metalcatto

Negative Agent – Terminal Days

Metalcatto

Sometimes, I get to review the weirdest things, and by that, I mean something like Negative Agent’s Terminal Days—an Industrial Metal album steeped in Cyberpunk aesthetics and antifascist politics. This is genuinely underground material, but it arrived with a strong personal recommendation from musicians whom we deeply respect here at MER. Trusting that instinct, I decided to give this electronic assault a fair chance, even though it checks almost none of the boxes on my usual stylistic checklist. There are moments when one simply craves to be surprised, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

Karnivool – In Verses

Metalcatto

Karnivool is what happens when a band possesses the intricate, atmospheric ambition of Tool but is fundamentally more willing to wear its heart on its sleeve and openly explore emotional vulnerability, rather than shrouding everything in cryptic metaphor and themes of substance abuse. The band carries both the blessing and the curse of an undeniable landmark album in its past (Sound Awake). Hence, its latest offering, In Verses, arrives with enormous shoes to fill and, frankly, zero of my initial hopes for a triumphant return. But let’s dive in regardless.

No Worth of Man – The Killing Streets

Metalcatto

With a title that makes you think No Worth of Man might be dropping some gangster rap, their new album The Killing Streets arrives with more pent-up anger issues than a hypothetical ten-year-old alcoholic. As is often the case with such intense material, the quality wasn’t immediately apparent; it required a deep, attentive dive to unravel. That’s precisely what we’re here for: to mess around in the sonic chaos and, hopefully, find out what lies beneath the aggression.

True kvlt: HKSPK, Vox Hexterna, Butch Against the Machine, Jeff, Octohawk, & Zoltar

Metalcatto

I’m later to this than an airplane with two engines on fire, so let’s dive right in!

Retro-review: Theatre of Tragedy – Velvet Darkness They Fear

Vicky

To start things on a more depressing note, this album is close to three decades of existence, being released in 1996. The year itself was absolutely remarkable for the Metal industry, with new material from My Dying Bride (Like Gods of the Sun), Opeth (Morningrise), Sepultura (Roots), Cradle of Filth (Dusk… and Her Embrace), Hypocrisy (Abducted), Type O Negative (October Rust), Rage (Lingua Mortis and then End of All Days), Therion (Theli), The 3^rdand the Mortal (Painting on Glass), Napalm Death (Diatribes), Pantera (The Great Southern Trendkill), and other albums that are less praised but also important for the Metal world, by Moonspell, Stratovarius, Tool, Warrant, Zakk Wylde, Marilyn Manson, Slayer, Slipknot, Staind, Stone Temple Pilots, and the band of Sakis and Themis Tolis. So, as you may notice, this was one of the best years to be alive.

Cartoons Can’t Die – Rebirth

Metalcatto

If you’ve ever read Sophie’s World, you’ll understand how perfectly Platonic the band name Cartoon Can’t Die truly is. Now that I’ve indulged in that moment of cheap snobbery, let me tell you that their new album, Rebirth, doesn’t really fit into a simple genre box. And no, it’s not exactly the soundtrack to Who Framed Roger Rabbit. So, let’s jump into one genuinely strange album, because that’s what you’re here for.

Therion – Con Orquesta

Vicky

When talking about Symphonic Metal bands that have both excellent music, and a good internal collaboration between artists, Therion is one of the first examples that spring to mind. From their Death/Black beginnings, all the way to Symphonic and Operatic Metal, the group have proven to us numerous times that they can perform alongside musicians from pretty much any genre, and that their lyrics can cover a wide range of topics.

Casket – In The Long Run We Are All Dead

Milo Lane

There is a particular mindset required to sit down with a Casket record. Not preparation exactly — more like consent. An agreement with yourself that what follows will not ask politely, will not soften its edges, and will not care whether you are ready. Pressing play felt like anticipation braided tight with a certain resistance. I wanted this record. I knew I would also probably fight it.

Invictus – Nocturnal Visions

Metalcatto

When I think of Japanese Old School Death Metal, my first thought is Intestine Baalism. I know that’s not entirely fair to Invictus, a band that comes from a musical culture renowned for taking something that works and refining it to an even higher standard. Hence, I held onto a sliver of hope that their new album, Nocturnal Visions, wouldn’t be another generic entry merely trying to catch Tomb Mold‘s fiery momentum. I was cautiously optimistic, yet acutely aware that this style is arguably one of the most stable and traditional niches in Metal, rivaled perhaps only by the steadfast formulas of Power and Symphonic Metal. But let’s dive in.

Pegah Interviews Lying Figures!

Pegah

Hey guys! We’re back with another interview, this time with French Doom/Death Metal band Lying Figures. Formed in 2012 in Nancy, the band began shaping their identity through the 2013 demo From Nowhere to Nothing and the EP A World Of My Own (2014). Over the years, Lying Figures steadily developed its voice within the underground Metal scene, leading to the release of its debut album The Abstract Escape in 2017 — an evocative journey through fractured psyches, dark emotions, and oppressive atmospheres. Its latest album, Inheritance, released in November 2024, marks a new chapter in the band’s evolution. A full review of the album is also available on our website.