Denmark’s Blackened Death Metal titans STRYCHNOS return with their second album of abhorrent delights. Although they formed in 1998, their debut album came in 2020 (after a couple of demos and EP’s). This is the follow up to that full length. Set for release on May 17th via Dark Descent Records. Creeping leads begin our hellish descent before a tormenting acceleration toward restlessness and abysmal doom. The otherworldly guitar riffs contort around strong bass and intricate drums. Inhuman incantations make up the vocal portion of this soundscape, all ruthlessly evil and hostile. Strychnos hav ..read more

One of the most important Death Metal bands of all time NECROPHAGIA lost their leader Killjoy back in 2018. Thankfully some final ideas were unearthed by Serge, Shawn and Jake who enlisted the help of Incantation frontman John McEntee. This final performance of Killjoy is obviously mandatory listening for any maniac! Out via Time To Kill Records on May 10th. Naturally the mood is instantly the horror soundtrack that Necrophagia has been crafting for so many years, instantly pulling us into the release with those spooky and sinister vibes. The haunting guitar work and synths atop heavy drums, b ..read more

In the legendary Cart and Horses, something fearsome stirs. Although a venue associated with the history of Heavy Metal royalty Iron Maiden, tonight something more malodorous and hostile takes place. Diocletian from New Zealand and Finland’s Blood Chalice join forces to wreak bestial havoc upon us. Sadly I arrived shortly after the two UK support acts, Gorgon Vomit and Trivax, but thankfully have seen both on many occasions and will surely cross paths with them soon enough. Bursting with ferocity and hammering (quite literally as we will get to) Black / Death Metal blitzkrieg upon London, the ..read more

It’s that time of year that I return to the best Heavy Metal festival in the world, Keep It True! Set in picturesque Bavarian Germany and packed with the best bands of the olden days and newer underground acts in perfect harmony, it’s always the highlight of my year. Enough chit chat, I want to sink my teeth into some Heavy Metal! Thursday Acero Letal took the stage with a confidence and passion that was palpable in the room. These Chilean headbangers delivered pure speeding, melodic Heavy Metal with such a power and equally crazy response from the crowd. One of the most promising newer bands ..read more

New Zealand’s DIOCLETIAN are famously one of the strongest purveyors of bestial Black / Death Metal. Their new album is out now digitally via Nuclear War Now Productions with physical formats following soon. Dominant guitars and scathing vocals draw in a potent furore of bestial might. Their bludgeoning percussion and sonic maelstrom of unholy Extreme Metal kicks right into overdrive with their most hostile and unwieldy musical belligerence. Dive-bombing solos complete that old school feeling while the raw but balanced mix gives all elements of the record space to coexistence in salivating sav ..read more

Sweden’s crustiest Death Metallers CRAWL released their killer debut “Ritual” a few years back. Now they return for more chainsawing brutality with their second full length. Out via Transcending Obscurity Records on April 30th. Their insanely driven guitars create a ton of feedback, adding as a brief second of introduction before carnivorous HM-2 riffing and d-beats pummel into life with all of the might of their sonic ancestors. Swedish Death Metal may be a somewhat oversaturated sound to many onlookers, but I think we can always tell a band with something more special to offer this classic s ..read more

Ohio Speed Metal wrecking crew Midnight are back in London hot on the heels of their fifth record “Hellish Expectations” (read my review here). It’s my fourth time seeing these maniacs, so I know it’ll rule! Let’s rock! First up, London Death Metallers Vacuous take the stage with their claustrophobically intense soundscapes. As a band who are visceral and yet packed with this lurking, ominous atmosphere; I find them easily one of the strongest UK underground acts. Having seen them quite a lot, I’m still not bored of Max’s drum acrobatics or the feast of diabolical riffing that we are consisten ..read more

Witches Hammer are an obscure band of Canadian origin formed in 1984. Playing a type of Speed Metal that often crosses over into Black, Death and Thrash territories too, they are the epitome of extremity. Below I talk to frontman Rayy Crude about the band’s history, present and future for you sick maniacs to read! Hey Rayy, how’s things over there? Can you give us bangers a brief introduction and history of Witches Hammer? Hey Jørgen, all is well here! Spring is here and soon the sun will scorch us dry. Witches Hammer started out as Oblivion originally but I joined when Marco Banco (the ..read more

War Metal masters ANTICHRIST SIEGE MACHINE return with their 3rd album of vitriolic hellfire. Out via Profound Lore Records on April 19th. Bursting into life with a bestial vengeance, the raw savagery of the guitars and bludgeoning drums meet a thunderous roar of vocal malevolence. Grinding and grooving, the hostile soundscape will instantly either grip you, or scare you away. There is a truly tangible malice from the onset, which as a lover of their entire body of work is a most welcome return to form. Gut-wrenching hooks and a sense of dread creep into the record while momentum never dips, a ..read more

German Speed Metal titans VULTURE return with their fourth album of high speed metal! Out via Metal Blade Records on April 12th. Eerie howls and maniacal fills deliver their signature Vulture sound with razor-like guitars firing on all cylinders alongside the rhythmic battery. Everything feels carefully selected across the sonic spectrum to deliver bestial devastation and high speed metal with no mercy. The melodious and upbeat instrumentals are met by the bands unique shrill vocals which harken back to Bay Area legends while their powerful sense of traditionalism is equally present, perhaps m ..read more