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!
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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.
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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!
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.
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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.
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.
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 […]
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:
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
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.
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.
Writing this article on the 20 worst songs by great bands wasn’t easy. The problem isn’t finding really bad songs by bands we love. No, the issue is that we don’t really like writing negative stuff about bands we love. These are bands we grew up with that have brought us great joy; we’ve listened to their albums hundreds, if not thousands, of times. But the fact is, there are very few bands, and even fewer albums by any band or artist, where every song is perfect. I’m not talking about songs that are less than perfect, just so-so. I
Album Review: Within The Realm – …Of Systemic Decay
Reviewed by Matthew Williams
There’s so much to admire about thrash metal, the blistering tempos, rapid fire drumming, intense energy and headbanging along to pulsating solos. The 80’s thrash sound, led by the Big Four, was revolutionary, as so many legends were born, Testament, Death Angel, Exodus, Overkill, Sacred Reich, Sepultura, to name a few, and Newfoundland’s Within The Realm are upholding that rich tradition with the release of their debut album.
However, it’s been a long process to reach this point, ten years in fact, as the band formed in 2016 but after a few line up changes, location issues and health reasons they are finally ready to unleash their music onto the world stage. Led by bassist Rick White, drummer Michael Small, and guitarist Geoff Waye, they’ve recruited vocalist Richard Squires and have 8 songs that White says captures “a certain rawness and honesty that came from our love of 80’s and 90’s metal”.
The quartet kick off with “Sixth Sense” and that raw sound comes through instantly, before the guitar takes flight and leads the rhythm ahead of the raspy vocal. The song “explores the chaotic, overwhelming burden of unwanted precognitive visions” and has a decent groove that takes your mind back to early 80’s thrash before the solo shines brightly. “Endless Life” takes the intensity levels up a few notches and speaks of the devotion to heavy metal music that we all share, so “let’s raise our fists, join the fight, Let’s scream our hearts out, bang our heads”.
This sums it up their approach perfectly, as the guitars from Waye truly encapsulate the essence of a scene that Grunge tried to kill, but remains very much alive in the mid 2020’s. As with back then, heavy metal was way ahead of it’s time thematically, think Nuclear Assault’s “Handle With Care” and the band approach issues surrounding trauma on the excellent “Spiral of Terror” which has one hell of bassline ripping through it, and government deception, on the hard hitting “Hidden Agenda”.
There’s a trademark thrash intro for “Homicidal Sacrifice” that gets the blood pumping from the off as they delve into “the dark, sinister mind of a killer” with demonic vocals from Squires. Its atmospheric and evil with a stop start section allowing the rhythm to pop through. They test your neck muscles with a gritty riff on “The Information is Out” which has that old school sound to it alongside more excellent bass work from White.
“The Hydra” urges people to unite and “tear down a corrupt, greedy system” which will resonate with plenty around the world right now, as there’s a vocal nod to the legendary King Diamond. Squires range is deep and menacing, pockets of falsetto adding to the dramatic narrative, and it all ends with an explosion of pure nostalgia called “Into The Night”, combining what we all love about thrash metal. Let’s just hope we don’t have to wait another ten years for the follow up.
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.
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?
