Australian Metal

Xenobiotic – Dante Review

By Kronos on March 7, 2026 in Reviews, Death Metal, Deathcore, 25 comments

“You haven’t lived until you’ve heard an Australian recite Dante. Once a niche ritual available only to the geographically privileged, everyone’s somethingth-favorite Australian prog-death band Xenobiotic are using their aptly titled third LP to democratize access to this sonorous phenomenon, and some other sonorous phenomena to boot, familiar to those acquainted with much-lauded sophomore effort Mordrake. The band’s adventurous efforts are well-suited to epic literature, and, as for the subject matter, recall that this is a death metal record.” Hell is here.

Swords of Dis, Serpent Ascending, Ôros Kaù, Midnight Odyssey – From the Waters of Death – A retelling of the Epic of Gilgamesh Review

By Thus Spoke on February 12, 2026 in Reviews, Ambient, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Blackened Death Metal, Death Metal, Experimental Metal, 40 comments

“In case you’re unfamiliar, The Epic of Gilgamesh is an ancient Mesopotamian poetic narrative, whose first complete form is dated to approximately 1800 BCE. It follows a story of King Gilgamesh and his dealings with gods and other mythic monsters, culminating in a journey for the secret of immortality. What better way could there be to consume this rich, literary epic than have it interpreted by the collection of artists behind From the Waters of Death? Obscure black/doom duo Swords of Dis; death metal veteran and experimenter Serpent Ascending; Neptunian Maximalism’s darker, heavier incarnation Ôros Kaù; and ambient-black dreamer Midnight Odyssey.” Gil Ga Mesh, the perverted son, the holy man!

Malignant Aura – Where All of Worth Comes to Wither Review

By Owlswald on January 27, 2026 in Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 30 comments

“The marriage of death and doom is a well-trodden path, but Malignant Aura’s 2022 debut proved they had quickly mastered the formula. Abysmal Misfortune is Draped Upon Me was a crushing blend of old-school death metal (OSDM) misery and funeral desolation, establishing the Australian quartet as another worthy addition to an already vibrant scene. Now a part of the Memento Mori roster, their sophomore effort, Where All of Worth Comes to Wither, arrives to push Malignant Aura out of the nether realm and into a world all their own.” Aura Borealis.

The Eternal – Celestial Review

By Steel Druhm on January 16, 2026 in Reviews, 37 comments

“Australian Gothic doom act The Eternal came into my life with their 2018 opus Waiting for the Endless Dawn and caused me much consternation. I loved their depressive Paradise Lost / Sentenced / Katatonia style, but struggled with the sheer length of the compositions, which ranged from 10 minutes upward to 20. I underscored the album despite some amazing material due to its sheer size, and I regret that still. 2024s Skinwalker saw them tone down the running times somewhat, and it was another glum victory with huge moments of sadboi glory. Now The Eternal drop a mini-album/EP named Celestial, and lo and behold, it’s economical in size and scope.” Tears in the eternal void.

Depravity – Bestial Possession Review

By Kenstrosity on November 22, 2025 in Reviews, Death Metal, 65 comments

“Since the release of Evil Upheaval in early 2018, I fell head over heels for Aussie death metal quintet Depravity. Evil Upheaval always going to be a difficult debut to follow, but Grand Malevolence did its very best and largely matched the debut’s sheer heft and vicious energy. Five long years spans the gap between then and now, with third salvo Bestial Possession, threatening to pummel me into dust. Little does Depravity know how badly I want it.” Depraved kinks and frightful brutality.

Tempestuous Fall – The Descent of Mortals Past Review

By ClarkKent on November 14, 2025 in Reviews, Funeral Doom, Symphonic Metal, 16 comments

“In 2012, Australia’s Dis Pater released the debut record for his third active—at the time—one-man project: The Stars Would Not Awaken You by Tempestuous Fall, a work of epic funeral doom. The following year, Pater released what might be the strangest split I’ve heard of: a three-way between his own active projects. It ended up being a “[three] men enter, one man leaves” kind of deal, with Midnight Odyssey being the lone survivor. In that time, he has contributed to several other bands, from a Greek black metal group, Kawir, to a Slovakian black metal group, Aeon Winds, as well as a whopping nine LPs for Midnight Odyssey. Yet something about the funeral doom of Tempestuous Fall must have called Pater back. Backed by classical symphonic elements, it turns out he had rather ambitious goals for sophomore album, The Descent of Mortals Past.” Fall of mortal hearts.

Bergfried – Romantik III Review

By Grin Reaper on November 5, 2025 in Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, 16 comments

“After dropping debut EP Romantik I in 2022 and follow-up Romantic II in 2023, Austrian-Hungarian duo Bergfried rides in on a wave of 80s nostalgia to deliver debut full-length Romantik III. At the conclusion of a trilogy, main character Anna tirelessly roams hell in pursuit of her lost lover. During the search, Anna clashes with God and Devil in her quest for love reunited. Bergfried and the Romantik series are the creations of Erech von Lothringen, guitarist on Romantik III and mastermind of Narzissus and Ancient Mastery, among others. While his other projects lean toward black metal, Bergfried forges something entirely different—a rock opera.” Berger time.

Stuck in the Filter: July 2025’s Angry Misses

By Kenstrosity on October 6, 2025 in Stuck in the Filter, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Blackened Death Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Drone, Experimental Metal, Folk Metal, Groove Metal, Hardcore, Instrumental Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Nu Metal, Pop Metal, Progressive Metal, Sludge, Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal, 55 comments

July Filters get sticky from the heat. It takes time to cool em down and unstickify those rascals. We did it though, for YOU.

Ashen – Leave the Flesh Behind Review

By Kenstrosity on August 19, 2025 in Reviews, Death Metal, 21 comments

“Australian death metal troupe Ashen impressed me back in 2023, but not because their debut record Ritual of Ash was an especially good or groundbreaking record. Instead, their confident presentation, deceptively impactful songwriting structures, and subtly distinct approach to a weathered style of death metal struck me as a rare case. Where many acts that pedal peddle an HM-2 or adjacent style of death metal content themselves with base reproduction of common idols, Ashen merely use their influences as a foundation for their own voice. With more time to massage their songwriting further and strengthen their identity, Ashen prepare sophomore monster Leave the Flesh Behind, and it’s big.” Ash is the new grave dirt.

We Lost the Sea – A Single Flower Review

By Dear Hollow on July 14, 2025 in Reviews, Post-Metal, 43 comments

“How do you follow up an album born from tragedy? While the Sydney collective We Lost the Sea began as a mammoth post-metal band with standout releases like Crimea and The Quietest Place on Earth, renowned for uncompromising weight and tantalizing patience, the tragic death of vocalist Chris Torpey silenced them, taking its teeth in the process. Grief embodied its 2015 album, not devastating for the notes and tempos that commanded it, but rather what it symbolized.” Moving on, looking back.