Metalcatto
I’m later to this than an airplane with two engines on fire, so let’s dive right in!
True kvlt: HKSPK, Vox Hexterna, Butch Against the Machine, Jeff, Octohawk, & Zoltar
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 3rd and 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.
Megadeth – Megadeth
Metalcatto
There’s a level of tragedy to this review. Despite how much we all love to pick on Megadeth, and especially on Dave Mustaine for all his public antics and tumultuous history, he’s our weird, cantankerous uncle in the metal family. Seeing the band seemingly ready to leave the gloves on the ring is a genuinely sad moment. I’m a realist; there is absolutely no way Megadeth is ever going to top the holy trinity of Rust in Peace, Countdown to Extinction, or even Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying? But here we are, collectively not quite ready to let the old guys ride peacefully into the sunset with their millions. So, let’s not pull any punches in discussing one of the most iconic acts in our little, utterly insignificant metal world.
Blackwater Drowning – Obscure Sorrows
Metalcatto
It’s time to review a band I have no prior knowledge about—a statement that, for a reviewer, borders on the embarrassing. Lucky for you, I have very little shame left. Blackwater Drowning (a wonderfully evocative name) arrives with their album Obscure Sorrows, and to be fair, the proposal is at least intriguingly enigmatic. So, let’s see if this album can rescue me from the near-permanent state of critical numbness that sets in after doing this for more years than I’d care to admit. Enough professional bitterness, however; let’s try to approach this with an open mind and see if we can find some genuine cheer in the music.
Beyond The Pale – Monument In Time
Metalcatto
There are musical projects with wildly ambitious dreams—like making a sustainable living from metal—and then there are the more humble endeavors that simply exist as an excuse for friends to create music together. That latter category seems to be where Beyond the Pale firmly resides. A band that began its battle during the isolating days of the pandemic, it’s are now ready to release its debut full-length, Monument in Time, which promises a savage and unrefined fusion of Death and Thrash Metal. I’m continually surprised by how infrequently these two genres are blended effectively, as the combination makes so much inherent sense. Anyway, let’s jump into the fray.
Metal Eclipse Reviews 