DEAD METAL

Banished By Sin is album number thirteen from these death metal legends. It has been six years since Deicide 's last effort, and has felt like longer thanks to this one having been teased for so long - it was announced seven months ago, and we only got to hear the first single (which can be found at the bottom of this post) on Christmas Day. It will finally be released on 26th April, brought to us by new label Reigning Phoenix Music. The last couple of albums were excellent, so hopes are very high going into this one.

Remain Forever In Misery is a self-released demo from 1997. Physical copies are therefore extremely rare, although the material can also be found (remastered) on Pathos Productions' 2011 Recollections Of Tragedy & Misery compilation. Eternal Suffering hailed from Massachusetts, and played borderline-brutal death metal, in the same vein as  Baphomet / Banished  and  Lucifixion . This is an obscure gem for sure. Preview it below.

This is the sound of Las Vegas, apparently. Goatlord formed in 1985 and recorded a few demos, followed by only one album. There are two different versions of that album, however - the original 1991 Turbo Music mix, and the 1992 JL America mix. This write-up is based on the latter; or more specifically, the 2007 Nuclear War Now reissue of the latter (which you can listen to below, along with a couple of bonus tracks that have featured on some editions of that reissue). Reflections Of The Solstice is blackened death-doom greatness. Occult atmospherics, psychedelic flavours... sloppy and primitive, in an entirely charming way, while also being utterly commanding. It's a pretty unique offering, but you could make comparisons with Drawing Down The Moon by Beherit , Gloomlord by Worm , the  Hearse  full-length... It is certainly an offering that doesn't get nearly enough credit. Reflections of the Solstice by Goatlord

Uncontrollable Malformity   is the first release from this Finnish band. Originally put out (on cassette and vinyl) in January 2023, by Rotted Life, it has taken a full year for the CD to materialise. The five tracks here are well-produced, while maintaining an appropriate level of filth. Memorable riffs, captivating leads, and a lot of early Corpsegrinder-era Cannibal Corpse-style groove. A thoroughly impressive effort from these youngsters, death metal of the highest order. We are very much looking forward to their debut album.

Benediction  ( UK ) -  The Grand Leveller  ( Nuclear Blast, 1991 ): Seance  ( Sweden ) –  Fornever Laid To Rest  ( Black Mark, 1992 ): Deteriorate  ( US ) –  Rotting In Hell  ( JL America, 1993 ): Funebrarum  ( US ) –  Beneath The Columns Of Abandoned Gods  ( Necroharmonic, 2001 ):

The Black is a Swedish band that formed in 1991. It wasn't until 1994 that their one-and-only album was released. It's raw and aggressive stuff, but is also very atmospheric ...and creepy. There are selling points aplenty here, but the keyboards are a particular highlight. It's hard to see why this one doesn't get more attention and praise. The Priest Of Satan  can be streamed in full below.

01  Hell's Coronation  ‎–  Transgression Of A Necromantical Darkness  (Godz Ov War) 02  Static Abyss - Aborted From Reality  (Peaceville) 03  Incantation  -  Unholy Deification  (Relapse) 04  Autopsy  -  Ashes, Organs, Blood And Crypts  (Peaceville) 05  Metallica  -  72 Seasons  (Blackened) 06  Worm  -  Starpath  (20 Buck Spin) 07  Old Tower  -  Draconic Synthesis  (Hospital) 08  Blood Incantation  -  Luminescent Bridge  (Century Media) 09  None  -  Inevitable  (Hypnotic Dirge) 10  Obituary  -  Dying Of Everything  (Relapse) *edit*  Malformed - Uncontrollable Malformity should have made this list