Beyond Chaos "As Kingdoms Burn" (Review)

Beyond Chaos As Kingdoms Burn

2025 Independent (Digital)

beyondchaos.bandcamp.com

7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is one prolific band. This marks the seventh full length since its inception in 2019. It's a one-man project, so I assume that has helped it along to be so active. I'm not familiar with the band's other works, but I stumbled onto this album on the internet, and I'm glad I did. This Brazilian band seems to claim some Krisiun influence, perhaps some Hate Eternal as well, and definitely some Nordic black metal DNA, particularly Dissection and their haunting melodies. The drums are programmed but flawlessly so, and the rest of the instruments are also similarly professionally executed. I love the use of incredibly fast double bass in a lot of these songs - it's really well done and always at the best possible times in the song. The album manages to be melodic and include some keys without sounding weak, like on the epic track "Master's Voice," or the beginning of "Plagueborn," with almost Bathory-style choir effects. The melodies themselves are excellent, and the skill of the guitars is on display at every turn. This is a mighty death metal record with heavy metal sensibilities, and it is worth tracking down.

Death Yell "Demons of Lust" (Review)

Death Yell Demons of Lust

2025 Hells Headbangers Records

www.hellsheadbangers.com

8/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Big things were expected when Death Yell announced their comeback some years ago, and signing with the mighty Hells Headbangers solidified, in my mind at least, that it was going to be a good record, since that label seems to cater exactly to my tastes most of the time. It was a good record. So when a second record was announced, I was eager to hear it, of course. Death Yell's style hasn't changed much, if at all, since the infamous demo days, and the metal world is thankful for that. It's still just as extreme and vicious, as heavy and fast, and as well written and well played as the last record. The vocals are still raw and throaty in the mid-ranges, the instruments clean and well-recorded. Hooks abound in these songs and the listener can tell the band has really focused on craft here - these are memorable songs. Anyone whose taste runs to extreme thrash, black metal, or death metal would do well to pick it up and give it a listen. It should satisfy on all those vectors. I know I'll be obtaining a copy for myself before long. I'm glad a band like this has returned to give us those albums they couldn't in the late 80s and early 90s, it's been worth the wait.

Bodybag "As It Ferments" (Review)

Bodybag As It Ferments

2025 Independent (Digital)

bodybagbtn.bandcamp.com

5/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is the first full length for these youngsters out of the UK. They're playing the currently popular mashup of '90s death metal and hardcore, and they do it well enough. There's not too much here that jumps out and pounds my attention into submission, however. I do like that this style is popular, as it reminds me of the 1990s brutal death metal out of the Midwest. It's a style worthy of resurrection. The hardcore elements are a bit more pronounced with this band, in the vocals and in the breakdowns especially. They're just not doing enough for me to be memorable, but they're very ok. I will, however, be interested in hearing what they come up with next assuming they remain a band. There is promise here, just nothing very interesting on this record.

Ribspreader "As Gods Devour" (Review)

Ribspreader As Gods Devour

2025 Xtreem Music (CD)

shop.xtreemmusic.com

5/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is the eleventh full length from this Swedish institution, putting them in the same category as their brethren Grave, Entombed, or Dismember as far as the amount of albums they've released. When they started, not many were still playing the Swedish death metal of old, and it was a fresh sound again. Now, bands that sound like them abound in every obscure corner of the scene, since it's quite easy to hook up an HM-2. That begs the question - does this album rise above the other acts performing in this style? No. The recent efforts from bands like Venomous Breath and Tombseeker are better, with more riffs and intensity. They have Ribspreader on their heels, quite honestly. This is an ok record, but that's all it is - just ok. It doesn't capture my death metal bloodlust at all and just goes through the motions, albeit it slightly better than most that play this style. It's a perfectly serviceable record, but I'm not certain it rises to the standard that it should coming from this band. That said, there are a few excellent riffs hidden on this record, if you're willing to dig, just not enough to separate this from the pack of imitators to the Swedish throne.

Occulsed "Antegnosis" (Review)

Occulsed Antegnosis

2025 Everlasting Spew Records (CD/CS)

www.everlastingspew.com

4/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Heavy, thick guitars over natural sounding drums and cavernous vocals meet your ears upon pressing play. I hear hints of Morbid Angel and perhaps some Deicide and Asphyx in their attack, but vocally Incantation is the clearest influence. These gents are accomplished musicians, being in about nine million other bands (seriously, go to Metal Archives and look, it's crazy). However, this does not save them from having just a very ok album on their hands. Too many of the songs rely on similar riffs, leading to a record that just bleeds together, and only the atmosphere they create remains. It's honestly like listening to one long song. And something weird happens when they slow down, at least in the first part of the record - strange time signatures. I'm not sure if this is intentional, a product of the recording, or just not being tight when playing slow, but I'm leaning toward intentional since not only are these guys in a bunch of bands, but this is not their first full length with Occulsed. The drums are more or less tight during the speedier parts of the album, so I'm just going to go with they made some strange choices recording the slow parts. The drums can be a bit loose in the fills, too, reminding me of old Possessed in that regard. It's not a hard pass, but it's a pass for me on this record, since all these things together lead to it being a bit of a chore to listen to.

Menk "Deceitful Purgatory" (Review)

Menk Deceitful Purgatory

2025 Independent (CS)

menk15.bandcamp.com

7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

From sunny California, USA, we have some punked-up deathgrind on offer here. It's a furious mix of death, grind, and crust. The vocals are throaty, deep, and punk-edged, and remind me quite a bit of early Benediction. The pedal stays to the metal for the entire record, and d-beats abound. Menk delivers plenty of hooks in their songs, and they have clearly defined verses and choruses for that extra bit of oomph that makes them memorable. They have a spacious sound, yet are as tight as can be. There's no slop here like with a lot of punk-influenced metal. "Ape Grind" may be my favorite track with its stop-start blastbeats and great hooks. "Deceitful Purgatory" is another favorite with its more death metal-based composition combined with that same punk energy that infuses the rest of the record. This is simpler music that screams into the sky with songs that are actually about something, and I'll be trying to hear more from this band soon.

Venomous Breath "Abysm" (Review)

Venomous Breath Abysm

2025 Excarnation Records

venomousbreath.bandcamp.com

7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is the third full length from this Brazilian band. It's heavy HM-2 death metal with vocals in the higher registers, snarled in an almost black metal style, rather than the typical growls, and it really sets them apart. It reminds me of Necrophobic crossed with early Entombed and with the look of Repugnant. This band has a distinct almost black metal feel, a "soul," if you will, and it lies in the atmosphere they create with their music, not the music itself which is unabashedly death metal of a high order. The guitar solos also help this band to stand out, and the solos are indeed good. I like that some bands playing this old Swedish style are doing different things and branching out, adopting some unique ingredients. It really does help the ear fatigue. As for standout tracks, "Deathfire" is a real ripper, with its fast speed and thrashing riffs, instantly memorable as soon as it's heard. I enjoyed the record a lot, and I was impressed overall. I'll be watching to see if any physical copies turn up in the distros I buy from.

Pithy "Agonizing Plexus" (Review)

Pithy Agonizing Plexus

2025 Wasted Existence Records (CD)

pithy.bandcamp.com

7/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is the first full length from this UK-based deathmachine. They're heavy, brutal, and technical with enough chugging riffs to keep my attention in the midst of all the overwhelming technicality. The vocals alternate between several styles of gutturals, as well as other more standard growls, and the singer swaps these out flawlessly during his performance. Sometimes he switches it up in the same verse, and he's talented and unique-sounding. There's plenty of grind influence in this as well, and you can really hear it in songs like "Fascia." Many of the more technical riffs swirl in your ears in what's almost like a circular motion (yes, I ascribe things like this to sounds I hear sometimes, I think in shapes at times), and are almost tornado-like in their attack. It's a devastating mixture of hellish instrumentation. I recommend this for deathmaniacs and tech-heads alike, it's just that good. 

Violent Testimony "Aggravate" (Review)

Violent Testimony Aggravate

2025 Horror Pain Gore Death Productions (CD)

horrorpaingoredeath.com

10/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is the first length from this Wyoming grindsquadron. They play a catchy mixture of death, thrash, and black metal on a grindcore chassis and it's absolutely wonderful. They remind me slightly of Rotten Sound, if only for their song structures. This is vicious stuff, violence in musical form, here to take your worthless fuckin' head. This is very original material, also - other than the Rotten Sound comparison I made, it's unique and I can't think of anyone they truly sound like. The consistent power of the blast beats brings to mind classic records like Panzer Division Marduk. They have the same rabid energy and quality of composition that it takes to make a great record with this much blasting. This one just grabs hold of you and won't let go at all, drowning you in the turbulent atmosphere. It's equal parts piss, vinegar, and violence! Their vocalist is a formidable force, belting out his lines with power and conviction. They also know how to slow it down and bring the heavy like on "Left to Rot," among other tracks, to give us a break from the grind for a few seconds. This is a perfect record and I am now a fan, and I can't recommend this highly enough. Mandatory purchase - don't let this one get by you!

Abyssalis "Adaptation" (Review)

Abyssalis Adaptation

2025 Transcending Obscurity Records (CD)

tometal.com

6/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is wickedly technical brutality, and with a monster of a vocalist that has perfected a rapid-fire delivery over top the quick twists and turns of the music. There is melody and guitar harmony in all the madness here, and it's quite original sounding. This is a little too technical for me, really, although I really enjoy when they take a moment and inject some heaviness or melody into the tornado of tech death. Fans of 2000s technical death metal like Necrophagist may be enamored with this release. Clearly this band is immensely talented and I have no idea how in the world they remember how to play stuff this complex. I'm sure it's not easy! I could listen to this for the vocals alone, however, since the vocalist is sick as fuck, with his deep-chested roars and the ability to rattle off words like a machine gun. This is worth your time if you're into the technical side of death metal.

Necromonger "Abyssal Flesh Construct" (Review)

Necromonger Abyssal Flesh Construct

2025 SBDC Records (CD)

sbdcstore.com

4/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is the second full length from this Canadian deathmachine, this time on Russia's SBDC Records. It's heavy and slamming but not overly simplistic. The vocals are guttural without being silly - sort of like an evil-ass reptile. However, there's not a lot of power behind them, but that's down to the singing style, most likely. They remind me just slightly of the UK's Amputated, just without the varied song structures. It's cleanly produced stuff, which goes a long way toward making this style more memorable. This is total caveman metal. The problem I have with so many of these bands, this one included, is that there's very little to distinguish them from one another. The double bass under the faster parts helps a little bit. By the fifth song this really starts blending together with the overabundance of slam riffs, unfortunately. I wanted this to be better, but it's instead just another slam act.

Tombseeker "Tombseeker" (Review)

Tombseeker Tombseeker

2026 Iron Fortress Records (CD)

ironfortressrecords.com

9/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

I'm always wary of bands that proclaim themselves devotees of the HM-2 sound, since it's been done to death, but I should have had no qualms here. As I should have expected, the folks at Iron Fortress seem to have the same ear for death metal that I do - I find most of their releases exceptional, and this is...well... no exception. Tombseeker takes the sound of the old gods of Sweden and injects originality, brutality, and quality songwriting into the mix, to devastating results. Big chunky riffs made of lead and murder abound. Heavy-ass breakdowns are added to the time-honored sound for an ultra-heavy take on the style. When they slow things down this way they rely on heaviness and groove, which they employ masterfully. They're not afraid of blastbeats, either, which serves to set them apart from the legions of bands playing this style in lesser forms, and the quality of their songwriting shines in every track as well as having a multitude of hooks in every song. At the risk of being superficial, I wanted to remark that this band even looks the part, dressed in full on denim and leather in their promo photo, which is nice to see. This is a very refreshing take on an old style, and an excellent effort overall, and I expect I'll be plunking down some cash for this one eventually to add it to my collection. It's truly a fine record.

New World Depression "Abysmal Void" (Review)

New World Depression Abysmal Void

2025 Testimony Records (CD/LP)

facebook.com/testimonyrecords

5/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

Here we have the seventh (!) record from this German squad. This is well-recorded, well-performed death metal, but it misses the mark for me. The melodic parts are definitely a throwback to 1990s melodic death metal like At The Gates, and so are certain aspects of the vocals. They have weird, whiny inflection a lot like Lindberg's vocals did, and not everyone can pull that off without sounding grating. It takes a while to get used to this while listening to this record. The slower parts are much like something Amon Amarth would offer, but there are blastbeats here to offset. This lacks some intensity that good death metal ought to have, it's quite plodding. That said, the album does strengthen as it goes along, with a few interesting riffs like the tune "Spoils of War." That is truly heavy. If mid-paced death metal is your thing, you could do worse, but it didn't do anything for me other than a couple of songs.

Voorhees "4" (Review)

Voorhees 4

2025 Fetzner Death Records (CD/CS), Crypt of Gore (LP)

fetznerdeathrecords.de

8/10 CRUSHED FUCKING SKULLS

This is slasher-obsessed death/thrash with dueling high-low vocals in many places, in the vein of Ghoul or Frightmare, but leaning much more into the death metal side of the style. This is quite American-sounding for a French band. Heavy thrashing breakdowns break up with speedier parts, reminding me of Jungle Rot or Obituary at times. Relentless double bass drumming abounds, lending an intensity to the proceedings. Clear diction on the part of the singer makes the lyrics quite understandable, and he reminds me of Johnny from Unleashed quite a bit. The guitars are played with pure down-picked attitude to match the aggression of the drums, and they produce some truly vicious riffs like the breakdown in "Pazuzu." I like chunky, thrashing death metal, so this definitely scratches an itch for me. "Scream Again" is probably my favorite track, starting with an absolute beast of a riff, which they play smart and ride that sucker for all it's worth. They also have an excellent sense of melody when it's called for, where guitar solos and harmonies are concerned. I was impressed with this release overall, and I recommend it to all the deathmaniacs out there reading this.

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.