Sewer Altar--Fever Dreams of Vengeance (CD/LP) {2026 783 Label}

www.783label.com

10/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Sewer Altar from Finland merge death metal, grind, and true hardcore punk in a similar way to Misery Index or Terrorizer, but with a focus on grind, catchiness, and intensity. There are also some Bolt Thrower-esque moments that really give the songs heaviness and dynamics. This is a record that any death metalist of any stripe can pick up and sink their teeth right into, it's so catchy and song-oriented. There's zero pretentiousness here, just some talented guys writing excellent deathgrind. They break many of the songs down with vicious thrashing riffs at strategic times to maximize the violence, a lot like a hardcore band would do. The riffs are truly inspired and nasty, being an amalgam of styles that blend together into a cohesive whole, but remaining true deathgrind the whole way. And, just when I think the album can't get any better, it does, with riff after riff crushiing my face. Any fan of Terrorizer or deathgrind in general would do well to investigate this record. I believe this band has appeal past the individual style ghettos that we impose on our music, and that all fans of death metal would enjoy this album. Highly, highly, highly recommended.

Necromonger--Emanation of the Dying Perceptions (CD/LP/CS) {2026 Xtreem Music}

xtreemmusic.com

6/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

There seems to be very little information out there on this band from Bulgaria outside of the promo email I was sent. Mixing goregrind and death metal in a fairly unique way, Necromonger bring fuzzed-out bass, mid-tempo drums, and thickly distorted guitars to bear on this opus of sewage. This is simple stuff, eschewing the needlessly complicated playing that so many bands seem to pride themselves on, and is effective nonetheless. I hear influences from Autopsy, Haemorrhage, and Impetigo (particularly Impetigo) in their sound, and perhaps slowed-down Mortician due to the tunings they're using, but they're not beholden to any particular sound - this is fairly unique, as I had mentioned. The vocals are mostly a guttural growl, veering occasionally into goregrind territory with what I believe to be pitch-shifted vocals, but I could be wrong. This is brutality of a completely different nature, and was really a breath of fresh air to review, with so many bands sounding exactly the same these days. While it doesn't bulldoze me completely, it's pretty good overall, and worth a shot if you want something a bit different.

Anasarca--Achlys (CD/CS) {2026 Selfmadegod Records}

www.selfmadegod.com

8/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Back from the grave yet again, Anasarca gives us their fifth full length, and the first one in nine years. I've been familiar with the band since the old days, and I find that they've gone on to perfect their style on this release, being a straightforward death metal record with plenty of musical chops and good songwriting, just as I remember their past releases. The blastbeats and double bass are stupendously fast, breathing life into riffs that might not otherwise stand out so much. There's a fair amount of melody that creeps into the guitar playing, and it's a welcome sound, serving to make their songs much more dynamic. The vocals are fiercely sung in a low growl with little variation but a lot of brutality and conviction, and his tone is quite smooth. The vocal patterns are memorable, as well. The record is quite easy to listen to, and it should be on your list of priorities to give it a listen.

Circle of Blood--In Praise of Darkness (CD) {2026 Grindhead Records}

www.grindheadrecords.com

10/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This crew from Australia has unblessed us with their first full length. These gents remind me a little of countrymates Abramelin, but more technical where the drums are concerned, and of greater quality in general. There's also quite a bit of Morbid Angel influence here. The production is crystal clear and professional-sounding, but it's not a soulless pristine recording. It's just a great modern death metal recording with all that entails. The vocals are amazing - the singer puts everything he has into this effort, and it shows. His vocals are nasty and powerful, running from low growls to high screams, sometimes within the same measure! Their Morbid Angel-isms are countered by heavy grooves, and it serves to really amp up the heaviness, and creates hooks that make the songs even more memorable. They also have a very technical aspect to their playing - these guys know their way around their instruments intimately. There are little flourishes all over this record from all the instruments that really enhance the songs. This is monstrous death metal for the diehards, and I highly recommend it.

Hammerthrone--Hammerthrone (Digital) {2026 Independent}

hammerthronetx.bandcamp.com

10/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This band hails from Texas, and this is their first and only release so far. This is strong, nasty death metal that puts me in mind of slower old Bloodbath, but with a less pronounced Swedish style - they use a lot of mid-paced groove to split your skull instead. Every song has at least one absolute crusher of a riff that just bulldozes everything before it. The vocals are fucking strong, deep chesty growls that punish the listener for thinking they can withstand the assault. The guitars are dirty, but I can't decide if an HM-2 is involved here or not (I'm leaning on not). They're crushing, like everything else on the record, and they're crisp and crunchy as well as dirty. This band is definitely in the camp of the '90s death metal revival with their focus on heaviness and piledriving groove, and they're up there with the best of the new bands like 200 Stab Wounds. The production is fantastic, heavy as fuck. I want to see what this band can do with a full length if their first EP is this damn good.

Chronic Hate--Defeating the Oblivion of Life (CD/LP) {2026 Time to Kill Records}

timetokill-records.com

7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is the third full length and first new recording in five years from this Italian band. They remind me a little of the mighty Diabolic with their straight-ahead style and technical drumming, and perhaps a little of Morbid Angel at times, too. The guitars have a little of that sludginess to them that Morbid Angel is known for. The vocals are fuckin' brutal, with low growls from deep in the chest, evoking power and hate. The production is perfect, not overly digital sounding, but modern and clear like a band like this ought to have. They also clearly take some influence from black metal and it shows up occasionally in their songs. The musical ability of this band is far beyond what a lot of death metal bands can muster, and they don't let showing off affect the songwriting. They play well and write well. This is not a release to simply gloss over if you're paying attention to death metal - you should hear it at least once.

The Scum--Dead Was the Sun (Digital) {2026 Independent}

thescum.bandcamp.com

6/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This Colombian band previously released these songs as part of a split, and I really wish more bands would do this - release EPs or compilations of their split material. It's a great idea to spread the songs far and wide, especially with the limited nature of releases today. The Scum plays fairly unique-sounding death metal that relies on simpler compositions and solid songwriting. I can hear some Entombed and Incantation in their sound, but only hints - like I said, they're pretty unique-sounding. The guitar solos are special, and spectacularly played. The vocals are especially wild, with a powerful growl using a lot of mouth distortion, and a double-layered recording technique that makes them sound more powerful. These five songs are definitely worth the price of admission, and it serves as a decent introduction to the band's sound. I just might dig into their back catalog.

Defense Wound / Writhing Shadows--Anticosmic Rituals (CS) {2025 Gurgling Gore Records}

www.gurglinggore.com

7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Here we have a split with two bands from Alabama that also share members, which is interesting. Defense Wound plays a chunky style of death metal that clearly has some hardcore influences, but it serves to make them heavier and more barbaric. Their three songs are mostly mid-paced and emphasize heaviness first and foremost, leaning on simpler compositions. Vocally, their singer employs deep growls with the occasional high scream, forceful and powerful from deep in the chest. The riffs are top shelf, focusing on headbanging rhythms and smooth transitions, which the drummer assists by sitting in the pocket and providing steady beats. Writhing Shadows has a somewhat similar style, but they have just a tinge of blackness and doom in their sound, coming off as being a darker version of Defense Wound. They're not afraid of big doomy passages, as the first song on the split shows, "Scarlett Fluids." I believe I prefer Defense Wound to Writhing Shadows, but both are excellent bands and I look forward to hearing more. 

Multiwomb--Anatomy of Gorelust (CD) {2026 Grave Island Records}

graveislandrecords.com

9/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Finally, a band has pulled off what I constantly look for in brutal death metal - actual hooks in their songs and memorable riffs with excellent vocal patterns. Multiwomb has all of these things in plenty. The vocals are mid-ranged growls for the most part and it immediately sets them apart from the legions of other brutal death metal bands. The patterns the singer uses are catchy and rhythmic and accent the riffs, rather than simply adding a layer of inscrutability like so many other vocalists. I can actually get my head around a lot of the riffs on the first pass, which is another uncommon thing for a band like this. It speaks to their skill at songwriting. What I appreciate the most is the intensity. So many brutal death metal bands aren't actually intense or aggressive - heavy yes, intense no. So when Multiwomb keeps the intensity up and never stops being aggressive, I am appreciative of it. This is a fantastic death metal record and deserves to be heard by the diehards. It will not disappoint.

Insect Inside--Reborn in Blight (CD/CS) {2026 Gore House Productions}

gorehouseproductions.com

6/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is excellent brutal death metal that rides the line stylistically between Suffocation and Disgorge. The bass player is phenomenal and he can be heard quite clearly playing in the spaces between the drums and guitars. The band reminds me a little of Ton in the way the bassist plays so independently of the other instruments. Vocally, we get low gutturals in a few different styles and they're actually impressive - there are some real vocal patterns here, which we don't get much in brutal death metal. There are some elements of slam here, but they don't wear out their welcome, and these musicians are good enough to pull it off and keep it interesting for the listener. The sometimes go on little extended jams, and it's rare to hear this in brutal death metal. They have the technical proficiency to pull it off and keep it entertaining, so more power to them. Overall this is a decent record, and brutal deathmaniacs should definitely get hold of it.

Pestifer--Ravaging Fury (CD) {2025 Iron Blood and Death Corporation}

ironbloodanddeath.bandcamp.com

8/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is the second full length from this Portuguese squad, and their first release since 2017. They seem to take a lot of time between releases, as their only other recording is a 2009 demo. This care they take to release their best material is evidenced by this record and the high quality of the death metal that resides on it. They're equal parts Morbid Angel, Krisiun, and Vader, but they're adding something special of their own to these influences. The riffs are tremolo-picked insanity, changing often but repeating enough to form cohesive songs with plenty of hooks. The drummer is a machine, and his blasts are almost militaristic in nature, absolutely relentless with a stiff beat at all times. The vocals are mid-ranged throaty rasps that are full of hate and sound absolutely unique - no one sounds like this vocalist that I can recall. Fans of relentless blasting brutality would do well to investigate this release, and it will not disappoint.

Unpassing--Pyrophoria (Digital) {2025 Independent}

unpassing.bandcamp.com

8/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Unpassing play Demolition Hammer-style death thrash sandwiched by vicious and intense blasting death metal. There are some impressive guitar solos on this EP, and the riffs are memorable. The solos sort of remind me of later era Death material a bit, and the guitarists are fucking wizards. The vocals are a mostly understandable mid-range growl spat out with venom and disgust. The patterns are pretty good, too, rhythmic and punchy, emphasizing the nature of the riffs. When they kick into a blast, it's always intense and powerful, and they use them to great effect. The songwriting is infectious, full of hooks, and the songs worm their way into your brain like a drill. The thrash riffs are all aggressive as fuck and woven into the death metal passages seamlessly to create a cohesive whole. This is absolutely worth going to Bandcamp and downloading, as that is the only format that is available.

Putrisect--Putrisect (CD/CS) {2026 Rotted Life Records}

rottedlife.com

8/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is the first new Putrisect material in eight years, and the eponymously titled effort is clearly a statement piece, an announcement that they're back and this is exemplary of their sound. We get five songs plus a Machetazo cover ("Espectro"). I hear a lot of Incantation influence as well as Bolt Thrower, and they're a mix of the two with their own special sauce on top. This is firmly in the '90s death metal revival camp, but is unpretentious and clearly made by fans and competent musicians. Each song has a riff that just crushes all in its path, a riff that sticks in your head and doesn't want to let you go. The vocals are a low and laid back growl, but are suited perfectly to the dark riffs. The music itself is mostly mid-paced, just bulldozing along leaving crushed corpses in its wake. I highly recommend this one, and I'll now have to dig into their back catalog if I can. Pretty good stuff here.

Deimler--Darkness Falls (CD) {2026 Awakening Records}

awakeningrecordscn.bandcamp.com

5/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is the third full length from these Spanish deathmerchants. Immolation crossed with Entombed is a good way to describe Deimler's style. The vocals are firmly in the "Dr. Claw" camp, reminding me of Inspector Gadget's cartoon foe with their low throaty rumble. Don't mistake me - the vocals are good. I like them a lot. The problem with this record is that there are terribly few memorable riffs, and beyond the excellently morbid atmosphere, there's not a lot of interest going on here except the guitar solos (which tend to meander a bit, as well). The production is perfect, though, and everything is quite well recorded. The drummer is amazing, let me say that. He holds these nonsense riffs together like his life depends on it, and has a superfast blast style. He also plays his whole kit on this record, since someone has to make this fucker interesting somehow. He can't save these riffs, but he definitely does his best to try.

Caustic Phlegm--Purulent Apocalypse (CD/LP/CS) {2025 Hells Headbangers Records}

www.hellsheadbangers.com

10/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is the bastard son of Swedish-style death metal and goregrind, and it's a hell of a combination. A one-man act from the UK, Caustic Phlegm is one of the dirtiest-sounding fucking things I have ever heard. Even some horror movie style synths appear on the record to really set the mood for this gross shit. The vocals are outrageous, with pitch-shifted effects that make the singer sound like he's gargling toilet water (turds probably intact). The riffs are catchy as fuck and all the songs are very well written, with hooks galore, even with the toilet vocals involved. The album cover fits the music so well, it's just perfect, with a diseased fungus creature and sickly greens and purples. The production has a layer of filth over it that further enhances the dirtiness of the record and really gives it a unique character. This is truly original shit, and a thousand percent worth your money.