dimanche 26 juillet 2026

Interview with Luigi & Luca of Tombal

Tombal is an Italian old-school death metal band with Swedish death metal style characterized by a consistent HM-2 chainsaw-driven guitar tone (Heavily inspired by the HM-2's fierce and sharpness) Tombal is more reminiscent to the Swedish style for some fans Tombal is the Italian Dismemeber or Bloodbath

 Released on June 12, 2026, "Grave of the Damned" is the debut EP that carves the way for a relentless aggression and ferocity forged in death, rot and decay, The EP was released by Blood Harvest Records, while Unholy Domains handles the cassette edition.

1-First of all, thank you for taking part in this interview and congratulation for your new EP Grave of the Damned, I just wanted to ask a bit about the origins of the band (introduce Tombal to the readers), since 2025. How was the songwriting process divided across the course of all these years, was it spread out or product of a very short time frame when time allowed it?

Luigi: Hi! First of all, thank you very much for inviting us to this interview. Tombal was born in August 2025 from an idea I had been carrying with me for a long time: to form a pure old-school Swedish death metal band, as I've always been passionate about that sound, especially the HM-2 tone. So I contacted Luca, an incredibly talented drummer, and Massimiliano on bass to form the band. After letting them hear what I had in mind, they both accepted immediately, and that's how Tombal was born. I wrote our first single, Grave of the Damned, which was released shortly afterwards on YouTube. After that, I composed all the remaining songs for the EP. Luca recorded the drums in Basilicata, while Massimiliano and I completed the rest of the recordings here in Sardinia. All of this happened in roughly six months. In the meantime, I also contacted Mario, our second guitarist, and he joined Tombal without hesitation. We're already working on our first full-length album and we'll be back in the studio very soon.

2-What can you tell us about your line up, and will you introduce other members?

Luca: Tombal consists of Luigi Cara on guitar and vocals, Massimiliano Falchi on bass, Mario Tamponi on guitar, and myself, Luca Barone, on drums. No, we have no plans to add any new members, as the band is now complete. Besides being musicians united by our passion for extreme metal, we're also a close group of friends.



3- What do you think of the worldwide metal and extreme scene today, are you against modern metal styles who invaded the old school metal scene? 

Luigi: To be honest, we always prefer the old-school approach, not only in death metal but in heavy metal in general, because we believe it's the truest and most natural sound you can hear, not only in terms of production but also in attitude and the way the music is played. At the same time, I also listen to newer bands, not really modern metal, but modern death metal, and there are so many bands absolutely crushing it, especially here in Italy

4- What’s your mainly inspiration to compose and How do you write your music? Is there a set guideline or do you write what you feel as you go along?

Luca: Every member of the band brings their own influences, of course. We're definitely inspired by bands like Dismember, Interment, Grave and Entombed. However, that's never a limitation for us as we don't copy anyone and we don't follow any strict guideline. We always try to follow our own natural path, both in songwriting and in finding the sound we want to achieve

5- You released a single Grave of the Damned on the 22nd of January, 2026 from your new E.P Grave of the Damned via Blood Harvest Records so can you tell us about the inspiration behind the album concept and influences?

Luigi: As I said before, the Italian scene is in great shape. It's full of death metal bands that absolutely crush, including bands that have become really successful, like Fulci. But even the darker, more underground side of death metal is full of incredibly strong bands. The same goes for Sardinia: there are many great bands here, especially black metal bands, including some that are deeply connected to Sardinian traditions. There aren't as many death metal bands, but the ones we do have are all excellent.

Luca: Everything started with the release of our self-titled single. From the very beginning, we wanted to write direct, uncompromising songs with a strong impact, creating a violent yet natural, slightly raw sound that allowed us to achieve exactly what we were looking for. From that single, we built the rest of the EP by following the same natural direction and keeping the same intensity we wanted to express. Although it's not a concept release, the lyrics are connected by a common thread revolving around death, destruction, rot and decay. As I mentioned before, our influences remain the same, but they never limit our songwriting. We simply follow what feels most natural to us.

6-Are you satisfy with your label and witch label fit to your music?

Luigi: Yes, we're very satisfied with the work both Blood Harvest and Unholy Domain have done. Everything has been going really well with our labels so far, and we're already working on the full-length, even though several other labels have also contacted us showing a strong interest in Tombal

7-What about themes in the lyrics?

Luca: As I mentioned before, the main themes we deal with are death, decay and rot. They perfectly reflect the concept behind the name Tombal.

8- About the album artwork, did you do the cover for " Grave of the Damned " yourself ?

Luigi: The artwork was created by Valeria Foddanu, a very talented tattoo artist from Sardinia. She perfectly captured everything we had in mind and brought it to life flawlessly.



9-How would you describe your style of music?

Luca: It's definitely old-school death metal, Swedish death metal forged through aggression, violence and a completely uncompromising approach, combined with a raw and powerful sound.

10- What are some of your non-musical influences?

Luigi: Outside of music, my biggest influence comes from old-school horror movies. I also draw inspiration from them when writing some of the lyrics.

11-Did you send your record to some promo and webzines?

Luca: Yes. For the most part, our label handled the promotion through magazines and zines.

12-Any fav bands to get on stage with? ,any future gigs or fest  ?

Luigi: We'd love to share the stage with bands that have a great attitude and, above all, with good people we can spend great moments with. We already have confirmed shows and festival appearances, and we're currently working on a European tour that will support the release of our first full-length album alongside a great Italian death metal band.

13-Do you have any references or influences from horror/ gore, slasher movies, or Italian *Giallo*? I’m a huge fan……Italy really excels at this kind of cinema, like the movies of Fulci?

Luca: As Luigi mentioned earlier, films, especially horror films, are a major source of inspiration for our lyrics. To name a few, we love The Exorcist (the original one), Evil Dead, and Splatters-Gli Schizzacervelli

14- Do you already have things in the plans after the release of Grave of the Damned any album? Touring? or Split Ep's in the horizon?

Luigi: Yes, Luca is about to enter the studio to record the drum tracks, and I think by October the album will already be ready for pressing. Right after that, we'll begin a strong promotional campaign with live shows, tours and festivals, all managed by our booking agency, Occult Booking. We're really in great shape at the moment.

15- What is the biggest change compared to the debut before before releasing your first EP?

Luca: Compared to our debut EP, the full-length definitely features more structured songs. We've introduced more tempo changes that we enjoy experimenting with, and in a couple of tracks we've incorporated the classic Swedish d-beat. However, the impact and aggression will continue exactly where Grave of the Damned left off.

16- To conclude, if you have any closing thoughts you want to say about the record the next of Tombal, band or old school death metal at large

Luigi: I'd like to thank you for the interview, and all our fans and friends for the incredible support they've shown us from the very beginning. We can't wait to play live and for you to hear what we have in store with the release of our first full-length album.

Death Metal Is Alive!

 


lundi 20 juillet 2026

Acolythus - Unearthly Kingdoms 'Neath Lifeless Stars (2026)




Label: Inverse Records

Track list:

1. Among Ruins Forlorn

2. Scholars of Empires Beyond

3. As the Slaughtered Wizards Reincarnate

4. Frozen Desolate Warfields

5. Vacuous Gods of the Abyss

6. Unearthly Kingdoms 'Neath Lifeless Stars

7. In the Fading Light of Burning Cathedrals


Acolythus' debut album Unearthly Kingdoms 'Neath Lifeless Stars (released May 8 via Inverse Records) is a raw, analog-focused slice of Finnish old-school melodic black metal., the record delivers 32 minutes of aggressive, atonal tremolo riffs and mystical worldbuilding,,  Acolythus was born from the desire of seasoned musicians to create an outlet for their purely black metal aspirations, apparently that was entirely composed produced and recorded in record time just one month !!! (February 2026) and ….. the result is truly impressive for your information Acolythus album’s production involves no studio trickery, no digital track editing no cheating, everything heard comes from real instruments played by the line-up, capturing the raw aggression of each take.

The final result delivers a chilling sound typical of the 90s, yet with an organic clarity that allows the music to breathe and there is no clinical production like modern bands

Acolythus prove that when you are committed to the task and have mastered what you are doing, the work will be approved and validated

 And here we confirm that everything modern is substandard, just sophisticated exactly as Jeff Walker stated Carcass frontman Jeff Walker famously characterized modern extreme metal as "substandard". Around the time of his band's comeback, he expressed his belief that the quality of death and extreme metal had declined since the mid-90s and unfortunately, that is the sad truth

Angrmáni's work is built upon quintessentially Finnish tremolo-picked riffs which contrast with the violence of the singing

Maleficarum delivers an intense performance driven by blast beats and martial rhythms blast beats are constant, brings a very good dynamism to the drumming, alternating between crushing grooves and ferocious bursts of speed and drumming sound is natural no gating or sound replacement with samples

The overall reception within the underground community is extremely positive, particularly on specialized platforms and social media also the album cover matches the vibe, too and very fit with the album's content with post-apocalyptic land scape …. forgotten kingdoms beneath dead and dark stars with presence and feeling of icy loneliness detectable in the lyrics and all this in black and white in keeping with the rules of the true old-school black metal

The album feels like it was released in debut 90’s , but with technical proficiency and musicality far superior to the demos of that era.

Tracks to pay attention Scholars of Empires Beyond, Vacuous Gods of the Abyss and In the Fading Light of Burning Cathedrals in any case don’t waste your time go listen and share or add Unearthly Kingdoms 'Neath Lifeless Stars in your collection

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dimanche 12 juillet 2026

Numen - Erre (2026)


 

Label:Les Acteurs de l'Ombre Productions

Tracklist :

1.Kez beteriko zeru penatua

2.Negu itxian Urtarril hotza

3.Errautsen azken arnasa

4.Hustasuna – Oroitzapen galduen putzua

5.Euria infernuko sutan

Released on June 12, 2026, via Les Acteurs de l'Ombre Productions, Erre is the fifth album from Numen, a band formed in the Basque Country in 1997. It delivers brutal, old-school black metal infused with the traditional folk influences so dear to their homeland. According to the band's biography, the lyrics are entirely in Basque, focusing on ancient traditions, legends, and mythology,all while maintaining a fierce hostility toward Christianity.

Erre conjures the atmosphere of a medieval inferno, driven by a raw, icy production style inspired by 90s Nordic black metal; fans of Setherial, Dark Funeral, or Tsjuder, Blackmass, Triumphator will find plenty to appreciate here.

A first listen reveals a record that is more direct, aggressive, and ritualistic than their previous work,characterized by a chaotic sound, lightning-fast blast beats, and visceral shrieks,and it catches the listener off guard right from the opening track, eschewing any preamble or intro.

It abandons traditional misty landscapes to plunge the listener straight into the terror of the XVII th-century Inquisition.

According to my research he title Erre meaning "to burn",sets the stage for an album defined by constant tension linked to tragic witch hunts, meanwhile, the melancholic acoustic guitar interludes offer a moment of solemn respite and deep sadness. Immersive keyboard arrangements reinforce the concept's occult, epic, and ceremonial nature. While the vocals and tracklist are entirely in Euskara Basque language spoken on both sides of the Pyrenees this choice actually heightens the sense of mystical ritual and cultural authenticity. The production is cold and razor-sharp in an old-school style, featuring an organic sound that emphasizes high frequencies, biting distorted guitars using tremolo picking, and a heavy rhythm section, the drums remain abrasive and fast. The result is a raw, direct form of black metal straight from the deepest abysses of hell, yet one that still retains subtle melodic touches.

On the downside, the sound processing is heavily compressed, this causes guitar distortion and flattens or stifles the bass and parts of the drums, making exhausting listening experience. Then there is the track length though the album consists of only five tracks, two of them ("Kez beteriko zeru penatua" and "Euria infernuko sutan") exceed nine minutes, which may be a stretch for listeners unaccustomed to this style of brutal Black Metal. However, there is no tedious melancholy, no slow tempos, andabove all like the atmospheric style Numen’s Erre delivers constant brutality, a joy for extreme metal fans that makes you want to add the album to your collection, and yes, it is certainly worth adding.


lundi 6 juillet 2026

Necrobeast - Iron Baphomet (2026)

 

Label: Witches Brew

Tracklist:

1. In Communion with Satan

2. Promethean Flame

3. Iron Baphomet

4. Blood Gods

5. The Awakening of the Necrobeast

6. Emissary of Death

7. From Hell

8. Jakten

Chilean-born, Netherlands-based blackened thrash act Necrobeast deliver a punishing and relentlessly aggressive ride on their debut full-length, Iron Baphomet. It is a thrilling, old-school record that masterfully resurrects the raw, visceral energy of 1980s South American and Nordic black-thrash scenes, via Witches Brew (Germany) and Urolig Sjel Records (France) featuring 8 tracks of unrelenting extremity, this eight-tracks marks the long-awaited debut full-length album from Necrobeast a project originally founded 20 years ago in Valdivia, Chile, by mastermind Seb Kings (Sebastián Reyes)

The band celebrating 20 years in the extreme underground—has crafted an 8-track display of blackened thrash that feels authentic rather than nostalgic in th style of Bewitched, Sarcófago, Bathory, Aura Noir, old Slayer, old Sodom

Iron Baphomet immediately impresses with its raw authenticity, refusing any concession to modernity to offer a total immersion in the extreme of the 80s and that is their strong point in any case modernity in extreme metal scéne is substandard contrary to Iron Baphomet The first preview of the sound is characterized by furious, lightning-fast guitar work, driving thrash tempos, and raspy, possessed vocals. The album achieves a gritty, unearthly soundscape that prioritizes visceral, blood-pumping energy over sterile production. A sound that pleases and gives hope to veteran, beer-drinking fans of true old-school metal, because Iron Baphomet isn't for the children and kids of modern metal.

The atmosphere is dark and belligerent, a constant threat. The album opens with the sounds of sirens, explosions, and bells, establishing an end-of-the-world or post-apocalyptic atmosphere. A geographical duality: the atmosphere fuses the savage and bestial aggression of South American death/thrash with the glacial darkness of Nordic black metal. The overall tone is occult, hateful, and intensely ritualistic. The raw, subterranean production seems to come from the abyss of hell. Sharp guitars.

The microphone sound is intentionally dirty (unlike modern productions; Iron Baphomet's production is dirty and raw that's old school). A sound that pleases the ears and is adored by beer drinkers and hell-raisers, sharp and direct, recorded in Uppsala, Sweden, possessed vocals. The screams are grating, doubled at times to accentuate the effect of terror, without any digital smoothing, mechanical rhythm.

 The drums, although very clean and precise, have a clinical quality that contrasts with the grit of the riffs.

It evokes a sense of nostalgia like listening to a forgotten underground cassette from 1986, unearthed from the depths of the Chilean scene. It possesses a raw energy: the pace is frenetic, leaving almost no downtime, yet the execution is precise. Beneath the apparent chaos lies impressive technical mastery that prevents the project from becoming a sloppy mess.

To pay attention In Communion with Satan , Iron Baphomet, Blood Gods  and Jakten

In any case go add this masterpiece to your collection.


jeudi 4 juin 2026

Malhkebre - B.A.M.N. (2026)

 

label: Battlesk'rs Productions

Tracklist:

1 - Choose Your Destiny

2 - I Have A Dream

3 - You Failed (Featuring Meyhnach - Mütiilation)

4 - Falling To Rise

5 - To Those Who Forged Us

6 - We Fight And We Protect

7 - There Are No Safe Spaces

B.A.M.N. by the French black metal band Malhkebre is an uncompromising, slow, and sludge-laden album released in April 2026 via Les Acteurs de l'ombre, it favors heavy, ritualistic, and declarative pacing rather than outright speed, This 7-track album, totaling over 40 minutes, prioritizes a pervasive sense of oppression, relying on slowed-down tempos with a touch of doom metal…… B.A.M.N. by Malhkebre imposes a suffocating atmosphere and a heavy production, marking a major transition towards a ritualistic and crushing black metal , according to certain publications and some reviewer because in my opinion B.A.M.N is a pure and perfect  traditional black metal (old school) you can see that on singing style little bit like Attila Csihar of Mayhem except vocalist of Malhkebre is not too much great.

 

The album trades traditional black metal blast beats for a slower, heavier, and more groove-oriented sound with A nightmarish and ritualistic atmosphere (The overall atmosphere is consistently described as oppressive, hypnotic, and profoundly hostile). The specialized press agrees that B.A.M.N. is not a classic or linear black metal album. The band develops an extremely unique sonic identity

The album opens with the chilling introduction Choose Your Destiny, which sets a strong martial scene, a feeling of declaration of war followed by I Have A Dream previewed with a nice intro but several tempo changes too much slowed and heavy tempo, this track fits perfectly into the slowed-down direction with a creeping cadence

You Failed marks a brutal break, shattering the hypnotic stillness of the previous track to unleash a burst of pure violence.

The technical work marks a true break from the usual standards of screeching "Raw Black Metal": A bass-heavy mix: The production massively emphasizes low frequencies. The bass lines are thick and punchy, supporting a heavy, tribal-sounding drum kit. A rough but audible guitar tone: The riffs oscillate between biting, old-school aggression and creeping, monolithic passages. The overall sound, while dark and demanding, avoids the trap of inaudible mush. High-voltage, upfront vocals: Eklezjas'Tik Berzerk's vocals are mixed very prominently. This blend of ritualistic incantations, screams of torture, and vindictive sermons seems almost to float and guide the instrumentation rather than be overwhelmed by it.

Malhkebre 's album B.A.M.N. is structured like a ritual. The overall structure is precisely defined by its tracklist

In an interview I consulted, the band explains that the album was composed prioritizing the immediacy of raw expression over the architecture of the tracks. Classical musical structures are abandoned in favor of visceral progressions.

The work is structured around 7 tracks for a duration of approximately 41 minutes. It is a homogeneous and compact structure where each track flows into a narrative.

Choose Your Destiny (4:34): The martial introduction that sets the political and propagandistic scene (illustrated by the megaphone on the cover).

I Have A Dream (5:47): The rhythmic transition track that establishes the heavy, creeping, and hypnotic slow down tempo maybe it’s a little bit bored track

You Failed (3:53): The shortest, most direct but more attractive and interesting by the previous track, and most violent track, marked by the historic collaboration with Meyhnach.

Falling To Rise (6:12): A long, dissonant piece that immerses the listener in a feeling of rupture and confinement.

To Those Who Forged Us (7:42): The longest track on the album

We Fight And We Protect (6:09): A heavy track with ritualistic atmosphere.

There Are No Safe Spaces (6:32): The abrasive, industrial finale that closes the album

 Tracks to pay attention You Failed, We Fight And We Protect & To Those Who Forged Us

B.A.M.N. is a dark journey where slow passages rub shoulders with cold, industrial violence. Despite its intricate structures that demand careful listening, Malhkebre confirms its status as an essential band for purists seeking morbid originality. A dense, harsh, and devilishly controlled album. with a clinical and modern production.

And now you can add this album to your collection if you want


lundi 25 mai 2026

Wormlord - Choices (2026)

 

label:Unsigned/independent

Tracklist:

1.Skin Stripped Flesh          

2.Plague Park             

3.Ivory Tower              

4.Denial             

5.Choices          

6.Undying          

7.Watch Them Feed  

8.Mania    

9.Slurs

Choices is the second studio album by Finnish death metal band Wormlord, released independently on May 8, 2026. With an approximate duration of 37-38 minutes featuring 9 tracks, the album consolidates the raw and aggressive sound of the Helsinki-based band, which has emerged from the Finnish underground scene since 2019.

Wormlord plays old-school death metal with strong Swedish and classic Finnish influences from the 90s. characterized by a heavy, powerful sound and the massive use of the famous Swedish HM-2 effects pedal. or HM-2W (Famous for its "chainsaw" sound)

After making a name for themselves on the underground scene with their debut album Open Wounds (Open Wounds was a nice stuff and great dose of OSDM and HM2 for olschooler and the beer drinker in 2023 and it’s remembered me to early Bloobath), the Helsinki quartet confirms their talent in 2026 with this second full-length album, propelled by the devastating singles Watch Them Feed, Undying and Ivory Tow but little bit bored this last one .

in any case from the album the band delivers heavy, uncompromising death metal, heavily influenced by the Scandinavian scene of the early 90s , signature sound (Buzzsaw) relies on a heavy, saturated, "chainsaw guitar" tone. It's an absolute treat for fans of the classic distortion of bands like early Bloobath and Dismember for the old melodic style side and the impact potential of each track is maximized by catchy riffs and a relentless rhythm section in favor of the incredible dynamism the only drawback is the blatant lack of originality , they look like a tribute band or even a kind of Dismember and Bloodbath clone, but that's not a problem since there are many bands that perfectly reproduce the music of the bands that motivate and influence them. For example, in Brazil, there are many death metal bands that resemble to Krisiun so much because they reference them so heavily. The same goes for Carcass during the Reek of Putrefaction and Symphonies of Sickness era, as they were a major reference in grindcore for someone the negative side If you already own classic Entombed or Dismember albums, this one doesn't offer any major innovations but for me no problem as it’s about old school ………In any case don’t waste your fuckin time go add this album to your collection, it’s recommended for those who enjoy Entombed, Dismember, or Bloodbath (the classic Nordic death metal scene and OSDM fans)

 

 


jeudi 14 mai 2026

Adversam - Daimon (2026)

 

Label: Masked Dead Records

Track Listing:

1.Fall of Illusions

2.Pillars of Decay

3.Insignificance of Evil

4.The Silent Alignment

5.Echoes of Pain

6.Dead Inside, Alive for a Lie

7.Abstract Salvation

8.Essence of Existence

9.The Collapse Within

Since their first album Animadverte, eleven years ago, Proclama was released nine years after their first album, Insight seven years later, and finally their fourth album Daimon Released in March 2026 via Masked Dead Records

Adversam's Daimon is a highly praised Italian black metal album, described as a cold, technical, and atmosphere-driven 40-minute

It explores mystical themes, the dark nature of humanity, and the meaning of existence, this return after a break from Adversam offers a modern black metal sound influenced by the old school style.with a clinical and modern production

Critics highlight Katharos’s powerful vocals, varied riffs, and a balance of old-school brutality with modern touch, synth-backed production of melodies and soundscapes using synthesizers when the tempo drops and the atmospheric mood appears, Adversam's 2026 album Daimon is described as a raw, brutal, atmospheric, and heavy  (raw and heavy) showcasing a modern sound that remains respectful of the classic black metal school, it is intense and fast, designed to create a dark and ritualistic atmosphere. Adversam's album Daimon stands out for its raw, technical and deeply atmospheric instrumental approach. The guitars use open chords and dissonant intervals. This creates an immediate sense of discomfort, typical of modern black metal, with a presence of true traditional black metal with memorable riffs , icy dissonance these guitars use open chords and dissonant intervals followed by surgical tremolo picking,the main melodies are carried by ultra-fast picking. The notes follow one another to form a continuous and hypnotic wall of sound.

The band alternate styles between waves of extreme saturation and heavier, almost Doom-like passages, where every chord is sustained to weigh down the atmosphere in any case tempo change at right time from a frenetic pace to rigid mid-tempos

The drumming on Adversam's Daimon serves as the driving spine of the entire album, balancing raw velocity with calculated precision…………, Blast beats are relentless…. track to pay attention Pillars of Decay, Echoes of Pain, The Collapse Within the little bit bored track Dead Inside, Alive for a Lie

Eleven years after their last misdeed, this album stands as the ultimate ritual of the Italian underground occult scene ,but apart from a few moments of distortion that stifle the melodic and technical work of the overall structure, the album loses a little clarity despite this, so you can add this album to your collection undoubtedly.


dimanche 10 mai 2026

Skaphos - The Descent (2026)

 

Label:Les Acteurs de l'Ombre Productions

Tracklist:

1. Nese Ende

2. Okean

3. Mireborn

4. Ube

5. The Descent

6. Horror Squid

7. The Brine Seal

8. Mariana Tomb

The Descent (2026) is an album of abyssal blackened death metal (a mix of dark, aggressive atmosphere and bestial brutality) by the French band Skaphos. (Released April 10, 2026) via Les Acteurs de l’Ombre Productions. With densest, compact and most ritualistic sound, the album is described as a "merciless black vortex" and a journey into cosmic horror. Featuring dark and organic artwork, it blends the dissonance of black metal with the raw power of death metal, creating a suffocating and abyssal atmosphere. The mixing brings renewed clarity and power to the original compositions. Some critics note, however, that the mixing can sometimes overemphasize the melodies at the expense of perfect sonic balance. One could say it's a meticulous, clinical production using cutting-edge technology, which has become more common since the days of raw, dirty productions in garages, caves, cellars, or basements are over, even though previously inexpensive productions offered us masterpieces that delighted our ears. This extreme fusion combines the technical brutality of death metal with the chaotic and dark atmosphere of black metal. Characterized by rapid blast beats, heavily distorted guitars, and guttural or screamed vocals, it reminds us of names like old Behemoth and Hate, or perhaps Azarath, particularly Polish bands, as Poland is the benchmark for massive blackened death metal, not forgetting Finland. And speaking of technique... The album The Descent pushes Skaphos' technical execution towards something much more surgical and massive than their original releases. This is no longer the "lo-fi" of self-produced metal, but a demonstration of modern Blackened Death.

The playing technique on this album relies on a constant contrast between death metal heaviness and black metal dissonance. According to my research, the guitarists, faithful to the influence of The Great Old Ones or Ulcerate, use a lot of dissonant intervals and "open" textures to create this feeling of oceanic depth. There's a rapid alternation between tremolo picking (very fast and fluid) for the ambient sections, and very choppy and percussive palm muting for the more Death Metal passages (like on the track "Mireborn"). The album makes extensive use of hissing harmonics and guitar screams that reinforce the "cosmic horror" and organic aspect. Regarding the drums, blast beats are omnipresent, but they aren't linear. A lot of technical skill is present.

Tracks to pay attention: Nese Ende, Mireborn and The Descent.

The Descent is very acceptable Gloomy dark powerful and ritualistic work, so many fans can undoubtedly add this album to their collection.


mardi 28 avril 2026

Inherited Time - Mount of Empty Hopes (2026) (Single)


 Label: Inverse Records

Inherited Time is a modern symphonic metal band from Finland featuring a sci-fi atmosphere, they are an active musical project offering a melodic and atmospheric metal sound, The single "Mount of Empty Hopes" was released ahead of their debut album via Inverse Records

"Mount of Empty Hopes" is the second single from Finnish modern symphonic metal band Inherited Time's upcoming debut album, released in March 2026. The track features a mix of aggressive riffs, growls, and operatic vocals (two styles of singing), detailing a coma dream's struggle between life and death.

Despite perfect sound and impeccable recording, the result of clinical and modern work using cutting-edge technology (which is their strength),but  it remains substandard compared to old-school.

Although the group is still considered part of the "underground" or emerging scene Inherited Time stay a very promising band with strong potential and careful production with great success

dimanche 12 avril 2026

Galibot - Euch'Mau Noir bis (2026)

 


Label:Les Acteurs de l'Ombre Productions

Tracklist :

1.Les Galibots

2. Cheval De Fosse

3. Courrières

4. Barbara

5. Les Nords

6. Terre d'Euch Mau

7. Le galibot

8. Schlamms

From France, composed by Diffamie (vocals), Thomas Deffrasnes (guitar/vocals), Clément Joly (bass), and Robin Grabmann (drums), via Les Acteurs de l’Ombre Productions, presents, Euch’mau Noir Bis via Les Acteurs de l’Ombre

By the first preview claustrophobic atmosphere and underground terror the album falls the listener into the mine tunnels with a cinematic intro blending menacing keyboard pads and the sounds of pickaxes followed with French narration ….. as Galibots means apprentice miners with an historical theme the lyrics deal with black faces, pit horses and the tragic fate of child miners (The Galibots, Les Galibots in French), creating an atmosphere that is at once epic, angry and full of despair, the sound evokes a raging hell and a visceral tribute to the land.

The production is described as rough and abrupt, but significantly more legible, allowing the sharp melodies and martial rhythms with tempo changes at right time to stand out now you can add this album to your collection., overall, the recording and mixing are perfect, cutting edge of technology (modern production), guitars are incisive with a surprising groove for Black Metal (a little not too much ), while the drums remain correctly executeDiffamie's (Agathe's) voice is a major highlight, delivering a furious and spectral scream (but not too much evil just aggressive) that manages to remain intelligible despite the fury, Euch’mau Noir Bis alternates between fast and aggressive tracks…...tracks to pay attention Cheval De Fosse, Les Nords, and the best of the album Schlamms

In any case, with its strong local roots and an album cover that adequately describes the theme and subject matter, Galibot stands out as a remarkable discovery of the French black metal scene………….. now you can add this album to your collection.