Metal Eclipse Reviews

Insurrectum – The Last Battle

Thechopstickdrummer

INSURRECTUM is a one-man project manned by the Ukrainian multi-instrumentalist Anatoliy Bliashuk, delivering an eclectic hodgepodge of progressive, symphonic, and Blackened Death Metal in its debut record, The Last Battle. Now I don’t want to be overly judgmental, but the abundance of AI-generated artwork–graciously excluding the official LP’s cover–doesn’t make for a suitable first impression. It’s a sign of laziness, a lack of creative drive. On the contrary, Anatoliy’s fifty-two-minute epic is brimming with ideas. In fact, The Last Battle is two different albums: there’s one in English (the edition provided for universal coverage), and another in Ukrainian. They’re musically distinct, with only the lyrical translations and core themes remaining mutual. This choice illustrates the tenacity behind INSURRECTUM’s ideas, but whether they’re as good as their covers is to be determined.

Trve Kvlt #22

Metalcatto

Let’s start!

Dysgnostic – End Whispers

Metalcatto

Not to brag, but I actually have Dysgnostic‘s previous album, Scar Echoes, which is why I have extra preparation for End Whispers. How to describe these guys? Sure, they’re a Disso-Death band, and Denmark doesn’t have many of those—it’s a small and flat place—but the band has always approached the style differently. There’s no rush, let’s put it that way. Whether it’s a brutal blast or a low-pressure section, Dysgnostic can put you in a stretcher with ease. But you’re here to know if the album is worth your money, so let’s start.

An Introduction to Black Metal

Metalcatto

I felt like doing something different. Something that wasn’t judging the work of young, hungry bands that have next to no hope of making it to your playlist, even less to your wallet. Some of you have told me, “I can’t get into Black Metal”—whether it’s the edginess, the awful production, or the shrieking. Well, here are a few albums that could ease your journey into that dark and cold world. Just remember: this isn’t a historical trip. It’s one about digestible listens. See yourself as a frog in a pot, and I’m slowly raising the heat. The idea is that you don’t notice how cooked you are.

Ethereal Rot -Ethereal Rot

Thechopstickdrummer

A TECHNICAL DEATH METAL BAND FROM MAINE! I REPEAT, A TECHNICAL DEATH METAL BAND FROM MAINE! How merry can I be! If each of the 50 states contested to see which was most lucrative for extreme Metal music, Vacationland would run sobbing to the nearest blueberry field as California, Florida, and New York fill the podium, all hosting greatly influential Metal movements. To demonstrate the unexpectedly bloodthirsty nature of New England’s northernmost region comes Ethereal Rot, a dissonant Death Metal collective from Portland. Ethereal Rot is releasing their debut full-length record next month, presenting a refined group shaped by on-the-road seacoast slaughterfests and combinations of the bandmates’ past stylings–almost every member hails from former projects spanning power Metal to Metalcore. This debut marks an exploratory thematic shift for the group, demonstrating that Ethereal Rot can withstand the harsh climates of both their state and their industry.

Iron Slaught – Metallic Torments

Metalcatto

There are days when I wake up and actually don’t feel like putting myself through the most disgusting, inhumane, or nihilist music you people drop on our mailbox. Sometimes I want to feel life has a purpose—even if it doesn’t. So how about a Speed Metal band like Iron Slaught? Metallic Torment should be everything I find cheesy, but this is a French band, and you know Metal is the only thing where we don’t hate on them. In fact, we love their work. So let’s see if we can keep that going—the love, I mean, not the hate.

Trve kvlt #21

Metalcatto

You know what’s coming!

Arise From Worms – A Bleeding Tree Hanging Self Destruction

thechopstickdrummer

A Bleeding Tree Hanging Self Destruction is a long, almost nonsensical name for an album, but Arise From Worms is a trio built on extravagant displays. Their supergroup foundation is not one to be messed with under any circumstances: Sonny Lombardozzi of Fleshtized tackles guitars and bass, Steve Tucker of Tampa’s own Morbid Angel handles vocals, Derek Sherinian tickles the electronic ivories, and Cryptopsy’s Flo Mournier mounts the drum kit. This trio founded Arise From Worms in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, but only recently have they set their malicious technical sights on a full-length endeavor. And what an endeavor it was…

Saidan – FANGDRILLER: Scars Beneath Memory’s Wrist

Metalcatto

In our never-ending quest for originality, shocking things become more and more difficult to find. So imagine my surprise when Saidan proposed to mix Black Metal with Visual Kei. That’s just so wild it could work. FANGDRILLER: Scars Beneath Memory’s Wrist is supposed to come as a Gothic and charming tale—something harsh, but somehow comforting. Can the album strike a balance between these two worlds, or will it all become unbearably sentimental? Hopes are high.

Amazing Albums! Nobody talks about…

Metalcatto

Today, I feel like trying something different. I’m going to expand on our latest IG post and see if that does any good. As a reviewer, you get to hear many hidden jewels that nobody cares about. Maybe because the algorithm isn’t pushing them down your throat on every reel or short. But I’m here to try to do some justice in this indifferent world.