Suffering so you don't have to!
Ixone
As someone who routinely defrosts halfway through a thrasher during summer, what could be more up my alley than a Blackened Thrash/Speed Metal record about drinking? Absolutely nothing. Rotgut’s very suggestively titled 24 oz Cantrip EP, which reeks of hangover from the album cover alone, delivers an infectious, high-energy sound that’s perfect for a burning June day. That said, be prepared for a whirlwind of chaos.
Pegah
“Yes, the day the world ended and nobody was innocent again. God, how swiftly it all fell down!” ― Arthur Miller, After the Fall.
Metalcatto
Don’t you ever feel like you want to get involved in something gross yet compelling? (And no, don’t say what your dirty mind is thinking!) Well, Lenax is a Black Metal band that, despite its underground nature, is trying to remind us of Watain’s good old days. I know that can raise passions, but I consider myself a fan, and nothing would be nicer than returning to that kind of old-school vibe. Infection has a straightforward name and proposal, so at least we’re not getting scammed this time. You’d be surprised how many times that happens with promos. Let’s go!
Metalcatto
As you know, nostalgia is part of the Metal life, but it’s usually more prevalent in Black and Death Metal. Power Metal doesn’t count because nothing has changed in 30 years. Masseti‘s Odds and Ends is offering retro-Prog Metal, and though the idea hits me right in the feels, since I used to be a huge fan of the style, I’m also concerned about how much of an ordeal it is to set up such a solo project. There’s an enormous risk of ending up in a cornfest, but we must have faith, right?
Vicky
If you are confused about the title, it is perfectly fine—I was too. A quick search for Pythia on Encyclopaedia Metallum revealed that Unhallowed is the band’s fifth album. However, it has decided to divide it into two (or perhaps more, it’s confusing!) parts. Before I share more about the album, I would like to clarify the actual definition of “unhallowed”: it means “unholy, not formally consecrated, wicked.”Now that you’ve been educated, let’s start!
Metalcatto
Traditional wouldn’t be the way I’d describe our approach at MER Industries. If anything, I make sure our writers review things that sound new and fresh simply because I hate the past. However, sometimes you have to stop and see how far we’ve come in time. Enter Patchwork, a band that tries to bring a Heavy and Thrash approach from the 80s into our era with Scars. Are you ready for some nostalgic riffs? I’m not, but I can be soon! Let’s do this.
Metalcatto
It’s been a while since we checked out some Thrash. I must say, this year hasn’t been all that bad in that area, but Thrash comes and goes in waves, and this one hasn’t impressed all that much yet. Yes, Stargazer liked the new Warbringer, but I was just OK with it. However, Executionist is debuting with Sacrament of the Sick, and I’m always in the mood to give young bands the opportunity to surprise me—even if it rarely happens. The real question is: will this project have anything novel to add to one of the most explored styles in Metal?
Pegah
The British band, Blunt Knife Castration, make their debut with Live Fast, Die Slow, a record that claws its way through the Sludge and grime of modern heaviness with a defiant, bloodshot snarl. The cover sets the tone: a crumpled figure, his back to us in apparent frustration, barbed wire wrapped around his head like a halo—at once a symbol of suffering, oppression, and the denial of freedom. Similarly, the band’s lyrical themes lean into nihilism and decay, a perfect match for the album’s title. Vocally, it’s a serrated edge—equal parts Hardcore bark and Crust Punk bile.
Metalcatto
In reviewing—like in science—we should disclose any conflicts of interest (you think Big Pharma pays me/us to promote meds? I wish…), but I digress. The point is that after I reviewed Bragging Rights‘ previous outlet—which, of course, I forgot to include in our list of best cover arts of the year—we’ve developed a friendly rapport that could ruin my objectivity as a reviewer. Which is why this review is going to be a satirical endeavor.
Stargazer Scholar
The world was a different place seven years ago. At least when it comes to its currently troubled corner that I happen to inhabit. No joys of pestilence, no thrills of societal cataclysms, just life in all its glorious bleakness and naive hopefulness. It was a genuinely decent time. I’ve seen worse. And it was in that relatively peaceful summer of 2018 that I stumbled upon an album premiere video by a certain one-woman Pagan Black Metal project from Finland. The artist’s name was Vermilia, the record was entitled Kätkyt, and it took me about a song and a half to fall in love, pause the stream, relocate to her Bandcamp page, and click “order”. That’s how I became a fan. Years rolled by, and here we are in 2025, with Vermilia’s third LP fresh from the metaphorical oven and waiting to be discovered.
Metal Eclipse Reviews 