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  • VHS SIGN WITH CDN RECORDS AND PREMIERE “NATURAL BORN KILLERS” MUSIC VIDEO AT TOILET OV HELL – @thebeast

    VHS SIGN WITH CDN RECORDS AND PREMIERE “NATURAL BORN KILLERS” MUSIC VIDEO AT TOILET OV HELL

    Horror-Driven Metal Outfit Unleashes First Single from Upcoming Album For The Love of Horror, Due February 2027

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Horror-inspired metal outfit VHS have officially signed with CDN Records and are celebrating the announcement with the premiere of their new music video for “Natural Born Killers” at Toilet Ov Hell. The track serves as the opening salvo from the band’s upcoming album, For The Love of Horror, scheduled for release in February 2027 via CDN Records.
    Blending death metal, thrash, punk, and hardcore into a vicious sonic assault, “Natural Born Killers” showcases VHS pushing their sound into new territory while maintaining the raw intensity and horror-driven attitude that define the band. Featuring guest vocals from Sarah of Antagonizor, the track delivers a fast-paced, blood-soaked introduction to the band’s next chapter.
    The premiere at Toilet Ov Hell, a publication known for its coverage of underground and extreme music, gives fans their first look at the new video and a taste of what’s coming on For The Love of Horror.
    Guitarist and vocalist Mike Hochins explains why the band chose “Natural Born Killers” to open the upcoming record:
    “Generally for the songs that kick off our records we tend to use something short but for this next record we thought ‘Natural Born Killers’ was the perfect song to start things off with a bang. It’s fast and to the point but also features maybe a bit more hardcore influence than VHS has ever used in the past. The song is a melting pot of all of our various influences and is a real kick in the family jewels if you ask us!”
    With their signing to CDN Records and the premiere of “Natural Born Killers” at Toilet Ov Hell, VHS are gearing up for another chapter in their ongoing celebration of horror, extreme music, and all things dark and twisted. The new single sets the tone for For The Love of Horror, promising a record that brings together the band’s diverse influences in a ferocious package.
    WATCH THE OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO FOR “NATURAL BORN KILLERS” AT TOILET OV HELL
    https://toiletovhell.com/premiere-vhs-natural-born-killers/
    NEW ALBUM: For The Love of Horror
    RECORD LABEL: CDN Records
    RELEASE DATE: February 2027
    Stay tuned for more news, music, and updates from VHS as they prepare to unleash For The Love of Horror in February 2027.

    Connect: 
    https://cdnrecords.com/artists/vhs/
  • VHS SIGN WITH CDN RECORDS AND PREMIERE “NATURAL BORN KILLERS” MUSIC VIDEO AT TOILET OV HELL – @thebeast

    VHS SIGN WITH CDN RECORDS AND PREMIERE “NATURAL BORN KILLERS” MUSIC VIDEO AT TOILET OV HELL

    Horror-Driven Metal Outfit Unleashes First Single from Upcoming Album For The Love of Horror , Due February 2027

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Horror-inspired metal outfit VHS have officially signed with CDN Records and are celebrating the announcement with the premiere of their new music video for “Natural Born Killers” at Toilet Ov Hell . The track serves as the opening salvo from the band’s upcoming album, For The Love of Horror , scheduled for release in February 2027 via CDN Records.
    Blending death metal, thrash, punk, and hardcore into a vicious sonic assault, “Natural Born Killers” showcases VHS pushing their sound into new territory while maintaining the raw intensity and horror-driven attitude that define the band. Featuring guest vocals from Sarah of Antagonizor, the track delivers a fast-paced, blood-soaked introduction to the band’s next chapter.
    The premiere at Toilet Ov Hell , a publication known for its coverage of underground and extreme music, gives fans their first look at the new video and a taste of what’s coming on For The Love of Horror .
    Guitarist and vocalist Mike Hochins explains why the band chose “Natural Born Killers” to open the upcoming record:
    “Generally for the songs that kick off our records we tend to use something short but for this next record we thought ‘Natural Born Killers’ was the perfect song to start things off with a bang. It’s fast and to the point but also features maybe a bit more hardcore influence than VHS has ever used in the past. The song is a melting pot of all of our various influences and is a real kick in the family jewels if you ask us!”
    With their signing to CDN Records and the premiere of “Natural Born Killers” at Toilet Ov Hell, VHS are gearing up for another chapter in their ongoing celebration of horror, extreme music, and all things dark and twisted. The new single sets the tone for For The Love of Horror , promising a record that brings together the band’s diverse influences in a ferocious package.
    WATCH THE OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO FOR “NATURAL BORN KILLERS” AT TOILET OV HELL
    https://toiletovhell.com/premiere-vhs-natural-born-killers/
    NEW ALBUM: For The Love of Horror
    RECORD LABEL: CDN Records
    RELEASE DATE: February 2027
    Stay tuned for more news, music, and updates from VHS as they prepare to unleash For The Love of Horror in February 2027.

    Connect: 
    https://cdnrecords.com/artists/vhs/
  • Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard – Missouri Review

    Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard – Missouri Review

    Some songs seem to arrive from a place we recognize, even if we have never been there. “Missouri” by Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard carries that feeling. Its slow, measured rhythm has the sway of a country waltz, and its nostalgic, desert-like atmosphere immediately finds a way into your heart. I imagined an empty road stretching to the horizon, with memories riding shotgun.

    Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard – Missouri single artwork

    Something about the sadness at the center of this song feels deeply relatable. Losing someone we love leaves us with questions that rarely get answered. We carry on, tending to our wounds and trying to understand how the world can keep moving when someone so important is gone. Joseph Turner gives those emotions a musical form, allowing the listener to recognize a little of their own experience in his performance.

    The slide guitar gently caresses the soul. Its lingering notes suggest distance, open spaces, and words left unsaid. The slow movement of the arrangement made me think of soft snow settling on your skin: delicate and beautiful, with a coldness that makes you feel alive while reminding you how exposed you are.

    Missouri – Sound and Atmosphere

    The minimalist arrangement gives the song room to breathe. There is space around the voice and between the instrumental phrases, allowing the emotion to settle naturally. Turner’s vocal delivery feels sincere and inspired, with the intimacy of someone sharing a memory they still find difficult to revisit.

    That restraint suits the introspective character of the opening. The unhurried rhythm lets you sit with the feeling, and the guitar seems to answer the voice from somewhere beyond the room. You can almost see the dust hanging in the evening light.

    Missouri – Two Sides of the Same Feeling

    Then, around the 3:15 mark, the song changes direction. The pace picks up, the intensity grows, and for a moment it feels as though another song has begun. The desert country atmosphere remains, now carried forward by a more driving country rock pulse.

    I particularly liked how these two sections fit together. The emotional thread holds, even as the music changes its stride. The opening feels like sitting alone with your memories; the later section feels like getting behind the wheel and taking those same memories out onto the highway. The grief is still there, but now it is moving.

    These are two sides of the same coin, and their connection gives “Missouri” its character. Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard show creativity in the structure and sensitivity in the performance. This is a beautiful song that lets its emotions breathe and has the confidence to take them somewhere unexpected.



    Heartfelt

    🔥 If you love this music:
    Discover More


    Find Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard here:
    Spotify | Instagram

    The post Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard – Missouri Review appeared first on Edgar Allan Poets – Noir Rock Band.

  • Album Review | IGNEA – “Monumental”

    General Information

    Personnel:
    Helle Bohdanova – vocals
    Yevhenii Zhytniuk – keyboards
    Dmytro Vinnichenko – guitars
    Oleksandr Kamyshyn – bass

    Production: Jacob Hansen (mixing and mastering)
    Release Date: October 23, 2026
    Record Label: Napalm Records

    Setting the Scene

    Three years after Dreams of Lands Unseen, Ukrainian metal band IGNEA return with their new album, Monumental, released through Napalm Records. Recorded during the ongoing war in Ukraine, with freezing temperatures and long power outages making things even harder, the album explores nostalgia, memories, and dreams of a future that never came to be. Across nine tracks, IGNEA bring together their familiar heavy sound with industrial and electronic influences.

    First Impression

    I can’t imagine a better way to start this album than what IGNEA has done with the first track of Monumental. It’s not just about the common practice of having a calm introduction that eventually blows into a full metal song. It’s the atmosphere within the music that makes it so transformative. You could be angry, happy, sad, or mad at your stupid-ass manager at work (very specific, but let’s move on), and within seconds you’ll find yourself going, “Oh, wait a minute.” And once the heavier music kicks in, you’re already fully immersed in IGNEA’s world. The rest of the album doesn’t disappoint, with amazing vocal performances, beautiful melodies, powerful riffs, and a great balance between the heavy and softer moments.

    Similar Sounds

    If you’re into any of these artists, this album should be on your radar.

    Ad InfinitumSeven SpiresAephanemerMyrathEpica

    The Artwork

    The artwork captures the album’s concept beautifully, combining a sense of greatness with the sadness of something that has been left behind. There’s an interesting contrast between the past and the future, making you wonder whether you’re looking at the remains of an old civilization or a glimpse of a future that never happened. It fits the nostalgic atmosphere of Monumental perfectly.

    Track on Repeat

    “Prefab”

    “Prefab” is my pick for this album, with its electronic opening bringing a different flavor to the music. The vocal arrangements and exchanges are excellent, and I particularly love how the song starts with a lighter, more melodic sound before gradually turning into a thunderous extreme metal song.

    In-depth Notes

    Musical Shape 🎸

    IGNEA do a great job of keeping the music interesting with different approaches to their song introductions. While “Dreams of Lands Unseen” wastes no time getting into the heavy riffs, “Presence of the Past” begins with a gentle, almost serenading melody before suddenly exploding into a much heavier sound. The electronic beats in “What Buildings Dream of” also work really well alongside the guitars, adding a different flavor to the music. The guitar work itself deserves some praise, especially in “Between No Longer and Not Yet,” where the beautiful oriental melodies add so much richness to the song. The album also has some excellent heavier moments, with powerful riffs and drums that complement the melodic parts without overpowering them.

    Vocal Performance 🎤

    Remember earlier when we talked about how IGNEA create an atmosphere that pulls us into their world, instead of their music coming to us? Well, Helle’s voice plays a huge role in that too. It’s one thing to hit the right notes and deliver some powerful growls, but it’s another thing to make people feel the ideas and emotions behind the music. And Helle does both so damn well. Her clean vocals are just as powerful as her growls, and the way she uses both really adds to the whole experience. The guests also do a great job, with Combichrist’s Andy LaPlegua bringing his own flavor to “Prefab” and Britta Görtz of HIRAES adding even more power to “Harmony Manufactured.”

    Themes and Concepts 💭

    Nostalgia is a very important part of human emotions, and even our civilization. It’s interesting how something from the past can still affect us today, whether it’s a personal memory, an old building, or even a future people once imagined but never got to see. IGNEA explore all of this on Monumental, and they’ve done an excellent job of making the music express these ideas. The melodies carry that feeling of nostalgia beautifully, while the heavier parts and the changes in atmosphere bring out its different emotions, from sadness to excitement. The music tells as much of the story as the lyrics do.

    Final Verdict

    ★★★★★★★★★☆

    An album about memories that will surely live long in the memory. With music this powerful and a concept this well developed, IGNEA have given us an album that lives up to its name. Monumental in every sense of the word.

    Mood Meter

    %

    Intensity

    %

    Melancholy

    %

    Darkness

    %

    Emotional

    %

    Serenity

    %

    Energy

    %

    Romance

    %

    Joyfulness

    Perfect For…

    ☾

    Night walks

    a perfect companion for an evening of thoughts under the moon

    ✿

    Enjoying nature

    especially if you have a special place to sit and think

    ⚙

    Working

    perfect mood adjustment therapy for corporate shittiness

    ✎

    Art creation

    great sonic art can inspire other great forms of art

    The post Album Review | IGNEA – “Monumental” first appeared on FemMetal – Goddesses of Metal.

  • Five For Friday: October 23, 2026

    Greetings, Decibel readers!

    The season of the witch is indeed upon us, and fittingly we have a series of dark and mysterious records to create your soundtrack for October. Death metal, funeral doom, classic speed and thrash, and the latest from a USBM giant all united in one place!

    —

    Casket Dweller – River of Slumber

    High-quality Swedish-style death metal from a set of talented Greek practitioners. With such a well-established style, it takes a special level of dedication to craft effective songs and find your own voice. But Casket Dweller‘s voice emanates straight from the grave and pulls you down with them.

    —

    DET and Critical Defiance – Bloodsurge

    Finnish and Chilean forces unite! A thrilling split album worth of the Dying Victims imprint. DET has a decidedly more black-thrash feel while Critical Defiance feels like straightforward 80s speed/thrash. No complaints here!

    Stream: Apple Music

    —

    Grief Cathedral – The Graves We Hold Inside

    Eerie, haunting funeral doom. I particularly like the blending of different vocal styles, as the band does a great job of using each one to emphasize foreboding, terror, and suffering at just the right moments.

    —

    Last Agony – Death Wave

    Blackened d-beat ferocity that leaps from the speakers with the power of distorted vocals, crushing guitar chords, and relentless snare hits. It’s actually not quite right to reduce the band to only a few labels, as they’ve made a genuine attempt to smash so many styles together and still satisfy a recognizable need among extreme metal fanatics (this is the way). Expertly controlled but totally unhinged.

    Stream: Apple Music

    —

    Wolves in the Throne Room – Estuary

    Decibel are longtime fans and supporters of Wolves in the Throne Room, so it was a welcome surprise when I saw them pop up on a list of upcoming releases. The bands many loyal acolytes should be satisfied with what they hear here. The trademark flowing riffs and haunting growls are all here, and the veterans have taken pains to add extra aggression and power to this record — one that focuses deeply on the theme of what the earth will be like when humanity disappears.

    Stream: Apple Music

    The post Five For Friday: October 23, 2026 appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

  • SAMMALHAUTA premiere debut single ahead of January album

    The indifference of the northern wilderness provides the starting point for SAMMALHAUTA, an atmospheric folk black metal duo with roots in Finland and the Alps. Their first single, ‘Tämä Paikka Ei Välitä Meistä’ — translated as ‘This Place Does Not Care for Us’ — portrays nature as a force unmoved by humanity’s presence. The track […]

    Source

  • LØLØ Shares Melancholy Festive Track ‘mall santa’

    LØLØ is getting you all emotional early this holiday season with a new Christmas song as well as a cover of the classic ‘silent night’.

    In true LØLØ style, the track is laced with plenty of heartbreak-induced tear stains, and having such feelings matched with a time of year so filled with colour and joy is one hell of a juxtaposition.

    Taking that spirit and forcing it through a tale of asking a Santa at the mall whether they can help her get through the pain she is experiencing, it’s a familiar yet incredibly heavy situation. A sign that when you are desperate, you will do anything to feel okay again.

    The result is beautiful, and further cements LØLØ as one of the scene’s most emotive and expansive songwriters.

    She had this to say about it:

    ‘mall santa’ is about being so heartbroken and desperate, that you are willing to try anything…including trauma dumping on a random man dressed as Santa Claus. I loved the idea of taking a really sad and pathetic feeling and putting it in such a ridiculous setting, because that’s how heartbreak feels a lot of the time. You know there’s no magical fix, but a tiny part of you is still like…okay, but what if there is? I hope this song speaks to anyone who is spending the holidays wishing for the one thing Santa most definitely can’t put under the tree.”


    And as an extra treat, here is her mournful take on ‘silent night’:


    It follows on from ‘pretty little wreck’, which sounds a lot like this:

    The post LØLØ Shares Melancholy Festive Track ‘mall santa’ appeared first on Rock Sound.

  • Transport Aerian Drops First Video “On Blood” From Upcoming Album

    Belgian progressive rock band Transport Aerian has unleashed the official music video for “On Blood,” the opening track from their highly anticipated new album, Intervention, arriving November 18, 2026, via Melodic Revolution Records (MRR).
    Dark, powerful, and deeply thought-provoking, “On Blood” explores the intersection of personal struggles and the turbulence of the world around us.
    The song captures a pivotal moment of stepping back from the brink of the abyss, confronting inner conflict, global uncertainty, and the overwhelming feeling of being trapped in a collapsing reality.

    Blending heavy progressive rock with deeply personal lyrical themes, “On Blood” reflects on the urgent need to break free, overcome adversity, and find a path forward.

    Watch “On Blood” (Official Music Video) NOW on YouTube!

    INTERVENTION – THE MUSICIAN
    • Hamlet – Vocals, Bass, Keyboards
    • Stefan Boeykens – Guitars, Keyboards
    • Mauro Belmans – Drums
    • Yasmien Pieters – Violins
    • Umut Eldem – Piano

    Video by Fiobos Gkoubras
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/call.me.phoebus/
    Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Dark-Blue-Fiobos…/dp/B0G2XYSCC9

    Choreography by Yasmien Pieters https://www.pietersartscollective.com/

    New Album: Intervention
    Release Date: November 18, 2026
    Experience the powerful first chapter of Intervention and discover why Transport Aerian continues to push the boundaries of modern progressive rock. Links:
    Website: https://transportaerian.net
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/transportaerian.music/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/transportaerianproject
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TransportAerianMusic
    Bandcamp: https://transportaerianmrrartist.bandcamp.com/
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1tIH0obpLzcACJAFEpqn2K

  • Beaten to Death – Vntrve Review

    Though it may only take you five or so minutes to read—well, one to skim, ten seconds to stare at the scores, another few to check whether the score safety counter still works, 30 seconds to draft a snarky “what is this site coming to” comment that you delete, a couple minutes to see what other bewildered folks have to say about something completely unrelated, and a final scan to skim the conclusions again—this article, and another 26 minutes to listen to Vntrve if you please, the beauty of Beaten to Death lies in that none of that will be enough time. In a genre of microblasts and unintelligible grunts and barks and bleats, this Norwegian exercise in twanged-out chaos delivers methodical and memorable vignettes of pure punk outpour. If there ever were a cure for stagnation, grindcore—particularly the buoyant and eclectic variety that Beaten to Death produces—would be it.

    To this point, Vntrve true to legacy, Beaten to Death has never put out the same album twice. At first blush, between the booming Norwegian rap intro1 and groovier pacing to match (“Slosspit”), it feels as though Beaten to Death doesn’t even want to grind. The traditions of grind would, of course, feel like shackles to the wiles of these time-tested tricksters. Yet, blast-addled breakaways crash into reggaeton dembows (“Electrocuted by the Sky”), reverb-soaked sax wailing (“The Tolerator”), and twisted synth dial screeches (“Vntrve”). Near every song challenges the expectations of grind, right down to the continued inclusion of their trademarked “distort the bass only” aggression tactic, which Beaten to Death also manages to subvert with a doomy opening guitar boom on “Memento Sugo.” It’s Christian Svendsen’s (Doedsvangr, ex-Tsjuder) reckless kick and snare play, really, that keeps transitioning moments tied to the necessary whiplash of the base genre. If you know what’s coming next, it’s a result of repeated digestion of Vntrve’s nooks and crannies.

    Even on first listen, Vntrve reveals its tendency for barbed hook and diverse expression. As if B2D didn’t already have an ear for unmistakable melodies, the kind of post-hardcore-imbued flutters that would feel at place scattered about a The Fall of Troy or Botch jam (“Electrocuted by the Sky,” “(Du er verken Jesus eller Buddha) Du er Ugmod”), their ability to frame these moments of beauty against crash cymbal overloaded gallops and tattered layers of barks allows each song’s thread to weave that much tighter. Now seven albums down this idiosyncratic path, Beaten to Death runs the risk of sounding too much like themselves. And it’s true that the main riffs to “The Tolerator,” “Scroll On, Homeboy,” and “Satan Spawn, the K-Pop Demon” wear that identity proudly. But when there are ten others songs that each bring their own ideas to the table, these brief retreads—and I do mean brief; this is still grind after all—do little to get in the way of frequent enjoyment, especially when that enjoyment means shouting “SCROLL OOOON! HOME-BOY!”

    And a high frequency of playthroughs will reveal hidden treasures around every corner of Vntrve. On more than one occasion, as I played through the tapped-harmony transition of “Fångad i en Battle Vest,” I paused to find which Death song most fit as the proper object of homage and smiled as I could unite two legendary bands so closely in my head canon.2 The classic high and low vocal assault of “Fear of Being Included” rings very Napalm Death, which adds an irony to the track being the most straightforward grindcore piece of the whole set (and its stop-start uncertainty). And in stark contrast, the Abbath-ian croak that mic man Anders Bakke summons on “Sunburn Satanist”3 causes equal parts giddy black metal glee and pit-running abandon when it breaks back to grind on the back half. Though it’s easy to attribute parody to the cause, the play that B2D brings to their joking statements on aging in a metal world4 help bring each of these referential statements to a place of reverence.

    In this stretch of the real experimental side of their career, their most progressive leanings spawning with 2020’s Laat maar, ik verhuis naar het bos, Vntrve strikes the best balance of simple structures with oddball asides. While the closing title track runs as almost the longest in the B2D discography, it showcases too how quickly Beaten to Death can flip a stuttering mosh rhythm into a panning, dissociating fizzle of sax and synth bound together by an urgent kick and scaffolding folk melody. Guided by speed, fueled by chaos, and honed by an undying urge to make it all work—you can call that a manifestation of an unyielding DIY attitude—Vntrve marks another triumph in the undercelebrated story of Norway’s best-kept secret.

    Rating: 4.0/5.0
    DR: 45 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
    Label: Mas-Kina Recordings
    Websites: beatentodeath.net | beatentodeath.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/beatentodeath
    Releases Worldwide: October 23rd, 2026


    Alekhines Grind

    Genre-defying, progressive, inscrutable, idiosyncratic, bizarre, and avant-garde are but a few of the superlatives laid at the feet of the Beaten to Death body of work. And why not? Since their first full-length in 2011, these Norwegians have dedicated their entire careers to upending and rewriting the building blocks of grindcore with manic glee. Waving middle fingers at genre conventions with tongue planted firmly in cheek, the band have unleashed one platter after another of fast-paced, ADHD-riddled music which offers up a cascade of color and sound that incites as much joy as violence upon the listener. Seventh album Vntrve reveals its mission statement in its title; itself a sendup of the ludicrous saturation of letter-abuse in modern-day metal nomenclature while being utterly self-aware in doing so. But this long into such a forward-thinking career, are the jokes running thin? Or do the boys still know how to make you smile through the pain?

    If you’re new to the B2D sound, you may be surprised to learn that despite the outfits’ run-of-the-mill violent name, the music on offer is positively teeming with color and life, or at least pleasant surprise. Vntrve continues that trend, with the band gleefully snatching the listener from melodic leads and colorful tones to sudden, bone-savaging grooves without breaking a sweat. While personal favorite Laat Maar, ik verhuis naar het bos furrowed brows and turned frowns upside down thanks to weird sample use as much as song ideas (that dial-up tone, anyone?), for this outing B2D have stayed relatively stereotypical in their toolkit and pressed the gas on the competency of the compositions themselves. Highlight “Electrocuted by the Sky” alternates between melodic twanging and blackened leads only to punt in an eastern-sounding breakdown for no clear reason besides to show that they can, and it works. “And it works” is easily the best summary of their sound, as any selected track will have a sudden tonal shift, highlight, or riff switch-up which would be grounds for accusations of disjointed lack of focus in the hands of any other outfit.

    One of the distinguishing factors of B2D is their unapologetic sense of humor. From the curious sporadic English lyrics peppering “Fanged i en Battle Vest” to straight-up subgenre parodies and goofy song titles, there’s small, blink and you’ll miss them references to various bands and sounds throughout the sphere of all things metal, all delivered with a knowing smirk. “Sunburnt Satanist” switches up its vocal stylings into much more Immortal-ized flair, coming replete with decipherable declarations of “rimfrosted kingdoms”. “Satan Spawn, the K-Pop Demon” doesn’t merely reference Deicide by way of Cannabis Corpse wordplay but goes so far as to double-track the vocal presentation to sound ripped right off of Legion (or Deicide, obviously). Even without direct and simplistic parody, there is a sparkling sense of delight in their compositions, as the vast majority of tracks come with clean tones, major keys, and melodic sheen both in contrast and companionship to all the bludgeonings which await.

    And the bludgeoning exists in abundance, as each and every cut comes packed with at least one moment of raw violence, tweaked and sculpted to fit into the record’s dizzying and Vntrve nature. “The Tolerator” offers the most straightforward curbstomping breakdown, before sliding into a delirious saxophone crashout courtesy of Bendik Brænne. This is no Rivers of Nihil knockoff, as the sax resurfaces during the closing title track “Vntrve” in a climactic build of glorious, jazzy delirium. Beyond the expectedly-unexpected progressivisms, you also get swipes at djent (“Scroll On, Homeboy”) and straightforward hardcore (“Du er Umgod”) to say nothing of sporadic blackened leads and whammy abuse. This “chuck it in the blender” approach should be ghastly and unfocused, but B2D proved their identities as aural alchemists long ago, and Vntrve is a celebration of the band’s masterclass in whimsical wielding of the unpredictable and exuberant.

    The last touch complimenting Vntrve is an appropriate one: a closing chime of bells, like a venue saying “thanks for coming out.” Beaten to Death keep their remarkable streak of creativity alive, offering up yet another release that makes for an enthralling, charming listen. Not every track smacks of the same cover-to-cover gloriousness, but with most landing in the traditional grind run of one to two and a half minutes, they at least each come with a highlight worthy of repeated listens and make for a package that could easily be called grin-inducing as much as mosh-worthy or violent. And how many other grind albums are you gonna find with psychedelic-looking flamingos on the cover? Beaten to Death remain as committed to the bit as ever, using a stereotypically ruthless subgenre to convey imagination and adventure with pulverization in equal measure; a remarkable declaration that though they can brawl with the best of them, they will always remain utterly Vntrve.

    Rating: 4.0/5.0


    The post Beaten to Death – Vntrve Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.