Metalcatto
I’m late, so this should start even faster!
Town Portal – Heat’s Content: At this pace, this section is going to become the instrumental metal day of the week. If you enjoy music that’s technical but still carries that dirty, sludgy edge, Town Portal has something for you. The track moves through different scenarios, using light guitar lines and heavy bass in interesting ways. Not many bands feel comfortable doing instrumental metal like this, which is exactly why you should give it a try.
Phosphoros – Chrysalis: More instrumental work, but this one leans harder into shred and the melancholic emotions most of you try to avoid on a daily basis. It has that sunrise-like guitar tone that makes you feel both relaxed and reflective at the same time. So if you want to chill with your metal while still getting punched in the gut by feeling, Phosphoros is an act to check out. And if you’re a guitar nerd — well, you already love this stuff.
Desu Taem – Blasted Into Rebirth & War on Bullies: Desu Taem keeps contributing to this metal empire, so we keep bringing them back. That’s life for you. Fortunately, the work is diverse, and you never quite know what you’ll get from each track. In this case, Blasted Into Rebirth gives you the old-school Heavy Metal your dad would like, while War on Bullies dives into social commentary about the ill effects of bullying. I didn’t expect that from this project at all, which is why I wanted to write about it. It’s the catchy, filthy riffs you know, but with interesting lyrics to boot.
Antiquus Infestus – Case of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits Personating Men: With a track title like that, you’d expect some insanity — and that’s exactly what we get. I’m so glad I didn’t let this one slide into oblivion, because Antiquus Infestus shows a level of complexity and talent that answers the question, “What would happen if Mgła went full Tech-Teath/Disso-Death?” I never had that question before, and that was my mistake, because there’s clearly an atmospheric, dense, and corrupt sound here that we can’t ignore. Maybe we’ll cover these guys more this year, but for now, do your part and check out this track and the whole album.
We’re done! See you at the mosh pit next time — maybe I’ll be the one picking your drunk butt up off the ground!
Metal Eclipse Reviews 