Hailing from Hengelo, The Netherlands, Desolate Fields are an atmospheric black/doom band and have been active since  2012. “Past Apocalyptic Dates” is their first Full length, previously they’ve released two demos. Their music is very melodic and features long instrumental passages, some clean vocals and mostly growling/screaming vocals. Tempo...

29/09/2017

Nephren-Ka is a band from Auzon, France and has been active since 2006. Both the band name and the name of their demo “Maze of the black Farao” hint to the novel “Haunter of the Dark” by H.P. Lovecraft. But it is also a hint to the musical influences of Nile. “La Gande Guerre De l’Epice” is Nephren-Ka’s second full-length. This album is a concept a...

11/09/2017

Hailing from Bucharest, the capital of Romania, Akral Necrosis are a black metal band. Their band name means “decaying of peripheral tissue", i.e. dying fingers, toes etc. Several bandmembers have also played in Wormgod. “Underlight” is the bands second full-length. Their sound is very clear, a modern and high end production, but with still enou...

31/08/2017

Hailing from Finland "Straight Outta Sewer" is the fourth full-length release of Cumbeast. The intro of this CD is a telling foreboring; a pompously screamed “You’re about to witness the strength of the underground!” Feedbacking guitars, but in a very daft buzzing tone, more sounding like a buzzing mosquito. A instant turn off. It might be me...

27/05/2017

Hailing from Bologna, Italy this black metal band was founded in 2015 and now they have released their first album “Inferno I” through Subsound Records. If you’ve ever wondered how Dimmu Borgir, Emperor or Cradle Of Filth would sound without keyboards then look no further. The band lists Marduk,  Emperor, Burzum, Mayhem and Abigor as influences....

19/03/2017

This German three piece was formed in 2009 in Swabia, Southern Germany. They describe their music as “merciless death metal combined with vigorous hardcore-riffs and a small black metal touch”. Having released the 3-track EP “Upheaval” in 2012 they now have released a 7 track album. Playing time is 29 minutes, so short and powerfull as it should be...

27/01/2017

Hailing from Dordrecht, the Netherlands, and featuring (ex-) members of Sepiroth, Damnable, X-tinction and Obtruncation, Aratron have released their debut album with “Darkness Is Coming”. Aratron describes their music as “traumatizing thrash/death metal” with this I disagree, I would describe their music as deathened black metal with a strong la...

26/12/2016

The French band Nihilism has been active since 2009, “Beyond Redemption” is their first full-length album, in 2011 they released a demo and in 2014 they did a split with Dehumanize. “Beyond Redemption” features 11 songs, played and produced quite nicely. The overall sound is good, the drums are slightly “clicky” but not in a bad way and the guit...

23/11/2016

While doing some research on this Finnish band for this review I discovered that they’ve recently split up, which is definitely a shame since their latest and final album is a really good piece of work. Artetic Intestine (which is a medical condition where a part of the intestines are too narrow or partly absent) was active from 2006 to 2016 and ha...

14/10/2016

Hailing from Edinburgh, this Scottish four piece with present and past members of Corrupt Moral Altar, Black Talon and Revokation plays death metal with a grindy edge. They’ve recently done a lot of bigger gigs (Obscene Extreme, Deathfeast Open Air) This four track EP is their fourth release, in the past they’ve released an full length album, an...

09/09/2016

Shodan is a death metal ensemble created in late 2013 on the initiative of Szczepan Inglot (guitar/vocals) and Michael Jarosz (drums). In early stage of 2014 the band was joined by Michał Rybak who took duties of bassist. April, same year the band released digitally debut EP "Zero K". "Protocol Of Dying" is the first full-length album of the Polish...

18/08/2016