Defiance

Hypoxia – Defiance [Things You Might Have Missed 2024]

Hypoxia – Defiance [Things You Might Have Missed 2024]

“In a year where most death metal gems have come from well-established acts, Hypoxia carries the torch for the underground. Hypoxia caught my eye by advertising two ex-members of Monstrosity: both bassist Michael Poggione and vocalist Mike Hrubovcak appeared on 2007’s Spiritual Apocalypse and 2018’s late-career highlight The Passage of Existence. Along with the likes of Morbid Angel and Immolation, Monstrosity played a critical role in wooing a high school Maddog into death metal. Name-dropping them was bound to grab my attention, especially as Hypoxia’s third full-length Defiance promised girthy vintage death metal riffs.” Girthy riffs, some monsterism.

Absolva – Side by Side Review

Absolva – Side by Side Review

Absolva, the act entirely composed of the touring band for Blaze Bayley, have returned with their fifth album of slightly modernized NWoBHM. I first stumbled on these gents back in 2017 when their Defiance platter wound up on my desk, and found their style easy to like and as familiar as a favorite pair of socks. This is a crew of seasoned veterans from the U.K. traditional metal scene, and guitarist Luke Appleton even finds time to play bass for Iced Earth when not touring with Blaze.” Blazing new trails.

Ultra-Violence – Privilege to Overcome Review

Ultra-Violence – Privilege to Overcome Review

“Re-thrashers just keep coming through the floorboards and as with roaches, for every one you see, hundreds more lurk just out of sight. Ultra-Violence is a new bug and they hail from Italy of all places. Their Privilege to Overcome debut doesn’t completely reinvent the thrash wheel, but it does offer a dizzyingly schizoid blend of modern thrash, second wave Bay Area style thrash like Defiance and Faith or Fear, Germanic thrash, crossover hardcore like D.R.I. and modern stuff like Machine Head.” If that doesn’t sound like a thick re-thrash stew, nothing does! Join Steel Druhm as he examines if Ultra-Violence has what it takes to kick the requisite amount of buttcheek.