Defect Designer surprised in 2022 with their 18 minute Neanderthal EP, a snappy shot of grindcore-infused death metal. The EP had a raw sound and a pace that made it zip past pleasantly, setting expectations high for an eventual full length release. But will Metalligator find that the new album has a defect in its design?
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Ihsahn – IHSAHN Review
At this point, Ihsahn needs little introduction. His work first with Emperor and then as a solo act has established him as one of black metal’s luminaries. His blackened and avant-garde approach to metal on IHSAHN straddles emotions. It’s by turns bombastic, melancholic, tense and angry—an excellent example of why Ihsahn is such a big deal.
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Fathomless Ritual – Hymns for the Lesser Gods Review
The Goat once waxed poetically about the challenges of wearing your influences on your sleeve a little too much. One potential offender, Fabricant, overcame this issue by adjusting for the time that had passed, imagining a Demilich that never stopped making music and took in new ideas without ever losing track of who they were. Fathomless Ritual is a Demilich worship band as well and similarly don’t feel like a total ripoff. Even still, do they do more than just play riffs like lesser gods?
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Golden Core – Kosmos Brenner Review
Golden Core have shoved a lot of black metal influence into their work here. At their very best they use it as a violent cathartic contrast to follow up passages of head-nodding, rumbling stoner fare. Cosmos Tremmer makes a Kosmos Brenner!
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Unsouling – Vampiric Spiritual Drain Review
Unsouling describe their personal style as broadly death metal, but they are eager to highlight influences from darkwave and gothic music. Frankly, they might be right about their influences, but in cases like these, the promo blurb also sets expectations. So just how well do Unsouling practice what they preach?
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Resin Tomb – Cerebral Purgatory Review
What’s the result when you combine a dash of sludge metal, a cup of death metal, a pinch of hardcore, and a tablespoon of grind? Resin Tomb—some of the stompiest deathgrind this side of the Pacific Ocean. Order now and it comes with a free slotted spoon!
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Alluvial – Death Is But A Door Review
Alluvial sport a sound that reminds me of Dyscarnate’s With All Their Might if they would also play around with some slams. The four songs on Death Is But A Door cover some different ground in its 17 minutes. “Bog Dweller” has some very intricate drum fills that hint at the band’s past prog chops. Chop and slam!
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Saevus Finis – Facilis Descensus Averno Review
So, who are Saevus Finis? With members sporting names like Sangvis Aestvs, it’s hard to say. What do they play? The promo sheet mentions, effectively, “if you like death metal, you’ll like these guys”—noting Immolation, Incantation, Morbid Angel, Viande, and Maere as touch-stones. New year, new you: resolve to like death metal, damnit.
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Embrace Your Punishment – Made of Stone Review
Slam might be hard to understand for the casual listener, the poseur and the weenie, but it is undeniable that, while the technique on how to Slam is a pretty narrow and well defined spot, there are many roads to Rome. But are those roads made of stone? Embrace Your Punishment!
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Crypts of the Unknown: Bergraven – Det Framlidna Minnet
