Dark Descent Records – Metal Eclipse Reviews

QRIXKUOR- Womb of the World

Metalcatto

Not many bands can beat QRIXKUOR when it comes to impossible names to pronounce. Everything about this band exudes seriousness, the kind that promises music capable of taking you to new levels of despair and horror. Enter Womb of the World, an album that, judging by its cover art alone, is ready to fight for a spot in my top releases of the year. The album only has four tracks! This is either going to be amazing or crush my will to live in all the wrong ways. I’ll just warn you now: there won’t be anything easy about this tortuous journey.

Vile Apparition – Malignity

Metalcatto

We continue exploring the harmful side of Metal! It’s been a while without old school Death Metal, so let’s dive in! Vile Apparition might look at first like your consistent brutal band—nothing more and nothing less—but in Malignity the band tried to do more than just have fun and send us all to therapy. It attempts to leave a lasting impression, and there’s next to no other subgenre where this task is harder. Hence, I respect the impossible endeavor from the start. Enough drama now!

Proscription – Desolate Divine

Metalcatto

Alright, I’ll tell you something superficial — and I’m not proud of it, but it’s the truth. I had several earlier promos to check out, but I saw Proscription‘s Desolate Divine and its absolutely astonishing cover art and said, “Screw merits and fairness, this thing looks evil!” That kind of aesthetic confidence is hard to resist. Still, you always have to be cautious with artwork that looks too convincing, especially when it comes to Blackened Death Metal. You risk overindulging and ending up sick the whole trip home (which I’m actively trying to avoid during this vacation).

Malformed – Confinement of Flesh

Metalcatto

It’s been a while since we’ve reviewed some good old school Death Metal. Honestly, after everything that happened in 2024, I’ve gotten dangerously close to becoming a hater. It’s just hard to stay excited when the scene feels so oversaturated. Still, despite the genre fatigue, new bands continue to dive into the old school trenches like it’s 1992 all over again. One of these brave souls is Malformed, who arrive with the debut Confinement of Flesh. This record is supposed to bring something fresh to the table, but you’ll have to excuse my skepticism — I’ve heard that before.

Castrator – Coronation of the Grotesque

Metalcatto

When I got the promo for Castrator’s Coronation of the Grotesque, my eyes rolled back so hard that, for a moment, I could see my brain (this makes no anatomical sense, just saying). This was because, with a name so edgy and typical for Brutal Death Metal, there couldn’t possibly be anything original here, right? But I was wrong. This is an all-female band that is basically giving the male demographic a taste of their own medicine. Let’s face it—so much Death Metal is about doing horrible things to women. We needed something else! And I’m all for making the world a fairer place, so let’s go!

Eleventh Ray – Reviving Tehom

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.

Diabolizer -Murderous Revelations

There’s a dark place in my heart reserved for Turkey’s Diabolizer. You see, it was the first album I ever purchased on Bandcamp. Despite Brutal Death Metal being one of Metal’s most monotonous subgenres, I was blown away by the sheer evil and violence of Khalkedonian Death. It hit that perfect sweet spot between technical prowess and heinous brutality. It’s felt like forever, but now Murderous Revelations is here—and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried the band might just end up being another Hyperdontia copycat. But could that really be true?

Sepulchral Curse – Crimson Moon Evocations

Oh wow! We already have a new Sepulchral Curse album. It feels like yesterday when the band released Abhorrent Dimensions. So far, I only have good things to say about this Finnish pack—they deliver massive and evil Death Metal with zero remorse. However, it’s always been evident to me that the band could take another path. Maybe in Crimson Moon Evocations, the Finns will show us old-school Death Metal in a different way. Or maybe I’m just being hopeful…

Phrenelith – Ashen Womb

Look at that art! Doesn’t it look desolate? Doesn’t it make you feel like Phrenelith is going to obliterate your ears so badly that you’ll actually start wearing earplugs at concerts (as a hearing expert, I highly recommend you do it anyway)? Ashen Womb promises what any Danish death metal album would: unfathomable agony and horror. But can it really stand out from the crowd? Let’s find out!

Aberrator – Beckoning Tribulation

We keep giving chances to bands just starting their promising careers in this ruthless, kill-or-be-killed arena we call the Metal scene. I won’t sit here and pretend I knew who Aberrator was, or that I saw the album title Beckoning Tribulation and thought, “This is the next big thing!” But when I saw that beautiful and tasteful cover art, I thought: “Alright, that does it—this should at least be fun!” So, here we are, ready to taste another heavy meal.