Alpha Wolf – Half Living Things (2024) Album Review
Rating: 8/10 Alpha Wolf’s Half Living Things: Brutal, Atmospheric, and Relentlessly Solid Alpha Wolf’s Half Living Things is the kind of album that doesn’t ask for your attention—it demands it. Twelve tracks, all compact and punchy, this is the kind of record that takes you by the collar and doesn’t let go. From the first note to the last, it’s clear that Alpha Wolf is on top of their game, delivering an album that’s as aggressive as it is tight, with just the right amount of variation to keep you hooked. Production-wise, the album is crisp, with a balance of power and precision that serves the band well. The guitars hit with that signature heaviness, while the drums steal the show at times, locking in with a ferocity that feels like an engine revving just before it bursts into overdrive. Synths, often the unwelcome guest in heavier music, are smoothly integrated into the soundscape here, adding a layer of atmosphere without ever undercutting the intensity. Vocally, the performance is relentless—there’s no sugarcoating or polish, just straight-up aggression. It’s the kind of vocal delivery that feels like a shot of adrenaline, keeping pace with the pounding rhythm section and chaotic guitar […]
Blood Incantation – Absolute Elsewhere (2024) Album Review
Rating: 6/10 Blood Incantation’s Absolute Elsewhere offers a bold instrumental journey, but struggles to deliver the full punch expected from a standout metal release. Blood Incantation’s Absolute Elsewhere is an intriguing dive into expansive soundscapes, where the music takes precedence and the vocals step into the background. At just six tracks, none under five minutes, this album feels more like a cinematic journey than a traditional death metal offering. The band’s signature technical prowess is on full display, but the overall impact? A bit of a mixed bag. Production-wise, the album struggles to balance its heavier moments with its more atmospheric, softer parts. The soundscapes are beautifully constructed, but when the music turns heavy, it feels like the mix doesn’t quite carry the same punch. While previous works may have leaned into more aggressive tendencies, this album chooses a more instrumental, almost meditative approach, although less so than its predecessor. It’s musically innovative and ambitious, though at times the vocals feel like an afterthought—there, but not fully commanding the listener’s attention. Speaking of vocals, while there are some heavy, guttural moments, they never quite break through the instrumental dominance. It’s clear that Absolute Elsewhere isn’t about the lyrics or vocal […]
Left To Suffer – Leap of Death (2024) Album Review
Rating: 7/10 Leap of Death by Left To Suffer delivers heavy riffs and intensity, but struggles with inconsistent pacing and softer moments that dilute its impact. Leap of Death sees Left To Suffer navigating the line between chaos and melody, offering a raw, unfiltered blend of deathcore brutality and atmospheric shifts. The band’s heavy riffs are undeniably solid, with sharp production that allows the instrumentation to cut through clearly. Each track presents a tight composition, showcasing the band’s growing technical skill. While the instrumentals hit hard, the lyrics feel somewhat underwhelming. For a band whose vocal delivery often borders on ferocious, the words don’t always match the intensity. A heavier lyrical direction would’ve made the growls feel more purposeful. And though the clean vocals are well-performed, their inclusion occasionally detracts from the album’s overall force. It feels as though the band is torn between maintaining their brutal edge and appealing to a wider audience, causing the softer moments to lose momentum. Despite the band’s talent, Leap of Death doesn’t consistently maintain its energy. The flow from track to track is uneven, with some songs feeling disconnected, making it harder to stay fully immersed. That said, there are moments—specific breakdowns or […]
Fleshgod Apocalypse – Opera (2024) Album Review
Rating: 7/10 Opera by Fleshgod Apocalypse masterfully blends symphonic grandeur with death metal ferocity, but leans too heavily on familiar territory without breaking new ground. Opera, Fleshgod Apocalypse’s latest effort, delivers exactly what fans of their symphonic death metal sound would expect: a grand fusion of orchestral elegance and crushing brutality. The opening track, “Ode To Art – De’ Sepolcri,” sets the stage with a captivating, operatic intro before launching into their signature heaviness. Veronica Bordacchini’s clean vocals are a standout, balancing the intense growls with a haunting, melodic grace. Lyrically, Opera dives into darker themes, with tracks like “Bloodclock” pulling you into a whirlwind of heavy riffs and grandeur. Despite the album’s strong moments, it feels like more of the same. The band leans even further into their symphonic elements, but there’s a sense of familiarity that prevents Opera from standing out as truly innovative compared to their previous releases. While the instrumental performances are strong, particularly the guitars and drums, the absence of founding bassist Paolo Rossi leaves a subtle gap, with Francesco Paoli now taking over bass duties. The bass could have used more punch to match the intensity of the rest of the album, but that’s […]
Deicide – Banished By Sin (2024) Album Review
Rating: 8/10 Deicide’s latest release is a razor-sharp homage to old-school death metal, proving these veterans still know how to unleash relentless fury with zero compromises. Deicide is back, and they’ve cranked up the evil for their latest release. The production is sharp and clear, which, depending on where you stand, might feel like a well-polished blade or a bit too clean for comfort. Either way, it’s a significant leap forward from some of their recent offerings and they’ve leaned into what they do best: pure, unfiltered death metal. No frills, no bullshit—just a steady stream of brutal riffage and hellfire. Glen Benton hasn’t lost his edge. His guttural roars are just as relentless as ever, and they bring the dark, anti-religious lyrical themes we’ve come to expect from Deicide. While the satanic lyrics might not resonate on a deep, emotional level (because let’s face it, we’ve been through this particular underworld before), they’re still delivered with a conviction that only Benton can manage. You can almost feel the heat rising from his vocal cords. On the instrumental side, the band went full throttle. The guitars and drums carry that vintage thrash-inspired sound, with a precision that shows their experience. […]
Fit For An Autopsy– The Nothing That Is (2024) Album Review
Rating: 8/10 Fit For An Autopsy’s latest album doesn’t break the mold, but it sure as hell crushes it. Fit For An Autopsy’s latest drop sticks to the formula that made them a staple of the scene—delivering an album that’s both crushingly heavy and hauntingly atmospheric. They’re not exactly reinventing the wheel here, but why mess with what works? The production is solid, letting every skull-rattling riff and low-end growl land with all the weight you’d expect from these death metal veterans. Lyrically, the album goes all-in on themes of decay, curses, and some good old-fashioned hopelessness. The words are intense, apocalyptic, and unapologetically bleak, perfectly paired with clean vocals that carry an eerie edge and guttural roars that could probably raise the dead. The band knows when to go for the throat with fast, relentless riffs and when to pull back and let a slow, heavy groove crush the air out of your lungs. Tracks like “Spoils of The Horde” flex their talent for dynamic compositions, starting with cinematic intros before diving headfirst into pure chaos. The flow between tracks feels almost like the chapters of a grim story, each track bleeding into the next without a single wasted […]