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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.

 

 

 

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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!

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HEMPLIFIER – The Stoner Side of Doom – REVIEW

 

Alright friends. Grab a seat. Take off your shoes. Lean back and relax. We are going to take off on a journey through the stars with Hemplifier. The group’s debut album is 6 tracks of weed and riffs worship.

Just as their band name and album title suggest, Hemplifier play slow and heavy riffs filled with plenty of fuzz and bong fumes. The 6 track album starts off with “Headless Chicken,” that features a slow drum march. Their sound goes a few steps further with the next track, “Brujo.” The track sludges along for some time until the haunting and howling vocals kick in. While there is plenty of slow and heavy riffing there isn’t much on the vocal front on this album.

This is pretty much the stage that Hemplifier has set. 7 to 8 minute tracks of sludgy, fuzzy and mellow riffing with the occasional howl or scream. Just like Sleep or Weedeater you can practically smell the ganja in these tracks. Keeping it simple Hemplifier have cooked up a nice little listen for the times you just want to relax and let the music take you.

Or you’re just giving your neck some rest.

 

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GYRDLEAH – Spellbinder – Review

Often I stream albums for review during my day job. It’s a great way to kill two birds with one stone and makes the work day much more enjoyable. However this album gave me pause. Spellbinder does not work well with the exciting world of Excel Spreadsheets.

That’s not a dig in the slightest. Gyrdleah’s long awaited debut album is meant to be savored and digested with minimal distractions. The band was formed in the UK back in 2005 and took until just this year to release what is considered their “debut” album. While the group did manage to release an EP back in 2011, this is their first full length.

Grydleah perfectly deliver plenty of Black Metal staples with their sound from the low-fi production, eerie treble and savage shrieks. Most of the album has a slow and somber feel as the songs lurch and lumber from track to track. The band includes a good amount of clean vocals in their attack. While many extreme metal fans balk at even the mention of clean vocals, Grydleah make great use of them. Often their tracks are darker even more bleak with them.

Another reason why it was difficult to work and review this album was that it took a few spins for the sound to sink in. There is a lot going on here as the music often easily goes from savage to somber and vice versa. There is a lot to unpack here. The more you listen, the more you pick up the next time.

Opening track, “Stab the Lamb,” starts with a crawl and soon sees the band at their fastest towards the middle of the song.It is also the perfect song to open to as it gives you an idea of what is in store. All in all, if you are looking for some depressive black doom that dosen’t get old after several spins, be sure to check this one out!

 

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LAST LEGION – Metall, Blod & Aska- REVIEW

You know that feeling when you hear the first few notes of an album and you instantly realize that you are going to love it? That’s the exact same feeling I had when I heard the opening and title track, “Metall, Blod & Aska.”

Last Legion is a Swedish band that formed in 2009. After releasing an EP in 2021 the band return with their debut full length album. And it’s a helluva debut too. It’s equally savage as it is thrashing; Black ‘n Roll madness. If you are a fan of Midnight, Hellripper or Cloak this is definitely worth your time checking out.

After the first neck snapping track Last Legion changes gears a bit with “Dodens Falang.” With it’s somber and atmospheric beginning it helps showcase that the band is not just your average Black Thrash band. The violins add the perfect uneasy touch. The band quickly blasts the speed back up towards the midpoint of the track. Last Legion blends in plenty of classic Black Metal eerines and savagery to keep it compelling.

All of the lyrics are sung in the groups native Nordic language. Although many English speaking Metalheads may not understand the lyrics, they are delivered perfectly savage here. Something about the lyrics being sung in their native language ups the brutality for me.

This album contains tons of hooks, groovy riffs and plenty of blast beats. At some times it feels Black N Roll or Black Thrash and at other times it feels like classic tried and true Black Metal. However at all times, they are savage as fuck. While they aren’t offering anything we havent’t heard before, they are giving us one hell of a ride.

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CULTIC – Of Fire and Sorcery – REVIEW

Upon gazing at the album cover, one may think they are in for an onslaught of over the top and epic Power Metal. The recording opens does open with a powerful sounding orchestral  intro that feels like march to slaying an army of dragons. This is followed by some of the murkiest, sludge and Doom filled riffs to assault your senses. Cultic pack a ton of atmosphere here without forsaking any of the heaviness.

The entire album plods along with an unending dreary filling and heavy dreary filling. The heavy atmosphere at points feels like a sonic dreamlike journey. Adding heavier then dark matter guitar tones ,eerie bass and thunderous drums on top of this leads just amplifies their sound.  Brian Magar’s guttural vocal work is impressive, oozing with heaviness and even haunting especially when he adds in some morbid whispers into the song.

Cultic do a damn fine job of creating an early Doom/Sludge sound while adding some modern touches. The electronics used are in forefront, yet never feel forced blending in perfectly with their murky sound. If you are new to listening to Doom/Sludge this is the album for you as the music is easily accessible and still heavy and murky as fuck. If Doom is your jam, check this album out now!

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BULLETBELT- Warlords – REVIEW

 

Bulletbelt may be best known for their thunderous theme track to the incredible 2015 metalhead themed horror flick, Deathgasam. Flash forward 5 years and a new lead singer, this New Zealand based group is still angry and out for blood on their 4th album.

Bulletbelt does an excellent job here switching from straight blitzkreig thrash insanity to black metal bleakness with plenty of melody throughout. The album is full of heavy and catchy hooks and complex passages  nicely presented with some slick and smooth production. New vocalist, Paul Roberts’s screeching vocals work well with the filth and fury presented here.

“Blade on Fire,” starts out with a killer punk inspired riffs complete with a 70s fuzzy tone then transitions to a much more thrash feel.  The next song, “Flames of Hell,” goes back more into the black metal territory with plenty of tasty riffs and great song structure. This is where Bulletbelt really shines; the melding of different styles and harmonies in such a smooth transition that it feels natural.

“Warlords “isn’t your standard blackened thrash album. There is so much to unpack here, it’s brutal as fuck in parts, eerie and dark in others and includes too many incredible riffs to keep track of.  Hopefully we can get these lads to the states soon as touring has become possible again. These songs are begging to be witnessed live.

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THLURM – The Thlurm Must Die & Dungeon Scum

 

Thlurm bills itself as, “Metal Punk from the dungeons of Indiana,” which is quite an accurate description for their contribution to this month’s subscription. “The Thlurm Must Die and Dungeon Scum,” is part of Wise Blood Records demo series that highlights up and coming and promising new artists.  This recording, combining 2 separate demos is raw and punk as fuck, covered in chunky layers of pure filth.

” Instantly you hear influences of Toxic Holocaust and Midnight and like those bands, Thlurm is a solo product brought to you by Austin Sipes. Thlurm though has a much more punk and grind approach to their style. Songs come in fast and filthy with a certain unpolished charm that is comparable to early Napalm Death. This recording reeks of the lo-fi production of the the mid to late 80’s.

The vocals are sick, the guitars have more of a punk then metal feel and the while the drumming does not include any blast beats, the first demo, “The Thlum Must Die,” is some killer Grindcore. “Disease,” is punk rock kick to the jaw and the following track, “Imaginary Hell,” is a straight up banger that reminds me of Ghoul.

The second demo, “Dungeon Scum,” is much more raw in sound than the first. This half shows more of a Black Metal influence which can be felt the most on “Serpent Master.” “Illusions of Chaos,” and “Human Waste,” even slow things down a bit with even adds more of a haunting vocal feel.

For a demo release, Thlurm are already a band to watch.

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HELL NIGHT – Unlimited Destruction – REVIEW

If you haven’t been hip to Hell Night yet, now is the time to correct that mistake. The band had several 7’s and singles throughout their career and released their first full length in 2019, “Unlimited Destruction.”  The title  fits perfectly as this recording is full of enough hard hitting guitars, pummeling drums and vicious vocals to level a city. Brian Fair replaced original vocalist Mike Craft for “Unlimited Destruction,” taking the sound further with even more fury than before.

Hell Night have a hardcore/metal/punk approach filled with pure aggression that comes in part from Andy White’s brutal and murky guitar work that perfectly compliments Brian Fair’s pissed off vocals. While their exact genre of music is difficult to pinpoint, their ability to write killer riffs and songs that may a mosh pit to break out in your living room is without question.

For even more details regarding this album check out our recent interview with Brian Fair.

 

 

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NIGHT DEMON – Darkness Remains – REVIEW

For the last couple of years, Night Demon have kept the traditional Heavy Metal flag flying high with their incredible and distinct retro inspired style. “Darkness Remains ” was released back in 2017 and if you haven’t gotten into this power trio from California yet, this album will serve as a perfect introduction to the band. If you are a fan of the more classic years of Metal with Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Diamond Head, you will find much to bang your head to on “Darkness Remains.”

In the last 10 years or so there have been plenty of bands that perform classic styles of Heavy Metal, Thrash or Death Metal. So many that we may need yet another Metal genre (Retro Metal?) Night Demon, however, may be the absolute best when it comes to capturing the feel. Songs like “Black Widow,” and “Life on the Run,” will have you feel like you just stepped out of a DeLorean into 1985.

This feeling comes from Night Demon’s incredible song writing. There are tons of killer riffs and melodies that will get your head banging and memorable choruses that are guaranteed to get stuck in your head. There is plenty to love here from the technical guitar work to the vocals that blend in perfectly to each song. If you are looking to give your ears a break from extreme metal but still listen to something that is gonna kick your ass, give this one a spin.