Scalp--Not Worthy of Human Compassion (LP) {2025 Closed Casket Activities}

www.closedcasketactivities.com

8/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Scalp play an unholy amalgamation of death metal, grind, and hardcore, but I would probably classify them overall as grindcore. Vicious fucking grindcore, at that. This is hyper-aggressive and monstrously heavy shit, crushing riffs and lightspeed blastbeats combining with frenzied vocals to annihilate the listener's ears. The singer is truly pissed off, using a scream that has all the hate in the world wrapped up in it. He's backed up by another member of the band, the guitarist, who belts out low death growls with force and violence. This is the kind of grind I can get behind, just incredibly heavy riffs that whip up into blastbeaten insanity on a dime. I'm not entirely sure if an HM-2 is being used on the guitars, but it sure does sound like it. I highly recommend this record if you're a grind freak like me, it's absolutely worth the effort to track it down.

Invictus--Nocturnal Visions (CD/LP/CS) {2026 Me Saco Un Ojo/Memento Mori/Iron Fortress Records}

www.mesacounojo.com

8/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Three venerable labels have come together to release this monster, a straight-forward death metal record that's heavy on the real metal feel. These guys are true maniacs, I can tell. They keep the intensity fairly high from song to song, which is nice to hear, but occasionally they lay back in the pocket to facilitate a lead or chorus. We get plenty of talented lead guitar work, which is truly unusual in death metal today, and honestly it's a breath of fresh air to hear a band do it. The vocals aren't super powerful, but what they lack there they make up for with their guttural tone. They're smooth and evil-sounding, reminding me a bit of Dying Fetus' low growls with a more old school flavor. These guys remind the listener at some point in each song that they can both play and write a good song, as well. They're truly gifted musicians. This was very enjoyable overall, and a worth purchase for the deathmaniacs in the scene.

Aposento--No Safe Haven (CD/LP) {2024 Xtreem Music}

www.xtreemmusic.com

7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Aposento play a style of death metal that I would categorize as a vile mixture of Sinister, Deicide, and Cannibal Corpse, wearing their influences on their sleeves for all to see and hear. The vocals are a low growl that's occasionally punctuated by a higher scream. There's a lot of musical talent here, and while their style hearkens back to the Floridian greats of old, there are little flourishes all over the album to remind you that talented musicians are at the helm of this ship. They maintain a fair level of aggression, rarely falling victim to what a lot of brutal bands do whose music is intricate to the point of stagnation. I especially enjoy the bass player who is constantly doing wild shit behind the riffs and has some real personality to his playing. This is a decent record, and one worth tracking down if you like the old Florida sound.

Heads for the Dead--Never Ending Night of Terror (CD/LP) {2025 Pulverised Records}

pulverised.net

8/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

I've not heard this band's previous three full lengths, but if this is anything to judge by, they're creating some damn fine death metal. They ought to be, with the talent they have in the band, including members of bands like Wombbath, Revel in Flesh, Ribspreader, and Sentient Horror. They play death metal that could be compared to the Swedish style, but without the chainsaw guitar sound. They do one very, very different thing that I liked, and that was the addition of horror-movie style synths and atmospheric keyboards. They're used sparingly and to absolutely wonderful effect. They make it sound absolutely natural and not like a gimmick - it's an integral part of the record and it would only be a very ok death metal album without them. It's that transformative. Vocally it's strong but standard fare, with low growls and some high rasps. There's even a Goblin tribute track that has a bastardized synth line stolen from the movie Suspiria, which is probably Goblin's most known contribution to the horror movie soundtrack genre. I really liked this record, and I look forward to the next one if it's along these lines. 

Hamarr--Necrotic Rituals (CD/CS) {2026 Iron Fortress Records}

ironfortressrecords.com

9/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

We finally get a full length from the heavy-as-fuck Hamarr. They once again weld hardcore-inspired songwriting to monstrously heavy death metal and come out on top of the heap. The hard-driving riffs are my favorite part of this, and they lend themselves to violent expression in the pit and by banging heads against the stage. For all the hardcore influence, this out-heavies pretty much any brutal death metal band, and that's a feat of which to be proud. Don't worry, there are plenty of classic death metal riffs here also, and powerful fuckin' vocals that sound like hell belching forth the sins of humanity. The breakdowns these guys have are crushingly heavy, and they don't overstay their welcome in the songs. If hardcore was what it took to breathe life back into death metal's rotting carcass, then I am here for it, bring it on.

Seeping Protoplasm--Repugnant Entanglement (CD/LP/CS) {2026 Iron Fortress/Headsplit/Sewer Stench}

ironfortressrecords.com

7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

I'm not sure how to even describe this one, which is a challenge I rarely get. Maybe one part Demilich, one part Autopsy, one part Cryptopsy, and one part prog rock? It's dirty, filthy, disgusting death metal but with a clear penchant for experimentation, and not to the detriment of the metal at hand. Off-kilter beats combine with deviously simple riffs. The drummer is doing a lot of the heavy lifting here, and the bass guitarist is no slouch either, widdling away behind the guitars like a madman. Of course, just when I mention deceptively simple riffs, they hit me with the song "Temporarily Beheaded" with its Cryptopsy-eque arrangements. All the songs are definitely quite distinct from one another, that's for goddamn sure, as no two of them are even close to sounding alike. This is truly unique, and no band sounds like this in today's scene whatsoever. This one's for you sick metalists that require something a bit unusual, and this will definitely fit that bill. 

Dig Me No Grave--Necrocosmic Ceremony (CD) {2025 Satanath Records}

satanath.com

5/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Hailing from Russia, this is Dig Me No Grave's fourth full length, and third record for Satanath. They play bulldozing death metal that relies on brute force rather than subtlety, carving through their songs like so many dead carcasses. The production is nice and natural sounding with a mix that doesn't cause ear fatigue. I think the songwriting and riffs here are a little simplistic, but the band makes up for that a little with sheer forward energy. I'm really not a fan of their riffing style at all, it feels a little too wooden. This isn't bad, but it's not anything that catches my attention, either, in a bad way or a good way.

Vile Desolation--Annihilating the Consciousness (CD) {2026 Comatose Music}

comatosemusic.com

5/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Top notch musicianship. Impeccable playing skills. Gurgled, brutal vocals. Relentless blastbeats. All the hallmarks of a modern brutal death metal album. So why am I so bored? I'll tell you why. It's because I've heard this band a thousand times in other forms since the 2000s. It was novel when Devourment and Disgorge first arrived on the scene, but now we have legions of bands that have built on their legacy without really contributing anything different. I'm hard pressed to tolerate yet another one. It's the same problem I'm having with the glut of so-called old-school death metal bands in the scene right now. I know that genre conventions in our corner of the musical universe are strict, and I'm not advocating for loosening them, because too much experimentation is bad for death metal's sound. But where's the originality, imagination, and diversity in the riffs? Deicide managed to release a whole slew of influential and well-written death metal albums within this confined space, and it's because of the amount of interesting riffs and their songwriting choices that made them unique. I'm sure some brutal death metal fans will just claim I do not "get it." However, I stick to my argument above. Why do I need another one of these bands? I give this a five out of ten because there's absolutely nothing wrong with it, yet there's absolutely nothing special about it.

Thorn--Nebulous Womb of Eternity (CD/LP/CS) {2025 Transcending Obscurity Records}

tometal.com

6/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

I am the first to admit that I really don't care for doom death, as the slower tempos bore me stupid. When I saw Thorn was billed as doom death, I wondered if I should even review the record since the chances of me disliking it was so high. I need not have worried. There's plenty of mid-paced and faster material here to keep my interest, at least somewhat. The riffs are big and chunky for the most part, super heavy examples of what death metal riffing can be with a little groove in it. The vocals are especially enjoyable, a huge deep roar that sounds demonic and monstrous, very similar to old Grave. What I don't like is the use of dissonant riffs here and there in certain songs. I've always been turned off by that. I see no point to it. I also found the songs to wander a bit and meander too much for my tastes. Overall, if you want strong mid-paced death metal, this is for you, if you can tolerate a few dissonant riffs. 

Vomit Mass--No God, Just Rot! (Digital) {2026 Independent}

vomitmass.bandcamp.com

10/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Well, if you know me, you know I had to review this band when I saw the name! This is Ominous Vomit after all! And you know, I was well-rewarded for seeking them out. Fuckin' A right, I was. I've been waiting for days for something this good to review, and it plopped right into my lap while scouring Bandcamp for review material. This is some seriously aggressive deathgrind that reminds me of the mighty Terrorizer, with fierce thrashing death metal riffs juxtaposed with ferocious grinding passages. The songs are catchy immediately, and they worm their way into your brain right away, rotting  your mental pathways with their infectious riffs. The vocals are a grotesque yelled growl that reminds me of Napalm Death a little bit. They're powerful and strong, not content to lay back at at all, instead poisoning your ears with violence! I can't say enough how good this demo is, just go get this motherfucker and let it grind your ass to dust. Bonus: we also get a cover of the mighty Venom, with "Schizo."

Diabolizer--Murderous Revelations (CD/LP/CS) {2025 Me Saco Un Ojo/Dark Descent Records}

www.darkdescentrecords.com

8/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is the second full length from this barbaric band from Turkey. This is proper death metal, reminding me just in passing of Vomitory for some reason I can't pin down, and perhaps a little of Deicide as well. They have a bit of technical flair, with the drums freewheeling behind the guitars that are just shredding nonstop with riffs that really have some inertia. In fact, inertia is a key word here - this band is ever moving forward, never stagnating, always remaining intense and violent, and giving no quarter. Proper death metal, like Diabolizer, never stops being intense and evil, two words which perfectly describe these death-magicians. The vocals are monstrous powerful roars with actual good vocal patterns that key on the rhythms presented, which is my preferred style to listen to, as it lends itself to maintaining that intensity that's so important. This is a fantastic outing, and the band should be proud. I'll be making sure this arrives in my collection.

Execrated--Mortal Crucifixion (Digital) {2026 Independent}

execrated.bandcamp.com

6/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is the first and only release from this Romanian death metal band. We get four songs and a musical intro, which I think is ok for a release that's testing the waters. The vocals are quite breathy, almost like some old Beherit vocals, but punctuated with a roar here and there. The vocal patterns could use some work, however, as they're a bit haphazard. Riff-wise, they tend to be a bit repetitive, but other than that they're pretty good. They just go on a bit too long in some songs. Creepy synths are added in a few of the songs, which is a nice touch, because not every band is doing something like that. The synths actually match the feel of the cover art nicely - morbid and obscure! I do like the chunky-ass breakdowns they include in some of the tracks, too. I think this is a satisfactory effort for a first release from a young band, and they're smart to put this up on Bandcamp as Pay What You Want.

Putrefier--Mutilated Melodies and Septic Serenades (CD) {2024 Arcane Underground Productions}

arcaneundergroundproductions.bandcamp.com

5/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is a half death metal, half goregrind monstrosity from members hailing from Australia and the US. The drums are programmed but done extremely skillfully, and if you didn't know it, you'd be hard-pressed to determine whether they were real or not. The songs alternate between groove and blast, with rather simplistic riffs with a badass guitar tone and a fuzzed out bass sound. This is all fine, except there's not a lot of variation in their songwriting, and the songwriting formula they're using wears its welcome out pretty quickly. The horror movie samples are good and thankfully shorter than on some Mortician releases. In my mind, Mortician is the only band allowed to bore the shit out of me with three minute samples of horror movies. I'm glad this band kept them brief. It's safe to say that unless you really love horror movie metal, you can go ahead and skip this, because it's definitely been done before. But, hey, your mileage may vary.

Ignominia--Procesion de la Muerte (CD) {2024 Awakening Records}

awakeningrecordscn.bandcamp.com

6/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Ignominia plays solid Satanic death metal with a thick, distorted guitar sound, and top notch riffs. The Spanish vocals give this an even more obscure feel to me, with vocals delivered in a higher growl much like Angelcorpse, but with some serious power behind them. I really like the guitar sound, it cuts like a knife and is just an impenetrable wall of distortion. It reminds me a lot of Deicide's old guitar sound. The band is at their best when they turn out a chunky mid-paced riff that just crushes skulls, like on the beginning of "Perversion." This is by no means a release that completely floored me, and it does drag a bit toward the end of the album due to similar riffs, but it's still worth a listen or two.

Murdered--The Brutal Gore Grotesque (CD) {2025 Pathologically Explicit Recordings}

www.pathologicallyexplicitrecords.com

6/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS (10/10 for the vocals)

Murdered is the one-man project of Justin McNeil, playing brutal death metal that for once isn't trying desperately to be Devourment or Disgorge. Sure, elements of these bands are present, but that's because the entire brutal death metal scene is built on their backs. There are plenty of other influences at work here, which is nice, even some nods to the older bands. I dislike the dissonant riffs that are occasionally used, but that's my taste, and I've never been a fan of dissonant guitar riffs. The vocals are the real standout performance here (although all the instruments are very skillfully played). Justin's tones are impeccable and powerful, with a guttural roar that most singers can't muster. It's a death metal vocal clinic. While I didn't enjoy the songs as much, I could listen to his vocals all day, and that truly saves the record for me. A good vocal performance always does, since I am first and foremost a singer guy.