Agonia Records

Beheaded – Għadam Review

By Dear Hollow on August 14, 2025 in Reviews, Blackened Death Metal, Death Metal, 25 comments

“I’m not sure which is worse: to release terrible or forgettable albums. Unfortunately for Maltese death metal outfit Beheaded, it has been the latter for the vast majority of their career. Always releasing competent material but nothing that sticks, their tenure within these hallowed halls has been rife with mediocrity, both 2017’s Beast Incarnate and 2019’s Only Death Can Save You lauded acknowledged for sounding like brutal death metal by the inimitable Kronos – the definition of “mixed” territory.” Some heads are gonna bowl.

Abigail Williams – A Void Within Existence Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on July 14, 2025 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, 78 comments

“After dropping a new album last year under his Nachtmystium moniker, I had a sneaky suspicion Ken Sorceron would bless us with a new Abigail Williams record this year. And, sure as shit, A Void Within Existence is here. I’ve been covering this outfit for some time now, thankfully, after their spell in the metalcore realm. And each new album continues to push new boundaries, inching closer to grabbing the counter by the balls and dragging it through blackened muck.” Ms. Williams wants MOAR.

Quadvium – Tetradōm Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on June 4, 2025 in Reviews, Instrumental Metal, Progressive Metal, 96 comments

“Who needs two guitar players when you could have two master bass players at the helm? Quadvium seeks to answer this question with the fiery fingerwork of metal legends Steve DiGiorgio and Jeroen Paul Thesseling. DiGiorgio revolutionized bass playing in the metalsphere through radical death works with Autopsy, Death, and his own band, Sadus. Even if you don’t know his name, you may recognize these hallmarks of percussive and frenetic bass engineering, or any number of the thrashy, deathly, or progressive albums to which he has lent a wild, throbbing pulse. Likewise, Thesseling has weaved his way around celebrated releases, designing a style equally tricky but heavier in jazz-indebted fusion. Both Pestilence’s Spheres and Obscura’s breakout albums would not have seen the same light without his buttery and bleeping presence.” Bass on bass wiolence.

Sadist – Something to Pierce Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on March 7, 2025 in Reviews, Death Metal, 56 comments

“Through Sadist’s classic run, from 1993’s Above the Light to 1997’s Crust, the imitable Italians carved a path around emergent death-thrash, progressive death, and groove sounds with a synth-laden and horror-guided flair as pillars of their heritage. And though their hiatus to reunion with 2007’s self-titled comeback burst forth with an aggressive energy that encapsulated their extreme and unique breed of work, the path afterward has remained fairly rocky. The freedom to be Sadist in all their never-replicated Goblin keys meets Pestilence riffs with a B-movie attitude has resulted in some excursions that felt more style than substance.” Gotta be cruel to be kind.

Massacre – Necrolution Review

By Steel Druhm on November 8, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, 30 comments

“2021 saw two competing versions of Massacre release albums. Inhuman Condition featured several former Massacre members and aimed for their classic sound, and Massacre themselves launched Resurgence with original vocalist Kam Lee getting help from death metal workaholic Rogga Johansson. Resurgence was fun, primitive death for the old school oldies, but looking back, I definitely overrated it. Now we get the second album from the Kam/Rogga alliance and with Necrolution they’ve delivered a classic death platter carbon dated to 1990 but containing a few unexpected and unusual twists and turns.” Olde dawgs, dead tricks.

Five the Hierophant – Apeiron Review

By Carcharodon on October 16, 2024 in Reviews, Ambient, Avant-Garde, Doom Jazz, Drone, Post-Metal, 33 comments

“I wanted to love Five the Hierophant’s last album, 2021’s Through Aureate Void. I really did. Alas, it was not to be. However, after seeing them play a great set at ArcTanGent in 2022, I revisited that record. While I stand by everything in that review, including the 2.0, which some viewed as harsh, the potential was clear and Five the Hierophant was tantalizingly close to delivering a worthy follow-up to their very good debut, Over Phlegethon. The British quartet’s brand of psychedelic, jazz-inspired, instrumental post-metal had elements of greatness marred by meandering, over-indulgent songwriting that lacked standout ideas.” Five or lower?

Varathron – The Crimson Temple Review

By Doom_et_Al on December 5, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, 24 comments

““Always respect an old man still playing in a young man’s game,” the saying goes. “There’s a reason they’re still around.” With that in mind, it’s curious how little attention Greek black metal stalwarts, Varathon, generally receive. Formed 35 years ago in an era when many AMG staff had not been conceived, and Steel Druhm still had hair, Varathon were instrumental in establishing the famous “Hellenic black metal sound.”” Olden dogs still bite.

Den Saakaldte – Pesten Som Tar Over Review

By Doom_et_Al on October 9, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, 11 comments

“Formed in 2006 by guitarist Sykelig, the band has previously featured members from Shining, Gehenna and Dødheimsgard. Unfortunately, most of these folks have gone, raising the question about whether Den Saakaldte still qualifies as a “super group” anymore. There’s one way to shut up the doubters and that’s to release a killer album.” Kill or be filler.

October Tide – The Cancer Pledge Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on October 9, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 24 comments

“Since 1994 this sadboi doom/death Katatonia spin-off has been spewing sullen tunes to the beat of a depressed march. Originally more in line with a stripped-down presentation of the kind of work that Dance of December Souls started and Brave Murder Day championed, October Tide festered into its own deathly beast, eventually seeing the legendary Jonas Renkse step away to a succession of progressively more vile vocalists.” High? Low? October Tide.

Rebaelliun – Under the Sign of Rebellion Review

By Steel Druhm on September 22, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, 7 comments

“It’s always an interesting leap into the unknown to review a band you have no experience with despite them having released several albums. Such is the case with Brazil’s Rebaelliun. They’ve been banging around the South American death metal scene since 1998 but haven’t been particularly prolific, releasing only 3 full-lengths prior to this their fourth platter, Under the Sign of Rebellion. With a sound similar to Krisiun, Morbid Angel, and The Ordher, they aren’t treading any virgin soil, but they’ve been trafficking in thrashy, blasty death for a long time and they know their chosen style well.” Up the Rebaels!