Metal Eclipse Reviews

Neolith – Inbir

Thechopstickdrummer

Sixth grade was fun. Yes, the year situated itself right in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but hell, at least we learned about the ancient Egyptians! Both historians and metalheads share a mutual infatuation with past civilizations, as reflected in the metal community by strong devotees–Nile, South Carolina’s best output since sweet tea, and Polish mainstay NEOLITH, come to mind first. Since 1991, the latter has been eviscerating, desiccating, and wrapping the people of Poland and beyond in linen with a classic combination of death and black metal. Inbir, meaning “war” in Sumerian (widening their scope of ancient societies, I see), is the band’s sixth installment of this threatening sound, so I’d better get listening and lamenting about its potential shortcomings before I’m ḫȝtb*

Trve Kvlt Special: Die Entweihung – Worldwide Terror

Metalcatto

We’ve got an OG of the ultra-underground section today. It’s Die Entweihung with a new album named World Wide Terror. That’s not news here—the project releases something basically every year, so I know what to expect: old school Amorphis worship with a touch of Folk Metal that can remind you a tiny bit of Orphaned Land, except the production is rawer than a sushi roll. But is it as tasty? Let’s see.

Mangled Carpenter – Between Blood and Silence

Metalcatto

What does this band have against carpenters? It’s a noble job. Hell, I’d like to be good at woodworking—you can actually make money out of it, not like writing… Anyway, Between Blood and Silence is supposed to uppercut us to the stratosphere, but you know the problem with ultra-heavy albums: they can numb you harder than the news. Let’s enter this slaughterhouse.

Vulgar Mephitis – From Dust

Metalcatto

Another Willowtip album? Are we getting bribed? Unfortunately, that’s not the case yet. We just think that when a Brutal and Tech Death Metal band like Vulgar Mephitis drops an album named From Dust, we need to pay a lot of attention. This hasn’t been the best year for ultra-extreme bands so far, but not all hope is lost. We can still hope to get our faces properly melted again. Yay.

SUBMASQ – Spirit Animal

Thechopstickdrummer

Israeli Ethno-Prog ensemble SUBMASQ (previously Subterranean Masquerade) joins the slew of masked bands. We’ve all come across S***p T***n, Korn, and Ghost, but have any of them donned the intriguing creation that vocalist Vivi Dolev wears on the album art (Yalon Schori, Shay Darvish)? I figured as much. For their debut on Willowtip Records, SUBMASQ taps deeper into their traditional and progressive minds to bring forth Spirit Animal, their fifth full-length record. Fit with a diverse instrumental session crew and a regained sense of imagination (the band released a short EP this February with a contemptible AI-generated cover), SUBMASQ is already impressing cranky ol’ me. Can they keep it up?

Trve Kvlt #25

Metalcatto

It’s been a while!

Exitium Sui – Unravelling

Thechopstickdrummer

Chris Gebauer is, in essence, a superspreader of black metal grime. Under various monikers, Gebauer has managed over ten musical projects, ranging from a duo with his wife, Anett Hauzu, to multiple depressive suicidal black metal (DSBM) bands. In these undertakings, he mainly sings, but in Exitium Sui, the full set of standard musical apparatus is all under his control. This project acts as an outlet for his efforts on blackened doom metal and dirge-like atmospheres, habits not entirely new to a musician like himself. Exitium Sui’s third full-length, Unravelling, is a curiosity of funeral doom-adjacent textures, but hopefully there’s enough life for me to cling to. Unlike the moods in the majority of Gebauer’s bands, I like living.

Witchsorrow – The Devil And All His Works

Pegah

British Doom Metal band Witchsorrow released their latest album via Church Road Records. Rooted primarily in classic old-school Doom Metal and enriched by melodic guitar solos, the album demonstrates a remarkable level of maturity and musicianship. Despite the relative youth of the band members, the record feels remarkably accomplished, evoking the atmosphere of Candlemass and Black Sabbath while retaining the band’s own creativity and distinctive touch.

Temple of Dread – Deadspawn Dominion

Metalcatto

It’s been a while since we’ve had something more Thrash Metal. You know, an album mostly focused on speed that feels like a knife fight. Temple of Dread is bringing us somewhere well-balanced Death and Thrash that should make you feel like the tectonic wave is back and well—not just Kreator. Anyway, Deadspawn Dominion has a cool name, but is it cool Metal? Stay put, and maybe you’ll find out.

Ceremonial Worship – Between Sleep and Death

Metalcatto

For some strange reason, I jumped into this album thinking that it would be another retro-Death take with crunchy distortion and grey riffs. Turns out Ceremonial Worship had other plans for our sorrowful lives. Between Sleep and Death is rancid and underground, for sure. You’re traveling back to the 90s, but maybe the result is something that will make you feel hope in Metal again. Or probably not. But hey, keep reading.