Suffering so you don't have to!
Metalcatto
If you follow us on social media, you’ll know I have a complex relationship with Behemoth. This is because the band only has two modes: either it absolutely blasts me away, or it makes me sink into the worst depression ever—because of how much disdain I end up feeling. So in the end, I’m not angry, just disappointed. Join me in this ranking, where we’ll reach the lowest lows and the highest highs Metal can offer before.
Metalcatto
It’s time to return to the roots of this forsaken section. Today, I bring you nothing but dirty, rancid Black Metal from the pit. However, don’t let all my adjectives fool you—there’s something interesting about every release I’ve picked. Whether it’s how at home they make us feel or how real they sound, there’s no doubt in my mind that Black Metal is more dead and alive at the same time than ever before. But enough babbling—let’s get to what you came for.
Metalcatto
Perhaps it’s the rage against the Central European Bank, but it’s already been decades since Greece became a Black Metal powerhouse. However, old school wouldn’t be the first term I’d use to describe that scene, which is why Eleventh Ray got my attention. Its upcoming album Reviving Tehom promises a strange return to an era when Black Metal wasn’t too filthy nor too clean—but let’s find out if there’s anything original to blast here.
Pegah
The British band, Blunt Knife Castration, make their debut with Live Fast, Die Slow, a record that claws its way through the Sludge and grime of modern heaviness with a defiant, bloodshot snarl. The cover sets the tone: a crumpled figure, his back to us in apparent frustration, barbed wire wrapped around his head like a halo—at once a symbol of suffering, oppression, and the denial of freedom. Similarly, the band’s lyrical themes lean into nihilism and decay, a perfect match for the album’s title. Vocally, it’s a serrated edge—equal parts Hardcore bark and Crust Punk bile.
Metalcatto
It’d be a total understatement to say that Vildhjarta is a strange band. How can I explain it? You know how Meshuggah plays convoluted rhythms, but somehow there’s always a 4×4 groove going on in the drums? Well, forget about that here and get ready to embrace absolute rhythmic chaos — + där skogen sjunger under evighetens granar + is. I know, that name looks like main effects in a linear model (this is my nerdiest joke to date, I’m so proud!), but that only makes me more excited. We’re here to be surprised, right?
Stargazer Scholar
The last thing we need is to add another branch to the ever-spreading tree of Heavy Metal subgenres. Yet I can’t help but think that many bands emerging over the last decade would fall neatly under the umbrella of Cathartic Black Metal. Something must have shifted in our perception of the world, and instead of the ever-venomous, devilish malice of the cold second wave, we arrived at a different kind of darkness. Bands like Mephorash, Mgła, or Schammasch spearheaded a more comprehensive approach to Black Metal, blending the cosmic and the personal in one existential cauldron. These bands may be different in their aesthetic direction and the subject matter of their lyrics, but the underlying urgency of their craft and the strength of emotions they evoke in the listener somehow make them a part of a movement.
Metalcatto
Please indulge me in a little experimental writing here!
Metalcatto
Despite my undying love for my local (Swedish) scene, Ghost has always been a tricky one for me. I even contemplated skipping Skeletá because the album isn’t even Metal. In fact, sometimes I wondered if it was even Rock, or just Pop/Rock. I’ll say it without hesitation: the band hasn’t truly had my attention since Meliora — that was its peak performance, and after that, it’s been hit or miss. So, I have no illusions of being impressed with this new release. Yet, here I am, giving it a chance.
Pegah
Sometimes, you don’t need to understand the language to feel the music. That’s exactly how I felt listening to Vacío como el tronco de un árbol muerto, the newly released album by Ornamentos del Miedo. Founded in late 2017 by Ángel Chicote in Burgos, Spain, Ornamentos del Miedo is a one-man Funeral Doom/Death Metal project that delves deep into themes of melancholy, existential dread, and sorrow. After the breakup of his former band, Graveyard of Souls, Chicote set out to craft slow, atmospheric compositions marked by mournful guitar melodies and deeply philosophical lyrics.
Metalcatto
In reviewing—like in science—we should disclose any conflicts of interest (you think Big Pharma pays me/us to promote meds? I wish…), but I digress. The point is that after I reviewed Bragging Rights‘ previous outlet—which, of course, I forgot to include in our list of best cover arts of the year—we’ve developed a friendly rapport that could ruin my objectivity as a reviewer. Which is why this review is going to be a satirical endeavor.
