Diaries of Doom

PRESS RELEASE: After an eight-year hiatus, Birmingham's very own Blackened Death Metal powerhouse, Under Blackened Skies , is rising from the shadows with a vengeance. The band, known for their intense and captivating performances, is thrilled to announce their return to the metal scene, accompanied by a new member on bass, Dan Carter . Dan Carter , formerly of Left For Red , joins Under Blackened Skies with a wealth of experience and a shared passion for the band's unique sound. Carter expressed his excitement about joining the fold, stating, "I was thrilled to be asked to join Under Blackened Skies , they were a band that I admired when my old band used to perform with them. I love playing their songs, and I am excited to share the stage with them in 2024 and write new music." The band's blend of blackened atmospheres and death metal brutality has always set them apart, and their return promises to be nothing short of spectacular. Fans can expect an unforgettab...

  They’re back with a vengeance; leaning heavily on their blackened influence, this is sophisticated death metal which is going to make you pull those nasty, yet satisfied faces. With their third full-length album, Lucca Schmerler serving vocals, Marvin Kessler and Nahuel Lozano taking the lead on guitars, Viktor Dick bossing the bass and Danny Strasser blasting on drums, Mental Cruelty are going from strength to strength, proving that they’ve got a lot to offer in this emerging genre. I’m quite excited to share this release with you, I hope you’ll enjoy it as I have. A calming ambience introduces the album [ Avgang ] as a precursor to the forthcoming cavalcade of noise they’ve called Ultima Hypocrita . This feels like a bit of a breath of fresh air for the Germanic Death Metal Quintet, much more akin to the orchestral backdrop accustomed to Lorna Shore or Fleshgod Apocalypse. A high level of intensity bursts out of the stereo field; from the soaring highs of blackened melodies to...

Has Fleshgod Apocalypse gone back in time and had a baby? I heard they have, and they’ve named it Anaal Nathrakh. I mean, let’s just ignore the fact that Anaal Nathrakh were around many moons before Fleshgod, and let that analogy sit… Ok, so this is only metaphorical, as Anaal Nathrakh are a British duet, but stylistically it’s a shift I might not have anticipated.  This is, at least, for the first and title track, “Endarkenment”; the moment we reach “Thus, Always, To Tyrants”, it’s back to the sprawling wall of blast beats perforating tasteful noise. The sort of chaos we’re accustomed to has a strong presence amidst the melodic twists and turns that occasionally pop their head round the corner much like in the first track. You don’t even have to like it to be able to appreciate the versatility that’s shoved up your nose as soon as you hit that play button. “The Age of Starlight Ends” boasts their diverse approach all the more, introducing a flavour of Trivium-esque harmonies in th...