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Venus 5 are premiering a music video for “March Of The Venus 5”, the newest single and title track off their forthcoming long player.
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Sometimes an album comes around ye olde promo pit that looks and smells familiar, but plays like something else entirely. Today’s entry into the “what the heck am I actually listening to?” hall of infamy is Phasma’s Purgatory. The third record from the Greek/US duo, and the first carried by a label—our beloved Transcending Obscurity Records—Purgatory continually subverted every expectation I had. In doing so, it became one of my biggest pleasant surprises in recent memory.

While early Phasma works boasted a songwriting style and sound that evoked a grotesque Whitechapel/Vampire Squid lovechild, Purgatory is a charred and venomous affair of only a tenuous relation to that concoction, and all the better for it. Conjuring a vision where Vimur, Harms Way, and Crypts of Despair’s first two albums merged into one mangled mass, Purgatory writhes and slithers through an unholy collection of brutal riffs, immolating tremolo flares, and swaggering grooves. While Phasma’s vocal approach largely carries over from early works, pairing a guttural roar with piercing screeches, but minimizing previously prevalent items like subterranean gurgles and glass-shattering squeals, it takes on an altogether more intimidating character here. Instead of showing off the full range of technical skills and range as this unit had to prove on their self-titled debut, Phasma took Purgatory as an opportunity to be as mean and concise as possible.

Simplifying their song structures, doubling down on memorable hooks, and restricting technical expositions to a minimum helped Phasma achieve their goal, resulting in a work that feels genuinely terrifying. Opening duo “I” and early highlight “II” prove this within thirty seconds of their introduction, but also create a delightful deviation from the usual songwriting tricks I expect from one phrase to another. For example, “I” makes me think a huge breakdown is about to drop right at the start, only to blast into the shadowed iciness of black metal, then dive seamlessly into a gym-ready hardcore groove. Subverting my expectations becomes a regular occurrence in Purgatory. “II,” “III,” and “VI” all venture deeper into doom-laden dungeons than I would’ve ever anticipated from a record as evil and high-energy as this. Harmonized melodies and layered guitar pyrotechnics only enhance this effect when things transition between paces and moods in a snap (“II”). By thusly offsetting their stripped-down writing with constant fiery twists and gnarly turns, Phasma crafted a remarkably exciting and rich experience that is an absolute joy to experience over and over again.

Despite its truncated 27-minute runtime, Purgatory burgeons with invigorating ideas all meticulously arranged, but initial spins suffer at the hands of a production of unforgiving loudness. “IV” in particular challenged my ability to appreciate the fantastic lead-into-chug-triplets and Vampire Squid riffs that bulge out from densely packed bass rumbles and glassy cymbals, in no small part because everything is so in-your-face as to flatten entirely. “V” feels a similar impact, though an eerie, bass-driven atmospheric break and subsequent Atrae Bilis-esque bridge briefly alleviates that effect. Understanding that the intended purpose of Purgatory is to oppress and destroy, a little more headroom in the mix and master would’ve allowed Phasma to hit harder and better highlight the myriad clever details distributed throughout.

Thankfully, the production isn’t so ruinous as to make my experience with Purgatory anything less than a delightful treat. As I spent more time with it, I loved it more, craved it regularly, and found additional moments to take home. Memorable beyond what I anticipated, and more engaging than I dared hope, Purgatory is a resounding success in all areas other than engineering. In some circles, that one weakness won’t matter much. In the end, it didn’t matter much to me either, such is the strength of Phasma’s songwriting.¹ This is one trip to limbo you won’t want to miss!

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Rating: Great!
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Transcending Obscurity Records
Websites: phasmaproject.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/PhasmaProject
Releases Worldwide: February 20th, 2026

The post Phasma – Purgatory Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.

TOMMY comes to IMAX!

for two nights only on March 17 and 18
in the U.S. and Canada.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW.
BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE NOW!

YOUR SENSES WILL NEVER BE THE SAME
SEE ME, FEEL ME . . . IN IMAX!

 

The post Experience The Who’s Tommy in IMAX! appeared first on The Who.

The post appeared first on INFRARED MAGAZINE.

Scorpions announce new Las Vegas residency at PH Live with special guest Buckcherry, running September 17 through October 3.

The post SCORPIONS Return To Las Vegas For 2026 Residency With BUCKCHERRY appeared first on Metal Injection.

Failure announce Location Lost, their seventh studio album, featuring nine new tracks including lead single “The Air’s on Fire” and a spring tour.

The post FAILURE Return With Seventh Album Location Lost & North American Tour appeared first on Metal Injection.

(written by Islander) The labels Rotted Life and Gurgling Gore have joined forces for the first time in a collaborative release of a debut album named Abyssurge by the Ukrainian band Strup, with a street date of February 20th. They describe the band as “a death grind assault unit blending the surgical brutality of death […]

The post AN NCS ALBUM PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): STRUP — “ABYSSURGE” appeared first on NO CLEAN SINGING.

His world changed when he realised that playing in bands meant he’d never have to dance

Galder’s Old Man’s Child has announced a string of headline shows in Latin America. All shows are booked in September this year.
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Franck Carducci has announced his new album ‘Sheeple‘, which will be released on April 10th via Cherry Red Records.  Known for his electrifying live performances, virtuoso guitar work, and theatrical progressive rock sound, Franck Carducci has successfully melded classic and progressive rock influences with a powerful modern approach to his music and intelligent lyrics throughout […]

The post Franck Carducci Announces His New Album ‘Sheeple’ appeared first on ROCKPOSER DOT COM!.