Metal Eclipse Reviews

Bragging Rights – Small Gods

Maybe we’ll do this more often—giving acts from the deep underground a full platform, as long as they send stuff in advance. Bragging Rights (the name cracks me up) is a project that, by looking at its cover art, you’d think was satirical. I wasn’t quite sure if this meant the album was going to be deeply serious or just troll me harder than this. Either way, I came in with a better disposition than usual because I was on vacation and felt like humanity deserved a chance again (I can’t wait for them to let me down…). Alright, let’s see what Small Gods puts on the table.

Monument of Misanthropy – Vile Postmortem Irrumatio

I’m usually honest with you, unless there’s some kind of profit behind lying to you. Otherwise, I always share my expectations. So, when I received the promo for Monument of Misanthropy‘s Vile Postmortem Irrumatio, I felt doubtful. Why? Because a Brutal Death Metal band singing about serial killers, psychological deviance, and grotesque violence is probably why the sub-genre was invented. However, I was puzzled by the fact that the band had cared to build a narrative in this album and that Transcending supported it, as they don’t support trash. So, let’s see if I was wrong!

True kvlt: Lvctvs, Purge of Relics, TSGO, Fretting Obscurity

This is going to be a good one! We’ve got bands that scream in French, Spanish, a bit of German, and of course, our favorite colonial language, English (luckily, cats are mysterious creatures that speak in tongues). We’re going full international, but despite some quirks, we’re sticking to hostile/doomy themes. Fasten your seatbelts, because even if you hate everything we’re throwing at you now, it won’t leave you unfazed. Let’s go!

Powerwolf – Wake Up the Wicked

I‘m happy to announce that Elyna Khan is going to deal with a lot of the Power Metal we’ve got here (since I can’t stand it and bands deserve a fair chance). Good luck!

Hello. How are you? I hope you are all OK. Remember my controversial love story with Virtual XI? Well, today I want to share another love story that just emerged in my life. It was love at first sight—or at first listen, to be precise. A few days ago, I came across an album by a band I had never heard of. Ok, yes, this may seem like heresy to a Melodic/Yymphonic Power Metal lover, but it’s never too late to redeem yourself! So, without further ado, let’s talk about Powerwolf and its album Wake Up The Wicked.

Retro-Review: Megadeth – Rust in Peace

Welcome to Retro-Reviews, a space where I indulge in my own nostalgic reveries, reminiscing about a time that never truly existed, but one that I’ve crafted through various random albums that hold significance for me. Whether good or bad, one thing is certain: remembering can be a bittersweet journey.

Join the cat cult here

Catto goes poetic: edgy lyrics 1

Since Metal is probably the music style that cares the least about lyrics, I’ve written a satire of lyrics that you could probably find in any Metal track. Make it fun and drink every time a common word or idea pops up. Tell me in which line you started to feel wasted!

Concrete Winds – Concrete Winds

Concrete Winds is a strange name for a band. It even feels like an immediate contradiction. Perhaps that was the plan all along because the band’s sound is absolute musical debauchery. It’s as if you take The Dillinger Escape Plan and Pyrrhon. So, you know this is going to be unbearable for 99.9% of the human population, but you’re not normal. You’re a freak of nature who enjoys discovering the most extreme music that hell can provide, which is why Concrete Winds might offer something for you, lunatic. Time to find out!

Cosmic Jaguar – El Era del Jaguar

An album like this usually goes straight to the True Kvlt section. It came late, with no promo and little clout (plus the title is missing an accent mark in Él, that’s how pedantic we can be at MER). However, I was also puzzled by how strange all its elements were. We’re talking about a Tech Death mixed with Aztec Folk Metal band, from Ukraine, with lyrics in English and Spanish. It can’t get weirder than this. I had to listen to it to believe it. Could Cosmic Jaguar‘s El Era del Jaguar join our small group of year-end deep underground revelations?

Wolfheart – Draconian Darkness

It’s time to come clean. I’m a Saukkonen superfan. I think he’s Finland’s response to Dan Swanö, so you can imagine my level of respect for the man. Ever since I heard Deathstar Rising, I’ve enjoyed each one of his projects. However, I won’t lie, it’s been a while since Wolfheart blew me away (like making me so excited that I’d forget to take my meds). Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed almost everything this project has shown us, but I’ve been longing for some change. There’s so much more this formula has to offer. Can Draconian Darkness be the renewal the band needs?

True kvlt: Barzakh, Glass Coffin, Aldorfrea, Mindistry

Destiny has decided that this week’s True Kvlt becomes a blend of mostly underground Black and Death Metal straight from the cave. Lately, we’ve had too much beauty and cleanliness in this section, so it was about time things got nasty again. Join us on this quick trip to the basement.