Suffering so you don't have to!
Metalcatto
Looking at The Bitter Pills’ artwork made me have a ton of questions, none of them terribly flattering. So, I’m suspecting that I might have some issues with The Bitter Pills. You might say that I’m being judgmental, but after reviewing hundreds of albums, I’m entitled to have some biases, right? Anyway, let me tell you if this sounds good or not.
Metalcatto
When I heard the name Fog Wall, I honestly thought this would be some kind of Gothic journey full of synths and cute flowery riffs. Having said that, I’ve never been so wrong, because Gloomweaver is just absolutely punishing. I wasn’t ready for the intensity here, but that’s what we’re here for—to be totally surprised and destroyed by the horrors and depths of extreme Metal!
Metalcatto
Sometimes, I do check those emails random artists send me. Especially if it’s Thrash Metal—my first extreme love. It’s why Maidenhead‘s Maximum Clonage got my attention. The band seemed professional despite the simple email. So let’s see if being polite gets you somewhere in life. Usually it doesn’t, but I’ve gotta make a difference, right?
Vicky
I’ve known, talked to, worked with, befriended, and been a fan of Váthos for quite some time now, so when I listened to SOLACE for the first time, my first instinct was to think “oh, wow, can’t believe I know these people”, of course, in a good way.
Metalcatto
You know what we haven’t done in a while? Reviewed something kind of techy. So why not review a super underground act like The Absolution Sequence? Sure, the name sounds like something else—as in Goth or MeloDeath—but Dread Cycle should deliver all those complicated riffs you want, right? One can have expectations when the musicians shred more, or so I hope.
Thechopstickdrummer
I treasure observing the development of young bands. By “young”, I mean the duration of the band’s existence and the youthfulness of its members. The Larches, an English take on sludge metal-meets-alternative rock, is one of these projects yet to break free from the shackles of their hometown, and I love that. Forming in 2021 near Middlesbrough, The Larches hooked me in with a name inspired by a genus of Northern conifers and a sludgy yet passionate attitude present in their upcoming EP, Nihilistic Majesties. This sophomore release exhibits the band’s gradual shift towards a more industry-ready visual aesthetic, while still recording charming homemade music videos, and while part of me never wants The Larches to leave that amateur aesthetic behind, it’s time to give the band a bigger spotlight. However, in the spotlight comes major criticism.
Metalcatto
It’s not that I’m a Protest The Hero expert, but I’ve been a fan since Kezia. That means I’m OG, and my opinion matters more than some noob’s, right? Anyway, I don’t think the band has an album below a 4.0 out of 5.0. Its blend of Prog, Mathcore, and Metalcore has made this project one of the most unique out there. Not to mention the almost optimistic feeling in each one of its releases, no matter how dark the subject actually is. So how do you top such an impeccable career? Let’s find out with Within.
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.
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.
Metalcatto
Let’s face it: in our current social and political climate, satire has lost its purpose. Reality is just funnier than anything else. Double Mute has done two things: brought us one of the strangest concepts for a band and shown one of the most heinous cover arts in MER history. Anyway, if Corporate Culture CEO Edition delivers what it promises, I might once and for all punch that intern who keeps messing up the printer at work.
Metal Eclipse Reviews 