Infernal Thorns "Christus Venari" (Review)

Infernal Thorns Christus Venari

2025 Personal Records (CD)

personal-records.com

9/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Infernal Thorns comes from Chile, and they've given us their third full length of fast, blasting death metal that attacks remorselessly and constantly. It sort of reminds me of a cross between Krisiun and Destroyer 666, perhaps with some Pentagram (Chile) influence. There are tons of intense and memorable riffs as well as proper versus and choruses, making the songs stick in your head, as well as earworm vocal patterns. The dueling growls at the beginning of "Desde el infierno" are a good example of this, even though no lyrics are involved. You will remember that part. The musical performances are pristine and the arrangements are intense. The guitar solos are mad, chaotic, divebombing affairs that don't slow the songs down. They're full of sweeps and even melody at times. The pedal never comes off the floor with this band except to toss a monster groove at us here and there at strategic points. Deicide is also clearly an influence and you can hear it in the vocal pattern at the beginning of "Implore Me." This record is total fistbanging mania from start to finish, and worth picking up. Buy or die!

Festergore "Constellation of Endless Blight" (Review)

Festergore Constellation of Endless Blight

2024 Personal Records (CD) / Iron Fortress Records (CS)

www.personal-records.com / ironfortress.com

7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is this New York band's first full length after some singles, EPs, and a split. They play thickly produced death metal with classic riffs that will snap your neck halfway through the first verse! They have almost Massacre- and Autopsy-style riffs at times, and a similar atmosphere to those masters, but with a real nasty edge and some seriously heavy grooves. There's just a bit of looseness in their playing that gives the record a really unique sound. The songwriting is top notch, and the guitar player isn't afraid of solos, dropping fierce divebombers from time to time. The vocalist, at times, reminds me of Bolt Thrower's singer. This is real death metal for real metalists, doing nothing groundbreaking but just playing solid original death metal. I love that so many new bands are looking to the past for inspiration and coming up with good albums that would absolutely have a place at the table in the 1990s had they been released back then. It's inspiring and I hope it continues.

Plasmodulated "An Ocean ov Putrid, Stinky, Vile, Disgusting Hell" (Review)

Plasmodulated "An Ocean ov Putrid, Stinky, Vile, Disgusting Hell"

2025 Dawnbreed Records (CD/LP), Gurgling Gore (CS), Personal Records (Digital)

www.dawnbreed.com

www.gurglinggore.com

www.personal-records.com

7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Of course when I saw the cover of this album I had to cover it. There's puke. This is Ominous Vomit. Anything puke-related gets covered! Anyhow, this is the debut LP for this Floridian band, and it's a damn fine effort. They evoke the 1990s greats while having their own well-defined sound, both technical and hook-laden. Sometimes they even border on the atmospheric like a lot of European death metal, as well. It really is beyond a pigeon-holed description, other than this is real death metal for underground metalists who like good, heavy, morbid music. The drums keep it interesting during the slower songs, and the guitar solos are actually worth hearing, unlike a lot of death metal solos. "Excess Virulent Seepage" shows off the band's technical prowess, but they don't dwell overly long in that territory, and get right back to being vicious and heavy. I respect a band that doesn't lean strictly on their technical ability and attempts to write actual songs that rely on that technicality instead. I keep coming back to one point - this is a unique sounding record with great songs, and I can't endorse it more fully than that.