TOXIC HAZARD Divisions Of Hate Self-released (2025) Rating: 7/10 A slice of German thrash is on your plate here with the debut full-length outing from Hamburg act Toxic Hazard. Divisions Of Hate is quite an enjoyable romp which strings together Teutonic steel and American crunch. A band such as classic Exodus immediately sprang to mind […]
GRAVEWITCH Gravewitch Self-released (2025) Rating: 7/10 This trio of Bend, Oregon-based crazies have been hanging round for over a decade so I’m surprised that they’ve not been more active. Maybe it’s all the blood drinking and spellbinding which has distracted them? Either way, this self-titled full-length offering is not the band’s debut. That particular slab […]
A CAT IN THE BRAIN A Cat In The Brain EP Self-released (2025) Rating: 6.5/10 “What’s with the ridiculous band name?” I hear you say. Well, don’t be too rapid in your judgement. The aficionados will tell you, and so will I, that A Cat In The Brain was the title of a cool 1990 […]
SAVAGED Rising No Remorse (2025) Rating: 6.5/10 Spain is burnin’ up again as 80s metal worshippers Savaged unleash their latest full-length album Rising, which comes hot on the heels of last year’s Night Stealer. Featuring members of Raptore (who I like) and playing the likes of Enforcer at their own game, Barcelona’s Savaged is the […]
FURYCLAWS Eternal Night Hellenic Metal World (2025) Rating: 6.5/10 I love being drawn into albums with rich, kaleidoscopic cover art. Sadly, that is not the case here as prolific Greek act FuryClaws grates my soul with another unwelcoming digitally crafted cover. But at least it’s better than the giant flaming cat which graced the last […]
PUTRESCENT Darkness Embraced Rotted Life (2025) Rating: 8/10 The promotional band photo I saw of this Los Angeles, California-based band certainly suggested that Putrescent looked the part: the long hair, macho stance, leather jackets and graveyard setting – y’know, that classic death metal image from 1990. Dixie Martinez (vocals and guitar), Francisco Tobar (guitar), Demitree […]
GRUESOME Silent Echoes Relapse (2025) Rating: 7.5/10 Back with another slice of genuine Death worship, American combo Gruesome this time pays homage to Chuck Schuldiner’s classic opus Human, which was released back in 1991. With Human, Death really started to expand their sound, lacing extremity with subtle complex variations and progressive streaks. The only way […]
CRYPTIFY Invocation Of The Wicked Gods EP Self-released (2025) Rating: 7/10 Invocation Of The Wicked is a highly recommended debut EP from a band that’s new on the block. Cryptify is a five-piece from Zagreb in Croatia and they play thrashy death metal, and it’s really enjoyable. I’m going to be keeping a beady eye […]
