Well, here we are going into the latter part of 2025, and here I am back with another set of reviews. Some really good new releases are in this batch, and I urge you to check out the bands as they need your support. Now I have been reviewing bands since 1986, and I don’t need a band to be original for me to like or love it. Just bring something to the table. I am a sucker for a good, catchy, heavy riff that’s for sure. Production doesn’t have to be perfect either. Hell, back in the 80’s, I was reviewing 4-track recording demos that were done in a basement. A riff sucks me in, and if it is followed by good or great music and vocals, then you win me over as a fan. Now I review every release here as fair as possible. If I don’t like something, I explain why I don’t like it, and if I like or love something, I explain why as well.
R.I.P. Ozzy
Chris Forbes
Chris Forbes’s Metal Reviews #20
CRONOS COMPULSION/Lawgiver (Unorthodox Emanations)
Brutal, crushing death metal in the vein of Incantation. Riffs that will cripple you, along with awesome death metal vocals. The speed and power easily one me over as I was totally into this. This is no generic death metal either. This stands on its own for sure. I love the production, as it’s raw and dirty, big time. Excellent release and would be a welcome addition to your collection. Sample track below
IMPERIALIST/Prime (Transcending Obscurity Records)
Nice mix of thrash, death and some black metal here. The vocals are more in death metal mode, and the music is a mix of thrash and black metal. It’s weird and a nice mix of the 3 styles. Songs are catchy and soli,d and damn good and powerful. Nice production on this as well, and anybody who likes underground metal, I think, would enjoy this.
Info: https://tometal.com/
SODOMIC BAPTISM/Contra Christum (Brutal Records)
This was nothing more than average at best death metal that I have heard 1000’s of times before. Yes, the riffs are brutal, as are the vocals, but this has been done to death and then some. This didn’t knock me over or cause me to go “fuck yeah” as it was playing on. To me, this is just another faceless death metal band that doesn’t suck, but isn’t doing anything to separate itself from the pack, I’m afraid.
ETERNAL RETURNS/Let There Be Sin (Brutal Records)
This was a much better release, and the band mix thrash and death metal, and it sounds fantastic. Ripping riffs fill the air, and vocals that are fantastic as well and fit the music too. The music is totally brutal and will please death and thrash fans big time. Love the guitar sounds on this and the power, fury and feeling on this. I liked this a lot.
HARVESTED/Dysthymia (Self Released)
Some really good death metal here. The band mixed in the old sounds with a bit of technical stuff, and it sounded good to my ears. Crushing, heavy, and memorable riffing and solid death metal vocals make this a winner. Songs that stick in your head and a nice production to boot. This easily won me over in no time. This is powerful with a vice-like grip to it as well. Info:
ATOMIZATOR/Nuclear Booze Patrol (Witches Brew)
Oh, this is what the doctor ordered. A crushing slab of pure old school thrash that had me loving life. Furious riffs and plenty of speed and power are on this release. Singer reminds me of John from Raven, and that is not a bad thing at all. The riffs are totally catchy and memorable big time. This is an all-around crushing release that lays down the law and then some. Prepare for some headbanging when you put this on. Info:
https://witchesbrewthrashes.bandcamp.com/album/nuclear-booze-patrol
NEUROBLADE/Desert Claw (Self Released)
More wicked thrash. 2 guys, Jochen and David, who are in 2 different bands, put together the songs for this EP, and it is quite a collection of songs. Great riffs and song structure, and memorable tunes had me loving this. Great, the powerful vocals and a solid production made this something I really enjoyed, and if you like Thrash, you will too.
NITHE/Funeral Death (Caligari Records)
Down and dirty old school death metal from hell. Fantastic vocals and songs will put a smile on any real death metal fan’s face. The band also throw in some thrashing sounds within the mix as well. Catchy as fuck riffs too. Don’t take my word for it. A link to the full release is below in streaming form. Check it out, you won’t be disappointed.
Info: Http://caligarirecords.bandcamp.com/album/funeral-death
INDEMON/Reclaiming Chaos (Inverse Records)
This is modern, groovy thrash metal with tough guy vocals. Some of the riffs were ok at best, but I was not a fan of the tough guy-like vocals and the groovy riffing. Some of the speedy stuff was decent, but overall, this is just a style of thrash that I am not a fan of. It is better than a bunch of the other groove metal bands, I’ll say that.
OSIRIS REX/Arrival Of The New Dawn (Self Released)
Here is a Finnish thrash band that features Superstar Joey Severance on vocals. This isn’t typical thrash, and it took me a couple of listens to grasp and get into this. I don’t like the cover of Donna Summer’s “Hot Stuff” It seems out of place and pointless. The other tunes, though, are ass-kickin’ thrashy tunes with plenty of razor-sharp riffing and excellent vocals by Joey. If you’re into Exodus or Megadeth, this is something you’ll want.
Info: https://osirisrex.bandcamp.com/album/arrival-of-the-new-dawn
RIVAL PACK/Burn (Thrash Out Records)
This was total non-stop raging hardcore from start to finish. Total old school with breakdown riffs and shouted vocals like back in the 80s and 90s. This is some crushing shit. Blasting fast parts mixed in with slower parts will make this a hardcore lover’s dream. Fantastic vocals and a solid production had me loving this. Real hardcore all the way.
Info: Https://thrashout-records.com
GRAVETHORN/Atrocitas (WormholeDeath Records)
What we have here is a death/black metal attack, and I wasn’t too impressed. The songs weren’t strong and memorable, and I found the music just there, and nothing excited me. The vocals were solid in the black metal style, but the band need to work on their songs and make them more memorable next time.
VERTEBRA/The Same (Xtreem Music)
Oh, these guys sound a ton like Kreator right down to the singer, who could pass for Mille. I didn’t like this much as it was like the newer Kreator music, not fast, powerful at all. This was more mid-paced, and it just bored me after a few songs in. I was waiting for some power and speed, and all I kept getting was mid-paced music at most until track # 4, which I was totally into. But then slower stuff followed. Listen, not every song has to be all-out speed on an album for me to enjoy the album, but when it’s over and over, I grow bored. This wasn’t horrible, as some of the songs were strong and catchy as fuck. I wish this were more speedy at times, though.
MENTAL FUNERAL/Same (H.P.G.D. Productions)
This is big-time simple, but more than effective death metal that hits home hard and crippled me. Bone-crushing riffs and a nice mix of up-tempo speed, along with great death metal vocals, won me over in no time. Very catchy riffing and speed made this a winner in my book. Great guitar sound, and you mix in pure death metal vocals, then you can’t lose.
BLOOD DESECRATION/Demonvangelist (Self Released)
This is a death metal band with bits and pieces of black metal mixed in. The black metal screams aren’t bad or annoying, and the singer has a good voice. The music is pretty original, too, and doesn’t sound like a million other bands. It took a couple of listens to get into this, and these guys are pretty damn good death metal.
DEATH BY DESIGN/Metal Multiverse (Self Released)
A progressive death metal band and a pretty good one at that. The songs don’t get to the point where they go over my head or become boring. It’s fast and aggressive too, with some solid death metal vocals. They also don’t sound like anybody else, which also works in their favour. I loved the riffing on this and a good, solid production, too. A winner in my book.
KORP/And Darker It Shall Become (Grind To Death Records)
This was a death metal band that 1st released their debut album in 1997. This is the band’s 4th release, and to me, I didn’t think it was all that special. It didn’t suck, but nothing stood out to me. It was straight-ahead ahead fast-paced death metal with some solid vocals, but nothing on here had me going much. The music was just kind of there, and nothing stood out. They do use some black metal pick riffing at times, but that went nowhere fast, I’m afraid. The singer is good and solid with his growls. Nothing special, I’m afraid.
INHUMAN CONDITION/Mind Trap (Listenable Insanity Records)
A killer release of sludgy death metal featuring members Jeramine Kling (Overkill, Taylor Nordberg (Deicide) and Terry Butler (Obituary). Riffs that will pound into your head and not soon leave. Vocals from hell and then some. The great thing is the riffs and song structures are catchy as hell, too. This smashed my head in big time. A death metal classic, no question about it.
CARDINAL SIN/Spiteful Intents (Regain Records)
This was originally released in 1996 on Wrong Again Records and now sees a re-release with 3 tracks never released before back then, including a Death cover of “Infernal Death”. The band is a mix of death and black metal, with one of the founding members of Dissection, John Zwetsloot and 2 early Marduk members, Jocke Gothberg and Devo Anderson. This is more on the melodic side of death/black metal, and the vocals by Jocke are really good. The tunes are all good and solid, and the Death cover is off the charts. You can listen to the release via streaming and ordering info at: https://regainrecords.bandcamp.com/album/spiteful-intents-2
INFAMIE/Of Sulphur And Pestilence (Crypt of Dr. Gore)
Some cool death metal here with lots of choppy, heavy and catchy riffs, along with some nice solid solid-sounding death metal vocals. The tunes are heavy and catchy, and have plenty of power behind them, no doubt. Good production as well. Solid death metal release by these guys.
ULTRA RAPTOR/Fossilized (Fighter Records)
Oh hell yeah. A total kick ass attack of speed/heavy metal that I am in love with. Catchy as hell riffs, played with tons of power and speed and vocals from singer Phil Lung that sent me into space. This just hooked me in and didn’t let go until the final note was played.
Unreal guitar sound on this, and production rules. Fantastic release.
ETERNAL RETURNS/Let There Be Sin (Brutal Records)
Pretty cool release, and it even has female vocals, but they sound in place here to my ears. Nice, thick, crunchy death metal riffing and songs, along with good death metal vocals, make this a pleasure to listen to. Songs have memorable melodies attached to them, and this is not some generic crap. Good release.
KINGDOM/Primaeval Cult Of Strength In The Womb Of Suffer (Osmose Productions)
Pretty damn good death metal on this release. 11 tracks, including a Decide cover of “Lunatic Of Gods Creation”. Ripping riffs and powerful playing with some good death metal vocals easily won me over. Fast and powerful, too, and the songs are memorable with catchy riffing to boot. Fantastic production as well. The Decide cover is good too. If you like Morbid Angel or Angelcorpse, you’ll love this band. Great stuff here.
DEF/Light (Stygian Conclave (Self Released)
Nothing special, death metal is the ticket here. To me, the songs lacked power and had no catchy and memorable riffs or songs at all. Vocals were also standard death metal yells/growls. Nothing stood out in my ears, and it was just kind of there. Info:
ABSOLUTUM/Endura (The Crawling Chaos Records)
Decent death metal with really good vocals. The songs are powerful, and the vocals fit perfectly. The production is also good and powerful, and I was nodding along to the tunes as well. Nice solid release of death metal that a fan of death metal would enjoy.
IMPERISHABLE/Revelation In Purity (Everlasting Spew Records)
This band has members from Nile, Hate Eternal, Malevolent Creation and Olkoth. The results are pretty damn good. Fast and furious, and out of control death metal is the ticket here. The songs are a bit technical in nature, but don’t fly over your head. The music is fast and furious and also memorable, and not just a bunch of riffs thrown together. They also don’t sound like every other death metal band on the planet. This hits hard and will suck you in. I love the intensity on this. Great guitar sound and the production rules, too. This is a fantastic release of pure death metal.
Info: https://everlastingspew.bandcamp.com/album/revelation-in-purity
NEEDLESS/Premonition (Inertial Music)
This didn’t catch my ear much. This is a mix of progressive thrash and death metal (more the vocals), and the songs to me weren’t strong and catchy, nor memorable. The singer was ok at best. I just didn’t feel it much when he was singing. The production is good, but the songs, to me, just lacked quality in my book.
HEMDALE/Rad Jackson (H.P.G.D.)
This is a re-release of sorts, as most of this stuff came out years ago. Hemdale were a death/gore/grind band and had several releases out back in the day, a demo, several splits (Exhumed/Exit 13/Disgust) as well. On this, which is a double LP, 55 tracks, including a few not ever heard before and a live radio show to boot. This is sick gore/grind at its best, and I remember reviewing their demo back in 1996! This was also done with help from the band members, which is totally cool. If you remember this band, get this. If you don’t and like sick grind, you’ll love this.
Info:https://shop.horrorpaingoredeath.com/products/hemdale-rad-jackson-2xlp
UNDERSAVE/Merged In Abstract Perdition (Transcending Obscurity Records)
Some fast and furious death metal played in the Immolation style, and that, my friends, is a great thing. Catchy riffs, plenty of speed and fantastic vocals easily one me over. Great guitar sound, and the songs are just plain strong. Great production on this as well. This is vicious and hits hard and fast. A band to check out for sure.
MORTAL SCEPTER/Ethereal Dominance (Xtreem Music)
Some wicked and bone-crushing thrash metal is the ticket on this. Fast and furious and ultra powerful with tons of catchy riffs and great singing to boot. I love guitar sound, and this is classic 80’s style thrash with those riffs that had me banging my head in no time. Production is right on the money as well. This is just like the perfect thrash album in my eyes and ears. If you love early Kreator, you will do backflips over this.
FIRSTBORNE/Lucky (M-Theory Audio)
This is just plain ass kicking heavy metal, and I loved it. Great choppy riffing and fantastic singing won me over in minutes. This band writes and plays catchy metal big time. They don’t sound like a million other bands and have their own sound as well. I like the choppy riffs, and the singer sounds perfect with this band. Video link and more info are below:
GRAVEWITCH/Same (Self-Released)
This is a death metal band with a touch of black metal in it. The music is decent, and the singer is as well. The music isn’t generic and the band seem to have their own sound as well. It took a couple of listens to grasp the music, as it isn’t just straightforward, all-around fast pounding death metal. The band mix their music more with feeling, and the vocals are a mix of death/black metal style to a point. Production is solid, and this is another band that has been around for a while and is back with something solid.
Info: Https://www.facebook.com/gravewitch
PARALYSIS/Spiral Of Suffering (Self Released)
NJ thrash here, and I didn’t find it so great. The music is decent mid-paced thrash with some faster tunes in the mix. The singer has an ok raspy thrashy voice, and he fits the music quite well, I’ll say. These guys have been around for a bit, and they have their own sound to boot. Production on this is, is nice and solid as well. No nu metal or modern thrash, this is thrash played the right way.
Info: https://paralysisthrash.bigcartel.com/
CRUEL BOMB/Same (Self Released)
Some cool crossover thrash with speed, power, and wicked riffing. Good solid production and vocals to match won me over. Songs are powerful and hooked me, too. Thank god no new thrash metal sounds, which I don’t like. This is down and dirty crossover thrash, and I dig it.
Info: https://cruelbomb570.bandcamp.com/album/cruel-bomb
REAPER’S REVENGE/Fire Force Devil (NRT Records)
Just pure straight ahead ass kicking metal. Totally powerful heavy metal played the way it should be with some excellent vocals (think Halford). The songs are catchy as hell, and the riffs will have you banging your head in no time, as I did. Love the guitar sound, and the production was right on the money. An excellent release here.
Info: https://reapers-revenge.bandcamp.com/album/fireforce-devil
HARVESTED/Dysthymia (Self Released)
A solid release of pure death metal with plenty of speed, power, and fury. This just takes you by the head and tears it off. Sick death metal vocals from someone who sounds good and fits the music perfectly. Brutal death metal sounds galore that will please any fan of death metal. Those razor-sharp riffs just tore through me and had me loving life. Production is on the money as well. A stream is on YouTube, link below and ordering info as well:
When We Rocked: The Story Of The Philadelphia Music Scene 1978-1992 by Antonio Aloia and Mick Michaels:
Very cool book as I live right across from Phila, PA and knew all about the bands and especially the clubs like Bonnie’s Roxx, The Empire, The Troc, JC Dobbs, Galaxy Nightclub, etc. Very cool reading quotes from Gary from Anvil Bitch, Chris from Faith of Fear, and also members of Cinderella, Britney Fox, Teeze, and other local bands, which brought me back to the 80’s big time. Nice research went into this, and it is a shame the club scene isn’t like this today. Reading of the Dead End Kids brought a smile to my face as they were the 1st live band I saw with the jump kicks and spinning guitars! Many memories for me reading this for sure.
Ordering info from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FGFBHNB5
OPHIOLATRY/Serpent’s Verdict) (Wormholedeath Records)
Some powerful and vicious death metal on this. Brutal and fast, the riffs will just tear through you like a knife through butter. Solid death metal vocals as well. The riffs are catchy, speedy, and the music is fast and powerful. Nice production to boot, and this is some solid death metal all the way.
Info: https://www.facebook.com/people/OPHIOLATRY/100063556233508/
ALCOHOLIC VORTEX/Space Traumas Part II: Attack Of The Yarells (Self Released)
Some nice razor-sharp thrash riffing on this. Plenty of speed and power that will have your neck moving in no time. Riffs that catchy and will have you going “fuck yeah”. Plenty of power and intensity as well. Solid production to boot. Great thrash metal style vocals make this a winner on all fronts. Check these guys out for sure.
Info: https://li.sten.to/ALCOHOLICVORTEX
ETERNAL DARK/The Warrior Order (Self Released)
This was some bad thrash with horrible singing to boot. The songs were neither strong nor catchy, and the singing left a lot to be desired. The songs just plodded along with no direction at all and were just there. Nothing good on this, I’m afraid.
Info: https://eternaldrak.bandcamp.com/album/the-warrior-order
HATEFUL ABANDON/Threat (Sentient Ruin)
This just me was just a wall of senseless noise with no direction or purpose. Like a bunch of noisy punk music with nothing good about it. Vocals were buried in the mix, too. Sorry, not for me.
Info: https://sentientruin.com/
DE PROFUNDIS/The Gospel Of Rot (Self Released)
Horrible death metal that goes nowhere quickly. A bunch of senseless death metal music with terrible vocals. The singer has no feeling with his vocals, and the music is just a bunch of “blah”. Not a good band here. Info: https://linktr.ee/deprofundisband
TERRORDOME/Plagued With Violence (Self Released)
No, this didn’t do much for me. This band plays thrash metal, but they have too much of a groovy sound in their music to have me really get into it. The singer is good, and he sings with passion and has a solid voice. This, by all means, isn’t terrible as it is a mix of thrash and groovy like thrash. If that is something you’re into, you’ll love this. It was hit and miss for me.
Info: Https://terrordome.net
APOCALYPTIC SOCIETY/Self-Slaughter (Self-Released)
Typical death metal with a horrible singer. All he does is grunt out the lyrics with no feeling at all, and throws in some squeals in too. The music is fast, faceless death metal that goes nowhere at all. Nothing catchy or good on this at all.
Info: https://apocalypticsociety.com/
SICK SOCIETY/2HardToDie (Self Released)
Some decent rock/metal with a solid singer who belts out the lyrics with fury and passion, and fits right in with the music. The music has that modern rock sound, but it is very heavy, so I’d label this as rock/metal. Catchy tunes won me over, as this is better than a bunch of crap I hear on the radio for sure. Finally, a band that writes solid rock tunes and has a singer to belt out the tunes as well. It’s heavy rock n roll all the way, and it kicks ass, dammit. Info: www.sicksociety.band
SAVAGE ATTACK/Terrify The Living (Self Released)
This was a thrash metal band and to my ears a damn good one. Crunchy and catchy riffs, along with plenty of power and speed to go along with it. The singing isn’t the greatest as he just barks and yells out the word, and I wasn’t a fan of his style. The music is just classic old school razor sharp thrash riffing and playing, and had my head going up and down. Didn’t sound like a ton of other thrash bands either. Some may like the vocals, but I just didn’t. Nevertheless, still solid thrash.
Info: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579192090478
PROGENY OF SUN/Prophets Of The Void (Inverse Records)
Some solid death metal with plenty of power, fury and speed beyond it. The singer has a solid set of death metal pipes as he belts out the lyrics, as this powerful band rip out the death metal music. The tunes are catchy and memorable, too. Plenty to sink your teeth into with this band. Music video link below:
ETERNAL RETURNS/Let There Be Sin (Brutal Records)
This was a mix of death and thrash metal. I wasn’t a fan of this because I hated the clean vocals the band uses, and also the vocals, which are death metal in nature, just don’t sound like anything special and sound like any other death metal singer out there. The music is nothing special, nor is it an ok blend of thrash and death metal. Just nothing to get excited about, I’m afraid.
EXECUTIONIST/Sacrament Of The Sick (Self Released)
Some decent thrash with rip-roaring riffs and plenty of speed and power in the music. The vocals are cool too, as he sounds like Mille a bit. The music reminded me of a cross between Kreator and Testament at times. The riffing in the songs is violent and catchy as well. The band did a decent job on this. Video link:
FLESH STORM/The Path Of War (Witches Brew)
A wicked release of some down and dirty and raw thrash that I loved. Crushing riffs and plenty of power and speed, and aggression on this release. Singer screams and yells his head off, and his voice fits the music perfectly. This will get that neck moving in no time and leave you right in that pit. Fantastic release.
IN YOUR BLOOD/Same (Witches Brew)
More fantastic thrash that reminded me of the debut from Kreator. Fantastic riffs, along with speed and power, had me loving this. I love the raw production and sounds as well. I am a sucker for a good riff, and this had lots of them, and I was nodding right along to the songs as they played on. No modern thrash on this for sure, and I loved every second of it.
TOMBWORM/WORM WAR III (CDN Records)
Brutal, down and dirty death metal that hits hard. Bone-crushing, heavy as fuck riffs with some great death metal style vocals to boot on this. This band doesn’t play around. Just heavy as fuck riffs along with plenty of power and speed, and I was loving this. This is no nonsense, straight frills death metal that will have any fan of death metal loving this as I did.
RETCHING/Charming The Decomposed (Self Released)
This is just another typical gory death metal band doing nothing new or anything even exciting. All the singer does is grunt into the mic, and the music is just faceless, heard it a million times before death metal. To take my word for it, it’s streaming here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQg5-EpiQ8U
ORGAN DEALER/Visceral Infection (H.P.G.D.)
A mix of grindcore and death metal on this. A total speed attack, but not a wall of noise. Singer sounds great for this as he screams his heart and balls off. Good production, too, makes this not come across as a wall of noise either. I am not a big fan of grind, but this kicked my ass. Good job, dammit.
Info: https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/visceral-infection-lp
TREZ MUERTOZ/Tx Mx (Self Released)
Some pretty hard-hitting death metal on this release. Nice chunky, death metal riffs and plenty of speed and power with lots of intensity as well. Good, solid death metal vocals as well. Production is on the money, and the riffs just sucked me in big time. This is not your typical death metal band, either. Really good job on this, guys.
Info: https://trezmuertoz.bandcamp.com/album/txmx
CANDLEBLACK/End Shall Be And All Shall Fall (Self-Released)
Some cool melodic death metal with some catchy and memorable songs. Riffs that I easily got into and was jamming along as this played on. I liked the fact that this was just a typical death metal band as well. Solid death metal vocals and production also worked for me. This was something fresh and different to my ears, and I liked this a lot.
Info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8do54sl7C0
One Comment