Suffering so you don't have to!
Who wants to check out some old-school Death Metal from the cave? Nobody? Just me? Well, that’s what we have for you today. I hope you’re ready for what has become our usual review at MER, as we delve into Laceration‘s new album, I Erode. As you can imagine, everything in the title and art screams reckless destruction and a level of filth that rivals your bathroom’s toilet seat—you know, the one with black mold. Anyway, let’s swim in that mess in the name of Metal.
Those of you who voted in our Instagram poll get what you wanted. It wasn’t a full majority, but no election gets that these days. So, to surprise you, I dug deep into my inner child to bring you Oxygen Destroyer‘s newest album, Guardian of the Universe. It has freaking Gamera, Mothra, and Megalon-like monsters on the cover! How could it get any weirder and cooler at the same time? (Can we finally get Gamera and Gozilla to fight each other? Japan, make it happen!) I know, the real question is: can you take this album seriously? Join us on this trip through the ruins left by unknown creatures!
Welcome back, everyone! I’ve hinted on many occasions that this section will mostly focus on interviewing people in unconventional parts of the Metal scene. However, at MER, we’re also strong advocates for mental health, and if you haven’t listened to A Kindness Dealt in Venom, you should. It’s a harrowing journey through the demons inside most of us. I met Tony in the most ironic way: he texted me to correct an enormous mistake in our Construct of Lethe review. He was understanding, and I could tell he was someone with a great eye for detail. Given the personal nature of this album, I couldn’t help but invite him for an interview.
Join our feline attempt to overthrow our human masters here!
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.
Here we go! I know that Akhlys has been involved in controversy in the past and has even been banned from some media outlets. Since I’m a cat, human affairs don’t affect me, and despite my ideological disagreements with, well, a lot of Black Metal bands, I’ll focus on the art this time. Now that that’s out of the way, I’ll admit that I loved The Dreaming I and that it’s one of the best albums of its kind! Though I enjoyed Melinoë, it just wasn’t the same. Hence, I approached House of the Black Geminus with mixed expectations. Let’s just fall into this endless pit, ok?
Oh wow! Take a look at that cover art! It looks more disgusting than the last time I checked your browsing history (did you actually think the VPN would protect you? Cute!). Obscene brings us its newest release soon, Agony & Wounds. It’s unadulterated Death Metal that promises to throw you into a sea of gore and unpleasant body fluids. This all sounds sexy, but you know gory Death Metal is over-explored, especially after the lovely mayhem of 2023. Still, let’s see if Obscene has anything to offer, shall we?
I’ve been dreading this moment for long; it’s almost given me nightmares. No other band in Metal can evoke the feeling of being trapped in your anxious prison like Sumac does. Ever since, I discovered it with What One Becomes, next to everything Sumac touched has been perfection to my ears. However, since May You Be Held, I’ve started to get worried about the direction of the band. It’s almost become a Noise/Jazz band with Metal textures that explores dark mental corners like nobody does; conceptually fascinating, but challenging to sit through. Hence, The Healer has the tough task to add something new to one of the riskiest projects in Post-Metal, without alienating us, the peasantry. Will it succeed?
Here we go again, encountering Drift Into Black with an album named Voices Beneath the Rubble, a band that seems to defy labels the more you delve into their music. Initially, one might attempt to pigeonhole them into genres like Doom, Goth, or MeloDeath, but the deeper you listen, the less it conforms to such categorizations. Voices Beneath the Rubble, a name as dark as it is intriguing, promises uniqueness while hinting at accessibility, even for newcomers to its sound. But does it truly achieve this elusive balance? The answer awaits a click.
Don’t ask me why, but there’s an unfathomable resurgence of bands that like to to take inspiration from less conventional mythologies. To be fair, many do have some sort of connection with the respective regions. Here at MER, we welcome any new takes on old Metal. So, when I noticed that Mythologik‘s Blood in the Sky was joining the hottest trend in extreme Metal (only slightly, there’s so much more here), I wanted a piece of it. After all, opportunism is the key to survival, kids. Enough chatting, let’s jump in then!
I first want to start by warning that this review requires serious consideration. Suicide is no joke, and if you joke or bully people about it, we’ll find you. Hence, I’ve been delaying my take on Construct of Lethe‘s A Kindness Dealt in Venom. First, my underpaid interns have been struggling with your requests, and second, I didn’t want to review something that approaches such a serious matter in an exploitative way (not the case here, fortunately). But let’s focus on the music, shall we?
Metal Eclipse Reviews 