Diaries of Doom

  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...

...The ritual’s about to begin. The sun in the sky is waning, the trees have decided to simmer down and even the birds nesting amongst their branches have hushed for this very special occasion - Boss Keloid have released a new album. The (in)tense rush of excitement trembles through my hand as my fingers steady the needle, awaiting its kiss as it crackles along the surface of my newly pressed vinyl. I’m about to experience Family the Smiling Thrush for the first time in my life... I mean, where do I even start, other than at the beginning. Usually I’m able to write a satisfactory review after a full listen or two, but with Family the Smiling Thrush I’m finding myself going back for more time and time again so I can digest all the music details like Augustus Gloop gobbling up Willy Wonka’s chocolate river. Leaving no stone unturned, you’re getting an in-depth review, so buckle up. Family the Smiling Thrush feels like an ...

  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...

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...

50 years ago, something magical happened. Utterly beyond the realms of what was thought possible or probably, four blokes from Aston, Birmingham, were set to change the world forever. Reeling off of the energy of a debut album that introduced a fresh face of musical evil to the world, Bill Ward, Geezer Butler, Ozzy Osbourne, and Tony Iommi set about writing what would become an inimitable cornerstone of music culture. They took an honest look at the world around them, and committed their feelings to record. The result is an album of devilishly ferocious highs, and brooding, often insidious lows, with expertly crafted songs weaving through lyrical themes of drug use, and a strong anti-war sentiment. Paranoid, the album that is beloved by the everyone: elitist doom metal drones, the old guard who can remember the year 1970 (we're a young writing team), and everyone in between. Is it doom? Is it Dad Rock? Yes. It's nothing short of brilliant. Join us (Matt, Joe, and Jack) as we pi...

Having released a series of singles since their new EP “Exordium” back in October 2019 (after being signed to Realityfade Records earlier the same year), Visions of Disfigurement are on their best form so far, and they haven’t even peaked yet. Along with welcoming their newest guitarist only last year, the boys have been busy as part of the 0161 Slamchester movement. Visions of Disfigurement are one of the leading figures in the Manchester Slam/Brutal Death Metal scene, along with the likes of Ingested, Chainsaw Castration and Crepitation, as well as plenty others unmentioned, helping with a revival of the Brutal Death Metal genre which was almost dying out in Britain, especially with a lot of the best bands in the scene being situated around Europe and the United States (more notably Europe with bands like Begging for Incest and Kraanium, if you like the filthy depraved sounds of beautiful cacophony that perpetuate through the creative whims of the souls behind Visions of Disfiguremen...