Ah, this wouldn’t be everyone’s favorite webbed site AMG if we didn’t regularly blaspheme and desecrate the altar of punctuality, yes? Sorry for the remarkable lateness of this round-up, and I can only assume that your collective appetite for our platter of EP’s, Splits and Singles has grown so impossibly ravenous and uncontrollable that seeing this will trigger a feeding frenzy of clicks and views that will crash the site permanently.
So here you go, starving creatures, enjoy these patron saints of hidden gems, as I’ve called them, the bite-sized yet potentially most succulent morsels of a band’s repertoire. These liminal ventures offer artists the freedom to experiment, or can be the ideal place to release a catered, well-trimmed selection of Premium Grade-A Jams, free of the threat of bloat that comes with a full-length album. They’re the perfect place to dip your toes into a band’s work, or perhaps the perfect thing to throw on when you only have so much listening time. As always, we’ve labored tirelessly to find the best pieces for you, to celebrate an oft-overlooked but vital part of the metal ecosystem.
Of course, thanks to Herr Dolph and his beloved for their assistance with the artwork, patience and impossibly, unbearably good taste. Under no circumstances should you miss the second part, coming soon to the world wide web! – Mystikus Hugebeard
To the Grave // Still – Still extends To the Grave’s latest LP with the vehement clarification that Everyone’s Still A Murderer. It’s about as angry as you might expect, continuing in the band’s latest, particularly br00tal vein of violent deathcore, and settling into the groove. And I do mean groove. I defy you not to headbang/bob, or jerk about in rage to these riffs and breakdowns (“Sawed Off,” “Hunt the Hunters,” “Emesis System”). Likewise, expect to get your face caved in and enjoy it by shorter, more straightforwardly brutal tracks (“Forced Diet Reassignment,” “Show Them the Bodies”). The two are not exactly divorced, of course, and the marrying of extremely pongy snares, whiplash vocal switches, and irresistible crunchiness make all the ugliness incredibly enjoyable. The return of (minimal) guitar soloing bodes well (“Hunt the Hunters,” “DNA (Do Not Amputate)”), providing that sliver of urgent melody that makes the blood and mashed-up corpses go down. Leaning back into horror with real or imagined movie samples works exceptionally well for the real-life horror story To the Grave speak out against, and the very death-metal-coded way they express their rage. A revenge on humankind by chainsaw (“Sawed Off”), rifle (“Hunt the Hunters”), and throat-slitting and skinning taken right out of the slaughterhouse playbook (“Forced Diet Reassignment,” “DNA”). Is this the best thing released this year? No. Does it rewrite deathcore conventions and push boundaries? Also no. But is it a very fun 20 minutes you can aggressively, self-righteously flip out to? Oh absolutely yes. – Thus Spoke
Pains // Blistering Wrath – I once attended a show in Chicago where Pains was an opener for See You Next Tuesday, and I’ll never forget the guitarist Kubrick-staring the audience down and belting “BANG YOUR FUCKING HEADS” moments before the song kicked into gear. That one command has ever been at the core of Pains’ songwriting philosophy, and is especially prescient in Blistering Wrath, Pains’ newest slab of viciously heavy, sludgy death-grind. As always, Pains loves to be succinct: Blistering Wrath barely crests nine minutes across three songs, but is vacuum-packed with enough violence and skull-hollowing riffage to make Cancer Christ blush. Make no mistake, Blistering Wrath is suffocating. Nigh-constant blast-beats only relent to give the guitars space to gnash and pummel, complemented with a filthy veneer of dissonance and one of the most satisfying bass mixes I’ve heard in the genre. Pains make the most of their brevity, eradicating all traces of fat or excess on Blistering Wrath and leaving only laser-focused, vital aggression. I love the mind-melting assault and swaggering riffs of “Shrapnel Dispersion,” and the cogent build-up and release of “Jaws of Malice,” but really you should not insult Blistering Wrath by listening to just one track; you sign a fucking liability waiver for an uninterrupted nine minutes of summary sonic execution. Talk to me when you’re done, if you’re still alive. – Mystikus Hugebeard
Higher Walls // No End – Between the shadows of genocide, endless wars, the friction of sociopolitical venom and the weight of intergenerational trauma, living in today’s world can be, frankly, pretty fucking bleak. London hardcore quartet Higher Walls strips back the skin on these themes with their debut EP, No End, transforming the crushing emotional weight of today’s global barbarities into a deluge of pure, unadulterated anger. Channeling the grimy, abrasive atmosphere of Cult Leader and Nails with the sharp, crunchy guitar tones Knocked Loose, No End is a direct and relentless surge of piss and vinegar that doesn’t mince words. The vitriolic anthem “Thorn” is built for destroying small clubs, while “Collateral Damage” encapsulates the atrocities in Gaza with a bombardment of breakneck rhythms, surgical shifts and chaotic stops and starts that will leave the taste of copper in your mouth. Even with the brief reprieve “A Harrowed Wisdom” provides, energy stage-dives out of the speakers with reckless abandon. No End is a short, succinct burst of pure mosh fodder that leaves the listener figuring out how to pick up the pieces after the final breakdown of “So Much, For So Long, For So Little” rings out. Higher Walls is a group with an incredibly bright—albeit violent—future and I can’t wait for a full-length. – Owlswald
Cross Bringer // Healismus Aeternus – An international collaboration between members in Belgium, Cyprus, America and Russia, Cross Bringer has crafted one of the best black metal records of the year—and its only an EP. Despite its brevity, Healismus Aeternus is as immersive as it is haunting, bolstered by a production that favors a thick, resonant low end over the genre’s traditional treble-heavy wash. Traveling a similar blackened flight path as Immortal Bird while incorporating the dissonant, foreboding alarms of groups like Deathspell Omega, swarming guitars surround and smother the listener with their anxiety-inducing tones and sparkling, eerie arpeggios. Meanwhile, the syncopated drum rolls and surgical hi-hat hits of Michael Kadnar (Downfall of Gaia) collide with basslines that offer just enough buoyancy to keep the listener from drowning in the intensity. Lina R’s (Predatory Void) vocals are imbued with raw desperation and authentic pain, yet she balances their desolation beautifully with hopeful ethereal croons (“Perpetual Servantship,” “Structural Imbalance”) that provide a much-needed sense of space and lift against the sonic barrage. Diving deep into the ocean of spiritual delusion, Healismus Aeternus is as pulverizing as it is melodically rich—a nightmare-fueled EP that black metal fans can’t afford to miss. – Owlswald
Carach Angren // The Cult of Kariba – Theatrical, story-driven metal quickens my pulse, grinding other activities to a halt so that I may revel in consummately realized concepts. The lures of King Diamond, Cradle of Filth, and Bal-Sagoth captivate and enthrall, and Carach Angren similarly preys upon me without compunction. The Cult of Kariba continues the story from 2008 debut Lammendam, detailing ritual sacrifice, the resurrection of Kariba, and an undying lust for wengeance. Sonically, the EP reminds me of Septicflesh’s blackened orchestrations, where symphonic elements elegantly embolden Carach Angren’s baroque style. From the gorgeous violin frills in “Draw Blood” and “Venomous 1666” to the industrial-informed rigidity of “Ik Kom Uit Het Graf,” each track brandishes its own identity while coherently blending with one another, expertly distilling opulent compositions into a meticulously crafted twenty-one minutes. Quiet since 2020, Carach Angren slowly dwindled from my listening rotation until The Cult of Kariba reminded me just how ghoulishly great they are, leaving me flush with anticipation for what comes next. – Grin Reaper
Maladie // Symptoms V – Saxophobes beware, Maladie’s latest EP packs enough sultry horn into its blackened noirscape to goad listeners into prowling for dames in smoky nightclubs. The fifth entry in their EP series, Symptoms V simmers with impassioned intensity as Maladie explores bleak themes across tracks like “The Implacability of Time” and “Black Hole Weight in Our Hearts.” Grim inevitability meshes with noir’s cynical, shadowy aesthetics, prodding at raw nerves with dissonant twangs, furious howls, and one of the most emotive sax performances I’ve heard in years. The German outfit’s avant-garde stylings writhe across five tracks, constructing an entrancing half hour of progressive structures that seamlessly swing between brooding atmospheres and naked ferocity, highlighting Symptom V’s clever composition. If you find yourself seeking a quick hit of metal to thwart the din of relentless holiday racket and you’re not afraid of a little unsafe sax, give Maladie a spin and succumb to their infectious swagger. – Grin Reaper
Hanging Garden // The Unending – One of the best releases of the year, The Unending, might also be Hanging Garden’s best work to date. I wish it were longer, but if you write a melodic masterpiece, who am I to complain? The back and forth vocals between Toni Hatakka and Riikka Hatakka are beautiful to behold. Their soaring melodies on “To Seize the Night” reach an emotional crescendo that is capped off by a lovely melodic guitar lead. As great as Toni Hatakka’s cleans are, his growls are just as impressive. With these elements of cleans, growls, and fetching melodies, Hanging Garden do their best impression of Amorphis on “Morgan’s Trail,” one of the year’s best songs. That killer melody just bursts from my chest like a newly-hatched xenomorph, and it’s a contagion that can spread just as quickly—and violently—as it rips through the Avengers in the latest Marvel crossover comic. The finale, “The First Sunrise,” is a poetic piece of gothic metal, with some lovely lyrics amplified by Riikka’s melodic lilt. Combined with deathly growls, the song highlights nature’s harshness lurking just beneath its beauty. The Unending is a staggering, bite-sized accomplishment. – ClarkKent
Grand Cadaver // The Rot Beneath – Since their debut in 2021, this supergroup, composed of members from Dark Tranquillity and Katatonia, has released an LP every two years until 2025, when they released this EP instead. But what a glorious EP it is. It contains four tracks and fifteen minutes of tightly-written, catchy swedeath that’s in strong competition with Puteraeon for some of the best of the year. As it opens on “Blood-Red Banner” with the HM-2 guitar lead, you might be excused for thinking you’ve been transported to Character-era Dark Tranquillity, but as the song develops it takes on its own character. The anchor is “The Rot Beneath,” featuring a killer melodic lead that’s sure to worm its way into your brain. This one absolutely slays and might be the best thing these guys have ever written. However, all the songs hit hard thanks to some absolute pummeling on the kit courtesy of Daniel Liljekvist, not to mention Mikael Stanne’s distinct vocals and the down n’ dirty guitar riffs. If you’re not careful, The Rot Beneath might demolish you like Anthony Joshua’s right hook demolished Jake Paul’s jaw, but Grand Cadaver also mix it up with a more moody finale in “Darkened Apathy.” While it’s a shame they didn’t put out a full-length album, this morsel will more than whet your appetite for whatever’s next. – ClarkKent
Curta’n Wall // Georgie and the Dragon – When I first heard Curta’n Wall’s highly-praised Siege Ubsessed!, I didn’t get it. Now on their fifth EP, Georgie and the Dragon, I finally see the charm. This is raw, lo-fi music with garbled guitars, tinny drums, and vocals that sound like your grandma singing through her tracheostomy tube—but man if it isn’t a ton of fun. Curta’n Wall keeps up a high dose of energy thanks to a combination of consistent mid-paced drumming, bouncy bass lines, and fuzzy tremolos. Yet it is the synths and folky flutes that steal the show. Their hooky nature makes each song such a fun, goofy listen—the bugle to open the rollicking “norman keep” introduces us to an especially silly place, one like Camelot. As much fun as the preceding songs are, “triple flail” is where the record finds its true footing with its inspired ukulele/mandolin-sounding arpeggios along with a nifty beat on some steel drums. Meanwhile, finale “georgie and the dragon” is downright triumphant, with angelic choral chanting that builds into an amazing synth riff. It’s the kind of tune that will inspire you to go out and slay a dragon. If you’re looking for some catchy, goofy fun, Curta’n Wall has got you covered. – ClarkKent
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