“Throwing their hats in the old school death revivalist ring, relative newcomers Retching explode out the rusty graveyard gates with a no-nonsense, pretension-free blast of old school death. Seeking to add their own spin and identity to separate themselves from the horde of old school aficionados, while leaving reinvention for other folks, the Rhode Island duo unleash debut, Charming the Decomposed.” Singles night in the rot pit.
“Random dunks into the promo sump yield a variety of interesting, if uneven results. The element of risk and getting lumped with an unlistenable dud is counteracted by the odd chance of scooping up an unheralded stunner, or the next big thing. New York/New Jersey duo of scene veterans Dan Lorenzo (Hades, Non-Fiction) and Johnny Kelly (Type O Negative, Quiet Riot, Danzig) formed Patriarchs In Black several years back. Despite a relatively short career, the duo, armed with various guest musicians and vocalists, arrive at their fourth album, simply titled Home.” No sleep from Brooklyn to Secaucus to Alabama.
“In terms of subtlety and nuance, brutal death represents an oil vs water scenario. Illustrating the point, Texan purveyors of repugnant, stupidly heavy slam-infected brutal death, Kill Everything, return with the charmingly titled Headless Cum Dumpster, the long-gestating follow-up to their well-received 2018 debut, Scorched Earth. Time passed has brought in changes to the band’s line-up since their thumping debut, with ex-Devourment gurgler Mike Majewski leaving the fold, bassist Mike Leach joining, and former bassist Brett Wilson switching to second guitar, teaming up with another ex-Devourment member in guitarist Brian Wynn.” Young, dumb, and full of…drums.
“Rooted in the fertile graveyard turf of the Swedeath golden years, veterans Entrails occupy an interesting place in the revivalist old school Swedish death metal scene. Originally conceived in 1990 by sole original member Jimmy Lundqvist, the band lay dormant until Lundqvist resurrected the outfit with new bandmates in tow, unleashing a couple of long-gestating demos before eventually releasing their impressive debut Tales from the Morgue in 2010.” Guts is enough!
“Corpse-painted host and comedian of metal show Two Minutes to Late Night, Jordan Olds (aka Gwarsenio Hall), spearheaded some nifty entertainment during the height of the pandemic. Snapping up the limited release digital covers EPs during Bandcamp Fridays allowed me to net some cool stuff. Olds and a host of musicians, including Chelsea Wolfe and members of Dillinger Escape Plan, Mastodon, Mutoid Man, Royal Thunder, and Baroness amongst others, put their wacky spin on a variety of metal anthems and other classic tunes.” Olds, borrowed, and blue.
“Defiantly resilient and deeply underappreciated, West Virginia’s Byzantine bring oodles of class and credibility to the often-maligned groove metal game. Their brand of accessible, slick modern metal has seen the Byz lads cultivate a consistently solid career, kicking twenty twenty-plus years ago. Enduring line-up shuffles, break-ups, record label shenanigans, and health concerns, it’s remarkable the 2025 version of Byzantine remains alive and well. Harbingers signals the fourth Byzantine LP since their second coming over a decade back, seventh overall, and first full-length offering since 2017’s solid The Cicada Tree release.” Ornamental progumentus.
“Metal burnout can be an unfortunate affliction that strikes most metalheads at various stages. The condition works in mysterious ways, and not necessarily in the ways you might expect. For example, my recent rotations have not abandoned metal entirely, but the urges of extremity have been largely repressed, aside from an unhealthy and wonderfully nostalgic Acid Bath binge. What better way to forcefully treat the matter than plunging into the deepest, ugliest depths of the promo sump to retrieve a grimy, rancid underground act set to help pummel me back to my metallic senses. Unheralded Italian act Golem of Gore specialize in rank and indecent goregrind mixed with brutal death mayhem on second full-length, Ultimo Mondo Cane.” Gore candy.
“Back to the Grindstone is a love letter feature dedicated to the appreciation of all things grindcore. This most extreme of extreme niche genres has been kicking since the late ’80s, growing in underground stature as the years march on. The rule of thumb to this feature is simple; spotlight will be on grind albums old and new, though will not include releases from the past five years, or albums previously covered on this website. Genre classics, underappreciated gems, old school and nu school will be covered, highlighting albums aimed at established fans and curious listeners interested in diving into the cesspool of the grind scene.” Truth brutality.
“Pennsylvania-based independent label Willowtip Records was established by Jason Tipton in the late ’90s. From humble beginnings, the label has stood the test of time, becoming one of the most respected and highly regarded record labels in the extreme metal scene. It takes something special to create a label with a consistently unfuckwithable roster of quality, innovative artists while retaining long-term integrity and durability. Willowtip is the self-proclaimed forward-thinking label, releasing a slew of modern classics and top-shelf albums that may have a lower profile but are more than worth your while.” Grind for your mind.
“Record label dependability is a handy gauge for assessing quality in the crowded realms of the metalverse. The gauge isn’t always foolproof, but more often than not, a handful of trustier labels in the biz deliver on both quality and individuality. Pittsburgh-based record label 20 Buck Spin has championed many a fine band since its inception 20 years ago, boasting a diverse roster, currently including wide-ranging acts such as Fulci, Vastum, Slimelord, Bedsore, Tribunal, and Worm. It was a curious promotion of Texan band Bleed that piqued my interest. Even amidst the label’s solid variety and idiosyncrasies, on paper Bleed appear an unusual fit. Firstly, Bleed have no affiliation with the extreme sounds of many of their labelmates, instead leaning into a chunky and melodic alternative metal/rock sound channeling late ’90s and early ’00s vibes.” If it bleeds, it leads.
