions Under the Red Moon the music is a great release of traditional black metal that is not all out speed and aggression like most of the bands these days.The  music is crafted with genuine musical ability and creativity.The guitars are performed with some well executed guitar passages and patterns.The guitars do speed up to a faster pace through some of the tracks but never go full force  with the over the top speeds.The vocals are a mix of demonic gruff growls and black metal screams and screeches are also used.Calling the Ancient Legions Under the Red Moon  is a great release of quality well delievered traditional black metal at it's finest.                            Signs of the Evil                                                                                                                                          https://signsoftheevil666.bandcamp.com/                                                                                                    https://www.facebook.com/signsoftheevil                                                                                                     https://www.instagram.com/signs_of_the_evil                                                                                             

Wampyric Rites/Noirsuaire--Consecration of Nocturnal Entities (CD) {2026 Inferna Profundis Records}

Wampyric Rites from Ecuador and Noirsuaire from France unite here under the banner of the Lithuanian label Inferna Profundis. Each band gives us three tracks apiece, all coming in around the five to six minute mark. Wampyric Rites play their usual raw black metal attack, being nicely recorded with a raw edge like all our favorite '90s acts. They clearly worship the Norwegian sound and sort of resemble early Emperor, especially the guitar sound. I like it quite a lot. Noirsuaire get compared to Sargeist and Mutiilation and I can see that in their sound a little. They use cold melody and their half of the split is a little more laid back because of that. I definitely like the Wampyric Rites material more as it's more in line with what I like in black metal - it's grandiose but not overly melodic and it has the required darkness and evil. This is a worthy split if you like black metal with zero frills, as it should be.

www.ipr666shop.com

Jehovah Lashing--Amongst the Cascades of Subterranean Inferno (Digital) {2026 Independent}

From somewhere deep in Pennsylvania comes Jehovah Lashing, a fairly unique-sounding black metal band. Their style of black metal is interesting - it combines deep echoing Archgoat-style vocals with an almost Finnish kind of melody on the guitars, all with a flowing rhythm section. The problem is this four-song EP is quite repetitive and all the songs blend together, as they're quite similar. The melodies used are so close to each other it's like one twenty-minute song with a few breaks of silence in it. I wish this was more diverse, because it's an interesting sound, one that I would explore further if this had been a better outing. Unfortunately I must recommend a pass on this one.

jehovahlashing.bandcamp.com

Grimheart--A Beast of Ancient Memory (Digital) {2026 Independent}

Here we have some forest-worshipping atmospheric black metal that seems to vacillate between metal and synth soundscapes, sometimes multiple times in the same song. It's pretty unique, I can't think of anything this band really sounds like, and that's a good thing. However, this just isn't black metal to me. It's so far away from the original intent of black metal as a vessel of rebellion in the face of the mainstream. The synths are overpowering, not just in the sonic sense, but in the sense that they dilute the metal and turn this into almost a classical music piece. There's no occult atmosphere, no lingering ghosts, no moldering corpses in the basement, just nature-worship and the saccharin sound of too many synths. Not for me, but your mileage may vary if you're more adventurous than I am.

agrimheart.bandcamp.com

Nazgash--Eternal Cycle of Death (Digital) {2026 Independent}

Nazgash come to us from Spain and this is their second full length of melodic black metal with plenty of synths. Now, I lived in the 1990s, so I was subject to the waves of melodic black metal coming out of Europe back then. Most of those bands are now forgotten. This record reminds me of that style and time, and seems like it's right out of that era of so-called black metal bands. I say so-called because there is something missing in this style that all good black metal has, and that's a dangerous atmosphere. This music seems too kind, too nice, to be proper black metal. See, black metal is more than a musical style. It's an attack on the mainstream, both musically and ideologically. There isn't anything about this album that screams "be afraid" or "run away." In fact, this isn't much more than extreme heavy metal marketed as black metal with harsh vocals. There's nothing wrong with it otherwise, other than the songs are a bit boring. I just want more from black metal than this. Your mileage may vary of course, if you're a sucker for melodicism. That's up to you to find out. The album cover is absolutely killer, though.

nazgash.bandcamp.com

Louder--Devil's Night (CD) {2026 Fighter Records}

Louder, from Colombia, come armed to the teeth with classic speed metal riffs and gruff Motorhead-like shouted vocals. Black thrash fans should pay attention to this one, as it's a decent entry into the canon of the genre, even if it does have a few issues, as we'll see later in the review. They do get the "song title that makes me laugh every time I see it" award for the song "Satan's Bitch." It's even funnier when they get to the chorus of the song and repeat the song title as part of it. This is not overly technical or polished - this is dirty, fast, rock and roll heavy metal and makes no apologies for what it is, and in that respect I like it. My only problem with the album is that it gets a bit repetitive after a while and the songs begin to run together quite a bit, over time becoming much the same. A little more variation in the riffs would help immensely. That said, I'll be interested to see what the band does next, because there's quite a bit of potential here for something awesome.

www.fighter-records.com

Haemoth--Black Dust (CD/LP) {2026 Agonia Records}

This is the first full-length album in fifteen years from this French terrorsquad. The production is loud, flat, and distorted, lending the music a hellish aspect. There is nothing clean here at all. The vocals especially are distorted, nearing white noise territory. This does not mean the production is bad - no, these were deliberate choices during recording. The noisy production is actually a virtue, as it gives the album a personality all its own, like the bands of old. All the instruments are audible, they're just very loud. The drumming really stands out as super tight and talented, with lightning fast fills and rolls and he makes the most of the way some of their songs alternate tempo between slow and fast. His drumming actually reminds me of the mighty Nemesis Divina by Satyricon. The riffs are quite varied, even when they're speeding along, and they make for quite enjoyable songs. Haemoth aren't afraid to be quite heavy at times, like in the song "When the Dust Finally Settles," with its thrash-inspired riffing. Haemoth, after all these years, still feels dangerous and dark, like all good black metal should, and this album is a welcome addition to their discography.

www.agoniarecords.com

Sahara--Self Titled {digital}{Independant}

 Coming out of Las Vegas Nevada  is the new band Sahara who play a great atyle of old school death and grind metal.The self titled debut is nine songs of intense and aggressive death grindcore at it's finest.The music is fast and chaotic but the musicians can play their instruments and do so very well.The guitars are crazed and fast paced with some well performed patterns.The guitarist even adds in a few solo's in a few of the songs.The vocals are a mix of old school death metal growls and some deeper growls are used in a few songs.The drumming is top notch with some insanely fast blast beats their are some slower more heavier mid paced drums also used through the release.The self titled debut is a must have for all those who love early to mid 90's death,grind bands.

Sahara

https://sahara-official.bandcamp.com/album/self-titled

https://www.facebook.com/SaharaDEATHMETAL

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

Planet Retaliates--Black Iron Prision demo {digital}{Independant}

 

Black Iron Prision is the debut demo from Finland's Planet Retaliates who play crushing death,doom.The demo contains four tracks that are slow to mid paced heavy death doom metal.The guitars are played with a mix of slow to mid paced guitar patterns that are well executed.The guitarist does add some well performed passages in each of the songs.The drums are done in the same vein as the guitars with some crushing powerful mid paced drums that are devestating in the delievery.The vocals are raw gruff death metal growls.This is not a great demo but it still has some well played musicial passages and i look forward to hearing the bands future releases.If you like death/doom that is heavy then be sure to check the band out today.                                                                                                    Planet Retaliates                                                                                                                                             https://planeettakostaa.bandcamp.com/album/black-iron-prison                                                                  https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Planet_Retaliates/3540582914                                                     

Mysteries Of Death--The Final Journey full-length{digital}{Independant}

 

Mysteries Of Death is a solo prject coming out of Belarus raw black metal scene and this is a review of the debut full length.The Final Journey  contains a intro and outro and six tracks of mid paced black metal.The intro starts off with a haunting short intro that is cold and eerie.Musicially Mysteries Of Death performs  mid paced raw black metal that is executed with some well performed guitars.The music does speed to a faster pace in a few of the songs but doesn't last too long.The vocals are grim,raw black metal screams and gruff screams.If you are into raw,mid paced black metal  then Mysteries Of Death is a good band to check out

Mysteries Of Death

https://mysteriesofdeath.bandcamp.com/music

Mesnada--Forgotten Pathways EP.{digital}{Independant}

 

Mesnada is a band that plays raw black metal with some atmospheric passages used throughout a few of the songs.Forgotten Pathways  is the newest EP. with four tracks of well delievered black metal the music is a nice mix of fast paced passages and some slower more controlled mid paced patterns.Not much is said about the band on their bandcamp but the music is really well executed and performed.The vocals are raw black metal screams.If you are a fan of raw,atmospheric black metal then be sure to check this release out today. 

Mesnada

https://tuireann.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/mesnada.bm/

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

Lord Of Horns--Beneath A Broken Cross Demo{digital}{independent}

 

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Coming out of New Jersey's  black metal scene is the solo band Lord Of Horns.Beneath A Broken Cross is the newest demo. featuring three tracks of traditional black metal.Up first  is the title track Beneath A Broken Cross is a fast paced song with fast guitars and programmed fast paced drums.Their are some slower mid paced guitar passages.The vocals are grim black metal screams and almost talking type of vocals.The second song is I conjured The Devil starts off with a dark mid paced musicial passage.The music does speed up with some blast beats amd guitars that are played with intensity.The vocals are high pitched black metal screams.The final song Exorcism Denied is another fast and furious song with extremely fast paced guitars and blasting drums.The vocals are raw black metal screams that fit the old school style of the band perfectly.If you are a fan of well delievered and performed old school black metal then i  defintly recomend checking out Lord Of Horns today.                                                          Lord Of Horns                                                                                                                                            https://lordofhorns.bandcamp.com/album/beneath-a-broken-cross-3                                                          https://www.facebook.com/lordofhorns                                                                                                         https://www.instagram.com/lordofhorns/                                                                                                      

Demon Spell--Blessed Be the Dark (CD/LP) {2026 Dying Victims Productions}

One band that deserves to have more worship bands is Mercyful Fate, and that's what Demon Spell from Italy are doing, and they're delivering quite excellent heavy metal while doing it. The lyrics are blissfully Satanic, as they should be, and they're delivered in an uncannily similar style to King Diamond. There's even plenty of reverb on the vocals to give it that old Mercyful Fate feel. I place this band on the pedestal with Attic as quality King Diamond and Mercyful Fate worship. The production is clear but has a raw edge to it, just as it should for this style, which is something I felt was lacking from the later Mercyful Fate records and King Diamond's output. This just bleeds old metal atmosphere and aesthetic, and I'm glad to have stumbled upon it while hunting for new things to review. There's really no more to say about this. If you're a Fate devotee, like me, you'll love this record. 

www.dying-victims.de

Powerrage--Beast (CD/LP) {2026 High Roller Records}

Powerrage includes two members of the mighty Exciter, John Ricci and Jacques Belanger, so you can imagine the dose of Exciter-esque music found here. They play a solid mixture of heavy metal, speed metal, and thrash metal, and it's completely unique, just as Exciter was. The vocals are completely off the chain - they alternate between a gruff growl or snarl that almost creeps into black metal territory, and a high, piercing falsetto. It's totally different and I can imagine it's an acquired taste for some, as it's not a standard traditional metal type of vocal at times. The production is wonderfully old-sounding, with some reverb on the drums, and guitars that aren't burying everything else. The riffs tend to be fairly repetitive, which is quite an interesting choice for this style, and it really gives some of the songs an epic feel, as they should with the pedigree of this band. It really lets the riffs breathe, becoming something more. The guitar solos are impeccable, obviously. There's a very '80s feel to all of this, even with the extreme vocals, and it should be seen as a continuation of the legacy of Exciter, at least in my eyes.

www.hrrecords.de