There’s a lot of heaviness in the air, dread, and yeah celebration for some, but it has to feel awfully dark there too. Deep down. Now more than ever, we could use positive distractions, something that doesn’t warp our understanding of what’s outside our doors but at least can let us escape mentally for a little bit. Allow us to take a deep breath now and again.

Denver-based metallic instrumental force Abandons arrive with their debut full-length “Liminal Heart,” and over four tracks, you’re lambasted with epic, doomy, post-metal-style drama that shakes the blood in your body. The creations here can provide that aforementioned gust into your imagination, opening a portal in your mind for you to slip into and let your agitated nerves cool. The band—guitarist/samplist Brenton Dwyer, bassist Ben Rosenberg, drummer/synth player/samplist Samuel Mowat—certainly has strains of titans such as ISIS, Neurosis, and Pelican, but there’s also more adventurous bends here and some delicacy that cools the jets when needed. It’s an album that can stimulate planning your escape, at least in your brain, and remind you there still can be positivity to mine.

“Habitats” begins in a wave of cosmic doom, driving harder as a voice sample talks of the surveillance state and a general sense of unease as technology expands. The heaviness becomes a bigger factor, crushing wills, gazey layers hanging over the crunch as a thick bassline flexes, heading into choppier waters. Melody emerges as a moody atmosphere takes hold, and then the leads catch fire and ricochet away. “Saudade” brings sounds gushing, guitars floating over a Floyd-like psychedelic stretch, letting your mind wander. Keys chill as the power jolts, slide guitars entering to add a hint of sun-stained emotion, the playing soaring before bowing out to static.

“New Mysteries” enters amid quotes about lucid dreaming, sending you into immersive cloud coverage and a near-semi-conscious state that generates warmth. The guitars fire and then cool, letting off breezes that soothe scarred flesh, the pressure building into an ambient burst. Guitars crunch as a whirring force picks up momentum, fading into a thick mist. “Smiling in the Midst of Two Armies” is the closer, a 16:53-long beast that bleeds into guitars awakening, rousing slightly as sounds drip, the drums tracing steps. Then the gargantuan split occurs, jolting and jostling, squeezing with dynamic force, the sludge elements getting stickier and more impenetrable. The guitars chug harder and then pull back, soundtracking strains of J. Robert Oppenheimer’s classic 1945 speech that discusses the impact of the atomic bomb and the deadly consequences of its existence. It’s both sobering and chilling, the playing gradually building into a volcanic force, an electric haze gasping, wooshing, the Oppenheimer quote, “I am become death, the destroyer of worlds,” repeating as noise spirals out into oblivion.

An escape from reality would be a welcomed thing, and Abandons aren’t necessarily trying to distract you from real life, but “Liminal Heart” can help get you there as it spreads its imaginative wings. This is immersive and arresting, and if instrumental doom is your thing like it is mine, it does provide a launching point for diving into something that doesn’t erode you mind and heart. This should keep your lungs working overtime, your blood coursing through your veins, and your mind considering something that isn’t world killing and just might help you rise above the misery.

For more of the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/abandonsmusic

To buy the album, go here: https://abandons.bandcamp.com/album/liminal-heart

This is the first review that will be written after the crowning of one of the world’s least capable fascists, a man who lives in rot and shame and hates himself, so we must now all feel that. It was kind of obvious that the release I chose for today is a meaningful selection. This is a band that stands against the agenda about to rule this country.

“Passages” is a new five-track EP by sludge doom warriors Sunrot, this acting as a pathway from where they were on “The Unfailing Rope” (the session that also bore these songs) to wherever they’re headed next. And no matter where that is, it’s likely to be a decidedly darker place, one where greed is the real god. Sunrot remain steadfast in what they fight for, and the band—vocalist/noisemaker Lex Santiago, guitarists Christopher Eustaquio and Rob Gonzalez, bassist Ross Bradley, drummer Alex Dobrowolski—refuses to go quietly but also adds some glimmers of hope that despite what we all face, there can be something positive that can rise from those ashes.

“Death Knell” opens with sounds buzzing, darkness eroding comfort, voices pushing through the confusion, strange transmissions ending with a clanging doom bell. “The First Wound” rips open with guitars taunting, Santiago’s howls destroying, and sounds warping and challenging madness. Dylan Walker from Full of Hell also makes his presence felt here, and he and Santiago navigate through the endless carnage, wild howls tearing down inhibitions, a sudden burst of speed crushing on its way out the door. “Sleep” brings noises ricocheting, the atmosphere squeezing, aching rhythmic pounding making your breathing accelerate, everything bleeding into chaos. “Untethered” brings lathering guitars, Jack Carino’s cello mixing in with the spirits, the track turning into a shadowy figure that lurks mysteriously. Shrieks maul as the playing turns into a molten force, rippling and pounding, dark melodies slipping into mysterious corners, strings scraping away the first layer of flesh. “Ra” closes, and it has sounds penetrating, a recording of late musician Sun Ra speaking of the positivity of music and its ability to create new worlds and dreams. It provides an warm ending to an eclectic array of creations that can make one feel like trying again and refusing to succumb to worldly pressures.

As we await the next Sunrot full-length, “Passages” feels like a proper appetizer, one that couples the band’s sludgy doom with electronic experimentation to an even greater level.  As we move into a volatile and surely crueler world, having positive sentiments and reasons to carry on will be as important as ever. Will a five-track EP pull you out of that? Not entirely, but it’s a way to help you build a foundation as you prepare to face society that sees many of us as the enemy.

For more of the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/sunrotmusic

To buy the album, go here: https://shop.prostheticrecords.com/

For more on the label, go here: https://prostheticrecords.com/

I really try hard not to be that judgmental old guy who grew up in thrash’s golden years, but most of the bands that have tried and tried again to keep that sound relevant never resonated with me. There was something missing, and the ones that tried to mimic the aesthetic never seemed to get that right either. There have been a few here and there, but most of it falls flat.

Swedish pounders Sarcator always seemed to be a step ahead of most, and on their third full-length “Swarming Angels & Flies,” they dig even deeper into the wounds, giving a nastier, darker edge to thrash, which makes total sense since their name is a combination of Sarcófago and Kreator. The band—vocalist/guitarist Mateo Tervonen, guitarist Leo Buchalle, bassist Felix Lindkvist, drummer Jesper Rosén—started pretty damn young, releasing their first demo at ages 14-20 in 2019. Now, two full-lengths later, they’re building on their smoldering knowledge base (Tervonen’s father Marko is a guitarist for The Crown, though I only mention that as an influence) and crushing musical output, which really peaks on this new collection. Yet, as you can hear, they’re still rough around the edges, so there’s room to grow, which should be exciting to hear on LP four. By the way, one CD version of the album contains the band doing a trio of covers of songs from Anti Cimex, aforementioned Sarcófago, and Sadus, but we’re only going to cover the main album.

“Burning Choir” opens absolutely on fire, blistering as vicious howls whip your flesh, carving hard into bone. Speed and violence unite as crazed cries blister, and absolute chaos explodes into “Comet of End Times.” That one tears open, a storm blasting with gale force, the aggression decimating everything in its wake. Melodic fury melts beams, blazing through mean wails, lathering lead lines, and a heavy dash into darkness. The title track ramps up with glorious guitars and throttling drums, Tervonen demanding, “Gather for the final hunt!” The playing rockets as thrashy, colorful attacks smear blood, repeated cries of, “Destroy!” leaving gory blisters. “The Deep Ends” delivers crunchy blows and ultra-catchy leads, the guitars snaking through poisoned waters. Gruff vocals batter as the charring rhythms push into lathering soloing, racing to a razor-sharp finish.

“Where the Void Begins” dawns with acoustic strains and a more mid-tempo pace based on the songs that precede it. Howls scrape as a more shadowy ambiance is achieved, things quieting more for a moment before the blasts return. Things pick up noticeably, a psyche wash staining the leads, later blending into the sky. “The Undercurrent” unloads with shrieks aching, the bloodthirsty path tearing through with added thrashiness, the vocals turning throatier. The leads create a haze while the pace begins to blind, igniting before it stampedes to a finish. “Closure” is dark and noiry, the guitars numbing with a more delicate approach, the cleanliness only reigning temporarily. The pace picks up but gathers some atmosphere, the guitars swagger, and bluesy smoke is emitted, a calculating arrival ending this instrumental piece. Closer “Unto Sepulchres” has guitars rising before cresting nastily, the ultra-fast pace leaving brush burns. Wails sting as the punishment ensues, the soloing unloading. Frantic shrieks shred sanity, and the final seismic shocks pummel as final spasms buckle the earth.

Sarcator capture something that bands twice their age never figured out: You cannot recapture an era, but you can find the same savagery that made those times so volcanically special. “Swarming Angels & Flies” is a vicious, channeled album that maintains the bloodlust of the bands that inspired them and pushes it forcefully ahead into modern times. This is an album and band likely to have long, productive runs ahead of them, and as long as they keep building on solid blocks like this, they have a chance to be one of the most impactful bands of the next decade.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/sarcatorband

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://centurymedia.store/

Or here (Europe): https://www.cmdistro.de/

For more on the label, go here: https://www.centurymedia.com/

I’ll be super honest here: When I get a promo that’s labeled as technical death metal (add brutal to the description and it’s even worse), I tend to put them aside. It’s not my thing at all, and it takes something weird and alien to really make me pay attention. I eventually get to them, but the ones I present here and kind of sparse.

Hierarchies’ self-titled debut record is one I probably got to sooner than I would due to the early year music glut, and I’m glad I found it because it’s a stunner. And it might not be from this planet. Including members of Dwelling Below, Hallowed Idols, and Acausal Intrusion, the band—vocalist/drummer Jared Moran, guitarist Nicholas Turner, bassist Anthony Wheeler—draws you into its strange miasma, contorting your brain all the way. Over eight tracks and 46 minutes, you’re treated to death metal that feels like it originates from a world away, or maybe another dimension, and it’s done so effectively that it feels like the natural course for these artists. It’s not an easily digestible listen, and it’s perfect that way.

“Entity” opens in strange darkness before the howls bury, and then jerky, techy guitars make your head swim in confusion. The drubbing peels flesh back, the leads again bending time and space, stretching into beastly hell, destroying and trudging, tangling everything in its cords. “Consecrate Phenomenon” has guitars needling, howls pummeling, and everything engulfed in hell, the spiraling melodies making you feel crazed. Shrieks maul as the guitars stretch into oblivion, echoes glazing as the sounds slowly dissipate. “Dimension” unloads, maniacal growls chewing muscle, the death march managing to get even more intense, feeling morbid and unforgiving. Blood bubbles to the surface, the riffs dominating, an eruption taking you under and ending you with spastic convulsions. “Twilight Tradition” begins in eeriness before the band begins to stomp through mud, feeling rubbery and muscular. Guitars race as the atmosphere grows increasingly hazy, heavy disorientation setting in as the final blows knock you out.

“Abstract” opens with the guitars toying with you, snaking through any sense of calm, the playing confounding as the venom is injected. The playing blasts open, shrieks driving pointed blades, a blunt assault raging as guitars gush and melt. “Complexity Parallels” rips in, mucky growls blocking air passages, guitars giving off smoke, lapping your brain with brutal complications. Growls torch as the playing goes into a disarming vortex, the leads sparking once more before bowing out to noise. “Subtraction” stomps through zany guitars and slowly crushing force, going wild while amplifying the technical warping. Explosive energy jolts as guitars scorch, caustic hell unleashing its flames, dissolving in acid. “Vultures” is your closer, and it opens and immediately makes the room spin, the howls spitting scorn as you try to keep your balance. The heat rises as guitars lather, darkness envelopes, and the growls dig the dagger a little deeper for good measure, the final notes disappearing with your consciousness.

Hierarchies establish a few things on their debut, that being technical death metal doesn’t have to be antiseptic and that there remain ways to use this brutal art form to make brains melt out of skulls. This is a record you should visit repeatedly, as each trip lets the music sink in a little deeper, the utter strangeness revealing itself a little more each time. But be wary of the bends, the twists, the defiance of convention that make your imagination burst and blood race a little more as you try to figure out this insane maze of a record.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564013775330

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://transcendingobscurity.aisamerch.com/

Or here (Europe): https://eu.tometal.com/

For more on the label, go here: https://transcendingobscurity.bandcamp.com/

It took not even 24 hours for 2025 to turn into a violent, emotional grind. We barely made it out of the starting gates before carnage sprouted again, misinformation was spread, lies by soon-to-be leaders were spewed. Fucking America. That wasn’t limited to the United States, but that’s where we are, so it’s front of mind.

Long-time Cincinnati death metal power FaithxTractor certainly wasn’t reacting to those specific events on their fifth album “Loathing & the Noose,” but the tracks were a product of anger, grief, rage, and misery. It might not point to any particular event or ethos, but it does mine those same emotions and channel them into almost 38 minutes of power. Multi-instrumentalist Ash Thomas (who has a massive resume with other bands such as Crucified Mortals, Acheron, Apaugasma, Estuary) and drummer Zdenko Prado (also of Estuary) destroy the senses early and often, taking each song to its obvious extreme necessary to shed infected blood.

“Noose of Being” opens with melodic riffs, the pace viciously ripping, howls striking as a gnarly pace sinks in its teeth. The growls are deep and acidic, the fiery pace attempts to consume bodies whole, and the soloing burns and ends everything in ashes. “The Loathing” is savage as it combusts, fast and fiery as the leads increase the heat. The playing, while violent, also is a rush of color, your extremities left tingling as the war machine gears up for a final battering. “Fever Dream Litanies” trudges, the drums battering without mercy, a death fury achieved as the guitars begin to breathe fire. Howls lather as the pace quickens again, the speed and ferocity bowing out in strange vibes. “Flooded Tombs” ignites, growls retching, driving through a start/stop attack that increases the misery. Dark energy explodes as the guitars take up blades, hammering out into madness.

“Ethos Moribund” winds through shadows, finger-taped guitars getting blood flowing, snaking through blood, eventually crushing bone and wills. Raw howls reach out through tornadic heat, the leads add to the temperature, and everything comes to a vicious end. “Caveats” begins with whispers circling as piano notes drip, then we’re off in full gallop, the growls marring the senses. The guitars glow and gut while the drums blast anew, pointed wails getting iced over by freezing keys. “Beholden to the Nightmare” goes for the throat, the guitars taking on the burden, growls burying dreams in synth glow. The power punches as things turn ashen and dark, the growls pummeling to an abrupt end. “Cerecloth Vision Veil” closes the record, entering amid steam and slow-driving muck, building intensity as the guitars spiral into oblivion. The playing lathers as the mood grows eerie and icy, the playing punches, and a sense of sorrow permeates as the last gasps fade away.

A record full of rage is something that might hit the spot for many listeners as we enter into 2025, and FaithxTractor have more than enough to scratch that miserable itch every time. “Loathing & the Noose” wastes no time taking care of business as its eight songs rip by in no time, landing with explosive power with every listen. This is death metal that’s here to lay waste and express fury through grief, something that can find a landing spot with almost everyone. 

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Faithxtractor

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://redefiningdarkness.8merch.us/?product_cat=&s=reda209&post_type=product

Or here (Europe): https://redefiningdarkness.8merch.com/

For more on the label, go here: https://www.redefiningdarkness.com/

The earth rarely has felt darker in the past 15 years or so than it does now. I could say darkest ever, but I don’t have the benefit of being alive during most of history’s events, so I could be off base. Add to that we’re in the time of seasonal depression, lack of daylight, and bitter cold that it’s hard to find any relief from anything at all.

It’s hard avoid thinking about all of that when taking on Onirophagus’ “Revelations from the Void,” their fifth and first in six years. A lot has changed in the world the last time we heard from the band—vocalist Paingrinder, guitarists Moregod, Obzen, guitarist/bassist Sir Vellum, drummer Uretra—a pandemic, worldwide unrest, continual environmental stress. What hasn’t changed is the role death/doom plays as a place to conjure darkness and unload our own personal devastation, whether or not it has been channeled from the outside world. This five-track, 48-minute crusher takes on the weight of madness and depression and twists that trauma into their metallic output.

“Hollow Valley” opens and runs 10:43, doom spreading as far as you can sense, guitars lapping as howls stretch, sorrowful melodies bubbling up the surface. The pace mashes as growls engorge, pounding as leads move slowly into rising steam, moodier elements bringing on the darkness. The playing then combusts and grows violent and faster, engulfing everything that moves, blistering before burning into the horizon. “Landsickness” hangs on monstrous chops, chugging guitars, and a trudging force that turns into gothic blackness. Keys unload as the pressure increases, growls boil and maul, and the guitars warp your vision. “The Tome” is oppressively heavy as the growls mar, melodies gliding through dark waters. Words are howled with an authoritative force, feeling detached and cosmically cold, strange vibes building and echoing off into space and what follows.

That would be “Black Brew” that spindles and stretches, doom bells knelling, the guitars adding strength and grit. The slow-driving menace builds momentum, spilling into a spacey vortex, guitars glimmering as the cold speaking leads a trail of soot behind. Gothy ice sends chills down your spine, the drums crash, and growls echo, disappearing into the ground. Closer “Stargazing Into the Void” runs 15:55, and it glides in amid sorrowful strings, lurching speaking, and the guitars stoking the furnace. Growls echo as the strings ache, setting the stage for a fresh eruption that decimates, and then guitars fire up, doomy storms leaving dark waters dripping from bare tree limbs. Growls poke fresh wounds as the sinew flexes, singing bellows in the distance, and then a last gasp of speed and carnage unite, ending in a forceful blast that shakes the earth to its core.

“Revelations From the Void” reaches us at an opportune time, the ledge of winter as coldness and darkness are at their apex. Onirophagus ply their brand of death/doom in a manner that honors those who created these moss-covered walls decades ago but add their own blood to ensure that this isn’t a longing for the past. It’s informed by it, but it’s very much from these times, when we keep finding new reasons to dread and fresh wounds to salve. 

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Onirophagus

To buy the album, go here: https://www.personal-records.com/product/pre-order-onirophagus-revelations-from-the-void-cd/

For more on the label, go here: https://www.personal-records.com/

40. FÖRN, “Repercussions of the Self” (Persistent Vision)

39. UNEARTHLY RITES, “Ecdysis” (Prosthetic)

38. LUST HAG, self-titled (Fiadh Productions)

37. GHUTS, “Regeneration” (Seeing Red)

36. GENITAL SHAME, “Chronic Illness Wish” (The Garotte)

35. OXYGEN DESTROYER, “Guardian of the Universe” (Redefining Darkness)

34. VUUR & ZIDJE, “Boezem” (Prophecy Productions)

33. JUDAS PRIEST, “Invincible Shield” (Epic)

32. SUMAC, “The Healer” (Thrill Jockey)

31. BORKNAGAR, “Fall” (Century Media)

30. CHAT PILE, “Cool World” (The Flenser)

29. VÖLVA, “Desires Profane” (Fiadh Productions)

28. BEDSORE, “Dreaming the Strife for Love” (20 Buck Spin)

27. HEAVY TEMPLE, “Garden of Heathens” (Magnetic Eye)

26. SPECTRAL WOUND, “Songs of Blood and Mire” (Profound Lore)

25. SPECTRAL VOICE, “Sparagmos” (Dark Descent)

24. UNHOLY ALTAR, “Veil of Death! Shroud of Nite” (Liminal Dread Productions)

23. SOLBRUD, “IIII” (Vendetta)

22. DÖDSRIT, “Nocturnal Will” (Wolf of Hades/Shape of Storms)

21. BLACK CURSE, “Burning With Celestial Poison” (Sepulchral Voice)

20. DREAMLESS VEIL, “Every Limb of the Flood” (Relapse)

19. ULCERATE, “Cutting the Throat of God” (Debemur Morti)

18. UMBRA VITAE, “Light of Death” (Deathwish Inc.)

17. GLYPH, “Odes of Wailing, Hymns of Mourning” (Shape of Storms/Fiadh Productions/WereGnome)

16. MOTHER OF GRAVES, “The Periapt of Absence” (Profound Lore)

15. JULIE CHRISTMAS, “Ridiculous and Full of Blood” (Red Crk)

14. AMAROK, “Resilience” (Vendetta)

13. ORANSSI PAZUZU, “Muuntautuja” (Nuclear Blast)

12. COUCH SLUT, “You Could Do It Tonight” (Brutal Panda)

11. VICIOUS BLADE, “Relentless Force” (Redefining Darkness)

10. THOU, “Umbilical” (Sacred Bones)

9. VEMOD, “The Deepening” (Prophecy Productions)

8. KRALLICE, “Inorganic Rites” (self-released)

7. OPETH, “The Last Will and Testament” (Reigning Phoenix Music)

6. CRYPT SERMON, “The Stygian Rose” (Dark Descent)

5. VILE RITES, “Senescence” (Carbonized)

4. HULDER, ‘Verses in Oath’ (20 Buck Spin)

3. COWARDICE, ‘Atavist’ (Riff Merchant/Burning World)

2. BLOOD INCANTATION, ‘Absolute Elsewhere’ (Century Media)

1. TRELLDOM, ‘…By the Shadows…’ (Prophecy Productions)

“Picking a top record of the year was more difficult than usual in 2024. Anything in the top 5 (well, 6, actually) easily could have qualified here, and there was much internal debate. What it came down to was which album got the most plays, the most attention, and the most intrigue, and at the end, the choice was unexpected but pretty obvious.

Trelldom is a well-known, well-regarded name in the annals of black metal, having formed in 1992 and released a trilogy of fiery records from 1995 through 2007. Led by the legendary vocalist Kristian Eivind Espedal—Gaahl, if you’re unaware—who has fronted other renowned acts including Gorgoroth, Gaahls Wyrd, and Wardruna, the band returns 17 years after their last record with “…By the Shadows…” a creation that certainly paints outside the rigid sub-genre lines. This band isn’t content to keep making the same thing, and we’ll all luckier for it. This is an inventive foray, one that infected me deeply.

“The Voice of What Whispers” opens with the bass squeezing, tension building and churning, woodwinds adding a chilling breeze. Espedal’s vocals turn to a creak singing, adding a sinister element, the haunting swirling before guitars rip and spellbind. The playing jars as the sax sizzles, zipping into the darkness. “Exit Existence” has guitars jolting and the vocals daring, a propulsive melody ripping veins as the singing aches and bellows. “Between the World” is the highlight for me, and it has guitars bending as the sounds smear and disorient, growled whispers leaving scars. The temperatures drop, making your body shiver relentlessly, the chorus gliding as the title is called back with detached horror, howls repeating as they head into mist and echo. “I Drink out of My Head” is active and fluid, sax cutting through muscle, the singing gliding along with the waves. The power chugs as sounds gust, the sax turning tornadic, and deep, tunneling singing making its impact. Closer “By the Shadows” has charred guitars and a spastic pace, the singing turning dark and moody, then playing bursting open like lava through the earth’s crust.

Trelldom’s first record in 17 years not only is an unexpected and devious treat, but it’s also a much different world from them than what they established on their initial run. Everything on “…By the Shadows…” bleeds darkness and mystery, and the expanded sounds, the inclusion of saxophone, actually makes the music more unsettling, like a dark figure in the night whose intentions are unknown. It’s our favorite record of the year. (Sept. 13)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Trelldom1992

To buy the album, go here: http://lnk.spkr.media/trelldom-shadows

For more on the label, go here: https://en.prophecy.de/

Yes, there’s a lot of hype and anticipation any time cosmic death metal band Blood Incantation does anything, and for good reason. The arrival of their third full-length album “Absolute Elsewhere” brought with it nervous anticipation of what exactly this thing would be. Last time we had heard from the band was “Timewave Zero,” their ambient EP that wasn’t really a surprise but definitely led some to wonder where death metal stood in their universe. Turns out it’s still right in the fucking center, though there are plenty of passages that prove “Zero” wasn’t a lark, as they combine two worlds and create the most magnificent thing in their catalog.

“The Stargate” is the opening track, running 20:20 and spread over three tablets. The first opens in a whir, a propulsive rush that tears apart and mangles its way to the stars. The playing is vicious and channeled, simmering into a synth haze that feels like it transports you five decades into the past, a heavy Floyd-esque excursion that is a tenet that returns often. “All life is temporary unless its consciousness,” vocalist/guitarist Paul Riedl howls, the leads smearing slow-falling ash that washes into the second tablet that simmers in the great beyond. The rest of the suite continues the morbid journey. “The Message” runs 23:23, also divided into a triad of tablets, entering with catchy guitar work that feels strangely inviting. The fluidity multiplies as the playing grows more forceful, howls battering as a beastly explosion pulls at eyes. The tempo hulks, the leads diving and shimmering, raging into the second portion where sci-fi keys envelop like a sea of galactic matter. Clean singing again adds a different texture, and a welcome one, Weidel calling, “Can’t you hear them? The voices calling your name?” as it feels like the alien grandson of “Dark Side of the Moon.” The keys continue to ice the trails, the vocals continuing a smooth pathway, hypnotic visions taking over your dreams as you head into final third of this piece that rampages and destroys at dawn.

“Absolute Elsewhere” arrived amid a galaxy of expectations as Blood Incantation have become the flag bearers of the cosmic death metal movement, and they could not have been more up to the task of building onto their modern legend. It’s the best heavy metal record, from a pure artistic standpoint, that I’ve heard all year and one of the most impactful and soon-to-be-influential creations in the past decade. (Oct. 4)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/BloodIncantationOfficial

To buy the album, go here: https://centurymedia.store/collections/blood-incantation

For more on the label, go here: https://www.centurymedia.com/

Metal listeners seem to be a different animal altogether, and the amount of bands that commit to epic-length songs and marathon records is plentiful. One of those is Jersey-based sludge/doom crushers Cowardice, who have not graced us with a full-length album in eight years. That ends with “Atavist,” an 11-track, 85-minute bruiser that does demand your time and energy and won’t just let you off easily after a track or two. The album is divided into two parts, “Suzerain” and “Sentinel,” that have slightly different personas but work perfectly to create a greater whole. Their magnetic and morose attraction is duly noted.

“To the Hilt of Humanity” opens the record and the “Suzerain” portion, dripping blackness before the heaviness arrives in droves, shrieks gutting amid melodic fog. The playing buzzes as the guitars numb, later soaring and taking on atmospheric sheen, lumbering as it adds bruising. Layers add textures, guitars surge and trudge, and ugliness burns into the ground. “Cloisters” emerges in a guitar cloud, pounding and boiling in melody, a beastly fury swimming into airy passages that cool the flesh. The leads quiver as guest vocalist Kate Parker’s singing adds new colors, elevating the already strong emotion into a tidal wave. “Clairvoyance Anxiety” begins the “Sentinel” portion, a darker beast that brings glowing leads, monstrous growls, and drubbing playing, a vile sentiment wrapped around every moment. Guitars add haze as the punches land harder, the playing tricking your mind, the howls decimating as the pace keeps pounding away. Mammoth closer “Hail of Mages” runs 17:08 and makes the most of its time, developing slowly, thoroughly numbing, the growls ripping away at your muscles. The playing is stormy and battering, hypnotic guitars making your head spin, the drums coming unglued as every inch of this thing bristles.

“Atavist” is a record that demands your time and energy, and you will give up a plethora of both when committing to this journey. Luckily, it’s more than worth it as Cowardice serve a stunning display of sludgy doom that might not rewrite the book on this style but adds a steady and crucial element to this subgenre’s foundation. (June 7)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/cowardicedoom/

To buy the album, go here:  https://cowardicedoom.bandcamp.com/album/atavist

Or here (US): https://riffmerchant.bandcamp.com/album/atavist

Or here (UK): https://www.burningworldrecords.com/collections/burning-world-records/products/cowardice-atavist-2lp-green-with-red-vinyl-pre-order

For more on the label, go here: https://riffmerchant.bandcamp.com/

And here: https://www.burningworldrecords.com/