metalcatto

Obscure – A Sonication

Yes! I’m guilty! I forgot about one of the hottest releases of the year because life is a more complicated rollercoaster than an Obscura opening riff. I’m a huge fan—I love almost everything in the band’s catalog, which is why it’s going to be hard for A Valediction to top previous releases. I know many were divided with Diluvium, but I loved it; it was as if At the Gates could perform Tech Death (I’m not the first one to say this, so chill!). However, can the apex predator in Tech Death defend its seat on Metal Olympus? Let’s shred our way in!

OBRIJ – Joseph

It’s time for a debut album, my Metal grasshoppers! When I was reading OBRIJ’s promo, I was led to believe that Joseph would totally throw me out of my comfort zone, since it was supposed to have a ton of Hardcore influences. Yet, it was still a Death Metal album, and that always hits home for me. Plus, this work explores the atrocities of Comrade Stalin. There’s no way that horror isn’t Metal enough for us, but as a new band, I still wondered if these guys were capable of pulling anything interesting off. Stay with this cat and find out.

Blood Cult – We’re Gonna Take Your Soul

Yeah, kids, I wasn’t sure what to make of this cover art. You’d think this album is some kind of weird, washed-out Nu-Metal that’s going to give us the wrong kind of pain, but you’d not only be wrong—you’d also be surprised! Because Blood Cult is an old-school Heavy Metal band that takes you straight back to the early days, and I mean 1970s early. Many of your parents weren’t even born yet, but We’re Gonna Take Your Soul is pure Redneck Black Metal, offering a strange and possibly unique interpretation of those drugged-out times.

Ofnus – Valediction

So far, this has been a decent year for epic Black Metal quests, especially those that mix things up with Folk music. However, we haven’t seen much retro-Black Metal yet—and I mean it more in the Swedish sense of the word. Enter Ofnus with its second album, Valediction. Hailing from the land of dragons and sheep (Wales), the band still carries a Scandinavian feel to its madness. But is there enough depth and grandeur here to stand out from the endless pile of Black Metal that floods my inbox every day? Let’s find out, kids!

Obscureviolence -Refuting the Flesh

Alright, my beloved dungeon dwellers! We’re going to keep this one fast, violent, and sweet—because Obscureviolence makes music just like that. Unadulterated and unapologetic. So why take it easy when we’re getting hit with eight tons of pure lifeless iron? Refuting the Flesh is a pretty cool name for a short album, right? It even sounds a bit metaphysical. Someone might say it’s dualist propaganda, but let’s not get lost in academic discussion when we have so much mayhem in front of us.

Dream Theater – Parasomnia

Ha! I bet you didn’t see that coming, but yours truly was a Dream Theater fan. It was the band that got me into Prog, the band that got me into shredding, and the only Metal band Pappa Catto ever liked (it was the first concert ticket he ever got me!). However, it’s been almost 20 years since I truly enjoyed one of its albums. Ever since Portnoy left, the band hasn’t felt Metal enough for me, but now he’s back, and it’s time to find out if Parasomnia is the comeback I’ve always wanted or just more absurd wanking. Stay put!

Havukruunu – Tavastland

Yes, I decided to be early with this one. Those who know the game understand that Havukruunu has become one of the hidden gems of the Black/Folk Metal scene. It’s the less dramatic but more aggressive Moonsorrow style that, for many, was exactly what Folk Metal needed to stop being a gimmicky parody of the genre, where all those bagpipes and accordions in choruses were getting a bit old. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Tavastland, but does it deliver? Let’s find out.

Inborn Suffering – Pale Grey Monochrome

Pegah

Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart. The really great men must, I think, have great sadness on Earth.

Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment

Matalobos – Phantasmagoria: Hexed Lands

Latinoamérica isn’t exactly known for its Death/Doom scene. If anything, the region is celebrated for its Thrash/Death and Power Metal traditions. So, in a way, Matalobos is carving out a path that, while well-trodden in other parts of the world, feels fresh and unexpected in warmer climates. Phantasmagoria: Hexed Lands is their attempt at crafting your typical Death/Doom experience but with a distinctly Mexican Folk touch—and that’s not something you see every day. Here at MER, we’re all about weirdness; in fact, the weirder, the better! (Note: Just sending me weird stuff won’t guarantee a great score, but it’ll certainly make me love the job more.)

Jinjer – Duél

The elitists will say that Jinjer is a mainstream band that takes a bit of Metalcore and Djent and tries to give it a Progressive twist. Personally, I don’t really care what the gatekeepers think. I’d argue that the band takes elements that have been massively successful and blends them with more underground influences, making them a great ambassador band for those ready to explore the harsher side of our community. That said, my expectations for Duél are realistic—I’ll have fun, but I don’t expect anything to completely blow me away. Let’s dive in and see what it’s all about! Worst-case scenario, we end up liking it, and that’s not so bad, right?