Metalcatto
A lot of good bands today!
IX of Blades – All the King’s Envy: Let’s start these shout-outs with something wild, but maybe not too brutal. This track has a lot of wild moments that feel fresh yet retro at the same time. Imagine you took an indie rock track—something with melody and attitude—but then made it properly heavy and risky. That’s what we have here. It’s not trying to be the heaviest thing in the world, and that restraint works in its favor.
Dark Aries Project – Save The Number 66: This is practically an instrumental track, but before you worry that it’s just going to be a backtrack with lots of shredding laid on top, I’ll tell you that it’s actually riff-driven. The guitars carry the weight, and the drums follow their lead rather than the other way around. The production hits exactly where the style needs it—clean enough to hear every note, but raw enough to retain some edge. Honestly, some vocals could do this project good, but right now, it’s not bad at all. It stands on its own instrumental legs.
Du Cane – Ancient Stone: Alright people, how do I say this? The track was pretty awesome. It’s basically Anciients but heavier—and that’s a compliment of the highest order. Wild, sharp, and with a sense of songwriting that makes me think: why is this band not signed by some amazing label yet? The riffs shift between crushing and melodic without losing momentum. The vocals are commanding without being overbearing. The world isn’t fair, but maybe we can make it fairer. Help out here. Give these guys the attention they clearly deserve.
Tessia – The Cataclysm: Abrasive, punishing, and intense. I can’t help but compare this to Venom Prison or Arch Enemy, probably because of the vocalist’s brutality. That said, the comparison is not reductive—it’s contextual. The musicianship here is tight, the transitions are sharp, and the whole thing feels like a controlled explosion. Death Metal is saturated, we know that. But you can always add another band to your list, right?
EMINENCE – Silent March: This track is even more straightforward than the others. There are riffs and blasts left and right, but they all try to stay within a groove. So we end up with something as aggressive as usual, but that also tries to stick to something remotely catchy and accessible. The groove gives the chaos a backbone, making the violence feel purposeful rather than random. Granted, it’s still more hostile than the Mumbai metro during rush hour. But that’s exactly the point. EMINENCE knows what they’re doing, and they do it with a smirk. The track doesn’t overstay its welcome, and it leaves you wanting just a bit more. That’s a skill in itself.
Metal Eclipse Reviews 