Mental Cruelty – Echoes of a Forlorn Land

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Eclectic is a great adjective to describe whatever Mental Cruelty is doing. Back in the day, I reviewed Zwielicht for another website. I liked it, so I’m excited to see whether the band has changed on Echoes of a Forlorn Land or remains the same. The guys have now mixed Nordic mythology into their sound. Does that mean this is Viking Deathcore? Truly horrifying. Let’s start.

Void Sector Zero – Dead Space Enigma

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It’s time for some SHRED!!! Void Sector Zero is nothing but a supergroup, featuring members of Necrophagist, Obscura, and Revocation and many more bands. There’s no way this album is going to be a walk in the park. Chances are, you’ll never be able to learn these songs, let alone sing along. The real question is whether these guys are going to blow us out of the water or completely bore us with an excessive onslaught of notes on Dead Space Enigma. I’m nervous!

Bonjour Tristesse – Disaster Triumphant

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If you’re into Post/Black, you should be familiar with Your Ultimate Urban Nightmare. If you’re not, well, here I am helping you. Ever since then, Bonjour Tristesse has done the same as the novel with the same name—puzzle me. Many times, not in the best way. Having said that, I do expect Disaster Triumphant to be more than decent. Even if it’s different to the point where I feel alienated.

Revel in Flesh –  Flesh For The Kult Of Death

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I know that yesterday I said I didn’t want to review more old school Death Metal, but what can one do with limited time and so many promos? We don’t know where to start. I had no idea what Revel in Flesh had to offer, or if Flesh For The Kult Of Death would break the mold that so many bands have shaped before. But what I know is that this review needs to be out fast. So here we are, diving into another cavernous release that promises to either crush or comfort.

Servant – Lux Ex Inferis

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I’m not a Servant expert. I know the band has gathered some attention in the underground. The Melodic Black Metal movement is a big deal now—Dissection has been vindicated. However, Lux Ex Inferis cover art made me skeptical. Like, why does it look so CGI? I’ve seen AI art more convincing. Anyway, I was still expecting the music to impress me, but most of all, to feel real.

SPACE CHASER – Razorblade Bay

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The promotional sheet for this record was written in charming broken English, so to honor its attitude, my introduction will follow suit: SPACE CHASER is super radical Thrash metal band from great country Germany serving up a science fiction-themed album full of surprise! Their upcoming record, Razorblade Bay, is thirty minute of high-speeds thrashing from the four-piece band, forming in 2011 and has releasing three previous albums. Long-winded appreciation aside, it’s time SPACE CHASER presents another Teutonic-esque platter of speedy Thrash. The preservation of Sodom, Kreator, and other Germanic titans’ aesthetics is an act I greatly appreciate–Kreator itself succumbed to the symmetrical illness plaguing modern-day covers (Krushers of the World, 2026). This styling begs a question: can they maintain a modern feel on a new label while still paying respect to their founders?

Xandria – Eclipse

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If you’re new in town—as our blog stats show—then you might think we never cover any virgin… I mean, any unicorn music here. It’s been a while, but why not review Xandria‘s Eclipse to break our dark spell and start looking into some Power/Goth Metal this year that actually doesn’t make me embarrassed of being a Metalhead? Or maybe I’m wrong, and this is more of the same happy depressing music. Let’s see.

Nail by Nail- Internal Inferno

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It’s been a while since we reviewed something remarkably sad. Like, more depressing than a puppy getting put down. Anyway, Nail by Nail has a strange approach. It’s this old school Black Metal mixed with crushing Melodic Death Metal. That sounds exciting, right? Especially if you’re a crazy masochist like all of us. Yet I can’t help but worry about this thing being too safe. It’s a familiar formula, and familiarity can be a double-edged sword—comforting, yes, but also predictable.

Temple of Dread – Deadspawn Dominion

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It’s been a while since we’ve had something more Thrash Metal. You know, an album mostly focused on speed that feels like a knife fight. Temple of Dread is bringing us somewhere well-balanced Death and Thrash that should make you feel like the tectonic wave is back and well—not just Kreator. Anyway, Deadspawn Dominion has a cool name, but is it cool Metal? Stay put, and maybe you’ll find out.