Foetorem – Incongruous Forms Of Evergrowing Rot (Everlasting Spew Records) [Mark Young]
I really should have known it was released by Everlasting Spew. I could probably have written this review just by looking at the song titles, they hark back to a time when bands actively tried to come up with the most gruesome titles possible, probably in a way to attract people like me.
I’d like to think that collectively we have grown up, matured etc but it has to be said that any album that kicks off with Reeks Of Mouldy Guts is a shoo-in with me.
The best is that Foetorem just happen to be able to back up this up with the goods. This is their debut release with Everlasting Spew, and I think it is the start of what is going to be a wonderful relationship.
It’s a strong opener, lurching in with a doom perspective in terms of its speed. These opening salvos are about establishing a vibe, one that sees them mixing the tempo to suit here so that it flashes by, occupying that low, guttural area where the growls are almost imperceptible. It sounds great, there is a rhythm line towards the end here which is just royal, played quickly before they return to the start.
It’s a song that wouldn’t have sounded out of place in the early 90’s, one that is joined by Escalating Rot that looks to the Morbid Angel school of destruction (pre 94). Again, there is a supreme guitar line that props up the opening moments of this song, ably supported by thudding drums.
There’s a lot going on here, each progression leaps forward off the back of the one before without lessening the song in any way. It’s the sound of a band that knows the way they want to go and will not be dissuaded from it.
With Oozing With Pustulent Fluids completing this early hat-trick it manages to be brutal in its execution, managing to make simple downpicking sound dangerous again. Its jam-packed with riffs, all of which are incredibly effective in how they play out.
You can transpose the comments attributed to those three to any of the songs presented here. As albums go it is the definition of having no weak tracks at all. They don’t waste time on elongated introductions or atmospheric moments; it’s just straight in for the kill.
Take Mors Viaturis – The Death Traveller. Taking in hints of Nile, it rolls out across 5 minutes of pure death metal excellence. Now the argument is that there is nothing new under the sun, that death metal has said all it can.
Maybe that’s true, but when you upcoming acts such as these putting albums like this out, you have got to be happy that there are bands who are capable of reminding you why you got into this in the first place. I’m also happy to say that they don’t fall away as the album reaches its natural conclusion.
Of course they mix their approach up slightly, moving between the slow / fast extremes with a natural sounding progression. The song titles don’t get any better (or worse) leaving you under no impression of where they are coming from.
Ending on Peeled Face Mask a concrete heavy masterwork of savage guitars and double bass. There is no off moments, no drop off in attack or quality, no sense of them being something that they aren’t. Hats off to Everlasting Spew, and to Foetorem for a storming debut release. 9/10
Ablaze – Slow Death EP (Independent) [Spike]
If you spent the lockdown years staring at four walls and wondering when the air was going to run out, then the debut EP from Porto’s Ablaze is going to feel uncomfortably familiar.
Slow Death isn’t a record that politely asks for your time; it’s a four-track document of claustrophobia that sounds like it was recorded in a space too small for the ambition it holds.
It’s metallic hardcore that trades the usual technical gymnastics for a more direct, snot-and-tears intensity, a sound that owes as much to the raw-nerve friction of early Converge as it does to the desperate, melodic grime of the Portuguese underground.
The needle drops on No, and within seconds, you’re hitting a wall of guitar effects so harsh they sound like a mechanical failure. It’s a brilliant, “no safety net” production choice, the kind of biting, jagged tone that makes the hairs on your arms stand up.
The drums on this opener are scattered and frantic, creating a rhythmic instability that makes the whole track feel like it’s about to vibrate itself to pieces. It lacks the symphonic, high-gloss chaos of a band like The Dillinger Escape Plan, but that’s the point, this is simplified, aggressive songwriting that keeps the rage right at the front of the mix where it belongs.
As the record transitions through Life and Today, the band’s knack for a captivating riff is obvious, but it’s here that the “joins” in the songwriting become a little more visible.
There’s a tendency to lean back into a comfort zone the moment the vocals kick in, making the verses feel a bit like they’re being read from the same playbook. It’s a minor gripe for a debut, but you can feel the band momentarily playing it safe before they find their next burst of genuine grit.
The EP finds its conscience and its most visceral moment on the closer, Martyr. This is where the “slow death” of the title really manifests, it’s a final act of defiance that allows the performances to truly fray at the edges.
The approach here is physical; the vocals are delivered with a level of pained, exhausted conviction that anchors the straightforward hardcore elements into something much more substantial.
When the final notes fade, you aren’t left with a tidy summary or a “promising” hook, you’re left with a room that feels heavier than it did twelve minutes ago.
Ablaze have managed to bottle a very specific kind of modern rot, and while they might still be figuring out how to avoid the safety of the verse-chorus-verse template, the effort and approach on Slow Death are entirely real.
It’s an energizing, jagged bit of noise that suggests the next time they emerge from Porto, they might just take the whole building down with them. 7/10
Green Carnation – A Dark Poem, Pt. II: Sanguis (Season Of Mist) [Rich Piva]
When Norway’s Green Carnation dropped Leaves Of Yesteryear in 2020 I was blown away. This (former) black metal band who had not released anything in forever was back and with this amazing, proggy, beautiful, complex record that had it all. It will be in my top half of albums for this decade, for sure.
Then it got mostly quiet again from the GC camp, until the announcement of the trilogy A Dark Poem series, starting with Part I: The Shores Of Melancholia, from back in September of 2025.
It was really good, and even had some of their old school roots thrown in. Part two is now here in the form of A Dark Poem, Pt. II: Sanguis. While it starts out strong, Part two may be the drag in the trilogy.
The opening track, Sanguis, with all of its organ glory, is a great opener. So very proggy and such great skill that is demonstrated by this band. There is some Opeth in them for sure, but way more “cleaner”. Not just with the singing, but overall. The record sounds a bit sterile, maybe too polished and clean.
Some of the slower songs are a bit much. I get we are telling a story here, but Loneliness Untold, Loneliness Unfold is a tough listen. The good part though is it leads to the heaviest song on Part Two (musically at least), Sweet To The Point Of Bitter, which is very cool musically, but the vocals seem way up in the mix for some reason and it loses some of the heavy behind it. It is a cool, soaring song though, even if it is recorded weirdly to my ears.
The single, I Am Time, is some loud quiet loud clean as can be prog and I am not in love. I feel kind of the same about Fire In Ice, where the vocals and the heaviness seem like they do not meld as they should. Let’s hope Lunar Tale leads to a killer opener on part three, because it is kind of a dud to end part two.
I can’t think of a good trilogy where part two wasn’t great but part three made everything better right now but I am sure someone can give me one that is a good comparison. Let’s hope that happens with A Dark Poem, because I am struggling to connect with Sanguis. 6/10
Obey The Sun – Desert Ritual (Eclipse Records) [Cherie Curtis]
Hungarian Grunge Metal band, Obey The Sun brings us 4 raw and scorching hot tracks which makes a perfect EP for a dusty summers evening.
Desert Ritual does what it says on the tin, it’s blood pumping and moody without being overpowering and just catchy enough to be ruminating around your brain long after the album finishes because this one is short and sweet. It sneaks in and builds slowly before giving you a kick and leaving you in the dust.
Obey The Sun feels authentic and makes for a great casual listen, their overall sound throughout is stormy and distorted enough to satisfy a craving for metal as well as sludgy with deep grunge vocals paired with heavy drums and lulled, repetitive and uncomplicated guitar riffs that brings the 90s grunge nostalgia.
We don’t get a lot of grunge metal, so it’s a refreshing palate cleanser. For most I feel it would be a hit or miss, but if it’s not going to be your new all-time favorite, it would make a mighty fine addition to your driving or workout playlist.
Desert Ritual isn’t pristine; it’s murky and jagged but in the best way. Overall, the mix is great, and the composition is professional and atmospheric. Considering Obey The Sun was formed in 2020 so are relatively new, they have the musical skill and magnetic blend of a seasoned band as their sound is well established and cohesive enough to convey.
Their personality as a band and their essence within a 4 track EP, all the while nailing two beloved genres and blending them in a remarkable way that’s unique to them.
6/10
