Horrific Visions--Remnants of Atrophy (CD) {2026 Comatose Music}

www.comatosemusic.com

8/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Finally, Comatose Music has hit the mark with this release. Horrific Visions play brutal death metal that reminds me a little of Regurgitation during some of the more frenetically fast parts of the songs. This band has fuckin' riffs and they know how to use them to create songs that have some catchy moments. The vocals are a super-low growl that I refer to as "moaning zombie vocals," since they remind me of the zombie noises in the legendary Lucio Fulci film Zombie. The songs have plenty of hooks that catch your attention and the musical ability to actually hold it. There is a mid-album interlude that really helped to break the album up and set the tone for the second half, which explodes out of the gate with blastbeats and aplomb. This is what brutal death metal should be: creative, aspirational, and original. It's unconcerned with trends, flavor-of-the-day sounds, or what's going on in the scene, and is just good, straight-forward, catchy, brutal fuckin' death metal. Horrific Visions has a monster on their hands here, and I hope for more.

Engorgement--They Rot Beneath Our Floor (CD) {2026 Comatose Music}

www.comatosemusic.com

3/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Well, this album contains the trifecta of things I fucking hate in modern death metal - ridiculous constant bass drops, pig squeal vocals, and what basically amounts to a hip hop intro. Sure, the guitars are heavy as fuck and they play in the Devourment style of brutal death metal, but I cannot stand what they're doing musically otherwise. If this had actual decent vocals and the bass drops were eliminated, I think it could actually be a half decent record. I will say I like what the drummer's doing. His performance is dynamic and full of personality as he hammers away beneath the slam. Other than that, this is a hard skip for me, and it's what I consider to be a very trendy release.

Sermon to the Lambs--Sermon to the Lambs (CD) {2026 Comatose Music}

www.comatosemusic.com

5/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

The best way to describe this band is Morbid Angel meets Brodequin, complete with the sludgy riffing style of the former and the pingy snare of the latter. Vocally, the singer uses deep gutturals that help them stand out in a brutal death metal scene obsessed with gurgles and squeals, and occasionally he changes to a deep, low growl for emphasis. The vocals aren't terribly powerful, but they do the job nicely, and I feel it's the strongest part of this release. The guitars are tuned down so low that even fast riffs sound a bit slow, always sludgy, with a layer of mud over them. My biggest problem with this release is that there are very few catchy riffs or hooks, even ones common to brutal death metal, and it's completely monotonous the majority of the time. I think part of my dislike comes from the particularly wooden performance of the drummer. There are very, very few fills or rolls to break up the blasting and double bass. They are doing some things different sonically, and that in itself is a feat in this style of metal, but it's not enough to push them over the top for me.

Misericordiam--Nothing But Machine Now (Digital) {2025 Independent}

misericordiam.bandcamp.com

7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

I remember seeing releases by Misericordiam (which is hard to type) make the rounds in the mid- to late 2000s, and I had just assumed they were a standard brutal band and never did have a chance, nor a desire, to check them out. A glance at their Metal Archives page tells me I was probably right back then, but that this band has changed, and I believe changed for the better. They now play a mixture of brutal death metal, hardcore, and grindcore, and it's not a bad thing. They remind me a bit of Dying Fetus with the same combination of groove and brutality, but with a distinct grindcore feel to some of the passages that is a welcome addition to that style. This is brutal yet absolutely heavy, and it's intense from one end to the other. It rarely lets up, it just keeps its oppressive foot on your fuckin' neck. I really like the big, dumb, chugging riffs like at the beginning of "Coffin Occupation," they really know how to heavy shit up. I could do without some of the more experimental aspects of this, though, like the clean vocals in certain spots and the hardcore style breakdowns when they appear. But those are small parts of an otherwise excellent release, and I won't let it get in the way of enjoying it.

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.