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.

Heruvim--Mercator (CD/LP) {2025 Redefining Darkness Records}

www.redefiningdarkness.com

5/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

I hate when I have to review and album and the only description I can really muster is "very ok old school death metal," or something similar. Unfortunately, that's what I'm doing here. There's just nothing that truly makes this record stand out from the hundreds of other bands playing Bolt Thrower inspired death metal. Sure, the production is clear and crisp and the musicianship is perfect, but other than the very progressive bass playing at times, I don't feel anything special about this release, and death metal should make you feel something. I've just heard this band a hundred times before, and this one isn't doing much different to separate themselves from the other bands at all.

Wretched Fate "Incineration of the Pious" (Review)

Wretched Fate Incineration of the Pious

2024 Redefining Darkness Records (CS)

redefiningdarkness.com

7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

What a shock! This Swedish style death metal band is actually Swedish! We get three original tracks plus covers of Morbid Angel ("Domination"), Bloodbath ("Like Fire"), and Nihilist ("Abnormally Deceased"). I couldn't think of three bands that encapsulate Wretched Fate's sound any better, actually. They're a mix of all three. The Morbid Angel influence shines through in that the band is distinctly more technical than most others that play this style, and is especially noticeable in the drums. This is polished and refined metal, perfectly written and the equal of any band playing in this style, but they don't quite rise above the pack with this EP. The Morbid Angel cover is just ok - they've molded it into their style but it feels a bit rushed. It does fit right in with their original material, however. The singer sounds so much like the singer on early Bloodbath efforts that their version of "Like Fire" hews very close to the original. The do an impeccable job here, and the same goes with the Nihilist cover. I look forward to seeing what these gentlemen will do on their next full length effort. If the originals here are any indication, it could be very special.

Atomic Witch "Death Etiquette" (Review)

Atomic Witch Death Etiquette

2025 Redefining Darkness Records (CD, LP)

www.redefiningdarkness.com

10/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is the second full length from these Cleveland death/thrash masters. They deliver brutal thrashing death metal with a heavy dose of brilliant technicality, reminding me of luminaries like Hellwitch or Demolition Hammer, even Razor and Destruction, but with a heavy dose of death. The singer is truly unique - he shifts from a growl to a yell to a falsetto (yes, a falsetto) in one measure sometimes, and it works. The drummer is wildly talented, all over his kit with all sorts of fills and rolls. The guitars are nonstop aggressive thrashing hell, with top notch riff after top notch riff. We even get melodic solos from time to time. How can this be death metal, you ask, if there are so many non-death metal elements? Trust me, it just is - there's no doubt about it. "Worms and Dirt" has some of the most aggressive riffing I've heard in a long time, and the vocal lines are perfectly sung and punchy. I think I love the singer's delivery most of all, intense, snarling, and evil above all else. This is truly unique shit, and not one other band sounds like this. They've bottled lightning on this album and it is absolutely perfect. Buy it, steal it, kill for it, just go get it.