Metalcatto
Shout-outs now!
Sungrave – Cold Flesh and No One, Pt. 2: I hope you had the time and the patience for something truly depressing and heartbreaking, because that’s exactly what Sungrave offers us here. This is cathartic Post-Death Metal that hits you right in the feels despite all its brutality. The track balances crushing heaviness with genuine emotional weight, creating something that resonates beyond the usual genre trappings. It’s the kind of music that makes you stare at the wall for a few minutes after it ends, processing what just happened. If you’re looking for aggression with depth, this is it.
OÏKOUMEN – Self-Service: This project is back with more Gothic-Symphonic Metal, and I genuinely don’t know how it’s not more popular yet. It has everything to get the rabid underground going—soaring vocals, dramatic arrangements, and that dark romantic atmosphere that fans of the style crave. Sure, nothing here is extremely new or groundbreaking, but it’s executed tastefully and with consistency. The production allows every element to breathe, and the songwriting shows a clear understanding of what makes this subgenre work. Sometimes you don’t need innovation; you just need someone to do the thing well.
Master Mason – Ragin’ Youth: It’s been a while since we’ve had an instrumental track on this list. Well, this one fits its title really well. It might not be a ridiculous display of technical shredding, but it’s balanced enough to get you in the right mood to remember your golden years as you realize now you have two bad knees and a sore back from sleeping wrong. The production is decent, the riffs are solid, and the whole thing carries a nostalgic warmth that’s hard to fake. What else do you want from a nostalgia trip, honestly?
Decadent Heroes – Hype: I struggled to figure out if this fit our blog at first, but I really dug its playfulness, creativity, and overall guitar tones. Yes, it’s practically another instrumental track, but this one dives deeper into the shreddier side of life in case you’ve been missing that around here. The energy is infectious, the playing is tight, and the whole thing carries a brightness that feels almost foreign in our usual rotation. Yet, I’d say it’s a happy track, and I don’t review much like that, so enjoy it while it lasts. Consider it a palette cleanser between all the doom and gloom.
Desu Taem – Why Not Just Get a Cat?, One Legged Kick-Off, & Why’d I Let You Talk Me Into It?: I know, I know. This is the meme of every week at this point. But what can I do when I need to keep up with the submissions? These three tracks are way less serious than the ones we reviewed from the band last time. We’re back to the campy, aggressive, fast fun that, despite becoming a bit more of the same, never loses its entertainment value. That’s all you really want from a project like this if we’re being honest. The titles alone tell you what you’re in for—absurd, self-aware, and completely unconcerned with taking itself seriously. Sometimes that’s exactly the vibe you need.
Metal Eclipse Reviews 