Top Ten Albums of 2021 / Rob "The Metal Guy" Awards

After living through all the hysteria and chaos of 2020, a year that shall go down in history as one of the most inconceivable years in the history of the world, people looked to 2021 as a year of redemption. In terms of hard rock and heavy metal music I felt as though 2020 was a decent year, but 2021 seemed to be the year where bands really stepped up their game. As much as people thought the return of CM Punk to professional wrestling was a historic and monumental moment, I personally found myself rejoicing to the news that artists like Old Tower and Wallachian Cobwebs were putting out new releases. Independent music labels like Sentient Ruin continued to promote hard working up and coming underground acts from around the world, which is always great to see compared to those labels still promoting aging rockers who look like they just escaped from the retirement home. 2021 may not have been exactly what we were expecting the world to look like after 2020, but I do think we can look back and appreciate some of the brilliant sounding albums that came out during the year. So here it is everyone, my top ten list for 2021....

10. Tower “Shock to the System”

This New York City based band displayed a tremendous amount of ballsy sounding hard rock and heavy metal attitude on their sophomore full-length album, “Shock to the System.” The high soaring vocals of singer Sarabeth Linden perfectly complimented the band’s feverish sounding guitar riffs. Overall, the album contains a strong and confident energy, which seems to grow from the beginning of the album until the very end. I also was extremely impressed by the band’s songwriting skills and I thought that the music sounded tight. 

Complete Album Review: https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2021/10/tower-shock-to-system.html

9. When the Deadbolt Breaks “As Hope Valley Burns: Eulogy” 

These Connecticut based musicians are an extremely creative act and one that took me by complete surprise after I listened to their new album. When the Deadbolt Breaks offers listeners a truly atypical sounding listening experience on, “As Hope Valley Burns: Eulogy.” Their unique brand of psychedelic doom is very refreshing and they show a willingness to experiment with a variety of different sounding musical concepts. The dynamic arrangements hook you right from start by writing some haunting chord progressions along with a fair amount of trippy rhythms. 

Complete Album Review: https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2021/10/when-deadbolt-breaks-as-hope-valley.html

8. Maze of Terror “Offer to the Fucking Beasts” 

I don’t know what it is about Peru, but there has been a decent amount of brutal sounding bands to come out of that country over the years. Maze of Terror is yet another band from the region that knows how to write some gruesome sounding pieces of raw brutality. The band mixes casket crushing old school death metal with some merciless black metal to craft an unholy sound which does not disappoint. Plus, the frantic lead guitar work adds to the over bloodbath of devastation laid down by the band’s skillful drummer. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys vicious sounding music with a blasphemous attitude that is sure to scare the hell out of a pack of Jehovah Witnesses. 

Complete Album Review: https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2021/09/maze-of-terror-offer-to-fucking-beasts.html

7. Concilium “Desecration” 

Talk about HEAVY! This Portuguese extreme metal band knows how to lay down some juggernaut sized riffs along with some monstrous sounding drum parts. Of course, the band worked with Sentient Ruin on the release of this album, which should come as no surprise given the label’s history of finding the most extreme and profound sounding artists around. I think what stood out the most about this album for me was the band’s ability to get to the point and no overwhelm the listener with unnecessary arrangements. Sometimes you just want a meaty sized riff to come crashing down on you like an avalanche of distorted destruction leaving a trail of carnage in its path. 

Complete Album Review: https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2021/06/concilium-desecration.html

6. Last Agony “The Imminent Slaughter”

Another band on the Sentient Ruin roster that knows how to unleash a tidal wave of face kicking insanity. Adrenaline pumping noise-punk with some blackened aggression is what this Canadian based band brings to the table on their debut full-length release. The songs on the album may be are short, but the band unleashes an insurmountable amount of chaos on each track. From the rebellious sounding guitar riffs to the singer’s unapologetic vocals, I swear that this band means business. Really hope they keep recording new music and building off of this album’s relentless sounding energy. 

Complete Album Review: https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2021/04/last-agony-imminent-slaughter.html

5. Crawl Below “9 Mile Square”

This album came out earlier this year and I still find myself playing it over and over again. Overall, the compositors are extremely mesmerizing and wrap you in this veil of haunting tranquility. The musician behind this band, Charlie Sand Eyes, is a very creative artist who also happens to be in the band When the Deadbolt Breaks. I find Crawl Below to be a fascinating act, especially since the style of music seems to be influenced by a lot of bands that I really enjoy. In the end, Charlie tells these haunting musical tales that are inspired by the history of the area in which he resides located in Connecticut. Having lived in Connecticut myself for a couple years I was really impressed how he captured the spell casting natural beauty of the historic region through the album’s sound. Overall, an album worth checking out and the follow-up release that is coming out in 2022 is another phenomenal sounding release. 

Complete Album Review: https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2020/12/crawl-below-9-mile-square.html

4. Wallachian Cobwebs “Night Sobbed a Potion Diseased” 

If you are a reader of this blog then you will remember how much I enjoyed Wallachian Cobwebs’ debut album, “Hearken to the Moon Whisper.” This one-man dungeon synth artist took vampiric lore and created a masterpiece of an album, so once I heard there was going to be a follow-up, I was simply overcome with excitement. The new album, “Night Sobbed a Potion Diseased,” takes the story of Frankenstein’s Monster and creates this haunting soundtrack which I thought was very creative. Every sound grabs your attention and creates these vivid mental pictures as if you were witnessing this tale of terror firsthand. The cinematic like environment is perfectly recorded, so anyone who desires a powerful ambient/dungeon synth release should check this album out.   

Complete Album Review: https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2021/03/wallachian-cobwebs-night-sobbed-potion.html

3. Graveland “Hour of Ragnarok” 

One of my favorite bands, Graveland, did not disappoint this year with their new album, “Hour of Ragnarok.” The band really went all out with this new album and recorded a true masterpiece in my opinion. Rob Darken’s vocals along with the triumphant sounding instrumental arrangements throws you into this bombastic realm full of epic sounding music. You do hear the early Graveland sound at times, but the band has definitely evolved and become so much more dynamic in terms of their recording techniques and overall production quality. Conceptually this is probably one of the most impressive albums I have heard over the last couple years. 

Complete Album Review: https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2021/09/graveland-hour-of-ragnarok.html

2. Old Tower “The Old King of Witches” 

I can say without hesitation that Old Tower is one of the most accomplished and exceptional dungeon synth/ambient artists around. For fans of this style of music, Old Tower has become one of the most recognized artists around the world. The Specter who is the mysterious artist behind Old Tower, is a true genius and this new album reinforces everything that I have said about Old Tower from day one. “The Old King of Witches,” takes a turn down an even darker road, leading listeners into an ambient world shrouded by a sinister energy that I believe creates a truly insidious atmosphere. When listening to this album is the dark you become bewitched by the music’s malevolent charm. I am so glad that I ordered this album on vinyl, even if I have to wait a while due to shipping delays. 

Complete Album Review: https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2021/11/old-tower-old-king-of-witches.html

1. Abstracter “Abominion” 

Picking an album for the number 1 slot this year was not an easy task, but in the end Abstracter’s “Abominion” is the album that stood out above all the rest. The Bay Area based band has been a favorite of mine ever since they released their debut full-length album and I was very pleased when they started working Sentient Ruin. Abstracter is such an extremely talented group of musicians and their songs combine a plethora of savage sounding creativity. Each composition hits you with tremendous apocalyptic sized force, especially the riffs on this new album. There are no filer tracks, or cheap sounding compositions, because every riff and every sound demands you attention. “Abominion,” is truly flawless in my opinion and is an album that I expect to be playing on my turntable for many years to come. 

Complete Album Review: https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2021/09/abstracter-abominion.html

Rob "The Metal Guy" Awards 

 

Best EP of the Year: Rude “Outer Reaches” 

Best Compilation of the Year: Snow Wolf Records “This Wretched Earth” (Global Black Metal Compilation Album)

Best Label of the Year: Sentient Ruin Laboratories

Best Cover Song of the Year: Hemotoxin for their cover of Death’s “Crystal Mountain”

Best Music Video: Venom Prison “Pain of Oizys” 

Best Record Store: Discology in Reno, NV 

Most Brutal Wrestler of the Year: Roman Reigns

Biggest Douche of the Year: Tony Khan 

Crawl Below "Its Ministers on Earth"

    Dwelling in the gloomy woods of Eastern Connecticut, Crawl Below has become a true anomaly in the world of extreme music. Over the years this one-man act has explored a plethora of different musical styles ranging from Lovecraftian inspired acoustic punk to spectral sounding death-doom. Charlie Sad Eyes, the mastermind behind Crawl Below, has written and recorded some extremely unique sounding releases over the years, all of which I tend to find rather enjoyable. 

    Crawl Below's new release, “Its Ministers on Earth,” steps into a darker and heavier sounding world by constructing some monolith sized blackened death doom tracks that really pushes the music into this more abrasive sounding world. I personally really enjoyed the last Crawl Below release, “9 Mile Square,” because the overall sound on that album conveyed a more doomy and gothic style very similar to that of Type O Negative. Honesty, this new release threw me by complete surprise, because the delivery comes across with more deafening attitude at times. Even though the sound on this album is not exactly similar to the previous release, I will acknowledge that the compelling sounding atmospheres and attention to detail remains very much the same. 

    “Its Ministers on Earth,” begins with a brutal sounding slugfest of harsh sounding guitar riffs and foundation crushing drum parts. The opening track, “The Daemon Damned Season,” starts out with the sound of ocean waves crashing against the shore, but eventually turns into an explosion of blistering aggression and ear shattering doom. The old school death growl vocal style used during the first vocal part of the song provides a sinister touch and is eventually accompanied by haunting clear sounding vocals. I thought that the contrasting vocal styles was a brilliant idea, and as the song progresses you find yourself becoming almost possessed by the music’s merciless sounding hypnotic aura. 

    On the second track, “Red Fell the Vapours,” Crawl Below continues to take a dive down a more venomous sounding musical void and summons forth some agonizing arrangements. I felt as though the music took on a more black metal meets death metal approach that featured a sporadic amount of feverish sounding guitar riffs. “Summoning Rite,” is a short instrumental drum arrangement that adds to the albums ritualistic occult like theme, which I personally think was a creative way to slow the music down a bit before the next onslaught of planet decimating death doom. 

    Track number five, “Will Rot the Base Chains,” is without a doubt my favorite song off of this album, even though I find picking a favorite to be an extremely difficult task given how well each song was written and recorded. Still, “Will Rot the Base Chains,” is a mesmerizing piece of music that really stands out by offering up a fair amount of eye opening dynamic arrangements. During the entire song I felt like I was listening with great interest and would become almost possessed by the guitar and bass parts along with the adrenaline pumping drumming. Plus, the haunting clean vocals towards the end of the song made you feel as if you were floating through a cosmic sea of comforting darkness. 

    Once again Crawl Below delivers a solid and utterly sinister sounding release with, “Its Ministers on Earth.” Charlie Sad Eyes is a very creative artist who is willing to experiment with each new release and step outside the box at times in order construct an album that vividly stands out. This is one of those albums where you feel every single riff and every single drum part, especially when the music takes a turn down one of those nightmarish sounding pathways shrouded in a veil of hazy doom. This album is highly worth checking out if you are a fan of blackened death doom with a surreal sounding occult like atmosphere that will make you go crazier than Anya Taylor-Joy's character in the movie, The Witch. 

Crawl Below Bandcamp:

https://crawlbelow.bandcamp.com/album/its-ministers-on-earth

Crawl Below Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/crawlbelow/

Rat King "Santa Hipocresía"

    Good Gawd Almighty! Rat King is rushing down the ramp with a steel chair in hand looking to break some bones and raise some hell! These death metal/grindcore maniacs from Seattle, WA come charging at the metal world with a relentless and unforgiving attitude on their new EP, “Santa Hipocresía.” 

    I remember reviewing their full-length album, “Vicious Inhumanity,” back in 2020 which I thought was a solid album that featured a deafening selection of face shredding death metal/grindcore. However, this new release is almost a completely different beast and sounds even more vicious in terms of the band's delivery and the overall presentation. Once you start listening to the album’s first track, “Santa Hipocresía,” you are instantly thrown into this pit of extreme sounding carnage that hits you with a flurry of fatal punches. Throughout the release the guitar playing and drumming proves to be on point, capturing the band’s utterly brutal approach. 

    There are moment where one might feel as though the riffs are a bit simplistic and that the arrangements are nothing innovative, however, the passion and adrenaline pumping ferocity is what hooked me throughout the entire EP. I felt like the guitar playing on this album was able to get the job done, especially when setting up those moments of intense blast beats which created a monumental rush of sickening brutality. Track number two, “Maldición Del Alma,” brought a massive amount of aggression for such a short track and I thought the vocals perfectly captured the gruesome devastation that seemed to come crashing in from all around. You hear that same brutal mentality on other tracks like, “False Prophet,” and “Morboso,” which also contain chainsaw like guitar riffs and those ear obliteration drum parts. 

    As someone who feels like a fair portion of modern death metal and grindcore bands attempt to record “brutal” music yet end up writing very forgettable albums, I was extremely pleased with how Rat King went about recording this release. Also, the band seems to have a strong and tight grasp on their overall sound, which I thought was executed extremely well. I believe we have reached a point in the extreme metal world where as much as we would like new bands to be ground breaking or innovative masterminds, we actually just want artists to deliver albums that leave an impact and sound like they weren't recorded by a bunch of drunk yahoos. No bullshit, this album is a mighty statement and Rat King is definitely an artist that I recommend checking out. 

Check out the song "False Prophet" below:

Rat King Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ratkingseattle/ 

Rat King Bandcamp:

https://ratkingband.bandcamp.com/

Old Tower "The Old King of Witches"

    Once again Old Tower conjures forth an album that leads listeners into a shadowy realm of haunting tranquility. “The Old King of Witches,” is more than just another dungeon synth album, but a journey across a mysterious archaic landscape where darkness reigns and one might begin to question all they once knew to be possible. 

    The Specter, the creative genius behind Old Tower, has proven to be an extremely brilliant composer within the world of dungeon synth and ambient music. In the absence of lyrics, one must be able to hook listeners with profound ambience, while also seamlessly guiding listeners through mesmerizing pieces of music that creates a cinematic sounding world. Old Tower’s last full-length release, “The Last Eidolon,” was an extremely impressive release, and an album that I considered to be one of the best albums to come in 2020. Compared to, “The Last Eidolon,” I find this new release to be even more darker and dives into this eye opening horror themed world in which there is an evil force lurking amongst this forbidden domain. 

    Each track serves as a small yet powerful piece in relation to the overall frightening story as you progress throughout the album. The Specter makes sure to add enough detail into eacb track order to really establish a vivid sounding environment. Right away you hear a bit of a departure from the traditional old school dungeon synth sound, and instead you can hear a more ambient style that feels like something that could be used as a film score. “Wych Totem,” is the album’s opening track and builds up suspense with eerie noises which throws you straight into the heart of this forbidden musical realm. At the end of the song a sharp ear piercing sound breaks the calm silence, as if you have reached the boundary line into an evil dominion. 

    During the song the, “The Dwelling,” I could imagine myself entering a decrepit old den where a cauldron is bubbling and candles surround a book used to summon malevolent forces. I really must applaud The Specter for arranging such compelling and realistic sounds, because once you start listening to a track you become completely possessed by every little noise that comes out of the speaker. On most dungeon synth albums you hear a triumphant yet melancholy sound driving the music forwarded, but on this release the gloomy and ghastly compositions lead you through a more mysteriously sinister atmospheric cloud of sound. 

    Other tracks on the album like, “Red Dragon Bones” and “Winter Embers,” continues to incorporate a plethora of sounds in order to provide more fascinating detail to an already monumental musical tale. The sounds of a crackling fire during, “Winter Embers,” that break through the glossy synth arrangement, leaves you feeling like you are standing all alone in a forest nestled away under a sea of dead mangled trees. A track for me that really stood out was, “The Drifter of Duskmire,” because the layering of different sounds during the song really hooked me from the beginning until the end. The synth arrangements are extremely well recorded and the other noises compliment the music’s insidious tone. 

     I would describe, "The Old King of Witches,” as a great example of how The Specter has a plethora of creative depth that is still being shown on each new release. This album is one of the most well produced releases to come out this year, and the fact that this album does not need words to create such strong mental images only reaffirms my respect for this artist. In my opinion, Old Tower is the king of dungeon synth/ambient acts right now and the kingdom established by The Specter is one that I hope continues to flourish in the dark confines wherever this artist dwells for many years. 

Link to the teaser video for the album: 

Old Tower Bandcamp:

https://oldtower.bandcamp.com/album/the-old-king-of-witches

Mentor "Wolves, Wraiths and Witches"

     You might consider the new release from the band Mentor to be the perfect soundtrack for Halloween, because based on the album’s title alone this is one horrifying extreme metal release. “Wolves, Wraiths and Witches,” is the band’s third full-length album to date and tells haunting crypt dwelling tales with a merciless blitzkrieg of brutality. 

    The Polish based band goes straight for the jugular on this release by throwing together some sinister sounding blackened thrash metal with a violent kick of old school hardcore punk. Out of the nine tracks off of this album I can tell you without hesitation that each piece of music comes charging at you like a machete wielding lunatic looking to unleash havoc. Probably what stood out the most on this release was the bombastic off the wall and into the bloody pit type of energy, which is captured extreme well throughout the release in terms of the recording quality. 

    

    Out of the nine face shredding tracks on this album, picking a favorite will be an extremely difficult task simply due to the fact that each song flows with a feverish sounding aura. From the opening song, “Equal in the Fire” to the final track, “Sealed in a Tomb,” the riffs coming violently blasting out of the speakers, while the band’s drummer unleashes an onslaught of rhythmic destruction. Also, the bass playing on this album is perfectly captured throughout the entire release and provides an extra boost of sickening devastation to the overall sound. Songs like, “Fed After Midnight” and “The Great Grave in the Sky,” are presented with a very old school hardcore/thrash mentality, which is always nice to hear when done right.  

    A significant amount of metal bands have explored this style of extreme metal before, and the bands that tend to excel are the ones that are able to make it their own. Mentor is not trying to reinvent the wheel by any means, but this group is definitely determined and has a strong passion for the music that they record. Songs like, “Creature Feature,” “Dance of the Dead,” and “A Night So Grim,” blend the worlds of horror and metal together for a slaughterhouse full of ear bursting insanity. Lyrically, I thought the band created some vivid sounding tales of terror to accompany the gruesome sounding instrumental compositions. 

    Mentor is a band that I believe can appeal to a fair amount of extreme metal fans, especially those who wish to throw on an album that conjures up a wicked and raw sound. “Wolves, Wraiths and Witches,” is a release that has very little flaws, mainly because this band has a confident and passionate drive from the start of the album until the very end. Overall, I would say this is an extremely solid release, which is highly worth checking out if you are into ghoulish lyrical themes and bone crushing arrangements of nightmarish proportions. 

Check of the track "Equal in the Fire" below: 

Mentor Bandcamp:

https://mentor3.bandcamp.com/

Tower "Shock to the System"

    After releasing their debut studio album back in 2016, the New York City based band known as Tower returns with one fearsome sounding release. The band holds nothing back and unleashes a thunderous heavy metal onslaught on their sophomore release, “Shock to the System.” 

    This band has a massive amount of raw and ruthless classic metal energy, which also conveys that no-nonsense rock and roll attitude. I hear a variety of influences ranging from hard rock to NWOBHM, but in the end this band is able to hammer out a sound that really comes rushing through the speakers with a confident and ballsy attitude. The twin guitar attack of guitarists James Danzo and Zak Penley is on full display throughout the album, especially when pertaining to the feverish sounding chord progressions and skillful lead guitar work. Also, the high soaring and confident vocals provided by the band’s singer, Sarabeth Linden, offer up a monumental boost of raw energy into the tracks.  

    Songwriting is always something I pay attention to when reviewing albums and bands that fail to compose strong and engaging songs usually lose me after the first couple tracks. In the case of Tower, this band is able to produce a solid sound that even though has been done numerous times before, definitely conveys a strong hard rock and heavy metal vision. For example, the opening track, “Blood Moon,” is a slamming piece of headbanging aggression. Drummer James Jones kicks things off by laying down some crushing rhythms that are followed up by a flurry of ear shattering riffs and powerful vocals. 

    The second track, “Prince of Darkness,” continues the loud and bombastic onslaught with a slightly slower tempo, while also being fueled by Sarabeth's passionate earth shaking vocals. On the third song, “Metatron,” the band arranges an instrumental composition featuring a variety of creative tempo changes and some blistering lead guitar playing. The lead parts are very precise, yet have that killer raw sound which never ends by sounding like a tsunami of random notes saturating the song and causing listeners to feel overwhelmed. 

    Probably what stood out the most on this album was how tight the band sounded, especially when considering that I've come across countless bands who play this style of music. Songs like, “Running Out of Time,” “Hired Gun” and “The Black Rose,” turn up the heat by demonstrating countless moments of catchy guitar parts along with very memorable chorus section. However, the song on this album that I believe stole the show had to be, “In Dreams.” The band draws some influence from eighties hard rock and heavy metal by crafting some epic sounding melodies. Add in some triumphant guitar riffs and earth shaking vocals that stretch across the landscape with tremendous force, and you end up getting one brilliant piece of music. 

    

    From top to bottom, “Shock to the System,” is a scorching release that comes charging at the global metal community with a relentless and wild heavy metal passion. The all around musicianship is really impressive, however the band’s songwriting talents along with their take no prisoners hard rocking mentality, is what I believe can help them stand out as they continue their ascent in the world of rock/metal. After a year of lockdowns and domestic insanity, Tower is coming out swinging with no remorse on this new album, so do not pass it up! 

Check out the song "Blood Moon" below:

Tower Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/TOWERnyc

Tower Bandcamp:

https://towernyc.bandcamp.com/album/shock-to-the-system

When the Deadbolt Breaks "As Hope Valley Burns: Eulogy"

    When the Deadbolt Breaks perfectly conjures up gloomy atmospheres and trippy instrumental compositions that leave you floating through a void of mind altering darkness on their new release, “As Hope Valley Burns: Eulogy.” Just in time for Halloween, this group of psychedelic doom metal musicians from Connecticut offers listeners an album that seems to draw inspiration from the haunting New England lore and lays down plenty of heavy mountain sized riffs of pure DOOM. 

    This is not just another doom metal band that drinks cheap beer, has members that look like Dog the Bounty Hunter and writes the same Sabbath "Vol. 4" like riffs for an entire album until you become completely bored to death. The band draws from a plethora of influences and composes their songs with a great deal of dynamic sounding arrangements. From clean vocals to the harsh vocals that sound as if someone has become completely enraged and ready to just throw down a vicious flurry of punches, the band provides very refreshing tracks that keeps you listening with great interest. Right away on the album’s opening twelve minute track,”I Live in the Dirt,” you are greeted with this monumental surge of distorted energy and massive sounding arrangement. The drums echo like thunder across the cold landscape bringing a juggernaut of rhythmic force. 

    On the second track, “Cleanse the Death,” there is a more sludge like approach conjured up to invoke this spectral sounding atmosphere. The overall riff may not be the most technically challenging sounding riff, however, the band is more focused on atmosphere and experimenting with a variety of haunting tones. On the album’s third track, “Gods Eyes,” there is more monstrous aggression thrown into the mix, which I think can appeal to those listeners who desire hard hitting meaty sounding doom riffs. 

    Honestly, the fourth song on this album, “Forever in the Fire,” is the real show stopper in my opinion. From the song’s solemn sounding beginning that lulls you into this utterly calm trance like state that is slowly scorched away by a firestorm of rage from the singer's harsh sounding vocal delivery. The guitar work throughout the track is sublime sounding and guitar effects create this sounds to capture your imagination, thus leaving you listening in true amazement as the song evolves. 

    For their final song on the album, the band offers listeners a cover song, “Not to Touch the Earth,” which was originally written by The Doors. I definitely liked how the band keeps the original song's frantic psychedelic sound, but also injects more haunting doom touches throughout the recording. I would best describe it as a cross between The Doors and Type O Negative, so you sort of get the best of both worlds. 

    “As Hope Valley Burns: Eulogy,” is an album that find conveys a variety of sounds and creative ideas which listeners will be able to take away. When the Deadbolt Breaks is a band that I personally find to be extremely fascinating and writes extremely solid pieces of music. Also, when experimenting with different sounds, one must still have the ability to bring every together, otherwise it ends up sounding like a boiling pot of garbage noise that would not get played on a public access network no matter much money the band's parents have to offer. When the Deadbolt Breaks is no where near that level of pond dwelling scum sucking humanoids, so definitely check this album out! 

The album is being released through Electric Talon Records/link below to bandcamp:

https://talonrecordsusa.bandcamp.com/track/cleanse-the-death

Murderbait “When the Sun Goes Down, It Goes Down Forever”

    If you are a consistent reader of this blog, then you will have noticed that I give a fair amount of coverage to bands that are on the label, Sentient Ruin. The reason for this being that Sentient Ruin works with a wide variety of unbelievably creative and unorthodox extreme metal and punk artists. Now, in the case of Murderbait, I was pleasantly surprised to be sent this band which one might not right away think would be associated with the label. However, if you have followed this label from the beginning, then you would know that Sentient Ruin is all about promoting hard working and passionate underground artists. 

    Murderbait’s sophomore EP, “When the Sun Goes Down, It Goes Down Forever,” released back in 2019 is finally getting vinyl release thanks to Sentient Ruin. Originally only available on cassette and digital, this group of Portland, Oregon based goth/post-punk rockers are going to be capturing even more curious listeners now that Sentient Ruin is releasing this album on vinyl. Honestly, as much as I enjoy the bludgeoning extreme metal bands that write such savage offerings of sickening brutality, I too yearn for something a bit different to listen to once in a while. 

       I am glad that Sentient Ruin sent me this promo, as I sometimes feel that I do not get an opportunity to talk about the plethora of different musical styles which I also enjoy. Murderbait’s mesmerizing sound mixes together a variety of haunting elements, but the gloomy almost western influenced post-punk sound is what seems to be the main driving influence on this two track EP. When listening to the band’s sound I hear a bit of New Order, Depeche Mode, Bauhuas, Nick Cave and The Cure, while also those beautifully haunting moments one might expect to hear on a Type O negative release. I think the band’s ability to pull such a vast amount of influences together and form their own unique sound is what makes this group really stand out. 

    Also, the lyrical creativity along with the somber delivery of the vocal parts tells a tale of haunting grace accompanied by this macabre atmospheric sounding world of soothing gothic post-punk. As I mentioned earlier I hear a bit of New Order in their sound, especially in regards to the bone-chilling bass melodies. The song, “When the Sun Goes Down, It Goes Down Forever,” comes masterfully rolling out of the speakers in a hypnotic post-punk fashion. Each sound slowly builds to this tidal wave of melancholy emotion that compliments the singer’s dark delivery. 

    Track number two, “Unravelling,” definitely picks up where the first song left off by stringing you along with this glossy atmosphere, which eventually begins to unravel towards the end of the song by offer some dynamic instrumental arrangements. Overall, the guitars create a landscape shrouded in a veil of heavenly gothic tones, but the production never sounds weak, or loses its potency. From the start of the song until the end, you feel draw to this spectral aura emanating from your speakers. 

     Murderbait is highly recommend for fans of gothic rock and post-punk looking for something that breaks the stereotypical music mold. Music likes this could be used in a horror film as people are gathered in a cemetery under a cluster of dark ominous clouds, because the music paints such vivid images in your mind. In the end, having this EP finally released on vinyl through Sentient Ruin will allow for the band to be discovered by more potential listeners, while also offering current fans a chance to own this release on vinyl. The way I see it, everyone wins in the end (Besides those close minded bestial blackened death doom grindcore elitists who will continue acting like badasses until their parents tell them it is time to go eat at the Red Lobster). 

Check out the video for the song “When the Sun Goes Down, It Goes Down Forever” below:

Sentient Ruin Bandcamp:

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/when-the-sun-goes-down-it-goes-down-forever

Maze of Terror "Offer to the Fucking Beasts"

    Once you start listening to Maze of Terror, there is no turning back from the unspeakable sounding chaos that comes insidiously blasting out the speakers like an inhumane entity crawling out of some starless void looking to annihilate humanity! The band’s unyielding brutality is on full display with the release of their second full-length release, “Offer to the Fucking Beasts.”

    This trio of musicians from Lima, Peru combines such a plethora of ruthless sounding influences. I've reviewed a fair amount of bands from Peru and I must admit the passion that these bands have for extreme metal music is extraordinary. Each track is written with a profoundly sinister edge, so you never feel like the band is just going through the motions and cranking out painfully boring recycled riffs that were written by some shitty Metallica copycat band.

    The opening track, “Priest of the Ancient Ones,” dives right into the Lovecraftian themed world which quite a few bands have explored before, but just like the bands before them Maze of Terror finds a way to create a fresh and merciless sounding world that grabs you instantly like the tentacles from a Lovecraft inspired beast. Maze of Terror blends old school death metal with face shredding thrash metal that reminds me a lot of bands like Messiah, Dark Angel and Cancer. I even hear some teutonic thrash influences like Kreator, Sodom and Exumer. The band overloads listeners with a tidal wave of agonizing arrangements, as well as some monstrous sounding vocals. There is so much raw and uncompromising energy in the band’s overall sound that each riff and blast beat sends a massive seismic shock through one’s ears. 

    The band continues the fiendish attack throughout the release by dealing out more cannibalistic pieces of extreme music like, “Blessed by Sickness and Death,” “Angels of Acid” and “Blood Horror Cult.” Honestly, the quality of the recording on the bass and how it compliments the hell fire sounding guitar riffs is what keeps you fully locked into each composition. I will say that sometimes I wished that the guitar parts would be a bit louder and give the music a larger sound and feel, but the bass tone throughout this release is what gives the album such a wicked sounding tone. Also, the thunderous sounding drum parts on this album are not to be overlooked, especially the way the drummer did those unbelievably quick and fluid drum fills on the song, “Death by Fire.”  You wonder if the drummer is even human, or some entity from beyond sent to shatter our minds by playing with juggernaut sized force!

    One of my favorite songs off of the album, “Starbeast,” mixes malevolent celestial sounding noises that get washed away by a cataclysmic guitar assault. Even though I have reviewed countless bands that play this style of music, I can always differentiate between the ones that get how to step outside the box by coming up with unique and dynamic sounding arrangements. I thought Maze of Torment did that for the most part on this album, especially with tracks like, “Starbeast,” and the album’s final song, “Shub Niggurath Awakes.” 

    Musically, I cannot complain too much about this release, because “Offer to the Fucking Beasts,” is exactly what you would want if you are a ravenous metal fiend looking for something truly devastating. Hopefully with future releases the band keeps building off of the ideas they put forth with this album, particularly the raw and bombastic sounding energy that they conveyed so well on this album. Highly recommend checking it out and I look forward to more music from Maze of Terror in the future, because after a release like this one, you need to keep the momentum going. 

Check out the entire album below:

Maze of Terror Bandcamp:

https://mazeofterror.bandcamp.com/

Rude "Outer Reaches"

    When I received the promo for this release I had to make sure I was looking at the same band called, Rude, that released a killer debut album in 2014 called, “Soul Recall,” and a fearsome sophomore release back in 2017 called, “Remnants.” I thought this band fell off the face of the Earth, or maybe they decided to go explore the outer reaches of space with some Russian cosmonauts. Anyway, Rude is back with a brand new EP called, “Outer Reaches,” which is focused on providing listeners more unforgiving head slamming old school death metal. 

    Actually, the first time I heard any music from Rude was when I went to see Morbid Angel and they were one of the opening acts. I remember they put on a solid performance and I could tell right they were huge old school death metal fans. Like most old school death metal acts you can hear the Pestilence, Morbid Angel, Nocturnus, Obituary and all the others who wrote face ripping death metal that paved the way. I have always felt that Rude was not just another stereotypical old school death metal worship act, especially after I reviewed, “Soul Recall.” The musicianship and the ability to write gruesome sounding pieces of fiendish headbanging brutality never sounds simplistic, or painfully repetitive. 

    “Outer Reaches,” seems to pick up where the band left off on, “Remnants,” by continuing to explore science fiction themes and by also coming up with more bombastic sounding arrangements than the more straightforward style heard on the band’s debut album. Taking a page from death metal icons Pestilence, Rude incorporates instrumental tracks into the mix to give the album a very unique flow. Instead of song after song that all sounds the same, the band tries to present more dynamic arrangements full of casket crushing riffs and skillful lead guitar playing. 

    The opening of the album reminded me a lot of science fiction death metal greats Nocturnus by incorporating these haunting celestial sounds that are quickly followed by some sinister sounding guitar work. Vocalist and guitarist Yusef Wallace delivers the lyrics in such a raw and agonizing fashion which makes the music sound even more horrifying. “Chaos (Discarded),” was an appropriate opening track that really helped kick this EP off with a mighty punch to the gut. Forget getting choke slammed by the Undertaker, this band would put you through more than just a table with their raw and ruthless energy! 

    Throughout the album the band experiments with different tempos and ear shattering compositions, so you always feel like you are on the edge of your seat about to fall into the bloodthirsty abyss below. David Rodriguez, who is an unbelievably talented lead guitar player, skillfully shreds throughout this entire release. Also, the riffs Yusef and David hammer out on songs like, “Outer Reaches” and “Calamity from the Sky,” are extremely savage sounding. Credit also needs to be given to bassist Jason Gluck who has one of the most brilliant sounding bass tones and helps add to the galactic storm of old school death metal chaos. The band’s new drummer, Edward Andrade, is a tremendously talented player from behind the kit. Overall, this line-up seems to be firing on all cylinders, because there are no weak moments on the entire album. 

    From the opening track, “Chaos (Discarded),” until the final punishing piece of music titled, “Omega,” there is no stopping this band’s brutal and fearsome nature. “Outer Reaches,” is highly recommended for fans of merciless sounding old school death metal, especially those who enjoy raising hell and pissing their neighbors off by turning the volume up to the max. Rude knows how to make solid death metal and does not mess around by making an album with a symphony, or deciding to collaborate with some folk singer who sounds like a goat was forced to drink bleach. I just hope I will not have to wait four year for another Rude album! 

Check out the song "Chaos (Discarded)"  below: 

“Outer Reaches” will released on cassette through Dawnbreed Records (European) and Headsplit Records (USA). Album will be released September 24th 2021. CD and Vinyl to come out later this year. 

Rude Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100031795407017

The Bleak "Unwritten"

    Prepare to enter the warped and avant-garde realm of unconventional black metal mixed with electronic and industrial elements on the new release from, The Bleak. You literally find yourself falling down a rabbit hole into a dark land of complete electronic insanity on this album which is titled, “Unwritten.” 

    Here is another artist that was featured on the compilation from Ritual Abuse Hysteria that I reviewed a few months back, and out of all the bands on the compilation this one was without question the most unorthodox. The overall sound and production reminds of certain bands that tend to work with Sentient Ruin, especially bands like Decoherence, 6th Circle and DSKNT. The raw and harsh black metal elements are present, but you are also thrown plenty of nasty sounding electronic curve balls. Imagine the soundtrack to an avant-garde futuristic horror film featuring some of the most unimaginable and incomprehensible scenarios. 

    The Bleak seems to be onto something, however, there are moments on this album where the rush of chaotic industrial elements tends to sound a bit cluttered and leaves the listener feeling overwhelmed at times. On the album’s opening track, “Consume and Destroy,” there is no time wasted jumping right into the twisted sounding landscape which The Bleak feverishly conjures up. Even with all this anxiety inducing noise, the black metal style vocals and the haunting raw arrangements really stand out and create a sinister sounding atmosphere. The second track, “Culminate in Annihilation,” deals out a punishing electronic attack right from the very beginning, thus making you feel like the world is completely falling apart. 

    As I stated before, there are moments where the music can be completely overwhelming and sounds like the artist is running around in a variety of directions, but if you continue listening to the entire album you find yourself getting to hear some really strong pieces of blackened industrial. “Chamber of Seclusion,” and “Rift,” are two tracks that really caught my attention after listening to the entire album. “Rift,” is a short song, however, packs a might punch by laying down some agonizing rhythms mixed with demonic like noises in the background. Then to wrap it all up, “I Can Hear You Breathing,” is a solid ending track given the amount of hellish hallucinogenic torment that was heard on most of this release. 

    Overall I have to credit this band for coming up with a very atypical sounding release, because even though the music at times sounded like somebody completely lost their mind, the ability to put this album together is a very impressive feat. Experimentation can sometimes cause an album to come crashing down after the first couple tracks, but I thought for the most part the band was able to deliver, and you do get some unique sounding moments to maintain your interest. Like any band that has a sound which draws from a variety of harsh sounding elements, my best advice would be to keep pushing and exploring, but also think about production and keeping it sounding tight. The Bleak’s, “Unwritten,” is highly worth checking out and will hopefully be one of many twisted offerings for fans to check out in the future.  

Bandcamp Link :

https://ritualabusehysteria.bandcamp.com/album/unwritten

Abstracter "Abominion"

   As the skies are consumed by an apocalyptic haze stemming from some horrendous catastrophic event, Abstracter shall reign supreme over the charred and decrepit ruins. The Bay Area band’s fourth album, “Abominion,” is without question one the most highly anticipated extreme metal releases to come out this year. Sentient Ruin once again maintains an undeniable dominance amongst the underground with yet another unfathomably pulverizing release to add to the label’s already devastating catalog. 

   When I heard the news that Abstracter was going to be releasing a new album this year, I was really looking forward to what the band had in store for listeners. The first time I listened to the band was when I reviewed their debut album, “Tomb of Feathers,” for another online metal publication. Ever since then I have been keeping a close eye on the band and being from the Bay Area myself, I have watched them become a well respected and highly regarding act amongst the local underground community. 

   They combine such a variety of utterly devastating musical influences ranging from sickening black metal to gruesome death doom and sludge metal. Just like Bay Area icons Noothgrush, the band is able to paint an abysmal and apocalyptic sounding world that hits you with tremendous eye opening force. Once you starting listening to their music, there is simply no stopping the instrumental armageddon that they are capable of unleashing. 

   “Abominion,” is a deeper exploration into the haunting sinister musical voids first heard on the band’s debut album, but carries more of the same harsh sounding themes heard on their last album, “Cinereous Incarnate.” The band has gone through some line-up changes since the last release, but the mentality and sound has not changed one bit. Actually, I hear an even more raw and ruthless sounding band on this new release, especially pertaining to the drumming and the earth shaking guitar arrangements. 

   Greg Wilkinson did a tremendous job recording and mixing this release by capturing the band’s vicious and soul-crushing sound. The opening track, “Eclipse Born,” wastes little time throwing listeners into a massive sounding world where all light seems to be swallowed up by some unseen inhuman force. There are plenty of deafening riffs and bludgeoning drum parts that violently echo out of the speakers. The vocals compared to the band’s earlier releases have become even more demonic and malevolent, which is why I would consider this album to be their darkest sounding release to date. 

   Throughout the entire album songs like, “Warhead Twilight,” “Tenebrae” and “Abyss Above,” deliver such an agonizing sound along with a sheer unforgiving attitude. Each composition contains a mighty helping of juggernaut sized riffs that come crashing down like a violent distorted tsunami. In the end, the final track on the album, “Lighteater,” steals the show by offering one avant-garde exploration into mountains of unfathomable madness. The overall arrangement conveys a bleak doom like presentation, while you also feel this haunting hallucinogenic pathway leading you down a rabbit hole of sickening destruction. To me the song is reason alone to buy this album, and really shows how talented these musicians are when pertaining to writing songs that leave an impact on the listener. 

    There are no throwaway riffs, or cheap sounding arrangements for that matter, because everything done on this new album is done with a strong creative and sinister purpose. So many bands have tried to blend extreme elements together in an attempt to come up with a "brutal" release, but few have the ability to keep it all together for an entire album. Abstracter is the real deal and their continuous work ethic has really culminated into something almost unimaginable in the world of extreme music. I shall make the claim that this right now is one of the most profound releases of the year and one people are going to want to get their hands on. Hopefully Sentient Ruin can keep up with the demand, because orders will be flying off the shelves faster than when people went crazy trying to get toilet paper and had sanitizer! 

Abstracter "Eclipse Born" (Album comes out October 1, 2021) : 

Sentient Ruin bandcamp/where you can buy the album:

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/abominion

Also Abstracter Bandcamp:

https://abstracter.bandcamp.com/

Graveland "Hour of Ragnarok"

 

    The hour of ultimate extreme sounding annihilation is upon us! The wait was well worth it, because Graveland’s new album, “Hour of Ragnarok,” is a cataclysmic release that will sweep listeners into an apocalyptic battle field of triumphant sounding black metal. 

    Ever since the band announced the release of this new album I have been patiently awaiting its release. Without a doubt, this is an album that I was extremely looking forward to hearing and for good reason. Graveland has been firing on all cylinders ever since the release of, “1050 Years of Pagan Cult,” where the band decided to rework some of their classic material and give the songs even more profound and epic edge. The band's early years of raw black metal have evolved into a more pagan metal sound, but the end result combines such brilliant sounding compositions that feel almost cinematic at times. Founding member and the true driving force behind Graveland, Rob Darken, has done a tremendous job over the years and creativity of this band never ceases to amaze me as a fan. 

    “Hour of Ragnarok,” is the culmination of years and years of hard work and constant drive to make solid recordings. As much as I deeply enjoy, “Thousand Swords,” which I consider to be one the greatest black metal releases of all time, I have really enjoyed the band’s evolution and creative direction by exploring pagan mythology in a way that vividly stands out. The attention to detail and strong emphasis on production quality is what separates them from a lot of other bands and I also respect them for not wanting to putting out the same sounding release year after year. 

    The album’s opening track, “The Wolf of Twilight,” is quite possibly one of the most profound statements in terms of an opening track. Right away you are thrust into this destructive sounding world with a thunderous rush of bombastic drum arrangements and skull splitting riffs. Rob’s distinct vocal style adds to the barbaric sounding onslaught and elevates the song’s cinematic like vibe. Holding nothing back the band is able to brilliantly transition into the next song, “Hour of Ragnarok,” conjuring up a devastating composition. The riffs are very percussive and inject a tremendous amount of unapologetic force into the overall arrangement.

    “Conspiracy of the Wizards,” is another monumental sounding piece of music and one where I can hear those slight touches that made “Thousand Swords” such a classic. This band gets what it takes to compose music that conveys a raw, yet larger than life atmosphere. During the track, "Children of Hyperborea," the band incorporates some epic sounding background vocals to contrast with the fearsome sounding instrumental arrangements. The themes on songs like, “Following the Azure Light,” and “The Three Gifts of the Gods,” are executed with a plethora of attention to detail, so in the end the music flows with a truly unique and confident synergy. 

    “Hour of Ragnarok,” is an album highly worth checking out and arguably one the most impressive Graveland releases to come out in recent years. Now, I’m not saying that some of the albums prior to this release are completely forgettable, however, I firmly believe that this release is on an even greater level. Graveland’s decision to rework their classic material on, “1050 Years of Pagan Cult,” was a brilliant idea, and pushed the band in this new direction musically, which has allowed the band to compose some utterly powerful recordings. 

    Sadly, Graveland gets a lot of criticism from the metal community for past statements and continuous attacks from social justice warriors that claim the band promotes a certain extremist ideology. If you actuality listen to the music there is no fascist ideology being incorporated into the albums, especially on this new release. Sometimes I wonder if it is jealously that fuels the Graveland hate, because no matter how many times Rob Darken denounces any pro-Nazi or fascist ideology associated with the band, people continue to throw around these cheap claims with very little evidence. 

 

    When it comes down to it, let the music do the talking, which Graveland has done extremely well given the quality of this new release. This band does not need support from supposed CVLT metal publications that kiss the asses of hipster black metal fans, because in the end the die hard and loyal fans of Graveland will continue to support the band and appreciate the artistic creativity that comes from this band. 

Check out the entire album below via the band's Youtube Channel: 

Glyph "Unbinding Sacred Writings"

    Even though there is very little information available about the band Glyph, I believe the mystery that surrounds this one man black metal band will only further listeners interest in the band’s music. The newest Glyph release, “Unbinding Sacred Writings,” is a blistering raw sounding black metal release and explores those abhorrent sounding landscapes where demons dwell in dark dominions eagerly waiting to be summoned. 

    I am actually somewhat familiar with this artist having reviewed a compilation they were on called, “Le Satanisme et La Magie,” which was released through Ritual Abuse Hysteria. Also, I reviewed a demo that the label sent me which I thought demonstrated a raw and compelling sinister sound. Where so many up and coming black metal bands have failed by coming up with the same recycled Immortal riffs and ridiculously cheesy promo photos, Glyph puts emphasis on dark ambience and atmosphere. If you enjoy black metal that constructs nightmare like atmospheres full of tranquil sounding chaos, then you will find this new demo to your liking. 

    The demo begins with an intro instrumental piece called, “Forbidden,” that I found to be a fairly decent setup for the next song, although I felt as if the transition between this track and the next one seemed a bit off. Even with my minor complaint about the transition, I was extremely impressed by the second track, “Codex,” which feverishly tore away at a blasphemous sounding arrangement. The haunting vocals perfectly compliment the hellish sounding environment, while the drumming provides a hateful rush of raw energy very reminiscent of early Emperor and Graveland. 

    On the last two tracks of the demo, Glyph mercilessly hammers out more sacrilegious sounding black metal riffs. “Interpreter,” is another intense joyride into the unfathomable depths of unholy darkness and features some blistering guitar work. The last song on the demo, “Admonition,” is an agonizing assault upon the ears with a flurry of tormented vocals and sanity smashing riffs. From the very beginning of this album you always feel the raw and unapologetic nature that comes rushing out of the compositions, and honestly there is never a lack luster moment. 

    Overall, this a very solid sounding demo right here and one that fuels interest for future releases. Production wise I definitely want to hear this band continue to explore and build upon the instrumental themes established on this demo, as well as the malevolent spectral sounding atmospheres. I have been really impressed by what this artist has been doing in recent months and I look forward to more releases.

Glyph Bandcamp:

https://keeperoftheglyph.bandcamp.com/

 

8 Hour Animal "Resigner"

   At first you almost don’t know how to react when listening to 8 Hour Animal’s debut full-length album, “Resigner,” because you find yourself trying to pick up the pieces of your shattered sanity after listening to this album. The blitzkrieg of harsh industrial elements and chaotic electronic noises creates a massive sounding mind altering atmosphere. 

   Once again, Sentient Ruin finds a one-man act who does not follow the stereotypical path and explores the most deviant sounds a human could possible conjure up. Imagine Ministry and all those Wax Trax Records band, but with a more inhuman approach that aspires to bring about a musical annihilation of unforgiving digital proportions. Some of the compositions on this album are truly phenomenal and captivating, while some are down right frightening in terms of the amount of overwhelming electronic sounds that pierce your ears without remorse. 

   The first song on the album, “Almost Free,” is a nightmare inducing piece of music and the audio clip in the beginning of the track adds to the song’s misanthropic theme. True electronic sounding disgust brings about a rush of hateful energy that dissolves into a sea of complete chaos. The second track, “Oblivs,” reminded me a bit of early acid house, but with a more darker and sadistic energy coming from the heart pounding rhythms. Actually, I thought the track was very catchy, so much that felt like I was in a complete trance as the music intensely flowed out of my speakers. 

   Track number three, “Clever People,” is another hard hitting industrial experimentation which I thought brought together a monumental amount of frantic sound effects. The muffled vocals were hard to make out, although I believe they were more intended to inject an extra boost of savagery into the overall mix. “Pushing Myself Down,” is the longest song off of the album with a total run time of around 13 minutes. Give this artist 13 minutes and you are sure to hear a plethora of unfathomable electronic compositions. The track definitely reminded me of some classic 80’s horror film score, but I would go as far to say that if this were used in a movie I would not be surprised if the concept of the film would be something truly sinister. 

   The last two tracks on the album are also worth checking out, “Wake” and “Once You Accept Everything,” however I was really impressed more with the beginning of this release. The level of unorthodox creativity that I heard on this album stood out from start to finish, which is why I would say that 8 Hour Animal is perfect for Sentient Ruin. Again, here we have a release that does not sound like most of what is being pumped out these days and actually explores so much more than just the typical industrial sounding release. Highly worth checking out if you are in the mood for something that will melt your mind and turn you brains into a puddle of liquid! 

Check out the entire release below:

Sentient Ruin Bandcamp:

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/resigner

Vessel of Iniquity "The Doorway"

 

   By now if you are a regular reader of this blog, you should all know that when I am going to be reviewing a band that is working with Sentient Ruin, I am probably going to be extremely descriptive and very complimentary in terms of the band’s unforgiving artistic expression. This time I have to be quite honest and admit that Sentient Ruin has found a band that is utterly insane and offers up one twisted sounding release. Vessel of Iniquity’s new full-length album, “The Doorway,” is an unholy doorway into one volatile sounding musical landscape full of unorthodox sounding arrangements. 

   This one-man project takes extreme dynamic creativity and literally throws a hornets nest of sounds and styles together to achieve a harsh hellish sound. At times I am drawn to the entropy and brutal confidence, then there are times where I am left scratching my head wondering where everything went wrong. From black metal to industrial noise elements to even some cinematic sounds to create a horror movie like atmosphere, this album is the equivalent of a Fellini film on demonic acid. 

   Out of the nine tracks, I can tell you that there is always something that grabs your attention and then there will be moments where you are completely consumed by some chaotic sounding composition. “A Glimpse of the Pattern,” kicks off the album with an ominous sounding riff that is slow at first, but eventually sets up one devastating blast beat assault. Throughout the album listeners will notice the music constantly shifting from slow tempos to extremely intense tempos, which creates a climate of unpredictably and constant chaos. The second track, “By Allusion Called,” has a more terrifying doom structure that makes you feel like everything is falling apart as you are hit unmercifully by a bludgeoning of violent sounds. 

   The production quality on this album is solid for the most part and on songs like, “The Doorway,” the ferocious compositions are well recorded to bring about a sense of primitive sounding brutality. At times you feel like some of the tracks are used more to inject a sense of surreal horror in the album’s overall theme like on, “Death State Boundary.” During that track I had no idea what was going on, because the muffled voice completely took me by surprise. Eventually you start to become dizzy from all the agonizing riffs and ear shattering blast beats, plus the ghastly vocals are almost inhumane sounding. Until the very end, I felt like the vocal parts on this album complimented the overall abysmal atmosphere. 

   Vessel of Iniquity definitely shares in the Sentient Ruin mentality, which is to create music that has no boundaries and looks to strike audial fear amongst the extreme metal community. “The Doorway,” is one release that I find has a lot to dissect, but in the end even if there are moments you might find to be a bit overwhelming, the overall execution is fairly solid and delivers plenty of unforgiving arrangements. If you like black metal mixed with some grindcore and industrial sounds, then you will definitely want to give this a listen. Sometimes these unconventional sounding albums are most welcomed, because let’s be completely honest, one can only listen to so many shitty Norwegian black metal copycats before one goes totally mental from hearing the same album over and over again. 

Check out the entire album below:

Sentient Ruin Bandcamp:

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/the-doorway

Disimperium "Malefic Obliteration"

   This release may only feature three tracks, however I recommend that you do not underestimate Disimperium’s sadistic sounding extreme metal vision. The band’s debut EP, “Malefic Obliteration,” is a blackened death onslaught, throwing listeners into a savage realm of fearsome desolation. 

   Featuring members from Misrule and Ascended Dead, this Portland, OR based band really turns up the intensity on their debut EP. Disimperium is not trying to do anything completely different from what one might expect from a merciless blackened death metal band that also mixes in some old school grindcore elements, although the band seems to know how to produce a vivid and hellish sounding release that contains some agonizing compositions.

   Yes, this style of music has been hammered out numerous times before, but what separates this band from the others is the solid production and brutal execution on each track. The open riff on the first track, “Malefic Obliteration,” is a sinister sounding assault that comes charging at you like a chainsaw wielding lunatic. The vocals were what really stood out the most and the singer unleashes some horrendous growls as the music violently transitions. So much chaos, so much insanity and so much utter insidious creativity that it literally makes your head spin. 

   The next song, “Fuming Nexus,” is very similar to the opening track, and once again throws you into this cataclysmic atmosphere full of brutal instrumental arrangements. I cannot believe the drumming on this release at times and how the force of the rhythms come rumbling out of the speakers like a Sherman Tank. Turn this release on at full volume and you are sure to become deaf after a couple listens! The album’s final track, “Infernal Machine,” was another wicked offering and the ending perfectly summed up the band’s destructive vision. Eventually the band stops playing and all you hear is feedback and inhuman noises as if everything has been completely decimated by some apocalyptic event. 

   Disimperium is a band that you should not be surprised is working with Sentient Ruin on the release of this EP. Once again, here is a group that gets how to produce a vicious sounding album and demonstrates a certain caliber of musicianship I feel is lacking at times amongst some up and coming bands. “Malefic Obliteration,” by Disimperium is highly recommend for blackened death metal grindcore fanatics who wish to hear something that is brutal from start to finish, and of course is being released through one of the premier labels within the extreme metal community. 

Check out the entire EP below: 

Sentient Ruin Bandcamp:

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/malefic-obliteration