DEAD METAL

01 Worm - Foreverglade (20 Buck Spin) 02 Mortiferum - Preserved In Torment (Profound Lore) 03  Rothadás - Kopár Hant​.​.​. Az Alvilág Felé  (Me Saco Un Ojo/Pulverised) 04  Darkthrone  -  Eternal Hails  (Peaceville) 05  Clandestine Blaze - Secrets Of Laceration (Northern Heritage) 06  Carcass  -  Torn Arteries  (Nuclear Blast) 07  Můra - Doom Invocations And Narcotic Rituals  (Caligari) 08  Decrepisy - Emetic Communion  (Seed Of Doom/Life After Death/Chaos) 09  Old Tower  -  The King Of Old Witches  (Hospital) 10  Inhuman Condition - Rat°God  (Listenable Insanity/Spiritual Beast/Black Serpent) *edit*  Vaticinal Rites - Vaticinal Rites  and Apparition - Feel should have made this list

Here we have the first offering from this German three-piece. Three tracks of exceptional death-doom, which could be filed next to demos from  Cavurn  and  Můra . What perhaps most sets this 16.5 minute EP apart from the crowd is the way it ends, which is random and cool in equal measure. You can sneak a preview at the bottom of this post if you are so inclined. Putrefaction '21 is available to download from  Bandcamp , and also has a cassette release courtesy of  Headsplit Records . A highly recommended debut; we most definitely look forward to more from this band.

See here for previous posts about these guys (including an interview). Gloomlord was our 2020 album of the year, so the bar is certainly high going into this one. Foreverglade is a play on words (the Everglades being in Florida, where the band hails from) ...and as with their previous effort, you can very much hear the swamp in this release. Also as with its predecessor, it defies pigeonholes; and once again the tapestry of influences has grown. The black metal parts are perhaps a little more prominent than last time, and there are probably more shades of Greek black metal than on either of the first two records, but that isn't to say the death metal and funeral doom elements are any less present. What is emerging as a trademark is their use of slightly-psychedelic clean guitar melodies. Simple but extremely effective stuff. The vocals are really 'coming into their own' as well; the synth work is progressing; and the overall sound is becoming more refined. Given all of the

14th February - Pontifferasmus ( Unknown, dungeon synth ) – Husk The Mountains ( Heimat Der Katastrophe ) HDK 81 † Husk the mountains by PONTIFFERASMUS 9th August -  Exanimatvm  ( Chile, death metal ) -  Sollvm Ipsa Mor  ( Apocalyptic ) 20th August -  Sodom  ( Germany, thrash metal ) -  Bombenhagel  ( Steamhammer/SPV ) 31st October (but already available to download) - Old Tower ( Netherlands, dungeon synth ) - The Old King Of Witches ( Hospital )

22nd OCTOBER Massacre  ( US, death metal ) -  Resurgence  ( Nuclear Blast ) 22nd OCTOBER 1914 ( Ukraine, blackened death metal ) -  Where Fear And Weapons Meet ( Napalm ) 5th NOVEMBER Mortiferum  ( US, death-doom ) -  Preserved In Torment  ( Profound Lore ) 26th NOVEMBER Proscriptor McGovern’s Apsû ( US, black/death metal ) -  Proscriptor McGovern’s Apsû ( Agonia )

All of these offerings have been brought to us by Heimat Der Katastrophe - a Milan-based dungeon synth outlet with a retro computer game aesthetic and a focus on soundtrack-type material. Doom Catacomb is one of the label's strongest artists, and you can introduce yourself to their four releases to date below. The Empire Of The Necromancers (2018) HDK 11 † The empire of the necromancers by DOOM CATACOMB The Weaver In The Vault (2019) HDK 34 † The weaver in the vault by DOOM CATACOMB Necromancy In Naat (2020) HDK 59 † Necromancy in Naat by DOOM CATACOMB Polar (2021) HDK 74 † Polar by DOOM CATACOMB

Here we have the first Carcass full-length for eight years. Album number seven was originally scheduled to see the light of day last year, but it was delayed due to the pandemic. Worth the wait? Of course it was. Liverpool's finest can do no wrong, in our books at least. The title is an homage to their original drummer, Ken Owen, who once had a solo project called Torn Arteries. It probably-inevitably has more in common with Surgical Steel than any other release, but it features elements that feel like they have been resurrected from earlier works as well. Carcass has also never been a band to stand still, creatively, and this is no exception - there have been a lot of subtle tweaks/additions to 'the formula' (when it comes to groove, melody, instrumentation, dynamics...) Overall, it is a varied-but-consistent (and, most importantly, a very strong) offering. A definite contender for album of the year, from one of the all-time greats. You can hear one of the singles below,

Můra is a Czechian band, and this is their (outstanding) debut release. Doom Invocations And Narcotic Rituals is a two track EP, which clocks in at just under twenty minutes. Death-doom with some black metal elements here; it could be filed next to Temple Nightside or  Krypts . The only physical release has been a limited edition cassette from Caligari , but you can also download it on  Bandcamp  and stream it below. We very much look forward to hearing more from these guys in the future.

Gnoll - Music For Dungeons ( Heimat Der Katastrophe, 2018 ) Another fantastic release from Gnoll. The synth work is exceptional; the theremin hooks in particular really help this project to stand out from the crowd. Old Sorcery  /  Haxan Dreams  ( Finland, dungeon synth ) -  War Of The Old Kingdom  ( Essential Purification, 2021 ) This is the second time these countrymates have shared a release, and it follows on from the last split very nicely indeed. Old Sorcery is one of the best. War of the Old Kingdom by Old Sorcery

This Danish/international Dark Descent band formed in 2015. They now have two full-lengths and a slew of other releases under their belts. What you can expect from them is frantic, punishing death metal; with some doomier sections. There are very strong  Incantation  influences afoot, so if that is your bag then do be sure to check them out. The full discography can be downloaded  here ; physical copies can be hunted down  here . ...and below are a few choice tracks to whet your appetite:

Domains - Sinister Ceremonies ( The Sinister Flame, 2014 ) This Spanish band's second full-length is mostly-doomy death metal with some black metal influences. Where vocals are concerned, the closest comparison might be fellow Spaniards Ataraxy . Altar Of Rot - Altar Of Rot ( self-released, 2020 ) Black metal with sludge, death and heavy metal influences here. Altar Of Rot is an unsigned American band, and this thirty-five-minute-long album is their only offering to date.

The Darkening is Belgian band that existed between 1993 and 1999. Following a demo in 1995, they self-released their one-and-only full-length in 1996. Awake is death metal with strong doom and black metal elements, and some tasty synth action. The album has something of a Greek sound, it could certainly be filed next to early Rotting Christ . Original copies are  rare , but a bootleg version has recently hit the market. You can preview this lesser-known gem in full below.

Eitr - Hädanfärden ( Nordvis, 2018 ) This is the only Eitr release to date, although the Swedish artist behind the project (Henrik Sunding) does have a number of other aliases. Burzum influence aplenty here. Winterblood - Waldeinsamkeit ( Canto Críptico/Kunsthall Produktionen, 2018 ) Waldeinsamkeit is perhaps the strongest offering so far from this prolific Italian producer. It is rooted firmly at the dark ambient end of the dungeon synth spectrum.

We have posted about five Darkthrone albums previously . Here are choice tracks from the seven other albums that we would recommend: Kathaarian Life Code  (from  A Blaze In The Northern Sky , 1992) The Dance Of Eternal Shadows (from  Under A Funeral Moon , 1993) Transilvanian Hunger (from  Transilvanian Hunger , 1994) The Hordes Of Nebulah (from  Panzerfaust , 1995) The Serpent's Harvest (from  Total Death , 1996) Sin Origin (from  Plaguewielder , 2001) Sacrificing To The God Of Doubt (from  Sardonic Wrath , 2004)

21st March - Civerous ( US, blackened death-doom ) - Live Promo MMXXI ( Transylvanian ) 2nd April - Fossilization ( Brazil, death-doom ) - He Whose Name Was Long Forgotten ( Everlasting Spew ) 4th June -  Inhuman Condition  ( US, death metal, former members of Massacre ) - Rat°God ( Listenable Insanity/Spiritual Beast/Black Serpent ) 25th June - Darkthrone ( Norway, black/heavy metal ) - Eternal Hails ( Peaceville )

Eulogy is a Tampa death metal original. Formed in 1989, the band featured Jason Avery of Monstrosity fame on vocals. There is a lot of  Morbid Angel  influence afoot, and perhaps some hints of  Immolation  too, but there are also elements that set these guys apart from the crowd - their use of female vocals on the opening track, for example. This 2016 compilation includes all of their material - 1994's Essence EP (originally released by Cenotaph Records); 1992's Dismal demo (recorded at the legendary Morrisound studio, which helps to explain how good it sounds); and a rehearsal track. Brought to us by Dark Symphonies (CD) and The Crypt (vinyl), it is a worthwhile addition to any old school death metal fan's collection. You can listen to it below, and hunt down a copy  here .

This Greek band formed in 1990, and their earliest output is the focus of this post. More specifically... 1. 1991's Temple Of The Lost Race EP (originally released by Black Power , and more recently reissued along with the also-excellent Forgotten Path demo by Floga ); and 2.  Mystic Places Of Dawn  -  the debut full-length, released on Holy Records in 1994 (and it is the original pressing you will want to hunt down, because it sounds way better than any of the remastered reissues). ...both of which can be heard in their entirety below. People tend to pigeonhole these Septic Flesh offerings as death metal, and the early work of many of their countrymates ( Rotting Christ, Varathron, Thou Art Lord ) as black metal, but they sit beside each other very comfortably indeed. They share doom elements, and powerful synth work, and plenty more besides.

Vaal ("Faded") is one of several projects from this Dutch solo artist, who is also responsible for the exceptional dungeon synth of  Old Tower . And indeed, this album does feature three dungeon synth tracks. The other five are black metal, with strong (early)  Burzum influences. Visioen Van Het Verborgen Land ("Vision Of The Hidden Land") is a highly enjoyable listen from beginning to end. It was released by New Era in 2019, and you can pick up a copy from  the Vaal Bandcamp .

Moloch ‎– Abstrakter Wald ( Metallic Media/Glorious North, 2015 ): Old Sorcery / Haxan Dreams  - split ( Livor Mortis, 2018 ): Resinator - Harvest Rituals ( self-released, 2019 ): Resinator - Apothecaries' Weight ( Gondolin, 2019 ): Old Tower - Plague Harvest ( Hospital, 2020 ): Resin Eater - Internal Astronomy ( Skaventhrone, 2020 ): Spell of Unseeing - Weaving Light And Shadow ( Lafawijn, 2020 ): Old Sorcery - Sorrowcrown ( Essential Purification, 2020 ): Old Sorcery / Druadan Forest  - split ( Werewolf, 2021 ):

14th December ( technically a 2020 release) - Archaic Thorn ( Germany, death metal ) - Eradication ( Into Endless Chaos )  26th March - Memoriam ( UK, death metal ) - To The End ( Reaper Entertainment ) 15th April - Cannibal Corpse ( US, death metal ) - Violence Unimagined ( Metal Blade ) 30th April - Gojira  ( France, progressive metal ) - Fortitude ( Roadrunner )

Kreator - Endless Pain ( Noise, 1985 ) - the recent remastered reissue is particularly recommended. Kreator  - Terrible Certainty ( Noise, 1987 ) - the recent reissue, featuring 'Out Of The Dark ... Into The Light' as a bonus, is recommended. Metallica - Black Album ( Elektra, 1991 ) - yes, a lot of people hate this album, but that isn't to say it isn't great. Testament - The Best Of   ( Atlantic, 1996 ) - a definitive collection of their early material. Annihilator - The Best Of ( Roadrunner, 2004 ) - includes all of their best tracks. Sodom - In War And Pieces ( Steamhammer, 2010 ) - an excellent offering from this outstanding band.