Reviews

Records the editors have actually sat with, scored out of ten. A high mark is an argument, not a favour, and the write-up has to earn it.

The Blossoming

Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa — The Blossoming

7.0 Critic
Jun 8, 2024

Ætheria Conscientia’s third album, The Blossoming, is a testament to their startling creative abilities, spanning six epic tracks that blend...

It Beckons Us All.......

Darkthrone — It Beckons Us All.......

7.5 Critic
Jun 8, 2024

It Beckons Us All opens with "Howling Primitive Colonies," immediately immersing listeners in a dense, doom-laden atmosphere. The track, aft...

Theories of Emptiness

Evergrey — Theories of Emptiness

8.0 Critic
Jun 8, 2024

Swedish progressive metal titans Evergrey are set to release their fourteenth studio album, Theories of Emptiness, on June 7th, 2024, under...

Torn from the Jaws of Death

Severe Torture — Torn from the Jaws of Death

9.5 Critic
Jun 6, 2024

Dutch death metal titans Severe Torture have returned with a vengeance on their latest album, Torn from the Jaws of Death. After a long hiat...

Sounds of the Forgotten

Witherfall — Sounds of the Forgotten

6.0 Critic
Jun 1, 2024

Witherfall burst onto the metal scene in 2017 with their dramatic debut Nocturnes and Requiems, capturing the attention of many with their b...

Pro Xristou

Rotting Christ — Pro Xristou

6.0 Critic
May 28, 2024

Rotting Christ, the name alone evokes an image of unfiltered death and blasphemy, a fitting description for the band that has been a corners...

Kaamos

As the Sun Falls — Kaamos

9.0 Critic
May 11, 2024

The Finnish metal band As the Sun Falls is back with their latest album Kaamos, released less than a year after their previous EP. The band,...

Levels of Perception

Pestilence — Levels of Perception

3.0 Critic
May 2, 2024

Dutch death metal legends Pestilence, helmed by Patrick Mameli (guitar/vocals) and joined by Rutger van Noordenburg (guitar), Michiel van de...

Hell, Fire and Damnation

Saxon — Hell, Fire and Damnation

7.5 Critic
Mar 19, 2024

Saxon remains an unyielding force in heavy metal, persistently delivering quality music for over four decades. Hell, Fire and Damnation is t...

Scorched

Overkill — Scorched

9.0 Critic
Dec 9, 2023

Who would have guessed that New Jersey's thrash legends Overkill would still be unleashing their ferocious sound in 2023? Yet here they are,...

Nostalgia

Enforcer — Nostalgia

8.0 Critic
Oct 14, 2023

Enforcer, one of the most influential bands in the Swedish heavy metal scene, has once again demonstrated their musical prowess with their s...

Kalmah

Kalmah — Kalmah

8.5 Critic
Sep 14, 2023

Despite its low profile on mainstream end-of-year lists, Kalmah's self-titled album is a remarkable addition to their discography. Known for...

1977

Sirenia — 1977

7.5 Critic
Jun 23, 2023

SIRENIA is embarking on an intriguing musical journey that has the potential to attract or lose fans, depending on their expectations. Movin...

Terrasite

Cattle Decapitation — Terrasite

9.5 Critic
May 19, 2023

In the realm of extreme music, few bands can match the sheer audacity and uncompromising brutality of Cattle Decapitation. With their tenth...

Violence Beyond All Reason

Besieged — Violence Beyond All Reason

8.0 Critic
Jun 14, 2022

BESIEGED have returned from the metal cosmos with “Violence Beyond All Reason” and it’s been worth the wait. Their signature biting stomp th...

Leviathan

Therion — Leviathan

9.0 Critic
May 6, 2022

Listening to Therion’s early releases, which were a mix of death and doom metal with symphonic elements, I was curious about where the band...

Serenity in Fire

Kataklysm — Serenity in Fire

8.5 Critic
Feb 28, 2022

If you want grim-sounding, self-admittedly groove-infused death metal with blasting drums and intelligible growls, then this is the right al...