Cold Slither – Cold Slither Review

By Tyme

More inclined toward Thundarr the Barbarian or He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, a much younger Tyme was still no stranger to the wily cartoon exploits of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. So, my nerdy interest piqued when I saw Cold Slither writhe up from the sump pit. It seems the inimitable toy makers at Hasbro had teamed up with the folks at Reigning Phoenix Music to bring guitarist/vocalist Zartan (Gus Rios: Gruesome) and his ruthless band of Dreadnok’s—featuring Ripper on guitar (Matt Harvey: Gruesome, Exhumed), Torch on bass (Ross Sewage: Exhumed, Impaled), and Buzzer on drums (Andy Selway: KMFDM)—to life. For those unfamiliar, the episode, which first aired in December 1985, found Cobra cohorts Destro and the Baroness plotting a subliminal message scheme intended to brainwash society using music created for a fake heavy metal band, Cold Slither, and restore Cobra Commander to prominence, furthering his goal of world domination. Conceptually speaking, I think this is pretty damn cool, but my job is to let you know if Cold Slither is worthy of your time, or if this particular snake would make a better pair of boots.

Cold Slither play souped-up dad metal that mainly taps a vein of ’80s / ’90s arena and alt-rock tropes. Driving riffs, pounding drums, and shred(ish) solos dominate most of the musical landscape, full of ear-wormy hooks and anthemic bravado. Themed lyrics are expectedly juvenile, and whether you want them to or not, choruses are abhorrently catchy, (“Zartan’s Revenge,” “These Fluffies Are Fatal”), sticking to your brain like taxicab floor chewing gum. After a brief address by Cobra Commander himself, the album launches with a revised, more metallic version of the song that started it all 40 years ago, “Cold Slither.” Still corny as hell, the re-imagined track at least comes across heavier than the synth-laden original. After that, nine tracks of new Cold Slither material drawing influence mostly from the original episode and sounding like second-tier ’80s metal peddled by the likes of Black ‘n Blue, Keel, and others back in the day, albeit here slightly more aggressive. This Cold Slither reps basic, family-friendly metal designed to sell action figures and comic books, bringing those G.I. Joe die-hards to the comic-con yard in clouds of nostalgia instead of weed, to rock out with the kids.

Mostly uninspiring, there were a few moments on Cold Slither that got my head bobbing, if only slightly. With its doomy pace and sludgy riffs, the Alice in Chains-like “Snakes on the Bayou” possesses a swagger that I connected with, while the thrashy three-minute speedster “Torched” had me tenuously feeling early Bay Area vibes. I also enjoyed the straightforward, groove-drenched riffs on “Master of Disguise,” another palatable rocker with a decent solo and one of those catchy choruses that I found myself humming later on. While it’s clear the guys in Cold Slither embarked on a journey far removed from their main gigs, they do a decent job of pulling the concept together and executing the vision.

Filled with G.I. Joe sound bites, separating the Cold Slither concept from the content wasn’t easy, which further emphasized that Cold Slither is more a marketing tie-in than it is a heavy metal record. Musically, my biggest gripe is with the vocals. Stepping from behind the drum kit of his day job to pick up guitar and vocal duties, Rios’ Zartan does a workable job here; however, his clean vocal range seems limited to four or five mid-baritone notes that he never stretches beyond. Doing him no favors either are the vocal arrangements, written such that each song’s vocal pattern and cadence sounded nearly identical. More dynamic vocals might have added a more maniacally villainous edge to the diabolical, Cold Slither plot.

I get what everyone, including Cold Slither, tried to do here, and I’m sure those who bought a ticket to see these songs played live by a band in full regalia on July 24th at the San Diego Comic-Con will have a good time. A much younger me may have even bought the action figure set, comic book, and ticket to the con to snag my exclusive vinyl variant. Cold Slither, however, amounts to little more than an elaborately conceived homage to one cult cartoon episode, where the music transcends no further than the intrinsic nostalgia it evokes. Hopefully, Hasbro has no plans to bring the Average Joe Band to life anytime soon.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
Label: Reigning Phoenix Music
Websites: Cold Slither | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: July 25th, 2025

#20 #2025 #AliceInChains #AmericanMetal #BlackNBlue #ColdSlither #HeavyMetal #Jul25 #Keel #ReigningPhoenixMusic #Review #Reviews

Recorruptor – Sorrow Will Drown Us All Review

By Alekhines Gun

One of the most entertaining things about describing death metal in any of its iterations is the limitless well of hyperbolic descriptors one can conjure. Older monikers like “crushes,” “brutalizes,” and “heavy” have given way to fun artistic notions like “being attacked by killer bees,” “gored by rabid rhinos,”1 and “being mated with by a coked out giraffe.” My own newest favorite phrase came by way of one of our loyal commentariat in the phrase “Taint kicker”. Michigan locals Recorruptor have arrived with their third LP, Sorrow Will Drown Us All, and it seeks to continue to force the listener to dig deeper into their well of artistic metaphors to describe the raw carnage on display. Are you up for a swim?

Like frosting with copious sprinkles on an extra chunky cake, Recorruptor use a hodgepodge of ingredients traversing from blackened deathcore to death metal and slam proper. This results in an album that is chuggy, blasty, slammy, and wammy, without easily being pigeonholed into any particular subgenre. A Venn diagram of sound neatly intersecting between Aborted, Cognitive, Cattle Decapitation and Lorna Shore, Sorrow Will Drown Us All flings the listener from one prolonged-shriek-laden chugging presentation with lightly strummed atmospheric lines (“Bearing the Befouled Spawn”) to vaguely OSDM melodic theatrics (“An Unnatural Lust”) without missing a beat or any part sounding out of place. The cohesiveness of songwriting is reflected in how each part is carefully composed for maximum impact without sounding like an unfocused collection of disparaging riffs. Recorruptor have opted for violence on a cinematic scale using a Batman-sized utility belt of tools to get their themes across, and those themes come in abundance.

This diversity of stylings means standout moments will depend entirely on what ingredient you’re most into. “Urn of Verglas” offers up a jumbo-sized plate of green eggs and slam, which is gleefully Ingested in its blunt simplicity, but rendered extra septic by contrast of the ruthless speed of what came before it. “Envenoming” is straight Cattle Decapitation worship with its atmospherics-rooted sense of grind and vocalist Clint Franklin doing a great impression of Travis Ryan at his most esophagus-abusing.2 “Insidious Rot” starts out with modern death metal groove before devolving into a prolonged breakdown set well beyond two-stepping pace and spotlighting some thunky chunky bass from Alex Schmidt. Guitarists Seth Earl and Isaac Marier slather the entire release in solos, which never lose their sense of tension and release to guitar hero wankery.

Where Sorrow Will Drown Us All fails is in the same way cakes can be too rich—too much of a good thing is real, and food is not the only victim. While every song is killer, they’re also long in the tooth and produced more abrasively than the DR would suggest. Vocals also follow the maddening modern trend of bathing the music almost nonstop rather than letting it breathe.3 There’s no denying the technical prowess and kaleidoscopic nature of the performances on display, but the album is so crammed with ideas that it feels much lengthier than its not unreasonable 48-minute runtime, and the two symphonic cuts do little to break up the whole into more palatable chunks. The name of the game for Recorruptor is going to be self-editing. If they can trim down the bulk of their ideas to more immediate offerings, they’ll be ready to blast and brawl their way to the top of the blackened deathcore heap without setting off genre purists in the process.

Sorrow Will Drown Us All is a caliber album, and if you’re a sucker for any of the various bands listed, you’ll find much to love here. There is sonic succulence reminiscent of meat grinders, bulldozers, horny wild animals, and yes, even taint kicking. Nevertheless, the final product topples under its own weight from the sheer glut of ideas on display. Quality ideas though they be, the album is so full of them that they end up fighting for the listener’s attention after the album has long ceased to play. I’m rooting for Recorruptor to hone in on their skillset and opt for a less-is-more approach. For now, grab a fork and let the sorrow get you into a diabetic coma.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Time to Kill Records
Websites: Album Bandcamp | Official Facebook Page
Releases Worldwide: July 18th, 2025

#2025 #30 #Aborted #AmericanMetal #BlackenedDeathcore #CattleDecapitation #Cognitive #DeathMetal #Ingested #Jul25 #LornaShore #Recorruptor #Review #Reviews #SorrowWillDrownUsAll

Hibernaut – Obsidian Eye Review

By Killjoy

It was only a matter of time before I found a group from my hometown to write about. Operating in Salt Lake City, Utah, Hibernaut plays a mixture of doom, stoner, sludge, and psych. Though the band is newer—having formed in 2020—its members have plenty of prior experience in the metal underground. Two of them, Dave Jones and Zach Hatsis, were even part of the now defunct SubRosa at one point. Hibernaut’s sophomore album, Obsidian Eye, relates a sci-fi/horror story about a mysterious interdimensional entity that infects, kills, and reanimates people in order to spread its influence. The promo package contains an interesting quote from producer Andy Patterson (also formerly of SubRosa): “In the 20+ years I’ve been at my studio, I’ve never had a noise/loudness complaint, until Hibernaut entered the studio.” What kind of music would warrant such a complaint, and is this a promising sign?

Hibernaut wears one of two hats at all times. They tend to settle into a steady rhythm when Dave Jones delivers his vocals. His style is an uncommon one—not quite singing, growling, or chanting but brushing against them all at once. But, outside of the verses and choruses, lead guitarist Matt Miller is liable to fill any and all available space with solos. They vary widely in length—sometimes a quick traditional Sabbathian jab but often sprawling in similar fashion to Sleep. The guitars also have some fun twists, like the funky distortion in “Engorge Behemoth” or the recurring spidery tune in “Pestiferous” that reminds me of Kraid’s lair from classic Metroid. The constant throughout all this is a formidable low end with no shortage of confident bass grooves and the no-nonsense attitude of High on Fire.

In fact, the rhythm section is Hibernaut’s secret weapon. Drummer Zach Hatsis more than pulls his weight, hammering out complex rhythms for extended periods of time and livening sections that might have otherwise felt overly repetitive (like the beginning of “Pestiferous”). When paired with Josh Dupree’s more aggressive bass lines (“Revenants,” “Venatic Rite”) the result is monstrous. The duo is just as fearsome, if not more, when the tempo slows to a crawl in “Beset” to accompany a deliberate, sauntering blues melody to give the album finale an inevitable and menacing tone. Overall, Obsidian Eye’s more potent songwriting makes it punchier and more memorable than Hibernaut’s debut, Ingress, which was similar in sound but with more bloat and less riff stickiness. Further, the transitions between tracks are so seamless that I sometimes don’t notice that the next has begun, which makes Obsidian Eye feel more cohesive.

However, Hibernaut struggles to find the sweet spot between rigidity and flexibility while constantly flip-flopping between the two. One of their greatest assets is unwavering rhythm and cadence which grants the music a hypnotic quality (particularly in “Engorge Behemoth”). But like the reanimated corpses in the story, some of the verses shamble past their expiration date by cramming too many lyrics atop a few looping grooves. On the other side of the coin, the guitar solos often feel a bit too unstructured and indulgent, almost like an improvised jam session. I like guitar solos as much as the next person but this borders on too much of a good thing. Even with a total runtime of only 47 minutes, there are many parts that could have been trimmed a little, or a lot in the case of the aimless feedback-laden intros of “Engorge Behemoth” and “Venatic Rite.”

The sweet spot that Hibernaut does hit, though, is between power and agility. Obsidian Eye is hefty and fluid at the same time, with a meaty bass presence and tons of tempo shifts to keep things fresh. Lack of focus and minor bloat cause small but chronic stumbles that, unfortunately, add up over time, but I enjoy Hibernaut’s core sound and think that they’re onto something compelling. As Andy Patterson indicated, Obsidian Eye is indeed noisy, but I certainly wouldn’t have been the one to complain about it. True to its name, there is a monster hibernating inside Hibernaut and, with a tad more refinement, I have no doubt it will awaken soon.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: PCM
Label: Olde Magick Records
Websites: hibernaut.bandcamp.com | hibernautband.com | facebook.com/hibernaut
Releases Worldwide: July 11th, 2025

#2025 #30 #AmericanMetal #BlackSabbath #DoomMetal #Hibernaut #HighOnFire #Jul25 #ObsidianEye #OldeMagickRecords #Psychedelic #Review #Reviews #Sleep #SludgeMetal #StonerMetal #Subrosa

Re-Buried – Flesh Mourning Review

By Steel Druhm

My second discount ticket to Scum Town in one week and the third since July started, Re-Buried’s sophomore outing, Flesh Mourning, brings more gruesome death to wallow in. These cretins of the crypt left a favorable impression on Olde Steelio with their 2023 Repulsive Nature debut, courtesy of hideously inspired death vocals and crushing riff work. It felt massive, monolithic, and inevitable, and the sheer weight of it all overcame occasional gaps in their songcraft. Flesh Mourning is more of the same festering, moldy-oldey brand of death with one foot in the morgue and the other in the swamp, with vocals that sound like a dying hobo wrenching out the contents of his ulcerated stomach after a long night of on-the-cheap debauchery. And like the debut, Flesh Mourning is short, leaning toward anorexic. How can that recipe fail to earn a Michelin Star at the Slop House of Steel? Let’s poke the putridities with the pokey stick

Things open promisingly enough with vocalist Chris Pinto vomiting forth a feral hairball before the slime-flavored riffs kick in, and you get a standard yet basically effective mid-tempo death ditty without bells and whistles, but plenty of creepy atmosphere and phlegmy noises. It’s essentially Autopsycore, but lacking the jackhammer power heard at key moments on Repulsive Nature, and it feels a bit…safe. “Jagged Psyche” feels more brutish and nasty with extra vigor in the riffs, but the band seems stuck in a mid-tempo plod and struggles to kick into higher gears. This quickly becomes the story of Flesh Mourning as song after song duplicates these middling tempos with everything motoring along at a safe speed with too few bursts of speed and aggression. Worse still, the tracks aren’t as memorable as last time, and they all sound way too similar due to the consistent pacing and writing style.

“Rotted Back to Life” features some extra-heavy grooves that wake you up a bit, but it’s hard to shake the nagging feeling that this is all standard and recycled fare without an identity of its own. As things grind along in a “we have Bolt Thrower at home” manner with little variation in pacing, it falls to Chris Pinto to keep things interesting by deploying all manner of hideous sounds and monster moaning. He apes a staggering ghoul or a hospice patient in agony, and it’s impressive, but it isn’t enough to keep the material from bleeding into a big, greasy mush where one song becomes indistinguishable from the next. At just under 30 minutes, there isn’t much meat on the corpse bone, and things end with a 2-plus minute instrumental outro that’s all atmosphere and no payoff. It’s clear Re-Buried didn’t have a wealth of inspiration in the writing room and struggled to churn out a mere handful of basic, generic death ditties. That’s quite disappointing.

Chris Pinto is the star here, as he’s one of the most committed death metal vocalists out there. His weird body horror noises are wild, especially his hairball trick, which features prominently across the album. He’s a gem in search of a skilled jeweler, as the material he’s given to work with simply doesn’t deliver the knockout power his performance deserves. Paul Richards and Eddie Bingaman know all the death metal tropes and tricks and craft spot-on impersonations of classic Autopsy and Incantation fare, but so much of what they do here revolves around mid-tempo chugging and slight variations on the same kinds of swampy riffs, so it takes a hyper-intense listen to divine the differences between the individual tracks. If they wanted to create a 26-minute uni-glob effect, they accomplished it.

Flesh Mourning is a step backward from Repulsive Nature. The blunt force of the prior album is simply not here, replaced by a pornucopia of monotonous riffs and crazed cavern hollaring. It doesn’t stick or hold the attention, and while there are isolated cool/interesting bits and pieces, it’s really just off-brand Autopsy with Tomb Mold on it, and it’s devoid of songs that scream replay or demand dissemination onto playlists. It seems Re-Buried lack a potent muse and can’t craft a full-length album with consistently killer tunes, and they’re trending downwards early into their career. I hope for a speedy recovery, but the patient’s prognosis isn’t looking good.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Translation Loss
Websites: re-buried.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/reburieddeath | instagram.com/reburied_death
Releases Worldwide: July 18th, 2025

#20 #2025 #AmericanMetal #Autopsy #DeathMetal #Disma #Incantation #Jul25 #ReBuried #RepulsiveNature #Review #Reviews #TombMold #TranslationLossRecords #Undeath #Undergang

Oskoreien – Hollow Fangs Review

By Owlswald

Atmosphere is a hallmark of great black metal, but for California’s Oskoreien it’s only half the story. Composer and multi-instrumentalist Jay Valena’s long-running black metal project serves as an auditory exploration of complex theoretical themes. 2010’s self-titled debut—an earlier EP version AMG Himself lauded—channeled the atmospheric and acoustic black textures of Ulver and Agalloch into a deep contemplation of a nihilistic existence. Six years later, concept album All Too Human found Valena honing his craft, elevating Oskoreien’s sound into a masterful post-black narrative. It unraveled the fallacy of free will through the chilling story of Charles Whitman.1 This bold, forward-thinking approach garnered significant acclaim and firmly positioned Oskoreien on the map. Valena now returns with Oskoreien’s third album, Hollow Fangs, another heavy dose of atmospheric, cerebral black metal after nine long years of silence. And this time, it’s plunging its teeth into the destructive currents of human consciousness and the accompanying anguish of finding meaning within a chaotic, deceptive world.

Hollow Fangs finds Oskoreien refining its sound into a powerful black metal fusion. Strengthened by the addition of guitarist Rashid Nadjib (Wovoka) and bassist Matthew Durkee,2 the trio skillfully marries the visceral force of groups like Spectral Wound with expansive post-black melodies, creating engaging black metal that feels both familiar and distinctly their own. Torrents of wild, tremolo-picked guitars interlock with vigorous blast beats, powering Hollow Fangs’ incisive bite. While recognizable black foundations provide a consistent anchor, Oskoreien employs unexpected deviations to forge rich, dynamic textures that guide the listener through distinct emotional arcs. Attention-grabbing riffs, including head-bobbing melodeath grooves (“Bernalillo Sunrise”), intricate thrash patterns (“Fragments”), and somber, doom-laden chords (“Psychoticism”), give way to waves of cascading, shoegaze-infused guitar leads (“Fragments,” “Bernalillo Sunrise”) that fuel emotional crescendos. Hollow Fang’s compositions smartly transcend their otherwise modest formulas, employing appealing harmonies and intelligent chord progressions to inject the album’s thirty-nine minutes with dynamism and profound emotional weight.

A defining characteristic of Oskoreien’s songwriting is the sophisticated interplay between tension and release, built by the guitars’ dissonant elements to underscore Hollow Fangs’ pervasive sense of turmoil and apprehension. Intense passages culminate in cathartic payoffs which expertly contrast intensity with emotional release and hope. Oskoreien’s poignant guitar melodies convey this. The chaotic and violent tremolo-fueled blast beats in “To Kiss the Viper’s Fang” give way to a somber, arpeggiated bridge with an almost acoustic feel, offering relief before re-engaging with another bout of powerful riffing. “Fragments” and “Prismatic Reason” immediately establish their dark and menacing atmospheres with arpeggiated, anxiety-ridden high guitar runs and washing distortion before transitioning to beautiful guitar leads that inject much-needed liberation and light. Even Durkee’s bass steps forward at times, adding another layer of depth as it ascends into higher registers—a playful counterpoint to Hollow Fang’s dissonant textures (“Fragments,” “Bernalillo Sunrise”).

Hollow Fangs’ production significantly bolsters the strength of Oskoreien’s compositions. Valena’s spectral rasps sound great, prominently featured in the guitar-dominant mix, which amplifies the album’s darker, unsettling moods. Although the programmed drums are largely generic and unexciting, their distinction in the mix is a notable step up. Durkee’s robust bass presence also materially contributes to the album’s expressive effect. Even so, Hollow Fangs still has room for growth. The album’s bookends, “Prismatic Reason” and “To Kiss the Viper’s Fang” feel a bit overlong, with “Prismatic Reason” also lacking the potency of the album’s other tracks. Furthermore, the payoff in the latter half of “Bernalillo Sunrise” lands somewhat flat despite its excellent, tension-building tom transition full of foreboding.

Still, Hollow Fangs stands as unquestionable proof that Oskoreien is alive and well. While some tracks overstay their welcome and the album doesn’t quite take the same evolutionary leap forward as its predecessor, Hollow Fangs nevertheless delivers a hefty dose of quality black metal. The emphasis on dynamic songwriting—achieved through varied tempos, textures, and instrumental interplay—creates moments of crushing ferocity and vast melodic emotional depth, with soaring, triumphant melodies that counterbalance each other perfectly. Almost a decade between releases can rightfully derail bands, but Oskoreien has defied this trend, producing an aggressive yet appealing black metal album that offers fans plenty to sink their teeth into.

Rating: Very Good!
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: July 18, 2025

#2025 #35 #Agalloch #AmericanMetal #BlackMetal #HollowFangs #Jul25 #MelodicBlackMetal #Oskoreien #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #SpectralWound #Ulver

Blind Equation – A Funeral in Purgatory Review

By Kenstrosity

When I reach for something blindly, I hope for the best. As it pertains to the acquisition of promo, I calculate my chances of enjoying whatever I select as little as possible. Impulse reigns supreme, instinct takes precedence, gut feelings have the final say. This process ultimately led me to Chicago, Illinois’ Blind Equation. Originally launched as a chiptune-heavy cybergrind project, mastermind and main songwriter James McHenry steadily integrated other influences that distinguish this material from that of the greater subset. With A Funeral in Purgatory, written in the midst of great anguish and struggle on McHenry’s side, Blind Equation create their heaviest, most brutal, and yet most vulnerable and earnest work to date.

Resembling acts like DEATHTRIPPA, Blind Equation’s current iteration diversifies its palette with elements of goth and emo, death and doom, synthwave, and melodic black metal. To these ears, those attributes recall everything from AFI, Fires in the Distance, Silhouette, Gunship, and Labyrinthus Stellarum. Depressive tones and desperate wails reminiscent of Ghost Bath or Acathexis also meld beautifully with a hopeful atmospheric counterpoint—a reflection of McHenry’s use of songwriting as a mechanism for catharsis and healing during his darkest moments during A Funeral in Purgatory’s development. Brutal outbursts reminiscent of Anaal Nathrakh or Igorrr, and the occasional deathcore gravity blast, provide an additional dynamic that brings immense metallic heft to an affair that, to my knowledge, doesn’t utilize a single guitar. Unified, these myriad characteristics coalesce into something stylistically unique, instrumentally fascinating, and emotionally compelling.

More importantly, A Funeral in Purgatory is an absolute joy to experience. With contrasting numbers as divergent as my personal favorites, the blisteringly fast and exuberant “Flashback (ft. Strawberry Hospital)” and beautiful death doom closer “Incomplete,” you might expect A Funeral in Purgatory to be disjointed and haphazard. But the opposite is true. Blind Equation’s masterful, meticulous detailing brings unity and adhesion to the record, such that when I hear the eviscerating brutality of “… in Purgatory” juxtaposed against the vibrant gallop of “Flashback,” or the goth-soaked “Nothing” against the metalcore-breakcore mashup “it feels like the end (ft. JOHNNASCUS),” it feels natural and invigorating. An increased presence of slower, more dramatic passages in “A Funeral… ” and “Relinquished Dreams” allows Blind Equation’s heart-wrenching roars and introspective tones to shine through as the brilliant light of higher-pitched synths and chips fade, enhancing what are already compelling songs by creating deeper valleys and taller peaks. Ultimately, this approach to songwriting permitted me very little opportunity to correctly predict what happened next, while still capturing my attention so completely that with each new song I was ready, almost desperate, for the next twist to whip me into another dimension.

However, not all dimensions are created equal, and there are a couple here that don’t quite reach the same echelon as Blind Equation’s best. First and foremost are the interludes, “⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆✟⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺” and “still.” Musically, they are pretty and offer plenty of emotion, but don’t add enough to the storytelling to feel essential to the overall experience. I could argue the former brings novelty to the split title tracks “A Funeral… ” and “… in Purgatory,” but the requisite connective tissue is flimsy all the same. In a similar manner, “mourn” is somewhat lackluster compared to its album mates. This could be an unfortunate circumstance brought about by its barebones instrumentation, which is a stark departure from everything presented over the previous seven tracks. It could also be that its core ideas feel a touch underdeveloped by comparison. Either way, it represents one of A Funeral in Purgatory’s minor weak points. While in no way a detractor on their own merit, Blind Equation’s AFI-esque clean vocals, which only feature in the first three tracks, would bring even greater cohesion to the whole if they featured more consistently throughout.

It goes without saying that I didn’t expect what Blind Equation delivered, nor did I expect to like it this much. At the same time, I really shouldn’t be surprised at all, considering nearly all of my favorite records this year have been wild and unorthodox. A Funeral in Purgatory represents another entry in that varied category, of which there is no doubt. But it’s also one of the most fun and engaging electronic music releases I’ve encountered this year. So if you don’t mind your metal chipped to oblivion, laced with ecstasy, dressed in all black, with a raven perched on its shoulder, then A Funeral in Purgatory might just be your poison.

Rating: Very Good!
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Prosthetic Records
Websites: blindequation.bandcamp.com/album | facebook.com/blindequation
Releases Worldwide: July 18th, 2025

#2025 #35 #AFuneralInPurgatory #AFI #AmericanMetal #AnaalNathrakh #BlindEquation #Breakcore #Chiptune #Cybergrind #DeathMetal #DEATHTRIPPA #DoomMetal #DrumAndBass #ElectronicMetal #FiresInTheDistance #GothicMetal #Grind #Grindcore #Gunship #Igorrr #JOHNNASCUS #Jul25 #LabyrinthusStellarum #MelodicBlackMetal #Metalcore #ProstheticRecords #Review #Reviews #Silhouette #StrawberryHospital

Abigail Williams – A Void Within Existence Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier

After dropping a new album last year under his Nachtmystium moniker, I had a sneaky suspicion Ken Sorceron would bless us with a new Abigail Williams record this year. And, sure as shit, A Void Within Existence is here. I’ve been covering this outfit for some time now, thankfully, after their spell in the metalcore realm. And each new album continues to push new boundaries, inching closer to grabbing the counter by the balls and dragging it through blackened muck. While some would disagree, 2019’s Walk Beyond the Dark was a brilliant record that might arguably be the band’s best work. That sets a new bar for this ever-evolving group that, I can only assume, becomes more difficult to overtake with each new album and the swinging door of lineup changes and guest appearances. At least for now, the arsenal Sorceron surrounds himself with on A Void Within Existence is a tight group that meshes nicely together. But will this new record deliver the goods and bitch-slap the counter?

One of the best guests on this year’s release is Mike Heller (Changeling, Malignancy, Raven, and a thousand other fucking bands) on drums. Heller brings the intensity that adds layers of depth to A Void Within Existence, which are rarely found on the band’s previous albums. John Porada’s1 prowess also does wonders to the bass-heavy songwriting of Abigail Williams. Complete it with Vale of Pnath’s Vance Valenzuela on guitar, and we have one of the best Abigail Williams lineups. A Void Within Existence sets this foursome down a road of wreckage that can either end in annihilation or perfection. And it all weighs on the songwriting, performances, production, and, well… everything involved in crafting a release, especially with the depth involved in the lyrics and musical direction. Let’s see if I start crying.

A Void Within Existence wastes no time getting off the ground as it explodes with a heavy-bass assault and a murky, dissonant riff. It eventually settles into a groove as the spitting, slathering vocals arrive, supported powerfully by thundering backing vocals. Oddly enough, the pace and vocal arrangements evoke Hypocrisy. But things really get moving with the follow-up track, “Void Within.” Heller’s drum work, in particular, is the perfect teaser of what’s to come on later tracks. After opening with a meloblack passage, the razor-sharp riffs intensify around Sorceron’s vicious rasps. For nearly six minutes, this conglomeration of crushing black riffs, touches of orchestration, and absolute sinisterness paints a picture of sheer darkness. With wild guitar leads, impressive drum work, and a climax to make it worth the journey, “Void Within” is one of the most rounded ditties on the record.

But the best tracks on the album are “Talk to Your Sleep” and the closing number, “No Less than Death.” Seven months into the year, “Talk to Your Sleep” threatens to be my song o’ the year for 2025. This thing is nothing like anything I’ve ever heard from the band. Bass and drum-led, the crushing riff that springs up throughout is arguably the most memorable and headbangable thing ever to come from Abigail Williams. After cracking pavement with its mid-paced approach, it swings back around to begin again, this time with some punching vocals that are further emphasized by the guitars and drums. Then, Porada’s disgusting bass wakes the beast once more as we headbang to the end. Like Walk Beyond the Dark’s “The Final Failure,” “No Less than Death” is a surprising piece that shows Sorceron continuing to push his limits as a vocalist. While “The Final Failure” teased at some clean vocals, while retaining the rasp as the lead, “No Less than Death” goes all out with soaring, soothing cleans and rasping support. This atmospheric beauty takes us along valleys and hills that never end, and, when you thought you’d heard everything this song could offer, it concludes with beautiful, old-school solo work that, depending on your mood, leaves you hopelessly depressed or naively optimistic

After a dozen listens, I can’t find much on A Void Within Existence that makes me unhappy. While it’s compressed, the production still allows all the instruments to lend their weight to the end product. There could be a bit more bass in places, but it’s made up for by the slick drum mix. And, surprisingly enough, the clean vocals are far more forward in the mix than the previous album, which is pleasant to hear. The most predictable track on the album is “Nonexistence,” but it’s a solid, slower piece that draws you into the album’s sad theme. Letting the songwriting brew for the last six years has done A Void Within Existence well. It’s a repeatable record that requires multiple listens to explore every nook and cranny. Knowing the history of the band and its lineup changes, I hope Sorceron can bring these gents back in the future, because this might be the best they’ve ever been.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 256 kb/s mp3
Label: Agonia Records
Websites: facebook.com/abigailwilliamsband
Releases Worldwide: July 18th, 2025

#2025 #40 #AbigailWilliams #AgoniaRecords #AmericanMetal #AtmosphericBlackMetal #BearMace #BlackMetal #Changeling #Hypocrisy #Jul25 #Malignancy #Nachtmystium #Raven #Review #Reviews #ValeOfPnath

Cronos Compulsion – Lawgiver Review

By Tyme

We here at AMG spend a fair amount of time pontificating on album length. Why some 72-minute, Silmarillion-based black metal contains no bloat whatsoever, but a 40-minute thrash album can suffer from fatty-track disease is proprietary information, which we don’t share with readers. I mention this because I was surprised to discover that Denver-based Cronos Compulsion’s1 debut album Lawgiver—dubbed by the label as ‘a genre-defying blend of death-doom, chaotic metal, and noise-laced breakdowns’—clocks in at a scant 24 minutes. Now, I’ve never been one to associate death-doom with brevity, so I was anxious to dive into my analysis of Lawgiver, wondering how Cronos Compulsion would incorporate their intriguingly dichotomous array of genre tags into such a tight package.

Cronos Compulsion play death metal, and at times, they play it at a doom’s pace. Far from doom, however, is the album opener, “Obligate Condition,” which crashes through your speakers like Kool-Aid Man through a wall in a massive wave of sound full of turgid, sludgy riffs, blast beats, and guttural vocals. Cavernous, cave-man-ic, and knuckle-dragging, Cronos Compulsion use tons of brute force to deliver their rant against late-stage capitalism and the basest instincts of humanity. There are tons of Incantationanigans2 at play on Lawgiver; Wil Wilson’s vocals, in particular, so closely mirror those of John McEntee that I had to reference the promo blurb to confirm John wasn’t filling a guest spot. Wilson’s and Raye Mokarry’s guitar attack causes suffering through brutality with solo-less, chest-caving chuggery (“Mortal Dissolution,” “Gyre of Decaying Filth”) and discordant dissonance (“Neolithic Meditations,” “Lawgiver”). Zach Johnson’s blasts, cymbal crashes, and fills keep things drumming along, while Addison Herron-Wheeler’s bass grounds Cronus Compulsion’s sound with spinal heaviness. Cronus Compulsion are good at what they do—Lawgiver is proof of that—I’m just not sure they do enough of it.

As effective as a sledgehammer, Lawgiver is crushing in its simplicity. With no bells, whistles, or frills, Cronos Compulsion chops away at its opponents one slug at a time. Reworked from their 2021 Cursed and Decaying EP, “Neolithic Meditations” is Lawgiver’s most developed track and, at four minutes, its longest, furiously swirling with discordant riffs, cool lead runs that sadly get swallowed up by the production at times, and some trademark Incantation harmonic pinching. I also enjoyed “Sun Devouring Wound,” with its light, inquisitive guitar introduction that immediately evoked a mystery movie scene, where the lead detective, with one eyebrow cocked and finger on chin, contemplates the significance of a new clue. This respite occurs in the space of thirty seconds before the track evolves into a devastatingly doomy plod-fest, with Wilson’s growls sounding particularly decimating.

Like an Oreo cookie, it’s Lawgiver’s middle that offers the most flavor for my tastes and marks one of Cronos Compulsion’s flaws. While most often, albums are critically weighted to either the front or back, Lawgiver carries the weight in its beer belly. From the first swig of “Obligate Condition,” which only clocks one minute, sixteen seconds, through “Ancestral Remains,” the first four tracks are fine but feel half-finished, like decent sections removed from longer compositions and presented here as standalone songs. While the front suffers from unrealized ideas, the back contains Lawgiver’s biggest misstep. Album closer “Incursion of Deific Chaos” is a mix of unsettlingly, and not in a good way, restless riffs, drunken, out-of-tune guitar leads, and the end-‘o-song kicker: a full minute of noisy, squeaky, bleepy feedback screeches that are horribly annoying and end so abruptly it had me looking to see if I’d lost my speaker connection.

Cronos Compulsion play decent doomy death metal. I didn’t find anything particularly chaotic about their music; it’s pretty straightforwardly brutal, and they should immediately dissociate themselves from any ‘noise’ category. For example, the last minute of Lawgiver perfectly meets the Metallica definition of “The Thing That Should Not Be.” With some added focus on composition, giving room for ideas to expand and develop—a well-placed guitar solo here and there would be nice—Cronos Compulsion could be pretty lethal. There are plenty of bones on this skeleton to which meatier, more defined muscles could be attached, and I’ll be watching Cronos Compulsion to see what they do after exiting the gym.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
Label: Avantgarde Music (Unorthodox Emanations) | Bandcamp
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: July 11th, 2025

#25 #2025 #AmericanMetal #AvantgardeMusicUnorthodoxEmanations_ #CronosCompulsion #DeathMetal #DoomMetal #Incantation #Jul25 #Lawgiver #Review #Reviews

Blood Vulture – Die Close Review

By Saunders

Corpse-painted host and comedian of metal show Two Minutes to Late Night, Jordan Olds (aka Gwarsenio Hall), spearheaded some nifty entertainment during the height of the pandemic. Snapping up the limited release digital covers EPs during Bandcamp Fridays allowed me to net some cool stuff. Olds and a host of musicians, including Chelsea Wolfe and members of Dillinger Escape Plan, Mastodon, Mutoid Man, Royal Thunder, and Baroness amongst others, put their wacky spin on a variety of metal anthems and other classic tunes. Olds demonstrated his own impressive musical talents with axe and mic. Keen to substitute his comedic background for a darker, decidedly more serious musical quest, Olds unleashes his Blood Vulture project, crafting a curious debut album entitled Die Close. Boasting a doomy, gloomy, though deceptively versatile and hard-hitting opus, can Blood Vulture muster up the chops and songwriting substance to match the style and impressive musicianship? Die Close features an intriguing melting pot of styles and influences. Doom forms the beating heart of the beast, complimented by elements of sludge, ’90s grunge/alt rock, moody, scarlet dappled Goth, and a touch of camp. Influences are worn proudly on sleeves. Channeling the raw heft of Crowbar, somber hues of contemporary doom heavyweights Khemmis and Pallbearer, along with the addictive harmonies of Alice In Chains, there is nary a dull moment. Blood Vulture boast the songwriting sparks to rise above derivation. Temptation to load up his debut with a convoluted cast of musical guests and friends would have been high. On this front, star power features, but is not overdone, including contributions from Jade Puget (AFI), Shadows Fall frontman Brian Fall, and Kristin Hayter (Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter, Lingua Ignota). Meanwhile, Stephen Brodsky (Cave In, Mutoid Man) and friends lend vocal harmonies on the excellent “Die Close: Finale,” a brooding, grungy, and uplifting closer. Outside of these carefully curated guest spots, by all accounts Olds handles tasks single-handedly, including vocals, guitars, bass, and synths, aided by drummer Moe Watson. Following a shortish, mood-setting opener, Die Close kicks in proper via the leaden sludge-doom riffage and infectious Jerry Cantrell-esque vocal hooks on “An Embrace in the Flood.” The song’s straightforward building blocks deftly shift through surprising turns, including a brief barrage of blast beats and cascading solo, coupled with gorgeous vocal harmonies. A powerful melodic current flows through the album, exemplified through Old’s versatile clean vox, array of elegant solos, and mood-driven, shadowy synths. However, the melodic elements are powerfully counterpunched by a foundation of meaty doom and sludge riffs, lending the album its heavier, weighty edge. Substantial heft dominates the riff palette, heavily featured on cuts such as the gritty crunch of “Grey Mourning,” and the storming throes of “Abomination.” Blood Vulture’s versatility and knack for infectious songcraft shine. Swathed in dreamy atmospheres and built upon a sturdy foundation of grinding riffs, “Entwined” features a wonderful dual vocal performance from Olds and Hayter, the latter’s dramatic, ghostly presence a highlight.

For all its notable strengths, gripping guitar work, and towering hooks, Die Close has a few hiccups expected from a debut album. The two shorter introductory and interlude pieces are decent enough, yet ultimately disposable, while the stronger moments and soaring melodies on the Gothy melodrama of “A Dream About Starving to Death” are tripped up by some overly goofy lyrical and vocal turns. Nevertheless, outside of these minor sore spots, Die Close is consistently entertaining and occasionally gripping at its potent best. Olds still displays some tongue-in-cheek humor and horror shtick, also reflected in the accompanying music videos, though overall, Die Close is a dark and brooding album. Expectedly, Olds is the star of the show, defined by his excellent guitar work and standout vocals. Vocally, Olds shifts between several modes, showcasing solid range, character, and emotional depth.

Blood Vulture came from nowhere, unleashing a fresh, emotive and punchy blast of doomy heft, blockbuster hooks and haunting harmonies. Bolstered by stellar performances and addictive songwriting, where the album’s earwormy hooks and stronger material showcase Olds as a serious artist on the rise, Die Close signals an assured and confident debut. A few kinks aside, Die Close is a hugely enjoyable album that’s well worth a listen and should cement Blood Vulture as an exciting new voice in the doomsphere.

Rating: 3,5/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Pure Noise Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: June 27th, 2025

#2025 #35 #AFI #AmericanMetal #BloodVulture #CaveIn #ChelseaWolfe #Crowbar #DieClose #DillingerEscapePlan #DoomMetal #Grunge #LinguaIgnota #Mastodon #MutoidMan #PureNoiseRecords #ReverendKristinMichaelHayter #Review #Reviews #RoyalThunder #ShadowsFall #Sludge