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.

Dogtag Remains "Forgotten Battlefields" (Review)

Dogtag Remains Forgotten Battlefields

2024 Satanath Records (CD)

www.satanath.com

7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is high-quality death metal from Greece. Sonically they're a mixture of Entombed, Incantation, Asphyx, and especially Hail of Bullets. The remind me a lot of Hail of Bullets. They also share the military obsessions of Bolt Thrower, if not the melodicism. The vocals are the of the currently fashionable cavernous style with tons of echo. They're not afraid of blastbeats, peppering them in liberally throughout the record, and it goes a long way toward keeping the intensity high. This band is as much about a dark atmosphere as they are about brutality, not shying away from slower riffs to create different textures. This is better than average death metal and well worth a look even from grizzled veterans of the death metal scene.

Combat Noise "30 Years of Cuba Death Metal" (Review)

Combat Noise 30 Years of Cuba Death Metal

2025 Satanath Records (CD)

satanath.com

7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Originating in the mid-1990s, this may well be the only relatively well-known death metal act from Cuba. This release features a re-recorded selection from their past releases, picking the best tracks and updating the sound. This is all done in service of their thirty year anniversary. The tracks are well-recorded and well-played, with a nice warm production and a nice even mix. Their style, if you are not familiar, is reminiscent of the Floridian death metal bands of the 1990s, but with a darkness all their own and an intensity that only true death metal bands can attain. Hair-windmilling riffs abound here. The thing I like the best about releases like this is that  the songs tend to be of the highest quality, since the band is picking their best works. It's honestly also a great place to start with their discography if you haven't ever heard them, since you'll hear songs from across the history of the band. I can't remember if I ever wrote these guys back in the '90s, but I seem to recall a letter or two being exchanged. I can't be sure, it was so long ago. Make sure to pick this up if you enjoy quality death metal played with skill and emotion, and want to explore the history of the band.