Thursday, July 2, 2026

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.






Wednesday, July 1, 2026

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.





Friday, June 26, 2026

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.



Thursday, June 25, 2026

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!




Wednesday, June 24, 2026

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.



Tuesday, June 23, 2026

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.




Monday, June 22, 2026

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.






Sunday, June 21, 2026

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.




Saturday, June 20, 2026

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.






Friday, June 19, 2026

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.




Thursday, June 18, 2026

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.




Wednesday, June 17, 2026

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.





Monday, June 15, 2026

Vomitizer--Release the Rats (CD/LP) (2026 Undercover Records)


undercover-records.de
7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

You'd better believe we're going to cover a band called Vomitizer in the pages of Ominous Vomit! They have a thing for rats on this record, with the word appearing in no less than three song titles. The songs are rather simple, built on almost doomy riffs at times, but they do a lot with these riffs and manage to craft songs that stick with the listener and have you mouthing the words before the song is over. This band really doesn't sound like anyone else, even in style, and is completely unique. Even when resorting to a blast, just their guitar sound makes them sound different - it's a super crunchy, almost punk guitar sound. Vocally the singer relies on high-pitched screams for the most part, instantly setting them apart from most bands. You can hear the scorn drip from his every word. The band is quite dark, and cover dark topics of religious hypocrisy in their music, which I find very appropriate for their style. Not a bad effort here, and one that warrants investigation into their future recordings. I shall await the next record eagerly.





Pighead--Relapse Into Obscurity (CD) (2026 Rising Nemesis Records)


risingnemesisrecords.de
7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

I love when I can hear the guitarist's fingers and pick on the strings. I've loved that ever since I heard Kill Em All. Pighead has a lot of that surface noise on this EP, and it makes me like it even more. This is brutal death metal I can really get into - sure, it has modern elements of slam to it, but Pighead is first and foremost a good death metal band. I can even forgive the bass drops because they're not especially egregious like with some bands. The blastbeats are sick, being truly steady and fast, and all the little fills from the drums make the songs way more interesting. There's a level of technicality here that not many brutal death metal bands can pull off, riding the line between being barbaric and being too technical. It's a restrained sort of technicality. The slam parts are reminiscent of Abominable Putridity, and the faster parts sort of remind me of Dying Fetus. They have the same sort of playing style when it comes to the riffing. Vocally we have a guttural growl that's actually powerful (a rare thing) and fun to listen to, and isn't trapped in a toilet all the time. Overall, this is a good effort, and I want to hear more from this band in the future.





Sunday, June 14, 2026

Coprolith--Putrescence (CD/LP/CS) (2026 Me Saco Un Ojo Records/Rotted Life Recorcs)


mesacounojo.com
7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Coprolith from Toronto delivers their first full length and it's a grimy fucker, with music that matches that gnarly cover. They play a dark form of death metal that owes a lot to Incantation, but they've really created something interesting here. The riffs are gross, and slow to mid-tempo, teetering on the edge of doom all the time. It's rather a different approach to the style. Of course the vocals are mainly low roars, and there's plenty of echo on them so they sound like they were recorded in a cave, albeit one with good acoustics. They're totally filthy and awesome - they are produced extremely well. When the band finds a groove, they tend to stick with it, which I like. I've never been a huge fan of this style, but these guys have things in their sound I can sink my teeth into. The riffs are quite interesting at times and even though they're pretty slow overall, I still find my attention being held. I think Me Saco Un Ojo has a winner here, and I will probably pick this up and listen to it again if the mood strikes me.





Saturday, June 13, 2026

Gouge--Pure Deathfuck (CD/LP/CS) {2026 Hells Headbangers Records}


hellsheadbangers.com
8/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Again, Hells Headbangers has scored with this release, as they consistently do. It's amazing to me that a label's releases can so closely align with my own musical preferences. Gouge is back after eleven long years to deliver five tracks of pure Repulsion-style death metal as it was meant to be played. There are perhaps little hints of Impetigo influence at work here as well. The vocals are still as unhinged as ever, hearkening back to a time when death metal vocalists pushed at the edges of what thrash vocalists were doing - these aren't growls, but they're definitely death metal vocals, in other words. The production is clear but raw, and reminds me a little of Horrified, but with modern recording technology. It definitely adds to the band's personality, making them sound different than other bands of today. From what I can tell it looks as if the CD version comes with bonus tracks that consist of their out of print debut EP Doomed to Death, which is a good move. This is a quick listen at just shy of twelve minutes but you'll want to replay it at least once since the songs are all excellent.


Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Sabiendas--Puppeteer of Doom (CD/LP) {2026 Kernkraftritter Records}


kernkraftritter-records.de
9/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Here we have yet another German death metal band (they sure have a lot of death metal in Germany these days), and this is their first effort in six years. The wave of bands putting things out after more than five years is wild - there's just so many. Strangely, I've never encountered this band before, and now I want to hear their whole back catalog. They play a vicious brand of death metal that clearly looks to older Cannibal Corpse and Sinister as influences, but they've put their own stamp on their sound and are quite mature-sounding. The production is a standard modern death metal sound but emphasizes the guitars, which is a wise move with this many good riffs. Said riffs are aggressive, chunky, and evil-sounding, a perfect combination. They also give us quite good guitar solos in some places. The vocals are fucking strong, being low throaty growls with just the right amount of understandability and brutality. The vocal patterns are pristine and rhythmic and they fit the riffs perfectly. I could listen to this vocalist for hours. Just when I think I want to name a standout song or two, another track comes along that's equally as good as the one I was thinking of naming! All the songs are just so good. This is real death metal for the diehards out there and you shouldn't pass this one up.




Resurrected--Perpetual (CD/LP/CS) {2026 Testimony Records}


en.testimonyrecords.de
9/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Resurrected from Germany return with their eighth full length, and the first in nine years. This was always a band that I was aware of, but had never bought any of their records for some reason. In retrospect, I need to go backward in their back catalog and get some of this stuff! On this record they offer up more of their patented death metal with grind overtones. Their style is very much in the vein of the Floridian masters Malevolent Creation, perhaps mixed with a tiny bit of Immolation, Dying Fetus, and Hateplow. The vocals are a deep roar, a powerful and throaty style that has absolutely no fucking weakness in it. The growls are expressive and creative and the vocal patterns are quite good. He can also deliver a guttural that shames most other singers that try it. The production is a solid modern death metal sound which takes away a bit of their personality but their songs more than make up for it. The riffs are sublime, full of violence, with catchy hooks everywhere, and the songs are focused with ferocity. I can't believe I missed out on this band for so long and never bought any of their material. I have a feeling that's about to change. That logo is still no good, though.



Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Sarin Attack--Perikato (CD) {2026 More Hate Productions}


morehate.com
7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

On their second full length, Sarin Attack have brought us some seriously fierce fuckin' grindcore that attacks, attacks, and doesn't let up. They remind me just slightly of Nasum, but the looseness in the production gives them their own identity apart from any comparisons, kind of like how the bands in the 1990s all had a different sound just due to recording techniques. This is pretty noisy stuff, which mostly stems from the chainsaw guitar sound and relentless blasting (there are no triggers on the drums as far as I can tell). It takes a couple of songs to adjust to the recording, as it's a little thin and noisy, as I mentioned. After your ears adjust, though, it's perfectly fine. The band is remarkably adept at writing catchy riffs, which not all grind bands are capable of, and little hooks abound in their material. Vocally they rely on primarily a low growl but at times a high scream enters the mix, often when layered with the low vocal. It's a quick listen, as the songs are short, and a lot of it is in Finnish so I can't tell you much about the songs, but there are three done in in English which allows me to assume they're primarily talking about societal issues, injustice, and social critique. Pretty common for grind with its punk aesthetic and background. In all, it's a good record, not great, but worth your time if you're a grind freak like me.




Woundead--Once Buried They Come Back to Life (CD) {2025 Despise the Sun Records}


despisethesunrecords.bandcamp.com
7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Woundead come to us from Italy and they play a disgusting form of death metal that hearkens back to the sounds of the early '90s. Death metal has always been the audio equivalent of a horror film, and Woundead continue this fine tradition with a sample from a movie I cannot name as the intro of "Obsessive Gore Compulsion." The intro to the album itself, "Introduction to Macabre Overture," features '70s horror-inspired synths and horrific noises. Plus, we have zombies on the cover! Stylistically I hear a lot of things - Autopsy in the strangled vocals and the unhinged delivery thereof; Desultory in some of the riffs and rhythms. They're just the first to come to mind. However, the band has a fairly unique sound overall and defies comparison beyond that. Maybe, at a stretch, some early Massacre? The songwriting is simpler but satisfying and filled with hooks, each song being distinct and unique. In fact, they do a lot with simple riffs and it speaks to their talent as songwriters. There's no flashiness here to hide behind, just solid death metal. This is definitely a record for the diehards to investigate, and if you like simpler death metal, this could be a new favorite.




Reeking Aura--On the Promise of the Moon (CD/LP) {2026 Profound Lore Records}


profoundlorerecords.com
7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is the second full length from this rather unique death metal band, playing with both melody and brutality. These aspects of the band are meshed so well that it's hard to say there are sections where one or the other quality is more important. They've achieved that rarest of sounds - melodic brutality. Sure, some songs lean more heavily one way or another, but both elements are always present. The vocals are all primarily guttural, but they're performed with a strength that is very rare in a guttural vocalist. He's quite unique in this way. There are times when he resorts to more standard growls, and these are excellent, too. They have these little Edge of Sanity-style progressive moments throughout their material and they're quite welcome as a brief respite from the brutality that surrounds them. IT makes for a varied listening experience. The production is a solid example of a good modern death metal recording, and there's quite a bit of space for each instrument to shine. While not a band I can immediately declare myself a fan of, I will readily admit this is one of the most unique death metal bands I've heard in a while, for that matter in existence today. They play in a section of the field where no one realized a player was needed! They also get the award for making me laugh today with their track titled "Manure Like Magma!" 




Monday, June 8, 2026

Belligerence--Liturgies of the Vile Ones (CD/LP/CS) {2026 Lycanthropic Chants}


lycanthropic.de
8/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This German band has unleashed their second EP and it's a good one. This is heavy on the Morbid Angel influence, and they're doing a better job of it than those geezers ever could these days. There's quite technical playing present here, and they show it off when the mood takes them, sometimes during slower sections of the songs where they can play around a little more. These are remarkably well-crafted songs with a sense of maturity about them. Entertaining transitions abound, and plenty of changes keep things interesting. Plus, these guys can grind with the best. The vocals are primarily a low growl, but they're expressive and fueled by anger. The singer has perfect technique and sounds quite smooth. I really enjoy listening to him. Production-wise, the sound is solid and modern-sounding, but it's not overdone like so many records these days. It doesn't sound overly digital. I can see why they titled the record after the song "Liturgies of the Vile Ones." This song shows off everything they can do, and it's easily their best song. This one will make it into my rotation every once in a while for sure, and I look forward to what's next from this band.