Servant – Death Devil Magic

Sometimes, release days are so packed that we have to keep talking about them long after they’ve passed. Sometimes, they leave us with things we can’t dare to miss. I picked up Servant‘s Death Devil Magic with the hope that this would be one of those cases—where I almost missed a cool release. I mean, just look at that art! It practically screams diabolical riffs that will melt faces, right? It can’t just be me trying to justify my laziness here. Well, I hope not. But let’s cut the self-pity and get down to business.

Typhonian – The Gate of the Veiled Beyond

I’ve always said one of our principles is to give nostalgia a chance, even though we deeply hate leaning on it. Lately, we’ve been indulging bands that sound straight out of 1995. So, when I heard Typhonian was 90s-inspired with a Swedish Death Metal sound, I puked my breakfast all over my marble countertop—because, honestly, I can’t handle another retro album this week. However, The Gate of the Veiled Beyond promised something different, claiming to pay homage to Edge of Sanity—and I’m always down for that kind of nostalgia. So, let’s set aside our biases for once and check this beast out.

Kanonenfieber – Die Urkatastrophe

We know that Sweden has Swanö, Finland has Saukonnen, and lately, Germany has Noise—an anonymous artist involved in countless projects, all receiving high critical acclaim. I won’t hide my bias: I want Kanonenfieber to blow me away. Its Menschenmühle had me more than impressed. Sure, the sound the band goes for isn’t exactly new, but the way it uses it, combined with the power of such an authentic and raw narrative, has turned it into one of the most fascinating acts in Black Metal. Excellent! But how about Die Urkatastrophe? Does it honor the dead? Join us in the trenches!

Ingurgitating Oblivion- Ontology of Nought

I was there when Ingurgitating Oblivion released Vision Wallows in Symphonies of Light. It was album-of-the-year material in what was probably the best year Metal has had in my lifetime. This won’t be a typical review. You see, Ontological Nought isn’t music you listen to for dealing with emotional issues. This is art, and to fully embrace it, I’m pulling out every weapon in my snobbish arsenal. So I hope you’re ready for the most pretentious review since we covered Ulcerate or Aquilus. On y va!

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.

The Omega Swarm – Crimson Demise

Sometimes, I check my spam emails because the universe always dumps the most important releases there. The Omega Swarm looked like any other promo at first. Sure, it had cool cover art, but there wasn’t much more to say right away. However, when I read that this band is closely linked to probably the most interesting Lovecraft-inspired band ever, Sulphur Aeon (don’t worry, I know about The Great Old Ones; they’re also at the top), I decided to avoid the summer sunlight again and just lose myself in Crimson Demise. So, is it an abyss of despair or just as meh as Lovecraft’s writing style? Let’s find out!

Unhallowed Deliverance – Of Sepctres and Strife

One of our underpaid interns told me that we had received an independent promo worth my full attention. Of course, I told them they were out of their minds and proceeded to cut them off without mercy because the Catto runs this site like the colonial powers used to run Africa—with a complete disregard for human decency. Either way, I gave Unhallowed Deliverance‘s Of Spectres and Strife a chance because the cover art looked legit (in Metal, always judge an album by its art). So, was it worth my time?

Retro-Review: Blind Guardian – Nightfall in Middle-Earth

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.

Elvellon – Ascending in Synergy

As we grow older, it becomes harder and harder to leave our comfort zone; our melting brains become less open to new experiences. It’s not just my opinion; it’s what science says. In Ascending in Synergy, Elvellon offers me the opportunity to defy my cognitive decay and totally break out of that comfort zone made out of incomprehensible gargling and dissonant riffs. It can’t get more Power/Symphonic than Elvellon, but we’ll see how it holds up.