Stuck in the Filter: August 2025’s Angry Misses

By Kenstrosity

The heat persists, but now the humidity comes in full force as storm systems wreak havoc upon the coasts. I hide in my cramped closet of an office, lest I be washed out once again by an unsuspecting deluge. However, I still send my minions out into the facility, bound by duty to search for those metallic scraps on which we feast.

Fortuitously, most all of those imps I sent out came back alive, and with wares! BEHOLD!

Kenstrosity’s Galactic Gremlin

Silent Millenia // Celestial Twilight: Beyond the Crimson Veil [August 26th, 2025 – Self-Release]

Have you ever seen such a delightfully cheesy cover? Probably, but it’s been a while for me. I bought Celestial Twilight: Beyond the Crimson Veil, the second raw symphonic black metal opus from Finnish one-man act Silent Millenia, on the strength of the artwork alone. Little did I know that what lay beyond this crimson veil was some of the most fun melodic black metal this side of Moonlight Sorcery. The same low-fi roughness that personifies Old Nick’s work grounds Silent Millenia’s starbound songwriting as it traverses the universe with an energetic punch reminiscent of Emperor or Stormkeep (“Awaken the Celestial Spell,” “Daemonic Mastery”). To help differentiate Silent Millenia’s sound from that of their peers, a gothic atmosphere ensorcells much of this material to great effect, merging eerie Victorian melodies with galactic adventurism in an unlikely pair (“Enthrone the Spectral”). Swirling synths and sparkling twinkles abound as well, creating blissful moments of interest as frosty tremolos and piercing blasts take full advantage of the false sense of security those entrancing clouds of synthetic instrumentation create (“Benighted Path to Darkness Mysterium,” “Reign in Cosmic Majesty”). Simply put, Celestial Twilight is an unexpected gem of a symphonic black metal record, bursting with killer ideas and infinite levels of raw, unabashed fun. You should hear it!

Kronos’ Unexpected Unearthments

Street Sects // Dry Drunk [August 15th, 2025 – Self Release]

Dry Drunk sticks to your inner surfaces, draining down like cigarette tar along paralyzed cilia to pool in your lungs until the cells themselves foment rebellion. Once it’s in you, you feel paranoid, wretched, and alone. So it’s the proper follow-up to Street Sects’ visionary debut, End Position. Like that record, Dry Drunk plumbs the most mundane and unsavory gutters of America for a cast of protagonists that it dwells in or dispatches with a mixture of pity and disgust, with vocalist Leo Ashline narrating their violent crimes and self-hatred in a mixture of croons, shrieks, and snarls that cook the air before the speakers into the scent of booze and rotten teeth. And like that record, Shaun Ringsmuth (Glassing) dresses the sets with a fractal litter of snaps, squeals, crashes, gunshots, and grinding electronics, caked in tar and collapsing just as soon as it is swept into a structure. And like End Position, Dry Drunk is a masterpiece. The impeccable six-song stretch from “Love Makes You Fat” through “Riding the Clock” ties you to the bumper and drags you along some of the duo’s most creative side-roads, through the simmering, straightjacketed sludge of “Baker Act” to the chopped-up, smirking electronica of “Eject Button.” Swerving between addled, unintelligible agony and unforgettable anthems, Dry Drunk, like End Position before it is nothing less than the life of a junkie scraped together, heated on a spoon, and injected into your head. Once you’ve taken a hit, you will never be quite the same.

Thus Spoke’s Frightening Fragments

Defacement // Doomed [August 22nd, 2025 – Self Release]

There’s music for every vibe.1 The one Defacement fits is an exclusively extreme metal flavor of moody that is only appreciable by genre fans, made tangibly more eerie by their persistent idiosyncratic use of dark ambient interludes amidst the viciously distorted blackened death. Audiences—and reviewers—tend to disparage these electronic segments, but I’ve always felt their crackling presence increases the analog horror of it all, and rather than being a breather from the intensity, they prolong the nausea, the sense of emptiness, and the abject fearfulness of head-based trauma. This latter concept grows more metaphorical still on Doomed, where the violence is inside the mind, purpose-erasing, and emotionally-detaching. The ambience might be the most sadly beautiful so far (“Mournful,” and “Clouded” especially), and the transitions into nightmarish heaviness arguably the most fluid. And the metal is undoubtedly the most ambitious, dynamic, and magnificent of Defacement’s career, combining their most gruesome dissonance (“Portrait”) with their most bizarrely exuberant guitar melodies (“Unexplainable,” “Unrecognised”). Solos drip tangibly with (emotional) resonance (“Unexplainable,” “Absent”) and there’s not a breath or a moment of wasted space. Yes, the band’s heavier side can suffer from a nagging sense of homogeneous mass, but it remains transporting. While I can appreciate why others do not appreciate Defacement, this is the first of their outings I can truthfully say mesmerised me on first listen.

ClarkKent’s Heated Hymns

Phantom Fire // Phantom Fire [August 8th, 2025 – Edged Circle Productions]

While I waded through the murky depths of the August promo sump, Steel implored me to take the eponymous third album from Phantom Fire. “The AMG commentariat love blackened heavy metal,” he said. I disregarded his advice at my peril, and while I ended up enjoying what I grabbed, it turns out this would have been solid too. Featuring members from Enslaved, Kraków. Hellbutcher, and Aeternus, Phantom Fire play old school speed metal that harks back to the likes of Motörhead and Iron Maiden’s Killers. Thanks to healthy doses of bass and production values that allow the instruments to shine, each song is infused with energetic grooves. The music sounds fresh, crisp, and clear, from the booming drums to Eld’s “blackened” snarls. Early tracks “Eternal Void” and “All For None” show off the catchy blend of simple guitar riffs and a hoppin’ bass accompanied by energetic kit work. While placing a somewhat lengthy instrumental track in the middle of a record usually slows it down, “Fatal Attraction” turns out to be a highlight. It tells a tragic love story involving a motorcycle with nothing but instruments, an engine revving, and some police sirens. The second half of Phantom Fire gets a bit on the weirder side, turning to some stoner and psychedelia. There’s a push and pull between the stoner and Motörhead speed stuff on songs like “Malphas” and “Submersible Pt. 2,” and this blend actually works pretty well. It turns out that they aren’t phantom after all—these guys are truly fire.

Burning Witches // Inquisition [August 22nd, 2025 – Napalm Records]

With six albums in eight years, Swiss quintet Burning Witches has really been burning rubber. While such prolific output in such a short time frame generally spells trouble, Inquisition is a solid piece of heavy/power metal. Burning Witches dabbles in a mix of speedy power metal and mid-tempo heavy metal, often sounding like ’80s stalwarts Judas Priest and Def Leppard. With Laura Guldemond’s gruff voice, they produce a more weighty, less happy version of power metal than the likes of Fellowship or Frozen Crown. While the songs stick to formulaic structures, tempo shifts from song to song help keep things from growing stale. We see this variety right from the get-go, where “Soul Eater” takes a high-energy approach before moving into the more mellow “Shame.” There’s even a pretty solid ballad, “Release Me,” that grounds the back half of the record. Songs of the sort that Burning Witches write need catchy choruses, and fortunately, they deliver. “High Priestess of the Night” is a particular standout, delivering a knock-out punch in its delivery. It helps that the instrumental parts are well-executed, from crunchy riffs to subdued solos to booming blast beats. Anyone looking for a solid bit of power metal that’s not too heavy on the cheese will find this worth a listen.

Deathhammer // Crimson Dawn [August 29th, 2025 – Hells Headbangers Records]

Celebrating 20 years of blackened speed, Deathhammer drop LP number six with the kind of energy that exhausted parents dread to see in their children at bedtime. This is my first foray with the band, and I am in awe of the relentless level of manic energy they keep throughout Crimson Dawn’s 39 minutes. If science could learn how to harness their energy, we’d have an endless source of renewables. The two-piece out of Norway channels classic Slayer on crack and even has moments reminiscent of Painkiller-era Judas Priest. They play non-stop thrash cranked to 11, with persistent blast beats and some dual guitar parts that leave your head spinning from the rapid-fire directions the riffs fire off in. The heart of the mania is singer Sergeant Salsten. His crazed vocals are amazing—snarling, shouting, and shrieking in a way that took me back to the manic pitch Judge Doom could reach in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? He sings so fast that on the chorus of “Crimson Dawn,” it sounds like he says “Griffindor,” which had me searching confusedly for the Harry Potter tag. This was probably my favorite song, not just because of the Griffindor thing, but because that chorus is so catchy. Either way, it’s tough to pick a standout track because they all grip you by the throat and don’t let go. Crimson Dawn is a ton of fun and a must listen if you like your music fast.

Grin Reaper’s Bountiful Blight

Kallias // Digital Plague [August 14th, 2025 – Self Release]

Machine gun drumming, spacey synths, Morbid Angel-meets-Meshuggah riffing, Turian-esque barking and Voyager-reminiscent vocal melodies…what the fuck is going on here? The only thing more surprising than someone having the moxie to blend all these things together is how well they work in concert. Kallias doesn’t hold back on sophomore album Digital Plague, and the result is a rocket-fueled blast through forty-four minutes of eclectic, addictive prog. The mishmash of styles keeps the album fresh and unpredictable while never dipping its toes in inconsistent waters, and staccato rhythms propel listeners through eight tracks without losing steam. As with any prog metal worth its salt, Kallias brandishes technical prowess, and their cohesion belies the relatively short time they’ve been putting out music.2 The mix is well-suited to spotlight whoever needs it at a given time, whether the bass is purring (“Exogíini Kyriarchía”), the drums are being annihilated (“Pyrrhic Victory”), or a guitar solo nears Pettrucian wankery (“Phenomenal in Theory”). The end result is three-quarters of an hour filled with myriad influences that fuse into a sound all Kallias’s own, and it’s one I’ve returned to several times since discovering (also, credit to MontDoom for his stunning artwork, which helped initially draw my attention). Check it out—you’ll be sick if you avoid this one like the Plague.

Luke’s Kaleidoscopic Kicks

Giant Haze // Cosmic Mother [August 22nd, 2025 – Tonzonen Records]

Whereas many of my colleagues are bracing themselves for cooler conditions and harsh winters to come, in my neck of the woods, things are warming up. While my own wintry August filter proved scarce, there was one particular summery gem to lift moods with burly riffs and fat stoner grooves. Unheralded German act Giant Haze seemingly emerged out of nowhere during a random Bandcamp deep dive. Debut LP Cosmic Mother channels the good old days of ’90s-inspired desert rock, featuring grungy, doomy vibes via a groovy batch of riff-centric, hard-rocking and uplifting jams, evoking the nostalgic spirit of Kyuss, Fu Manchu, Clutch and perhaps even a dash of Danzig. Punching out raucous, groove-soaked hard rockers with skyscraping hooks (“Geographic Gardens Suck,” “King of Tomorrow,” “Panic to Ride”), summery, funk–psych jams (“Sunrise”), and bluesy, punk-infused fireballs (“Crank in Public,” “Shrink Age”) Giant Haze get a lot of things right on this assured debut. The songwriting is deceptively diverse and punchy, bolstered by solid production, tight musicianship, and the swaggering, ever so slightly goofy vocal charms and powerful hooks of frontman Christoph Wollmann. Inevitably, a few rough spots appear, but overall Cosmic Mother showcases oodles of budding potential, an impactful delivery, cheeky sense of humor, and infectious, feel-good songcraft.

Spicie Forrest’s Foraged Fruit

Bask // The Turning [August 22nd, 2025 – Season of Mist]

Last seen in 2019, Bask returns with fourth LP, The Turning, a concept album following The Rider as she and The Traveler traverse the stars. They still peddle the unique blend of stoner rock and Americana Kenstrosity reviewed favorably in 2019, but 2025 sees them looking up for inspiration. The Turning incorporates a distinct cosmic bent (“The Traveler,” “The Turning”) and post-rock structures (“Dig My Heels,” “Unwound”). These augmentations to Bask’s core sound are enhanced by the masterful pedal steel of new official member Jed Willis. Whether floating through the firmament or tilling earthly pastures, Willis creates textures both fresh and intensely nostalgic. The infinite shifting vistas of The Turning’s front half coalesce into singular timeless visions on the back half, supporting its conceptual nature in both content and form. Like a combination of Huntsmen and Somali Yacht Club, Bask weaves riffs and melodies heard across the plains and through the void above with an unguarded authenticity felt in your soul.

Dolphin Whisperer’s Disseminating Discharge

Plasmodulated // An Ocean ov Putrid, Stinky, Vile, Disgusting Hell [August 1st, 2025 – Personal Records]

Stinky, sticky, slimy—all adjectives that define the ideal death metal platter. Myk Colby has been trying to chase this perfect balance in a reverb-wonky package with projects like the d-beaten Hot Graves and extra hazy Wharflurch, but vile death metal balance is hard to achieve. However, An Ocean ov Putrid, Stinky, Vile, Disgusting Hell contains a recklessly pinched Demilichian riffage, classic piercing whammy bombs, and spook-minded synth ambience that places Plasmodulated with an odor more pungent than its peers. With an infected ear that festers equally with doom-loaded, Incantation-indebted drags (“Gelatinous Mutation ov Brewed Origin,” “Trapped in the Plasmovoid”) and Voivod-on-jenkem cutaways to foul-throated extravagence (“The Final Fuckening”). An air of intelligent tempo design keeps An Ocean from never feeling trapped in a maze of its own fumes, with Colby’s lush and bubbling synth design seguing tumbles into hammering deathly tremolo runs (“Such Rapid Sphacelation”) and Celtic Frosted riff tumbles (“Drowning in Sputum”) alike, all before swirling about his own tattered, trailing vocal sputters. Steady but slippery, elegant yet effluvial, An Ocean ov Putrid, Stinky, Vile, Disgusting Hell provides the necessary noxious pressure to corrode death metal-loving denizens into pure gloops of stained-denim pit worship. Delivered as labeled, Plasmodulated earns its hazardous declaration. We here at AMG are not liable for any OSHA violations that occur as a result of Plasmodulated consumption on the job, though.

#2025 #Aeternus #AmericanMetal #Americana #AnOceanOvPutridStinkyVileDisgustingHell #Aug25 #Bask #BlackMetal #BlackenedDeathMetal #BurningWitches #CelestialTwilightBeyondTheCrimsonVeil #CelticFrost #Clutch #CosmicMother #CrimsonDawn #Danzig #DarkAmbient #DeathMetal #Deathhammer #DefLeppard #Defacement #Demilich #DigitalPlague #Doomed #DryDrunk #DutchMetal #EdgedCircleProductions #Emperor #Enslaved #Fellship #FinnishMetal #FrozenCrown #FuManchu #GermanMetal #GiantHaze #Glassing #Hardcore #HeavyMetal #Hellbutcher #HellsHeadbangersRecords #HotGraves #Huntsmen #Incantation #Inquisition #IronMaiden #JudasPriest #Kallias #Kraków #Kyuss #MelodicBlackMetal #Meshuggah #MoonlightSorcery #MorbidAngel #Motörhead #NapalmRecords #NorwegianMetal #OldNick #PersonalRecords #PhantomFire #Plasmodulated #PowerMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #RawBlackMetal #Review #Reviews #SelfRelease #SilentMillenia #Slayer #Sludge #SludgeMetal #SomaliYachtClub #SpeedMetal #StonerRock #Stormkeep #StreetSects #StuckInTheFilter #StuckInTheFilter2025 #SwissMetal #SymphonicBlackMetal #TechnicalDeathMetal #TheTurning #TonzonenRecords #Turian #Voivod #Voyager #Wharflurch

Rauhnåcht – Zwischenwelten Review

By Grin Reaper

For the uninitiated, Rauhnåcht isn’t just a one-man, pagan black metal band—it’s the time between worlds as one year transitions to the next.1 This is a quiet, contemplative period drenched in folklore, when the veil between unseen, spiritual worlds and our own is thinnest, the Wild Hunt prowls the night skies, and furry, horned beasties trudge through snowcapped, picturesque villages trading offerings for luck and warding off evil. Rauhnåcht’s latest offering, Zwischenwelten, poetically translates to “the worlds between worlds,” and posits reality as a series of crossroads between antitheses, creating worlds unto themselves. Though much of reality is defined in black and white, we all exist in shades of gray. Do Zwischenwelten’s high-minded ruminations manifest in the music, or do they get lost in translation?

Rauhnåcht’s oeuvre consistently melds black metal with folk trappings. Man-behind-the-curtain Stefan Traunmüller employs a broad assortment of instruments in Zwischenwelten to charming effect, ensuring that while you’ve almost certainly heard distorted tremolos over blast beats before, there are twists here that keep the style fresh and unique. The sum total rubs elbows with Saor and Árstíðir Lífsins without imitating either. Zwischenwelten is Rauhnåcht’s fifth album overall and the first proper metal release since Grier reviewed Unterm Gipfelthron at the tail end of 2018.2 After listening to previous albums, it’s clear that Zwischenwelten is the darkest thus far. Shedding the most ebullient facets of Unterm Gipfelthron, Zwischenwelten cuts to the core and delivers an album unmistakably black metal forward. Despite that, the folk rudiments still exist; they’re just more inconspicuously assembled in this eclectic yet coherent package.

Each song on Zwischenwelten is punctuated with subtle and evocative moments. From the accordion’s airy hum in “Das Mark des Lebens” (The Marrow of Life) that conjures a fleeting, sleepy respite against freezing gusts, to the twinkle of a glockenspiel suggesting bright, piercing stars in a clear night sky (“Der Spalt zwischen den Welten” [The Gap between the Worlds]), Rauhnåcht vividly infuses traditional folk instruments into second wave fury. The vocals are a varied affair, with standard black metal screams and howls mixed with cleans that could have been pulled straight from Fear Factory’s Obsolete (“Eines Tages Seid Ihr Frei” [One Day You Will Be Free]). Throughout Zwischenwelten, choral chanting ebbs and flows (“Der Spalt zwischen den Welten,” “Das Mark des Lebens”), serving as a restrained musical theme that culminates in closer “Alleinsamkeit” (Solitude). Throughout the final track, blackened rasps trade lines with gang and choral chanting and singing, vaguely reminiscent of the interplay from “Duel of the Fates.” Through most of the song, there’s a back and forth, with tension building between half-step transitions and minor harmonies. Near the end, the two parts coalesce into a united refrain, playing in concert rather than at odds. It’s a beautiful resolution that took me several listens to pick up on, but once revealed, it was a delight to have discovered.

There’s much to unravel in the tangled knot that Rauhnåcht delivers. Zwischenwelten is protective of its secrets, but patient listeners are rewarded with a cohesive and introspective journey. Perhaps a victim of its own seamlessness, Zwischenwelten requires multiple listens to unfold, presenting a deceptively long time investment despite the reasonable forty-one-minute runtime. From the fuzzy synth pangs and flute accompaniment in “Naturgewalten” (Forces of Nature) to the black ‘n’ roll bop near the end of “Letzter Pfad” (Last Path), the variety and interweaving of disparate elements is ambitious and well-executed. Yet its understated nature makes it elusive without a focused, active listen, and could go unappreciated by more casual audiences. Another minor gripe is that occasionally the distinctive features (like the accordion in “Das Mark des Lebens”) appear in a pocket outside the black metal onslaught, but never integrate fully like the chanting in “Alleinsamkeit.” On its own, this is hardly worth a mention. Given the theme of Zwischenwelten and embracing the gray in worlds between black and white, we sometimes glimpse the extremes of sonic spectrums without a clear picture of the intersection, which feels like a missed opportunity.

Though Rauhnåcht has been absent from proper metal albums for nearly seven years, the intervening time was put to effective use. Rauhnåcht operates in a world between worlds, bound in a layered nexus of dichotomous spheres: meditative and aggressive, harsh and tender, universal and intimate. For anyone with a passing interest in black metal, and certainly anyone who enjoys folk with it, Zwischenwelten demands a listen. This is an album that requires attentiveness to appreciate it, but it is well worth the investment and a great demonstration of what a polished concept can sound like in black metal.

Rating: Very Good!
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s CBR MP3
Label: Antiq
Websites: Zwischenwelten Bandcamp | Rauhnåcht Bandcamp3 | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: August 25th, 2025

#2025 #35 #AntiqRecords #ArstidirLifsins #AtmosphericBlackMetal #Aug25 #AustrianMetal #BlackMetal #FolkBlackMetal #Rauhnåcht #Review #Saor #Sturmpercht #UntermGipfelthron #Zwischenwelten

Burning Sun – Retribution Review

By Angry Metal Guy

By: Nameless_n00b_607

It has been a much slower year for power metal than I would like. There have been a couple of fun releases here and there, but the volume of quality output has been very low. The classic ‘90s style of guitar-forward and keyboard-minimalist power metal has been significantly lacking in particular, and Burning Sun is looking to change that. Naming themselves after a Helloween song,1 this half-Hungarian, half-Chilean duo is on a mission to tell a classic fantasy story through a legacy sound. Burning Sun’s sophomore album, Retribution, lands only two years after their debut, Wake of Ashes, continuing the story of a paladin named Emaly.2

Burning Sun pays homage to various ‘90s European power metal bands well. While the debut was all about breakneck brightness, Retribution sets its sights towards the guitar grit of Iron Savior and Primal Fear (“Cold Winds,” “Fight in the Night”). The anthemic qualities of Helloween dominate across the board (“Open Your Eyes,” “Shadows Undone”),3 and the occasional Iron Maiden-informed gallops and choruses are a welcome presence. Of the duo, Zoltán Papi4 handles the bass and lyrics, whereas Pancho Ireland doubles as vocalist and guitarist. Ireland has a knack for emulating the classic style of power metal riffage they’re no doubt both fans of, opting for rhythmic hooks rather than lighting up the fretboard. He has upped his vocal game, too, navigating wail and grit in Zak Stevens fashion. Furthermore, he is now the only lead vocalist. Where the debut disoriented itself, juggling three voices, Retribution relies solely on Ireland’s pipes and is better for it. Reducing the number of hands on deck reinforces both vocal and instrumental cohesion.

Burning Sun’s focus on guitars over keyboards is a welcome change from current norms. Power metal of the European variety is often mischaracterized as the over-the-top synth-laden side of the genre, even though it’s never been that simple.5 I love a good mission to Mars, but sometimes remaining at ground level is a better option, and Retribution largely sticks to German conventions. Burning Sun enforces a guitar-first attitude and swears by the triumvirate of soaring anthemic vocals, triumphant guitars, and charming choruses. The culmination of this approach is the stunning Primal Fearesque lead guitar melody on “Cold Winds.” Unfortunately, Retribution does stray from its own design philosophy at times. For example, the moodier ‘80s synth stomper “Aftermath” features some vocal fumbles and feels out of place so early into the album. The voice acting at the end of “Cold Winds” is unintentionally hilarious and breaks immersion—once again confirming that storytelling works best when left to the music and lyrics. The album’s minor drawbacks fortunately never snowball into any major issues, and it never loses its critical fun factor.

Retribution is short and sweet but could pack a bigger punch. I’m a big fan of the trend of younger (and even some older) bands starting to write tight and concise records again, and Retribution is no exception. Below 40 minutes and sans the gargantuan epics that often characterize the genre, it’s a highly replayable breeze. But it feels like Burning Sun is still holding back its full potential. The record does its job well but lacks ambition, and I wouldn’t mind it flying a bit closer to the sun—just a bit more heft, speed, and drama to spice things up throughout. Retribution doesn’t need more songs; its material just needs to rip and tear more. It lacks a true barn burner, the likes of “Steel Tormentor,” or indeed, “Burning Sun.” Cuts like “Heart of Darkness” and “By the Light” are damn close to fortune and glory. Likewise, further production improvements can only help. The sound is better than on the debut, but it could still use punchier drums and more prominent bass. I’m content with what the album delivers, but the flame can and should burn brighter.

Retribution is a fun throwback to the glory days of power metal. Burning Sun isn’t doing anything extraordinary, but they’ve accomplished their goals of writing a good, earnest tale of swords and sorcery. It’s the sort of comfort food that I can never have enough of. The trajectory looks promising for Burning Sun, and I’m curious to see if they can enchant their blades in the future and set aflame the ground beneath.

Rating: Good!
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s CBR MP3
Label: Metalizer Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Release Date: August 22nd, 2025

#2025 #30 #Aug25 #BurningSun #ChileanMetal #Europower #Helloween #HungarianMetal #IronMaiden #IronSavior #MetalizerRecords #PowerMetal #PrimalFear #Retribution #Review #Reviews #WorldOfWarcraft

Hexrot – Formless Ruin of Oblivion Review

By Angry Metal Guy

By: Nameless_n00b_604

“What’s past and what’s to come is strew’d with husks / And formless ruin of oblivion;”1

Hieronymus Bosch’s triptych masterpiece The Garden of Earthly Delights is iconic, but like Dante’s Divine Comedy, it’s mostly for the Hell part. It’s not hard to see why: it’s a singularly surreal, oppressively grim piece. Scholars aren’t certain about Bosch’s religious beliefs, but the consensus is that he painted this panel to warn viewers to steer clear of temptation or endure everlasting torment in Hell. Avant-garde duo Hexrot has chosen to adorn their debut LP Formless Ruin of Oblivion with a portion of this panel, but they don’t buy Bosch’s dilemma. Promising in its promo a “stylistic mélange of death, black, and thrash metal with inventive electronic experimentation,” Hexrot has woven an abstractly grim tale of a world rejecting Heaven and Hell by plunging reality into empty Oblivion. Classical in theming, modern in sound, it sounds like quite the undertaking.

Formless Ruin does a lot, and all of it contributes to Hexrot’s impeccable sense of exploration and adventure. The sales pitch doesn’t lie about Hexrot’s sound, but it omits the unpredictable, jazzy feel. Along with Deathspell Omega-esque discordant black and Ulcerate-like dissonant death metal, the duo of drummer/vocalist/electronics producer Melmoth and guitarist/bassist/vocalist Arkain possesses a bombastic, improvised-feeling chemistry akin to Imperial Triumphant. From the skittering drums and bass of “Consecrating Luminous Conflagration” to the trash-canned climax of the fifteen-minute monster title track to “What Lies Veiled” riffing on and modifying Death’s opening “Symbolic” riff like a jazz standard, Formless Ruin of Oblivion rages and writhes in jazz fashion as often as it does in metal. Hexrot’s rhythmic talents are top-notch, serving obscenely busy drumming on “Heavenward” and immense, thrumming bass on “Clandestine Haunt” at odd and changing time signatures. Meanwhile, winding leads on “Consecrating Luminous Conflagration” and jarring electronics on the title track keep Formless Ruin’s melodic identity difficult to pin down. It’s a wild ride down to Oblivion.

Hexrot plays heavy stuff, conceptually and sonically, but Formless Ruin is surprisingly easy listening. Across its thirty-five-minute runtime, Hexrot seamlessly ties its songs together to form a continuous stream of consciousness, like a live suite. Every song besides the interludes is replete with movements and ideas without committing riff salad, while containing just enough repetition to cement hooks into memory. Vocals sound raw and upfront, consisting of a twin attack of bellowing roars and banshee screams that—while they probably would become monotonous alone—duel and complement each other, adding variety to Hexrot’s palette. And everything just sounds great: Formless Ruin sports rich production and dynamic mixing that allows every wild and disparate idea to breathe. Despite its avant-garde nature, Formless Ruin feels immediate through its grounded, live feel.2

Sometimes this album doesn’t even sound real at all. Because Hexrot established such an organic sound, every instance of electronic music creeping into the mix is surprising and even unnerving. “Consecrating Luminous Conflagration” ends and gets absorbed and rewound by the following “Ghostly Retrograde I,” synths join arpeggiated guitar on “Heavenward” to build its eerie elegance, and the title track collapses into crushed static. If there’s one aspect in which Formless Ruin isn’t totally enthralling, however, it’s sometimes when the synths and electronics stand alone. “Ghostly Retrograde II” drags by the end, as does the droning conclusion to “Formless Ruin of Oblivion”; these are the only times my mind wanders. But when they work, they elevate Hexrot, lending haunting qualities that at times remind me of the atmospherics of Cryptic Shift’s excellent Visitations from Enceladus. Hexrot’s push and pull between the organic and artificial is captivating: aptly put on the title track’s lyrics describing a curtain of stars “entering stage right,” Formless Ruin of Oblivion draws attention to its own artifice, revealing the artifice of its story’s reality, justifying Oblivion.

Formless Ruin of Oblivion demands your attention. I’ve begun so many casual spins of this album, and almost all of them turned into deep listens by track three. Hexrot has that touch to take the most seemingly unapproachable stuff and somehow make it addictive. Grandiose, volatile, unconventional, and surreal, Hexrot drummed up some Hell on this one, and I for one will be diving straight into whatever Oblivion they open up next.

Rating: Great!
DR: 10 | Review Format: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Transcending Obscurity
Website: hexrot-label.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/hexrot
Release Date: August 29th, 2025

#2025 #40 #Aug25 #AvantGarde #AvantGardeDeathMetal #BlackMetal #Death #DeathMetal #DeathspellOmega #FormlessRuinOfOblivion #Hexrot #Review #TranscendingObscurity #TranscendingObscurityRecords #Ulcerate

Barbarous – Initium Mors Review

By Angry Metal Guy

By: Nameless_n00b_603

Death metal boasts a lush buffet of subgenres. From mind-flaying technicality to chilling dissonance to wanton mirth, there’s something for everyone. Unmoved by how much the genre has evolved, some folks just want the straightforward, grass-fed variety that defined American death metal in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. And what bloodsport that was—Cannibal Corpse hammer-smashed listeners to paste, Deicide seared anti-religious sentiment into their collective hide, and Morbid Angel infected them with tainted melody. Barbarous slides comfortably into the fray, wielding debut Initium Mors, but does it pack enough punch to survive the melee?1

Inspiration plays an immediate role in Barbarous’s sound. Though they hail from Oakland, California, it’s the Tampa Bay scene that casts the longest shadow. Cannibal Corpse’s influence is undeniable, providing the blueprint for punishing grooves and six-string savagery (“The Tomb Spawn,” “Conscious Decomposition”). Vocalist Travis LaBerge retches and roars somewhere between Deicide’s Glen Benton and Hate Eternal’s Eric Rutan,2 while the music also harkens to early Deicide at times (compare “By Lead or Steel” with “Serpents of the Light”). There are additional influences, too, including Necrot and Skeletal Remains, two bands heavily influenced by Death and Morbid Angel, proving all roads lead to Tampa.3 This isn’t to say that Barbarous doesn’t flex their own brand of muscular death metal. The title track does a fabulous job of baking Slaughter of the Soul-esque melody into the chorus while staying true to the Floridian Sound Machine’s jackhammering boogie.4 I see flashes of a distinct identity in Initium Mors, but more refinement would serve Barbarous to forge their own path out from the shadows of giants.

Throughout Initium Mors, Barbarous pounds and pummels with neck-snapping fury and brawny chugs. Any track would effortlessly slot into a respectable workout playlist, with “By Lead or Steel” and “Tools of the Trade” being my choice cuts. Opener “Injection of the Exhumed” storms out the gates with a phlegm-rattling gut punch buoyed by aggressive riffing and blast beats, followed by a Slayer-laced wail. And that’s just the first twenty seconds. Hostile grooves and pulverizing paces drive the momentum across Initium Mors’s fleeting runtime, never surrendering a moment to catch your breath. Barbarous’s unflinching imperative is to carve listeners to the root, evidenced by the album’s razor-sharp guitar-playing (“Tools of the Trade,” “Conscious Decomposition”) courtesy of Zach Weed and Thomas Belfiore. Solos set fire to tracks when they kick in, whether it’s via soulful swagger (“By Lead or Steel”) or finger-blistering fury (“Coup de Grace”). Either way, they’re unfailingly fun. Travis Zupo’s dynamic drumming bludgeons with teeth-rattling thunder (“Conscious Decomposition”) while LaBerge stays the course with calculated, vomitous barks. The only underseasoned component is Zach Jakes’s bass guitar, which is a commentary on audibility rather than skill. Listening for bass in Initium Mors reminds me of Tantalus—the more I crank the volume to hear what that sweet bottom end is doing, the murkier the wall of sound becomes.5 Considering the meaty through-line that bass provides in many a death metal casserole, elevating its heft would push Barbarous’s recipe to gloriously heinous heights.

Production and mastering are a mixed bag, presenting opportunities and highlights. The album is LOUD, and while that’s generally how I like to listen to death metal, a more spacious mix would have improved the overarching balance. For an album brimming with balls-out belligerence, such an oppressive production creates an exhausting listen despite the twenty-nine-minute runtime. Still, there’s plenty to praise. Guitars and drums are front and center, so it’s easy to appreciate their intricacies and chops. LaBerge’s vocals are also conspicuously comprehensible,6 which is refreshing for extreme gutturals. While I initially noted his gurgles as monotonous, over repeated listens, I’ve come to appreciate LaBerge’s nimble work as he juggles spewing growls and coherence.

Initium Mors is a triumphant debut and should appease death metal aficionados without qualification. Barbarous is loud, ugly, and here to melt your face in just under half an hour. There’s a lot to like on Initium Mors, even if it’s not breaking any molds. If Barbarous can give the mix a bit more room and firmly establish an identity that transcends their influences, their next release could be an absolute banger. For now, Initium Mors is a solid addition to the annals of meat ‘n’ taters death metal, leaving Barbarous to unapologetically smash skulls and shatter eardrums while delivering a veritable smörgåsbord of protein and spuds.7 Bon appétit!

Rating: Good!
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s CBR MP3
Label: Creator-Destructor Records
Website: barbarousband.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: August 1st, 2025

#2025 #30 #AmericanDeathMetal #AtTheGates #Aug25 #Barbarous #CannibalCorpse #Death #Deicide #FloridaDeathMetal #HateEternal #InitiumMors #MorbidAngel #Necrot #Review #Reviews #SkeletalRemains #SlaughterOfTheSoul

Sowulo – Niht Review

By Twelve

It’s been a minute since I’ve got a chance to review some folk music around here. It’s not super common that we get these promos, but when a sample of dark folk, spiritually, resembles our heavy metal world, we occasionally find some sent our way. Today’s sample is Niht, the sixth full-length release from Dutch Sowulo (“sun” in proto-Germanic), which takes a philosophical approach to the histories of northern Europe. It’s got everything you could ask for in dark folk on paper: lyrics written in a language no one (to the best of my knowledge) speaks anymore, a small army of instruments that I can’t picture by name alone, and an inscrutable cover with a vague runic shape on it. Sowulo are, on paper, set up for success with Niht already; how does the music itself fare?

Like most works of dark folk in a similar vein—Urferd, Forndom, Wardruna, as examples—Niht draws strength from its reaches at authenticity. Sole band member Faber Horbach (Myrkvur) sings, plays nyckelharpa, carnyx, bouzouki, and acoustic percussion, with guest musicians contribution violins, harps, horns, and more to the work. The stringed instruments create an orchestral-Nordic-folk atmosphere for Sowulo to thrive in, and Niht has a lot of great moments in this vein, from the dramatic “Full Mōna,” featuring hypnotic throat singing at rising intensity, to the eerie, expansive “Swefnian.” Horbach’s gruff, throaty singing, complemented by guest singing from Micky Huijsmans (End of the Dream), brings the Anglo-Saxon lyrics to life; their duet in the stirring chorus of “Nihtēagan” is one of the best moments on Niht, owing largely to their emotional delivery (though the strings work does a lot of heavy lifting too).

Of course, there’s no metal here, and very little in the way of electric influence. Distortion is a distant dream; instead, the music and production are clean and airy, for the most part. “Mōnaþblōd” is a notable exception, with elements of electronica meshing against Sowulo’s natural folk leanings. But generally, you can hear every instrument and enjoy a comparatively quiet listen with atmospheric influence. “Miċele Steorran” is a fantastic example, a peaceful track that uses gently strings to create dream-like soundscapes that complement Horbach and Huijsmans’s singing. It’s not “purely” dark folk or neofolk, but the influences are strong enough that its power comes largely from orchestral highs and emotional vocal melodies, rather than any kind of heaviness.

Despite these terrific qualities, Niht still feels held back, as if it’s a restrained version of Horbach’s original intention—at least to my ears. Niht has on it a lot of tracks that contain a lot of repetition, which makes it feel artificially long. “Carnyx,” for example, is a nearly four-minute exploration of the eponymous wind instrument that doesn’t do much of anything except add ambience, all but halting Niht halfway through. Both the intro and closer share this approach. On the other side of the coin, “Seolfren Sicol” is dominated by its chorus, to the point that it’s the only thing I ever remember about the song. This is, perhaps, the drawback of writing your songs in a dead language—the two verses in the song resemble each other so closely that the song feels like it’s been copied and pasted in several places. With thirteen tracks, it feels as if Sowulo brought too many ideas to Niht—as if there is simultaneously too much album and too little.

Niht does a good job of building an authentic-feeling, atmospheric Nordic folk experience. It is, at varying times, complex, mesmerizing, and passionate. It does have its moments that don’t quite land as they should, but the whole is enjoyable and moving. I hadn’t heard of Sowulo before Niht, but it’s the kind of album that makes me want to hear more. If you need a break from our usual fare, you could do a lot worse than Niht.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Season of Mist
Websites: sowulo.bandcamp.com | sowulo.nl | facebook.com/Sowulo
Releases Worldwide: August 29th, 2025

#2025 #30 #Aug25 #DarkFolk #DutchMetal #EndOfTheDream #Forndom #Myrkvur #Neofolk #Niht #Review #Reviews #SeasonOfMist #Sowulo #Urferd #Wardruna

The Final Witness – Beneath the Altar Review

By Angry Metal Guy

By: Nameless_n00b_607

In a genre long since matured, a common way to avoid retreads is to combine multiple subgenres.1 Contemporary thrash in particular is difficult to get right without the proper guitar assault required to break necks. Hence, many opt to go for one of its offshoots instead. One newcomer looking to explore the avenue of genre blending is The Final Witness, the solo project of multi-instrumentalist Josh Henderson. Debut Beneath the Altar promises to deliver death and thrash in progressive form to the unwashed masses. I dove into Beneath the Altar with caution, having seen how often this combination of terms gets misused, but hoping The Final Witness would fulfill its promise.

Inspired guitar work and appropriate variety are the main strengths of The Final Witness. The majority of Beneath the Altar involves two core components: progressive thrash (“Coronation,” “The Blood”) and death/thrash (“Sanctum of the Holy”). Plentiful melodic leads further color the album, with “Testimony” even evoking the Gothenburg sound. Lastly, quieter semi-acoustic passages bridge these individual pieces together with varied levels of success. The compositions are vivid and frenetic, alternating between traditional breakneck drumming and rhythmic trickery. Henderson’s distorted vocals lack a bit of thrash attitude, but they do a fine job of punctuating the compositions with barks and snarls. Beneath the Altar’s best moments take inspiration from Coroner and Vader, and I wish those moments were much more frequent, because the sound leans a bit too close towards the groove school of guitar chugging on occasion (“Negative World,” “Principalities”). Nevertheless, the foundation of the album holds, and Henderson’s performances are impressive.

Beneath the Altar’s experimental side comes at the expense of its strengths. On top of the album’s bread and butter, most tracks differentiate themselves with eccentricities. For example, the title track’s electronic break with an almost hip-hop-like beat is memorable and surprisingly well-made, but it doesn’t exactly fit. “Testimony” ends with a dramatic organ layer that could sound excellent if the mix didn’t turn it into an ear-piercing inconvenience. Many of these one-off gimmicks are fun, but they are either misused or discarded before leaving an impact. Worse, they are a distraction. Beneath the Altar really shines when exploring the rhythmic and melodic sides of death/thrash. Diverging from this path trades depth for breadth; a tighter track like “Sanctum of the Holy” proves that The Final Witness would only benefit from holding onto a theme for longer.

The disparate ideas of Beneath the Altar are greater than the sum of their parts. Its foundational pillars work wonders individually, but interact too infrequently, and one-off experimental touches are fun but out of place. The somber semi-acoustic parts—while well done—hinder song flow when utilized too frequently (“Principalities”) and blend together after multiple listens. Good ideas feel haphazardly assembled. The foregoing is exacerbated by its production, overseen by Jason Wisdom of Becoming the Archetype. The sound is both sterile and rough, with Wisdom prioritizing guitars over vocals and drums—both of which are loud and distracting. Its qualities conjure a strange illusion of metalcore adjacency, further contributing to the album’s incoherent identity. All that being said, I don’t mind listening to Beneath the Altar again. There’s a lot to like, and a brief 36-minute runtime makes sure the record doesn’t overstay its welcome. Yet I feel more compelled to revisit individual parts of songs rather than any particular song in full.

Beneath the Altar is an interesting but unfocused prototype. Getting a solo project this far is already respectable, but I reckon Mr. Henderson is still capable of much more. With more coherent composition and a unified vision, the ideas on this record could form a powerful message. There are exciting bits and pieces here to digest, even if they don’t necessarily form a cohesive whole, and the result is that Beneath the Altar feels like a starting point for better things to come. But for the time being, The Final Witness is still trying to find its sound—and I find myself craving some Coroner instead.

Rating: Mixed
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s CBR MP3
Label: Rottweiler Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Release Date: August 15th, 2025

#25 #2025 #AmericanMetal #Aug25 #BecomingTheArchetype #BeneathTheAltar #Coroner #DeathThrash #ProgressiveThrashMetal #Review #RottweilerRecords #TheFinalWitness #ThrashMetal #Vader

KHNVM – Cosmocrator Review

By ClarkKent

While it looks like a jumble of consonants, KHNVM actually has an easy pronunciation: Kha-noom. Their sinister new album, Cosmocrator, derives its title from a Greek word that roughly translates to “ruler of the world” and can also refer to Satan. However, these guys aren’t Greek. Rather, KHNVM is based out of Germany, and frontman Obliterator was born in Bangladesh. Though there are three members pictured in the band photo below, Obliterator does the Billy Corgan thing and records everything but the drums.1 KHNVM released their first album, Foretold Monuments of Flesh, in 2019, and now six years later, Cosmocrator marks their fourth record. In that short span of time, KHNVM has gradually shifted from putrid death metal to a more nuanced death-doom sound. It’s time to find out if KHNVM goes kaboom!

Cosmocrator alternates between speedy death tremolos and slow, sludgy guitar riffs. The result comes off somewhat like Mother of Graves or Tomb of Finland minus the melodicism. “Fetid Eden” best illustrates this death-doom dance. Its bookends contain up-tempo drumming and tremolos amidst Obliterator’s low, whispery growls, but the middle of the song slows to a near funeral doom pace. This makes for a varied, interesting listening experience, and one that’s particularly rewarding when KHNVM ramps up the energy following a bout of doom. Opener “Purgatorial Pyre” similarly straddles this line to great success. Once you get past the lengthy instrumental passage,2 the song gets the heart pumping with some energetic riffs and a Kvaen-like chorus in “Pyre! Purgatorial pyre!”

KHNVM also toys with progressive song structures, which is wise considering four of the seven tracks are over five minutes long. While the progressive structure prevents them from growing stale to repetition, not all movements within each song are equally compelling. This leads to some inconsistent songwriting. For example, “Cosmocrator” has a rough start but ends well. The early dissonant counter-harmonics play out awkwardly, yet the latter half shifts to blast beats and tremolos that create a smoother, more enjoyable listen. On the other end of the spectrum is the longer “Venom Spawn.” The first five minutes are easily my favorite on Cosmocrator. It opens with riffs of an Eastern tinge and plays at a slow but enjoyable plod. Unfortunately, the final two minutes lose the hook and become a tedious plod. I admire the desire to change it up, but when you have a good thing going, it’s best not to mess with it.

At a DR 8, the sound quality is admirable, yet the mix produces some questionable choices. The guitar plays loudly and drowns out some of the other elements. This is most noticeable on “Haunting Blight,” where the bass features prominently in the early goings and combos nicely with the drums. Yet when the lead guitar starts up, the bass disappears. Sometimes, the guitar even muffles Obliterator’s own voice—I strained to pick up his growls on “Fetid Eden.” The loudness also amplifies the awkwardness of the dissonant notes. I found these notes jarring, but not in a way that enhanced the songs. The use of dissonance seems to be a new skill set added to Obliterator’s repertoire, and I felt those were the parts that worked the least. Outside of that, the instruments sound good, and Obliterator and drummer Autokrator handle them with skill. They deftly weave between death and doom, and when the bass is able to shine through the haze of the guitars, everything sounds that much better.

KHNVM has plenty of good things going for them, and they keep the album nice and short at 36 minutes. Unfortunate inconsistencies hold Cosmocrator back, but I admire Obliterator’s ambition. Stripped of the dissonance and some pointless instrumental portions, Cosmocrator could have been a good or very good record. A jarring dissonance risks snapping listeners from their reverie if not done correctly. Amidst the varied tricks Obliterator employed, it was the one that stuck out like a sore thumb. At times, it felt like KHNVM was trying too hard to create a menacing sound when they already had all the elements needed to create a solid record. KHNVM has room to bring more boom, and I believe they can.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Testimony Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: August 29th, 2025

#25 #2025 #Aug25 #Cosmocrator #DeathDoom #DeathMetal #DoomMetal #GermanMetal #KHNVM #Kvaen #MotherOfGraves #Review #Reviews #TestimonyRecords #TombOfFinland

IHLO – Legacy Review

By Owlswald

The creation of an album is a long, arduous process—a truth UK prog trio IHLO knows well. After five years of painstaking work, the group has returned with their sophomore album, Legacy. Over the years, IHLO has shared glimpses of their meticulous creative process via Patreon, revealing the humorous temporary names they gave to demos—like “Szechuan Sauce” and “Banana Pants”—while showing just how demanding the journey has been. Unlike their debut, Union, where they admit they “stumbled into” its dark, brooding atmosphere, IHLO approached Legacy with clear intent, determined to bring the same melancholic, emotional core with them and challenging themselves to craft complex compositions that seamlessly blend their progressive metal, electronic, and pop influences. With Legacy finally here, it’s time to discover if IHLO’s hard work was worth the effort.

Whereas Union was a solid slab of Tesseract worship, Legacy finds IHLO forging a more distinct voice of their own. To be sure, the trio still operates on the djenty side of the prog spectrum, but Legacy is more ambitious, polished and patient, with through-composed songs1 that ebb and flow between intricate passages to monumental crescendos. The trio remains rich in talent. Singer Andy Robison gives Daniel Tompkins (Tesseract) a run for his money, with buttery smooth tones (“Source,” “Replica”), soaring choruses (“Cenotaph,” “Empire”) and sultry crooning (“Source,” “Mute”) that binds Legacy together, grounding IHLO’s progressive experimentation in accessibility. Robison, along with guitarist Phil Monro, provides bright, well-matched layers of harmony with their keys and synths over bouts of Monro’s djent-laden guitar stammers. Drummer Clark McMenemy’s polyrhythms and ghost-noted backbeats create hard-hitting tempos with Neil Peart-esque fills (“Cenotaph,” “Storm,” “Wraith”) and shimmering cymbal work. Clocking in at a hearty 68 minutes and bolstered by slick production that lets every facet of IHLO’s sound shine, Legacy is an investment, but a worthy one where the creative juice is worth the squeeze.

Legacy is structured into two main movements, with interlude “Storm” serving as a natural midpoint. The first half—from “Wraith” to “Empire”—showcases IHLO’s progressive strength through intricate musicianship and dynamic songwriting as the trio weaves diverse influences into a painter’s palette of emotional and musical payoffs. Their willingness to subvert typical song structures and build an engrossing mood from scratch is a hallmark of their songwriting that works to their advantage. “Source” demonstrates this genre-interlacing talent, beginning with a trip-hop Massive Attack feel before launching into tight, percussive grooves with Robison’s excellent vocal harmonies. After building anticipation with a drawn-out, electronic intro, “Wraith” drops into a stuttering, palm-muted verse before an airy chorus and a fantastic guitar solo envelop the listener in a blanket of warm tones. Despite its length, the track never loses purpose, with each evolution feeling deliberate. Radio hit “Empire”—with its striking guitar chords, glittering synths, and vibrant rock beat—and “Replica’s” powerful and infectious songwriting anchor the album’s first twenty-five minutes with Robison’s memorable sing-along hooks and melodies endlessly captivating.

The second movement—from “Mute” to “Signals”—reveals IHLO’s more sensitive, introspective side. The somber and melancholic “Mute,” with its arpeggiated guitars and silky, smooth singing, is a clear departure from Legacy’s earlier, more aggressive qualities. While it reveals a new facet of the group’s sound, it lacks the hooks of earlier tracks, causing a dip in momentum. Thankfully, “Cenotaph’s” strong, driving pulse largely gets things back on track with powerful rhythms and atmospheric guitar building to an epic, hard-hitting conclusion. “Haar”—serving as a would-be closer—jumps right into a triumphant homecoming that leverages a tight rhythmic groove and shimmering keyboards. But then, for some reason, the album keeps going. Closing tracks, “Legacy” and “Signals,” lack purpose and unnecessarily extend the runtime by twenty minutes. The Between the Buried and Me-influenced “Signals” starts strong but suffers from a repetitive, four-minute outro, while the latter lacks gripping hooks, making for an anticlimactic end.

While it may not stick the landing, Legacy is an ambitious and emotive album that largely justifies the group’s five-year creative journey. It evidences IHLO’s evolution, finding their voice in an ever-growing progressive metal landscape. For prog fans who appreciate intricate musicianship and poignant songwriting, Legacy is a rewarding listen and a testament to the fact that some creative journeys are worth the wait.

Rating: Good
DR: N/A | Format Reviewed: Stream
Label: KScope
Websites: ihlo.bandcamp.com | ihlo.co.uk | facebook.com/ihloband
Releases Worldwide: August 29th, 2025

#2025 #30 #Aug25 #BetweenTheBuriedAndMe #BritishMetal #Ihlo #KScope #Legacy #MassiveAttack #MelodicMetal #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #TesseracT

Lotan – Yetzer Hara Review

By Samguineous Maximus

It’s always interesting to follow a band’s career arc through AMG reviews. The last time Lotan appeared in the hallowed halls of this fine site was in 2023, when my superior Thus Spoke took a righteous hammer to their debut. She found the Danish band’s take on the “trvest of stvles” underwhelming—citing unfocused black metal stylings, monotonous pacing, and lackluster production as key shortcomings. Now, Lotan is back with Yetzer Hara, a slab of blackened death inspired by Cain and Abel, with the intent to explore and embody “the destructive urges that define Humanity’s fall from grace.” Can Lotan surpass their debut and carve a name for themselves on the black/death pantheon’s gnarled mural?

Yetzer Hara is remarkably consistent in both ferocity and misanthropic grandeur. Lotan have found their own sound by splitting the difference between mid-period Behemoth and Mgla while leaning into the knuckle-dragging heft of blackened death’s slower moments. This record consists of more than just blast beats and tremolos, with every song oscillating fluidly between satisfyingly ignorant chugs, wintery minor chord arpeggios and even Panzerfaust-flavored atmospheric pullbacks. These pieces are deployed sensibly and arranged with a keen sense of pacing that makes each tune’s blackened bounty a joy to partake in. Subtle differentiations like a menacing clean break (“Scorched Tyranny”), a thrash-infused breakdown (“Heksenat”), and a harmonized tremolo-led climax (“Violent End”) help inject just enough variety to prevent Lotan’s aural assault from growing too stale, though many of the songs tread fairly similar territory.

It helps that this vile batch of tunes is aided by a stunning production job that sounds modern and massive but not overproduced. Lotan clearly took the criticisms of their debut to heart and have corrected course with a Jakob Gundel (Blazing Eternity, Ethereal Kingdoms) mix and master that maintains brutality without sacrificing clarity. This allows vocalist Martin Rubini’s venom-drenched snarls to cut through with particular force on repeated choruses like “Crown of Rope” and “Righteous Fury.” Bassist Philip Kaaber provides a thick, grounding low end, while drummer Jon Elmquist shines with a dynamic, full-bodied drum tone that gives his blistering blasts and agile tom work a serious punch. This makes tracks like the 1914-tinged blood-pumping opener “Minenwafer” and blackened riff showcase “Omnicide Manifest” hit that much harder. Yetzer Hara sounds so great as to nearly mitigate its potential weaknesses.

I only wish Lotan brought a tad more originality or creativity in the construction of the parts themselves. Guitarists Lasse Heiburg and Andy Dragsberg deliver a solid showcase of riffs and offer some nice interplay between each other, but they lean too heavily on genre comfort zones. Yetzer Hara features no fewer than 5 distinct riffs that are only slight variations of the classic Emperor “Ye Entrancempereum” motif. This isn’t necessarily a cardinal sin (it’s a great riff to crib from and plenty of bands have), but alongside the occasional generic tremolo run or faceless chug, it can leave certain stretches of the album feeling somewhat anonymous. There are points where this approach works—like the “so-dumb-it’s-good” Oppenheimer “I have become death” sample into satisfyingly ignorant breakdown on closer “Righterous Fury”—but overall Yetzer Hara could use just a touch more inventiveness in its riffcraft to differentiate Lotan from the unwashed ranks of blackened death hopefuls.

Lotan have stepped up from their disappointing debut to deliver a solid slab of bludgeoning blackened death metal. Yetzer Hara is equal parts barbaric and treacherous, and its brisk 40-minute runtime makes it ideal for concentrated blasts of “kvlt” injections. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it sharpens the spokes and sets it on fire, which is sometimes enough. If on a future record, Lotan can bring more originality to their writing without sacrificing their newfound focus, they might just carve their name into the obsidian stone they’re so eager to chisel.

Rating: Good
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Emanzipation Productions
Websites: facebook.com/lotanband
Releases Worldwide: August 15th, 2025

#1914 #2025 #30 #Aug25 #Behemoth #BlackMetal #BlazingEternity #DanishMetal #EmanzipationProductions #Emperor #EtherealKingdoms #Lotan #MelodicBlackMetal #Mgła #Panzerfaust #Review #Reviews #YetzerHara