DEAD METAL

Plague Lust are from Pennsylvania, and they play death metal. Their debut EP was released over a year ago now, and it's excellent: Simple as that, really. The band has a lot of talent, and this release deserves a lot more attention. Download it, or order the limited edition CD, here .

If you would like to win the two CDs pictured above, just head over to  the Dead Metal Facebook page  and comment on the post about this giveaway there. It's open to anyone worldwide, but you do need to have 'liked' the Facebook page to qualify. The competition closes at midnight (GMT) this Thursday (1st February). A winner will then be chosen at random, and notified on Facebook.

A previous post about Ataraxy can be found  here . This interview is with Edu, their bassist. 1. Your new album drops on 16th February, what can we expect from it (as compared to your last album, or in general)? It's dark death metal, with many doomier passages and some dead cold melodies. Trying to achieve an evocative atmosphere without getting lost in a senseless wall of noise with no riffs, like many bands nowadays. Heavy, dismal and mourning. Compared to our last album, there’s been an effort to go further in terms of atmosphere, personality and emotion. To delve into something deeper both musically and lyrically. I think we managed to find our own sound with both full-lengths, and this new one keeps that natural evolution going. No drastic change but the next step on the band’s path. 2. Dark Descent is a great label, and seems like a perfect home for your music; so you're presumably very pleased that they’re releasing Where All Hope Fades? We are definitely

Blood Incantation play crushing progressive death metal. This is complex and textured stuff, immersive and epic. It is also pretty unique; and the space theme is definitely a winner. The band shares members with death-doom act Spectral Voice, who are featured  here . Blood Incantation are also signed to Dark Descent, and have followed a similar trajectory - releasing an EP ( Interdimensional Extinction ) in 2015: ...and a full-length ( Starspawn ) in 2016: As with Spectral Voice, both are worthwhile purchases; but the album is particularly exceptional. 2015's  Spectral Voice / Blood Incantation split release on Bleak Environment/Woodsmoke is well worth picking up too, by the way.

If you don't already know Necrot, then see here  first. The band's drummer, Chad Gailey, kindly took the time to answer a few questions for us. 1. Blood Offerings has received such high praise, and it made so many end-of-year lists... rightly so, but then great music doesn’t always get the audience or acclaim it deserves - so you must be very pleased? We are extremely pleased with the attention the record received this past year and up until now. We are thankful so many people bought and listened to the album and LIKED it. 2. How did you guys get together, and have you been together for long? Luca Indrio and I formed the band in 2011 with Kyle House from Acephalix. Kyle left pretty early on and we didn’t complete the lineup again until 2012 when Sonny Reinhardt joined.  3. Could you tell us about any of your previous bands (assuming you have previous bands)? I was in a band called Bruxers from 2006-2012 before I helped form Necrot. I have also played in Vastu

If you aren't familar with Soulskinner, see  here . This interview is with Bill Zobolas (guitarist and songwriter). 1. Descent to Abaddon was one of the best death albums of 2017, how has the response been? The response has been really great. The reviews and the messages we have received from fans have been excellent, and that gives us great strength. It means a lot to us that people are responding well to our musical vision, and this is something that we have seen more and more with every release. 2. Crypts of Ancient Wisdom was also a great album, did you feel a lot of pressure going into the new one with the bar set so high? The truth is that each of our releases is better than the previous one. This is because we mature as musicians, but it also happens because we have not pressured ourselves on any album. As the main composer of the band, I write music to indulge my own tastes, and this is why I do not feel pressure. The composition of the music is for me somethin

If you would like to win the two CDs pictured above, just head over to the Dead Metal Facebook page and comment on the post about this giveaway there. It's open to anyone worldwide, but you do need to have 'liked' the Facebook page to qualify. The competition closes at midnight (GMT) this Thursday (25th January). A winner will then be chosen at random, and notified on Facebook.

More than three decades and ten albums into their career, Obituary are still going strong. Cause of Death ( R/C Records, 1990 ) was their finest hour, and is one of the best death metal albums ever recorded: Xecutioner's Return ( Candlelight Records, 2007 ) is another highlight from their discography: For a demonstration that the Florida band have still 'got it', see   Inked in Blood  ( Relapse Records, 2014 ): Obituary's drummer and singer are brothers, and another release worth highlighting here is one they put out as The Tardy Brothers -  Bloodline  ( Candlelight Records, 2009 ) - a highly underrated album: If you don't know Obituary, you should do something about that.

Carcass is well over thirty years old now, and is one of the all-time death metal greats. Not a band which has ever stood still creatively - every album is different. But they're all great in their own ways (from the second album onwards at least), and don't let anyone tell you different. A particular highlight from their back catalogue is Necroticism ( Earache, 1991 ): Their latest release is also worthy of special mention -  Surgical Steel ( Nuclear Blast, 2013 ) was their first album in 18 years, so it had a lot to live up to; and it did not disappoint. Fingers crossed for a new Carcass album soon.

Humiliation hail from Kuala Lumpur. They're a prolific band, having released an album every year since 2010. 'Turbulence From The Deep' was their 2013 effort, on Deepsend Records. With this one the Malaysians took the war theme underwater, and it paid off. Plenty of Bolt Thrower influence where the riffs are concerned. but that's no bad thing. You can give the album a listen below, and buy it  here .

This American death-doom band's self-titled debut has some catchy riffs and melodic undertones, but it's raw and primal stuff. It was released in 2014, by Dark Descent - a label which has become synonymous with this sound. You can preview the album below, and buy it  here . The next Sempiternal Dusk full-length is eagerly awaited.

New York's Immolation is now thirty years old, but this could well be the band's strongest work to date. ...which isn't to undermine the quality of their historic output (many of their past efforts deserve their own posts; most notably the debut,  Dawn Of Possession ). Atonement is a compelling listen from beginning to end, and some of the riffs are nothing short of breathtaking. Courtesy of Nuclear Blast, this is absolutely one of the best death metal releases of 2017. A few choice tracks from the album can be streamed below, and you can buy it  here .

Death was arguably the first, and is certainly the ultimate, death metal band. It's also a band that never stopped progressing, or releasing great albums. That is, until the main man behind the music (Chuck Schuldiner) tragically passed away in 2001. Three of the very best Death full-lengths can be found below... Scream Bloody Gore ( Combat/Under One Flag, 1987 ): Leprosy ( Combat/Under One Flag, 1988 ): Symbolic ( Roadrunner, 1995 ): Relapse Records has reissued most of the catalogue in recent years. If you are new to death metal, there is no better place than to start than here. P.S. Vivus! (a double CD of live recordings) is well worth picking up too.

All obvious choices here. Underrated thrash will no doubt be featured in due course, but for anyone new to the genre... Sepultura - Arise ( Roadrunner, 1991 ): Slayer  -  Reign in Blood  ( Def Jam, 1986 ): Slayer - South of Heaven ( Def Jam, 1988 ): Slayer - Seasons in the Abyss ( Def American, 1990 ): Kreator  -  Coma of Souls  ( Noise International, 1990 ): Megadeth  -  Rust in Peace  ( Capitol, 1990 ): Metallica  -  Ride the Lightning  ( Megaforce, 1984 ): Metallica - Master of Puppets ( Elektra, 1986 ): Metallica  -  And Justice for All   ( Elektra, 1988 ): Anthrax  -  Persistence of Time  ( Island/Megaforce, 1990 ):

Varg Vikernes is a controversial figure, to say the least, but this is strictly about his music. And he sure has made some great music in his time. The first four Burzum albums (pictured above) are black metal at its finest. They were all recorded between 1991 and 1993. For anyone who is unfamiliar with them, you will find one track from each album below... 'Spell of Destruction', from Burzum ( Deathlike Silence, 1992 ): 'En Ring Til Å Herske', from Det Som Engang Var ( Cymophane, 1993 ): 'Det Som Engang Var', from  Hvis Lyset Tar Oss ( Misanthropy/Cymophane, 1994 ): 'Dunkelheit', from Filosofem ( Misanthropy/Cymophane, 1996): Soon after recording the last of those albums, Vikernes went to prison for fifteen years.  There he would record two ambient/'dungeon synth' albums -  Dauði Baldrs   (Misanthropy/Cymophane, 1997) ; and  Hliðskjálf ( Misanthropy/Cymophane, 1999 ), which is probably the stronge

Devouring Star's first release for Dark Descent sets the bar very high for any future releases. Antihedron is a very strong contender for best EP of 2017, in fact. All three tracks are excellent, this is an extremely solid package. Finnish black metal with a death metal edge. You can listen to it below, and buy it  here .

It’s been more than two years since drummer Martin Kearns died, and over a year since Bolt Thrower announced that they were splitting up as a result – both sad days for metal. On a side note, all is not lost -  in between those events, vocalist Karl Willetts started a new band called Memoriam (which will be featured on this blog separately in due course). Bolt Thrower existed for almost 30 years, anyway; and the overriding theme of their work is/was war. They really came into their own in the ‘90s - all of their albums from War Master on (as pictured above) are outstanding. The IVth Crusade (Earache Records, 1992) is particularly essential: ...as is their final studio album, Those Once Loyal (Metal Blade, 2005) : Simply put - they're one of the greats. And their approach to riffing has been extremely influential. If you've been living under a rock (or are new to death metal), and are yet to discover Bolt Thrower, then you should rectify tha

Colorado's Spectral Voice, which shares members with Blood Incantation, has two CDs out now on Dark Descent. The first, 2015's  Necrotic Doom , is a flawless death-doom EP that demands repeated listening: The second, released in October 2017, is an album which made a lot of end-of-year lists -  Eroded Corridors of Unbeing : Both are worthwhile purchases, but the EP is essential.

Scour features Phil Anselmo; alongside members of Cattle Decapitation, Pig Destroyer and Animosity. They play grindcore-infused black metal. Their first EP ( Grey ) was released 18 months ago, on Housecore Records: And in November 2017 they dropped a second EP, called Red : Both releases hold six tracks, but are short - with 'Grey' clocking in at around 14 minutes, 'Red' at around 16 minutes. Scour have a solid formula developing here, in terms of approach as well as content - the covers, the instrumental fifth tracks... Bring on the next colour.

This Canadian band's first two albums are stone cold progressive thrashy death metal classics. They are crying out for a re-release too - even bootlegs (pictured above) are hard to find. Criminally overlooked albums from a criminally underrated band. From This Day Forward   (Active Records, 1990) Nemesis   (self-released, 1993) P.S. The demo material is also well worth checking.

These Canadian youngsters show a lot of promise. Brutal death metal, with hints of Gojira. Abrasive stuff, but with enough harmony to keep things interesting. Their debut EP,  Chaotic Eradication , was self-released in 2014: 2017 saw the self-release of their debut full-length,  Human Cesspool : Both releases have a lot going for them, Scythra is definitely a band to watch.

In no particular order... Desultory - Into Eternity  ( original release 1993 ) - Big improvements to sound quality on this 2011 reissue, and a remastered version of 1990's From Beyond demo is included as a bonus. The fact that Desultory (from Sweden) subsequently went off in a different direction takes nothing away from their debut. Morta Skuld - Dying Remains ( original release  1993 ) - An original pressing of this one would set you back a small fortune, but thanks to Peaceville there's no need to break the bank. Morta Skuld have been making a comeback in recent years, but this is where it all started and is arguably their finest hour. Morta Skuld - As Humanity Fades   ( original release  1994 ) - Another superb album from Milwaukee's Morta Skuld, also reissued by Peaceville. Depravity - Silence of the Centuries  ( original release  1993 ) - The one instance on this list where the original pressing is cheaper than the reissue, but whichever ver

Necrot's debut is quite possibly the best death metal album of 2017. Blood Offerings is an immediate stand-out listen, but it's also a real grower. Old school at its core, a little bit technical, some death-doom sensibilities, a dash of punk spirit... The record features a tonne of great riffs, and is highly enjoyable from beginning to end. You can preview the it below, and purchase it  here .

New Jersey's Evoken haven't put a foot wrong in over two decades, and if there was ever a funeral doom band deserving of a wider audience and more acclaim it's these guys. Antithesis of Light (Avantgarde Music, 2005) is perhaps their finest moment to date, but there simply aren't any weak points in their discography. 2018 will see the release of a new album, on Profound Lore, and if you aren't already familiar with their back catalogue you would be well-advised to rectify that in the meantime.

Soulskinner are from Greece, and play old school death metal. Their two most recent albums are essential listening: Crypts of Ancient Wisdom (Xtreem Music, 2014) Descent to Abaddon (Xtreem Music, 2017) Their split releases on Screaming Victims are well worth checking too. Don't sleep on Soulskinner.

All of the lyrics and titles are in French, but this is death metal and such things do not matter. Canadian band Purgatoire deliver catchy Bolt Thrower-style riffs, mixed in with some more technical brutality. The production is quite clean and punchy, Passé Décomposé is old school material executed in a modern style. There's enough gold on the album to make it one 2017's best; and it's a debut, so this is definitely a band to watch. You can listen to it below, and pick up a copy  here .

Ataraxy is a melodic death-doom band from Spain. They already have some exceptional releases under their belt... Curse of the Requiem Mass (Memento Mori/ Me Saco Un Ojo , 2010) Revelations of the Ethereal (Memento Mori/ Me Saco Un Ojo , 2012) The Tomb / The Festival   (Me Saco Un Ojo, 2016) ...and they now have the mighty Dark Descent releasing their new album. 'Where All Hope Fades' is available to pre-order , and drops on 16th February 2018.

Krypts is the best death-doom band out there right now, and one of the best metal bands of recent years full stop. This is dark, heavy, crushing music; but it is also quite accessible, thanks to the outstanding riffs and powerful atmospherics. It's dimensional stuff, and that extends to the lyrics as well - which are delivered with real flare by vocalist Antti Kotiranta. Do yourself a favour and spend some time with this Finnish band's discography: Unending Degradation (Dark Descent/Me Saco Un Ojo, 2013) Remnants Of Expansion (Dark Descent, 2016) Descending Era Of Putrefaction (self-released compilation, 2017)