Mammon’s Throne – My Body to The Worms

Metalcatto

You could certainly argue that my Doom Metal bias leans heavily toward the most depressing and suffocating end of the spectrum. I don’t cover enough Epic Doom, and that’s a fair criticism. But let me pose a question: what if you didn’t have to choose between crushing depression and epic grandeur? What if an album could be simultaneously brutal and majestic? Can that even work? I honestly didn’t know, but that was precisely the proposition Mammon’s Throne put forward with its new album, My Body to The Worms (an uplifting title, right?). My only real hope was that this wouldn’t simply be a carbon copy of Hooded Menace—I mean, just look at that artwork!

Decipher – ΘΕΛΗΜΑ

Metalcatto

There are two certainties when it comes to Greek Black Metal: the artwork is going to be visually arresting, often steeped in occult symbolism, and the distrust for religious institutions will be off the charts. Decipher has built a reputation as a consistent band within this fertile scene, and if its new album, ΘΕΛΗΜΑ, is anywhere near as accomplished as Arcane Path of Resurrection, then the band would have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. Or is it? Cringe and Black Metal have always shared an uneasy, intertwined history, but let’s descend into the darkness and find out.

In Ruins – We Are All To Perish

Metalcatto

Depression! Now that I have your attention, I know you might be wondering if In Ruins‘ album artwork does justice to the music contained within. Just look at it; I haven’t seen such genuinely miserable, hollow faces since the Soviet Union was still a functioning state. That is precisely why this new album, We Are All To Perish, should hit us harder than discovering our favorite band is playing in town only to find tickets sold out in seconds. Anyway, dry your tears elsewhere, because we need to review this agonizing ride.

Muerto – Eclipsed Realms

Metalcatto

If you think Muerto is simply a Death Metal band name, you’ve been thoroughly fooled by the marketing machine. Whatever is happening on its new album, Eclipsed Realms, cannot be so neatly categorized. It certainly cannot be described as Death Metal, nor does it entirely fit within the strict confines of Black Metal, even though its production lovingly embraces that signature rotten, lo-fi aesthetic. Do you expect me to feel some misguided mercy just because we share the word “eclipse” in our respective titles? Hehe, not a chance!

Mayhem – Liturgy of Death

Metalcatto

There might be no other band in extreme Metal that has inspired more dank, enduring memes than your dark majesty, Mayhem. I even conducted a retro-review of the seminal album back in the day. However, I approached its latest release, Liturgy of Death (wow, how surprising that title is…), with next to no expectations. The central question looms: how can a band with such a famously chaotic and tragic trajectory possibly offer something genuinely compelling and interesting decades after its infamous peak?

Post Luctum – Timor Lucis

Vicky

Being highly passionate about foreign languages and particularly Latin, I have to begin by telling you that Post Luctum comes from “post”, meaning “after”, and “luctum” (from “luctus”), meaning “grief”. At the same time, Timor Lucis also comes from Latin, with “timor” meaning “fear”, and “lucis” (from “lux”) meaning “light”. Ergo, to conclude my complex and meaningful introduction, the band After The Grief will soon release the album Fear of the Light.

Mývalyĭr – The Past Tales

Metalcatto

Mývalyĭr is what happens when you blend the epic, storytelling scope of Blind Guardian with the intense seriousness of a band like Eternal Storm or other deeply committed MeloDeath acts. Consequently, its new album, The Past Tales, sounded on paper like an oddball proposition for me, as it combines elements I deeply love with others I’m almost embarrassed to admit I enjoy. The central question was how the band would balance its grandiose, fantastical aspirations with the musical gravitas such themes demand. Honestly, my initial hopes were buried underground, but there’s always room for dreaming, right?

Stabbing – Eon of Obscenity

Metalcatto

Let’s face it: if you got money every time a Brutal Metal band had a name that implied knife play, you’d be the one invading some defenseless country that has done you no wrong. Either way, Stabbing is supposed to be that Brutal Death Metal band—the one that consistently knocks it out of the park. Its new album, Eon of Obscenity, is precisely engineered to deliver that promise, an auditory experience meant to shake us harder than losing our job on a Friday. But since music this extreme is inherently inhumane, it risks leaving us completely numb. So, what’s the final verdict?