OSDM

Scythe – Boiled Alive Review

Scythe – Boiled Alive Review

By Grin Reaper on February 13, 2026 in Reviews, Death Metal, 55 comments

“In the midst of a recent metal deep-dive, Romania’s Scythe skulked out from a Bandcamp back alley and bludgeoned me with the flat side of their blade, knocking me senseless with scuzzy shenanigans. We weren’t graced with a promo for Scythe’s self-released debut, but Boiled Alive packs in so much grimy panache that after my first listen, I had it shortlisted as someThing You Might Have Missed. Rather than wait several months before bringing attention to Boiled Alive, though, I volunteered to burn some midnight oil and write about this quartet from Constanța.” Get in the pot!

Deathrite – Flames Licking Fever Review

Deathrite – Flames Licking Fever Review

By Alekhines Gun on December 1, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Punk, 23 comments

“Sometimes it’s not about the brutality or the speed, it’s about the pizzazz. German band Deathrite began life as OSDM worship in 2010, before attempting to make their own mark by incorporating more punk riff simplicity and black metal atmospheres into one vile brew. Now, they stand poised to deliver their fifth outing, the oddly titled Flames Licking Fever, and the idea of such a trifecta of sounds certainly tickles the earballs. Do the ingredients come together in a potable stew, or should these flavors remain separated from each other for good?” Lick the Devil.

Festergore – Constellation of Endless Blight Review

Festergore – Constellation of Endless Blight Review

By Kenstrosity on November 26, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, 25 comments

“The old school death metal revival burgeons as profusely as ever. Countless buzzsaws, endless riff salads, and innumerable gravelly roars populate the landscape of the genre, with only the occasional differentiation to be found in the gene pool. Yet, we metalheads at large eat it right up. From aesthetics all the way down to engineering, albums released under the OSDM umbrella use and abuse a long-standing formula way past its expiration date, and still bangers abound. This, interestingly, makes the field an especially challenging one in which to excel. Staten Island’s newest old-school death quintet, Festergore, place their first bid in the pot with their debut Constellation of Endless Blight.” Blight here, right now.

Sanctuarium – Melted and Decomposed Review

Sanctuarium – Melted and Decomposed Review

By Alekhines Gun on September 30, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 16 comments

“Sanctuarium is a young band with an old, rotted soul. The band’s debut—recorded as a two-piece—was a more synth-drenched death/doom hybrid, heavy on atmosphere blending their doomy dirges in with mid-paced death. On its sophomore outing, Melted and Decomposed, the band has upped to a full five-piece and further evolved its sound. With this stylistic shift and three new members, it remains to be seen if Melted and Decomposedinnovates or not.” Innovation in death metal? Unheard of! Absurd!

Evilyn – Mondestrunken Review

Evilyn – Mondestrunken Review

By Dear Hollow on August 16, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 22 comments

“At first glance, it appears that international death metal act Evilyn only has your demise and destruction in mind. Mondestrunken is uncompromisingly heavy, riffs pushed to their shimmering limits like oil from the collapsing god machine, hellish growls from beyond the stars, and drums funneled through warp speed directly into the collapsing horror of a black hole. It feels like a background of cosmic noise, lifeless, unfriendly, and directionless, but patience yields results: obelisks emerge into the view. Not that they were ever absent, but that our eyes could not behold them.” Evil in dark spaces.

Humanity Defiled – Deficient Breed Review

Humanity Defiled – Deficient Breed Review

By Kenstrosity on May 30, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, 12 comments

“Belgian one-man death machine Humanity Defiled first caught my attention years ago, with their hefty 2015 death assault The Demise of the Sane. The album predated Headshrinker’s awesome Callous Indifference when it comes to chunky, nasty death metal that tackles dark, deeply personal, and sensitive subjects—especially as it pertains to matters of mental health. However, that Headshrinker record helped filled the void left by Humanity Defiled in the nine years since The Demise of the Sane dropped. Still, I find myself as ravenous as ever for new Humanity Defiled material.” Metal health.

Carnation – Cursed Mortality Review

Carnation – Cursed Mortality Review

By Kenstrosity on November 3, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, 81 comments

“Belgian five-banger Carnation are nothing if not reliable. Time after time, these purveyors of vicious and serrated old-school HM-2 death metal prove themselves to be a cut or two above the standard. Punky swagger often combined with rabid bloodthirst as Carnation spewed forth tome after tome of hard-hitting, hooky material without fail.” Flower POWERS.