Suffering so you don't have to!
Yes, I decided to be early with this one. Those who know the game understand that Havukruunu has become one of the hidden gems of the Black/Folk Metal scene. It’s the less dramatic but more aggressive Moonsorrow style that, for many, was exactly what Folk Metal needed to stop being a gimmicky parody of the genre, where all those bagpipes and accordions in choruses were getting a bit old. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Tavastland, but does it deliver? Let’s find out.
Latinoamérica isn’t exactly known for its Death/Doom scene. If anything, the region is celebrated for its Thrash/Death and Power Metal traditions. So, in a way, Matalobos is carving out a path that, while well-trodden in other parts of the world, feels fresh and unexpected in warmer climates. Phantasmagoria: Hexed Lands is their attempt at crafting your typical Death/Doom experience but with a distinctly Mexican Folk touch—and that’s not something you see every day. Here at MER, we’re all about weirdness; in fact, the weirder, the better! (Note: Just sending me weird stuff won’t guarantee a great score, but it’ll certainly make me love the job more.)
You see that art, and be honest with me—you think this is going to be an old-school Death Metal trip. What if I told you that you’re wrong? That for once, the art lies. Wouldn’t that make you curious? Well, Open Kasket still plays your expected extreme Metal with a hammer, but Trials of Failure is hoping to surprise us in more than one way. And though, at this point, I feel nothing could surprise me anymore, I’m willing to believe!
Sometimes, as a reviewer, I wonder if bands are seriously trying to destroy my taste or if they’re just trolling me to see how far they can push us with the most heinous combinations of noise (looking at you, True kvlt classics). Mephitic Corpse has a new album titled Sickness Attracts Sickness, and though the artwork initially made me think of old Cannibal Corpse, I quickly realized that the horror had just begun. Let’s just say I wasn’t prepared for what came next.
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…
Well, I wonder what comes to mind when you hear the name Rats of Gomorrah. It’s quite vivid, isn’t it? But is Infectious Vermin as biblical as the band’s name might suggest? No, of course not! In Metal, brutal words are often used as salad dressing—they enhance the experience, but we could also do without them (this is the part where you confess you haven’t touched a salad in years). I know you’re here for the rats, so let’s get to it before wrath takes over again.
Stargazer Scholar
What makes a Metal song great?
I hope you’ll forgive me for this oversimplification. Despite the obvious personal filter that always comes into play whenever we talk about music, there is still something undeniably universal about the songs that work. You’re welcome to share your thoughts on what this X factor might be (fun fact: we have a comment section), and I promise to provide my own take in the conclusion of this review. But while you’re pondering, allow me to introduce an album that made me reflect on such existential mysteries in the first place. Enter Catharsis, the third offering by the Swedish Death Metal entity Consumption.
Here we go again. We survived another week of painful existence only to see what random stuff the deep underground wants to throw at us. This week feels a bit different, or at least I think so, because I bring you heavy elements—music so hostile and violent that I’m sure many of you will let this one pass. But hey, the people who love pure brutality need representation, too.
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!
Welcome back to another edition of our favorite section of the week: True Kvlt, where you send us your dungeon tapes, and we provide mostly constructive feedback—plus a few bad jokes to keep the audience engaged. Nothing too wild; after all, if you want to make it in the music world, you need to be ready to take a few punches from nameless creatures on the internet. Let’s dive in!
Metal Eclipse Reviews 