Posted on

ALTAR of BETELGEUZE – Echoes – REVIEW

 

Do you love Doom Metal? Hate it? Don’t care for it? Altar of Betlegeuze has you covered with their latest release, Echoes.

The Finnish Doom masters have cleverly melded multiple styles and sounds into something that is accessible to everyone. Every note feels heavy as Altar of Betlegeuze set out to prove slower usually means heavier. Altar of Betlegeuze aren’t playing slow just for the sake of being a “Doom” band. Every note march the songs forward. No fancy fills or strange ambient passages. Throughout the recording you’ll hear harsh and clean vocals, sludgy riffs and even some hints of Groove Metal. “Embrace the Flames,” is a banger that feels a little different than the rest with its’ “speed” Altar of Betelgeuze is able to do all of this while remaining true to their original Doom beginnings, keeping it mean, slow and heavy.

If you are looking for an album to introduce yourself or a friend to Doom Metal without scaring them away, look no further.

 

 

 

Posted on

TYRANNUS/Magicide – Tory Punching Music – REVIEW

Tyrannus and Magicide’s newest release may be short but it leaves a mark. The mash up idea of blast beating black metal and hard hitting EDM may sound weird on paper but totally works here

In this under 10 minute EP Tyrannus’s contribution track takes up the majority of the length with it’s 5 minute “Bricks & Flesh”. It’s a brutal assault that is sure to leave you senseless. There is plenty of finesse in their attack however. Between the buzzsaw driven guitars are some killer solos and savage vocals. The drums on this song are simply amazing.

Magicide starts off their contribution with “Madness” that starts off with some odd sounding EDM music mixed with some crushing Death Metal beats. Odd but it works. “Tory Punching Music,” is more of the same. While the track runs only 1:39 feel free to spend more time punching and beating down fascists.

Tory Punching Music is a short and savage EP. The contrast between blast driven metal and EDM beats are enough to keep this release interesting despite its short length.

Posted on

HAREMSLUTS – Code Minority – REVIEW

I’m not sure what the Hardcore scene is like in Dhaka, Bangladesh but if HaremSlut’s new EP Code Minority is any indication, it’s thriving and liable to cause internal bleeding.

HarlemSluts is a one man project by Asif Arbar. For live performances HaremSluts play as a four piece. The EP was mixed and mastered by the king of one man noise, Joel Grind. That in itself is reason enough for me to check this release out. Like most hardcore and crossover groups, this EP is covered in political and anti-facist lyrical themes.

While there are only 4 tracks on this EP, Code Minority packs a wallop. The root of HaremSlut’s may be Hardcore but there is plenty of crossover and punk influence melded in. The title track is strongest output here. Arbar screams out his frustrations about racial inequality all the while laying down some catchy melodies.

“False Alarm,” slows the pace down a bit  but still delivers with Arbar lyrics taking center stage. “Take ’em Down,” brings a little more punk to the party with fantastic gang vocals that will leave you screaming along.

 

Posted on

ESANGUINATE – Eldritch Anatomy – REVIEW

 

Now that we are settled down in the New Year, it’s time we revisit some filth from years past with Esanguinate’s nasty debut album, Eldritch Anatomy. Not for the faint of heart, this release hits almost as hard as a steaming cup of our Kaffe Storm.

When the record starts, Esanguinate rockets out of the grave. The band leaves not a moment to waste.Starting out you will instantly notice some old school Death Metal sounds and feels that resemble Massacre and Morbid Angel. It has an old school feel but the band adds another layer of murkiness that elevates the atmosphere. Esanguinate songs here mostly draw upon a dark occult theme. The band does a great job including just the right of tremolo picking to drive  that feeling home. Not quite Black Metal here but just enough to bring in the right amount of darkness.

There is a ton to like here. For the most part Esanguinate has a mixed bag tunes here. Some tracks come in hard and thrashy perfectly rattling your spine. Others slow down, taking more of a Doom feeling atmospheric approach. Vocalist Andrej Čuk does an incredible job here switching his sound from style to style.  Plenty of killer thrash and Death Metal riffs to keep your inner head banger happy.  There is enough variety here that this album was made for repeat listens. It would really be interesting to see how the band handles performing these songs alive.

For a debut band this is one hell of a solid release. This will be one to watch.

 

 

Posted on

GOHANGMUSIC – Godless EP – REVIEW

 

And now for something completely different.

When you first inspect the cover to GoHangMusic’s EP Godless, with the bloody figure and black crosses you may think you are about to check out some nasty and savage Black Metal. Once you hit play, you’ll find you initial impressions are wrong. Very Wrong.

The title track “Godless,” sounds like something off a generic rock radio station. It’s not bad by any means. It just not the gut punch we are used to. GoHangMusic bills itself as, “misanthropic industrial folk punk.” The music inside is as interesting as the genre they are a part of.  While nothing included here as as heavy as we are used to here at Trve Kvlt, there are plenty of rocking tunes.  Luckily the Ep really picks up with the second track. “Dust,” is full of killer riffs and clean refrains that become earworms. “Necrotized,” picks up the pace with plenty of punk inspired piss and anger.

“Awash,” sees GoHangMusic go in a different direction. The usual clean vocals are left behind for angry and raspy screams. The tempo slows down to a plodding pace creating the perfect eerie atmosphere.

 

 

 

Posted on

BLOODLETTER – A Different Kind of Hell – REVIEW

 

Halloween is officially over for most people, which means it’s time for the general public to start making their Xmas shopping lists and descend into yuletide madness. Thankfully, that’s not the case with Trve Kvlt Coffee. Here we are working on a different kind of list.

The list of the best Metal releases of 2023.

Bloodletter’s newest ripper, A Different Kind of Hell is a definite contender for the coveted number 1 slot. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve spun this banger. It just keeps getting better each and every time I listen to it.  The album is 30+ minutes of some of the new best melodic/thrash I’ve heard in some time. Each and every track is explosive and goes right in for the kill.

One of the things I enjoy most about this recording are the killer harmonized guitars lead and riffs that are plentiful throughout the album. Never have I had such a good time getting my teeth kicked in! Bloodletter’s execution is spot on and perfectly walks the line between traditional thrash and blackened thrash. While the vocals aren’t guttural, they still come across savage and are a perfect match for the sonic blur of sound that is going on here.

From the opening track, “The Howling Dead,” to album closer, “Flesh Turned to Ash,” Bloodletter hardly pause the chaos for a moment. This is an album that grows with each listen. After you survive the initial beating you’ll begin to discover incredible riffs, harmonies and arrangements outside the blast zone.

When Wise Blood Records called this a “Thrasterpiece,” they weren’t kidding!

Posted on

KRIGSGRAV – Fires in the Fall _ REVIEW

 

Labor day is the unofficial last day of summer in the states. Many begin look forward to Fall with its longer and colder nights and onslaught of pumpkin spice products. Here a Trve Kvlt, nothing warms our little black hearts more than a fresh serving of Black Metal.

Krigsgrav is from Texas and with the current heat wave the states is experiencing, it might as well be Hell itself. Perhaps just the spark of inspiration that band needs to keep pumping out incredible material. Fires in the Fall, is the group’s 7th album in their 20 year existence.

One of the first things that hits you on your first listen is the outstanding production. Every note and sound is heard and has a larger than life feeling. This is especially felt in many of the Doom elements that are infused into the recording. While production value is often looked as the enemy of Black Metal, Krisgrav expertly use it their advantage.

Krisgrav creates melodic atmosphere throughout the album. Each song feels massive and takes on a life of its own. At one moment you are enjoying a nice slow Doom beat and the next Krisgrav hammers you over the head with some killer thrash riffs and hooks. The band perfectly fuses these elements together with great fluidity.

Closing track, “Alone with the Setting Sun,” is the band at their peak. Krisgrav adds just the perfect touches of Doom, Black and classic Death Metal here to make an absolute banger. There are too many great guitar moments here to count. Stop reading and start listening!

 

Posted on

TEITAN – In Oculus Abyss – REVIEW

 

Anyone else remember Oculus Orbus; the giant sickening bloodshot eyeball from the Madballs toyline? I can’t help but to be reminded by looking at this album cover. With nasty song titles like the soon to be a favorite scent at Yankee Candle, “Menstrual Blood and Pommegrenate, ” Teitan has a few more things in common with the gross out 80s property.

While the foundation of this album is rooted firmly in shocking Black Metal foundations there is plenty more to be heard at its core. At many points the sounds within feel experimental at first but develop for as you listen. It’s a moody listen with plenty of shifts and changes. There are plenty of shrieking vocals and savage guitar tones to keep the purists happy.

  Teitan does seem to like to experiment in how far and hard they can take the vocals. In times the vocals feel like they are made to be jarring just for the sake of jarring. While this is definitely isn’t for everyone, it’s this kind of experimentation that make Teitan interesting,

The instrumental  arrangements are were this album really shines. Unlike the vocals the synths seem to made for a different audience. Its weird, it’s strange but it is accessible.  Synth tones go from dronning to haunting to catchy.

Teitan is out there trying something different and for that reason alone it’s worth checking out.

Posted on

VHS – Quest for the Mighty Riff – REVIEW

 

You gotta hand it to VHS. Death Metal hasn’t been this fun in ages. Not only that, but their music simply rips and consistently gets better with each release. Each album also follows a different theme usually having to do with some sort of movie or television show. Past themes include Vampires, Italian horror and killer sharks. This time VHS ventures slightly outside of horror and into the realm of fantasy. Quest for the Mighty Riff is one awesome journey that you’ll want to be part of. ( *SPOILER ALERT* There are plenty of mighty riffs to be found here)

VHS plays tribute to some of the best there is in Sci-Fi and Fantasy films suchs as Excalibur, Highlander, He-Man and Beastmaster.  As a product of the 80s I wholeheartedly approve.

The album starts with some perfectly epic narration as VHS begins their Quest for the Mighty Riff. “Cleve ’em and Leave ’em,” starts things out fast with some nice and fierce punk fueled mayhem. It’s the perfect blend of Death and punk. In true punk fashion it barely last 90 seconds but still leaves a mark.

VHS keeps the party going buy continuously melding genres. You’ll hear plenty of Death Metal mixed with grind, thrash, punk and even some old school traditional metal (“Hail King Arthur,” I’m looking at you.) No two songs sound the same as VHS throws more killer riffs and styles than you know what to do with.

For me, “Eternia Needs a Hero,” is the standout track. Not just because the world needs more songs about Skelator. I’m a sucker for anything in the vein of Black Thrash and this song fucking delivers that and more. The riffs are punchy, the vocals are sicks and twisted and the lyrics are funny as hell.

dea does what many albums hope to do; provide a little something for everyone. No matter what genre of Metal you dig, you are gonna find something to love here.

 

 

 

Posted on

CORPSESSED – Skeletal Grotesquery – REVIEW

If it wasn’t for the few moments of crowd interactions between songs and the band introduction towards the end of the album, I would not have pegged this for a live album. Corpsessed are just that tight live. Not to mention fucking brutal.

Skeletal Grotesquery was recorded live just last year at the Braincrusher in Hell Festival that took place in Germany. Corpsessed must have taken the festival name to heart as this is a totally savage performance. If you are one that finds themselves on the fence regarding live albums, this may the one that sways your outlook.

If you are new to the band, this performance highlights 9 of groups best tracks. The vocals are awesomely savage and guttural  matching perfectly with the mid tempo and murky guitars. There is plenty of complexity to their sound. The fact that they can pull this sound off so efficiently makes for such a satisfying listen. You can literally feel the brutality coming off this recording.

Judging from what is heard here, Corpsessed are a fucking ferocious live.