Lithopaedia--Inferno (Digital) (2026 New Standard Elite)

lithopaedia-ca.bandcamp.com

7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Lithopaedia from LA play a groove-forward style of brutal death metal that I found quite satisfying because it had so many catchy riffs and rhythms, with lots of changes and time shifts. They tend to find a groove in each song that they layer and exploit, and then intersperse blasting sections to really ramp up the intensity. So many brutal death metal bands aren't intense, but that's not the case with these guys. Nor do they mindlessly slam like so many other bands. This is real brutal death metal for the real brutal maniacs. What's more is they're using more traditional song structures than a lot of brutal death metal bands. Their songwriting is actually coherent and can be very hook-laden at times. The vocals are a guttural croaking noise, not really growls. They're fairly unique and they never get into dreaded pig squeal territory, thankfully. They definitely sound ugly as fuck, and it fits the music perfectly. This is truly barbaric shit, really savage and heavy, and real brutal maniacs will find this irresistible. It looks like New Standard Elite has at least released this digitally, although I can find no sign of a CD, but I would assume one is coming.

Venomous Invokation--Diabolic Death Metal (CD) (2026 Crow's Nest Records)

crowsnest22.bigcartel.com

5/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Venomous Invokation hail from Nashville, TN, and they arise with a new demo with a title that perfectly describes their sound, Diabolic Death Metal. I can hear some similarities to Grotesque, Sadistic Intent, and Unholy Redeemer, mainly in the darkness and morbid atmosphere that all these bands have in common. Venomous Invokation has that same sickness. The vocals are firmly in the "cavernous" camp, with a rather intense echo effect on  them, making them sound both obscene and obscure, and like they were recorded at the bottom of a well. Musically the band is quite solid, with talented lead guitar work, especially on the solos, and whirlwind drums that are tight as can be. I like the layer of mud this recording has, it really gives it personality in a scene that has been overly concerned with perfect recordings. I wish they'd sprinkle in a bit more of the sinister synths they use to open the first track, that would be quite unique. Overall, not a bad effort, but I'll wait to hear more before I form a verdict.

Hating Life--Revenge from Beyond (CD/LP) (2026 Pulverised Records)

pulverised.net

7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

From Spain comes this Swedish-style death metal band, a band I was interested in because they named themselves after a Grave song. I figured I was in for death metal of this persuasion, and I was correct. The riffs are big, written for maximum heaviness and morbid atmosphere. They're darker than the average HM-2 style band, bringing in doomy influences and a dark vocal tone. If this had a slightly different guitar sound, they might sound closer to Incantation than Grave, but as it stands it's firmly in the Swedish camp. Just when I wonder if they're more doom influenced than I thought, they return with a fast moment, and dash that assumption on the rocks. Usually once per song they'll deliver a massive groove that acts as the heaviest part of the track, and often sets up a return to the main riffs in the song. The singer's cadence is much like that of Jorgen Sandsstrom, his work on You'll Never See... especially. Tone-wise there's not much in common with him as the singer here is less growly and more grunty. Overall this isn't a bad record at all, and worth a quick listen if you get a chance. It's not going to floor you, but you won't shut it off, either.

The Loop of Henle--Obscene Grotesqueries (CS) (2026 Gurgling Gore Records)

Again we have a band that seems to be part of a growing movement in the underground bent on combining goregrind and death metal in gross and memorable ways. I'm intrigued by this because the scenes were somewhat disparate in the past, with goregrind relegated (in many cases) to the grind and noise scenes. But, from my home state of Michigan comes The Loop of Henle, a goregrind/deathgrind hybrid that takes no prisoners and is thoroughly nasty. They have excellent songs, albeit quite short ones, sharp gory shocks that will stick in your head with enough listens, as the rapidfire songwriting sticks with you after a time. The main vocal style is a pitch shifted growl that sounds like what the cover looks like. Dirty, gross, and goresoaked. Occasionally a high vocal makes an appearance for emphasis on a vocal line or two. There's enough of a death metal side to this to keep even death metal purists interested, and grind fans will be similarly entertained. Not much more can be said about a nine minute record, just check this out if you like filthy deathgrind. Bonus points for a song titled "Scalding Vomit," since we like the barf content here at Ominous Vomit!

Endseeker--Coffin Born (CD/LP) (2026 Metal Blade Records)

www.metalblade.com

7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

It's been three years since last we heard from Endseeker, one of the better of the crop of HM-2 style death metal bands in the world today. They give us four new songs and a cover of David Hasselhoff's recent masterpiece, "True Survivor." And, no, I'm not joking, I love that song and I love David Hasselhoff's singing. They do a fine job adapting the track. Their new material has everything you'd expect from them: big open riffs, a little melody, and good solid songwriting. Although they're not the most interesting of all bands playing this style, they're good songwriters and it really helps make this just that much different. "Coffin Born" is easily the best song here, and it's no wonder they named the EP after it. The songwriting and all the time shifts in the song really makes it interesting as well as the heavy-as-fuck chorus riff. It's intense and furious and a perfect song. As a vehicle for the title track this EP works, and has a few other interesting songs besides, including "True Survivor." A worthy EP release. Plus, the cover is gnarly.

Haserot--Advent of Suffering (CD/LP) (2026 Redefining Darkness Records)

www.redefiningdarkness.com

8/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Texas has a hell of a scene, and Haserot from Houston are no exception to the quality of the bands found there. Reminding me of peak Necrophobic, they almost have a European sound to them. The primary vocal style is a high scream, but peppered in are low growls, often layered with the highs. The patterns are nice, rhythmic, and catchy. Often in the songs they break down into a killer groove meant to bang heads. I love these moments, they're what good death metal is made from. These sections often act as a bridge back to the main riffs or a prelude to a solo, and the songcraft is masterful. These are songs. Speaking of solos, we get plenty of them, full of melody and emotion, but they're often quite short, which is just fine. They serve their purpose. The band occasionally employs a doomed-out section which really serves to vary the listening experience. They have such a variation of tempos and themes from song to song that it creates quite a dynamic listen. This is quite a good album, and I will be keeping my eye on this band. They've definitely impressed me.

Serpent Corpse--Retaliate (CD/10") (2025 Transcending Obscurity Records)

tometal.com

8/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Again I must say it. I really enjoy some of the bands infusing death metal with metallic hardcore, especially when the riffs are as good as Serpent Corpse's. It strips down the death metal to bare bones and adds catchiness and aggression to an already aggressive musical form. Serpent Corpse welds Merauder-style hardcore riffs to a '90s death metal chassis and the net result is a catchy, heavy, solid piece of death metal with aggressive riffs and a ton of attitude. The vocals remind me quite a bit of Entombed in their early days, with that same yelled roar and tone that LG Petrov had. These four songs are well written and a fun listen, and the band even dips their toes into melody here and there for an extra twist, especially during guitar solos. I definitely want to hear more from this band, so I'll probably look into their back catalog, and I'll eagerly await more material.

Vomepotro--Fall Into Decay (CD) (2026 Brutal Mind Records)

brutal-mind.com

8/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

It's been seventeen years since Vomepotro graced our ears with a record, and it's a welcome return, I must say. They're still every bit as brutal as they were, and for those that are unfamiliar, their style is reminiscent of Suffocation, Deeds of Flesh, and Severe Torture. The riffing is excellent and can be very catchy, especially when they find a groove they like. It's quite technical stuff, and the interplay between guitars and drums is tight as can be. The vocals are of the "Dr. Claw" variety, low in the throat and deep, but occasionally there are high screams and gutturals. There are hooks everywhere in this, and the songwriting is to be commended. This isn't just brutality for its own sake, it has intent and direction. It helps that the vocals have good rhythmic patterns, it instantly helps the songs become more memorable. This record is absolutely worth repeated listens and I highly recommend it to the brutal maniacs.

Sarcoughagus--Remnants (CD/LP) (2024 Rotted Life Records)

rottedlife.com

7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Coming from my former home state of Ohio is Sarcoughagus, giving us some damn fine death metal. There are five new songs here plus two what I believe to be re-recorded versions of songs from their previous full length. Stylistically they remind me of old Death, old Deicide, and Autopsy. The production certainly gives them some personality - it's clean with a raw edge. Vocally the singer boasts a deep roar and his sound is impressive. He reminds me quite a bit of Glen Benton in the early days, especially in the vocal patterns. When they find a groove they like, they stick with it, which I like. There are tons of hooks in the songwriting, classic death metal tricks of the trade, that draw you in and bang your head. I like these new bands that are throwbacks to the '90s - I can't get enough of it. There are so many good death metal bands these days it's almost unbelievable. This EP is definitely worth the price of admission, so track it down however you can.

No Shelter--Remission/Resolve (LP/CS) (2026 This Charming Man Records)

thischarmingmanrecords.com

7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

No Shelter has mixed a base of Swedish-style death metal with metallic hardcore and it's a vicious concoction that hits like Entombed and Earth Crisis at the same time. I really like the experimentation with mixing death metal and hardcore that's been happening in the underground lately. It always serves to strip down the death metal side into something simpler and catchier, many times improving what would otherwise be ho-hum, more of the same. Vocally, we get hypercharged hardcore vocals like you'd find in a crust or d-beat band, just vicious and pissed off with a metal edge to them. And occasionally he slips into a growl when it suits him, showing he can do both, but I think his primary screaming style is sufficient. This is one of the more unique bands I've ever heard, and no one is mixing these styles quite like this. It's totally original sounding, and they're just playing what they like, and that's great. Now I have to go dig into their back catalog because I now am very interested in seeing if their other records are this good.

Devourment--Pious Impiety (7") (2026 Relapse Records)

relapse.com

6/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

The influential Devourment have arisen to give us three songs of their patented brutal death metal on this new 7" from Relapse Records (I hope they do another string of 7" releases like they did in the old days, that would be excellent). I can always trust that this band, who along with Internal Bleeding, turned slam riffs into a style, will do the style justice. I need not worry about all the trendy junk that I would have to with other bands. They are more technical than a lot of people give them credit for, especially where the drums are concerned. There are a lot of changes and time shifts, and the drummer is there keeping track of it all. One thing I hate is the bass drops they use to add emphasis to a stop/start section or a slam. They don't need those. Get rid of them! They're not super egregious, but they're obvious and part of a trend in this style that I hate. Devourment are the masters of this style of metal, even if it's not my favorite. It's not intense enough for me. But respect where it's due. They're doing it better than ninety percent of the other bands out there, and I just don't need other bands who play this style. Internal Bleeding and Devourment are all I need.

Tombal--Grave of the Damned (CD/CS) (2026 Blood Harvest Records/Unholy Domain Records)

bloodharvest.se

8/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Tombal from Italy give us four songs and a creepy intro on this new release of vicious HM-2 death metal hell. All the typical comparisons for this style apply, but I will say that Tombal is doing things just a little different. They mix some Morbid Angel-style blasts into the HM-2 soup. I love all the big open chords they use as well, it gives the music a sinister feel. These boys have mastered the style and they're easily as good or better than any band playing it today or yesterday. The vocals really stand out, low roars that are performed with piss and vinegar, full-chested and empty-lunged. The vocals are produced well also, with plenty of layering and some cool effects in the right spots. We don't often get guitar solos in this style, but Tombal has them, and they're pretty good, if a bit short, but that suits the music. They also get my award for most badass song titles: "Cemeterial Death Worship," "Funebral Furnace," and "Cathedrals of Rot." This is a good introduction to the band, and I await a full length album.

Nuclear Tomb--Epoch Inhumane (CD/LP/CS) (2026 Rotted Life Records)

rottedlife.com

9/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Nuclear Tomb are back and they're firing on all cylinders on this second full length, bringing us more of their trademark progressive death thrash. Again, this is not pretentious technicality, a "look what I can do" stroke-fest, like so many bands try to produce that call themselves technical. No, these are well-written songs, neatly crafted with precision and emotion. The uniqueness of their riffing is astounding, with little runs and sweeps everywhere, and the drums keep pace with fills and rolls galore. And, they repeat these riffs enough times that hooks are created, and that is the key, folks. Hooks. I talk about them a lot, but necessarily so. They're important in good music. Otherwise it's just wankery. If it's even possible, this may be an even more accomplished work of musicianship than their first record, and that's saying a lot. Every song is unique and totally unlike the others, and has its own identity. That's so hard to do in this music, and I commend the band on their inventiveness. I don't think there's an extreme metalist alive who wouldn't like this band, and I think they'll go quite far if they keep turning in massive records like this one.

Goreworm--Miasmic Solitude (CD) (2026 Transcending Obscurity Records)

tometal.com

6/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

From Canada comes this technical death metal juggernaut with this second record, and first for Transcending Obscurity. There is a fucking lot going on here. You have arpeggios, blasts, plenty of melodic playing, and occasionally straight up brutality. These are world-class musicians playing intricate and precise death metal that will boggle you but not lose you while they do. One thing Goreworm does well that not many technical death metal bands do is create actual decent songs with enough repetition to keep you listening rather than just trying to figure out what the fuck is actually going on in the music. Vocally, the singer uses just about every type of growl and scream imaginable, and his style fits the band well. The vocal patterns have to deal with some wild musicianship, so they're not very catchy, but they're more than ok in the long run. Unfortunately, all the technicality takes away from the heaviness, and that's what I want out of death metal. I want it to be heavy, gross, unforgiving, and intense. Goreworm doesn't have the traits I like in death metal bands. That doesn't stop me from recognizing this album as a musical achievement, however, as it most certainly is.

Gangrenated--Demise Profanation (CS) (2026 Iron Corpse Records)

www.ironcorpse.com

8/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

There's something weird happening in the underground, and it's formed a wave of death metal bands that incorporate goregrind influences, and Gangrenated is at the speartip of that charge. On this five-song EP we get four originals and a cover of "Zombie Apocalypse" by the mighty Mortician, and it absolutely fits with their nasty-ass style. The guitar sound is of the chainsaw variety and downtuned into hell. The production is clear but with a layer of filth, just how I like it. And the vocals are very low, of the Dr. Claw variety, except the very few times where a gurgle or a higher scream is used. If you crossed very early Amorphis or Grave with Mortician and sprinkled in some early Carcass you'd have a pretty good idea of their overall sound. Yes, it's dirty and gross, and I love it. What I really want next is a full length to see what these pukemongers can do with a bit more time and material. They've left me wanting more.