Diaries of Doom

 Midlands death metal/deathcore mob Djinova have finally unleashed their debut EP to the world. Two years in the making, it follows their slow but steady ascent within underground extreme metal circles, culminating with a slot on the New Blood Stage at Bloodstock a couple of years ago. Recorded at Initiate Audio and Media, it showcases the band - currently operating as a quartet - and the material that has helped them to get where they are with that extra bit of studio polish, with the slick production doing the four songs justice, covering all corners and eras of the death metal genre. There's something for every death metalhead on Apocalypsis Infinitum . 'Ingest the Gospel (Preach the Disease)' wastes no time in setting a tone of brutality, with tremolo-picked guitar riffing, ugly harmonic dissonance and a glass-shattering scream before the song has even really begun. With a melodic undercurrent in the chorus, illuminated with dizzying bass work from Scott, this serves as...

  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...

  I remember seeing This Is Turin at Bloodstock back in 2016, although I've been aware of them dominating the Manchester scene since the early 2010's in their early days. They must have made an impact on me as a youngster, because I'm very excited that they're still going strong, stronger than ever in fact. I was impressed back then at their technical facility, and T.U.R.I.N. is a mean feat of an EP, retaining their flair for technicality whilst showing us a new, more polished sound. Strap in, prepare yourself (as if you're in that scene in Casino Royale, the one where Daniel Craig's getting his balls smashed), and let the intensity take you... I’m feeling a little reminiscent of All Shall Perish’s “The Price of Existence” when I hear the first track on the EP: “Excommunicate”. It’s got a strong opening, showcasing technical prowess whilst presenting that familiar sound of blast beats framing a riff that wouldn’t be out of place in an early Black Dahlia Murder t...

Note: This is an extract from a review of This Is Turin's upcoming EP "T.U.R.I.N.".  "Talk about saving the best til last. Bloody Hell. I mean, hold tight. You might need to sit down for this one. I can’t speak when I listen to it. It’s mesmerising, brutal, and absolutely disgusting. Literally everything I want to hear in a Deathcore single. Guesting CJ McMahon from Thy Art Is Murder, This Is Turin have pulled out all the stops this time around, and it's certainly payed off. Opening with a bouncy riff and low growls from CJ, we're immediately thrusted into a successive wave of dirty breakdown-style beats that characterise the verse, before taking off at the bridge with unrelenting blast beats. There's a bit of variation throughout the verse and bridge with the drums too, subtly making the listener aware that, whilst the riff remains consistent, there's still a sense of progression. Dare I say I'm reminded a little of Acacia Strain - the pure filth...