OCEANLORD

“Kingdom Cold” CD & LP

(Magnetic Eye Records)

Oceanlord plays some really poignant doom metal, but it also has this heavy stoner metal vibe running through it, but not the usual stoner thing. No, it is more of an introspective, somber atmospheric rich twist to it. The vocalist is good and follows the feel of the music really well, reflecting it back with affecting strong voice. This is not the kind of doomy music I usually listen to, but it is also quite good and worth giving a try.  - Dale

https://oceanlord.bandcamp.com/   https://en.merhq.net/   

 

OLDE

“Pilgrimage" LP

(Seeing Red Records (North America) & Sludgelord Records (Europe))

Olde hail from my homeland of Canada and play heavy doomy sludge metal that resonates in your chest like a locomotive passing by in audio slow motion. Some influences I hear are bands like The Melvins, Eyehategod, High on Fire, Crowbar and the like. Speaking of old goats, I am old enough to remember Doug McLarty of Olde’s band Catharsis who released a demo tape back in 1993!  - Dale

https://www.facebook.com/SludgelordRecords/    https://olde-ca.bandcamp.com/   

 

 

 

OLD GHOUL

“Old Ghoul” 12'' EP

(Helter Skelter Productions & Regain Records)

This is the solo band of Chad Davis, who does a number of mostly one man bands such as The Sabbathian, Anu, Olde etc… I have heard none of those bands, but his other band Hour Of 13, I have a few releases from and very much enjoy. Old Ghoul is some really enjoyable solid psychedelic tinged ‘70s style heavy metal doom, in the vein of early Pentagram or maybe stuff like Pagan Altar, Witchfinder General or Witchcraft. This EP conveys some great emotion and atmosphere along with some nice guitar work.   - Dale

https://regainrecords.bandcamp.com/   https://www.helterskelterproductions.se/   

 

OREAMNOS

“The Granite Wall” CD

(Bloody Mountain Records)

Just imagine, if you will, Celtic Frost in their prime time traveled to the early ‘90s to try their hand at fitting into the death metal scene. The music these two men create is a massive, atmospheric wall of sinister barbarity that you can still bang your head to. This album has an eerie electricity to it, I find quite infectious. The vocals on here are these echo-y, slowed down and undefined cavernous gurgling growls, which produce a deliciously haunting aura. A great different spin on old classic elements.   - Dale

https://bloodymountainrecords.bandcamp.com   http://www.bloodymountainrecords.com   

 

OXYGEN DESTROYER

“Guardian Of The Universe” CD, LP & Cassette

(Redefining Darkness Records)

I reviewed the last album of this US band that writes lyrics about Japanese Kaiju monster movies. Every song is like the musical personification of the most chaotic, lightning fast & violent fight scenes! I mean their brand of deathrash metal is some of the fastest, utterly violent blinding music you may have ever heard in this style. It is a snowstorm of battering riffs with manic brief guitar solos & piston pounding drums. The vocals follow along with a ferocious performance on the mic from Lord Kaiju that is a mix of manic thrash, death vocals with black metal rasping accents. It is so good.   - Dale

https://brutalthrashingkaijumetal.bandcamp.com/    https://www.redefiningdarkness.com/   

 

 

 

PERVERSION

“Dies Irae” CD, LP & Tape

(Hells Headbangers)

Perversion hails from the USA though you could write they are from Australia, Germany or Brazil. Any uneducated listener on Perversion would not know the difference. They have the production & influence of those old bands down to a proverbial ‘T’ with their speedy, grimy and scathing Death/Thrash/Black Metal sounds. Think of old bands like Sextrash, Vulcano, Vomitor, Gospel Of The Horns plus the early works of Destruction, Sodom, Sepultura. That is Perversion & they do this style very well.  - Dale

https://www.facebook.com/perversion.is.death   https://hellsheadbangers.bandcamp.com   

 

PHARMACIST

“Flourishing Extremities on Unspoiled Mental Grounds” LP & Tape

(Hells Headbangers Records)

This is this Japanese bands 2nd album since their formation in 2020 (with a flurry of split EPs sandwiched in between). Pharmacist plays killer death metal with grind elements that follow in the tradition of Pathologist and the first three albums of Carcass. The song construction like Carcass is powerful and quite varied even within a single song. The LP is not coming out ‘til late 2022, but the cassette version is out now. Great album.  - Dale

https://pharmacistgore.bandcamp.com/    http://www.hellsheadbangers.com/   

 

 

 

PHOBOCOSM

“Foreordained” CD & LP

(Dark Descent Records)

This is this Canadian bands third album, and apparently they designed things from the start to release their first three records as a trilogy, so this wraps that up. The music dark, doomy as hell, crushing death metal that is like a heavy suffocating weighted audio blanket pressing down upon you. Immolation mixed with some early Incantation swirls through my mind listening to this. But it is very well done, and those guttural, churning slow growls by the vocalist are fantastic.   - Dale

www.facebook.com/Phobocosm    https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/  

 

PREDICTOR

Thus Spoke Death” CD EP

(Iron Bonehead Records / Knekelput Recordings)

Coming out of Germany's ancient black metal scene is a new band with their debut EP. It features five songs of grim black metal that is devastating in it's delivery. Lord Noctifier handles the guitars and also handles the vocals, which are grim demonic gruff growls & screams. The drums are a mix of hyperspeed blast beats and heavier mid paced beats. Great debut release that should please fans of early 90's bm.  - Patrick

https://www.facebook.com/TheTruePredictor/    https://ironboneheadproductions.bandcamp.com/  

 

 

PRIMORDIAL SERPENT

Spawn Of Eternal Hellfire" CD, Cassette & 12" LP

(Masters Of Kaos Productions)

Primordial Serpent is a solo project coming out of Canada's black metal scene. This is their newest full length featuring seven songs.The music is rooted in the old school black metal realm. For the most part the music is played with raw and fast guitar intensity. Their is some very well performed guitar passages with a mix fast and some slower mid paced guitar patterns.The vocals are raw gruff grim bm screams and growls, both vocal styles are equally intense. Primordial Serpent plays a great style of old school black metal that worth investigating.   - Patrick

https://primordialserpent.bandcamp.com    https://theblackwitch056.wixsite.com/mastersofkaos/  

 

PROGOAT

"Atomic Altar" CD

(Plague Demon Records)

Kentucky's Progoat return with their fourth full length release. This album contains eleven tracks of primitive, raw and evil black metal at it's finest. The guitars range from extremely fast paced guitar patterns to a more slow to middle paced range, both styles are played well and show some skillful songwriting. The drums are crazed blasting that will pummel the listener into dust. 'Atomic Altar' is a great release of chaotic and primitive black metal that should please all fans of this genre. - Patrick

https://progoatpdr.bandcamp.com/    https://plaguedemonrecords.storenvy.com  

 

 

PUNCHING MOSES

“Live Short And Suffer” 12'' LP

(Seeing Red Records)

I like metallic crossover punk and hardcore that is caustic, in your face, pissed off and filled with attitude. Which brings me to Cleveland’s Ohio’s Punching Moses, who fit that description to a tee. The riffs on here are heavy as fuck, and crushing. The song structures are total punk/hardcore goodness. Yet much of the music is done at metal style pacing, if that makes sense? It does to me. This is killer music for diehards of stuff like D.R.I., Cro-Mags, The Accused, Integrity, All Out War etc…   - Dale

https://punchingmoses.bandcamp.com/    https://shop.seeingredrecords.com/  

 

RANK AND VILE

“Worship” Vinyl LP & Cassette

(Modern Grievance Records)

This Oregon band comes from that states hairy armpits and have managed to produce their debut album. Which is filled with some ripping and raging death metal grind insanity. It is also filled with with hints of hardcore tempos and structuring bubbling underneath it’s seedy underbelly. These guys produce monstrous music, fueled by massive waves of violent riffing and some unrelenting, punishing drum work. I was not sure I would like this when I gave it a spin, but it won me over and knocked my ass down.   - Dale

https://rankandvile.bandcamp.com/    https://moderngrievance.bandcamp.com/  

 

 

REAPING FLESH

“Abyss Of Existence" CD & Cassette

(Redefining Darkness Records)

This five song EP is the debut of the Italian band Reaping Flesh. It consists of five songs of straight forward death metal. The guitars are fast and frenzied guitar passages showing skill and intensity. The guitarist does create some very memorable and well thought out sequences even adding some well performed solo's. The drumming is lightning fast  and feature a commanding excellent delivery. The vocals are old school powerful death metal growls that fit their style perfectly. Some great old school death metal that you should pick up a copy of today.  - Patrick

https://www.instagram.com/reapingfleshdm/    https://www.redefiningdarkness.com/  

 

RESIN TOMB

“Cerebral Purgatory” CD & Cassette

(Transcending Obscurity Records)

This is the debut It is only 29 minutes, so a mini?) album from this Australian band. Previously they have released a couple EPs in their four year existence. “Cerebral Purgatory” is a truly raging, all out audio assault of grinding death metal with some heavy dissonant sludge style elements in the song construction, as well as the vocals. All of these somewhat disparate styles are skillfully combined into one explosive yet emotive collective, which I found quite pleasing.   - Dale

https://www.facebook.com/resintombdeath    https://transcendingobscurity.bandcamp.com/  

 

 

REVULSION

“Self Titled" CD & LP

(Transcending Obscurity Records)

Finnish death metal that is not what you might immediately expect when thinking about where they come from. They play early to mid ‘90s style American death metal ala Broken Hope, Baphomet, Suffocation, Skinless, Dying Fetus etc… It is well done though, brutal and pretty memorable material. If you like those bands you will probably dig this.  - Dale

https://revulsiondeath.bandcamp.com/    https://tometal.com/ 

 

REVERENCE TO PAROXYSM

“Lux Morte Me” CD & LP

(Saco Un Ojo Records / Dark Descent Records)

Mexico’s R.T.P. is a relatively new band presenting their debut album. The band features great UG veteran Antimo Buonnano (Disgorge, Demonized etc…) on guitar/vocals. They play a fantastic brand of ugly, crushingly heavy death metal with seriously dark and doomy overtones. It is a deadly cocktail of old school dm influences from the US, UK, and Finland (ala early Autopsy, Incantation, Bolt Thrower, Rippikoulu, Abhorrence etc…). They fit in perfectly next to newer bands like Funebrarum, Undergang, Krypts, Disma, Phrenelith. I love this style.   - Dale

www.mesacounojo.com    www.facebook.com/reverencetoparoxysm    www.darkdescentrecords.com   

 

 

RÜNDGARD

“Stronghold of Majestic Ruins” MCD & MLP

(Signal Rex)

Ründgard hail from Chile and is a one man band (Lord Valtgryftåk who is also in the bands 13th Temple, Gryftigæn, Mantiel, Pyreficativm, Winterstorm). This 24+ minute mini-album is great integration of the atmospheric bands of the first wave of black metal with the raw cold evil of the second wave of bm. I would say the atmospheric side wins out, but not by a lot as it is fairly even mix. It is an impressive work for one man.  - Dale

https://signalrex.bandcamp.com/    https://signalrex.com/store/  

 

SACRENOIR

“Comme Des Revenants Parmi Les Ruines” CD

(Sepulchral Productions)

If you read a lot of my reviews here on this site, you know I worship second wave black metal and simply can not get enough of it. Enter the Canadian band Sacrenoir who produce a commanding and surprisingly heavy take on this great 2nd wave bm style, and impressively so. The vocals here are excellent as well with razor sharp spiting acid rasping alongside and a minor growled undertone. This is the bands debut album, and it is an impressive one for those that love early ‘90s Scandinavian black metal as much as I do.  - Dale

https://sepulchralproductions.bandcamp.com/   https://www.sepulchralproductions.com/   

 

 

 

SACRILEGA

“The Arcana Spear CD, LP & Tape

(Blood Harvest Records)

Sacrilega from California play some impressive harsh black/death metal at lightning speeds. The vocals feature a good performance that marries the bm rasp and gruff screeching dark thrash yells. The drums are awesome, blinding speed yet so precise and commanding courtesy of Paulus Kressman (Rites Of Thy Degringolade & Warmach), so no surprise at the high quality. Be sure to check it out.  - Dale

https://www.facebook.com/SacrilegaDeathMetal/   https://www.bloodharvest.se/   

 

SANGRE IMPURA

"Ravaged Fortitude Of Foul Existence" CD

(Born For Burning Productions)

Coming out of the bestial black and death metal scene in Texas is Sangre Impura. This is the debut full length featuring a intro and seven tracks of vicious and relentless blackened death. The guitars are delivered with intense and fast paced guitar patterns. The drums are done with vicious blast beats and some heavier mid paced drum passages. The vocals are grim black metal screams and deep growls that fit their style perfectly. If you are a fan of brutal, uncompromising war black death metal then be sure to pick up a copy of ‘Ravaged Fortitude Of Foul Existence' today.   - Patrick

https://sangreimpura.bandcamp.com/   https://bornforburning.bigcartel.com/  

 

SARPA

“Mauta Tala” CD EP

(Self Release)

The musical style here is hard to pin down, it is partly rooted in plodding dark death metal, but the style is vaguely shape shifting, encompassing all metal. Most of all this EP is more of a flowing musical current, it is metallic yet propelled along by brooding, obscured atmospherics, seemingly with almost no beginning or end. It definitely lends itself to repeated loop listening. This one man band has morphed it’s influences, and experiences to create something of a unique interesting sound.  - Dale

https://sarpa6.bandcamp.com/   https://www.facebook.com/sarpahorde/  

 

 

SEDIMENTUM

“Suppuration Morphogénésiaque” CD & LP

(Me Saco Un Ojo & Memento Mori)

This is the debut album of this young Canadian band. They play a mix of barely controlled chaos war metal ala Angelcorpse mixed with, and this is my fave part, good yet too sparsely used doomy death metal sequences ala early Autopsy or Funebrarum. Good stuff, but for me could be even better if they let that doomy tinged brutal death side flourish and take over more of their sound. A promising debut though.  - Dale

facebook.com/SEDIMENTUM    mesacounojo.bandcamp.com    https://www.memento-mori.es/   

 

SHADU-NAR-MATTARU

“Temples Of Twilight” Digital Download EP

(Self Release)

Regular CA readers know I am a huge supporter of this prolific Canadian duo horde. With less than two months since their full-length album they are back with a 21+ minute EP. It features a deliciously classic darkly toned deathrash metal style filled with killer riffs and guitar work, combined with great memorable entirely discernable sing-a-long lyrics delivered through charismatic gruff hollers and growls. Highly recommended!  - Dale

Shadu Youtube Channel    Shadu Bandcamp    Shadu Facebook    Shadu Spotify      

 

 

SHED THE SKIN

Thaumogenesis” CD & LP

(Hells Headbangers)

This is already Shed’s 4th album - time fly’s by! If you do not know by now this band features members of Incantation, Ringworm, Crucified Mortals etc… The recording and production on this album kills, a step up from the last album. Shed just keeps getting better at crafting crushing death metal songs that are a speedy, memorable variety of extremity. The succinct & poignant guitar solos are great. The deep roiling guttural yet understandable growling vocals of Ash Thomas is a real strength for the band.  - Dale

https://shed-the-skin.bandcamp.com/   https://www.facebook.com/hellsheadbangers.com  

 

SIELUHAASKA

“Kun Aurinkoni Kuoli" CD EP

(Purity Through Fire Records)

“Kun Aurinkoni Kuoli” is the debut ep from Finland's solo act Sieluhaaska, featuring four songs. Main man Saasta goes more for a cold mid paced black metal style, instead of the more aggressive Finnish style. The music is well composed with razor sharp guitars that are played with intensity. He even adds in some melodic passages into the mix to keep the listeners attention. The vocals are traditional bm screams and some shrieks. This is a great release of quality black metal, so definitely give this a listen.  - Patrick

https://sieluhaaska.bandcamp.com/    https://shop.purity-through-fire.com/  

 

 

SLOW

“Abîmes I” Digipack CD, Color Vinyl LP

(code666 Records)

I am a fan of funeral doom, since the beginning really with the first releases from bands like Skepticism, Thergothon, Shape Of Despair etc… Yet, I would not call myself a diehard follower of this sub-genre. Which may explain why SLOW’s 7th album, is the first time I am hearing them. They play classic, glacial, melancholic, depressive and introspective crushing funeral doom in it’s finest form. If you love or even just like this style, you should get this four song, forty-four minute slab ASAP.   - Dale

https://slowdooom.bandcamp.com/    https://www.code666.net/  

https://solusgrief.bandcamp.com/    https://shop.purity-through-fire.com   

 

SOULGRINDER

“Issue # 10"

*84 pages* *Pro-printed* *Center Stapled*

The great Soulgrinder fanzine returns, celebrating 10 years of existence! Fuck yes! Every issue looks superb with great horrific artwork, sick killer page borders and lots of UG support ads. This ish has interviews (some good questions) with bands like Dissentience, Gorgon, Paganfire, and Day Of Doom. There is also articles / bios, tons of music, and even old horror movie stuff. If you still love printed fanzines, then get this!  - Dale

https://www.facebook.com/soulgrinder.zine    http://soulgrinderzine.blogspot.com/  

 

 

SPILL YOUR GUTS

“The Wrath It Takes” LP

(PermaCityPunk Records / Trepanation Recordings / Graboid Of The Ground Records)

This band is an interesting make up of two members from Canada, one from Russia and one from Scotland. The record labels are from all over the world too. S.Y.G. produces high energy, violent and caustic in your face hardcore. I do not listen to a ton of hardcore, I am selective with hardcore and this is how I like it fast paint stripping music with lots of attitude.  - Dale

spillyourguts.bandcamp.com/    PermaCityPunk    https://trepanationrecordings.bandcamp.com/    www.facebook.com/GraboidOfTheGroundRecords/  

 

STARGAZER

“Bound By Spells” CD EP

(Personal Records)

I am proud to say I have been a diehard for this band for a very long time. I have lived in the US for 25 years now, and I bought a shirt from these guys when I still lived in Canada! StarGazer is simply an amazing band, hardly paralleled in the UG scene. They regularly put on an absolute master class in pure UG metal that is filled with emotion, darkness, while effortlessly transitioning from the technical to the progressive. Yet always holding firmly to their extreme roots. Progressive black / death / thrash metal that transcends nearly all their peers with deadly and sinister ease.   - Dale

https://stargazeraustralia.bandcamp.com/   https://www.personal-records.com/  

 

STATIC ABYSS

“Aborted From Reality” CD & LP

(Peaceville Records)

I raved over this bands amazing debut album. This duo of course features Chris Reifert of Autopsy infamy, and noted recording engineer Greg Wilkinson (who is also now in Autopsy plus Deathgrave etc…). I did not expect a new album already! Like the first album, there is a lot of the supreme Autopsy classic “Mental Funeral’ classic style. This time it is a little more stripped down, extra doomy and emotive, not as superlative as the debut, but largely much of the same on display here once again here, still making it a must have by my tastes.   - Dale

https://www.facebook.com/staticabyss   http://www.peaceville.com  

 

 

THIRD STORM

“The Locust Mantra” CD

(Chaos Records)

This Swede band, believe it or not, started out in 1986 as young teenagers, before burning out two years later. Only one member of that original band stayed in the UG metal scene, which is vocalist Heval Bozarslan (long time vocalist of Sarcasm). He decided to revive Third Storm a few years back. They play a first wave bm style with tendrils of heavy metal, thrash and death metal snaking through it all. Heval’s vocals are really cool, they are whispery hissing shouts, evil sounding and cool, also different than most vocalists.   - Dale

https://www.facebook.com/thirdstorm   https://www.chaos-records.com/   

 

THULSA DOOM

“A Fate Worse Than Death” CD & LP

(Invictus Productions)

Bursting out of dungeons of Italy is Thulsa Doom with their debut album. It is pure old school gloomy, primitive death metal from the early days, when death metal was rearing it’s grim head with thrash metal remnants of blood trailing behind it. The bio absolutely nails it when it says this could be the lost recording Morbid Angel made between ‘Abominations of Desolation’ & ‘Altars of Madness’! Thulsa Doom keeps the old ways alive!  - Dale

https://www.facebook.com/ThulsaDoomDeath   https://invictusproductions.net/   

 

 

TOMBSTALKER

“Age of Darkness” 12'' EP & Cassette

(Boris Records)

I haven’t had any releases for a while from Boris Records, good to hear they are still going strong. Tombstalker from Kentucky has been around since 2009, but the last five or six years has been sparse for the band. So it is good to have this new twenty minute EP out. Tombstalker make some tasty thrashy black/death metal with a nice dark necro atmospheric feel to it. At times, the music has quite memorable rhythms and interesting songwriting. Give it a go.  - Dale

https://www.facebook.com/tombstalkerband   https://boris-records.com

 

TROGLODYTE

“The Hierarchical Ecological Succession: Welcome To The Food Chain” Digital Album

(Blood Blast Distribution)

Apparently Blood Blast is a promotional digital music arm of Nuclear Blast helping out non-label bands from what I can tell. Interesting… Onward to the band itself, they play brutal death metal that lyrically centers on old Bigfoot movies and features members of Origin, Unmerciful & Torn The Fuck Apart. If you dig stuff like Cannibal Corpse, Cattle Decapitation, Deicide, Suffocation and similar bands, this is a quality example of that style/sound.  - Dale

https://troglodyte.bandcamp.com/   https://www.facebook.com/troglodyteband   

 

 

UNHUMAN DISEASE

“Into Satan's Kingdom + Bonus” CD

(Moribund Records)

This album reminds me to the earlier days of the second wave of black metal. There is a real flow and an underlining melody, but it is evil and freezing cold. It also reminds me of those days of purposeful raw recordings which helped as this raw aura helped bm sound more sinister & dangerous. This Oklahoman band  capture this evil well and some influences I hear are ‘Deathcrush’ era Mayhem, Satanic Warmaster, Horna, Bahimiron, Abazagorath.  - Dale

https://www.facebook.com/unhumandiseaseofficial/   http://www.moribundcult.com/ 

 

VALDRIN

“Throne Of The Lunar Soul” CD, LP & Cassette

(Blood Harvest Records)

Black metal from Ohio, though they sound more like a Euro band to me, I thought they were until I checked the bio. This is my introduction to them, but they are not a new band, this is Valdrin’s fourth album already. This is good black metal that is well crafted, quite heavy on introspective, atmospheric moods, all crafted in a black metal style. It can be aggressive at times. I like this quite a bit, but for my tastes they rely a little too much on synth, it is too high in the mix. The vocals are great rasping bm yells with interesting phrasing / timing.   - Dale

hhttps://www.facebook.com/valdrinausadjur    https://www.bloodharvest.se/  

 

 

VALRAVN

“The Awakening” CD & LP

(Primitive Reaction)

This is the Finnish bands second full-length album. It sees them playing harsh yet musical black metal. Which draws upon their homeland’s deeply storied bm UG scene, while injecting their own nuances in the songwriting. It is coarse, but also has a lot of harmonic threads and emotive stirring within the icy evil hatred. I have not heard their debut album, but this sophomore effort shows a lot of promise and skill that belies their level of experience.   - Dale

https://www.facebook.com/ValravnFin/   https://www.primitivereaction.com/   

 

VAYRON

“Demo 2022” Cassette

(Visceral Circuitry Records)

This may be a new band from France, but their music goes straight to the granite foundation of their style. Vayron play brutal, punishing death metal that is quite active & teeming with cruel energy. The vocals are classic growls that ride the line nicely between garbled/clear-ish, striking an enjoyable balance. They mix up the songwriting well and managed to inject some emotion into their sound. This should please fans of Floridian dm like the early works of Morbid Angel, Deicide, Monstrosity, Brutality and the like. Good debut demo.  - Dale

www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083192049526   https://visceralcircuitryrecs.bandcamp.com 

 

 

VIVISECT

“Barbaric Death" Cassette EP

(Nihilistic Holocaust Records)

Having just started in 2019, Vivisect is a relatively new band coming out of New Jersey and this 4 song, 20+ minute EP is essentially their discography so far across a few releases. Their music is not new though, it is old school stripped down dank, heavy and obscure sounding death metal that tends to keep things in the mid-pace and got my head nodding with solid brutish songwriting. Love the whispery growling vocals too. This is recommended for OSDM fanatics.  - Dale

https://www.facebook.com/VivisectNJ   https://nihilisticholocaustrecs.bandcamp.com/music  

 

VORGFANG / UNHOLY CRAFT

“Ulf's Keptr” Split Album CD & LP

(Purity Through Fire)

I do not know much about either of these Norwegian bands. Well, save for both are one man bands, and Unholy Craft is Peregrinus, who also does the band Solus Grief I reviewed recently. Vorgfang is good raw, freezing cold and hateful (at times tuneful) 2nd wave bm with great biting acidic rasp vocals. U.C. play a more atmospheric Burzum-ish style with echo-y yelled vocals, that are intense in their own way, other than that quite similar in some ways to Vorgfang. It is a perfect match for this 8 song, 43 minute split album. I thought this would be good, but it exceeded my expectations.   - Dale

https://1unholycraft.bandcamp.com/   https://www.purity-through-fire.com  

 

 

WAR ORPHAN

Unite" Album

(Stay Gold Records)

I am by no means a huge hardcore guy, who follows that scene really closely. But I have generally been into hardcore for a very long time, since the late ‘80s, really. I like aggressive, in-your-face hardcore with attitude. Which is exactly what War Orphan brings in spades! I would say fans of bands like Sick Of It All, Agnostic Front, Madball, Earth Crisis, Strife, Cro-Mags, Slapshot and bands like of that style, should give War Orphan a listen for certain.  - Dale

https://www.facebook.com/warorphanmusic    https://warorphan.bandcamp.com/   

 

WARCOE

“The Giant's Dream” CD & LP

(Helter Skelter Productions & Regain Records)

This is the debut album of this Italian triumvirate, and Helter Skelter just keeps finding classic doom metal gems, left and right. Warcoe is doom of the oldest school variety, Black Sabbath worship and let me tell you they do it well. This is heavy, emotive music with atmosphere, which I find a real joy to listen to. The bio refreshingly just straight up admits this is Sab worship, and you should hear the killer vocals of Stefano Fiorelli, as the bio states he is ‘70s Ozzy reborn!  - Dale

https://www.facebook.com/warcoeband   https://regainrecords.bandcamp.com/   

 

 

WHITE DEATH

"Iconoclast" CD & LP

(Werewolf Records)

This is the second full-length from Finland’s White Death. They play a traditional second wave black metal style. The guitars are played with whirlwind fast paced patterns that are crazed. The guitarist does slow down to a mid paced range in a few of the songs.The drums are hyperspeed blasting patterns that are chaotic and forceful in their delivery. The vocals are icy grim black metal screams and high screechey type of vocals. If you are a fan of fast paced and crazed black metal then do not miss out on 'Iconoclast'.   - Patrick

https://www.facebook.com/unholywhitedeath   https://www.werewolf.fi/   

 

WITCHTRAP

“Hungary As The Beast” CD, LP & Cassette

(Hells Headbangers Records)

Witchtrap is a band from Colombia that has been unleashing blackened thrash metal since the late 90's. 'Hungary As The Beast' is the latest full length from the band featuring eight tracks of aggressive and well played music. The songwriting in the guitars and drumming work well together to give each song it's own identity. The vocals are gruff screams that really fit this style of music. If you are a fan of speed metal that adds in some old school black metal elements then be sure to pick this one up.   - Patrick

https://witchtrap-official.bandcamp.com/   https://www.hellsheadbangers.com/   

 

WOLFTOWER

“Crownless King Of The Dismal Dark Empire” 12'' EP

(Inferna Profundus Records)

This Finnish one man band has only been around for a just over two years now. Yet they have already released two demos, two splits and now five EPs. The recording on here is great for such hateful, 2nd wave black metal, it is clear yet has this far off sound to it that only makes it sound more evil and sinister. There is a lot of background synth, but it never over powers the music. This EP definitely takes me back to a lot of great bm from the early to mid ‘90s that possessed me then, and possesses me now.  - Dale

https://www.ipr666shop.com/   https://www.facebook.com/ipr666   

 

 

YELLOWTOOTH

“The Burning Illusion" CD

(Orchestrated Misery Recordings)

This Indiana band is a trio of veteran UG musicians having done time in bands like Invasion, Skullview, Sea Of Tranquility & Chronic Disorder. They play an unconventional mix of heavy metal with large doses of sludge and doom and a southern groove vibe. Some influences coming to mind are later COC, Orange Goblin, Kyuss, Down along with traditional heavy metal. It is interesting and well done; if you dig the styles above you should check this out.  - Dale

https://yellowtooth.bandcamp.com/    https://www.facebook.com/OrchestratedMiseryRecordings   

 

ZİFİR

“Demoniac Ethics” CD & LP

(Duplicate Records)

Out on Duplicate Records (ran by Einar from Inferno, ex-Beyond Dawn, Dawnrazor fanzine), this is this Turkish bands 4th album now. The music is very good early ‘90s freezing black metal with some atmospheric and ceremonial hypnotic elements mixed in. An evil duality of wintry violence & gloomy ambience.  - Dale

https://www.zifirofficial.com    http://www.duplicate-records.com/