Mastodawn

Putrevore – Unending Rotten Cycle Review

By Alekhines Gun

Inevitable. Perpetual. Eternal. Constant. And of course, Unending. All monikers appropriate for the supremacy of death, widely recognized by figures wiser than me as the most unifying of all our experiences. Whether your death is peaceful, disease-ridden, or a sudden explosion of macabre tragedy, it will come, and it will bear a face unique to your own experience. It’s fitting, then, that death metal too has such an inexhaustible supply of manifestations and sonic descriptors from which to draw from. There’s seemingly no end to the offshoots of subgenres and tributes and evolutions to be found around the world, but no matter how wanky or prog-infused the labels get, as time moves forward, death still awaits. Putrevore are a two-piece international outfit, one of innumerable side projects from Rogga Johnson (Paganizer) and Dave Rotten of Avulsed. Here to escort us through the cemetery on their fifth album, Unending Rotten Cycle, the question isn’t whether you will get out alive, but how mangled and abused your corpse will be by the time we’re finished.

That Putrevore offer up death metal is no surprise, but this is no bright sounding colorful death. Unending Rotten Cycle is that wet death, that freshly tilled, earthworm-infested, “the body is equal parts chunky and liquid” moist and cooled soil breed of death. With a tone like old Autopsy recorded in a cavernous depth, Putrevore offer up a smorgasbord of blasts and assaults devoid of anything offering reprieve or hope. Acoustic interludes? Melodic runs? Forget about it. Unending Rotten Cycle operates on a two-pronged assault of steamroller attacks which alternate into a crushing riff or groove that pulls from the well of all the maggot-infested giants of past and present, while Dave Rotten’s large-intestine-originated bellows holler from below and amidst the music, drenched in reverb and disgust.

Every song on display features a highlight worthy of note, and standouts really depend on which cadaverific presentation you’re most into. “Mortal Ways of the Flesh” features a devastatingly foul chuggathon slathered with just a whiff of hair-windmill inducing lead pulled from the book of Funebrarum, while “Morbid Procession” reminds one of the more frantic moments of Incantations Onward to Golgotha. “They Worship Disarray” has a shockingly accessible crowd-chant of a chorus with Dave Rotten’s voice paradoxically clear and enunciated despite sounding like bubbles erupting from a pool of miasma. The filth of Fetid is laced through blasts beats, and down-tempo lurches, while vintage Phrenelith destruction echoes through “The Cradle Replaced by the Grave.” Doses of Vastum, Demilich, Funebre, and Mortiferium leave their fingerprints across tempo changes, diseased-sounding scales, and one corpse sodomizing groove after another.

The final product results in Unending Rotten Cycle being a succinct, straightforward, and high-quality offering of the most decomposed breed of death metal. Guitarist/Bassist Rogga Johnson excavates riffs that manage to touch on so many flavors and sounds that I could burn my whole word count trying to name and list them all. The only real downside to this sort of presentation is that it threatens to become overwhelmed by the uniformity of what it sets out to do. And yet, brevity in song composition and album length help combat this, with each track coming in, throwing a slab of corpse meat at you, and running off before you have the chance to process how violated you are. “The Cradle Replaced by the Grave” does a good job at just grazing a shift in atmosphere to announce it as an album closer, featuring the most moody of its chord progressions and whiff of leads before leaving your coffin shattered and tattered. At a hair over half an hour in length, the listener has no opportunity to succumb to boredom as Putrevore wisely peace out at a timely moment, leaving you with the silence of the cemetery for company.

Unending Rotten Cycle stands tall as a testament to the inexhaustible possibilities of death. A glut of excellent riffs and a relatively short presentation ensure that, despite the (deliberate) stylistic limitations, Putrevore manage to squeeze the maximum amount of offal from this corpse. If you like death metal and you’re tired of overly polished wankery or needlessly humanized presentations, I cannot imagine this being anything but a ghastly joy to listen to. Death metal will always rule the roost, and while far from innovative, Unending Rotten Cycle reigns supreme in its fierce display of the genre’s might, impact, and staying power. Now, everyone grab a shovel, and start digging. Six feet should be more than sufficient for our needs…

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Xtreem Music
Website: Album Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: November 11th, 2025

#35 #autopsy #deathMetal #demilich #fetid #funebrarum #funebre #incantation #internationalMetal #mortiferium #nov25 #phrenelith #putrevore #review #reviews #unendingRottenCycle #vastum #xtreemMusic

Angry Metal Guy May 7, 2025

Bleed – Bleed Review

By Saunders

Record label dependability is a handy gauge for assessing quality in the crowded realms of the metalverse. The gauge isn’t always foolproof, but more often than not, a handful of trustier labels in the biz deliver on both quality and individuality. Pittsburgh-based record label 20 Buck Spin has championed many a fine band since its inception 20 years ago, boasting a diverse roster, currently including wide-ranging acts such as Fulci, Vastum, Slimelord, Bedsore, Tribunal, and Worm. It was a curious promotion of Texan band Bleed that piqued my interest. Even amidst the label’s solid variety and idiosyncrasies, on paper Bleed appear an unusual fit. Firstly, Bleed have no affiliation with the extreme sounds of many of their labelmates, instead leaning into a chunky and melodic alternative metal/rock sound channeling late ’90s and early ’00s vibes. Although carrying enough metallic clinks and weighty riffs, in many facets, Bleed fall into the metal adjacent category, bound to satisfy and repel this fine readership in divisive ways. With a solid 2021 EP under their belts, can Bleed add some fresh threads to an endearingly modern meets retro formula?

Nostalgia is a strong emotion in the music world, and Bleed ride those throwback feels hard across a tight and punchy collection of airy, spacey alt metal tunes. There is a deceptive versatility gushing from Bleed’s emotive songwriting. Shoegazing atmospherics, throwback nü grooves, Deftones-powered dynamics, and hints of Helmet, early Incubus, and Failure coalesce into a crunchy, riff-centric slab of moody alt metal. Bleed possess the chunky modern elements and fresh vibes to transcend mere throwback values. Furnishing fat riffs and fatter grooves with soft-loud dynamics, where dreamy, glistening melodies, subdued verses, and mellow breaks intertwine with nü flavored heavy rock and angsty alternative metal. The formula largely works to reel in the target audience, delivering a collection of compact, infectious, hooky delights.

Showing their hand from the outset, the chunky opening riffs and turntable scratching of opener “Climbing Down” deliver a retro trip. Bolstered by punchy riffs crashing over moody textures and an ethereal melodic sheen, the song plays on the band’s strengths. These recurring factors create the signature dreamy feel permeating the album, as Bleed prove talented musicians with a knack for hooky songwriting and tightly synced performances. Bleed’s formula it not overly complicated or flashy, yet they nail execution, the engaging melodies and catchy riffs creating a soothing atmosphere comfortable to get lost in. Keeping their writing on a tight leash, Bleed rigidly remain true to their formula, imbuing each song with individual character and throwing down the occasional curveball. “Shallow” dabbles in more subdued, acoustic-driven waters, featuring a chilled, almost hypnotic, psychedelic cadence, rippling with interesting melodies. The heavier vocal turns add a welcome edge to earworm nuggets on lead singles “Marathon” and “Enjoy Your Stay” (featuring Static Dress). Elsewhere, the riffs do the heavier lifting, driving the likes of “Fixate” and “Killing Time,” setting the stage for the shifting dynamics and enveloping melodies to take hold.

“Through the Cylinder” is another solid showcase of what Bleed do well, threading engaging melodies through an escalating arrangement, culminating in heavier vox and a bruising breakdown. Over the course of the album, singer/guitarist Ryan Hughes offers up deceptively earwormy, emotive vocal hooks, though his airy style may present as ‘whiny’ to some listeners, potentially being a deal breaker. The heavier backing screams and barks sporadically cutting through the mix create a pleasing counterpoint, and extra grit in the vocal department would be a welcome addition. Nevertheless, his chilled, emotive style has its charms, especially when coupled with the band’s sturdy riff foundation and floating melodic currents. Hughes and fellow guitarist Noah Boyce drive Bleed’s richly textured sound, combining subtle motifs, shoegazing vibes and cool atmospheric licks, with a memorable range of killer riffs and extra chunky grooves.

Bleed’s self-titled debut is bound to cause a buzz in the metal and rock scenes, while proving a divisive experience for many. As an impressionable youngster when the new millennium rolled around, with one foot in the extreme metal sounds and the other exploring the trends of the times, Bleed’s fresh spin on a retro sound forms a nostalgic, transportive experience with enough tricks and character to ground things in the here and now. And despite its flaws, Bleed’s endearing charms, muscular riffs, contemplative shoegazing, and subtly addictive hooks prove difficult to shake.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: 20 Buck Spin
Website: Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: May 2nd, 2025

#20BuckSpin #2025 #35 #AlternativeMetal #AlternativeRock #AmericanMetal #Bedsore #Bleed #Deftones #Fulci #Helmet #Incubus #Review #Reviews #Shoegaze #Slimelord #StaticDress #Vastum #Worm

Bleed - Bleed Review | Angry Metal Guy

A review of Bleed by Bleed, available May 2nd worldwide via 20 Buck Spin.

Angry Metal Guy

KEXP 🎶 #NowPlaying Bot Dec 1, 2024

🔊 #NowPlaying on #KEXP's #SeekAndDestroy

Vastum:
🎵 I on the Knife (Second Wound)

#Vastum

https://vastum.bandcamp.com/track/i-on-the-knife-second-wound

https://open.spotify.com/track/32clZE60r2vtSsJq1O1WMB

🎶 show playlist 👇
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1uZ3GLf6lDtDqJSQrY0lMU

🎶 KEXP playlist 👇
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6VNALrOa3gWbk794YuIrwg

I on the Knife (Second Wound), by Vastum

from the album Orificial Purge

Vastum

Angry Metal Guy Jun 6, 2024

Thanatotherion – Alienation Manifesto Review

By Kenstrosity

As many of you well know by now, one of the quickest ways to my spongy little heart-hole is to bend and smash genres together. Hybridized monstrosities are my deepest love, and each time a new act promises such twisted, mangled barbs, I jump right into the tangled thicket without hesitation. Enter Virginia one-man deathened, lightly thrashened, raw black metal enigma Thanatotherion. Masterminded by Shelby Lemo of Ulthar and Vastum, Thanatotherion represents a heretofore unexplored side of his extreme metal predilections. With debut full-length Alienation Manifesto, can he secure my rapt attention?

While Shelby’s time with Ulthar and Vastum shines on Alienation Manifesto, particularly through his uniquely muscular riffs and burled songwriting, Thanatotherion is undeniably a different beast. Pulling raw black metal notes from Darkthrone, cribbing eerie atmosphere from acts like Khôra, and channeling a touch of second-wave Emperor regality, Alienation Manifesto compiles its inspirations and uses the resulting amalgam to crab-walk its own path through snow-capped forests. Twists of thrash metal and novel bits of synth work—highly reminiscent of Metroid and Stranger Things soundtracks—help diversify Thanatotherion’s sound even further without spreading Shelby’s ideas thin. In sum, Shelby’s latest project is cohesive, novel, and exciting—and just strange enough in application to earn its place on the I, Voidhanger roster.

A striking encapsulation of everything Thanatotherion does well, mammoth closer “Codex Crepusculum” swerves and swoops through twelve minutes of continuously entertaining blackened death metal. Never overstaying their welcome, its myriad riffs and lead guitar melodies provide a dangerous assortment of spine-wrecking tuneage with which one can occupy themselves. In between bouts of destruction, creepy atmospheric breaks lull the listener to a pit of gentle tension, only to be released a minute later into more aural violence. It’s an incredibly smart composition, showcasing songwriting intelligence that manifests similarly on more straightforward cuts like “Red Cathedral” and “Nuclear Womb.” Faster and more aggressive, even, than the epic closer, these highlights threaten the structural integrity of my entire skeleton—in no small part thanks to Black Fucking Cancer drummer extraordinaire Jason Bursese’s ravenous blasts, beats, and fills—and are guaranteed pit-destroyers in any live setting. In all of these songs, venomous rasps mix beautifully with the raw, but warm, fuzz of angrily buzzing guitars and the skull-shattering thunder of acrobatic percussion which themselves seem hell-bent on ripping faces asunder. Meanwhile, slightly lengthier tracks “The Raven and the Box of Stars” and “Wilczyca” interweave a compelling amount of story and character development into the record. Still thrashing with unbridled bloodlust, these rippers are content to play with their prey for a spell before inevitably consuming the flesh with wild abandon.

This strategy makes for a wholly compelling and remarkably dynamic experience. Even with synth-based instrumental interludes “Orb” and “Lament,” every moment on Alienation Manifesto feels purposeful and substantial. However, these eventful tunes could use a little more massaging. While undoubtedly part of the record’s charm, all of its tracks feel a bit unruly. Certain transitions lack grace (see those that introduce and dismiss the middle section of “The Raven and the Box of Stars”), and segments of the record’s more expansive works could stand some tightening to get more bang for the listener’s buck (“Codex Crepusculum,” “Wilczyca”). Additionally, while Alienation Manifesto sounds roomy and warm, I’d love a little more bass guitar presence and overall low-end heft. I understand this is likely a conscious decision in order to stay true to those raw black metal aesthetics, but I still maintain that a thicker low end would only enhance this material.

There’s a lot to get excited about with Thanatotherion’s debut. Clearly the product of a seasoned and talented musician with a concrete vision, Alienation Manifesto is a tight, twisted, raw ride through thrashy blackened death metal wastelands. It sacrifices some smoothness for the sake of creating a roller coaster of great moments, and Shelby missed a few opportunities to streamline some of the lengthier tracks and to fill out the record’s low end. Nonetheless, Alienation Manifesto is a rock-solid and vital debut. Even if you aren’t a fan of the raw stuff, this is uniquely accessible, immensely fun, and entirely worthy of your attention.

Rating: Very Good
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: I, Voidhanger Records
Website: thanatotherion.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: June 7th, 2024

#2024 #35 #AlienationManifesto #AmericanMetal #BlackMetal #BlackenedDeathMetal #Darkthrone #DeathMetal #IVoidhangerRecords #Jun24 #Khôra #RawBlackMetal #Review #Reviews #Thanatotherion #Ulthar #Vastum