 SARMAT 'RS-28' INDEPENDENT It's easy to say that whenever a black / death metal band emerges out of the Polish underground, first comparisons with that band are usually drawn from either Behemoth or Vesania, for trio Sarmat they seem to straddle the two with their finely balanced blend of blitzkrieg black metal and death metal destruction. From the off we're treated to a ferocious onslaught of menacing riffs, thunderous drums and vocals harsh enough to make your ears bleed inside out. Sarmat takes it's name from the aptly named "Weapon of Ultimate Destruction", the Russian super-heavy intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) RS-28 SARMAT (also known as SATAN 2). Naturally this pretty much summarises the band's debut album "RS-28", not just musically in the sense that it's cataclysmic but also lyrically as they heavily lean on military terms, war and destruction. Sarmat are one to watch, watch this space. Download this: "Seeds of Uncertainty" For fans of: Behemoth, Vesania, Eastern Front, Vader 'RS-28' is out now via an independent release [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  THE IRIDIUM EXPERIMENT 'Hero.Villain.Victim' INDEPENDENT It goes without saying that within planet metal, a vast swathe of the African continent tends to be forgotten to a larger extent except for a number of metal bands... just not enough to reach the number of fingers on your hand. It therefore comes as no surprise that the South African metal scene is largely disconnected from the rest of the world, but it's bands like The Iridium Experiment who carry the scene forward. This 10-legged leviathan might not exactly bring something totally fresh to the table, they do however bring something that will grab attention from further afield no doubt. Their debut EP ''Hero.Villain.Victim'' is poised within the progressive metalcore sound but with aspects of modern metal dabbled here and there. What could make the sound that bit more in your face would be some heavier synths, maybe a bass drop here and there, not suggesting they should walk down the lines of Asking Alexandria or The Browning, but for the style implemented here it may well become complementary. Otherwise a solid effort that will grab attention across the African continent and beyond. Download this: "Losing My Mind" For fans of: Cypher16, Monuments, Miss May I 'Hero.Villain.Victim' is out now via an independent release [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  SABHANKRA 'Death To Traitors' SATURNAL It's no secret that the Turkish extreme metal scene is one not to be taken lightly, just ask veterans Sabhankra who have been crafting unnerving music for over 20 years. Now the quartet have delivered a solid reminder of why the aforementioned is truthful, this reminder comes courtesy of their new album "Death To Traitors", a solid romp that samples sounds from the melodic black, death and thrash metal libraries whilst adding their own authentic flavour to the mix. If you're seeking metal that you could meditate or pray to, then Sabhankra is your answer, for this quartet have conjured up sounds that puts the mind at ease, whilst ironically making your limbs yearn to mosh. "Death To Traitors" may well be the most extreme release Sabhankra has put out to date. Download this: "Burn Down Their Halls" For fans of: Keep Of Kalessin, Aradin Azun, Damaar 'Death To Traitors' is out now via Saturnal Records [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  KHANDRA 'All Occupied By Sole Death' SEASON OF MIST / UNDERGROUND ACTIVITIES Whilst the country of Belarus is facing a barrage of criticism and unrelenting negative media coverage, it is then perhaps a welcome relief to see it's very own black metallers Khandra deliver their debut album 'All Occupied By Sole Death'. This album stamps it's authority from the off and epitomises the very nature of the new wave of black metal we are experiencing, sure it carries the classic black metal drums and riffs, but the raw intensity presented is so compelling it's almost as if it's a work of literature, with each song being a page that enthrals the listener into wanting to hear and learn more. Perhaps Khandra is the band to lead the Belarusian metal scene on the international stage, arguably they are now the flag-bearers, as for their debut album, well it's going to be rather tricky to do any better than this... no wonder Season of Mist took interest! Download this: "Nothing But Immortality For Aye" For fans of: Winterfylleth, Blaze Of Perdition, Mgła 'All Occupied By Sole Death' is out now via Season Of Mist - Underground Activities [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  HAGEL 'Veneration Of The Black Light' PERSONAL Not much is known about the period of activity between 1995-2000, but come 2014 and it seemed that Hagel were back on the scene... fast forward to 2021 and the Mexican black / doom metal quintet deliver their debut album 'Veneration Of The Black Light'. Whether it was worth the wait is anyone's guess, but the truth of the matter is whilst the album is great to listen to and no doubt they have some good talent in their ranks, it's too cliche for most parts. Sure there are far worse records out there and as said their talent is not questionable, the album just lacks that 'wow' factor that would leave one yearning for more. The predictability of how each song goes is almost hard to ignore and barely features anything that would gain vast attention outside Mexico, but with finesse and a re-evaluation of their music, they could easily knock on Europe's door... but this album most likely won't do that. Download this: "Blindness" For fans of: Black / Doom Metal... 'Veneration Of The Black Light' is out now via Personal Records [6.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  UNFATHOMABLE RUINATION 'Decennium Ruinae' WILLOWTIP If you ever needed living proof that the British extreme metal scene is alive, well and downright dirty, then you would only need to tune into the new EP by London technical / brutal death metal architects Unfathomable Ruination. 'Decennium Ruinae' is a 4-track slam-a-thon that gets you smashing your head in no time; by embracing the unconventional time signatures, gut-rotten vocals and drumming sequences that rival that of a pneumatic drill, you'll be consumed by the total musical armageddon this quintet have to offer. 'Decennium Ruinae' roughly translates from Latin to 'decades destroyed' in English, but just as the Romans raided and pillaged England so to will Unfathomable Ruination raid and pillage your mind. Download this: "Disciples Of Pestilence" For fans of: Suffocation, Necrophagist, Spawn Of Possession 'Decennium Ruinae' is out now via Willowtip Records [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  TORTUGA 'Flying Dutchman' INDEPENDENT Pirate Metal? No this is not another Alestorm coming to sink your ship, no this what Captain Jack Sparrow would probably be listening to whilst piloting the Black Pearl... to Tortuga? Echoing the early days of the German heavy metal band Running Wild, Tortuga has taken the classic heavy metal sound, sprinkled it with steampunk elements and a dabble of medieval rock. If you're after something quirky and something that gets you drinking till 'why is the rum gone', then Tortuga's latest effort 'Flying Dutchman' is for you. Who'd have thought that they would be on album number 9 and only pay their port charges in kegs of rum now?!?!?! The 'Flying Dutchman' is a treasure to behold... just don't leave it at the Davy Jones's locker. Download this: "Rackham's Revenge" For fans of: Running Wild, Nightcreepers, Subway To Sally 'Flying Dutchman' is out now via an independent release [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  BRILLIANT COLDNESS 'The Ultimate Dream. Plan B: Disposal Of Humanity" DEAD CENTER PRODS With the new album by the Ukrainian technical death metallers Brilliant Coldness, there is unrelenting fury and brutality right from the off. 'The Ultimate Dream. Plan B: Disposal Of Humanity" is the band's 3rd album and marks a change in personnel since their preceding release "Poisoned Reality", with 3 musicians coming and going. Nonetheless, the barrage of brutality exhibited on the album cannot be questioned or challenged, it simply has you hooked from the first note to the very last drum beat, the technicality is infatuating and the power is uncompromising. It would take something rather special for this quintet to upstage this album because it simply blasts anything in it's way to smithereens. You would call it technical death metal, they call it 'academic death metal'... let the examinations begin. Download this: "The Crown Of Darkness' For fans of: Necrophagist, Morbid Angel, Cryptopsy 'The Ultimate Dream. Plan B: Disposal Of Humanity" is out via Dead Center Productions. [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  NOTHING NOBLE 'Modern Dismay' PRIME COLLECTIVE There must be something in the water in Denmark, because they always somehow manage to export scintillating modern metal and metalcore factions. Stepping up to the plate and bestowing their infectious blend of progressive metalcore is Nothing Noble, their 2nd album 'Modern Dismay' arguably positions itself away from the 7-string djent whoring that is found within some progressive metalcore bands. There is no nonsense on this album and is certified to take you on a thunderous, raucous yet blazing ride across groovy riffs and ground-shaking drums. Harmoniously put together, the album could easily lend itself to metal yoga for it's spiritual and soulful blend of majestic wizardry and energetic vocals. The new wave of Danecore is upon us.... Download this: "Black Earth" For fans of: Architects, Killswitch Engage, Jinjer 'Modern Dismay' is out 6th August via Prime Collective. [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  VARANG NORD
'Pārķiuņa Uomurs' SLIPTRICK 'Pārķiuņa Uomurs' is the 3rd album by the Latvian Viking folk metal tribe Varang Nord, what is striking about the album is that it is not in the style you would expect... the music is not in the same vein as Skyforger per se, far from it... in fact it's become their own sound. Varang Nord on this album sing in the Latgalian language, which is a regional and historic language; which in itself is helping protect the language and is not too far-a-cry from what New Zealand's Alien Weaponry did with the Maori language. Naturally you would associate Latvian folk metal with the pagan metal sound, so to have a band like Varang Nord opt to sing about the Nordic culture, history and surrounding nature is something rather refreshing... and for that reason, 'Pārķiuņa Uomurs' could well be a contender for 'Latvian metal album of the year'. Download this: "Svietņeica" For fans of: Turisas, Metsatoll, Tyr. 'Pārķiuņa Uomurs' is out now via Sliptrick Records [9/10] RHYS STEVENSON
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 MECHANIK WAR III 'Divine Annihilation' INDEPENDENT As raw and rusty as a combustion engine, Mechanik War III bellow out thick black smoke with their latest effort 'Divine Annihilation', this black smoke is full of chunky bass lines, harmonised vocals, ravaging riffs and drums so menacing, it churns your stomach endlessly. By bazooka, who'd have thought that cyber industrial Metal could take on such a militaristic and futuristic sound and image? Because this is exactly what the American quartet Mechanik War III have done, their latest effort 'Divine Annihilation' was designed to 'divinely annihilate' your eardrums whilst serving itself as the ideal soundtrack to a full-out nuclear war; if the next war is to be dominated by machines and cyber warfare, then this album will be the radio broadcast. Fear Factory eat your heart out, the next generation of cyber industrial metal bands is upon us with Mechanik War III. For fans of: Deathstars, Fear Factory, Sybreed Download This: "At War With The Nazarene" - click to listen ''Divine Annihilation' is out now via an independent release. [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  SEMI-CIVIL 'Cult Of Masses' INDEPENDENT Breathing in elements of Whitechapel, Monuments and Emmure, it's hard to really ignore Semi-Civil despite their underwhelming underground status... granted they've only just dropped their debut single 'Cult Of Masses'; and probably are very new to the scene, but this stuff just blows! Whether you like your progressive metalcore / deathcore factions cliche or not, Semi-Civil have brought both aspects to the table - classic formulaic rhythms and vocals meeting unsuspecting time signatures and the unnerving style of breakdown - let the background synths rip your veins to shreds. The solo part though, in a strange way glides over nicely the rhythmic downtempo riffs and allow for the vocals to make a rampant return. It's early days, but if Semi-Civil keep on building their sound up and produce songs in this style, then give it a year or two and they'll nail a label deal. Download it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW9QvK5XUtw For fans of: Monuments, Whitechapel & Emmure. 'Cult Of Masses' is out now via an independent release [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  GRANDE FOX 'Empty Nest' INDEPENDENT Greek psychedelic / stoner rock metal outfit Grande Fox return to deliver their 2nd effort in 'Empty Nest', which at it's core is a foot tapping soundtrack to your next drinking session... Jack Daniels at the ready! Riffs dominate the album like no tomorrow and leave no taste untested; there's the downright dirty and then there's the sexily snazzy, both oozing so much sensuality it's almost 'musica erotica'. What's really amazing is that the band clearly has no rulebooks for their own branded style of music... the album flits from the mesmerising sounds of Muse to the gritty notes of Black Stone Cherry, whilst simultaneously flirting with the heaviness of Van Halen and AC/DC... all the more of a reason to make 'Empty Nest' your next listening adventure. Download This: "Brutal Colors" - click to listen For fans of: Muse, Van Halen, Black Stone Cherry, Corey Taylor 'Empty Nest' is out now via an independent release. [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  SYMBTOMY 'Demo #1' INDEPENDENT Sometimes it's good to go back to where something began, back to the golden days, back to the bare basics. This is exactly what the Czech-British trio Symbtomy have done, here you will not find any flashy insane guitar solo's, nor anything that deviates from the old school death metal sound. Instead, you'll be greeted with the finesse that once emanated from within the 90's era of death metal - straight edge guttural gut-wrenching vocals, blazing and savage riffs, and thunderous drumming that made the Swedish style of death metal so formidable. 'Demo #1' is a tour-de-force and a spectacle to behold, it's a brilliant start from the trio in Symbtomy and provides a foundation for more of that good stuff to built on. Check the demo out here:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrTIldYmBK0 For fans of: Unleashed, Entombed and Dismember 'Demo #1' is out now via an independent release [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  BLOODY SKIES 'Demo' INDEPENDENT Not much is known about Bloody Skies, the melodic black / doom / death metal duo from Albania, other than they formed in 1995 and have just released their debut demo... it has taken a very long time for them to emerge out of the shadows but alas here they are. What is quite refreshing about their sound, is that they've incorporated elements of traditional Albanian music and as such, made their own unique blended style. The demo, is exceptionally raw (at least the start and then reaches a more polished sound), thereby sticking true to the path of honing ones craft. The downside naturally is that you have to crank up your speakers to hear it (be warned it gets louder), just a minor inconvenience for the brilliant musicianship presented herewith, sure it's not going to break ground and become an overnight sensation, but it will do well to satisfy those seeking true underground extreme metal. Download This: "Why Care At All" - click to listen For fans of: My Dying Bride, Woods Of Ypres, Catamenia 'Demo' is out now via an independent release [7/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ILDARUNI 'Beyond Unseen Gateways' BLACK LION RECORDS Shamanic yet grandiose sermons await on the debut album by Armenian pagan black metal conjurers Ildaruni. 'Beyond Unseen Gateways' takes the genre to a lands unexplored with the blending of Armenian folklore and the utilisation of musical scales found within that part of Western Asia. The quintet have delivered an album that is a thorough romp through their homeland, skirting the modern Yerevan and diving head-first into the ancient pasts of extinct cities such as Ani (now in modern Turkey), one that should be embraced both lyrically and musically. This is not nationalism, this is bringing to the fore a folklore that seemingly is forgotten by the world, nay lest it be known that Armenia is considered one of the oldest countries in the world. The new wave of Armenian metal is upon us as Ildaruni alongside The Adana Project become flag-bearers of the Armenian metal scene. Download This: "Exalted Birth" - click to listen For fans of: Kroda, Ruins Of Faith, Melechesh 'Beyond Unseen Gateways' is out via Black Lion Records [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  INDIGNACION 'Amuyta Lakharu' INDEPENDENT Often when people read the genre death metal / grindcore, they think of blast-beats galore and rampaging riffs, however if you ask Bolivian outfit Indignacion about this, they'll respond with 'we will dictate the pace OK?', just take for example their second album 'Amuyta Lakharu', it is so unorthodox and so unpredictable that you cannot headbang to it; well you can try, but be prepared for severe neck-ache from the ever-changing pace of the music. Featuring what could be called radio clips, the album addresses environmentalism, the current COVID pandemic and humanity's destruction of planet earth and could arguably seen as a protest soundtrack, but whether that is or is not the case one thing is for sure, the album is very well put together.... open the pit up. Check out the album here:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vLYfcYaiU8 For fans of: Napalm Death, Gorguts, Psyopus 'Amuyta Lakharu' is out via an independent release [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  BESTIA ATER 'Anno Bestia Chrysallis' INDEPENDENT Legends of the Bulgarian metal scene come together to form Bestia Ater, a bestial death metal band who are full of ferocity and resilience, so much so their debut album 'Anno Bestia Chrysallis' arguably pays homage to the immeasurable seriousness of the Bulgarian extreme metal scene. Very much tuned to the Gothenburg / old school death metal sound, 'Anno Bestia Chrysallis' takes death metal back to it's roots and has no flashy guitar solo's, no fancy elements, just pure filthy rotten guttural vocals, precise percussion and riffs designed to shred your senses to pieces. You have been warned, prepare your hearing for total annihilation at the hands of this leviathan called Bestia Ater... open the pit up. Download This: "Haures" - click to listen For fans of: Unleashed, Obituary, Morbid Angel 'Anno Bestia Chrysallis' is now out via an independent release [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  DENGEL 'Promised 重啓.應许' INDEPENDENT / MORT PRODUCTIONS Stamping their authority on the gothic metal style with their own unique take on the genre, is Chinese sextet Dengel. Their debut album comes 14 years after the band's debut EP and the wait could well be justified, the sensational balance between the oriental flavours in both the music and lyrics, as well as the full force of darkness bestowed on each song, ultimately positions Dengel in a league of their own. This is a refreshing take on the overtly saturated gothic metal style and ultimately paves the way for 'Oriental Gothic Metal' to be born, the various elements found scattered across the entirety of the album is enough to satisfy everyone's tastes - there are elements of symphonic metal, melodic metal, HIM's 'love metal' and of course classic Chinese music... Dengel are flying the flag for the Chinese metal scene. Download This: "Wandering Soul" - click to listen For fans of: Within Temptation, HIM, Lacuna Coil 'Promised 重啓.應许' is out digitally via an independent release / physically via Mort Productions. [9/10] RHYS STEVENSON  TROBEROTH
'Fallen Angel' GRIMMDISTRIBUTION If you're searching for something that goes beyond breakneck speed, has the thunderous sound of a volcanic explosion and enough power to keep your brain charged for 24 hours, then look no further than Troberoth and their 2nd album 'Fallen Angel'. The Costa Rican quartet have busted guts and sweat profusely to deliver an album that puts the greats like Slayer and Metallica to shame, it comes laden with machine gun-like drums, vocals so brutal they make your last hangover rather pitiful and riffs so barbaric, they make the dark ages look tame. Overall this album is the perfect example of how modern thrash metal should be done, it does not get any better than this... the album may be called 'Fallen Angel', but Troberoth is the 'Rising Devil' of the Costa Rican metal scene... open the pit up. Download This: "My Will Is Gone" - click to listen For fans of: Power Trip, Vektor, Gama Bomb 'Fallen Angel' is out now via GrimmDistribution [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  DUSK OF DELUSION 'Watch Your 6' FANTAI'ZIC Conceptually the second album by Dusk Of Delusion is wonderful, musically though at times it slacks badly. There are some really amazing elements that work wonderfully, but there are some elements which in all honesty shouldn't have even be used. Granted they're a Nu / Alternative Metal band and those genres demand countless influences and sounds, but at times during some of the songs the elements clash too much and arguably becomes a clusterf*ck. 'Watch Your 6' is a conceptual work regarding the First World War and delivers stories from all fronts, with songs in Russian, French, German, Serbian and English, with that in tow the album is rather brutal and unrelenting, but it falls short of being extraordinary and just about ticks the boxes of being listenable, they're on the right path, just. Download This: While He Sleeps For fans of: 36 Crazyfists, Slipknot, 5 Finger Death Punch 'Watch Your 6' is out now via Fantai'zic [7/10] RHYS STEVENSON  VIROCRACY 'Irradiation' BLACK SUNSET / MDD If you're looking for your next successful Death Metal export from Germany, then stop at Virocracy. For a band who has been around since 2018 and only dropping their debut album this year, you would have thought they would be seasoned pro's given the unforgiving brutality 'Irradiation' comes loaded with. Lead by the savage Anika Ov Moseberg (who might as well be a reincarnation of Angela Gossow; truth be told), Virocracy have nailed every criterion of what makes a debut album a statement album, it is sure to give them considerable attention across Europe and festival slots next year... you read it hear first, Virocracy are leading the next wave of German Extreme Death Metal. There is not one song on this album that offers any kind of weakness, it's designed to crush your cranium with maximum effect. Download This: Initio For fans of: Arch Enemy, Suffocation, Gojira 'Irradiation' is out now via Black Sunset / MDD [9/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ELCROST 'Benighted & Unrequited' INDEPENDENT Ask anyone about the Extreme Metal scene in the Far East and they'll tell you how dark, atmospheric and unforgiving it really is. Elcrost are a living proof of this as this trio's debut album is laden with atmospherics that are so unnerving, they leave you wincing in pain whilst the crackling vocals, barbaric riffs and seismic drums leave you in wonder as to what hit you. 'Benighted & Unrequited' is a raw journey through the darkest metal known in the Vietnamese Metal scene and sets itself apart as arguably one of the most darkest releases to emerge from said scene. If you think China has an impressive Black Metal scene, then just check out Elcrost for they are the band that Vietnam has long been craving. Download This: The Worm For fans of: Urgehal, Carpathian Forest, Naglfar 'Benighted & Unrequited' is out now via an independent release [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  CORROSIÓN 'Matar Para Vivir' INDEPENDENT Sung exclusively in Spanish, the debut album 'Matar Para Vivir' by Uruguayan Death / Groove Thrashers Corrosión is laden with slickness so slick, it will let your senses slide into complete dysphoria. Granted it's nothing new in terms of the sound, but it does offer a refreshing reminder of the power conjured up in the Death / Groove / Thrash crossover genre. The only relative downside is the production level as it seems a little too raw for it to be considered a globally-worthy release, that said it will certainly satisfy those who love their metal unpolished and heavily dirty. Time will tell as to whether this Uruguayan unit salvage bits of the wreckage in time for their possible follow-up. Download This: Zapatos de cemento For fans of: DevilDriver, Sepultura, Machine Head 'Matar Para Vivir' is out via an independent release [7/10] RHYS STEVENSON  SVENGALI 'Sayonara' INDEPENDENT Svengali return locked and loaded with their second album 'Sayonara' with two new members in vocalist Adnan Mryhij and drummer Joshua Saldanha, boy what a force they have become. If you think you know Metalcore, think again, Svengali will impale your body for breakfast and spit-roast you for dinner with this new effort, it's like letting off an atomic bomb. The great thing about this release is that there is something for everyone, there are fist-punching anthems and there are toned-down metallic ballads (core style), but none of those cheesy, flashy riffs, lame bridges or uber predictable breakdowns; basically 60% of most Metalcore bands these days. It goes without saying that Svengali are the next best band to emerge from the Emirati Metal scene; even though by nationality the band comprises of Emirati, Jordanian, Lebanese and Iranian musicians, effectively becoming a part of the 'New Wave of Middle Eastern Metal'. Download This: This Is Kombat For fans of: Whitechapel, Hatebreed, Miss May I 'Sayonara' is out now via an independent release [9/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ZIFIR 'Demoniac Ethics' DUPLICATE RECORDS Veterans of the Turkish Black Metal scene Zifir hold nothing back with their fourth album 'Demoniac Ethics' as the darkness seeps through this raw and atmospheric opus. It's not exactly a secret that Turkey has a rather potent and bleak Black Metal scene, brimming with bands of all eras and yet Zifir, a trio that has been going for 14 years haven't given up at all. This shows in the brilliance exhibited with this latest effort, an echo of the first wave of Norwegian Black Metal albeit in the vein of Turkish attitude. 'Demoniac Ethics' no doubt will tickle the senses of those who prefer to have their Black Metal filthy, raw and atmospheric; even pleasing the elitists (such a thing still exists sadly), rest assured Zifir are not going anywhere anytime soon and will almost certainly conjure up another slab of Turkish Black Metal for people to savour. Download This: Spirit of Goats For fans of: Immortal, Carpathian Forest, Naglfar 'Demoniac Ethics' is out via Duplicate Records [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  YMYRGAR 'Where The Oak Drowns Its Roots' INDEPENDENT Tunisian Pagan Black Metallers Ymyrgar unleash their second offering in 'Where The Oak Drowns Its Roots', 6 years after their debut album graced planet metal. This time it's bigger, it's bolder and it's double the length of their debut album and so thus more to cheer about. In all honesty this should give them some considerable attention across the region and into Europe as it's a big step-up since their debut. There is something for everyone on this album, whether you're into the Pagan style of Black Metal or prefer Folk Metal tunes that have enough bounce to give you a spring in your step, 'Where The Oak Drowns Its Roots' has it all. Let this septet take you on a magical journey through the dark nights of the Tunisian sands and across the folkloric streets of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. Download This: Throne of the Damned For fans of: Arkona, Arallu, Barbaros 'Where The Oak Drowns Its Roots' is out via an independent release [8/10 RHYS STEVENSON  ABSENTATION 'Antimatter Rites' INDEPENDENT Originally from Syria, the now Germany-based one-man project Absentation (Salah Alghalayeeni) has unleashed his 4th album 'Antimatter Rites' a year after his critically-acclaimed 3rd album 'The Intellectual Darkness'. Absentation brings more of the tantalising and brutalising style of Death Metal we have grown accustom to with this Syrian musical genius. 'Antimatter Rites' is full of juicy riffs, outrageous drumming (although at times it does sound like a drum machine was used; it's that fast) and an unsteady atmosphere that is sure to make you feel sick to the stomach. Expect nothing more than a full smack to the face with this album, if you expect anything less then prepare for your ears to bleed internally outwards... it is not for soft people, word. Download this: The velocity of relativity talisman For fans of: Modern Death Metal, Scarab, Aborted 'Antimatter Rites' is out via an independent release [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  UTEN HÅP 'Lys' INDEPENDENT Since 2017, the one-man Black Metal project Uten Håp has pumped out 1 album, 6 splits, 1 compilation and a whopping 15 EP's, the latest being 'Lys', a three-track atmospheric black metal work of art. Originally hailing from the Norwegian archipegalo of Svalbard, musician Danthor Wildcrow relocated to Spain and carried on with his Black Metal projects including Uten Håp which should carry on, because as this latest EP goes, the musical creative spark is still well and truly alive. 'Lys' is in the vein of the 'True Norwegian Black Metal' sound and rarely deviates, keeping true to an authentic sound and one that will resonate with this musician for many years ahead. Download This: Falling In Fear For fans of: Raw Black Metal, True Norwegian Black Metal 'Lys' is out via an independent release [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  THE FALLEN PROPHETS
'Relentless Killing Motivation' MMD RECORDS Grab hold of your guts, wrench them until you yourself vomit them out and then digest yourself from the inside-out, because if you don't then The Fallen Prophets will. This South African outfit are not to be taken lightly as shown on their second album 'Relentless Killing Motivation', it comes with a mosh and headbang warning, said activities are expected instantaneously for the vicious form of Melodic Death Metal / Deathcore this horde produces demands it. Embrace the chug-a-thon, chill to the freely-flowing vocals and be captivated by the machine-gun drumming, this is no run of the mill music, hell no, this is the new face of South African Metal... Seether? Your time is up. With 'Relentless Killing Motivation', The Fallen Prophets may well have booked themselves European festivals for next year... Download This: Stench of Death For fans of: Whitechapel, Born Of Osiris, Hanging The Nihilist 'Relentless Killing Motivation' is out via MMD Records [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ZARRAZA 'Rotten Remains' INDEPENDENT 'Rotten Remains' is the third EP by Kazakh Groove Metal maestros and the last release to have bassist Evgeny Hablack on-board; he helped out with the band's debut album 'Necroshiva' before being recruited full-time. None the less, the output on this EP is raucous, riveting and relentless right throughout. To think they come from Kazakhstan would bewilder some, not just for geographical reasoning, but the finesse and quality exhibited here, you would easily imagine them to be from the USA or Europe - a testament to how far the Kazakh Metal scene has come. Even more so this is a form of Groove Metal beyond your expectations, it has elements of Thrash Metal, Metalcore, it's almost as if DevilDriver had a fling with 5FDP and gave birth to Zarraza. If this EP is not a statement of intent from this quartet, then I don't know what is. Download This: "wRRong Song" - Click to listen For Fans of: DevilDriver, modern Sepultura, 5FDP [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  LANDMINE 'Pioneer's Destiny' INDEPENDENT Landmine's debut EP 'Reject The Destiny' was an almighty surprise four years and now they've delivered an even bigger surprise in their debut album 'Pioneer's Destiny'. The South Korean Heavy / Power Metal unit exercise their limbs and flex their muscles with greater oomph and attitude with this effort, coursing throughout the album is a ferocious onslaught of whipping riffs, blazing drums, cracking basslines and veracious vocals, culminating together to deliver the ultimate listening experience you will never hear elsewhere. They may have taken a step back from leaning more towards full-on Power Metal and taken a delicate balance of Iron Maiden vs. Sonata Arctica in their repertoire, but this quintet have found their sound and with it, put themselves in prime position to be the metal band to put the South Korean Metal scene on the global stage. Download This: "Slow Fading Yesterday" For fans of: Iron Maiden, Sonata Arctica, Powerwolf [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  FLAT EARTH SOCIETY 'Friends Are Temporary, Ego Is Forever' ART GATES RECORDS For a band who has only been going since 2018, you would have thought with their debut album that their following was pan-European if not international, well it won't be long before this comes to fruition. This quintet have mustered together a wide-range of sounds that clearly simmer throughout the album like a smothering of BBQ sauce sinking into a rack of ribs; both leaving you savouring for more. 'Friends Are Temporary, Ego Is Forever' by Spanish Progressive Metalcore troupe Flat Earth Society is nothing to be choked at, for it will choke you with the constant barrage of cranial-crunching vocals, barbaric drumming and down-right dirty riffs. Rest assured you will have a flat head through headbanging, let alone a flat earth society. Download This: "CC Chain" For fans of: Asking Alexandria, Periphery, Slipknot 'Friends Are Temporary, Ego Is Forever' is out now. [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  THE A.X.E. PROJECT 'Future.Imperfect' ART GATES RECORDS You would think that for a band who has been going 18 years would have nailed out a perfect sound, well in the case of The A.X.E. Project, you would be half right. Despite 'Future.Imperfect' being their third album and full of juicy riffs, ambience and darkened sorrow, the vocals are a tad engulfed by the music itself at times; not to mention the fact that the new female vocals just don't cut it in two thirds of the album, there is no real power present and often relies on the male vocals to back them up. Having said that, there are a few tracks (such as 'The Great Beyond') which are perfectly balanced and so the Bulgarian quintet should harness those from now on, otherwise like the album suggests, their future will become imperfect. Download This: 'The Great Beyond' For fans Of: Dark Gothic Metal... basically. 'Future.Imperfect' is out 20th March, 2020 [6.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  BORN IN EXILE 'Transcendence' ART GATES RECORDS Catalonia (sorry Spain) has had a long history of providing some top-notch metal bands and Born In Exile are no exception, their own unique twist on the Melodic Progressive Metal blend brings together lashings of Metalcore and Heavy Metal, which culminate in a blistering wall of sound designed to rip the flesh off your bones. 'Transcendence' is this quintet's second album and damn does it brutalise in epic fashion, honestly if your looking for your next successful Melodic Progressive Metal act then Born In Exile should be your first port of call. Vocals fluctuating from the realm of Bruce Dickinson to that of James LaBrie and before you say it, yes they are female vocals... so what?!?!? Kris Vega has enough power to match her band-mates and deliver arguably one of the most exciting yet ambitious Spanish Metal releases this year so far. Download This: "Herd Of Deception" For fans of: Battle Beast, Dream Theater, Iron Maiden 'Transcendence' is out 6th March, 2020 [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  MERIAL 'Hatecraft' INDEPENDENT Let's be honest, you do not need flashy riffs or bamboozling drumming to sound epic when playing Black or Death Metal, sometimes all you need is a good old raw feeling and that's what Merial are all about. This Death / Black metal trio from Armenia hone is on the old-school style with aplomb and without a doubt craft a sound that's orgasmic to the ears. Granted it's been done before countless times, but if you're going to be the next band to play a certain way... do a bloody good job of it. Ploughing through 'Hatecraft' and you are treated to mid to fast pace bestiality on all fronts: drums, vocals and guitars, proving the point that the Armenian Metal scene is extreme at the very core. Download This: "Dead Sea" - https://merial.bandcamp.com/track/dead-sea For fans of: Satyricon, Carpathian Forest, Dissection [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ORINOCO 'What A Relief' INDEPENDENT Deathcore, one of those metal genres that divides peoples opinions more than a virus replicates itself. But that does not mean it's a genre that cannot be bent to suit your own taste, just ask Illinois natives Orinoco as their latest EP 'What A Relief' draws in Sludge and Doom Metal elements into the mix. No there are none of those cheesy breakdown, riff-riff, breakdown cliche patterns thank the lord, but what you do get is a splattering of refreshing Deathcore that resonates in the same realm as The Browning; experimental and yet damn right filthy at it's very core. It might be high time for Orinoco to turn to the record labels for potential signing because with their new EP 'What A Relief' being a blazing marathon, record labels would be drooling at their feet because of. Download This: "Sheets" For Fans of: The Browning, early-Whitechapel, Black Tongue 'What A Relief' is out via an Independent release on 1st March. [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  WRATHFUL 'Open Chest' INDEPENDENT It's only taken 8 years for the Venezuelan Death Metal outfit Wrathful to deliver their first release, their debut album 'Open Chest' spews out raucously raw old and modern-school Death Metal with low-fi vocals, distorted riffs and solid drums. Whether you're into the faster or slow style of Death Metal, tis album has a song that will tickle your fancy for it has a wide range of different compositions. With every second passing, it's menacing nature only grows in stature and positions itself to take your soul completely. That said, it's by no means a ground-breaking album nor is it a run of the mill release, it does the job well, is flawless and thus cannot be disregarded as such. Download This: "The Eve" For Fans of: Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, Suffocation [7/10] RHYS STEVENSON  REDUCED TO ASHES 'Aversion To Light' INDEPENDENT Reduced To Ashes are a Melodic Death / Metalcore outfit from North Macedonia and they have dropped their debut album 'Aversion To Light', to summarise the album in one word would be to call it 'sick'. The constant flitting between melodies and dirty chugging is so smooth, it rivals that of a calm lake, effortlessly drifting across the surface in spectacular fashion. 'Aversion To Light' could be the album to put the North Macedonian Metal scene firmly on the map and show the world that a promising band in Reduced To Ashes exists. Unrelenting pace, juicy riffs, blood-curdling vocals and a sweet-as production, 'Aversion To Light' should be your next listen because it deserves the attention, there are no excuses. Download This: "Lament" - click to listen For fans of: early In Flames, Bleeding Through, Spoil Engine [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  THE QUANTUM POSSESSION
'Descent Into Darkness' INDEPENDENT Like most Central and South American Deathcore bands, there is more emphasis on the high-pitch end of the growling spectrum instead of the down-right dirty end. Just ask Mexican cartel The Quantum Possession whose second album 'Descent Into Darkness' is disgustingly brutal it's almost criminal. Deploying Deathcore in the middle and slapping elements of Death Metal, Technical Metal and Melodic Metal on top, The Quantum Possession defy the rule of logic in spectacular fashion and as a result create an album designed to smash your cranium with immense pressure. The vocals might need some work though in terms of purification and making it sound less raw, otherwise this album kills and is designed to leave your ears bleeding profusely... Download This: "Shall Last Forever" - click to listen For fans of: Whitechapel, Oceano, Latin Deathcore [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  AGRONA 'Realm Of The Fallen' UKEM It pays to be different and to be different you have to a formula that steps away from the generic layers found within your chosen metal genre, which is exactly what Welsh Black Metallers Agrona have done here with their debut album 'Realm Of The Fallen'. Gone is the over-reliance of fast riffs, blitzing drums and raspy vocals and in comes a rather technical yet atmospheric and heathen approach to Black Metal, with this effort Agrona might as well be thee extreme metal band the Welsh Metal scene has ever so-long been craving. Insane creativity wriggles itself through this leviathan of an album at every second and whilst the barrage continues right till the end, the feeling that Agrona will become big is ever evident. Download This: "Storms End" - Click to listen For Fans of: Dimmu Borgir, Necronautical, Windir [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  DIATRIBA 'Mártires Del Cambio' INDEPENDENT It's not easy to make an album that stand's out easily, nor can it be easy to make an album that has an original sound that is void from other 'already done' sounds. However, take Venezuela's Diatriba and their new album 'Mártires Del Cambio' and you get the feeling that they're avoiding any sort of influence whatsoever, sure they're singing in Spanish but musically they straddle between Thrash, Hardcore and Speed Metal. 'Mártires Del Cambio' has a decent variation in tempo, pace and rhythm across the entire album so there is something for every thrash maniac, arguably this is one of the best albums to emerge out of Venezuela this year and will take something special to dethrone it. Download This: "Judas" - Click to listen For Fans of: Slayer, Biohazard, Motorhead [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  SENTENCIA ÁCIDA 'Acta Est Fabula' INDEPENDENT If you want something to give you neck-ache and have nothing against listening to music in another language, then the second EP 'Acta Est Fabula' by Venezuelan Crossover Thrashers Sentencia Ácida is your immediate remedy. It comes laden with thick bass lines, raucous vocals and drumming so brutal it makes your last hangover seem mild. It's only around 13 minutes long, so make sure you have enough energy to rock out to this release because you'll need it, there is never a dull moment and no moment where the music becomes unrelenting. Sadly it's nothing new but it still is rather refreshing none the less. Download This: "Crossover Is Not Over" - Click to listen For Fans of: Slayer, Toxic Holocaust, Municipal Waste [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  CRYPTOGRAM 'Ahrimanic Meditations' INDEPENDENT Seeing as Cryptogram hail from Uruguay, you would have thought they couldn't muster up a production that's decent enough to challenge the Nordic Black Metal scene... well you'd be wrong friend. This trio clearly know more about Black Metal than you'll ever know about the sub-genre, their debut album 'Ahrimanic Meditations' has lyrics in both English and Spanish, but over-arching all of that is their raw and atmospheric Black Metal sound which echoes the greats of Dark Funeral and Marduk; they could even become Uruguay's answer to these bands. 'Ahrimanic Meditations' is by far a solid effort that won't go unnoticed in the underground and with it should give this trio the proponent to go on further. Download This: "The Black Gates Of Cosmic Chaos" - Click to listen For Fans of: Satyricon, Dark Funeral, Marduk [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  VADEMEKHUM 'X' INDEPENDENT It would be pretty fair to say that the reason why the debut album by Uruguayan Death Thrashers Vademekhum is called 'X', is that they marked their 10th anniversary as a band in 2017; although album came out this year. Casting that aside and focusing on the music is simple enough, this quintet deliver Death / Thrash Metal in such a brutal and exciting fashion, leaving you baying for more as the ferocity courses through this full-on metal release. Singing in their native Spanish; who would have thought this language could be so brutal, Vademekhum make no mistake in dropping an album that's bound to catch some attention across the South American metal scenes. Download This: "El Otro" - Click to listen For Fans of: DevilDriver, Dew-Scented, Torture Squad [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  LEFT FOR RED
'Human Complex' INDEPENDENT Slamming their second album on top of the table is Left For Red, now whilst the Midlands quintet primarily bask in the Groove Metal sound, their new album does have elements of Doom Metal dabbled here and there - especially on the first track 'Dancing With Misery'. By no means is this another 5FDP clone, no way, in fact Left For Red have stuck themselves in their own concocted sound. 'Human Complex' comes bristling with the fast and heavy, the slick and groovy, but above all the balls and sweat that makes a compelling metal album... compelling. Marking their ten year anniversary with this album is like when Manchester City won the Premier League by a single goal difference, it leaves you on the edge of the seat anticipated for something magical, boy does it deliver. Download This: "Hand Of God" For Fans of: DevilDriver, Iron Maiden, Slipknot [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  NAFRAT 'Abnegation' BRUTAL INFECTION Singapore has a long standing history within the extreme metal community, it has been producing top notch bands for the past two decades. One of it's exports Nafrat re-emerge fresh from their 10 year slumber with their second unforgivable slice of no-bullsh*t Death Metal in the form of their new album 'Abnegation'. By taking elements from the old-school faculty and bolting on modern elements, the Singaporean quartet remind listeners as to why the South-East Asian Metal scenes are as brutal as they are. Demanding your attention at every passing second, this album will sit well with those well and truly seasoned with the genre, but moreover would provide a platform for those getting into Death Metal to explore it further. 'Abnegation' is one Death Metal album for the ages, gripping, tense and outright ferocious. Download This: "Iconoclasts" - click to listen For Fans of: Cannibal Corpse, Modern Death Metal, Rudra [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  MORS SUBITA 'Into The Pitch Black' INVERSE Just like being smacked in the head with a metal pole, Mors Subita's third effort 'Into The Pitch Black' comes slamming down on to your senses and leaves you left for dead. The strong opening track 'As Humanity Weeps' sets the tone for the album and arguably is the strongest track on the album. Throughout the album this Finnish outfit romp throughout. Bolting together the Modern Metal sound (with Industrial in tow) with the underlying current of Melodic Death / Thrash Metal, Mors Subita once again prove themselves to be the dark horse of the Finnish Metal scene. 'Into The Pitch Black' is loaded with aggression, slick swift elements, an electric atmosphere and a sound that is potent enough to leave you in a coma. For a band who has been going 19 years, they aren't giving up just yet not by a long shot as demonstrated on this album; if Scar Symmetry and In Flames are up your street, then Mors Subita is the mansion at the end of the road. Download This: 'As Humanity Weeps' For Fans of: Scar Symmetry, In Flames, Asylum 8 [9/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ASTRAY VALLEY 'Unneth' WORMHOLEDEATH Modern Metal seems to be the in-thing of late, it seems that the metal style cannot be shaken off and has arguably become the best thing since Nu Metal (was Nu Metal good though?). Escaping the claws of generic sounds is Spanish quartet Astray Valley, whose latest album 'Unneath' is laden with so much aggression you wouldn't know how to mosh to it. This quartet are young and full of energy, however they are also set to become the next successful Spanish Metal export having already hooked up with the likes of The Agonist for example. By lashing together elements from Metalcore, Alternative Metal, Melodic Metal and Groove Metal, Astray Valley are destined to go places with this rather unique and disturbing sound. 'Unneth' is one album that every fan of hard, abrasive metal should have, it's got more brutality in it than the Saw franchise ever delivered. Download This: "Waters Of Skylah" For Fans of: Butcher Babies, In This Moment, Jinjer [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ACEFALO 'Sin Piedad' INDEPENDENT Sometimes the old ways are the best ways and Argentina's Acefalo have demonstrated this very well through their debut album 'Sin Piedad'. By harnessing the old-school Thrash Metal style and adding a side serving of grit and sweat, this quintet deliver a sound that echoes the early days of Slayer; full-on fast-paced Thrash that leaves your neck aching for days to come. Singing in their native Spanish, Acefalo know how to create an infectious sound that will make Thrash diehards weak at their knees; through the unrelenting drum-thumping, riff barrage and vocal onslaught. Granted it's nothing new, but it's worthy of utmost attention and once again, sometimes the old ways are the best ways. If you're seeking thunderous Thrash Metal then Acefalo will provide you with the best fix available. Download This: "Apostoles De La Crueldad 1" - click to listen For Fans of: Slayer, Machine Head, Nuclear Assault [7/10] RHYS STEVENSON  BLOODSHED 'Scoundrel' U-ORIES Could you blame Vietnam's Bloodshed for using pig squeals in their gruelling and gritty form of Death Metal? Not really, seeing as the extreme forms of metal out in the Far East are ultimately in their own league. Digesting their debut EP 'Scoundrel' is like sinking your teeth into a gourmet burger, its full of flavour and warrants finishing to enjoy the full array of ingredients. It comes together lashed with a sizeable dollop of unintelligible vocals, thick riffs and battering drums, overarching all of this is an innate sense of aiming to craft a signature sound and whilst it's evident Bloodshed tries their best, the result is merely a cry for help or raising the white flag to surrender the generic pig-squealing Death Metal formula. Download This: "Scoundrel" - click to listen For Fans of: Prostitute Disfigurement, Suffocation, Visceral Bleeding [5.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  KRUMMHOLZ 'Rooted In Despair' INDEPENDENT It's rare to find Black Metal in Sub-Sahara Africa let alone Atmospheric Black Metal, but Uganda-based trio Krummholz aim to change that and having released their debut EP 'Rooted In Despair', it would seem they've found their sound to march on with. Full of magical harmonies and riveting metal elements, this is one EP any metal fan should have in their collection because it's sound is so mesmerizing, it puts the Scandi-bands to shame. 'Rooted In Despair' comes in a 20-minute two-track onslaught that is almost guaranteed to keep you awake whilst listening to it. It would be fair to say that with this EP now in the wider world, that the dawn of 'True African Black Metal' is upon us, it's majestic sound is enough to satisfy anyone's musical thirsts. Download This: "To Father Worlds in the Bones of Ancient Solitude" - click the link For fans of: Windir, Winterfylleth, Carach Angren [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ARTEMIS BLADE 'As Above… So Below' INDEPENDENT It's always fascinating whenever a band splits only for some of the members to form a new band, because at times they'll carry forward influences on from their previous outfit to their new one. Australian Melodic Death stalwarts Artemis Blade have done just that with their debut album 'As Above… So Below', having been a Thrash Metal band in The Blackened Beneath beforehand, it's clear some of these elements have seeped into their new music. Despite this the vocals are inhaled mostly but are savage enough to keep your attention from swaying away and if that's not enough, the three guitars, bass and drums will staple your ears to the speakers so hard that it won't be the staples that'll make your ear bleed, but the sharpness of Artemis Blade carving right through your senses. Download This: "The Fall" - click to listen For fans of: Silent Descent, Scar Symmetry, In Flames [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ASYLUM 'Domination' GSD PRODUCTIONS Prior to slaughtering the Wacken faithful this year by winning the Metal Battle Caribbean heats, Surinamese Groove / Metalcore outfit Asylum dropped their debut EP 'Domination'... and f**k does it kick some ass. Creating such a glowing effort in a relatively small metal scene is not easy, but Asylum have done just that, presenting a release that's guaranteed to smack a few jaws hard. Having been around six years, the wait for this release was worth it as the quintet summon every fighting spirit within their grasp to present metal so attention-grabbing, you would be a bloody-minded fool to ignore this promising outfit. Sure for some it's stripped bare and has no flashy riffs or trickery that the likes of Lamb of God might wield, but 'Domination' is one hell of a ride... free at that. Download This: "Dis Na Mi Kondre" - click to listen For Fans of: Lamb Of God, Fear Factory, DevilDriver [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  AOHEN '失魂 (Lost Souls)' INDEPENDENT It goes without saying that the Asian Extreme Metal scene is by far the best to have ever existed and Taiwan's Aohen make that point loud and clear. Dropping their latest demo '失魂 (Lost Souls)' this year, the Doom / Death Metal stalwarts waste no time in delivering such raw and energetic music, yeah sure it's a demo and yeah their fifth demo in a row, but who cares? '失魂 (Lost Souls)' is a two-track dynamic force that exhibits thick distortion, raw vocals and riffs so fluid they make your urine seem viscous. With some dabbling in Black Metal along the way, this quartet know how to hone their craft and whilst it might not be groundbreaking, it certainly adds up for a refreshing listen. Download This: "失魂 Lost Souls" - click to listen For Fans of: Myrkur, Amorphis, My Dying Bride [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  BURST
'You Must Die' INDEPENDENT It's always amazing to find bands from the most far flung lands and yet to discover their music to be as professionally done as you would find in the leading metal scenes. Entering the fray are Burst, a Death / Grind band from the Pacific island of New Caledonia whose debut album 'You Must Die' is a tour de force. All across the fourteen tracks, listeners are subjected to a barrage of double bass drums, thick and heavily distorted guitars, topped by some rather neat and brutal vocals. With songs exclusively in French and English (although it depends if you call it audible), this outfit are sure to garner attention from outside of the French island dependency. If you're digging and looking for something exotic, then Burst's 'You Must Die' is your first port of call. Download This: "Bastard Extravagansa" - click to listen For Fans of: Deathbound, Carcass, Cattle Decapitation [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  PALE BASTARD 'Pale Bastard' INDEPENDENT Casting aside the overshadowing Welsh 'core' scene for a second, Stoner Metal crew Pale Bastard prove that there is more to the Welsh Metal scene than tight jeans, breakdowns and the occasional sheep-shag (yes it's an outdated joke, but it's still funny). Having crafted their self-titled debut album with such finesse, it's difficult to see where they can improve before their next outing, but there is always room for improvement right? However, it goes without saying that this is an album that any Stoner Metaller will be proud of, with grooves as thick and choking as the Welsh coal mines and riveting riffs laying down the red carpet for the ballsy atmosphere to take charge, Pale Bastard are certainly primed, tipped and ready to explode upon the British Metal scene with a brutal arsenal at their disposal. Download This: "Spider Blood" - click to play For Fans of: Orange Goblin, Fu Manchu, Kyuss [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  LELAHELL 'Alif' METAL AGE PRODS. Four years have eclipsed since the debut album by Algerian Death Metallers Lelahell saw daylight, since then there has been a few members leave and thus has left frontman Lelahel taking command. Taking over bass duties and recruiting Hannes Grossmann on drums as guest, the Algerian outfit unleash their second album 'Alif' which offers more of the infatuating style of Death Metal presented on their debut 'Al Insane... The (Re)Birth of Abderrahmane' albeit with Black Metal influences dotted here and there. It's been some time coming but 'Alif' delivers without fail, offering a slaughtering barrage of tight-ass riffs, menacing bass-lines and gut-rotten vocals along with crystal-clear production. 'Alif' may well be the album to set the Algerian Metal scene alight and bring much-earned attention to this part of the world, Lelahell are flying the flag for Algeria. Download This: "The Fifth" For Fans of: Aborted, Unleashed, Behemoth [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  TURBYNE 'Origins & Endings' INDEPENDENT Just for a second, think about the fact that Scotland has other metal bands. You know, other metal bands than that Pirate Metal band (you know who). Bands like Turbyne whose recent Bloodstock appearance was a statement of intent, a statement to prove that there is a truly active scene north of the border. Harking back to their debut album 'Origins & Endings' it's clear the band wanted to avoid being shackled down as just another flashy Melodic Metal band, determined to add some grit and attitude to the mix and the result is one of beauty. Sure members have come and gone since then (2015), but the formula will remain the same, this might be 'Turbyne Metal' but whatever it is, it's a breath of fresh air. Think Cypher 16 meets Scar Symmetry meets Iron Maiden, a metal concoction that will leave you drooling for more, the origin of Turbyne is Dumfries, Scotland, but the ending is nowhere to be seen. Download This: "The Fate Of A Dying World" For Fans of: Scar Symmetry, Iron Maiden, Cypher 16. [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  OBZIDIAN 'Obliteration Process' ROCKSECTOR 17 years in and now four albums down, things cannot get any rosier for Obzidian could they? Well unless you count their amazing set at Bloodstock showcasing material from their latest album 'Obliteration Process', their tight-ass combination of Progressive Thrash and Death Metal is so sublime you'd have thought this band would have graced the bigger stages by now. Since 2012 they've been in a sturdy 2 year-album cycle, having had a rocky start in the beginning and 9 years between their debut and follow-up. But with this effort the Staffordshire outfit have clearly shed that past off and emerged with a glistening and sparkling sound, one that will bleed the ears of whomever checks this brilliant outfit out. Thundering drums, crunchy riffs, venomous vocals and a ballistic bass-line come together to leave you totally battered. Download This: "They Led The Fall" - Click to listen For Fans of: Malefice, Gojira, DevilDriver [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  NARSARAKH 'Thy Doomsday Lord Enthroned' INDEPENDENT Brunei's Narsarakh are a leading beacon in their national scene, 9 years in and their debut album comes out with a dank, dark and filthy sound, one that is as extreme as the Asian Metal scene itself. 'Thy Doomsday Lord Enthroned' takes the best from the Atmospheric, Black and Death Metal styles, through the use of harmonious keyboards, gritty vocals and riffs, this quintet are proving themselves to be capable of delivering a melting pot of sounds... a lot more than the initial one-man project did. Expect to flit from the rawest of raw sounds in the Black Metal dominion to the majestic of majestic sounds a Death Metal band could throw up, granted it's no groundbreaker in terms of 'it's been done before', but it's a solid enough release to get heads turning in the South-East Asian Metal regions. Narsarakh are flying the flag for the Bruneian Metal scene. Download This: "Storms Of The Nine Kingdoms" For Fans of: Demonic Resurrection, Behemoth, Unleashed [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  SRD 'Smrti Sel' ON PAROLE A one to watch in the Black Metal world, Srd are a Slovenian quintet who formed from the ashes of Terrorfront (project of Goran Slekovec) and with their debut album only just released last year, a year or so since the band's inception, this is one band that will rock the very foundations of the greats. Bands like Watain, Immortal, etc., will befall to the swagger and menace Srd deliver, their debut album 'Smrti Sel' is sung in mostly the Slovene language, but does have some English songs in the mix. It's amazing how such a South Slavic language can be utilised with Black Metal to create something so dramatic, so grim, so dark that you will be sweating in fear as the music sends blackened shocks down your spine and the suspense makes your hair stand on end. Download This: "Kupa Trpljenja" - Click to listen For Fans of: Eastern Front, Immortal, Carpathian Forest [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  LYNCHPIN 'Millennial Holocaust' DEAD SEA RECORDS CARIBBEAN This is no Pirates Of The Caribbean story, there is no black pearl, no dead man's chest, only some rather brutalising metal bellowing out, spewing across the sandy beaches and wind-swept palm trees of Trinidad & Tobago. The passage of course refers to Lynchpin, who after Wacken hit the studio to deliver their second EP 'Millennial Holocaust' and by steel drums did they deliver. OK enough with the puns. Lynchpin don't take no nonsense, this EP demonstrates that as they unleash a torrential flood of Progressive, Death, Nu Metal and Metalcore altogether in one solid package. There is never a dull moment on this EP, the metal does not slow down, nor does it go stale. If you're looking for something exotic, something brutal, something metal as f*ck, you've come to the right review. Lynchpin are flying the flag for the Trinidadian Metal scene. Download This: "Graves Of A Thousand Unknown" For Fans of: Meshuggah, Machine Head, Necrophagist [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  EMPHASIS 'Soul Transfer' RED RIVET Estonian Symphonic Prog Metallers Emphasis return with their second offering in the form of 'Soul Transfer', featuring a lengthy journey across soaring melodies, harmonious symphonies and beautifully orchestrated pieces, this is a step up from their debut album and with a new drummer at the helm (Stanislav Lint), the future looks bright for the quintet. The album thunders along for a whopping 73 minutes, but what makes it worth the lengthy wait is that the instrumentals included break the songs up; ingenious. 'Soul Transfer' carries on the soft yet powerful style of metal Emphasis have created, it's almost in Within Temptation territory. Given the evident planning that has gone into this album, it won't be long before Emphasis grace the rest of the Europe with their infectious masterpiece. Download This: "Leviathans" For Fans of: Within Temptation, Dream Theater, Tarja-era Nightwish [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  MOTÖR MILITIA 'World In Flames' INDEPENDENT Seven years have passed since Bahraini Thrashers Motör Militia released an album and now they present to the world, the 'World In Flames'. With three new members in the line-up including a new vocalist, this album is by far the best material they've ever released. Thrash Metal is the staple sound of this band, but on this album they manage throw in the occasional Middle Eastern vibe on the guitars. Otherwise the album is a neck-snapping work of magic, from start to finish there is the unrelenting surge of power coursing through each and every song. It's hard to see Motör Militia turning back after this, it's an album worthy of international recognition and could very well prove to be thee album to expose the Bahraini Metal scene to the world. 'World In Flames' arguably is one of the finest Thrash albums to be released for the last few years and reassures Motör Militia that they are flying the flag for the Bahraini Metal scene. Download This: "Reckoning" For Fans of: Holy Moses, Suicidal Tendencies, Evile [9/10] RHYS STEVENSON  NECNON MORTUSS
'Válečné Konflikty 20. Století' INDEPENDENT The Czech Metal scene does seem to be slightly secluded from the rest of Europe, but it's bands like Necnon Mortuss who keep the underground thriving. Sure it's been six years since their second album, but was the wait worth it? Kind of. 'Válečné Konflikty 20. Století' is a decent enough effort but it just does not make the cut, there is something missing, that something is deviation, most of the songs seem to have a similar pattern in the music and this is what drags the album through the dirt. Props go to singing in their native tongue, but the album itself fails to shift out of third gear. Despite this, the album is a decent effort but falls short of being excellent, it's not terrible but it's not sensational either. Download This: "Karpatsko-Dukelská Operace" For Fans of: Cannibal Corpse, Vesania, Aborted [6/10] RHYS STEVENSON  TALBOT 'Magnetism' INDEPENDENT Light a bong and chill out to the thick distorted sounds of Talbot and their third album 'Magnetism', for the Russian-Estonian duo this is a well put together effort that puts you at ease, through it's ethereal and atmospherically charged sound, this is an album worth of a double listen. The finely balanced mix of Stoner and Doom Metal is clear as daylight and has left no room for error, the vocals in fact are split between growling and clean styles and are both engulfed by the thickened sound produce by the guitars and drums. Estonia rarely gets a look in for metal bands albeit Metsatoll as their best export, but for those metalheads willing to explore, Talbot is a prime example of what keeps the underground ticking. Their latest effort 'Magnetism' will surely gather some fan attention from outside of Estonia. Download This: "Infra" - Click to listen For fans of: Huntress, Kyuss, Electric Wizard [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  AFTERLIFE SYMPHONY 'Lympha' REVALVE Italian quintet Afterlife Symphony return with their third effort 'Lympha' and they deliver what you would expect, in that there is a lot going on throughout this album that is very typical of the Symphonic Metal style. That does not mean that it follows the same pattern as Nightwish, no in fact the album draws in elements from the Gothic and Melodic Metal styles and yet retains a sort of operatic feel. It's the sort of music that you could expect in a fantasy film like the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, full of suspense and fluctuating atmospherics at every turn. However, even though 'Lympha' might not set the world alight it will certainly strike a chord or two with fans of Symphonic Metal and bands with female vocals. Afterlife Symphony certainly seem to have found the sound that will carry them forward, here's hoping they can build on this and not fall backwards. Download This: "XXI" For Fans of: Within Temptation, Epica, Therion [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  STORM 'Zodiac' TIN IDOL PRODS Hawaiian Gothic / Power Metallers Storm deliver their third opus 'Zodiac' and it continues the bands exotically-charged style of metal that befits the laid back nature of theirsurroundings; even though Hawaii is nowhere near the US mainland (Hawaii is closer to Kiribati, is there a scene there?). 'Zodiac' delivers a punch with Sandy once again leading the front-line with her Suzi Quatro-esque style of rock / metal vocals, whilst the music as a whole delivers an Iron Maiden like sound, thunderous and unrelenting in every aspect. Sticking to the theme of the zodiac signs, each song depicts the traits of each sign and so what does Storm say about you? There is a song on this album for everyone as there is so much variation both lyrically and musically, it's like a Chinese buffet in that where do you start? But one thing is for sure, you will feel contented after gorging on this awesome effort. Download This: "Aquarius" (or your own sign) For Fans of: Iron Maiden, School of Rock enthusiasts, Suzi Quatro, Battle Beast [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  AWRIZIS 'Dreadful Reflection' METALGATE It's amazing what a few member changes can do to a band's productive output, in Awrizis's case it's not for the better. Having switch members in the vocals, drums, and guitars department, the anticipation of how this Czech unit would fare was steadily building since their debut album back in 2013. The new album 'Dreadful Reflection' might as well be a direct attack upon themselves, because whilst the music is a decent effort, the overall finesse is as entertaining as yawning your head off. The aggression that once was a musical threat now seems to have gone on holiday; but returns on some songs, at times the music is rather cliche but somehow delivers a respectable pulverising blow, but overall the album is nothing new, nothing special and as said a decent effort... it just flopped at the change of members. Download This: "Burn The Flame" For Fans of: 5 Finger Death Punch, DevilDriver, Lamb of God [5.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  VANFREJD 'I' INDEPENDENT Hailing from the Åland Islands, an archipegalo off of the Finnish coast is what could be argued as the one-man project Vanfrejd; although one cannot be sure as the info on the band/project is as useful as a dead battery. However, the debut album by this Black Metal entity is a strikingly good one, for the lack of physical presence the album justifies the band/project's existence. 'I' delivers the classic rampaging riffs, raucous vocals and blazing drums that we've all come to know from the generic Black Metal style. It will definitely please those die-hard fans of Black Metal, but for the wider metal music followers it might not be their cup of tea. All in all it's a decent effort but until Vanfrejd becomes more active socially it more than likely will be confined to history as an undiscovered release. Download This: "Tomhet" - Click to listen For Fans of: Mayhem, Immortal, Finnish Black Metal [7/10] RHYS STEVENSON  PSICOSIS 'Toska' INDEPENDENT OK so it has taken ten years for Psicosis from Nicaragua to release their debut album, it's always an eyebrow raiser when a band takes that long before releasing a major release but damn the wait was worth it. Combining the Spanish language with the unmistakable brutal heavy force of Groove / Thrash Metal, this ten-legged beast have done justice to the long wait. Clunking bass and riffs meet Latin influences and are jointly crowned with vocals of Sepultura elk, and drums so tightly precise that you wonder if the drummer is a mathematician at heart. 'Toska' is one album that will certainly gain considerable attention across the Central American Metal scenes and reinvigorate the whole Latin Metal style. Download This: "Dominacion" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Sepultura, Brujeria, Ill Nino [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ABSENTATION 'Ascending To Desolate' INDEPENDENT Whilst the war and conflict ensues on the streets of Damascus, Syria, a thriving underground metal scene takes place an Daesh in their music. Absentation are a Death Metal duo and are arguably one of the most exciting metal bands to emerge from the Middle East. Their debut album 'Ascending To Desolate' is a full on Death Metal-epic, with nods to the old-school style with some modern bits thrown in here and there, the slight downside is the production - over exerted and thus somewhat ruins the album, but overall it packs a furious punch that will leave you with piss-sodden pants. They hold much promise in these dire times and can be seen as a band being picked to play Wacken in the next few years. Absentation are flying the flag for the Syrian Metal scene. Download This: "Absent-nations" - click to listen For Fans of: Napalm Death, Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  CROW BLACK SKY 'Sidereal Light - Volume One' INDEPENDENT When it comes to the South African Metal scene, in specific the extreme side of it, there are numerous bands who know how to smash out a brutalising and powerful opus. Just ask the Melodic Black / Death Metal trio Crow Black Sky whose second album 'Sidereal Light - Volume One' is a tour-de-force. Sure it has been eight years since their debut, but the craftwork that has gone into the album is enriching and rewarding as a result. If Winterfylleth were a South African band they would be called Crow Black Sky, the ferocity and atmosphere conjured up is beautiful (can Black Metal be beautiful?). However some might not have the patience to listen to four tracks that on average last over eight minutes long, but the patience is worthwhile and for those who will take up the challenge, rest assured they will not be let down. Download This: "Lightless, Lifeless" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Winterfylleth, Shade Empire, Wildernessking [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ATROFIA 'Programado Para El Caos' INDEPENDENT If you fancy a bounce on your chair like a pogo stick, a bop of the head or a jiggle then look no further than Cartoon Network. if you fancy a chance to ruin your chair, fling your head around or act like a thing possessed, then tune into Atrofia's highly anticipated debut album 'Programado Para El Caos'. It comes loaded with insanely fast Thrash Metal, mixed with the Spanish language and a feeling that the drummer is tanked up on red bull. Seriously this album is a romping marathon of which is hard to keep up with, especially when air drumming or doing the air guitar. It seems that this Panamanian outfit have their craft sussed out, for every second it does not disappoint and leaves you quenching for more. Think Panama is only famous for the canal? Think again. Atrofia is set to place Panama's metal scene on the world stage. Download This: "Et Gran Final" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Slayer, Kreator, Holy Moses [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  WASP STING DANGER
'Wasp Sting Danger' INDEPENDENT Ever been stung by a wasp? Ever been prodded by the wasp's pointed arse? South Korean Crossover Thrash / Hardcore merchants Wasp Sting Danger are here to warn you of the consequences of being violated by the wasps through their own brand of humour, human nature and barminess. Dropping their debut EP, this quintet know how to belt out a song or two, songs that ultimately will leave your hearing impaired, senses rearranged and genitals with a massive hard on. It's not often a South Korean Metal band garners attention outside of Asia, but damn if they carry on with this style of metal and their attitude, attention will come their way in the form of a label signing, if not festival slots overseas... this music is the absolute nuts! It's the dogs bollocks.... ever seen bollocks stung by a wasp... let's not go there. For Fans of: Brujeria, Corrosion of Conformity, Municipal Waste Download This: "Hate You" - Click to listen [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  DUSK OF DELUSION 'Funfair' FANTAI'ZIC To be inspired by established bands is one thing, but to try and emulate their sound is a no-no. Regrettably it seems France's Dusk Of Delusion have fallen into that trap, their debut effort 'Unfair' is predictable at it's best and sure whilst it carries the hallmarks of Slipknot and Korn as the bands that spring to mind imminently, the sound is too much of a likeness to said bands albeit the snippets of audio dialogue which somehow (no idea how) deters the attention away from the mimicking going on. In fact, there is far too much Corey Taylor going on here and this is what will leave the album undetected because said vocals, said artist, are established, period. Unless Dusk Of Delusion come up with a new formula for future releases they will always remain in second gear, welcome to the 'funfair'? Horror show more like. Download This: "Casanova" For Fans of: Slipknot, Drowning Pool, Korn, Stone Sour. [4/10] RHYS STEVENSON  PRIMORDIAL 'Exile Amongst The Ruins' METAL BLADE Although they have been going for a vast number of years, Ireland's treasured sons Primordial have not lost any of their unrelenting energy that makes their albums all so great. Four years on since their previous album and the Celtic / Black Metal crew drop their new effort 'Exile Amongst The Ruins' with a ferocious onslaught of folk-laden beats, aggressive and enchanting vocals, and riffs so refreshing, so striking, that they take you by surprise. Now, some might be turned off by the length of the songs but for those who are bold and brave enough to vanquish the thirst for something extraordinary, the experience is rewarding in every aspect. Drafting in Doom Metal elements one some of their songs once again, Primordial drive into the ground the stake of which establishes them as one of the greatest Irish Metal bands of all time; it would take something spectacular to unseat this enchanting release. Download This: "Where Lie The Gods" For Fans of: Winterfylleth, Cruachan, Cnoc An Tursa, Skyclad 'Exile Amongst The Ruins' is out 30th March via Metal Blade Records [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  FRANCIS 'A Million Years Of Loneliness' SLIPTRICK Moldova might be a small country in the far flung corner of Europe, but it's metal scene is ramping and shaping up to be one that can challenge the Western elite. Entering into the fray is Francis with their Modern Metalcore / Melodic Death entwined sound, a sound that will capture the attention of many across the continent and into the global metal community. 'A Million Years Of Loneliness' is the group's new album and it comes fitted with an explosive form of musical armageddon as it twists and turns into a multitude of pitches, rhythms and atmospherics that will leave you jaw-dropped. Judging by this album it seems that Francis are set on creating their own definitive sound and aren't easy to pigeon-hole, thus making them probably the most exciting modern metal band to emerge in 2018... watch this space with sincere intent. Download This: "Nothing Changed" For Fans of: Arch Enemy, Dead By April, Nightwish 'A Million Years Of Loneliness' is out 27th March via Sliptrick Records [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  AUGURY 'Illusive Golden Age' THE ARTISAN ERA Nine years have passed since Augury dropped their second album and it is not really for the better, their latest effort 'Illusive Golden Age' musically is fine, vocals are OK (they are hard to understand for Death Metal standards), but overall? The expectation fell short of 'oh my god'. The album does well to stand on it's own two but it lacks the ability to shift out of third gear into fourth, and whilst it flits between the two genres it lacks organization is rather all over the place despite admitting the music is fine; production wise it's fine, but piecing together it lacks organization. I just wasted time on listening to this arguably decent effort, I just wish it could have sounded better... Download This: "Carrion Tide" For Fans of: Progressive Death Metal, Canadian Tech Metal, 'wtf' metal 'Illusive Golden Age' is out 30th March via The Artisan Era [6/10] RHYS STEVENSON  BARBARIAN PROPHECIES 'Origin' BASE RECORD PRODS / HECATOMBE Heavy Black / Death Metal crew Barbarian Prophecies return with their fourth album 'Origin' and armed with a new vocalist, this is probably the strongest effort they have ever made. A non-stop thundering of raucous riffs, vomiting vocals and destruction drums pave the way for this album to lay waste on your senses with a sense of gratification at the very end. The funny thing is you would not think the vocals were female, such a brutal demonic force resides within Chousa's vocals, so much so they can easily challenge even the most guttural-singing of Death Metal vocalists. This effort shall create waves across the wider Spanish Metal scene, but even so it will strike a chord in the extreme metal community, this is an album to cherish. Download This: "Path Of The Soul" For Fans of: Behemoth, Death, Deicide 'Origin' is out 26th March via Base Record Productions / Hecatombe Records [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  KILLIBRIUM 'Purge' INDEPENDENT Upon hearing the debut EP by Death Metallers Killibrium, it's evident that the quartet know their craft extremely well and are perfectly capable of unleashing an unfathomable amount of extremity on the unsuspecting wider metal community. 'Purge' is a prime example of modern Death Metal should be done, no nonsense, no wishy-washy elements, just a straight and unchallenged stream of sheer ferocity marred by ballistic drumming, tight-arse riffs and vocals so brutal, they make your last shitting episode whimper at the gravity of this tantalisingly unmissable slice of Indian Death Metal. Honestly, if they are not snapped up in the next two years by a record label I shall question the activity of the metal music industry, Killibrium set to become the next big export from India. Download This: "Purge" For Fans of: Suffocation, Aborted, Behemoth 'Purge' is out now via an independent release [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  LAST DAYS OF EDEN 'Chrysalis' PRIDE & JOY MUSIC If Eluveitie, Within Temptation and Sonata Arctica had a threesome, Last Days Of Eden would be the offspring. Folk Metal, Symphonic Metal and Power Metal all come together into a mixing pot to produce something rather magical, something refreshing and something that should be in your music collection. 'Chrysalis' is the third album by this Spanish septet, and boy does it deliver a sound that is astoundingly beautiful. Whilst the folk metal elements float vividly in the background and the guitars and vocals take control on most songs, the delicate balance of all three genres make this album a joy to listen to. With this effort as solid as it is, it's no doubt that their live persona will match the likes of Epica, they certainly have this album nailed on the spot and whilst the Symphonic Metal genre may be overloaded with female-fronted bands, Last Days Of Eden have proven they are more than capable of holding their own. Download This: "Dead Man's Tale" For Fans of: Sonata Arctica, Epica, Eluveitie, Within Temptation 'Chrysalis' is out now via Pride & Joy Music [9/10] RHYS STEVENSON  DEAD OF NIGHT 'The Evolving Science Of Self' PRIDE & JOY MUSIC So what can you call Dead Of Night's music? Well it could be Symphonic Metal, it could be Gothic Metal, but let's go with 'Symphonic Cinematic Metal'. Set to release their fourth album in four years since their inception, Dead Of Night are a force to reckon with and are set to become the UK's long awaited answer to Nightwish. 'The Evolving Science Of Self' has the sort of sound you'd imagine hearing on a Disney soundtrack, 'Frozen' for example, because it's majestic and cinematic atmosphere lifts your senses high up in euphoria as the keyboard elements battle for supremacy against Briony's infatuating vocals, the guitars and drums content to take back seat, but the overall composition sits right in front of you as arguable one of the finest unsigned Symphonic Metal releases Europe has ever seen. Dead Of Night are destined to set planet metal alight. Download This: "Set The Night On Fire" For Fans of: Nightwish, Within Temptation, Ravenia, Epica 'The Evolving Science Of Self' is out now via Pride & Joy Music [9/10] RHYS STEVENSON  VALE OF AMONITION 'Those Of Tartarean Ancestry' INDEPENDENT Being a metal band in a country where the scene rests on your shoulders is a heavy burden to have, but it is something that Vale Of Amonition have taken in their stride. Unleashing their sound of True African Doom Metal once again with their second album 'Those Of Tartarean Ancestry', the Ugandan duo have served up something that can be considered a romantic affair with the occult, the dark side of myth and homage to Black Sabbath's Doom Metal pioneering. The magical side to this album and the duo's music is they tell stories through their music, the atmosphere providing a dank, dark, eerie and unnerving feeling and through the guitar distortion, harmonious and deep vocals and the entrancing pace of the drums, Vale Of Amonition have once again delivered a masterpiece opus, one that will delight Doom Metal fans everywhere. Download This: "The Most Of Merry Funerals" - Click to listen For Fans of: Black Sabbath, Huntress, Ghost [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  CARTAGENA
'Roma Delenda Est' INDEPENDENT Since Myrath stepped out into the wider world of metal music, Tunisia has been spewing out bands left, right and centre. The latest export to emerge Cartagena, is no ordinary Symphonic Metal band, this is a band who wants to take you on a journey back to the Roman Empire times and the invasion of Tunisia; band name refers to the then capital of the Carthaginian civilization (now Tunis). By mixing together the traditional sounds of Tunisia and the wider Arabic world with Symphonic Metal, Cartagena deliver a stellar debut album that will give them the proponents to lay waste at the festivals they are playing at this year. 'Roma Delenda Est' is an album everyone should own because it is finely balanced, between traditional music and metal music it straddles the two perfectly. Cartagena are flying the flag for the Tunisian Metal scene. Download this: "Motherland" - Click to listen For fans of: Myrath, Persona, Orphaned Land [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  X.KERNEL 'Face The Truth' CIMMERIAN SHADE 'Face The Truth' is the debut album by the Ukrainian Cyber Melodic Death / Metalcore outfit X.Kernel and boy does it captivate throughout the entire album. By lacing a industrial / cyber style of music on the keyboards with the sheer magnitude of the Melodic Death Metal / Metalcore crossover sound, the quintet X.Kernel have clearly demonstrated that they're not adverse to challenging the conventional norms and in doing so have delivered an album that is worthy of international recognition. If they can maintain this futuristic sounding style of metal they've constructed, they may well just become The Ukraine's latest successful export after their fellow countrymen Jinjer secured a deal with Napalm Records, one can imagine the likes of Nuclear Blast being interested in this one. Imagine Sybreed being mixed with Asking Alexandria and Scar Symmetry and you get the idea, cyber metal flirting with heavenly melodic death metal and brutally-tinged Metalcore. Download This: 'Kingdom Of Pain' [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  BEHATED REIGN 'Encounters Of The Worst Kind' INDEPENDENT It's no secret that South America has had a relatively low-key history in terms of metal exports, except for Brazil's Sepultura and Nervochaos, Argentina's Skiltron and to an extent Colombia's Eshtadur. Venezuela on the other hand doesn't throw up any successful metal exports, until perhaps now where Behated Reign are the juggernaut this scene has been waiting for. Their debut album 'Encounters Of The Worst Kind' embraces the Melodic Death Metal sound with ease and comes dabbled with elements of Black Metal (in the riff department), it's a tour-de-force that will sure garner the band attention across planet metal. Having been in a previous incarnation in the form of Beheaded (2012-2015), the 2015-present ensemble Behated Reign are sure to knock on the doors of opportunity with this irresistible effort. Download This: 'Insanis' [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  AK-47 'AK-47' INDEPENDENT Latino Thrash Metal is one thing you could call the sound devised by AK-47, or you could call it raw Thrash Metal, whatever you decide to call it, their debut demo is one of promise. Hailing from Uruguay this quintet play Thrash Metal and sing in their native Spanish language giving it that original and authentic feeling. Sure the demo itself is only two tracks long, but it's a solid effort which leaves much anticipation for their debut EP or album. Despite the demo having a low-budget artwork design, the sound certainly is not low-budget, far from it. Thunderous drums lead the backline whilst the riffs rampage on, all whilst the vocals polish off the tracks with enough headbanging opportunities to give you conclusive whiplash. Download This: 'Amos De La Guerra' [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  CRUSHEM 'OBS' INDEPENDENT There are times where it's best to stick to the 'already done' and then of course there are the times where originality should take centre stage. However and somehow Turkey's Crushem seem to have gotten themselves stuck in the middle, their debut EP 'OBS' delivers a modern approach to the Death / Groove Metal crossover genre, but some of the components are nothing new and so the EP unfortunately lands itself in the 'been there, done it' basket. There are moments where the EP could swing into more favourable territory but these are too rare for the EP to be considered an interesting listen and rather just something to pass the time of day. With the correct vision and aptitude, Crushem could craft something much more memorable rather than something just to be in existence. Download This: 'Trial' [6/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ORCHID SWORD '大躍進' INDEPENDENT Could this be the birth of 'Orientalcore' or Oriental Metalcore? Well Taiwan's Orchid Sword certainly seem to want to embrace the westernised Metalcore style with the basic breakdowns and chugging riffs that you would expect, but draft in oriental sounds by using a keyboard; it might sound more impressive with traditional instruments, a er-hu per se. However, the other aspect that makes this band and their debut album ' 大躍進' evidently oriental is the language choice, embracing their traditional Taiwanese they have created a truly unique and authentic sound that should get some attention from overseas – this stuff usually gets some form of international attention. Taking an overall aspect this album is something magical that will propel Orchid Sword into the limelight, here cometh the pioneers of Orientalcore. Download This: 'Empty 6' [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  APOCRIFO MANIFESTO 'Manifiesto' INDEPENDENT Hailing from Argentina, Heavy Groove Metallers Apocrifo Manifesto make their debut EP 'Manifiesto' a little basic and unadventurous despite using their native Spanish as language of choice. The EP is too casual for it to be taken completely seriously but does offer glimmer of hope at various points of something special to come. But for the time being it is a decent effort, it is hoped they will build on this effort and come up with something more striking. The atmosphere is just not as potent as it could be, the vocals are OK, the guitars are what you expect and the drums, well simple as they can be. Download This: 'Alpha-Omega' [5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  BLUNT SHOVEL 'Get In The Ground' GOATSOUND Now this is what you call some brutally heavy sh*t, seriously the debut album by Australia's Blunt Shovel is savage enough to rip the skin and muscle from your face. The unrelenting concoction of Death Metal-infused Metalcore is menacing enough to leave your underwear stained. 'Get In The Ground' is their debut album and it will certainly keep you occupied just as long as you can keep headbanging or air guitar playing, because it demands your immediate attention and does not let go without a fight. Fire and fury underpins this unforgiving release and it's final strike is the unrelenting ability to never stop. Download This: 'Tongue Hung Pinata' [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ANOMALIE 'Visions' ART OF PROPAGANDA Austria has always had a success story at nurturing the Black Metal scene and yet despite the slight lack of bands expanding beyond borders, it still has a thriving and enticing scene. Dropping their third album is Atmospheric / Post-Black Metal ensemble Anomalie, 'Visions' definitely brings the chills down your spine with an icy, Alpine breeze that is almost impossible to resist. To be fair it's the kind of Atmospheric Black Metal you could fall asleep to, sure it's similar to bands like Winterfylleth and Fen, but it works and will certainly appeal to the wider metal music fan and not just those enticed by Black Metal as a whole. Anomalie are a band to keep tabs on as this effort shall certainly turn heads. Download This: 'Vision VI: White Forest' [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  DEMOCRATUS 'Starting Again' INDEPENDENT The Welsh are always regarded as singers when they speak, but when they let open the gates of hell for metal music to enter into their lives, their true singing abilities kick into being. Back after a 2 or so year plunge into the abyss with line-up changes and what not is South Welsh crew Democratus with their slick streamlined slab of Melodic Death Metal, successfully demonstrated on their aptly named EP 'Starting Again'; it would be cool if they crafted a song in the Welsh language, but for now let the EP strike a chord in the underground for it will serve as a building block for the next few years or so. Whilst at times the EP breaks into Thrash territory especially on 'Furious Horde' (but retaining the core Melodic Death sound), it does evade the shackles of the generic formulas so many other Melodeath bands have used over the years and thus giving the EP a greater meaning to it's existence. Download This: "Furious Horde" For Fans of: Scar Symmetry, Bloodshot Dawn, At The Gates [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  THEOPSYA
'Endless' INDEPENDENT 6 years may seem a long while, in the case of France's Theopsya it certainly is seeing as they've had a line-up change and apparent hiatus during the period between their debut EP 'Tales Of An Angel' and their long-anticipated debut album 'Endless'. The magic has never gone away and with this effort they have shown they are more than ready to let rip on the world once more, hopefully with their newfound sound of glistening melodies and thunderous riffs they can rack up the attention worldwide. 'Endless' is a huge testament to the Melodic / Symphonic Goth Metal crossover and never stops entertaining throughout. Whatever Theopsya have planned next it it sure to be anticipated with high expectations because simply put, 'Endless' is a sumptuous piece of musicianship that is certain to tingle many ears alike. Download This: "Emerald Heart" For Fans of: Nightwish, Epica, Within Temptation [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON |
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