Reviews – Page 47 – Metal Eclipse Reviews

Kanonenfieber – Die Urkatastrophe

We know that Sweden has Swanö, Finland has Saukonnen, and lately, Germany has Noise—an anonymous artist involved in countless projects, all receiving high critical acclaim. I won’t hide my bias: I want Kanonenfieber to blow me away. Its Menschenmühle had me more than impressed. Sure, the sound the band goes for isn’t exactly new, but the way it uses it, combined with the power of such an authentic and raw narrative, has turned it into one of the most fascinating acts in Black Metal. Excellent! But how about Die Urkatastrophe? Does it honor the dead? Join us in the trenches!

Adorior – Bleed on My Teeth

SonikGoat

Galloping out of the fetid tunnels of darkest London after twenty-something years of silence, Adorior stops by only for a brief moment—but fear ye not! They simply want to make sure you’re bloodied, trampled, set afire, and offered up to Satan. Then, they’ll be on their merry way. Oh, and if you want to hold on to your bottles of strong booze and unravished virgins, you’d better hide them somewhere safe, because Adorior has come for those as well. To enact pandemonium on the scale described, key contributors from the likes of Grave Miasma, Qrixquor, and Destroyer 666 are at the helm—in other words, noted veterans of the metal underground.

Oceans of Slumber – Where Gods Fear to Speak

I’ve been following Oceans of Slumber for some time now. Ever since Winter, I’ve been fascinated by its unique blend of Prog, Death, and Goth, infused with a surprising pop sensibility. This is a band poised for greatness, with the potential to become massive. However, I’ve always felt they haven’t quite reached its full potential yet—like it’s close, but still a step away from finding the perfect balance between styles that don’t naturally fit together. And you know how much I hate being late, but this month has been busier than the Mumbai metro. So, let’s dive in. Can Where Gods Fear to Speak be the album that elevates the band to new heights? Let’s find out!

The Black Dahlia Murder – Servitude

The Black Dahlia Murder is a pinnacle of consistency. There hasn’t been an album in its long career that sucked. Even though the band has remained strict in style, TBDM has never fumbled the bag. However, it had to face its biggest challenge ever after the tragic loss of Trevor Strnad (everyone in the community struggled when the news hit, let’s face it), which is why I’m approaching this review differently. More than just jokes and expectations, I’m rooting for the band to show us that, despite how irreplaceable Trevor was, they can continue honoring his memory. Oh, and it’d be great if we love Servitude too! Let’s dive in.

Maul – In The Jaws of Bereavement

In the unforgiving landscape of the Death Metal scene, it’s hard for a band to find its own voice. Everyone has done it all—been too brutal, too technical, too weird—and we’ve loved and hated it all. Maul’s approach in its upcoming release, In the Jaws of Bereavement, aims to stand out from the sea of distortion and blast beats. Nobody said it would be easy, but I’m sure it’s going to be wild! So, let’s dig into this meat and potatoes now!

Satan – Songs in Crimson

Satan is the coelacanth of Metal. You’re probably wondering, what the fudge is a coelacanth? Well, my uneducated child, it’s a fish once thought extinct long ago, until we discovered it was still alive, swimming away, indifferent to our existence. The same goes for Satan, a band once presumed dead for decades, but since Life Sentence, they’ve made a remarkable comeback. The question now is: can Songs in Crimson continue this legendary run of heavy fun? Welcome again!

Groza – Nadir

Groza is Germany’s answer to Mgła. They share that traditional rawness, that sense of melancholy, and so far, no major controversies. So, it’s a more guilt-free experience (but we’re all guilty of something, aren’t we?). Album after album, I’ve watched the band evolve from a traditional Black Metal act into a more Post-Black entity. Yet, I always feel like Groza is just one step away from truly finding its own voice on the treacherous path to originality. Is Nadir the album where it finally reaches its full potential? Grab an umbrella, because it’s about to rain tears.

Ævangelist – Perdition Ekstasis Meta

Whoever said that Industrial Metal is boring and commercial has clearly never listened to whatever Ævangelist has been up to. Do they even know what they’re doing? Ever since De Masticatione Mortuorum In Tumulis, the band has developed this bizarre blend of Death, Black, and Industrial Metal, all wrapped in the most lo-fi production possible. It’s such a dense listen that I was genuinely worried I might hate Perdition Ekstasis Meta. Was it because it’s so far removed from anything we might consider enjoyable, or because it lacks something previous it previously had? Either way, I came in ready to give this disturbing album a chance. Let’s go!

Pyrrhon – Exhaust

Well, this came out of nowhere—promo included! Not many bands can match Pyrrhon‘s ability to obliterate what little sanity the listener has left. The Mother of Virtues and What Passes for Survival are absolute classics, perfect soundtracks for puking while looking up (don’t try it at home, you’ll drown). However, Abscess Time left me a bit cold. I didn’t quite get it, which is why I approached Exhaust with caution. You can never be too safe with a band this volatile. In that sense, Pyrrhon had already succeeded in manipulating my expectations. But enough intro—let’s dive into the madness.

EP madness 2: Hammerfilosofi, Emasculator & Grave Sermon

It’s been a while since we paid attention to the leftovers of the Metal world, or in other words, the EPs. As you know, I usually avoid them like the plague, but sometimes it’s good to step out of the comfort zone and try something different. These are a few EPs that managed to keep me awake when all I wanted to do was sleep. That should tell you everything you need to know, right?