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Not clear on the definition of Fascism?
Benito Mussolini 1932
https://ia601206.us.archive.org/20/items/mussolini-archive/The%20Doctrine%20of%20Fascism%20Benito%20Mussolini.pdf
Some choice quotes:#TeaParty #MAGA
"Fascism was not the nursling of a doctrine previously drafted at a desk; it was born of the need of action, and was action; it was not a party but, in the first two years, an anti-party and a movement.”#Democracy #Freedom #Autocracy
“[Fascism] is opposed to classical liberalism which arose as a reaction to absolutism and exhausted its historical function when the State became the expression of the conscience and will of the people. Liberalism denied the State in the name of the individual; Fascism reasserts the rights of the State”#PersonalIdentity
"Anti-individualistic, the Fascist conception of life stresses the importance of the State and accepts the individual only in so far as his interests coincide with those of the State..”#WorkersRights #Corporate #Billionnaires
"Fascism is likewise opposed to trade unionism as a class weapon. But when brought within the orbit of the State, Fascism recognizes the real needs which gave rise to socialism and trade unionism, giving them due weight in the guild or corporative system in which divergent interests are coordinated and harmonized in the unity of the State.#SelfExpression #Trans #LGBTQ
"if liberty is to he the attribute of living men and not of abstract dummies invented by individualistic liberalism…”#totalitarianism
"Fascism, is totalitarian, and the Fascist State - a synthesis and a unit inclusive of all values - interprets, develops, and potentates the whole life of a people”#austerity
"life, as conceived of by the Fascist, is serious, austere, and religious; The Fascist disdains an “easy " life.”#environment #climatechange #peace #war
"[Fascism] does not believe in the possibility of "happiness" on earth … it therefore rejects the theological notion that at some future time the human family will secure a final settlement of all its difficulties.” -
By Samguineous Maximus
It’s always interesting to follow a band’s career arc through AMG reviews. The last time Lotan appeared in the hallowed halls of this fine site was in 2023, when my superior Thus Spoke took a righteous hammer to their debut. She found the Danish band’s take on the “trvest of stvles” underwhelming—citing unfocused black metal stylings, monotonous pacing, and lackluster production as key shortcomings. Now, Lotan is back with Yetzer Hara, a slab of blackened death inspired by Cain and Abel, with the intent to explore and embody “the destructive urges that define Humanity’s fall from grace.” Can Lotan surpass their debut and carve a name for themselves on the black/death pantheon’s gnarled mural?
Yetzer Hara is remarkably consistent in both ferocity and misanthropic grandeur. Lotan have found their own sound by splitting the difference between mid-period Behemoth and Mgla while leaning into the knuckle-dragging heft of blackened death’s slower moments. This record consists of more than just blast beats and tremolos, with every song oscillating fluidly between satisfyingly ignorant chugs, wintery minor chord arpeggios and even Panzerfaust-flavored atmospheric pullbacks. These pieces are deployed sensibly and arranged with a keen sense of pacing that makes each tune’s blackened bounty a joy to partake in. Subtle differentiations like a menacing clean break (“Scorched Tyranny”), a thrash-infused breakdown (“Heksenat”), and a harmonized tremolo-led climax (“Violent End”) help inject just enough variety to prevent Lotan’s aural assault from growing too stale, though many of the songs tread fairly similar territory.
It helps that this vile batch of tunes is aided by a stunning production job that sounds modern and massive but not overproduced. Lotan clearly took the criticisms of their debut to heart and have corrected course with a Jakob Gundel (Blazing Eternity, Ethereal Kingdoms) mix and master that maintains brutality without sacrificing clarity. This allows vocalist Martin Rubini’s venom-drenched snarls to cut through with particular force on repeated choruses like “Crown of Rope” and “Righteous Fury.” Bassist Philip Kaaber provides a thick, grounding low end, while drummer Jon Elmquist shines with a dynamic, full-bodied drum tone that gives his blistering blasts and agile tom work a serious punch. This makes tracks like the 1914-tinged blood-pumping opener “Minenwafer” and blackened riff showcase “Omnicide Manifest” hit that much harder. Yetzer Hara sounds so great as to nearly mitigate its potential weaknesses.
I only wish Lotan brought a tad more originality or creativity in the construction of the parts themselves. Guitarists Lasse Heiburg and Andy Dragsberg deliver a solid showcase of riffs and offer some nice interplay between each other, but they lean too heavily on genre comfort zones. Yetzer Hara features no fewer than 5 distinct riffs that are only slight variations of the classic Emperor “Ye Entrancempereum” motif. This isn’t necessarily a cardinal sin (it’s a great riff to crib from and plenty of bands have), but alongside the occasional generic tremolo run or faceless chug, it can leave certain stretches of the album feeling somewhat anonymous. There are points where this approach works—like the “so-dumb-it’s-good” Oppenheimer “I have become death” sample into satisfyingly ignorant breakdown on closer “Righterous Fury”—but overall Yetzer Hara could use just a touch more inventiveness in its riffcraft to differentiate Lotan from the unwashed ranks of blackened death hopefuls.
Lotan have stepped up from their disappointing debut to deliver a solid slab of bludgeoning blackened death metal. Yetzer Hara is equal parts barbaric and treacherous, and its brisk 40-minute runtime makes it ideal for concentrated blasts of “kvlt” injections. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it sharpens the spokes and sets it on fire, which is sometimes enough. If on a future record, Lotan can bring more originality to their writing without sacrificing their newfound focus, they might just carve their name into the obsidian stone they’re so eager to chisel.
Rating: Good
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Emanzipation Productions
Websites: facebook.com/lotanband
Releases Worldwide: August 15th, 2025#1914 #2025 #30 #Aug25 #Behemoth #BlackMetal #BlazingEternity #DanishMetal #EmanzipationProductions #Emperor #EtherealKingdoms #Lotan #MelodicBlackMetal #Mgła #Panzerfaust #Review #Reviews #YetzerHara
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By Samguineous Maximus
It’s always interesting to follow a band’s career arc through AMG reviews. The last time Lotan appeared in the hallowed halls of this fine site was in 2023, when my superior Thus Spoke took a righteous hammer to their debut. She found the Danish band’s take on the “trvest of stvles” underwhelming—citing unfocused black metal stylings, monotonous pacing, and lackluster production as key shortcomings. Now, Lotan is back with Yetzer Hara, a slab of blackened death inspired by Cain and Abel, with the intent to explore and embody “the destructive urges that define Humanity’s fall from grace.” Can Lotan surpass their debut and carve a name for themselves on the black/death pantheon’s gnarled mural?
Yetzer Hara is remarkably consistent in both ferocity and misanthropic grandeur. Lotan have found their own sound by splitting the difference between mid-period Behemoth and Mgla while leaning into the knuckle-dragging heft of blackened death’s slower moments. This record consists of more than just blast beats and tremolos, with every song oscillating fluidly between satisfyingly ignorant chugs, wintery minor chord arpeggios and even Panzerfaust-flavored atmospheric pullbacks. These pieces are deployed sensibly and arranged with a keen sense of pacing that makes each tune’s blackened bounty a joy to partake in. Subtle differentiations like a menacing clean break (“Scorched Tyranny”), a thrash-infused breakdown (“Heksenat”), and a harmonized tremolo-led climax (“Violent End”) help inject just enough variety to prevent Lotan’s aural assault from growing too stale, though many of the songs tread fairly similar territory.
It helps that this vile batch of tunes is aided by a stunning production job that sounds modern and massive but not overproduced. Lotan clearly took the criticisms of their debut to heart and have corrected course with a Jakob Gundel (Blazing Eternity, Ethereal Kingdoms) mix and master that maintains brutality without sacrificing clarity. This allows vocalist Martin Rubini’s venom-drenched snarls to cut through with particular force on repeated choruses like “Crown of Rope” and “Righteous Fury.” Bassist Philip Kaaber provides a thick, grounding low end, while drummer Jon Elmquist shines with a dynamic, full-bodied drum tone that gives his blistering blasts and agile tom work a serious punch. This makes tracks like the 1914-tinged blood-pumping opener “Minenwafer” and blackened riff showcase “Omnicide Manifest” hit that much harder. Yetzer Hara sounds so great as to nearly mitigate its potential weaknesses.
I only wish Lotan brought a tad more originality or creativity in the construction of the parts themselves. Guitarists Lasse Heiburg and Andy Dragsberg deliver a solid showcase of riffs and offer some nice interplay between each other, but they lean too heavily on genre comfort zones. Yetzer Hara features no fewer than 5 distinct riffs that are only slight variations of the classic Emperor “Ye Entrancempereum” motif. This isn’t necessarily a cardinal sin (it’s a great riff to crib from and plenty of bands have), but alongside the occasional generic tremolo run or faceless chug, it can leave certain stretches of the album feeling somewhat anonymous. There are points where this approach works—like the “so-dumb-it’s-good” Oppenheimer “I have become death” sample into satisfyingly ignorant breakdown on closer “Righterous Fury”—but overall Yetzer Hara could use just a touch more inventiveness in its riffcraft to differentiate Lotan from the unwashed ranks of blackened death hopefuls.
Lotan have stepped up from their disappointing debut to deliver a solid slab of bludgeoning blackened death metal. Yetzer Hara is equal parts barbaric and treacherous, and its brisk 40-minute runtime makes it ideal for concentrated blasts of “kvlt” injections. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it sharpens the spokes and sets it on fire, which is sometimes enough. If on a future record, Lotan can bring more originality to their writing without sacrificing their newfound focus, they might just carve their name into the obsidian stone they’re so eager to chisel.
Rating: Good
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Emanzipation Productions
Websites: facebook.com/lotanband
Releases Worldwide: August 15th, 2025#1914 #2025 #30 #Aug25 #Behemoth #BlackMetal #BlazingEternity #DanishMetal #EmanzipationProductions #Emperor #EtherealKingdoms #Lotan #MelodicBlackMetal #Mgła #Panzerfaust #Review #Reviews #YetzerHara
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By Samguineous Maximus
It’s always interesting to follow a band’s career arc through AMG reviews. The last time Lotan appeared in the hallowed halls of this fine site was in 2023, when my superior Thus Spoke took a righteous hammer to their debut. She found the Danish band’s take on the “trvest of stvles” underwhelming—citing unfocused black metal stylings, monotonous pacing, and lackluster production as key shortcomings. Now, Lotan is back with Yetzer Hara, a slab of blackened death inspired by Cain and Abel, with the intent to explore and embody “the destructive urges that define Humanity’s fall from grace.” Can Lotan surpass their debut and carve a name for themselves on the black/death pantheon’s gnarled mural?
Yetzer Hara is remarkably consistent in both ferocity and misanthropic grandeur. Lotan have found their own sound by splitting the difference between mid-period Behemoth and Mgla while leaning into the knuckle-dragging heft of blackened death’s slower moments. This record consists of more than just blast beats and tremolos, with every song oscillating fluidly between satisfyingly ignorant chugs, wintery minor chord arpeggios and even Panzerfaust-flavored atmospheric pullbacks. These pieces are deployed sensibly and arranged with a keen sense of pacing that makes each tune’s blackened bounty a joy to partake in. Subtle differentiations like a menacing clean break (“Scorched Tyranny”), a thrash-infused breakdown (“Heksenat”), and a harmonized tremolo-led climax (“Violent End”) help inject just enough variety to prevent Lotan’s aural assault from growing too stale, though many of the songs tread fairly similar territory.
It helps that this vile batch of tunes is aided by a stunning production job that sounds modern and massive but not overproduced. Lotan clearly took the criticisms of their debut to heart and have corrected course with a Jakob Gundel (Blazing Eternity, Ethereal Kingdoms) mix and master that maintains brutality without sacrificing clarity. This allows vocalist Martin Rubini’s venom-drenched snarls to cut through with particular force on repeated choruses like “Crown of Rope” and “Righteous Fury.” Bassist Philip Kaaber provides a thick, grounding low end, while drummer Jon Elmquist shines with a dynamic, full-bodied drum tone that gives his blistering blasts and agile tom work a serious punch. This makes tracks like the 1914-tinged blood-pumping opener “Minenwafer” and blackened riff showcase “Omnicide Manifest” hit that much harder. Yetzer Hara sounds so great as to nearly mitigate its potential weaknesses.
I only wish Lotan brought a tad more originality or creativity in the construction of the parts themselves. Guitarists Lasse Heiburg and Andy Dragsberg deliver a solid showcase of riffs and offer some nice interplay between each other, but they lean too heavily on genre comfort zones. Yetzer Hara features no fewer than 5 distinct riffs that are only slight variations of the classic Emperor “Ye Entrancempereum” motif. This isn’t necessarily a cardinal sin (it’s a great riff to crib from and plenty of bands have), but alongside the occasional generic tremolo run or faceless chug, it can leave certain stretches of the album feeling somewhat anonymous. There are points where this approach works—like the “so-dumb-it’s-good” Oppenheimer “I have become death” sample into satisfyingly ignorant breakdown on closer “Righterous Fury”—but overall Yetzer Hara could use just a touch more inventiveness in its riffcraft to differentiate Lotan from the unwashed ranks of blackened death hopefuls.
Lotan have stepped up from their disappointing debut to deliver a solid slab of bludgeoning blackened death metal. Yetzer Hara is equal parts barbaric and treacherous, and its brisk 40-minute runtime makes it ideal for concentrated blasts of “kvlt” injections. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it sharpens the spokes and sets it on fire, which is sometimes enough. If on a future record, Lotan can bring more originality to their writing without sacrificing their newfound focus, they might just carve their name into the obsidian stone they’re so eager to chisel.
Rating: Good
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Emanzipation Productions
Websites: facebook.com/lotanband
Releases Worldwide: August 15th, 2025#1914 #2025 #30 #Aug25 #Behemoth #BlackMetal #BlazingEternity #DanishMetal #EmanzipationProductions #Emperor #EtherealKingdoms #Lotan #MelodicBlackMetal #Mgła #Panzerfaust #Review #Reviews #YetzerHara
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URNE – Setting Fire to the Sky Review By Lavender Larcenist
The evolution of a band is a fickle thing. Change too much, and you alienate those who started the journey with you; change too little and bore listeners over time, leaving only ardent fans of the sound. URNE, a London three-piece with close ties to Gojira and Mastodon, has already shown a surprising amount of reformation by their third release, Setting Fire to the Sky. The band’s debut, SERPENT & SPIRIT, was a hard-edged mix of post-hardcore, sweeping grooves, and raw vocals, with a little bit of sludge thrown into their clean-singing. Their sophomore album refined the sound and felt like a logical evolution, even with a few missteps (especially on the production side). Setting Fire to the Sky fixes some of these issues and sees the band streamline their songs, but not all change is good. Instead of crawling into a chrysalis and emerging as a flying beauty, they slither out as something more akin to a leech, spilling out of their cocoon and siphoning other bands’ sounds to a fault.
URNE serves up nearly fifty minutes of Mastodon-infused metalcore on Setting Fire to the Sky. Yes, you read that correctly. Nothing on their third album feels reminiscent of the classic-rock-infused, post-hardcore sludge on their debut, or the post-metal epics on A Feast on Sorrow. Instead, their latest is stuffed with songs that, while expertly played and produced, feel soulless. Joe Nally sounds like a different singer at this point. While his clean singing is infinitely more competent, it sounds too similar to Mastodon’s Troy Sanders. Nally’s basswork fares better, and he manhandles the frets along Angus Neyra’s thrashy riffs and James Cook’s punchy drumming. The trio sounds great, and their work has been honed like a razor, likely due to their time alongside massive acts like Gojira and Mastodon, but they lack the creative bend of either. Setting Fire to the Sky feels meant to cast a wide net, playing arenas and the radio, but leaving much of the spirit (heh) that was present on SPIRIT & SERPENT to wither.
Expectations hurt URNE on Setting Fire to the Sky. After A Feast on Sorrow, I saw a band poised for their best work yet. URNE’s latest shows a tighter band playing well, and the production is much better than their last outing, but nearly every other facet feels weaker. Songs quickly grow formulaic and repetitive, with “Be Not Dismayed,” “The Spirit, Alive,” and “Setting Fire to the Sky” starting with a chuggy opening riff (usually the best part) and slowly morphing into a generic metalcore song. Each features the typical swing back and forth between core-style screaming and harmonized clean choruses that feel hamfisted, with generically uplifting lyrics like “Be not dismayed and carry this torch forward.” The album lacks the flourishes of URNE’s past two releases, and rarely do songs deviate from their repetitive structures.
Setting Fire to the Sky isn’t all disappointing. As previously mentioned, the production is great, and James Cook’s snare sounds wonderful throughout. While formulaic, the album is full of riffs that will at least get you headbanging, even if they are without pathos. “The Ancient Horizon” is an album highlight, featuring a massive lead and a sound worthy of its title while avoiding the pitfalls of the metalcore hole URNE has crawled into. Album closer “Nocturnal Forms” falls on the good side of Mastodon worship, with a chorus that feels like something off Emperor of Sand. A few features appear on the album, like the aforementioned “Harken the Waves” with Troy Sanders. A song that feels somewhat comical given Joe Nally’s clear worship of Sander’s iconic style, making for a feature that feels obligatory but not complementary. The second, “Breathe” with Jo Quail, goes nowhere. An overly sappy tune with bland cleans and cringe lyrics like “I saw the world, before the world saw me.” Neither feature feels necessary, and with the latter, you have a track that could be cut altogether.
I had high expectations, but Setting Fire to the Sky failed to meet them at every turn. The band’s sound changed in a way that many metal fans are familiar with. More generic music, more radio-friendly songs, more clean singing, all the things that make longtime metal fans cringe and flip on a group. While I foresee this album ending up all over year-end lists on the normie sites, this record is a shadow of the band’s clear inspirations and shows a group that should return to what made them stand out in the first place. At least the album artwork is gorgeous.
Rating: Mixed
#25 #2026 #Gojira #Hardcore #Jan26 #Mastodon #Metalcore #Review #Reviews #SettingFireToTheSky #Spinefarm #UKMetal #Urne
DR: N/A | Format Reviewed: Stream :(
Label: Spinefarm
Websites: urneofficial.com | instagram.com/urneband
Releases Worldwide: January 30th, 2026 -
URNE – Setting Fire to the Sky Review By Lavender Larcenist
The evolution of a band is a fickle thing. Change too much, and you alienate those who started the journey with you; change too little and bore listeners over time, leaving only ardent fans of the sound. URNE, a London three-piece with close ties to Gojira and Mastodon, has already shown a surprising amount of reformation by their third release, Setting Fire to the Sky. The band’s debut, SERPENT & SPIRIT, was a hard-edged mix of post-hardcore, sweeping grooves, and raw vocals, with a little bit of sludge thrown into their clean-singing. Their sophomore album refined the sound and felt like a logical evolution, even with a few missteps (especially on the production side). Setting Fire to the Sky fixes some of these issues and sees the band streamline their songs, but not all change is good. Instead of crawling into a chrysalis and emerging as a flying beauty, they slither out as something more akin to a leech, spilling out of their cocoon and siphoning other bands’ sounds to a fault.
URNE serves up nearly fifty minutes of Mastodon-infused metalcore on Setting Fire to the Sky. Yes, you read that correctly. Nothing on their third album feels reminiscent of the classic-rock-infused, post-hardcore sludge on their debut, or the post-metal epics on A Feast on Sorrow. Instead, their latest is stuffed with songs that, while expertly played and produced, feel soulless. Joe Nally sounds like a different singer at this point. While his clean singing is infinitely more competent, it sounds too similar to Mastodon’s Troy Sanders. Nally’s basswork fares better, and he manhandles the frets along Angus Neyra’s thrashy riffs and James Cook’s punchy drumming. The trio sounds great, and their work has been honed like a razor, likely due to their time alongside massive acts like Gojira and Mastodon, but they lack the creative bend of either. Setting Fire to the Sky feels meant to cast a wide net, playing arenas and the radio, but leaving much of the spirit (heh) that was present on SPIRIT & SERPENT to wither.
Expectations hurt URNE on Setting Fire to the Sky. After A Feast on Sorrow, I saw a band poised for their best work yet. URNE’s latest shows a tighter band playing well, and the production is much better than their last outing, but nearly every other facet feels weaker. Songs quickly grow formulaic and repetitive, with “Be Not Dismayed,” “The Spirit, Alive,” and “Setting Fire to the Sky” starting with a chuggy opening riff (usually the best part) and slowly morphing into a generic metalcore song. Each features the typical swing back and forth between core-style screaming and harmonized clean choruses that feel hamfisted, with generically uplifting lyrics like “Be not dismayed and carry this torch forward.” The album lacks the flourishes of URNE’s past two releases, and rarely do songs deviate from their repetitive structures.
Setting Fire to the Sky isn’t all disappointing. As previously mentioned, the production is great, and James Cook’s snare sounds wonderful throughout. While formulaic, the album is full of riffs that will at least get you headbanging, even if they are without pathos. “The Ancient Horizon” is an album highlight, featuring a massive lead and a sound worthy of its title while avoiding the pitfalls of the metalcore hole URNE has crawled into. Album closer “Nocturnal Forms” falls on the good side of Mastodon worship, with a chorus that feels like something off Emperor of Sand. A few features appear on the album, like the aforementioned “Harken the Waves” with Troy Sanders. A song that feels somewhat comical given Joe Nally’s clear worship of Sander’s iconic style, making for a feature that feels obligatory but not complementary. The second, “Breathe” with Jo Quail, goes nowhere. An overly sappy tune with bland cleans and cringe lyrics like “I saw the world, before the world saw me.” Neither feature feels necessary, and with the latter, you have a track that could be cut altogether.
I had high expectations, but Setting Fire to the Sky failed to meet them at every turn. The band’s sound changed in a way that many metal fans are familiar with. More generic music, more radio-friendly songs, more clean singing, all the things that make longtime metal fans cringe and flip on a group. While I foresee this album ending up all over year-end lists on the normie sites, this record is a shadow of the band’s clear inspirations and shows a group that should return to what made them stand out in the first place. At least the album artwork is gorgeous.
Rating: Mixed
#25 #2026 #Gojira #Hardcore #Jan26 #Mastodon #Metalcore #Review #Reviews #SettingFireToTheSky #Spinefarm #UKMetal #Urne
DR: N/A | Format Reviewed: Stream :(
Label: Spinefarm
Websites: urneofficial.com | instagram.com/urneband
Releases Worldwide: January 30th, 2026 -
URNE – Setting Fire to the Sky Review By Lavender LarcenistThe evolution of a band is a fickle thing. Change too much, and you alienate those who started the journey with you; change too little and bore listeners over time, leaving only ardent fans of the sound. URNE, a London three-piece with close ties to Gojira and Mastodon, has already shown a surprising amount of reformation by their third release, Setting Fire to the Sky. The band’s debut, SERPENT & SPIRIT, was a hard-edged mix of post-hardcore, sweeping grooves, and raw vocals, with a little bit of sludge thrown into their clean-singing. Their sophomore album refined the sound and felt like a logical evolution, even with a few missteps (especially on the production side). Setting Fire to the Sky fixes some of these issues and sees the band streamline their songs, but not all change is good. Instead of crawling into a chrysalis and emerging as a flying beauty, they slither out as something more akin to a leech, spilling out of their cocoon and siphoning other bands’ sounds to a fault.
URNE serves up nearly fifty minutes of Mastodon-infused metalcore on Setting Fire to the Sky. Yes, you read that correctly. Nothing on their third album feels reminiscent of the classic-rock-infused, post-hardcore sludge on their debut, or the post-metal epics on A Feast on Sorrow. Instead, their latest is stuffed with songs that, while expertly played and produced, feel soulless. Joe Nally sounds like a different singer at this point. While his clean singing is infinitely more competent, it sounds too similar to Mastodon’s Troy Sanders. Nally’s basswork fares better, and he manhandles the frets along Angus Neyra’s thrashy riffs and James Cook’s punchy drumming. The trio sounds great, and their work has been honed like a razor, likely due to their time alongside massive acts like Gojira and Mastodon, but they lack the creative bend of either. Setting Fire to the Sky feels meant to cast a wide net, playing arenas and the radio, but leaving much of the spirit (heh) that was present on SPIRIT & SERPENT to wither.
Expectations hurt URNE on Setting Fire to the Sky. After A Feast on Sorrow, I saw a band poised for their best work yet. URNE’s latest shows a tighter band playing well, and the production is much better than their last outing, but nearly every other facet feels weaker. Songs quickly grow formulaic and repetitive, with “Be Not Dismayed,” “The Spirit, Alive,” and “Setting Fire to the Sky” starting with a chuggy opening riff (usually the best part) and slowly morphing into a generic metalcore song. Each features the typical swing back and forth between core-style screaming and harmonized clean choruses that feel hamfisted, with generically uplifting lyrics like “Be not dismayed and carry this torch forward.” The album lacks the flourishes of URNE’s past two releases, and rarely do songs deviate from their repetitive structures.
Setting Fire to the Sky isn’t all disappointing. As previously mentioned, the production is great, and James Cook’s snare sounds wonderful throughout. While formulaic, the album is full of riffs that will at least get you headbanging, even if they are without pathos. “The Ancient Horizon” is an album highlight, featuring a massive lead and a sound worthy of its title while avoiding the pitfalls of the metalcore hole URNE has crawled into. Album closer “Nocturnal Forms” falls on the good side of Mastodon worship, with a chorus that feels like something off Emperor of Sand. A few features appear on the album, like the aforementioned “Harken the Waves” with Troy Sanders. A song that feels somewhat comical given Joe Nally’s clear worship of Sander’s iconic style, making for a feature that feels obligatory but not complementary. The second, “Breathe” with Jo Quail, goes nowhere. An overly sappy tune with bland cleans and cringe lyrics like “I saw the world, before the world saw me.” Neither feature feels necessary, and with the latter, you have a track that could be cut altogether.
I had high expectations, but Setting Fire to the Sky failed to meet them at every turn. The band’s sound changed in a way that many metal fans are familiar with. More generic music, more radio-friendly songs, more clean singing, all the things that make longtime metal fans cringe and flip on a group. While I foresee this album ending up all over year-end lists on the normie sites, this record is a shadow of the band’s clear inspirations and shows a group that should return to what made them stand out in the first place. At least the album artwork is gorgeous.
Rating: Mixed
#25 #2026 #Gojira #Hardcore #Jan26 #Mastodon #Metalcore #Review #Reviews #SettingFireToTheSky #Spinefarm #UKMetal #Urne
DR: N/A | Format Reviewed: Stream :(
Label: Spinefarm
Websites: urneofficial.com | instagram.com/urneband
Releases Worldwide: January 30th, 2026 -
Quote of the day, 5 May: St. Titus Brandsma
A newspaper is like a friend whose opinion we value, whom we enjoy listening to, and whose conclusion we find difficult to escape….
If a Catholic periodical does not provide what the public has a right to expect, then there is a danger that the public will consider it as a pitiable thing in need of help but, simultaneously, consider it a waste of money….
The press is our most powerful arm in our battle for truth….
Should the Catholic press abandon this ideal of being a weapon of truth, its very existence would make no sense either for us journalists or for the Church. It would become worthless. Its steadfast witness to the truth alone constitutes its power and its glory.
Saint Titus Brandsma
Lecture on the Catholic press broadcast by KRO (1936)
Note: Biographer Miguel Arribas, O.Carm., observes that Saint Titus’s description of the Catholic press as “our most powerful arm in our battle for truth” echoes the phrase arma veritatis—“weapon of truth”—which was prominently featured as the theme of the 1936 Esposizione mondiale della stampa cattolica (World Exhibition of the Catholic Press) in Vatican City. The exhibition, held to mark the 75th anniversary of L’Osservatore Romano, celebrated the role of the Catholic press in promoting truth and resisting propaganda, a cause Pope Pius XI championed throughout his pontificate. While there is no record that Titus Brandsma attended the exhibition, his vision for Catholic journalism clearly harmonized with its central theme. For Titus, as for the pope, fidelity to the truth was the press’s greatest strength and highest glory.
Original entrance ticket from Arma Veritatis—the 1936 World Exhibition of the Catholic Press held at the Vatican, designed by Gio Ponti. This image is hosted externally. If it fails to load, please visit eggscasino.com to view the original.Arribas O.Carm., M 2021, The Price of Truth: Titus Brandsma, Carmelite, Carmelite Media, Darien, Illinois.
Featured image: St. Titus Brandsma is seen at work in his office in the Carmelite monastery in Nijmegen. He was a prolific writer. Behind him are bookcases containing albums with photos of the texts of medieval manuscripts and spiritual writers. Image credit: Carmelites (used with permission of the Nederlands Carmelitaans Instituut)
⬦ Reflection Question ⬦
How can I use my voice—online or offline—as an “arm in the battle for truth”?
⬦ Join the conversation in the comments.#CatholicPress #journalism #lecture #StTitusBrandsma #truth #weaponOfTruth
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Red Rot – Borders of Mania Review
By Dolphin Whisperer
Depression comes in waves. If you—or anyone you know and love—have ever witnessed or experienced its grip, you know that it’s a battle. Davide Tiso, the slippery Italian guitarist responsible for the jazzy hardcore machinations of Ephel Duath, and the jangling progressive excursions of Howling Sycamore, seems to know this fight all too well. Two years ago Tiso unearthed Red Rot as a heart-on-sleeve death metal journey that both reunited him with his old friend and vocalist Luciano George Lorusso (ex-Ephel Duath) and explored the darkest corners of his psyche with crashing riffs and scathing, hypnotic melodies. Here in 2024, I’m not too sure that Tiso is any better, but his axe remains sharp and thrilling as ever.
Leaning further into the weirder side1 of 90s Morbid Angel riffcraft, Borders of Mania in its creeping and gothic presentation leads with a more straightforward attack than its predecessor, Mal de Vivre. That word—straightforward—is misleading, as the multitudinous layers of languished and dissonant guitar wailings continue to tell tales only of sadness, bitterness, and anger. It just so happens that before many of these spiraling and dramatic moments, Tiso lays down wide and harmonized chord grooves that set the stage both to crush emotions with sheer weight (“Compulsive Illusion,” “Agony Untold”) or inspire a windmilling headbang enough to whip them away (“Cranioscopy,” “Vindication”). And if the guitar sounds don’t sell the sullen vignettes, Lorusso adopts a discernable yet throat-tearing bellow that falls somewhere between the classic David Vincent (ex-Morbid Angel, Vltimas) bark and the snarling croak you might catch in early Ihsahn/late Emporer work.
Regardless of what tools Red Rot uses to hook and jam, the sense of drama that pervades throughout Borders of Mania defines its jagged rise and fall. Really, the album needs that emotive build to provide structure to its fifteen tracks that lack traditional death metal peaks like erupting guitar solos at chaotic bridges or crowd-pumping, throat-challenging choruses. Instead, Tiso orchestrates aggressive runs that pivot into mopey waltz-time cries (“False Memory,” “Endless Ravine,” “Misericordie”). Other times, Red Rot shifts into a gothic styling that paints with the many identities that Paradise Lost has worn over the years, including the industrial march of the blaring synth-led closer “Affliction and Relief.” And, of course, what Lorusso lacks in traditional sing-along refrains he makes up for with dripping ruminations like “I want my life back” and “Me-a culpa, me-a culpa, me-a max-i-ma culpa” (“Cranioscopy”). He also follows up that Catholic prayer by barking like a dog with an abandon you have to live to learn.
For all its eclectic flair, Borders of Mania feels like an iterative journey for Red Rot, both within itself and against what came before. Most tracks have landmark moments to separate them from each other, but the journey that leads to them doesn’t always feel all that different. “Agony Untold” and “Homo Sapiens Imago Dei” and “Inner Voice” for example, both follow a similar trajectory of double-kick death metal broken up by some warbling vocal asides. This increasing gothic nature does lead to the first low and slow croon-fest on the album, “Overlord,” which is a Paradise Lost peak that resembles the massive “After the Funeral” from Mal de Vivre. And on the back half “Not in Control” and “Cranioscopy” work similarly in groove and tumble to expand upon the front half’s heaviest moments. Atmospheric at heart, Borders of Mania thrives on these recurring themes, but with as many tracks as there are that fall on this self-reflective platter, it may not lose much without one or two of them.
Even if these recurring themes that border repetition exists, Red Rot performs with enough nuance that its goal of swallowing the audience in its downcast world succeeds. If either Tiso or his surrounding cast were lesser players, Borders of Mania wouldn’t even be half the album it attempts to be. The truth is that each track is a collection of smart details and shifting tones that make replays easy, rewarding, and necessary. Red Rot still hasn’t quite found that truly throat-closing, stars-in-eyes moment that sells these hard-to-swallow works as a breakaway success. But flaws and all, Borders of Mania commands enough attention to pose an issue to my listening time in hopes of finding the catharsis for which its bleeding words reach.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Hammerheart Records | Bandcamp
Websites: redrotmetal.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/red.rot.metal
Releases Worldwide: May 10th, 2024#2024 #35 #AtmosphericDeathMetal #BordersOfMania #DeathMetal #Emporer #EphelDuath #GothicMetal #HammerheartRecords #HowlingSycamore #Ihsahn #InternationalMetal #May24 #MorbidAngel #ParadiseLost #ProgressiveDeathMetal #RedRot #Review #Reviews
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Red Rot – Borders of Mania Review
By Dolphin Whisperer
Depression comes in waves. If you—or anyone you know and love—have ever witnessed or experienced its grip, you know that it’s a battle. Davide Tiso, the slippery Italian guitarist responsible for the jazzy hardcore machinations of Ephel Duath, and the jangling progressive excursions of Howling Sycamore, seems to know this fight all too well. Two years ago Tiso unearthed Red Rot as a heart-on-sleeve death metal journey that both reunited him with his old friend and vocalist Luciano George Lorusso (ex-Ephel Duath) and explored the darkest corners of his psyche with crashing riffs and scathing, hypnotic melodies. Here in 2024, I’m not too sure that Tiso is any better, but his axe remains sharp and thrilling as ever.
Leaning further into the weirder side1 of 90s Morbid Angel riffcraft, Borders of Mania in its creeping and gothic presentation leads with a more straightforward attack than its predecessor, Mal de Vivre. That word—straightforward—is misleading, as the multitudinous layers of languished and dissonant guitar wailings continue to tell tales only of sadness, bitterness, and anger. It just so happens that before many of these spiraling and dramatic moments, Tiso lays down wide and harmonized chord grooves that set the stage both to crush emotions with sheer weight (“Compulsive Illusion,” “Agony Untold”) or inspire a windmilling headbang enough to whip them away (“Cranioscopy,” “Vindication”). And if the guitar sounds don’t sell the sullen vignettes, Lorusso adopts a discernable yet throat-tearing bellow that falls somewhere between the classic David Vincent (ex-Morbid Angel, Vltimas) bark and the snarling croak you might catch in early Ihsahn/late Emporer work.
Regardless of what tools Red Rot uses to hook and jam, the sense of drama that pervades throughout Borders of Mania defines its jagged rise and fall. Really, the album needs that emotive build to provide structure to its fifteen tracks that lack traditional death metal peaks like erupting guitar solos at chaotic bridges or crowd-pumping, throat-challenging choruses. Instead, Tiso orchestrates aggressive runs that pivot into mopey waltz-time cries (“False Memory,” “Endless Ravine,” “Misericordie”). Other times, Red Rot shifts into a gothic styling that paints with the many identities that Paradise Lost has worn over the years, including the industrial march of the blaring synth-led closer “Affliction and Relief.” And, of course, what Lorusso lacks in traditional sing-along refrains he makes up for with dripping ruminations like “I want my life back” and “Me-a culpa, me-a culpa, me-a max-i-ma culpa” (“Cranioscopy”). He also follows up that Catholic prayer by barking like a dog with an abandon you have to live to learn.
For all its eclectic flair, Borders of Mania feels like an iterative journey for Red Rot, both within itself and against what came before. Most tracks have landmark moments to separate them from each other, but the journey that leads to them doesn’t always feel all that different. “Agony Untold” and “Homo Sapiens Imago Dei” and “Inner Voice” for example, both follow a similar trajectory of double-kick death metal broken up by some warbling vocal asides. This increasing gothic nature does lead to the first low and slow croon-fest on the album, “Overlord,” which is a Paradise Lost peak that resembles the massive “After the Funeral” from Mal de Vivre. And on the back half “Not in Control” and “Cranioscopy” work similarly in groove and tumble to expand upon the front half’s heaviest moments. Atmospheric at heart, Borders of Mania thrives on these recurring themes, but with as many tracks as there are that fall on this self-reflective platter, it may not lose much without one or two of them.
Even if these recurring themes that border repetition exists, Red Rot performs with enough nuance that its goal of swallowing the audience in its downcast world succeeds. If either Tiso or his surrounding cast were lesser players, Borders of Mania wouldn’t even be half the album it attempts to be. The truth is that each track is a collection of smart details and shifting tones that make replays easy, rewarding, and necessary. Red Rot still hasn’t quite found that truly throat-closing, stars-in-eyes moment that sells these hard-to-swallow works as a breakaway success. But flaws and all, Borders of Mania commands enough attention to pose an issue to my listening time in hopes of finding the catharsis for which its bleeding words reach.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Hammerheart Records | Bandcamp
Websites: redrotmetal.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/red.rot.metal
Releases Worldwide: May 10th, 2024#2024 #35 #AtmosphericDeathMetal #BordersOfMania #DeathMetal #Emporer #EphelDuath #GothicMetal #HammerheartRecords #HowlingSycamore #Ihsahn #InternationalMetal #May24 #MorbidAngel #ParadiseLost #ProgressiveDeathMetal #RedRot #Review #Reviews
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Red Rot – Borders of Mania Review
By Dolphin Whisperer
Depression comes in waves. If you—or anyone you know and love—have ever witnessed or experienced its grip, you know that it’s a battle. Davide Tiso, the slippery Italian guitarist responsible for the jazzy hardcore machinations of Ephel Duath, and the jangling progressive excursions of Howling Sycamore, seems to know this fight all too well. Two years ago Tiso unearthed Red Rot as a heart-on-sleeve death metal journey that both reunited him with his old friend and vocalist Luciano George Lorusso (ex-Ephel Duath) and explored the darkest corners of his psyche with crashing riffs and scathing, hypnotic melodies. Here in 2024, I’m not too sure that Tiso is any better, but his axe remains sharp and thrilling as ever.
Leaning further into the weirder side1 of 90s Morbid Angel riffcraft, Borders of Mania in its creeping and gothic presentation leads with a more straightforward attack than its predecessor, Mal de Vivre. That word—straightforward—is misleading, as the multitudinous layers of languished and dissonant guitar wailings continue to tell tales only of sadness, bitterness, and anger. It just so happens that before many of these spiraling and dramatic moments, Tiso lays down wide and harmonized chord grooves that set the stage both to crush emotions with sheer weight (“Compulsive Illusion,” “Agony Untold”) or inspire a windmilling headbang enough to whip them away (“Cranioscopy,” “Vindication”). And if the guitar sounds don’t sell the sullen vignettes, Lorusso adopts a discernable yet throat-tearing bellow that falls somewhere between the classic David Vincent (ex-Morbid Angel, Vltimas) bark and the snarling croak you might catch in early Ihsahn/late Emporer work.
Regardless of what tools Red Rot uses to hook and jam, the sense of drama that pervades throughout Borders of Mania defines its jagged rise and fall. Really, the album needs that emotive build to provide structure to its fifteen tracks that lack traditional death metal peaks like erupting guitar solos at chaotic bridges or crowd-pumping, throat-challenging choruses. Instead, Tiso orchestrates aggressive runs that pivot into mopey waltz-time cries (“False Memory,” “Endless Ravine,” “Misericordie”). Other times, Red Rot shifts into a gothic styling that paints with the many identities that Paradise Lost has worn over the years, including the industrial march of the blaring synth-led closer “Affliction and Relief.” And, of course, what Lorusso lacks in traditional sing-along refrains he makes up for with dripping ruminations like “I want my life back” and “Me-a culpa, me-a culpa, me-a max-i-ma culpa” (“Cranioscopy”). He also follows up that Catholic prayer by barking like a dog with an abandon you have to live to learn.
For all its eclectic flair, Borders of Mania feels like an iterative journey for Red Rot, both within itself and against what came before. Most tracks have landmark moments to separate them from each other, but the journey that leads to them doesn’t always feel all that different. “Agony Untold” and “Homo Sapiens Imago Dei” and “Inner Voice” for example, both follow a similar trajectory of double-kick death metal broken up by some warbling vocal asides. This increasing gothic nature does lead to the first low and slow croon-fest on the album, “Overlord,” which is a Paradise Lost peak that resembles the massive “After the Funeral” from Mal de Vivre. And on the back half “Not in Control” and “Cranioscopy” work similarly in groove and tumble to expand upon the front half’s heaviest moments. Atmospheric at heart, Borders of Mania thrives on these recurring themes, but with as many tracks as there are that fall on this self-reflective platter, it may not lose much without one or two of them.
Even if these recurring themes that border repetition exists, Red Rot performs with enough nuance that its goal of swallowing the audience in its downcast world succeeds. If either Tiso or his surrounding cast were lesser players, Borders of Mania wouldn’t even be half the album it attempts to be. The truth is that each track is a collection of smart details and shifting tones that make replays easy, rewarding, and necessary. Red Rot still hasn’t quite found that truly throat-closing, stars-in-eyes moment that sells these hard-to-swallow works as a breakaway success. But flaws and all, Borders of Mania commands enough attention to pose an issue to my listening time in hopes of finding the catharsis for which its bleeding words reach.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Hammerheart Records | Bandcamp
Websites: redrotmetal.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/red.rot.metal
Releases Worldwide: May 10th, 2024#2024 #35 #AtmosphericDeathMetal #BordersOfMania #DeathMetal #Emporer #EphelDuath #GothicMetal #HammerheartRecords #HowlingSycamore #Ihsahn #InternationalMetal #May24 #MorbidAngel #ParadiseLost #ProgressiveDeathMetal #RedRot #Review #Reviews
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Morbyda – Under the Spell Review
By El Cuervo
I always enjoy reviewing and exposing bands on their debut. A debut offers a cornucopia of possibilities: will it be innovative? Exciting? Shit? Picking up an album deep into a discography often results in something that’s like what came before, but with a debut, there’s an element of the unknown. Under the Spell by Germany’s Morbyda is one such example, with just one demo and live release under their belt previously. Promising a NWoBHM-inflected release of blackened speed metal, there are few things more heartening than a young band making heavy metal. Do I remain heartened after spending hours with Morbyda?
At its core, Under the Spell blends blackened shouts, wailing vibratos, crunchy guitars, and vibrant riffs into energetic speed metal. Despite the heaviness derived from the grimy instrumental tones and unrelenting pace, the melodies are so upbeat that they almost sound happy. And although the songs sometimes lack the brevity that might benefit them, I admire their directness. Focused songwriting prioritizes the fastest route from guitar lead to guitar lead, and there are few moments on the album that aren’t trying to be big, loud, and boisterous. On “Turning the Wheel of Steel” – coincidentally, how Steel Druhm describes himself becoming aroused – the harmonized lead is a highlight and refrain to which the song regularly returns. Likewise, the key change to a higher octave at 3:10, underpinned by a slowing rhythm, partitions the song into two halves and accentuates the ensuing solo. Morbyda target maximalism.
The production packages the Under the Spell sound into something fairly chaotic and lo-fi. This would be my ordinary preference, especially for black/speed metal, but here it’s so roughshod that there are unfortunate consequences. The muddy rhythm section is the prime suspect, filling the middle of the sound stage with drums and bass that are poorly defined. This not only obscures the instrumental skill of the respective performers; it also obscures the second guitarist and distinctiveness of the riffs. The riffs are generally good, but the poorly defined mix results in many sounding the same. This results in a release where, once you’ve heard a couple of the tracks, you’ve heard them all. Sonic consistency is a given on a cohesive record, but this creeps into a uniformity that undermines the divisions between songs. By contrast, moments where the soundstage clears to expose fewer instruments – like the transition around 1:50 on “Mother of Decay” – my attention is grabbed once more.
Under the Spell is most enjoyable when its songs are restricted to a shorter duration; the three shortest are some of the best. “Evil” offers a speedy and robust introduction, “The Curse” is uniquely boisterous on a boisterous album, and “Sacrifice” benefits from a spidery lead that’s both technical and atmospheric. Accordingly, the three tracks that approach or exceed six minutes suffer the most from the length. And beyond sheer time consumed, Morbyda struggle to arrange the longer tracks in a sophisticated manner. The transition from a slower instrumental passage to the frenzied solo at 3:55 on “Mother of Decay” is jarring and representative of transitions that are just as roughshod as the production. Likewise, this same track closes with a guitar solo that simply stops. The album is the product of an enthusiastic group trying to stitch together enthusiastic songs, but their enthusiasm exceeds their compositional abilities.
I’ve struggled to score Under the Spell. I have numerous gripes, from the muddy production to the monotonous song-writing to the clunky arrangements. And yet my over-arching response is still one that’s reasonably positive. You might expect imperfections from a young band figuring out their sound, and Morbyda have a bouncy, entertaining quality. There are ultimately too many obstacles to reach a ‘good’ rating, but I’ll be tracking the progress of these Germans with interest.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps MP3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Website: morbyda.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: June 20th, 2025#25 #2025 #BlackenedSpeedMetal #DyingVictimsProductions #GermanMetal #Jun25 #Morbyda #Review #Reviews #SpeedMetal #UnderTheSpell
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Aquilla – Sentinels of New Dawn Review
By Baguette of Bodom
The Polish metal scene is much better known around these parts for its bludgeoning death metal than for classic metal worship, and Aquilla is looking to change that. Formed in Warsaw in 2015, their debut Mankind’s Odyssey was unleashed on the masses in 2022, delivering NWoBHM with a dose of ”80s–’90s speed/power metal influence. Sophomore album Sentinels of New Dawn promises a similar but more epic brand of sci-fi thunder. With a couple EPs and a full-length already under their belt, how does Aquilla navigate this set of space war stories?
Aquilla’s authentic sound immediately makes it clear they’re not messing around. Since the last time they heeded the call, they’ve been through some lineup shifts, vocalist Captain Paradox and rhythm guitarist Jaspar de Phaser both joining in 2023. The resulting shift in sound is both obvious and a major positive. Captain Paradox is the star of the show, his vocals thoroughly combining the best of the ’80s and wailing wild and free like Kai Hansen (Helloween debut, Gamma Ray) or Michael Knoblich (Scanner debut). But the speed and power metal elements in Sentinels of New Dawn don’t stop at the vocals, they are firmly present in the dueling guitar work of Jaspar de Phaser and Kris Invader as well (“Creed of Fire,” “Technocrats’ Tyranny”). The bouncy and varied drum patterns, together with an ’80s Helloween-coated bass performance (“Technocrats’ Tyranny”), round out the rock-solid, energetic foundation of the album.
The greatest strength of Sentinels of New Dawn is its potent, to-the-point songwriting. Mankind’s Odyssey was at times charming, but had a fairly narrow scope and often forgot the ‘speed’ half of speed metal. Here, Aquilla dedicate much more of the album’s runtime to an all-gas, no-brakes approach, something sorely missing from many others of its kind. The record has plenty of tricks up its sleeve, with dual-harmonized NWoBHM leads (“Plunder & Steel,” “Mountains of Black Sleep”) and fun classic-sounding gang vocals (“Plunder & Steel”) increasing the anthemic factor further. But the band also shows songwriting maturity and variety by dipping into Queensrÿchean melodic segments (“Mountains of Black Sleep,” “Battalion 31”). While the combination isn’t seamless—the middle of the album unevenly packed with most of the slower bits—it suits Aquilla well and makes for an entertaining and multifaceted album. Furthermore, relying less on Iron Maiden worship and being more German speed/power metal-informed (“Creed of Fire,” “Battalion 31”) has improved their songcraft significantly. As a result, it feels like the band has now found their element and figured out their sound, combining aspects of old and new(er).
Aquilla is having fun, and it translates into a frenetic and inspired album. At just under 50 minutes—45 minutes omitting the intro and outro—Sentinels is a brisk and empowering experience. Even the 10-minute epic “The Prophet” flies by; a great combination of an Iron Maiden and Gamma Ray epic, with the second half having some of the best and most triumphant guitars of the bunch. The dramatic intro and synthy outro fit in oddly well, too, neither one overstaying its welcome. That being said, there are still some quirks to iron out. The harsh vocals at the start of “The Curse of Mercurion” aren’t too damaging, but they are a rough listen and feel unnecessary. “Bound to Be King,” though competent, lacks a hook that the other barn burners feature. Nevertheless, every song here is a good time at least, and many of them show signs of brilliance at best.
Sentinels of New Dawn shows a young band developing into form. Aquilla is here to kick ass and take names, and their mix of old and new is lively and exciting to listen to. The songwriting has made major strides in the span of three years; their speed and energy has only grown, and the Polish metal scene is all the richer and more varied for it. I hope Aquilla fleshes out their craft even further for the next one—with this lineup, they’re on the cusp of greatness.
Rating: Very Good!
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
Label: High Roller Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: October 31st, 2025#2025 #35 #Aquilla #GammaRay #HeavyMetal #Helloween #HighRollerRecords #IronMaiden #NWOBHM #Oct25 #PolishMetal #PowerMetal #Queensryche #Review #Reviews #Scanner #SentinelsOfNewDawn #SpeedMetal
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Carrion Vael – Slay Utterly Review By Grin Reaper
Carrion Vael has cultivated an admirably consistent release schedule since dropping Resurrection of the Doomed in 2017. After unleashing follow-up God Killer in 2020, the Richmond, Indiana quintet has delivered big, veiny doses of muscular, technical melodeath every other year. Slay Utterly is Carrion Vael’s fifth load of unfettered aggression, slinging riffs that sparkle and crush in whiplashing frenzies. Though not explicitly billed as a concept album, Slay Utterly delves into tales morbid and macabre. Each track describes a different serial killer, with songs exploring the perspectives of both killers and their victims. It’s a brutal conceit, and with it Carrion Vael bum-rushes into 2026 with ambitions of aural beatdowns that’ll leave your ears bleeding. With five albums in fewer than ten years, does Carrion Vael have the stamina to keep slaying, or would they benefit from more premeditation?
Looking back over the last three albums, Carrion Vael strikes me as a band trying out different personas. Abhorrent Obsessions revels in technicality, reminding me of Exocrine and Psycroptic, while Cannibals Anonymous dabbles with deathcore along with adding a hearty helping of clean vocals. Overall, Carrion Vael embodies the violent onslaught of The Black Dahlia Murder and merges it with the melodic agility of Allegaeon, crafting an influence-laced affair with staunch sonic keystones. The clean and harsh vocal trade-offs throughout Slay Utterly serve as a clever nod to the killer/victim subject matter, expanding on the melodic phrasing from Cannibals. Meanwhile, understated orchestrations occasionally sneak in, unlocking an intricate audio arena that ranges from bludgeoning to grandiose and bracing Carrion Vael for their next evolution.
Carrion Vael scintillates with battering virtuosity on Slay Utterly, continuing both the technical guile from Abhorrent Obsessions and the savage euphony of Cannibals Anonymous. Guitarists Trenton Limburg and Ryan Kurder strut up and down the fretboard like cocks of the walk, ejecting molten melodies and solos with wicked exuberance. “Truth or Consequences” features choice six-string moments, opening with a stripped-back, Spanish-style acoustic jaunt and unleashing a nifty harmonized solo towards the end. In the meantime, human metronome Matt Boehner bashes his kit to smithereens, rarely relenting in his unyielding kicks and bionically smooth fills. On the vocal front, Travis Lawson Purcell roars, croons, and bellows in an inspired exhibition of versatility, with “1912” demonstrating his strong cleans as well as rapid-fire stylings that recall Archspire. Throughout, subtle swells of strings (“19(fucking)78”, “Black Chariot”) expand on a burgeoning dimension of Carrion Vael’s already overflowing arsenal.
Despite Carrion Vael doing so much right, a few weak links undercut what Slay Utterly could be. Given the complex layers populating this lush soundscape, it craves room to breathe. Instead, Slay Utterly nearly asphyxiates for lack of dynamic range, with Alex Arford’s bass the most immediate casualty in the loudness war.1 Listening in my car or through my computer speakers dampens the experience because of how crushed everything sounds, which I loathe because of the fabulous passion present. My headphones present an improved experience, but not by much. Influences also restrict Carrion Vael’s identity, where some tracks sound like mashups of other bands rather than an original, cohesive personality. While “40 Echoes upon the Parlor” separates itself by dexterously blending hyper-speed guitars, harsh and clean vocals, and supporting orchestrations, adopting this modality across all tracks would further buoy Slay Utterly. Lastly, I wish there were more obvious musical cues that coincided with the album’s theme. I listened to it ten times before I read the promo blurb about serial killers and their victims, but even knowing that, nothing stands out to connect the songs with their inspirations. Leaning into the concept more would have helped the album attain loftier heights.
Ultimately, Slay Utterly leaves me torn of heart and eardrum. Carrion Vael delivers a fun album that I would revisit more if the production leaned toward organic and rich rather than bricked and over-compressed. Despite that, these Hoosiers have constructed a burly forty-two minutes that sizzle with enough slick riffcraft to justify at least one spin. Knowing what aural atrocities Carrion Vael is capable of committing, I hope their next platter saunters in with a better production and more hooks to kill.
Rating: Good
#2026 #30 #Allegaeon #AmericanMetal #Archspire #CarrionVael #Exocrine #Jan26 #MelodicDeathMetal #Psycroptic #Review #Reviews #SlayUtterly #TechnicalDeathMetal #TheBlackDahliaMurder #UniqueLeaderRecords
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Unique Leader Records
Websites: Bandcamp23 | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: January 16th, 2026 -
Carrion Vael – Slay Utterly Review By Grin Reaper
Carrion Vael has cultivated an admirably consistent release schedule since dropping Resurrection of the Doomed in 2017. After unleashing follow-up God Killer in 2020, the Richmond, Indiana quintet has delivered big, veiny doses of muscular, technical melodeath every other year. Slay Utterly is Carrion Vael’s fifth load of unfettered aggression, slinging riffs that sparkle and crush in whiplashing frenzies. Though not explicitly billed as a concept album, Slay Utterly delves into tales morbid and macabre. Each track describes a different serial killer, with songs exploring the perspectives of both killers and their victims. It’s a brutal conceit, and with it Carrion Vael bum-rushes into 2026 with ambitions of aural beatdowns that’ll leave your ears bleeding. With five albums in fewer than ten years, does Carrion Vael have the stamina to keep slaying, or would they benefit from more premeditation?
Looking back over the last three albums, Carrion Vael strikes me as a band trying out different personas. Abhorrent Obsessions revels in technicality, reminding me of Exocrine and Psycroptic, while Cannibals Anonymous dabbles with deathcore along with adding a hearty helping of clean vocals. Overall, Carrion Vael embodies the violent onslaught of The Black Dahlia Murder and merges it with the melodic agility of Allegaeon, crafting an influence-laced affair with staunch sonic keystones. The clean and harsh vocal trade-offs throughout Slay Utterly serve as a clever nod to the killer/victim subject matter, expanding on the melodic phrasing from Cannibals. Meanwhile, understated orchestrations occasionally sneak in, unlocking an intricate audio arena that ranges from bludgeoning to grandiose and bracing Carrion Vael for their next evolution.
Carrion Vael scintillates with battering virtuosity on Slay Utterly, continuing both the technical guile from Abhorrent Obsessions and the savage euphony of Cannibals Anonymous. Guitarists Trenton Limburg and Ryan Kurder strut up and down the fretboard like cocks of the walk, ejecting molten melodies and solos with wicked exuberance. “Truth or Consequences” features choice six-string moments, opening with a stripped-back, Spanish-style acoustic jaunt and unleashing a nifty harmonized solo towards the end. In the meantime, human metronome Matt Boehner bashes his kit to smithereens, rarely relenting in his unyielding kicks and bionically smooth fills. On the vocal front, Travis Lawson Purcell roars, croons, and bellows in an inspired exhibition of versatility, with “1912” demonstrating his strong cleans as well as rapid-fire stylings that recall Archspire. Throughout, subtle swells of strings (“19(fucking)78”, “Black Chariot”) expand on a burgeoning dimension of Carrion Vael’s already overflowing arsenal.
Despite Carrion Vael doing so much right, a few weak links undercut what Slay Utterly could be. Given the complex layers populating this lush soundscape, it craves room to breathe. Instead, Slay Utterly nearly asphyxiates for lack of dynamic range, with Alex Arford’s bass the most immediate casualty in the loudness war.1 Listening in my car or through my computer speakers dampens the experience because of how crushed everything sounds, which I loathe because of the fabulous passion present. My headphones present an improved experience, but not by much. Influences also restrict Carrion Vael’s identity, where some tracks sound like mashups of other bands rather than an original, cohesive personality. While “40 Echoes upon the Parlor” separates itself by dexterously blending hyper-speed guitars, harsh and clean vocals, and supporting orchestrations, adopting this modality across all tracks would further buoy Slay Utterly. Lastly, I wish there were more obvious musical cues that coincided with the album’s theme. I listened to it ten times before I read the promo blurb about serial killers and their victims, but even knowing that, nothing stands out to connect the songs with their inspirations. Leaning into the concept more would have helped the album attain loftier heights.
Ultimately, Slay Utterly leaves me torn of heart and eardrum. Carrion Vael delivers a fun album that I would revisit more if the production leaned toward organic and rich rather than bricked and over-compressed. Despite that, these Hoosiers have constructed a burly forty-two minutes that sizzle with enough slick riffcraft to justify at least one spin. Knowing what aural atrocities Carrion Vael is capable of committing, I hope their next platter saunters in with a better production and more hooks to kill.
Rating: Good
#2026 #30 #Allegaeon #AmericanMetal #Archspire #CarrionVael #Exocrine #Jan26 #MelodicDeathMetal #Psycroptic #Review #Reviews #SlayUtterly #TechnicalDeathMetal #TheBlackDahliaMurder #UniqueLeaderRecords
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Unique Leader Records
Websites: Bandcamp23 | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: January 16th, 2026 -
Carrion Vael – Slay Utterly Review By Grin Reaper
Carrion Vael has cultivated an admirably consistent release schedule since dropping Resurrection of the Doomed in 2017. After unleashing follow-up God Killer in 2020, the Richmond, Indiana quintet has delivered big, veiny doses of muscular, technical melodeath every other year. Slay Utterly is Carrion Vael’s fifth load of unfettered aggression, slinging riffs that sparkle and crush in whiplashing frenzies. Though not explicitly billed as a concept album, Slay Utterly delves into tales morbid and macabre. Each track describes a different serial killer, with songs exploring the perspectives of both killers and their victims. It’s a brutal conceit, and with it Carrion Vael bum-rushes into 2026 with ambitions of aural beatdowns that’ll leave your ears bleeding. With five albums in fewer than ten years, does Carrion Vael have the stamina to keep slaying, or would they benefit from more premeditation?
Looking back over the last three albums, Carrion Vael strikes me as a band trying out different personas. Abhorrent Obsessions revels in technicality, reminding me of Exocrine and Psycroptic, while Cannibals Anonymous dabbles with deathcore along with adding a hearty helping of clean vocals. Overall, Carrion Vael embodies the violent onslaught of The Black Dahlia Murder and merges it with the melodic agility of Allegaeon, crafting an influence-laced affair with staunch sonic keystones. The clean and harsh vocal trade-offs throughout Slay Utterly serve as a clever nod to the killer/victim subject matter, expanding on the melodic phrasing from Cannibals. Meanwhile, understated orchestrations occasionally sneak in, unlocking an intricate audio arena that ranges from bludgeoning to grandiose and bracing Carrion Vael for their next evolution.
Carrion Vael scintillates with battering virtuosity on Slay Utterly, continuing both the technical guile from Abhorrent Obsessions and the savage euphony of Cannibals Anonymous. Guitarists Trenton Limburg and Ryan Kurder strut up and down the fretboard like cocks of the walk, ejecting molten melodies and solos with wicked exuberance. “Truth or Consequences” features choice six-string moments, opening with a stripped-back, Spanish-style acoustic jaunt and unleashing a nifty harmonized solo towards the end. In the meantime, human metronome Matt Boehner bashes his kit to smithereens, rarely relenting in his unyielding kicks and bionically smooth fills. On the vocal front, Travis Lawson Purcell roars, croons, and bellows in an inspired exhibition of versatility, with “1912” demonstrating his strong cleans as well as rapid-fire stylings that recall Archspire. Throughout, subtle swells of strings (“19(fucking)78”, “Black Chariot”) expand on a burgeoning dimension of Carrion Vael’s already overflowing arsenal.
Despite Carrion Vael doing so much right, a few weak links undercut what Slay Utterly could be. Given the complex layers populating this lush soundscape, it craves room to breathe. Instead, Slay Utterly nearly asphyxiates for lack of dynamic range, with Alex Arford’s bass the most immediate casualty in the loudness war.1 Listening in my car or through my computer speakers dampens the experience because of how crushed everything sounds, which I loathe because of the fabulous passion present. My headphones present an improved experience, but not by much. Influences also restrict Carrion Vael’s identity, where some tracks sound like mashups of other bands rather than an original, cohesive personality. While “40 Echoes upon the Parlor” separates itself by dexterously blending hyper-speed guitars, harsh and clean vocals, and supporting orchestrations, adopting this modality across all tracks would further buoy Slay Utterly. Lastly, I wish there were more obvious musical cues that coincided with the album’s theme. I listened to it ten times before I read the promo blurb about serial killers and their victims, but even knowing that, nothing stands out to connect the songs with their inspirations. Leaning into the concept more would have helped the album attain loftier heights.
Ultimately, Slay Utterly leaves me torn of heart and eardrum. Carrion Vael delivers a fun album that I would revisit more if the production leaned toward organic and rich rather than bricked and over-compressed. Despite that, these Hoosiers have constructed a burly forty-two minutes that sizzle with enough slick riffcraft to justify at least one spin. Knowing what aural atrocities Carrion Vael is capable of committing, I hope their next platter saunters in with a better production and more hooks to kill.
Rating: Good
#2026 #30 #Allegaeon #AmericanMetal #Archspire #CarrionVael #Exocrine #Jan26 #MelodicDeathMetal #Psycroptic #Review #Reviews #SlayUtterly #TechnicalDeathMetal #TheBlackDahliaMurder #UniqueLeaderRecords
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Unique Leader Records
Websites: Bandcamp23 | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: January 16th, 2026 -
Carrion Vael – Slay Utterly Review By Grin Reaper
Carrion Vael has cultivated an admirably consistent release schedule since dropping Resurrection of the Doomed in 2017. After unleashing follow-up God Killer in 2020, the Richmond, Indiana quintet has delivered big, veiny doses of muscular, technical melodeath every other year. Slay Utterly is Carrion Vael’s fifth load of unfettered aggression, slinging riffs that sparkle and crush in whiplashing frenzies. Though not explicitly billed as a concept album, Slay Utterly delves into tales morbid and macabre. Each track describes a different serial killer, with songs exploring the perspectives of both killers and their victims. It’s a brutal conceit, and with it Carrion Vael bum-rushes into 2026 with ambitions of aural beatdowns that’ll leave your ears bleeding. With five albums in fewer than ten years, does Carrion Vael have the stamina to keep slaying, or would they benefit from more premeditation?
Looking back over the last three albums, Carrion Vael strikes me as a band trying out different personas. Abhorrent Obsessions revels in technicality, reminding me of Exocrine and Psycroptic, while Cannibals Anonymous dabbles with deathcore along with adding a hearty helping of clean vocals. Overall, Carrion Vael embodies the violent onslaught of The Black Dahlia Murder and merges it with the melodic agility of Allegaeon, crafting an influence-laced affair with staunch sonic keystones. The clean and harsh vocal trade-offs throughout Slay Utterly serve as a clever nod to the killer/victim subject matter, expanding on the melodic phrasing from Cannibals. Meanwhile, understated orchestrations occasionally sneak in, unlocking an intricate audio arena that ranges from bludgeoning to grandiose and bracing Carrion Vael for their next evolution.
Carrion Vael scintillates with battering virtuosity on Slay Utterly, continuing both the technical guile from Abhorrent Obsessions and the savage euphony of Cannibals Anonymous. Guitarists Trenton Limburg and Ryan Kurder strut up and down the fretboard like cocks of the walk, ejecting molten melodies and solos with wicked exuberance. “Truth or Consequences” features choice six-string moments, opening with a stripped-back, Spanish-style acoustic jaunt and unleashing a nifty harmonized solo towards the end. In the meantime, human metronome Matt Boehner bashes his kit to smithereens, rarely relenting in his unyielding kicks and bionically smooth fills. On the vocal front, Travis Lawson Purcell roars, croons, and bellows in an inspired exhibition of versatility, with “1912” demonstrating his strong cleans as well as rapid-fire stylings that recall Archspire. Throughout, subtle swells of strings (“19(fucking)78”, “Black Chariot”) expand on a burgeoning dimension of Carrion Vael’s already overflowing arsenal.
Despite Carrion Vael doing so much right, a few weak links undercut what Slay Utterly could be. Given the complex layers populating this lush soundscape, it craves room to breathe. Instead, Slay Utterly nearly asphyxiates for lack of dynamic range, with Alex Arford’s bass the most immediate casualty in the loudness war.1 Listening in my car or through my computer speakers dampens the experience because of how crushed everything sounds, which I loathe because of the fabulous passion present. My headphones present an improved experience, but not by much. Influences also restrict Carrion Vael’s identity, where some tracks sound like mashups of other bands rather than an original, cohesive personality. While “40 Echoes upon the Parlor” separates itself by dexterously blending hyper-speed guitars, harsh and clean vocals, and supporting orchestrations, adopting this modality across all tracks would further buoy Slay Utterly. Lastly, I wish there were more obvious musical cues that coincided with the album’s theme. I listened to it ten times before I read the promo blurb about serial killers and their victims, but even knowing that, nothing stands out to connect the songs with their inspirations. Leaning into the concept more would have helped the album attain loftier heights.
Ultimately, Slay Utterly leaves me torn of heart and eardrum. Carrion Vael delivers a fun album that I would revisit more if the production leaned toward organic and rich rather than bricked and over-compressed. Despite that, these Hoosiers have constructed a burly forty-two minutes that sizzle with enough slick riffcraft to justify at least one spin. Knowing what aural atrocities Carrion Vael is capable of committing, I hope their next platter saunters in with a better production and more hooks to kill.
Rating: Good
#2026 #30 #Allegaeon #AmericanMetal #Archspire #CarrionVael #Exocrine #Jan26 #MelodicDeathMetal #Psycroptic #Review #Reviews #SlayUtterly #TechnicalDeathMetal #TheBlackDahliaMurder #UniqueLeaderRecords
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Unique Leader Records
Websites: Bandcamp23 | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: January 16th, 2026 -
Heavy Moves Heavy 2025 – AMG’s Ultimate Workout Playlist By Thus SpokeBefore I was press-ganged into the Skull Pit, I, Ferox, began curating an exercise playlist named Heavy Moves Heavy. For a decade, I alone reaped the benefits of this creation–many were the hours spent preening aboard my Squat Yacht, mixing oils so that I could marvel at the glistening gainz unlocked by the List. My indentured servitude is your good fortune, because a new and improved version of the Heavy Moves Heavy playlist is now available to all readers of AMG in good standing.1 The lifters among us have spent countless hours in the Exercise Oubliette testing these songs for tensile strength and ideological purity. Enjoy–but don’t listen if you are being screened for PEDs in the near future. This music will cause your free testosterone levels to skyrocket even as it adds length and sheen to your back pelt. ~ Ferox
A year has passed, and now the barbell of honour has been placed on my (regrettably smaller) shoulders as Ferox steps back from the AMG side-quest to focus on his main story. Our leader may be absent, but our search for gains continues with an otherwise full house and new recruits to boot. The songs that guided and shaped our workouts are compiled here in a playlist guaranteed to boost yours, whether you listen on shuffle or straight the way through.1 So what are you waiting for? Down your pre-workout, grab your straps and your knee-sleeves, and get ready to get massive. ~ Thus Spoke
Thus Spoke Enters Muscle Mommy Mode:
“Silence like the Grave” // Paradise Lost (Ascension) – Straightforwardly solid, catchy, sharp, with a killer atmosphere. Insta-playlist save when the single dropped. Paradise Lost back on top-form and just time to give you the energy for moving heavy things.
“Magnolia” // Deafheaven (Lonely People with Power) – Oh yeah, I’m dead serious. Sorry not sorry to any haters out there. This is four minutes and change of unqualified emotion and racing thoughts and it gets my blood running hot every damn time.
“Against the Dying of the Light” // Dormant Ordeal (Tooth and Nail) – Unironically motivating in a way presumably not intended. Just when you want to quit, that roar of “raaage, RAAAAAAGGGE,” and the impeccable drum and guitar work come in to see you through.
“Condemnesia” // Cytotoxin (Biographyte) – The devastation of a currently-occurring nuclear disaster—complete with a frantically clicking geiger counter and a witness’ agonised moans—portrayed through slick, punchy tech-death. Do I need to explain?
“Perfida Contracçao do Aço” // Filii Nigrantium Infernalium (Perfida Contracçao do Aço) – I wouldn’t normally go for something like this; the vocals are kind of horrible. But the energetic ridiculousness is so fucking feral it takes you beyond pumped and into crazed maniac territory; which is obviously ideal for the gym.
“DNA (Do Not Amputate)” // To the Grave (Still) – Mean, melodic, and with a message, there’s nothing about this that doesn’t work while lifting. If I’m going to include any deathcore in the playlist at all, then it has to be To the Grave.
“Eunuch Maker” // Depravity (Bestial Possession) – If your resting-murder-face, hoodie, and headphones aren’t enough to keep people from having the audacity to speak to you, then listening to this could help. It’s massive, and fun as hell, and will make you look extra mean through osmosis, I guarantee.
“Architects of Extinction” // Psycroptic (Architects of Extinction) – Banger alert. The change in vocals makes this a smidge less strong than it otherwise would be, but c’mon; a riff that good has got to be anabolic.
“Amaranth” // Nephylim (Circuition) – My dopamine-fixation song for the best part of a month. It’s uplifting, it’s catchy, it’s infinitely replayable. What more do you want?
“Natural Law” // Primitive Man (Observance) – It’s not too long, it’s a very important, massive chunk of overwhelming heaviness that makes me feel ten times the size and heft I actually am. You can get through all three (or however many) sets with spare time to admire the pump.
“Deathless” // Phobocosm (Gateway) – Monstrous, massive, intense. Fast and furious isn’t always it; more and more, I crave slow, oppressive, and malevolent. It’s just what I crave to dig deeper.
“1918 Pt 3: ADE (A duty to escape)” // 1914 (Viribus Unitis) – It took less than a single complete playthrough for this to end up on this list. It’s heavy enough for leg day, and it’s atmospheric and moving in that perfect way that helps you dissociate from how much your body hurts. I’ve had it on repeat through many a tough session since.
Kenstrosity Bursts Through His Own Workout Gear:
“Rot in the Pit” // Depravity (Bestial Possession) – If there was ever a song that eradicated mental blocks to that next rep, that next PR, that next push, it’s “Rot in the Pit.” Boasting mountain-moving swagger and a center riff that risks greater injury to my body than any ego lift could ever approach, Depravity penned a bona fide gymstormer with “Rot in the Pit.”
“Summoning Sickness” // Pedestal for Leviathan (Enter: Vampyric Manifestation) – Imagine getting legs so powerful and swole they force your gait to change—but you’re doing it in the basement of your Transylvanian vampire castle with Igor loading up weights on the bar for your next PR. That’s what “Summoning Sickness” feels like when I’m pushing
“Nachthexe” // Bianca (Bianca) – You wouldn’t expect something that dabbles so heavily in atmosphere to possess such meaty muscle as this, but Bianca’s “Nachthexe” proves the might of the sleeper build. Once they take of the airy, soft pump cover, a devastating topology of deadly power ripples just under the skin.
“The Insufferable Weight” // Barren Path (Grieving) – Don’t let the lighter weights I’m lugging around fool you. Volume days are fucking brutal, and a challenge for both my mind and my body. Barren Path’s “The Insufferable Weight” adrenalizes me with it’s speed and brutal rhythms just enough to survive those endless reps.
“Granfalloon” // Unbirth (Asomatous Besmirchment) – Unbirth is the pool from which some the nastiest, grooviest, and most deceptively complex riffs spawn. This is great fodder for those compound movements that build strength and density. You could pick anything off of Asomatous Besmirchment for such gains, but my preference is “Granfalloon.”
“Kollaps” // Jordsjuk (Naglet til livet) – Black metal? For the gym? You fucking bet. Guaranteed to pull you back from the brink of absolute failure, Jordsjuk’s “Kollaps” thrashes and shimmers with enough vibrancy and verve to make whatever load I’m pushing feel like light weight.
“Infestis” // Igorrr (Amen) – You wouldn’t expect something as weird and wacky as Igorrr to fit in the land of iron and steel, but here we are. With stomping riffs and vicious roars, “Infestis” is top tier workout gear. Great for keeping pace and supporting breath control, you’ll find much progress with Igorrr by your side.
“Flashback (ft. Strawberry Hospital)” // Blind Equation (A Funeral in Purgatory) – Every year I open up one slot for those high intensity workouts where cardio and strength meet. This year, my spotter cheering me on when I’m doing sprints and weighted jumps is Blind Equation’s intense and lightning-fast “Flashback.” Gotta go fast!!!
“Leave the Flesh Behind” // Ashen (Leave the Flesh Behind) – Probably the underdog in the litter, Ashen’s “Leave the Flesh” behind is all muscle, and a mountain of it at that. These riffs represent both the immovable object and the unstoppable force. One day, I hope to be like them.
“12 Worm Wounds” // Death Whore (Blood Washes Everything Away) – It was difficult to narrow down a selection from Death Whore’s lean and mean debut, but I keep coming back to the swaggering riffs of “12 Worm Wounds” went I need motivation for that next lift. It just makes everything I’m doing seem like the most fun I’ll ever have.
“The Fire in Which We Burn” // …and Oceans (The Regeneration Itinerary) – Boasting what I consider to be the single best black metal riff of 2025, …and Oceans greatly surprised me with a swaggering barnstormer of a track ready made to stoke the fire in my chest for a second wind. Hand me another set of plates, it’s time to go up for one more set!
“Never Difiled” // Serenity in Murder (Timeless Reverie) – Who needs to spell correctly when you have hundreds of pounds to push on the bar? This is the question I ask whenever the adrenaline-soaked “Never Difiled” plays as I rack up the plates for my next set. Nobody’s ever been able to give me an answer.
“The Twisted Helix” // Mutagenic Host (The Diseased Machine) – They say genetics play a huge role in what kind of gains you can expect to achieve naturally in the gym. Well, I’m an ectomorph so it’s tough—and takes a lot more time—to build and maintain muscle. The solution? Twist my helixes and instantly quadruple my gains. Mutagenic Host’s “The Twisted Helix” is just the tool for the job!
“+++Engine Kill+++” // Ruinous Power (EXTREME DANGER: Prototype Weaponry) – Sometimes you just need something threatening to rip the rails right off the track to hype you up for a grueling session. That’s what songs like Ruinous Power’s “+++Engine Kill+++” are for. Short, to the point, and vicious, it will get your blood surging and your body raring to go.
“Femto’s Theme” // Flummox (Southern Progress) – Something so theatrical doesn’t sound like a natural fit when working out, but the sheer heft and chunky rhythms of Flummox’s “Femto’s Theme” defies those expectations. I’ve been using it for leg days and the results are crazy town! Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself!
Steel Druhm Trains His Ape Arms to Crush the Empire State Building:
“Abandoned Feretrum” // Sepulchral (Beneath the Shroud) – Blending old school black and death noise, Sepulchral mainline pure badger adrenaline and rattlesnake venom into your major muscle groups. Handle those power chugs with care, Brah.
“Necrobotic Enslavement” // Glorious Depravity (Death Never Sleeps) – Taking discarded Morbid Angel riffs and repurposing them to turn a peaceful man rabid is why we have science. Take 2 doses of “Necrobotic Enslavement” 30 minutes before throwing 45 lb plates at people who sit on exercise machines and chat.
“A Scream in the Snow” // Black Soul Horde (Symphony of Chaos) – Trve metal can embiggen the innate desire for strength and raw power like no other, and “A Scream in the Snow” will have you swinging olympic bars to get that sword arm ready for bloody constraint and weightroom glory.
“Eyes on Six” // Biohazard (Divided We Fall) – Loudmouthed tough guys from Brooklyn scream at you to watch your back as they try to snap it with angry riffs and bad attitudes. This is for the caveman living in your reptile brain.
“Carry On” // Nite (Cult of the Serpent Sun) – Badass riffs and Manowar-esque demands that you carry on despite hardships are the crucial things that separate a routine workout from a Herculean trial that transforms you. Carry on to bigness.
“Crusaders” // Starlight Ritual (Rogue Angels) – A dirty, greasy 80s metal anthem that sounds like proto-Iron Maiden is what you need to evolve from tubby baby to a fucking WRATHCHILD. Join this crusade and tip your templar.
“Iron Sign” // Ambush (Evil in All Dimensions) – Unraveling the Riddle of Steel requires a long, hard journey guided only by iron signs. This cut will set you on the right path toward your ferric destiny.
“Bending the Steel” // Ambush (Evil in All Dimensions) – If you’re out there bending the steel, why not get moral support from Ambush with this massive aggressive dose of testosterone and primal motivation? When the singer shouts, “Let’s go, boys!” you’ll feel your strength grow 3 times (plus two!). With an iron will, you gotta keep bending the steel!
“Garuda (Eater of Snakes)” // Brainstorm (Plague of Rats) – Brainstorm write heavy metal for leg day, and Garuda is your feathery guardian iron eagle compelling you to crush that feeble PB. The strong can tell their eagle where to fly and what snakes to eat.
“Beyond Enemy Lines” // Brainstorm (Plague of Rats) – Brainstorm ain’t done with you by a damn sight! If the thundering drums and beefy riffs here don’t get you chalked up and ready for iron warfare, you should take up underwater doily knitting.
Steel-Jacketed Olden Bonus:
“Spark to the Flame” // Winter’s Bane (Redivivus) – One of the greatest gym/workout songs EVER. Lyrics that speak of creating a better version of yourself as you burn in the crucible of effort will help you rise high as those burly riffs hammer your inner coward into moist gum paste.
Grin Reaper Gets Down with the Fitness:
“No Pain, No Gain” // Majestica (Power Train) – Metals of Power and Heft are a must for my workouts, especially stretching and pre-lifting calisthenics. Majestica’s cheesy anthem is perfect montage-fodder, and even though the track is rife with clichéd chestnuts, it features kinetic hooks that gird my gears for what’s to come.
“Storm the Gates” // Soulfly (Chama) – Once I’m limbered up, it’s time to sweat. Max and the boys’ bouncy grooves peddle just the right combination of chest-thumping swagger and ferocity to make sure my next rep sets the tone for a simmering sesh of glorious gainz.
“Skullbattering” // Werewolves (The Ugliest of All) – There’s no better way to keep momentum hurtling forward than with a good ol’ fashioned ode to smashing braincases. Setting the right tone for a workout is paramount, and here Werewolves does not fuck around. There’s nothing pretty or flowery about “Skullbattering,” but if swole is your goal, you need to exorcise the Ugly.
“Anodyne Rust” // Blood Red Throne (Siltskin) – I hurt my shoulder a few years ago, and though stretching and (prescribed) drugs didn’t help much, bulking up did. Exercise slipped out of my routine as work and family commitments grew (as did my waistline), but as I’ve recently knocked the Rust off my dumbbells, I’m reminded of the palliative restoration that comes from pumping iron and death metal.
“Ravenous Leech” // Guts (Nightmare Fuel) – Scuzzy, groovy, and unapologetically fun, Nightmare Fuel is filled to the gills with mid-paced chugs that make a great soundtrack for AMRAP workouts. While most of Guts’ bloody remnants will Fuel your workout, spinning “Ravenous Leech” is sure to leave you hungry for even more punishment.
“By Lead or Steel” // Barbarous (Initium Mors) – Does Cannibal Corpse feature heavily in your gym listening? If so, consider Barbarous, who channels similar vibes and vitriol with less viscera. It’ll make you want to drink motör oil and punch babies, and that’s the kind of shove you need when you’re out on swole patrol.2
“Kaltfront” // Eisbrecher (Kaltfront) – Something about heavy distortion, dance-adjacent electronics, and gravelly vocals makes ‘New German Hardness’ prime listening for calculated and efficient movements. With near imperceptible head bops and a commitment to perfect form, this “Kaltfront” leaves me focused and hard as a block of ice.
“Hope Terminator” // Cytotoxin (Biographyte) – Plenty of great death metal jams spurn gym-list inclusion with slow-build intros, not getting to proper stankin’ until they’re well into the track. Cytotoxin knows better, immediately flaying you with technicality. “Hope Terminator’ is the perfect mid-playlist piece to curb fatigue and keep your spirit engorged.
“Let There Be Oblivion” // Ade (Supplicium) – Rome’s Ade lays down a banger of a riff on “Let There Be Oblivion,” and it’s long and strong enough to push me through a set or two. If I’m struggling during a workout, whether in motivation or physically, I need every ounce of energy I can muster, and songs like this one can be the tipping point.
“Blinding Oblivion” // Depravity (Bestial Possession) – Like Guts’ Nightmare Fuel, Bestial Possession boasts track after track of gym-ready scorchers. I chose “Blinding Oblivion” 1. to maintain consistency with “Let There Be Oblivion” and 2. because something about the subtle melody in the song gives it an air of refreshment that I need as the demands of my workout ramp to a frothing climax.
“Elevator Operator” // Electric Callboy (Elevator Operator) – It’s dumb, it’s trite, and it’s so devastatingly catchy that it sticks in my head for days on end. Most importantly, it makes me want to move things up and down, and I won’t apologize for that.
“Sunlight Covenant” // Spire of Lazarus (Those Who Live in Death) – I don’t dabble in deathcore often, but when I do, it’s usually technical, symphonic, and anthemic. Spire of Lazarus crafts just the right blend of their core components to make “Sunlight Covenant” a certified HMH banger. As a bonus, try to time it so that the track hits on your last set of the day—the melody and backing swells make a triumphant send-off as you clinch the last rep and wipe down the bench. You wiped the bench, right?
“Fossilized” // Ültra Raptör (Fossilized) – This song has stayed close since I first laid ears on it, and not once has it failed to engage the hype machine. Whether warming up, working out, or cooling down, the classic retro riffs and sunglasses-at-night nonchalance define a cool I strive for, and motivation like that is the key to gainz.
Dolph Does Heavy This Time:3
“Mortuary Rites” // Mörtual (Altar of Brutality) – Blood boils fastest with a roto-tom take off followed by a death-thrash pummel. As churning pit energy converts to flared nostrils, focused vision, and engorged fibers at the crack of a incessant stick, find a slow and steady breath as your body prepares for war.
“Tlazolteotl” // Kalaveraztekah (Nikan Axkan) – The beat of a clanging snare threatens whatever weighted structure exists in your path. “Tlazolteotl” marches ever forward through growling twists, hardwood clack, and flute-led guitar abandon. A brief respite of acoustics awaits—but so does the real bulk of this journey.
“Black Scrawl” // Pupil Slicer (Fleshwork) – Feedback, growling bass, pneumatic kicks, and an urgent snarl—Pupil Slicer demands your full thrust. With this affixing hardcore anchor, “Black Scrawl” will carry you to your first peak push with a dragging breakdown coda.
“Swamp Mentality” // The Acacia Strain (You Are Safe from God Here) – Rest does not come to those who push only once, though. The burn of your resolve will light the path in the angst and mire and core-fluid whiplash of “Swamp Mentality.” And Vincent Bennett’s tattered and spit-riddled mic will provide an extra OUGH to your exhale.
“Orphans” // Dormant Ordeal (Tooth and Nail) – If you could tether your pulse to the relentless kick assaults that Chason Westmoreland brings to “Orphans”—all of Tooth and Nail really—your spotter wouldn’t be able to find dial emergency fast enough to save you. Instead, search for the heavier weighted tempo that exists between the pitter-patter as your guide. In this space, relentless and emotive riff runs and lead wails coalesce into one of the most threatening thrash-pit breaks of the year. Harness this power.
“The Great Day of His Wrath” // Blindfolded (What Seeps through Threads) – In vicious harmonized splendor, Blindfolded’s neoclassical scale hopping riffage possesses a buoyancy that is vital to remaining invigored. And whipping around bleating and squealing mic energy with resplendent solo work, “The Great Day of His Wrath” both maintains your demanding schedule and restores a lightness to your being before the heaviest pulls come to play.
“Retina” // Pillars of Cacophony (Paralipomena) – Neoclassical drama, however, doesn’t always seek to restore with its airy play. “Retina” arrives, rather, with a mechanical and and programmed structure that functions as a scaffold upon which ascending scale iterations match your own gradual and gravity-creating climb. As the pinch-happy shuffle sneers in precision stank-face deployment, resist the urge to discharge your steel load into the earth.
“Lunar Tear” // Barren Path (Grieving) – In any routine, no matter how structured, a moment of ferocious release can provide a benefit. Before this playlist enters its most grueling minutes, a lightning-speed romp in the grips of endless blasts and riffs exists to shake off the inertia that can result from testing your limits.
“Heaping Pile of Electrified Gore” // Pissgrave (Malignant Worthlessness) – We are all filth—corpses brought to life by the signals we create. Synapses creating chains from proximal to distal drive our movements from concept to power. Through squelching refrain and lockstep death metal assault, fibers at the edge of their load-bearing capacity persist and persevere in the midst of Pissgrave’s shifting and grimy rhythms.
“Bursting with Life’s True Fruit” // Umulamahri (Learning the Secrets of Acid) – Guttural expression unlocks the last inches of a tough pull. As we channel Doug Moore’s garbage disposal tier phlegmanations into our own tidal vibrations, we visualize the final set. We are victorious. And in a celebratory expression of might, we slip into Umulamahri’s enlightened synth dissolution. Those who float cannot collapse.
#AndOceans #1914 #2025 #Ade #Ambush #Ashen #Barbarous #BarrenPath #Bianca #Biohazard #BlackSoulHorde #BlindEquation #Blindfolded #BloodRedThrone #Brainstorm #Cytotoxin #Deafheaven #DeathWhore #Depravity #DormantOrdeal #Eisbrecher #ElectricCallboy #FiliiNigrantiumInfernalium #Flummox #GloriousDepravity #Guts #HeavyMovesHeavy #Igorr #Jordsjuk #Kalaveraztekah #Majestica #Mortual #MutagenicHost #Nephylim #Nite #ParadiseLost #PedestalForLeviathan #Phobocosm #PillarsOfCacophony #Pissgrave #PrimitiveMan #Psycroptic #PupilSlicer #RuinousPower #Sepulchral #SerenityInMurder #Soulfly #SpireOfLazarus #StarlightRitual #TheAcaciaStrain #ToTheGrave #ÜltraRaptör #Umulamahri #Unbirth #Werewolves #WinterSBane -
Alekhines Gun’s, ClarkKent’s and Owlswald’s Top Ten(ish) of 2025 By Steel Druhm
Alekhines Gun
It’s genuinely surreal to be writing this article. This Gun found his whole life flipped upside down literally on New Year’s Eve, in a new town, a new state, unemployed, and with nothing to do but review. By God’s grace, I’ve managed to find an actual career in my new town, walking into a new industry with nothing on my resume but exuberance and enthusiasm.1 This blog, with its incredible set of writers who inspire me daily, and readership who prove endearing and exasperating in equal measure, has been a rare moment of consistency in a year filled with professional and personal uncertainty. I didn’t get to listen to nearly as many albums as I’d hoped to, thanks to this being such a transitional year for my life, and perhaps in years to come, I’ll look back on this list in annoyance. But for the moment, it stands as a monument of achievement; of personal growth and practical accomplishment, and I’m immensely grateful to every reader and commenter for being along with me on this journey.
My thanks to The Angry One for giving me a second chance in my n00b days when it became clear I didn’t understand the assignment; I hope you don’t regret your choice too much.2 Thanks to the main AMG staff for being so friendly and welcoming, especially Mystikus Hugebeard, Dear Hollow, Twelve, and Kenstrosity. My eternal fealty to Steel for enduring what I imagine was an unbearable amount of stupid questions and formatting issues as I got my sea legs under me, and continue to see how much I have yet to grow as a writer.
And lastly, all my love and an Eternal Hails to my Freezer Freak brethren – Tyme, Killjoy, Owlswald, and Clark Kent. You guys were the best n00b class a guy could ask to come up with, and it has been such a privilege to have been formally writing alongside the four of you this year and call you friends as well as colleagues. Cheers to many more.
#Ish: Phobocosm // Gateway – Late release or no, it only took one listen to know this was something I needed in my life. Unrelenting in its atmosphere and with a tone like being devoured by vampire bats, Gateway doesn’t want for a plethora of oppressive moments and maintains its bleakness with admirable consistency. With interludes that function more like proper instrumentals between the more heavy cuts, Phobocosm rotate between blunt force trauma and existential despair in equal measure, flattening brain marrow with kaiju-sized stomptastic riffs only to throw you haplessly into depressive and gloom-drenched melodies the next. The rare kind of death metal peak for a rainy day, open up the gate and let it take you on a journey you might not come back from.
#10: Ancient Death // Ego Dissolution – Ancient Death is a testimony to why you should always read our foul filter excavations. Boasting a styling of, dare I say, classier old school deathisms with a healthy dollop of melody and chuggathons for days, Ego Dissolution is a mighty slab indeed. Kenstrosity quite correctly heaped praise on this release for its rare tonal fusion of Death and The Chasm, and beyond that, it has excellently implemented clean vocals, subtle synth work to bolster doomier moments, and riffs which transition from bludgeoning to esoteric in a heartbeat. Solos are peak, as all good death requires, atmospheres are coated in muck and mire without being underproduced, and even the instrumental stands out as a solid step in the journey on offer. Ego Dissolution deserves better than being a footnote in the annals of filter history, representing a highbrow slab of quality in mood-setting while still offering up violence at every turn.
#9: Teitanblood // From the Visceral Abyss – These void-worshipers have crafted an album that straddles the line of black, death, and war metal so flawlessly that every trip to their abyss leaves me exhausted and battered, but utterly enthralled. A flawless fusion of riff and atmosphere in equal measure, every ingredient from the militant drumming to the cacophonous vocals is a means to an end, and whether you’re in it more for the former or the latter is entirely irrelevant. Few albums manage to transcend being a collection of tracks into being a completed whole body of work so smoothly, and From the Visceral Abyss does so with blackened bile pouring through pounding through its poisoned veins. Disconcerting in its antagonism yet enthralling in the exactness of its vision, Teitanblood remains an auditory scrying mirror into the deepest pits that we were never meant to gaze upon.
#8: Imperial Triumphant // Goldstar – Goldstar is exactly what I had hoped for after the excessively out-there of their previous release: A more riff-centric album, which only just scales down the weird to let the approachability shine through like bait on the unsuspecting listener. To be sure, the alien Gorguts and Voivodisms remain, but this album takes a flavor similar to Alphaville3 and it builds its progressivism on the bones of licks and riffs which don’t take twenty listens to decipher before their foundation is made clear. Virtuoso musicianship remains at a peak, but as the tagline “Nine Class ‘A’ Songs” suggests, Imperial Triumphant have opted less to overwhelm the listener as much as flex on them, with fantastic results. A great introduction if you’re new to the band, and an enthralling listen for the jazz enthusiast and avant-garde black metal fan alike.
#7: Kalaveraztekah // Nikan Axkan – I underrated this a bit during the initial rodeo. While my complaints about the treble-heavy lack of bottom end remain, this is a masterfully composed record which continues to reveal new moments of wonder with each spin. Riffs designed to evoke thematic atmosphere and crush skulls in equal measure abound (“Nikan Axkan”) while remembering to summon the native beauty of the Aztec backdrop (“Yowaltekuhtli”) with skill. Lurching into Morbid Angel flirtations laced with delightful indigenous beats one minute and having haunting clean vocals drenched with horror and ritualism the next, this album is a whirlwind of a listen, a journey through primal soundscapes and human history meshed with technical prowess and grace. Hopefully someone picks them up soon, as they are well deserving of a bigger spotlight, and if you missed our rodeo on this release (shame on you) then you owe it to yourself to give it a listen.
#6: Labryinthus Stellarum // Rift in Reality – When I was very young, trancecore was one of the first “heavy” sounds I cut my teeth on, and consequently, my earballs feel right at home in these rifts. Impossibly catchy without being so simple as to offend my intelligence, and featuring electronics that have as much diversity and life in them as any guitar tone, Rift in Reality is a testimony that you can make techno and metal work on albums not named The Key. The blackened production stands in sharp contrast to the piercing, cosmic-echo cleanliness of the electronics, which are always spearheading the melodies but never at the cost of the full band’s heft and power. Spreading their songwriting wings a bit from the last release in more intricate melodies, a smattering of breakdowns, and heavier use of cleans has afforded Labryinthus Stellarum more personality than gimmickries, and I can’t wait to see where they go from here.
#5: Oskoreien // Hollow Fangs – It’s been a decent year for the more raw elements of black metal, but these fangs poisoned all who stood in their way. Somehow catchy in its simplicity yet not devoid of moving melodies, Hollow Fangs isn’t as much an innovation of the thing as much as the thing done at peak quality and skill. The cold tones reinforce the melancholy on display in the chord progressions, while the occasional leads sound more introspective than meandering despite their lack of raw noodlage. While I agree with the spirit of Owlswald‘s criticisms, I cannot deny that I continue to be drawn to this record despite its warts. Hollow Fangs has managed to set itself apart this year while not doing much out of the ordinary, containing that X factor that finds me reaching out to it over and over again.
#4: Blut Aus Nord // Ethereal Horizons – Like all good Blut Aus Nord albums, I had to let this album come to me, but once it did, it shows no signs of letting up. Somehow sidestepping the melodic trappings of the Memoria Vetusta series into something far more hypnotic yet no less deep in scope, Ethereal Horizons places all its stock on triumphant hypnosis. With nods to several chapters towards the band’s era in composition and production alike, the French kings use the building blocks of their dissonant works and claustrophobic atmospheres to construct something liberating and uplifting, with even the momentary bouts of darkness more atmospheric than truly grueling. I suspect we will find Ethereal Horizons to be an important stepping stone for the next chapter of blackened adventure. For now, adjust expectations away from whatever sequel you were hoping for in their litany of journeys and accept the new horizons showing just past the dawn.
#3: Cryptopsy // An Insatiable Violence – I was an admitted latecomer to the Cryptopsy brand, stumbling upon their excellent Book of Suffering EPs some years ago. Consequently, I’ve been a staunch defender of their modern era even as I dove backward into the classics and peculiarities. An Insatiable Violence smacks with a validation of all my affections, keeping the technical might while continuing to grow in groovy, melodic directions. True, I should have been a tad harder on the production of the drum tones than I was in my initial review, but tough tiddlywinks. From the sky-piercing beauty of the solo in the opening track “The Nimis Adoration” to the bookending body blow of “Malignant Needs,” this album remains a quality offering of the most elite of brutal death. Succinct in length but with twice the riff-to-minute factor, Cryptopsy stands supreme at the top of the more violent end of the musical spectrum this year.
#2: Messa // The Spin – While part of me deeply misses the droning elements and slightly crustier tone of Belfry, there’s no denying the spiritual journey this album takes me on with each listen. The embodiment of a grower, what begins as a somewhat underwhelming (compared to previous efforts) listen slowly unfurls itself to be an excellently realized, meticulously composed release. Look no further than album highlight “The Dress” for riffs that border more on twangy than “crushing” and yet pack the spirit of the doomiest doom in each measure. Vocalist Sara continues to up her harmonization game with double and triple-tracked melodies that reach right into my soul. Though The Spin is relatively light in guitar tone, each listen reveals a weight and power hidden from track to track, and the fantastic album closer “Thicker Blood” instinctively has me reaching out to replay the album as soon as it ends. Truly gorgeous.
#1: Aran Angmar // Ordo Diabolicum – Since plucking this record at random with no prior knowledge or expectations from the pit, Aran Angmar has stuck with me through professional and personal challenges and victories, tragedies and triumphs, in a manner befitting the greatest of Greek black metal. The harmonized leads in “Chariots of Fire” still dwell rent-free in my head, and the wailing clean vocals of the kickoff track “Dungeons of the Damned” still get my blood pumping every time. Excellent for cleaning your impossibly filthy house, working on a long overdue job project, or slaughtering your enemies by the hundreds in equal measure, Ordo Diabolicum is the sound of perseverance rewarded, of effort given and blood shed for a higher purpose, and actually witnessing the payoff with your own eyes. Sidestepping the tropes of evil for something so supremely triumphant is a move that has paid big dividends for this outfit, and while blackened to its core, few soundtracks have encouraged me to keep on keepin’ on like this has. A monstrous record to declare war on whatever oppresses you.
Honorable Mentions:
- Mutagenic Host // The Diseased Machine – Designed to reduce one’s gluteus maximus into a shape far more concave, this is a youthful release wise beyond its years in bringing the pain and infecting all in its wake.
- Qrixkuor // The Womb of the World – Bringing in an actual symphonic performance has somehow rendered this cavernous sound even more daunting. At once engaging and uncomfortable, this is an album for those who find beauty in the most repulsive of darkened shrines.
ClarkKent
When I first discovered the Angry Metal Guy blog back in 2021,4 it was during a period of transition in my life, as COVID spurred a career transition out of teaching and, eventually, into data analytics. At the time, my metal tastes were limited to more well-known acts like Metallica and Iron Maiden, with forays into Opeth, Enslaved, and Ayreon. Boy, did this blog expand my horizon. Between taking online classes and staying home with my two kids, I devoured AMG reviews and dove into the vast ocean of metal acts that both the writers and commenters introduced me to. And then, when Angry Metal Guy put out the casting call later that year, I was out of a job and always wanted to be a writer, so I thought, Why not? Little did I know this decision would see me stored in a freezer for four long years. Thankfully, when I thawed out last year, it was with four great guys who all kept each other sane during our n00bship: Alekhines Gun, Tyme, Killjoy, and Owlswald. I’m happy to have had their camaraderie and friendship, and I’m stoked that all five of us were demoted to staff writers. I am also grateful to Steel Druhm and Angry Metal Guy for bringing me aboard, despite my horrid taste, and to Dolphin Whisperer and Maddog for their helpful tips and feedback on my drafts. As Steel would say, you guys were gentle, yet brutal, and in the best possible way. With 2025 proving a stressful year, largely due to increasing work demands, listening to promos and writing reviews has proven a helpful outlet. I’m looking forward to an awesome 2026.
#ish. Bloodletter // Leave the Light Behind — While staying true to their melothrash sound, Bloodletter continues to improve in their songwriting year after year. This is easily their best and my favorite thrash record of the year, in a year where not much thrash really stood out to me. The tight songwriting, the energy, and the melodic leads are all top-notch, and this one stands up even after repeated spins.
#10. Wings of Steel // Winds of Time — This was one of my favorite reviews to write in 2025. Not just because the album was big and fun, with big bombastic numbers like the opening song “Winds of Time,” or tight and speedy cuts like “Saints and Sinners,” or ballads like “Crying,” or my song of the year, “Flight of the Eagle.” It gave me the rare opportunity to write fart jokes and the even rarer chance to “steal” a promo from Steel. So many throwback classic metal bands sound like they belong in that older time, but Wings of Steel sound timeless—they could belong in the new and the then all at the same time.
#9. Besna // Krásno — While I’m not typically drawn to post-metal, Besna’s Krásno proves an exception. The harsh guitar tones and vocals provide an alluring contrast with the catchy melodic tremolos. Despite its brief length, this is a surprisingly progressive album. Each song reveals a beauty to Besna’s songwriting and musicianship, and that album art is gorgeous, to boot. I love everything Besna does here, and this proved to be just the beginning of what was a strong start to 2025.
#8. Green Carnation // A Dark Poem Part I: The Shores of Melancholia — I’m glad Doc Grier introduced Green Carnation to me when Leaves of Yesteryear topped his 2020 list. I love this band, and this record is no exception. It has six tracks of pure earworm and ends up being one of the catchiest albums of the year. These guys know how to write songs that make you feel good and want to dance and sing along to. What’s more exciting is that this is the first of a planned trilogy, so hopefully that means we don’t have to wait long for the next one.
#7. Phantom Spell // Heather and Hearth — Heather and Hearth is like a time machine, one taking you back to ’70s era prog. Man, it’s a lot of fun. It’s catchy and bright—a shining beacon amidst a horde of brutal, violent metal. This is packed to the gills with hooks, from spry riffs to feel-good synths to memorable choruses. Metal rarely puts a smile on your face without sounding like cheesy power metal à la Fellowship, but Phantom Spell does it here. Apparently, this kind of bright and cheery metal was just what I needed this year, and it proved a nice summer balm.
#6. Atlantic // Timeworn — When I first listened to this earlier in the year, I just assumed it was the work of an established, well-known band. So it was a surprise to learn Timeworn was actually the debut from a relative newcomer in Callan Hoy. Something about 2025 has drawn me towards these uplifting albums that burst with good feelings and catchy melodies. For the 34 minutes I spend with this, I just get lost in the currents of the tremolos and blast beats and, at least for a moment, live in a world of calm and bliss.
#5. In the Woods… // Otra — This sort of melodic, catchy metal is my kryptonite. In the Woods… plays the kind of songs that get lodged in my brain, and I start whistling them while doing my grocery shopping, drawing funny looks. I’d never heard of these guys until Grier’s review earlier this year, and now I’m thinking maybe I should dive into their back catalog. More worryingly, this is the second album on my list that Grier gave a glowing review for. That means either he actually has good taste, or my taste is just as bad as his.
#4. Oromet // The Sinking Isle — If I had a time machine, I’d go back and rate this one a little higher. This isn’t a “marathon” like some of Bell Witch’s records, nor a piece of crushing funeral doom, nor one that makes extensive use of silence. It is introspective, full of surprises, and melodic. It also came at a period in my life when work was particularly stressful. Playing this helped provide me with some solace and calm as I took in the beautiful compositions. These guys have a bright future ahead of them.
#3. Deafheaven // Lonely People with Power — After the misstep that was Infinite Granite, it’s nice to see Deafheaven back to form. I was ready to write them off, but thanks to Doom_et_Al’s impassioned words, I excitedly dove in. I’m glad I did. I now know their form of shoegaze-y black metal is divisive among metal fans (I was clueless about this fact when I first discovered them), but I don’t care, and I still love it. It’s just so easy to get lost in those lush guitar tones and harsh rasps. It’s tough to pick out any one tune as a standout because it’s the experience of the record as a whole that is so rewarding.
#2. In Mourning // The Immortal — This is a remarkable piece of melodic progressive death. I hadn’t heard of In Mourning until Kenstrosity and the other AMG staffers started talking them up ahead of this release. It seems I’ve really missed out and need to fix that. The Immortal is just about perfect. From song craft to musical performances, these guys nail it. From the beautiful guitar tones to the excellent combo of clean and harsh vox to the memorable melodies, The Immortal is an emotional tour de force that grows more majestic with each spin.
#1. Tómarúm // Beyond Obsidian Euphoria — When I first moved away from more mainstream metal acts, it was progressive death bands like Tómarúm that drew me in. Opeth, Between the Buried and Me, Enslaved, and Ayreon opened up my ears to the reward of listening to songs that reveal new layers and depth with repeated listening. Each year, one or two prog death records climb high in my rankings, and this year that mantle belongs to Tómarúm. This record is massive, and the more time I spend with it, the more depths I plumb, and I find that it contains never-ending riches. There are just so many surprises—the technicality, the speed, the melodies—even some flutes! As great as the debut was, these guys have only gotten better and have earned a spot as one of my current favorites in the genre, along with Iotunn and Dvne. This is the kind of album I love to get lost in—it’s pure bliss.
Honorable Mentions
- Empyrean Sanctum // Detachment from Reality — This passion project from Justin Kellerman may not have impressed my Rodeo-mates as much as me, but I strongly connected with it due to dynamic songwriting and inspired performances.
- Skaldr // Samsr — This was initially a lot higher on my list, but it didn’t hold up as well as it did back in January. Still, it’s a remarkable bit of melodic black metal and good enough to rank as among the best of 2025.
- Aephenamer // Utopie — Melodic and symphonic metal with superb songwriting? Sign me up. This latest from Aephenamer is just so dynamic and fun, and it’s another great effort from a reliably high-quality group. The last couple of songs are absolute beauties.
- An Abstract Illusion // The Sleeping City — This may not be as strong as their older stuff, but it’s still incredibly moving. The introduction of synths charts a new direction for the band, but they make it work with some gorgeous atmospherics.
Songs o’ the Year
1. Wings of Steel — “Flight of the Eagle” 2. Lord of the Lost — “One of Us Will Be Next” 3. In the Woods — “Let Me Sing” 4. Hanging Garden — “Morgan’s Trail” 5. Fer de Lance — “Fires on the Mountainside” 6. Tómarúm — “Shed this Erroneous Skin” 7. Green Carnation — “In Your Paradise” 8. Structure — “Will I Deserve It?” 9. Atlantic — “Voyages” 10. In Mourning — “Staghorn” 11. Dolven — “You’ve Chosen”
Owlswald
I’ve finally made it to the end of my first year on staff, culminating with my inaugural list. This time last year, I was deep in the throes of my n00bdom and watched from the dark confines of the dungeon as many of my Freezer Crew brethren shared their initial staff lists. And as stoked as I was for my mates, I couldn’t help but feel a bit jealous that I was still toiling with cleanup detail as an unnamed shadow. But the wheel of ascent turns for us all. After a few more months surviving on table scraps and standing water, our Managing Ape unlocked my cage, releasing me at last into the aviary and the promised start of my pledged service bound labor.
Though my escape from the rookery took longer, that extended time was not without its merits. Reviewing is a skill that must be honed like any other, and although metal—and music generally—has been an essential part of my life since I was young, it has admittedly taken longer for me to truly articulate the “why.” Anyone can declare an album “good” or “bad,” but developing and communicating the rationale is an entirely different discipline. A discipline that I believe I have improved over my first year as a writer here, and one that I look forward to developing further with more time in the seat.
My thanks go out, first and foremost, to Steel and AMG Himself for granting me the opportunity to contribute to this very special, longstanding community and for the monumental trust they have placed in me. Specifically, the trust that I wouldn’t utterly trash the place—a faith I’ve done my best to test (More on one attempt below). I must also thank my fellow writers—both old and new, including those now in the annals of AMG—who I’ve read for years and whose work continues to inspire me. And last, but certainly not least, I thank all of you who read, comment and visit the site regularly. The reality that my thoughts command even a sliver of your precious time remains utterly surreal. For that connection, I am truly honored.
Taking this good energy and running with it, let’s get to the list!
#ish. Harvested // Dysthymia – I wouldn’t have believed you if you’d told me at the start of the year that my first list would be kicked off by an unsigned band. But here we are, and Harvested’s self-released debut, Dysthymia, deserves the honor because it fucking rules. Operating in the sweet spot between Decapitated and Cattle Decapitation, the album boasts one of the best guitar tones of the year. These Canadians flaunt a songwriting maturity that many veteran groups twice their age still haven’t found—a sound that is as bone-crushingly heavy as it is technically brutal. I have been spinning Dysthymia regularly since its release, and highlight tracks like “Unending Madness” and “Gathered and Deluded” make primo Heavy Moves Heavy additions.
#10. Jade // Mysteries of a Flowery Dream – Some albums demand the right conditions and the listener’s utmost attention to enjoy fully, and Jade’s Mysteries of a Flowery Dream is such a record. Though it took a while for their sophomore effort to envelop me in its dark, murky, and oscillating guise, I’m glad I remained patient because the payoff was huge. This Barcelonian quartet has created a sensory-rich listening experience that is as immersive as it is complex and dynamic, featuring superb songwriting intertwined with recurrent themes and soaring leads that ensure the album’s 43 minutes feel unified and purposeful. Achieving this level of cohesive, complex dynamism is a feat that is incredibly hard to execute well, which makes Mysteries of a Flowery Dream all the more impressive.
#9. Pillars of Cacophony // Paralipomena – Each year, one tech-death record usually carves out a spot on my list. Last year, Apogean’s Cyberstrictive set an incredibly high bar, taking album of the year honors with its near-perfect blend of hook-laden guitar maneuvers and groove-focused rhythms. While tech-death won’t be repeating as champion in 2025, Pillars of Cacophony are nonetheless representing the genre in a major way with Paralipomena. The album showcases multi-instrumentalist Dominik’s talents in crafting unsettling, unpredictable soundscapes filled with propulsive fretwork, dissonant phrases, and kinetic rhythmic patterns. Drawing directly from Dominik’s own research as a bioscientist, Paralipomena coils science with the aural might of death metal to create a record that is as conceptually authentic as it is musically captivating.
#8. King Witch // III – Doom—and more specifically stoner—has always been hit-or-miss to these ears. But on III, Scotland’s King Witch grabbed the best parts of the genre and compressed them into a Seattle-made mold of hard rock and grunge that immediately won me over. The album is the culmination of the group’s artistic evolution, combining the strong songwriting of their debut with the dynamic shifts of their follow-up. Guitarist Jamie Gilchrist and bassist Rory Lee assemble a sophisticated foundation of earthmoving, genre-bending riffs that perfectly augment the star power of vocalist Laura Donnelly, whose Chris Cornell-like range and Janis Joplin grit give the material undeniable power and command. The result is a sound that elevates III far beyond typical doom boundaries into one of the year’s best records.
#7. Agriculture // The Spiritual Sound – I initially missed Agriculture’s self-titled debut and follow-up EP, so The Spiritual Sound was my first introduction to this Californian black metal outfit. But after months of having this record on constant rotation—and seeing their live show—I can confidently conclude they are one of the most innovative and unique black metal groups operating right now. Self-dubbed as “ecstatic black metal,” Agriculture shatters convention by challenging the dark extremity of the genre with a patchwork of math rock, shoegaze, noise, and folk influences. Powered by Leah Levinson’s manic, shifting vocals and inventive guitar work from Dan Meyer and Richard Chowenhill, The Spiritual Sound is a genre-defying record that is both unpredictable and intensely authentic.
#6. Cryptopsy // An Insatiable Violence – Outside of my admiration for fellow drummer extraordinaire Flo Mounier, I have to admit that I had more or less forgotten about Cryptopsy after 2012’s self-titled album. Thanks to my fellow Freezer Crew brother Alekhines Gun, I gave them another go, and An Insatiable Violence hit me like a ton of bricks, forcing me to quickly figure out how to start begging these Canadians for forgiveness. From Matt McGachy’s unique, manic screams to Mounier’s pummeling gravity blasts and double-bass to Christian Donaldson’s “waltz-rooted chuggathons” and fret noises, every aspect of An Insatiable Violence is crystal clear, full of groove and hits like a fucking tank. Needless to say, I won’t be making the same mistake twice, and these death metal legends now have my full attention again.
#5. …and Oceans // The Regeneration Itinerary – Being a longtime fan of these multifarious Finns, I rejoiced when they returned from an extended hiatus in 2020 with Cosmic World Mother. Yet, as strong as that album—and follow-up As in Gardens, So in Tombs—was, it didn’t have the same symphonic and eclectic oomph as The Dynamic Gallery of Thoughts or The Symmetry of I – The Circle of O. Much to my pleasure, The Regeneration Itinerary is a riveting return to form for …and Oceans, returning to their symphonic, frenetic and blackened sound of yore while maintaining the incisiveness of their modern form. This album is peppered with their classic trademarks, and “Prophetical Mercury Implement” is the best song the group has written in decades. After taking a couple of albums to get their groove back, The Regeneration Itinerary is evidence that …and Oceans has found it again.
#4. Messa // The Spin – Messa’s fourth full-length marks the second doom record on my list (and the second led by a badass frontwoman). On The Spin, Messa continues to evolve their progressive identity, imbuing their sound with flavors of 80’s dark post-punk and gothic rock that evoke the haunting architecture of early Killing Joke. While Sara’s vocals may not possess the same boisterous power as Laura Donnelly’s, her spellbinding presence and seductive delivery make The Spin simply irresistible. Guitarist Alberto complements Sara’s bewitching and buttery croons with sparkling arpeggios and overdriven solos steeped heavily in the classic occult groups of the ’70s. It’s clear Messa is operating on a completely different level than their peers, and I can’t get enough of The Spin.
#3. Buried Realm // The Dormant Darkness – You always remember your first. Buried Realm’s The Dormant Darkness was my first full review on staff, a record that I am forever grateful Twelve decided to waive his seniority over and allow my newly-clipped wings to review because it ended up surprising the hell out of me. Josh Dummer’s technical melodeath project came out firing on all cylinders with its third album, upping the virtuosity with a slew of new guests. It is full of highlights, memorable hooks, and technically impressive solos and is a non-stop blast. In fact, I loved The Dormant Darkness so much that I committed the cardinal sin of breaking the score counter immediately—an action that can quickly get one thrown into the woodchipper of despair. Luckily, I am still here to tell the tale, and now I have my love of The Dormant Darkness to show for it.
#2. Tómarúm // Beyond Obsidian Euphoria – If there was ever a year for me to look for a #1A/#1B scenario, this would have been it, as I floundered back and forth between this album and my #1 pick. Chalk it up to indecision or whatever you must, but ultimately, one can’t go wrong with either in this instance. In short, Tómarúm’s Beyond Obsidian Euphoria is long-form progressive death metal greatness. Razor-sharp technicality, sparkling melodicism, and excellent songwriting form a weighty spirit that counterbalances crushing heft with airy refrains that move and flow seamlessly across its rewarding 70-minute runtime. There isn’t much more I can say here that Sponge-fren Ken‘s aptly penned review didn’t capture already, outside of stating that Tómarúm‘s opus is as close to perfect in both structure and execution as one can get. To put it simply, it’s a triumph.
#1. In Mourning // The Immortal – Speaking of perfection, In Mourning have achieved such a standard with their latest melodeath offering, The Immortal. After our Almighty Overlord listened to The Immortal following the flurry of votes the record received for August’s Record O’ the Month, he responded with a few choice words that captured my thoughts about the album succinctly: “Damn…” he said. “They nailed this. Well, that’s easy.” But I think that is even an understatement for how incredibly awesome this album is, and, doing one better, I don’t think many have grasped it yet, either. With their seventh album, these Swedes have found the perfect combination of their patented Opethian death metal chuggery, sadboi melodies, and creative dynamism, resulting in a sound rich in emotional depth with more digestible hooks than one can handle. I’m talking hooks—both riffs and vocal melodies—that dig deep into your psyche and never let go. They connect on a different level—a telltale sign we’re dealing with a classic. A decade from now, when In Mourning has hopefully amassed an even deeper discography, should the question arise—”What is the most essential melodeath album of the last ten years?”—I’m willing to bet The Immortal will be the resounding answer.
Honorable Mentions
- Mutagenic Host // The Diseased Machine – I miss Edge of Sanity with a passion, but Mutagenic Host’s The Diseased Machine is helping stem my longing—at least temporarily. These newcomers kicked off 2025 with an absolutely filthy dose of death metal that hasn’t stopped invading my playlist.
- Abigail Williams // A Void Within Existence – While 2019’s Walk Beyond the Dark was one hell of a record, A Void Within Existence may very well surpass it. Drummer Mike Heller codifies the attack, as Ken Sorceron and company unleash an all-out assault of crushing weight and unrelenting groove.
- Bianca // Bianca – Despite its late arrival hindering its consideration for a higher ranking, these Italians clearly have something special brewing with their self-titled debut. An enchanting mix of ethereality and chilling blackened soundscapes that is worth hearing immediately.
- Ambush // Evil in All Dimensions – Heavy metal group Ambush lived up to their name when they absolutely ambushed my ears and eyes with their nostalgic blend of 80’s Maiden, Priest, and Helloween, replete with their oh-so-tight fashion. Vocalist Oskar Jacobsson is poised to be the genre’s next colossal talent. Remember—you heard it here first.
- Fallujah // Xenotaph – Following the heavily criticized 2019 effort, Undying Light, it took six years for these tech-death masters to regroup and recalibrate. But Fallujah delivered a massive surprise with Xenotaph, easily one of their strongest—and best sounding—records to date. Here’s to hoping this reinvigorated momentum holds true.
Song o’ the Year
Ambush // “Bending the Steel” – This surprise pick eventually knocked …and Oceans’ “Prophetical Mercury Implement” from the top spot. It’s a brilliant piece of songwriting that would have immediately launched this act to superstardom had it only been released four decades earlier. 100% nostalgia and cold, hard steel.
#AndOceans #2025 #AbigailWilliams #Aephenamer #Agriculture #AlekhinesGunS #Ambush #AnAbstractIllusion #AncientDeath #AranAngmar #Atlantic #Besna #Bianca #BlogLists #Bloodletter #BlutAusNord #BuriedRealm #ClarkKentSAndOwlswaldSTopTenIshOf2025 #Cryptopsy #Deafheaven #EmpyreanSanctum #Fallujah #GreenCarnation #Harvested #ImperialTriumphant #InMourning #InTheWoods #Jade #Kalaveraztekah #KingWitch #LabryinthusStellarum #Lists #Messa #MutagenicHost #Oromet #Oskoreien #PhantomSpell #Phobocosm #PillarsOfCacophony #Skaldr #Teitanblood #Tómarúm #WingsOfSteel -
Heavy Moves Heavy 2025 – AMG’s Ultimate Workout Playlist By Thus Spoke
Before I was press-ganged into the Skull Pit, I, Ferox, began curating an exercise playlist named Heavy Moves Heavy. For a decade, I alone reaped the benefits of this creation–many were the hours spent preening aboard my Squat Yacht, mixing oils so that I could marvel at the glistening gainz unlocked by the List. My indentured servitude is your good fortune, because a new and improved version of the Heavy Moves Heavy playlist is now available to all readers of AMG in good standing.1 The lifters among us have spent countless hours in the Exercise Oubliette testing these songs for tensile strength and ideological purity. Enjoy–but don’t listen if you are being screened for PEDs in the near future. This music will cause your free testosterone levels to skyrocket even as it adds length and sheen to your back pelt. ~ Ferox
A year has passed, and now the barbell of honour has been placed on my (regrettably smaller) shoulders as Ferox steps back from the AMG side-quest to focus on his main story. Our leader may be absent, but our search for gains continues with an otherwise full house and new recruits to boot. The songs that guided and shaped our workouts are compiled here in a playlist guaranteed to boost yours, whether you listen on shuffle or straight the way through.1 So what are you waiting for? Down your pre-workout, grab your straps and your knee-sleeves, and get ready to get massive. ~ Thus Spoke
Thus Spoke Enters Muscle Mommy Mode:
“Silence like the Grave” // Paradise Lost (Ascension) – Straightforwardly solid, catchy, sharp, with a killer atmosphere. Insta-playlist save when the single dropped. Paradise Lost back on top-form and just time to give you the energy for moving heavy things.
“Magnolia” // Deafheaven (Lonely People with Power) – Oh yeah, I’m dead serious. Sorry not sorry to any haters out there. This is four minutes and change of unqualified emotion and racing thoughts and it gets my blood running hot every damn time.
“Against the Dying of the Light” // Dormant Ordeal (Tooth and Nail) – Unironically motivating in a way presumably not intended. Just when you want to quit, that roar of “raaage, RAAAAAAGGGE,” and the impeccable drum and guitar work come in to see you through.
“Condemnesia” // Cytotoxin (Biographyte) – The devastation of a currently-occurring nuclear disaster—complete with a frantically clicking geiger counter and a witness’ agonised moans—portrayed through slick, punchy tech-death. Do I need to explain?
“Perfida Contracçao do Aço” // Filii Nigrantium Infernalium (Perfida Contracçao do Aço) – I wouldn’t normally go for something like this; the vocals are kind of horrible. But the energetic ridiculousness is so fucking feral it takes you beyond pumped and into crazed maniac territory; which is obviously ideal for the gym.
“DNA (Do Not Amputate)” // To the Grave (Still) – Mean, melodic, and with a message, there’s nothing about this that doesn’t work while lifting. If I’m going to include any deathcore in the playlist at all, then it has to be To the Grave.
“Eunuch Maker” // Depravity (Bestial Possession) – If your resting-murder-face, hoodie, and headphones aren’t enough to keep people from having the audacity to speak to you, then listening to this could help. It’s massive, and fun as hell, and will make you look extra mean through osmosis, I guarantee.
“Architects of Extinction” // Psycroptic (Architects of Extinction) – Banger alert. The change in vocals makes this a smidge less strong than it otherwise would be, but c’mon; a riff that good has got to be anabolic.
“Amaranth” // Nephylim (Circuition) – My dopamine-fixation song for the best part of a month. It’s uplifting, it’s catchy, it’s infinitely replayable. What more do you want?
“Natural Law” // Primitive Man (Observance) – It’s not too long, it’s a very important, massive chunk of overwhelming heaviness that makes me feel ten times the size and heft I actually am. You can get through all three (or however many) sets with spare time to admire the pump.
“Deathless” // Phobocosm (Gateway) – Monstrous, massive, intense. Fast and furious isn’t always it; more and more, I crave slow, oppressive, and malevolent. It’s just what I crave to dig deeper.
“1918 Pt 3: ADE (A duty to escape)” // 1914 (Viribus Unitis) – It took less than a single complete playthrough for this to end up on this list. It’s heavy enough for leg day, and it’s atmospheric and moving in that perfect way that helps you dissociate from how much your body hurts. I’ve had it on repeat through many a tough session since.
Kenstrosity Bursts Through His Own Workout Gear:
“Rot in the Pit” // Depravity (Bestial Possession) – If there was ever a song that eradicated mental blocks to that next rep, that next PR, that next push, it’s “Rot in the Pit.” Boasting mountain-moving swagger and a center riff that risks greater injury to my body than any ego lift could ever approach, Depravity penned a bona fide gymstormer with “Rot in the Pit.”
“Summoning Sickness” // Pedestal for Leviathan (Enter: Vampyric Manifestation) – Imagine getting legs so powerful and swole they force your gait to change—but you’re doing it in the basement of your Transylvanian vampire castle with Igor loading up weights on the bar for your next PR. That’s what “Summoning Sickness” feels like when I’m pushing
“Nachthexe” // Bianca (Bianca) – You wouldn’t expect something that dabbles so heavily in atmosphere to possess such meaty muscle as this, but Bianca’s “Nachthexe” proves the might of the sleeper build. Once they take of the airy, soft pump cover, a devastating topology of deadly power ripples just under the skin.
“The Insufferable Weight” // Barren Path (Grieving) – Don’t let the lighter weights I’m lugging around fool you. Volume days are fucking brutal, and a challenge for both my mind and my body. Barren Path’s “The Insufferable Weight” adrenalizes me with it’s speed and brutal rhythms just enough to survive those endless reps.
“Granfalloon” // Unbirth (Asomatous Besmirchment) – Unbirth is the pool from which some the nastiest, grooviest, and most deceptively complex riffs spawn. This is great fodder for those compound movements that build strength and density. You could pick anything off of Asomatous Besmirchment for such gains, but my preference is “Granfalloon.”
“Kollaps” // Jordsjuk (Naglet til livet) – Black metal? For the gym? You fucking bet. Guaranteed to pull you back from the brink of absolute failure, Jordsjuk’s “Kollaps” thrashes and shimmers with enough vibrancy and verve to make whatever load I’m pushing feel like light weight.
“Infestis” // Igorrr (Amen) – You wouldn’t expect something as weird and wacky as Igorrr to fit in the land of iron and steel, but here we are. With stomping riffs and vicious roars, “Infestis” is top tier workout gear. Great for keeping pace and supporting breath control, you’ll find much progress with Igorrr by your side.
“Flashback (ft. Strawberry Hospital)” // Blind Equation (A Funeral in Purgatory) – Every year I open up one slot for those high intensity workouts where cardio and strength meet. This year, my spotter cheering me on when I’m doing sprints and weighted jumps is Blind Equation’s intense and lightning-fast “Flashback.” Gotta go fast!!!
“Leave the Flesh Behind” // Ashen (Leave the Flesh Behind) – Probably the underdog in the litter, Ashen’s “Leave the Flesh” behind is all muscle, and a mountain of it at that. These riffs represent both the immovable object and the unstoppable force. One day, I hope to be like them.
“12 Worm Wounds” // Death Whore (Blood Washes Everything Away) – It was difficult to narrow down a selection from Death Whore’s lean and mean debut, but I keep coming back to the swaggering riffs of “12 Worm Wounds” went I need motivation for that next lift. It just makes everything I’m doing seem like the most fun I’ll ever have.
“The Fire in Which We Burn” // …and Oceans (The Regeneration Itinerary) – Boasting what I consider to be the single best black metal riff of 2025, …and Oceans greatly surprised me with a swaggering barnstormer of a track ready made to stoke the fire in my chest for a second wind. Hand me another set of plates, it’s time to go up for one more set!
“Never Difiled” // Serenity in Murder (Timeless Reverie) – Who needs to spell correctly when you have hundreds of pounds to push on the bar? This is the question I ask whenever the adrenaline-soaked “Never Difiled” plays as I rack up the plates for my next set. Nobody’s ever been able to give me an answer.
“The Twisted Helix” // Mutagenic Host (The Diseased Machine) – They say genetics play a huge role in what kind of gains you can expect to achieve naturally in the gym. Well, I’m an ectomorph so it’s tough—and takes a lot more time—to build and maintain muscle. The solution? Twist my helixes and instantly quadruple my gains. Mutagenic Host’s “The Twisted Helix” is just the tool for the job!
“+++Engine Kill+++” // Ruinous Power (EXTREME DANGER: Prototype Weaponry) – Sometimes you just need something threatening to rip the rails right off the track to hype you up for a grueling session. That’s what songs like Ruinous Power’s “+++Engine Kill+++” are for. Short, to the point, and vicious, it will get your blood surging and your body raring to go.
“Femto’s Theme” // Flummox (Southern Progress) – Something so theatrical doesn’t sound like a natural fit when working out, but the sheer heft and chunky rhythms of Flummox’s “Femto’s Theme” defies those expectations. I’ve been using it for leg days and the results are crazy town! Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself!
Steel Druhm Trains His Ape Arms to Crush the Empire State Building:
“Abandoned Feretrum” // Sepulchral (Beneath the Shroud) – Blending old school black and death noise, Sepulchral mainline pure badger adrenaline and rattlesnake venom into your major muscle groups. Handle those power chugs with care, Brah.
“Necrobotic Enslavement” // Glorious Depravity (Death Never Sleeps) – Taking discarded Morbid Angel riffs and repurposing them to turn a peaceful man rabid is why we have science. Take 2 doses of “Necrobotic Enslavement” 30 minutes before throwing 45 lb plates at people who sit on exercise machines and chat.
“A Scream in the Snow” // Black Soul Horde (Symphony of Chaos) – Trve metal can embiggen the innate desire for strength and raw power like no other, and “A Scream in the Snow” will have you swinging olympic bars to get that sword arm ready for bloody constraint and weightroom glory.
“Eyes on Six” // Biohazard (Divided We Fall) – Loudmouthed tough guys from Brooklyn scream at you to watch your back as they try to snap it with angry riffs and bad attitudes. This is for the caveman living in your reptile brain.
“Carry On” // Nite (Cult of the Serpent Sun) – Badass riffs and Manowar-esque demands that you carry on despite hardships are the crucial things that separate a routine workout from a Herculean trial that transforms you. Carry on to bigness.
“Crusaders” // Starlight Ritual (Rogue Angels) – A dirty, greasy 80s metal anthem that sounds like proto-Iron Maiden is what you need to evolve from tubby baby to a fucking WRATHCHILD. Join this crusade and tip your templar.
“Iron Sign” // Ambush (Evil in All Dimensions) – Unraveling the Riddle of Steel requires a long, hard journey guided only by iron signs. This cut will set you on the right path toward your ferric destiny.
“Bending the Steel” // Ambush (Evil in All Dimensions) – If you’re out there bending the steel, why not get moral support from Ambush with this massive aggressive dose of testosterone and primal motivation? When the singer shouts, “Let’s go, boys!” you’ll feel your strength grow 3 times (plus two!). With an iron will, you gotta keep bending the steel!
“Garuda (Eater of Snakes)” // Brainstorm (Plague of Rats) – Brainstorm write heavy metal for leg day, and Garuda is your feathery guardian iron eagle compelling you to crush that feeble PB. The strong can tell their eagle where to fly and what snakes to eat.
“Beyond Enemy Lines” // Brainstorm (Plague of Rats) – Brainstorm ain’t done with you by a damn sight! If the thundering drums and beefy riffs here don’t get you chalked up and ready for iron warfare, you should take up underwater doily knitting.
Steel-Jacketed Olden Bonus:
“Spark to the Flame” // Winter’s Bane (Redivivus) – One of the greatest gym/workout songs EVER. Lyrics that speak of creating a better version of yourself as you burn in the crucible of effort will help you rise high as those burly riffs hammer your inner coward into moist gum paste.
Grin Reaper Gets Down with the Fitness:
“No Pain, No Gain” // Majestica (Power Train) – Metals of Power and Heft are a must for my workouts, especially stretching and pre-lifting calisthenics. Majestica’s cheesy anthem is perfect montage-fodder, and even though the track is rife with clichéd chestnuts, it features kinetic hooks that gird my gears for what’s to come.
“Storm the Gates” // Soulfly (Chama) – Once I’m limbered up, it’s time to sweat. Max and the boys’ bouncy grooves peddle just the right combination of chest-thumping swagger and ferocity to make sure my next rep sets the tone for a simmering sesh of glorious gainz.
“Skullbattering” // Werewolves (The Ugliest of All) – There’s no better way to keep momentum hurtling forward than with a good ol’ fashioned ode to smashing braincases. Setting the right tone for a workout is paramount, and here Werewolves does not fuck around. There’s nothing pretty or flowery about “Skullbattering,” but if swole is your goal, you need to exorcise the Ugly.
“Anodyne Rust” // Blood Red Throne (Siltskin) – I hurt my shoulder a few years ago, and though stretching and (prescribed) drugs didn’t help much, bulking up did. Exercise slipped out of my routine as work and family commitments grew (as did my waistline), but as I’ve recently knocked the Rust off my dumbbells, I’m reminded of the palliative restoration that comes from pumping iron and death metal.
“Ravenous Leech” // Guts (Nightmare Fuel) – Scuzzy, groovy, and unapologetically fun, Nightmare Fuel is filled to the gills with mid-paced chugs that make a great soundtrack for AMRAP workouts. While most of Guts’ bloody remnants will Fuel your workout, spinning “Ravenous Leech” is sure to leave you hungry for even more punishment.
“By Lead or Steel” // Barbarous (Initium Mors) – Does Cannibal Corpse feature heavily in your gym listening? If so, consider Barbarous, who channels similar vibes and vitriol with less viscera. It’ll make you want to drink motör oil and punch babies, and that’s the kind of shove you need when you’re out on swole patrol.2
“Kaltfront” // Eisbrecher (Kaltfront) – Something about heavy distortion, dance-adjacent electronics, and gravelly vocals makes ‘New German Hardness’ prime listening for calculated and efficient movements. With near imperceptible head bops and a commitment to perfect form, this “Kaltfront” leaves me focused and hard as a block of ice.
“Hope Terminator” // Cytotoxin (Biographyte) – Plenty of great death metal jams spurn gym-list inclusion with slow-build intros, not getting to proper stankin’ until they’re well into the track. Cytotoxin knows better, immediately flaying you with technicality. “Hope Terminator’ is the perfect mid-playlist piece to curb fatigue and keep your spirit engorged.
“Let There Be Oblivion” // Ade (Supplicium) – Rome’s Ade lays down a banger of a riff on “Let There Be Oblivion,” and it’s long and strong enough to push me through a set or two. If I’m struggling during a workout, whether in motivation or physically, I need every ounce of energy I can muster, and songs like this one can be the tipping point.
“Blinding Oblivion” // Depravity (Bestial Possession) – Like Guts’ Nightmare Fuel, Bestial Possession boasts track after track of gym-ready scorchers. I chose “Blinding Oblivion” 1. to maintain consistency with “Let There Be Oblivion” and 2. because something about the subtle melody in the song gives it an air of refreshment that I need as the demands of my workout ramp to a frothing climax.
“Elevator Operator” // Electric Callboy (Elevator Operator) – It’s dumb, it’s trite, and it’s so devastatingly catchy that it sticks in my head for days on end. Most importantly, it makes me want to move things up and down, and I won’t apologize for that.
“Sunlight Covenant” // Spire of Lazarus (Those Who Live in Death) – I don’t dabble in deathcore often, but when I do, it’s usually technical, symphonic, and anthemic. Spire of Lazarus crafts just the right blend of their core components to make “Sunlight Covenant” a certified HMH banger. As a bonus, try to time it so that the track hits on your last set of the day—the melody and backing swells make a triumphant send-off as you clinch the last rep and wipe down the bench. You wiped the bench, right?
“Fossilized” // Ültra Raptör (Fossilized) – This song has stayed close since I first laid ears on it, and not once has it failed to engage the hype machine. Whether warming up, working out, or cooling down, the classic retro riffs and sunglasses-at-night nonchalance define a cool I strive for, and motivation like that is the key to gainz.
Dolph Does Heavy This Time:3
“Mortuary Rites” // Mörtual (Altar of Brutality) – Blood boils fastest with a roto-tom take off followed by a death-thrash pummel. As churning pit energy converts to flared nostrils, focused vision, and engorged fibers at the crack of a incessant stick, find a slow and steady breath as your body prepares for war.
“Tlazolteotl” // Kalaveraztekah (Nikan Axkan) – The beat of a clanging snare threatens whatever weighted structure exists in your path. “Tlazolteotl” marches ever forward through growling twists, hardwood clack, and flute-led guitar abandon. A brief respite of acoustics awaits—but so does the real bulk of this journey.
“Black Scrawl” // Pupil Slicer (Fleshwork) – Feedback, growling bass, pneumatic kicks, and an urgent snarl—Pupil Slicer demands your full thrust. With this affixing hardcore anchor, “Black Scrawl” will carry you to your first peak push with a dragging breakdown coda.
“Swamp Mentality” // The Acacia Strain (You Are Safe from God Here) – Rest does not come to those who push only once, though. The burn of your resolve will light the path in the angst and mire and core-fluid whiplash of “Swamp Mentality.” And Vincent Bennett’s tattered and spit-riddled mic will provide an extra OUGH to your exhale.
“Orphans” // Dormant Ordeal (Tooth and Nail) – If you could tether your pulse to the relentless kick assaults that Chason Westmoreland brings to “Orphans”—all of Tooth and Nail really—your spotter wouldn’t be able to find dial emergency fast enough to save you. Instead, search for the heavier weighted tempo that exists between the pitter-patter as your guide. In this space, relentless and emotive riff runs and lead wails coalesce into one of the most threatening thrash-pit breaks of the year. Harness this power.
“The Great Day of His Wrath” // Blindfolded (What Seeps through Threads) – In vicious harmonized splendor, Blindfolded’s neoclassical scale hopping riffage possesses a buoyancy that is vital to remaining invigored. And whipping around bleating and squealing mic energy with resplendent solo work, “The Great Day of His Wrath” both maintains your demanding schedule and restores a lightness to your being before the heaviest pulls come to play.
“Retina” // Pillars of Cacophony (Paralipomena) – Neoclassical drama, however, doesn’t always seek to restore with its airy play. “Retina” arrives, rather, with a mechanical and and programmed structure that functions as a scaffold upon which ascending scale iterations match your own gradual and gravity-creating climb. As the pinch-happy shuffle sneers in precision stank-face deployment, resist the urge to discharge your steel load into the earth.
“Lunar Tear” // Barren Path (Grieving) – In any routine, no matter how structured, a moment of ferocious release can provide a benefit. Before this playlist enters its most grueling minutes, a lightning-speed romp in the grips of endless blasts and riffs exists to shake off the inertia that can result from testing your limits.
“Heaping Pile of Electrified Gore” // Pissgrave (Malignant Worthlessness) – We are all filth—corpses brought to life by the signals we create. Synapses creating chains from proximal to distal drive our movements from concept to power. Through squelching refrain and lockstep death metal assault, fibers at the edge of their load-bearing capacity persist and persevere in the midst of Pissgrave’s shifting and grimy rhythms.
“Bursting with Life’s True Fruit” // Umulamahri (Learning the Secrets of Acid) – Guttural expression unlocks the last inches of a tough pull. As we channel Doug Moore’s garbage disposal tier phlegmanations into our own tidal vibrations, we visualize the final set. We are victorious. And in a celebratory expression of might, we slip into Umulamahri’s enlightened synth dissolution. Those who float cannot collapse.
#AndOceans #1914 #2025 #Ade #Ambush #Ashen #Barbarous #BarrenPath #Bianca #Biohazard #BlackSoulHorde #BlindEquation #Blindfolded #BloodRedThrone #Brainstorm #Cytotoxin #Deafheaven #DeathWhore #Depravity #DormantOrdeal #Eisbrecher #ElectricCallboy #FiliiNigrantiumInfernalium #Flummox #GloriousDepravity #Guts #HeavyMovesHeavy #Igorr #Jordsjuk #Kalaveraztekah #Majestica #Mortual #MutagenicHost #Nephylim #Nite #ParadiseLost #PedestalForLeviathan #Phobocosm #PillarsOfCacophony #Pissgrave #PrimitiveMan #Psycroptic #PupilSlicer #RuinousPower #Sepulchral #SerenityInMurder #Soulfly #SpireOfLazarus #StarlightRitual #TheAcaciaStrain #ToTheGrave #ÜltraRaptör #Umulamahri #Unbirth #Werewolves #WinterSBane -
Heavy Moves Heavy 2025 – AMG’s Ultimate Workout Playlist By Thus Spoke
Before I was press-ganged into the Skull Pit, I, Ferox, began curating an exercise playlist named Heavy Moves Heavy. For a decade, I alone reaped the benefits of this creation–many were the hours spent preening aboard my Squat Yacht, mixing oils so that I could marvel at the glistening gainz unlocked by the List. My indentured servitude is your good fortune, because a new and improved version of the Heavy Moves Heavy playlist is now available to all readers of AMG in good standing.1 The lifters among us have spent countless hours in the Exercise Oubliette testing these songs for tensile strength and ideological purity. Enjoy–but don’t listen if you are being screened for PEDs in the near future. This music will cause your free testosterone levels to skyrocket even as it adds length and sheen to your back pelt. ~ Ferox
A year has passed, and now the barbell of honour has been placed on my (regrettably smaller) shoulders as Ferox steps back from the AMG side-quest to focus on his main story. Our leader may be absent, but our search for gains continues with an otherwise full house and new recruits to boot. The songs that guided and shaped our workouts are compiled here in a playlist guaranteed to boost yours, whether you listen on shuffle or straight the way through.1 So what are you waiting for? Down your pre-workout, grab your straps and your knee-sleeves, and get ready to get massive. ~ Thus Spoke
Thus Spoke Enters Muscle Mommy Mode:
“Silence like the Grave” // Paradise Lost (Ascension) – Straightforwardly solid, catchy, sharp, with a killer atmosphere. Insta-playlist save when the single dropped. Paradise Lost back on top-form and just time to give you the energy for moving heavy things.
“Magnolia” // Deafheaven (Lonely People with Power) – Oh yeah, I’m dead serious. Sorry not sorry to any haters out there. This is four minutes and change of unqualified emotion and racing thoughts and it gets my blood running hot every damn time.
“Against the Dying of the Light” // Dormant Ordeal (Tooth and Nail) – Unironically motivating in a way presumably not intended. Just when you want to quit, that roar of “raaage, RAAAAAAGGGE,” and the impeccable drum and guitar work come in to see you through.
“Condemnesia” // Cytotoxin (Biographyte) – The devastation of a currently-occurring nuclear disaster—complete with a frantically clicking geiger counter and a witness’ agonised moans—portrayed through slick, punchy tech-death. Do I need to explain?
“Perfida Contracçao do Aço” // Filii Nigrantium Infernalium (Perfida Contracçao do Aço) – I wouldn’t normally go for something like this; the vocals are kind of horrible. But the energetic ridiculousness is so fucking feral it takes you beyond pumped and into crazed maniac territory; which is obviously ideal for the gym.
“DNA (Do Not Amputate)” // To the Grave (Still) – Mean, melodic, and with a message, there’s nothing about this that doesn’t work while lifting. If I’m going to include any deathcore in the playlist at all, then it has to be To the Grave.
“Eunuch Maker” // Depravity (Bestial Possession) – If your resting-murder-face, hoodie, and headphones aren’t enough to keep people from having the audacity to speak to you, then listening to this could help. It’s massive, and fun as hell, and will make you look extra mean through osmosis, I guarantee.
“Architects of Extinction” // Psycroptic (Architects of Extinction) – Banger alert. The change in vocals makes this a smidge less strong than it otherwise would be, but c’mon; a riff that good has got to be anabolic.
“Amaranth” // Nephylim (Circuition) – My dopamine-fixation song for the best part of a month. It’s uplifting, it’s catchy, it’s infinitely replayable. What more do you want?
“Natural Law” // Primitive Man (Observance) – It’s not too long, it’s a very important, massive chunk of overwhelming heaviness that makes me feel ten times the size and heft I actually am. You can get through all three (or however many) sets with spare time to admire the pump.
“Deathless” // Phobocosm (Gateway) – Monstrous, massive, intense. Fast and furious isn’t always it; more and more, I crave slow, oppressive, and malevolent. It’s just what I crave to dig deeper.
“1918 Pt 3: ADE (A duty to escape)” // 1914 (Viribus Unitis) – It took less than a single complete playthrough for this to end up on this list. It’s heavy enough for leg day, and it’s atmospheric and moving in that perfect way that helps you dissociate from how much your body hurts. I’ve had it on repeat through many a tough session since.
Kenstrosity Bursts Through His Own Workout Gear:
“Rot in the Pit” // Depravity (Bestial Possession) – If there was ever a song that eradicated mental blocks to that next rep, that next PR, that next push, it’s “Rot in the Pit.” Boasting mountain-moving swagger and a center riff that risks greater injury to my body than any ego lift could ever approach, Depravity penned a bona fide gymstormer with “Rot in the Pit.”
“Summoning Sickness” // Pedestal for Leviathan (Enter: Vampyric Manifestation) – Imagine getting legs so powerful and swole they force your gait to change—but you’re doing it in the basement of your Transylvanian vampire castle with Igor loading up weights on the bar for your next PR. That’s what “Summoning Sickness” feels like when I’m pushing
“Nachthexe” // Bianca (Bianca) – You wouldn’t expect something that dabbles so heavily in atmosphere to possess such meaty muscle as this, but Bianca’s “Nachthexe” proves the might of the sleeper build. Once they take of the airy, soft pump cover, a devastating topology of deadly power ripples just under the skin.
“The Insufferable Weight” // Barren Path (Grieving) – Don’t let the lighter weights I’m lugging around fool you. Volume days are fucking brutal, and a challenge for both my mind and my body. Barren Path’s “The Insufferable Weight” adrenalizes me with it’s speed and brutal rhythms just enough to survive those endless reps.
“Granfalloon” // Unbirth (Asomatous Besmirchment) – Unbirth is the pool from which some the nastiest, grooviest, and most deceptively complex riffs spawn. This is great fodder for those compound movements that build strength and density. You could pick anything off of Asomatous Besmirchment for such gains, but my preference is “Granfalloon.”
“Kollaps” // Jordsjuk (Naglet til livet) – Black metal? For the gym? You fucking bet. Guaranteed to pull you back from the brink of absolute failure, Jordsjuk’s “Kollaps” thrashes and shimmers with enough vibrancy and verve to make whatever load I’m pushing feel like light weight.
“Infestis” // Igorrr (Amen) – You wouldn’t expect something as weird and wacky as Igorrr to fit in the land of iron and steel, but here we are. With stomping riffs and vicious roars, “Infestis” is top tier workout gear. Great for keeping pace and supporting breath control, you’ll find much progress with Igorrr by your side.
“Flashback (ft. Strawberry Hospital)” // Blind Equation (A Funeral in Purgatory) – Every year I open up one slot for those high intensity workouts where cardio and strength meet. This year, my spotter cheering me on when I’m doing sprints and weighted jumps is Blind Equation’s intense and lightning-fast “Flashback.” Gotta go fast!!!
“Leave the Flesh Behind” // Ashen (Leave the Flesh Behind) – Probably the underdog in the litter, Ashen’s “Leave the Flesh” behind is all muscle, and a mountain of it at that. These riffs represent both the immovable object and the unstoppable force. One day, I hope to be like them.
“12 Worm Wounds” // Death Whore (Blood Washes Everything Away) – It was difficult to narrow down a selection from Death Whore’s lean and mean debut, but I keep coming back to the swaggering riffs of “12 Worm Wounds” went I need motivation for that next lift. It just makes everything I’m doing seem like the most fun I’ll ever have.
“The Fire in Which We Burn” // …and Oceans (The Regeneration Itinerary) – Boasting what I consider to be the single best black metal riff of 2025, …and Oceans greatly surprised me with a swaggering barnstormer of a track ready made to stoke the fire in my chest for a second wind. Hand me another set of plates, it’s time to go up for one more set!
“Never Difiled” // Serenity in Murder (Timeless Reverie) – Who needs to spell correctly when you have hundreds of pounds to push on the bar? This is the question I ask whenever the adrenaline-soaked “Never Difiled” plays as I rack up the plates for my next set. Nobody’s ever been able to give me an answer.
“The Twisted Helix” // Mutagenic Host (The Diseased Machine) – They say genetics play a huge role in what kind of gains you can expect to achieve naturally in the gym. Well, I’m an ectomorph so it’s tough—and takes a lot more time—to build and maintain muscle. The solution? Twist my helixes and instantly quadruple my gains. Mutagenic Host’s “The Twisted Helix” is just the tool for the job!
“+++Engine Kill+++” // Ruinous Power (EXTREME DANGER: Prototype Weaponry) – Sometimes you just need something threatening to rip the rails right off the track to hype you up for a grueling session. That’s what songs like Ruinous Power’s “+++Engine Kill+++” are for. Short, to the point, and vicious, it will get your blood surging and your body raring to go.
“Femto’s Theme” // Flummox (Southern Progress) – Something so theatrical doesn’t sound like a natural fit when working out, but the sheer heft and chunky rhythms of Flummox’s “Femto’s Theme” defies those expectations. I’ve been using it for leg days and the results are crazy town! Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself!
Steel Druhm Trains His Ape Arms to Crush the Empire State Building:
“Abandoned Feretrum” // Sepulchral (Beneath the Shroud) – Blending old school black and death noise, Sepulchral mainline pure badger adrenaline and rattlesnake venom into your major muscle groups. Handle those power chugs with care, Brah.
“Necrobotic Enslavement” // Glorious Depravity (Death Never Sleeps) – Taking discarded Morbid Angel riffs and repurposing them to turn a peaceful man rabid is why we have science. Take 2 doses of “Necrobotic Enslavement” 30 minutes before throwing 45 lb plates at people who sit on exercise machines and chat.
“A Scream in the Snow” // Black Soul Horde (Symphony of Chaos) – Trve metal can embiggen the innate desire for strength and raw power like no other, and “A Scream in the Snow” will have you swinging olympic bars to get that sword arm ready for bloody constraint and weightroom glory.
“Eyes on Six” // Biohazard (Divided We Fall) – Loudmouthed tough guys from Brooklyn scream at you to watch your back as they try to snap it with angry riffs and bad attitudes. This is for the caveman living in your reptile brain.
“Carry On” // Nite (Cult of the Serpent Sun) – Badass riffs and Manowar-esque demands that you carry on despite hardships are the crucial things that separate a routine workout from a Herculean trial that transforms you. Carry on to bigness.
“Crusaders” // Starlight Ritual (Rogue Angels) – A dirty, greasy 80s metal anthem that sounds like proto-Iron Maiden is what you need to evolve from tubby baby to a fucking WRATHCHILD. Join this crusade and tip your templar.
“Iron Sign” // Ambush (Evil in All Dimensions) – Unraveling the Riddle of Steel requires a long, hard journey guided only by iron signs. This cut will set you on the right path toward your ferric destiny.
“Bending the Steel” // Ambush (Evil in All Dimensions) – If you’re out there bending the steel, why not get moral support from Ambush with this massive aggressive dose of testosterone and primal motivation? When the singer shouts, “Let’s go, boys!” you’ll feel your strength grow 3 times (plus two!). With an iron will, you gotta keep bending the steel!
“Garuda (Eater of Snakes)” // Brainstorm (Plague of Rats) – Brainstorm write heavy metal for leg day, and Garuda is your feathery guardian iron eagle compelling you to crush that feeble PB. The strong can tell their eagle where to fly and what snakes to eat.
“Beyond Enemy Lines” // Brainstorm (Plague of Rats) – Brainstorm ain’t done with you by a damn sight! If the thundering drums and beefy riffs here don’t get you chalked up and ready for iron warfare, you should take up underwater doily knitting.
Steel-Jacketed Olden Bonus:
“Spark to the Flame” // Winter’s Bane (Redivivus) – One of the greatest gym/workout songs EVER. Lyrics that speak of creating a better version of yourself as you burn in the crucible of effort will help you rise high as those burly riffs hammer your inner coward into moist gum paste.
Grin Reaper Gets Down with the Fitness:
“No Pain, No Gain” // Majestica (Power Train) – Metals of Power and Heft are a must for my workouts, especially stretching and pre-lifting calisthenics. Majestica’s cheesy anthem is perfect montage-fodder, and even though the track is rife with clichéd chestnuts, it features kinetic hooks that gird my gears for what’s to come.
“Storm the Gates” // Soulfly (Chama) – Once I’m limbered up, it’s time to sweat. Max and the boys’ bouncy grooves peddle just the right combination of chest-thumping swagger and ferocity to make sure my next rep sets the tone for a simmering sesh of glorious gainz.
“Skullbattering” // Werewolves (The Ugliest of All) – There’s no better way to keep momentum hurtling forward than with a good ol’ fashioned ode to smashing braincases. Setting the right tone for a workout is paramount, and here Werewolves does not fuck around. There’s nothing pretty or flowery about “Skullbattering,” but if swole is your goal, you need to exorcise the Ugly.
“Anodyne Rust” // Blood Red Throne (Siltskin) – I hurt my shoulder a few years ago, and though stretching and (prescribed) drugs didn’t help much, bulking up did. Exercise slipped out of my routine as work and family commitments grew (as did my waistline), but as I’ve recently knocked the Rust off my dumbbells, I’m reminded of the palliative restoration that comes from pumping iron and death metal.
“Ravenous Leech” // Guts (Nightmare Fuel) – Scuzzy, groovy, and unapologetically fun, Nightmare Fuel is filled to the gills with mid-paced chugs that make a great soundtrack for AMRAP workouts. While most of Guts’ bloody remnants will Fuel your workout, spinning “Ravenous Leech” is sure to leave you hungry for even more punishment.
“By Lead or Steel” // Barbarous (Initium Mors) – Does Cannibal Corpse feature heavily in your gym listening? If so, consider Barbarous, who channels similar vibes and vitriol with less viscera. It’ll make you want to drink motör oil and punch babies, and that’s the kind of shove you need when you’re out on swole patrol.2
“Kaltfront” // Eisbrecher (Kaltfront) – Something about heavy distortion, dance-adjacent electronics, and gravelly vocals makes ‘New German Hardness’ prime listening for calculated and efficient movements. With near imperceptible head bops and a commitment to perfect form, this “Kaltfront” leaves me focused and hard as a block of ice.
“Hope Terminator” // Cytotoxin (Biographyte) – Plenty of great death metal jams spurn gym-list inclusion with slow-build intros, not getting to proper stankin’ until they’re well into the track. Cytotoxin knows better, immediately flaying you with technicality. “Hope Terminator’ is the perfect mid-playlist piece to curb fatigue and keep your spirit engorged.
“Let There Be Oblivion” // Ade (Supplicium) – Rome’s Ade lays down a banger of a riff on “Let There Be Oblivion,” and it’s long and strong enough to push me through a set or two. If I’m struggling during a workout, whether in motivation or physically, I need every ounce of energy I can muster, and songs like this one can be the tipping point.
“Blinding Oblivion” // Depravity (Bestial Possession) – Like Guts’ Nightmare Fuel, Bestial Possession boasts track after track of gym-ready scorchers. I chose “Blinding Oblivion” 1. to maintain consistency with “Let There Be Oblivion” and 2. because something about the subtle melody in the song gives it an air of refreshment that I need as the demands of my workout ramp to a frothing climax.
“Elevator Operator” // Electric Callboy (Elevator Operator) – It’s dumb, it’s trite, and it’s so devastatingly catchy that it sticks in my head for days on end. Most importantly, it makes me want to move things up and down, and I won’t apologize for that.
“Sunlight Covenant” // Spire of Lazarus (Those Who Live in Death) – I don’t dabble in deathcore often, but when I do, it’s usually technical, symphonic, and anthemic. Spire of Lazarus crafts just the right blend of their core components to make “Sunlight Covenant” a certified HMH banger. As a bonus, try to time it so that the track hits on your last set of the day—the melody and backing swells make a triumphant send-off as you clinch the last rep and wipe down the bench. You wiped the bench, right?
“Fossilized” // Ültra Raptör (Fossilized) – This song has stayed close since I first laid ears on it, and not once has it failed to engage the hype machine. Whether warming up, working out, or cooling down, the classic retro riffs and sunglasses-at-night nonchalance define a cool I strive for, and motivation like that is the key to gainz.
Dolph Does Heavy This Time:3
“Mortuary Rites” // Mörtual (Altar of Brutality) – Blood boils fastest with a roto-tom take off followed by a death-thrash pummel. As churning pit energy converts to flared nostrils, focused vision, and engorged fibers at the crack of a incessant stick, find a slow and steady breath as your body prepares for war.
“Tlazolteotl” // Kalaveraztekah (Nikan Axkan) – The beat of a clanging snare threatens whatever weighted structure exists in your path. “Tlazolteotl” marches ever forward through growling twists, hardwood clack, and flute-led guitar abandon. A brief respite of acoustics awaits—but so does the real bulk of this journey.
“Black Scrawl” // Pupil Slicer (Fleshwork) – Feedback, growling bass, pneumatic kicks, and an urgent snarl—Pupil Slicer demands your full thrust. With this affixing hardcore anchor, “Black Scrawl” will carry you to your first peak push with a dragging breakdown coda.
“Swamp Mentality” // The Acacia Strain (You Are Safe from God Here) – Rest does not come to those who push only once, though. The burn of your resolve will light the path in the angst and mire and core-fluid whiplash of “Swamp Mentality.” And Vincent Bennett’s tattered and spit-riddled mic will provide an extra OUGH to your exhale.
“Orphans” // Dormant Ordeal (Tooth and Nail) – If you could tether your pulse to the relentless kick assaults that Chason Westmoreland brings to “Orphans”—all of Tooth and Nail really—your spotter wouldn’t be able to find dial emergency fast enough to save you. Instead, search for the heavier weighted tempo that exists between the pitter-patter as your guide. In this space, relentless and emotive riff runs and lead wails coalesce into one of the most threatening thrash-pit breaks of the year. Harness this power.
“The Great Day of His Wrath” // Blindfolded (What Seeps through Threads) – In vicious harmonized splendor, Blindfolded’s neoclassical scale hopping riffage possesses a buoyancy that is vital to remaining invigored. And whipping around bleating and squealing mic energy with resplendent solo work, “The Great Day of His Wrath” both maintains your demanding schedule and restores a lightness to your being before the heaviest pulls come to play.
“Retina” // Pillars of Cacophony (Paralipomena) – Neoclassical drama, however, doesn’t always seek to restore with its airy play. “Retina” arrives, rather, with a mechanical and and programmed structure that functions as a scaffold upon which ascending scale iterations match your own gradual and gravity-creating climb. As the pinch-happy shuffle sneers in precision stank-face deployment, resist the urge to discharge your steel load into the earth.
“Lunar Tear” // Barren Path (Grieving) – In any routine, no matter how structured, a moment of ferocious release can provide a benefit. Before this playlist enters its most grueling minutes, a lightning-speed romp in the grips of endless blasts and riffs exists to shake off the inertia that can result from testing your limits.
“Heaping Pile of Electrified Gore” // Pissgrave (Malignant Worthlessness) – We are all filth—corpses brought to life by the signals we create. Synapses creating chains from proximal to distal drive our movements from concept to power. Through squelching refrain and lockstep death metal assault, fibers at the edge of their load-bearing capacity persist and persevere in the midst of Pissgrave’s shifting and grimy rhythms.
“Bursting with Life’s True Fruit” // Umulamahri (Learning the Secrets of Acid) – Guttural expression unlocks the last inches of a tough pull. As we channel Doug Moore’s garbage disposal tier phlegmanations into our own tidal vibrations, we visualize the final set. We are victorious. And in a celebratory expression of might, we slip into Umulamahri’s enlightened synth dissolution. Those who float cannot collapse.
#AndOceans #1914 #2025 #Ade #Ambush #Ashen #Barbarous #BarrenPath #Bianca #Biohazard #BlackSoulHorde #BlindEquation #Blindfolded #BloodRedThrone #Brainstorm #Cytotoxin #Deafheaven #DeathWhore #Depravity #DormantOrdeal #Eisbrecher #ElectricCallboy #FiliiNigrantiumInfernalium #Flummox #GloriousDepravity #Guts #HeavyMovesHeavy #Igorr #Jordsjuk #Kalaveraztekah #Majestica #Mortual #MutagenicHost #Nephylim #Nite #ParadiseLost #PedestalForLeviathan #Phobocosm #PillarsOfCacophony #Pissgrave #PrimitiveMan #Psycroptic #PupilSlicer #RuinousPower #Sepulchral #SerenityInMurder #Soulfly #SpireOfLazarus #StarlightRitual #TheAcaciaStrain #ToTheGrave #ÜltraRaptör #Umulamahri #Unbirth #Werewolves #WinterSBane -
Heavy Moves Heavy 2025 – AMG’s Ultimate Workout Playlist By Thus Spoke
Before I was press-ganged into the Skull Pit, I, Ferox, began curating an exercise playlist named Heavy Moves Heavy. For a decade, I alone reaped the benefits of this creation–many were the hours spent preening aboard my Squat Yacht, mixing oils so that I could marvel at the glistening gainz unlocked by the List. My indentured servitude is your good fortune, because a new and improved version of the Heavy Moves Heavy playlist is now available to all readers of AMG in good standing.1 The lifters among us have spent countless hours in the Exercise Oubliette testing these songs for tensile strength and ideological purity. Enjoy–but don’t listen if you are being screened for PEDs in the near future. This music will cause your free testosterone levels to skyrocket even as it adds length and sheen to your back pelt. ~ Ferox
A year has passed, and now the barbell of honour has been placed on my (regrettably smaller) shoulders as Ferox steps back from the AMG side-quest to focus on his main story. Our leader may be absent, but our search for gains continues with an otherwise full house and new recruits to boot. The songs that guided and shaped our workouts are compiled here in a playlist guaranteed to boost yours, whether you listen on shuffle or straight the way through.1 So what are you waiting for? Down your pre-workout, grab your straps and your knee-sleeves, and get ready to get massive. ~ Thus Spoke
Thus Spoke Enters Muscle Mommy Mode:
“Silence like the Grave” // Paradise Lost (Ascension) – Straightforwardly solid, catchy, sharp, with a killer atmosphere. Insta-playlist save when the single dropped. Paradise Lost back on top-form and just time to give you the energy for moving heavy things.
“Magnolia” // Deafheaven (Lonely People with Power) – Oh yeah, I’m dead serious. Sorry not sorry to any haters out there. This is four minutes and change of unqualified emotion and racing thoughts and it gets my blood running hot every damn time.
“Against the Dying of the Light” // Dormant Ordeal (Tooth and Nail) – Unironically motivating in a way presumably not intended. Just when you want to quit, that roar of “raaage, RAAAAAAGGGE,” and the impeccable drum and guitar work come in to see you through.
“Condemnesia” // Cytotoxin (Biographyte) – The devastation of a currently-occurring nuclear disaster—complete with a frantically clicking geiger counter and a witness’ agonised moans—portrayed through slick, punchy tech-death. Do I need to explain?
“Perfida Contracçao do Aço” // Filii Nigrantium Infernalium (Perfida Contracçao do Aço) – I wouldn’t normally go for something like this; the vocals are kind of horrible. But the energetic ridiculousness is so fucking feral it takes you beyond pumped and into crazed maniac territory; which is obviously ideal for the gym.
“DNA (Do Not Amputate)” // To the Grave (Still) – Mean, melodic, and with a message, there’s nothing about this that doesn’t work while lifting. If I’m going to include any deathcore in the playlist at all, then it has to be To the Grave.
“Eunuch Maker” // Depravity (Bestial Possession) – If your resting-murder-face, hoodie, and headphones aren’t enough to keep people from having the audacity to speak to you, then listening to this could help. It’s massive, and fun as hell, and will make you look extra mean through osmosis, I guarantee.
“Architects of Extinction” // Psycroptic (Architects of Extinction) – Banger alert. The change in vocals makes this a smidge less strong than it otherwise would be, but c’mon; a riff that good has got to be anabolic.
“Amaranth” // Nephylim (Circuition) – My dopamine-fixation song for the best part of a month. It’s uplifting, it’s catchy, it’s infinitely replayable. What more do you want?
“Natural Law” // Primitive Man (Observance) – It’s not too long, it’s a very important, massive chunk of overwhelming heaviness that makes me feel ten times the size and heft I actually am. You can get through all three (or however many) sets with spare time to admire the pump.
“Deathless” // Phobocosm (Gateway) – Monstrous, massive, intense. Fast and furious isn’t always it; more and more, I crave slow, oppressive, and malevolent. It’s just what I crave to dig deeper.
“1918 Pt 3: ADE (A duty to escape)” // 1914 (Viribus Unitis) – It took less than a single complete playthrough for this to end up on this list. It’s heavy enough for leg day, and it’s atmospheric and moving in that perfect way that helps you dissociate from how much your body hurts. I’ve had it on repeat through many a tough session since.
Kenstrosity Bursts Through His Own Workout Gear:
“Rot in the Pit” // Depravity (Bestial Possession) – If there was ever a song that eradicated mental blocks to that next rep, that next PR, that next push, it’s “Rot in the Pit.” Boasting mountain-moving swagger and a center riff that risks greater injury to my body than any ego lift could ever approach, Depravity penned a bona fide gymstormer with “Rot in the Pit.”
“Summoning Sickness” // Pedestal for Leviathan (Enter: Vampyric Manifestation) – Imagine getting legs so powerful and swole they force your gait to change—but you’re doing it in the basement of your Transylvanian vampire castle with Igor loading up weights on the bar for your next PR. That’s what “Summoning Sickness” feels like when I’m pushing
“Nachthexe” // Bianca (Bianca) – You wouldn’t expect something that dabbles so heavily in atmosphere to possess such meaty muscle as this, but Bianca’s “Nachthexe” proves the might of the sleeper build. Once they take of the airy, soft pump cover, a devastating topology of deadly power ripples just under the skin.
“The Insufferable Weight” // Barren Path (Grieving) – Don’t let the lighter weights I’m lugging around fool you. Volume days are fucking brutal, and a challenge for both my mind and my body. Barren Path’s “The Insufferable Weight” adrenalizes me with it’s speed and brutal rhythms just enough to survive those endless reps.
“Granfalloon” // Unbirth (Asomatous Besmirchment) – Unbirth is the pool from which some the nastiest, grooviest, and most deceptively complex riffs spawn. This is great fodder for those compound movements that build strength and density. You could pick anything off of Asomatous Besmirchment for such gains, but my preference is “Granfalloon.”
“Kollaps” // Jordsjuk (Naglet til livet) – Black metal? For the gym? You fucking bet. Guaranteed to pull you back from the brink of absolute failure, Jordsjuk’s “Kollaps” thrashes and shimmers with enough vibrancy and verve to make whatever load I’m pushing feel like light weight.
“Infestis” // Igorrr (Amen) – You wouldn’t expect something as weird and wacky as Igorrr to fit in the land of iron and steel, but here we are. With stomping riffs and vicious roars, “Infestis” is top tier workout gear. Great for keeping pace and supporting breath control, you’ll find much progress with Igorrr by your side.
“Flashback (ft. Strawberry Hospital)” // Blind Equation (A Funeral in Purgatory) – Every year I open up one slot for those high intensity workouts where cardio and strength meet. This year, my spotter cheering me on when I’m doing sprints and weighted jumps is Blind Equation’s intense and lightning-fast “Flashback.” Gotta go fast!!!
“Leave the Flesh Behind” // Ashen (Leave the Flesh Behind) – Probably the underdog in the litter, Ashen’s “Leave the Flesh” behind is all muscle, and a mountain of it at that. These riffs represent both the immovable object and the unstoppable force. One day, I hope to be like them.
“12 Worm Wounds” // Death Whore (Blood Washes Everything Away) – It was difficult to narrow down a selection from Death Whore’s lean and mean debut, but I keep coming back to the swaggering riffs of “12 Worm Wounds” went I need motivation for that next lift. It just makes everything I’m doing seem like the most fun I’ll ever have.
“The Fire in Which We Burn” // …and Oceans (The Regeneration Itinerary) – Boasting what I consider to be the single best black metal riff of 2025, …and Oceans greatly surprised me with a swaggering barnstormer of a track ready made to stoke the fire in my chest for a second wind. Hand me another set of plates, it’s time to go up for one more set!
“Never Difiled” // Serenity in Murder (Timeless Reverie) – Who needs to spell correctly when you have hundreds of pounds to push on the bar? This is the question I ask whenever the adrenaline-soaked “Never Difiled” plays as I rack up the plates for my next set. Nobody’s ever been able to give me an answer.
“The Twisted Helix” // Mutagenic Host (The Diseased Machine) – They say genetics play a huge role in what kind of gains you can expect to achieve naturally in the gym. Well, I’m an ectomorph so it’s tough—and takes a lot more time—to build and maintain muscle. The solution? Twist my helixes and instantly quadruple my gains. Mutagenic Host’s “The Twisted Helix” is just the tool for the job!
“+++Engine Kill+++” // Ruinous Power (EXTREME DANGER: Prototype Weaponry) – Sometimes you just need something threatening to rip the rails right off the track to hype you up for a grueling session. That’s what songs like Ruinous Power’s “+++Engine Kill+++” are for. Short, to the point, and vicious, it will get your blood surging and your body raring to go.
“Femto’s Theme” // Flummox (Southern Progress) – Something so theatrical doesn’t sound like a natural fit when working out, but the sheer heft and chunky rhythms of Flummox’s “Femto’s Theme” defies those expectations. I’ve been using it for leg days and the results are crazy town! Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself!
Steel Druhm Trains His Ape Arms to Crush the Empire State Building:
“Abandoned Feretrum” // Sepulchral (Beneath the Shroud) – Blending old school black and death noise, Sepulchral mainline pure badger adrenaline and rattlesnake venom into your major muscle groups. Handle those power chugs with care, Brah.
“Necrobotic Enslavement” // Glorious Depravity (Death Never Sleeps) – Taking discarded Morbid Angel riffs and repurposing them to turn a peaceful man rabid is why we have science. Take 2 doses of “Necrobotic Enslavement” 30 minutes before throwing 45 lb plates at people who sit on exercise machines and chat.
“A Scream in the Snow” // Black Soul Horde (Symphony of Chaos) – Trve metal can embiggen the innate desire for strength and raw power like no other, and “A Scream in the Snow” will have you swinging olympic bars to get that sword arm ready for bloody constraint and weightroom glory.
“Eyes on Six” // Biohazard (Divided We Fall) – Loudmouthed tough guys from Brooklyn scream at you to watch your back as they try to snap it with angry riffs and bad attitudes. This is for the caveman living in your reptile brain.
“Carry On” // Nite (Cult of the Serpent Sun) – Badass riffs and Manowar-esque demands that you carry on despite hardships are the crucial things that separate a routine workout from a Herculean trial that transforms you. Carry on to bigness.
“Crusaders” // Starlight Ritual (Rogue Angels) – A dirty, greasy 80s metal anthem that sounds like proto-Iron Maiden is what you need to evolve from tubby baby to a fucking WRATHCHILD. Join this crusade and tip your templar.
“Iron Sign” // Ambush (Evil in All Dimensions) – Unraveling the Riddle of Steel requires a long, hard journey guided only by iron signs. This cut will set you on the right path toward your ferric destiny.
“Bending the Steel” // Ambush (Evil in All Dimensions) – If you’re out there bending the steel, why not get moral support from Ambush with this massive aggressive dose of testosterone and primal motivation? When the singer shouts, “Let’s go, boys!” you’ll feel your strength grow 3 times (plus two!). With an iron will, you gotta keep bending the steel!
“Garuda (Eater of Snakes)” // Brainstorm (Plague of Rats) – Brainstorm write heavy metal for leg day, and Garuda is your feathery guardian iron eagle compelling you to crush that feeble PB. The strong can tell their eagle where to fly and what snakes to eat.
“Beyond Enemy Lines” // Brainstorm (Plague of Rats) – Brainstorm ain’t done with you by a damn sight! If the thundering drums and beefy riffs here don’t get you chalked up and ready for iron warfare, you should take up underwater doily knitting.
Steel-Jacketed Olden Bonus:
“Spark to the Flame” // Winter’s Bane (Redivivus) – One of the greatest gym/workout songs EVER. Lyrics that speak of creating a better version of yourself as you burn in the crucible of effort will help you rise high as those burly riffs hammer your inner coward into moist gum paste.
Grin Reaper Gets Down with the Fitness:
“No Pain, No Gain” // Majestica (Power Train) – Metals of Power and Heft are a must for my workouts, especially stretching and pre-lifting calisthenics. Majestica’s cheesy anthem is perfect montage-fodder, and even though the track is rife with clichéd chestnuts, it features kinetic hooks that gird my gears for what’s to come.
“Storm the Gates” // Soulfly (Chama) – Once I’m limbered up, it’s time to sweat. Max and the boys’ bouncy grooves peddle just the right combination of chest-thumping swagger and ferocity to make sure my next rep sets the tone for a simmering sesh of glorious gainz.
“Skullbattering” // Werewolves (The Ugliest of All) – There’s no better way to keep momentum hurtling forward than with a good ol’ fashioned ode to smashing braincases. Setting the right tone for a workout is paramount, and here Werewolves does not fuck around. There’s nothing pretty or flowery about “Skullbattering,” but if swole is your goal, you need to exorcise the Ugly.
“Anodyne Rust” // Blood Red Throne (Siltskin) – I hurt my shoulder a few years ago, and though stretching and (prescribed) drugs didn’t help much, bulking up did. Exercise slipped out of my routine as work and family commitments grew (as did my waistline), but as I’ve recently knocked the Rust off my dumbbells, I’m reminded of the palliative restoration that comes from pumping iron and death metal.
“Ravenous Leech” // Guts (Nightmare Fuel) – Scuzzy, groovy, and unapologetically fun, Nightmare Fuel is filled to the gills with mid-paced chugs that make a great soundtrack for AMRAP workouts. While most of Guts’ bloody remnants will Fuel your workout, spinning “Ravenous Leech” is sure to leave you hungry for even more punishment.
“By Lead or Steel” // Barbarous (Initium Mors) – Does Cannibal Corpse feature heavily in your gym listening? If so, consider Barbarous, who channels similar vibes and vitriol with less viscera. It’ll make you want to drink motör oil and punch babies, and that’s the kind of shove you need when you’re out on swole patrol.2
“Kaltfront” // Eisbrecher (Kaltfront) – Something about heavy distortion, dance-adjacent electronics, and gravelly vocals makes ‘New German Hardness’ prime listening for calculated and efficient movements. With near imperceptible head bops and a commitment to perfect form, this “Kaltfront” leaves me focused and hard as a block of ice.
“Hope Terminator” // Cytotoxin (Biographyte) – Plenty of great death metal jams spurn gym-list inclusion with slow-build intros, not getting to proper stankin’ until they’re well into the track. Cytotoxin knows better, immediately flaying you with technicality. “Hope Terminator’ is the perfect mid-playlist piece to curb fatigue and keep your spirit engorged.
“Let There Be Oblivion” // Ade (Supplicium) – Rome’s Ade lays down a banger of a riff on “Let There Be Oblivion,” and it’s long and strong enough to push me through a set or two. If I’m struggling during a workout, whether in motivation or physically, I need every ounce of energy I can muster, and songs like this one can be the tipping point.
“Blinding Oblivion” // Depravity (Bestial Possession) – Like Guts’ Nightmare Fuel, Bestial Possession boasts track after track of gym-ready scorchers. I chose “Blinding Oblivion” 1. to maintain consistency with “Let There Be Oblivion” and 2. because something about the subtle melody in the song gives it an air of refreshment that I need as the demands of my workout ramp to a frothing climax.
“Elevator Operator” // Electric Callboy (Elevator Operator) – It’s dumb, it’s trite, and it’s so devastatingly catchy that it sticks in my head for days on end. Most importantly, it makes me want to move things up and down, and I won’t apologize for that.
“Sunlight Covenant” // Spire of Lazarus (Those Who Live in Death) – I don’t dabble in deathcore often, but when I do, it’s usually technical, symphonic, and anthemic. Spire of Lazarus crafts just the right blend of their core components to make “Sunlight Covenant” a certified HMH banger. As a bonus, try to time it so that the track hits on your last set of the day—the melody and backing swells make a triumphant send-off as you clinch the last rep and wipe down the bench. You wiped the bench, right?
“Fossilized” // Ültra Raptör (Fossilized) – This song has stayed close since I first laid ears on it, and not once has it failed to engage the hype machine. Whether warming up, working out, or cooling down, the classic retro riffs and sunglasses-at-night nonchalance define a cool I strive for, and motivation like that is the key to gainz.
Dolph Does Heavy This Time:3
“Mortuary Rites” // Mörtual (Altar of Brutality) – Blood boils fastest with a roto-tom take off followed by a death-thrash pummel. As churning pit energy converts to flared nostrils, focused vision, and engorged fibers at the crack of a incessant stick, find a slow and steady breath as your body prepares for war.
“Tlazolteotl” // Kalaveraztekah (Nikan Axkan) – The beat of a clanging snare threatens whatever weighted structure exists in your path. “Tlazolteotl” marches ever forward through growling twists, hardwood clack, and flute-led guitar abandon. A brief respite of acoustics awaits—but so does the real bulk of this journey.
“Black Scrawl” // Pupil Slicer (Fleshwork) – Feedback, growling bass, pneumatic kicks, and an urgent snarl—Pupil Slicer demands your full thrust. With this affixing hardcore anchor, “Black Scrawl” will carry you to your first peak push with a dragging breakdown coda.
“Swamp Mentality” // The Acacia Strain (You Are Safe from God Here) – Rest does not come to those who push only once, though. The burn of your resolve will light the path in the angst and mire and core-fluid whiplash of “Swamp Mentality.” And Vincent Bennett’s tattered and spit-riddled mic will provide an extra OUGH to your exhale.
“Orphans” // Dormant Ordeal (Tooth and Nail) – If you could tether your pulse to the relentless kick assaults that Chason Westmoreland brings to “Orphans”—all of Tooth and Nail really—your spotter wouldn’t be able to find dial emergency fast enough to save you. Instead, search for the heavier weighted tempo that exists between the pitter-patter as your guide. In this space, relentless and emotive riff runs and lead wails coalesce into one of the most threatening thrash-pit breaks of the year. Harness this power.
“The Great Day of His Wrath” // Blindfolded (What Seeps through Threads) – In vicious harmonized splendor, Blindfolded’s neoclassical scale hopping riffage possesses a buoyancy that is vital to remaining invigored. And whipping around bleating and squealing mic energy with resplendent solo work, “The Great Day of His Wrath” both maintains your demanding schedule and restores a lightness to your being before the heaviest pulls come to play.
“Retina” // Pillars of Cacophony (Paralipomena) – Neoclassical drama, however, doesn’t always seek to restore with its airy play. “Retina” arrives, rather, with a mechanical and and programmed structure that functions as a scaffold upon which ascending scale iterations match your own gradual and gravity-creating climb. As the pinch-happy shuffle sneers in precision stank-face deployment, resist the urge to discharge your steel load into the earth.
“Lunar Tear” // Barren Path (Grieving) – In any routine, no matter how structured, a moment of ferocious release can provide a benefit. Before this playlist enters its most grueling minutes, a lightning-speed romp in the grips of endless blasts and riffs exists to shake off the inertia that can result from testing your limits.
“Heaping Pile of Electrified Gore” // Pissgrave (Malignant Worthlessness) – We are all filth—corpses brought to life by the signals we create. Synapses creating chains from proximal to distal drive our movements from concept to power. Through squelching refrain and lockstep death metal assault, fibers at the edge of their load-bearing capacity persist and persevere in the midst of Pissgrave’s shifting and grimy rhythms.
“Bursting with Life’s True Fruit” // Umulamahri (Learning the Secrets of Acid) – Guttural expression unlocks the last inches of a tough pull. As we channel Doug Moore’s garbage disposal tier phlegmanations into our own tidal vibrations, we visualize the final set. We are victorious. And in a celebratory expression of might, we slip into Umulamahri’s enlightened synth dissolution. Those who float cannot collapse.
#AndOceans #1914 #2025 #Ade #Ambush #Ashen #Barbarous #BarrenPath #Bianca #Biohazard #BlackSoulHorde #BlindEquation #Blindfolded #BloodRedThrone #Brainstorm #Cytotoxin #Deafheaven #DeathWhore #Depravity #DormantOrdeal #Eisbrecher #ElectricCallboy #FiliiNigrantiumInfernalium #Flummox #GloriousDepravity #Guts #HeavyMovesHeavy #Igorr #Jordsjuk #Kalaveraztekah #Majestica #Mortual #MutagenicHost #Nephylim #Nite #ParadiseLost #PedestalForLeviathan #Phobocosm #PillarsOfCacophony #Pissgrave #PrimitiveMan #Psycroptic #PupilSlicer #RuinousPower #Sepulchral #SerenityInMurder #Soulfly #SpireOfLazarus #StarlightRitual #TheAcaciaStrain #ToTheGrave #ÜltraRaptör #Umulamahri #Unbirth #Werewolves #WinterSBane -
Heavy Moves Heavy 2025 – AMG’s Ultimate Workout Playlist By Thus Spoke
Before I was press-ganged into the Skull Pit, I, Ferox, began curating an exercise playlist named Heavy Moves Heavy. For a decade, I alone reaped the benefits of this creation–many were the hours spent preening aboard my Squat Yacht, mixing oils so that I could marvel at the glistening gainz unlocked by the List. My indentured servitude is your good fortune, because a new and improved version of the Heavy Moves Heavy playlist is now available to all readers of AMG in good standing.1 The lifters among us have spent countless hours in the Exercise Oubliette testing these songs for tensile strength and ideological purity. Enjoy–but don’t listen if you are being screened for PEDs in the near future. This music will cause your free testosterone levels to skyrocket even as it adds length and sheen to your back pelt. ~ Ferox
A year has passed, and now the barbell of honour has been placed on my (regrettably smaller) shoulders as Ferox steps back from the AMG side-quest to focus on his main story. Our leader may be absent, but our search for gains continues with an otherwise full house and new recruits to boot. The songs that guided and shaped our workouts are compiled here in a playlist guaranteed to boost yours, whether you listen on shuffle or straight the way through.1 So what are you waiting for? Down your pre-workout, grab your straps and your knee-sleeves, and get ready to get massive. ~ Thus Spoke
Thus Spoke Enters Muscle Mommy Mode:
“Silence like the Grave” // Paradise Lost (Ascension) – Straightforwardly solid, catchy, sharp, with a killer atmosphere. Insta-playlist save when the single dropped. Paradise Lost back on top-form and just time to give you the energy for moving heavy things.
“Magnolia” // Deafheaven (Lonely People with Power) – Oh yeah, I’m dead serious. Sorry not sorry to any haters out there. This is four minutes and change of unqualified emotion and racing thoughts and it gets my blood running hot every damn time.
“Against the Dying of the Light” // Dormant Ordeal (Tooth and Nail) – Unironically motivating in a way presumably not intended. Just when you want to quit, that roar of “raaage, RAAAAAAGGGE,” and the impeccable drum and guitar work come in to see you through.
“Condemnesia” // Cytotoxin (Biographyte) – The devastation of a currently-occurring nuclear disaster—complete with a frantically clicking geiger counter and a witness’ agonised moans—portrayed through slick, punchy tech-death. Do I need to explain?
“Perfida Contracçao do Aço” // Filii Nigrantium Infernalium (Perfida Contracçao do Aço) – I wouldn’t normally go for something like this; the vocals are kind of horrible. But the energetic ridiculousness is so fucking feral it takes you beyond pumped and into crazed maniac territory; which is obviously ideal for the gym.
“DNA (Do Not Amputate)” // To the Grave (Still) – Mean, melodic, and with a message, there’s nothing about this that doesn’t work while lifting. If I’m going to include any deathcore in the playlist at all, then it has to be To the Grave.
“Eunuch Maker” // Depravity (Bestial Possession) – If your resting-murder-face, hoodie, and headphones aren’t enough to keep people from having the audacity to speak to you, then listening to this could help. It’s massive, and fun as hell, and will make you look extra mean through osmosis, I guarantee.
“Architects of Extinction” // Psycroptic (Architects of Extinction) – Banger alert. The change in vocals makes this a smidge less strong than it otherwise would be, but c’mon; a riff that good has got to be anabolic.
“Amaranth” // Nephylim (Circuition) – My dopamine-fixation song for the best part of a month. It’s uplifting, it’s catchy, it’s infinitely replayable. What more do you want?
“Natural Law” // Primitive Man (Observance) – It’s not too long, it’s a very important, massive chunk of overwhelming heaviness that makes me feel ten times the size and heft I actually am. You can get through all three (or however many) sets with spare time to admire the pump.
“Deathless” // Phobocosm (Gateway) – Monstrous, massive, intense. Fast and furious isn’t always it; more and more, I crave slow, oppressive, and malevolent. It’s just what I crave to dig deeper.
“1918 Pt 3: ADE (A duty to escape)” // 1914 (Viribus Unitis) – It took less than a single complete playthrough for this to end up on this list. It’s heavy enough for leg day, and it’s atmospheric and moving in that perfect way that helps you dissociate from how much your body hurts. I’ve had it on repeat through many a tough session since.
Kenstrosity Bursts Through His Own Workout Gear:
“Rot in the Pit” // Depravity (Bestial Possession) – If there was ever a song that eradicated mental blocks to that next rep, that next PR, that next push, it’s “Rot in the Pit.” Boasting mountain-moving swagger and a center riff that risks greater injury to my body than any ego lift could ever approach, Depravity penned a bona fide gymstormer with “Rot in the Pit.”
“Summoning Sickness” // Pedestal for Leviathan (Enter: Vampyric Manifestation) – Imagine getting legs so powerful and swole they force your gait to change—but you’re doing it in the basement of your Transylvanian vampire castle with Igor loading up weights on the bar for your next PR. That’s what “Summoning Sickness” feels like when I’m pushing
“Nachthexe” // Bianca (Bianca) – You wouldn’t expect something that dabbles so heavily in atmosphere to possess such meaty muscle as this, but Bianca’s “Nachthexe” proves the might of the sleeper build. Once they take of the airy, soft pump cover, a devastating topology of deadly power ripples just under the skin.
“The Insufferable Weight” // Barren Path (Grieving) – Don’t let the lighter weights I’m lugging around fool you. Volume days are fucking brutal, and a challenge for both my mind and my body. Barren Path’s “The Insufferable Weight” adrenalizes me with it’s speed and brutal rhythms just enough to survive those endless reps.
“Granfalloon” // Unbirth (Asomatous Besmirchment) – Unbirth is the pool from which some the nastiest, grooviest, and most deceptively complex riffs spawn. This is great fodder for those compound movements that build strength and density. You could pick anything off of Asomatous Besmirchment for such gains, but my preference is “Granfalloon.”
“Kollaps” // Jordsjuk (Naglet til livet) – Black metal? For the gym? You fucking bet. Guaranteed to pull you back from the brink of absolute failure, Jordsjuk’s “Kollaps” thrashes and shimmers with enough vibrancy and verve to make whatever load I’m pushing feel like light weight.
“Infestis” // Igorrr (Amen) – You wouldn’t expect something as weird and wacky as Igorrr to fit in the land of iron and steel, but here we are. With stomping riffs and vicious roars, “Infestis” is top tier workout gear. Great for keeping pace and supporting breath control, you’ll find much progress with Igorrr by your side.
“Flashback (ft. Strawberry Hospital)” // Blind Equation (A Funeral in Purgatory) – Every year I open up one slot for those high intensity workouts where cardio and strength meet. This year, my spotter cheering me on when I’m doing sprints and weighted jumps is Blind Equation’s intense and lightning-fast “Flashback.” Gotta go fast!!!
“Leave the Flesh Behind” // Ashen (Leave the Flesh Behind) – Probably the underdog in the litter, Ashen’s “Leave the Flesh” behind is all muscle, and a mountain of it at that. These riffs represent both the immovable object and the unstoppable force. One day, I hope to be like them.
“12 Worm Wounds” // Death Whore (Blood Washes Everything Away) – It was difficult to narrow down a selection from Death Whore’s lean and mean debut, but I keep coming back to the swaggering riffs of “12 Worm Wounds” went I need motivation for that next lift. It just makes everything I’m doing seem like the most fun I’ll ever have.
“The Fire in Which We Burn” // …and Oceans (The Regeneration Itinerary) – Boasting what I consider to be the single best black metal riff of 2025, …and Oceans greatly surprised me with a swaggering barnstormer of a track ready made to stoke the fire in my chest for a second wind. Hand me another set of plates, it’s time to go up for one more set!
“Never Difiled” // Serenity in Murder (Timeless Reverie) – Who needs to spell correctly when you have hundreds of pounds to push on the bar? This is the question I ask whenever the adrenaline-soaked “Never Difiled” plays as I rack up the plates for my next set. Nobody’s ever been able to give me an answer.
“The Twisted Helix” // Mutagenic Host (The Diseased Machine) – They say genetics play a huge role in what kind of gains you can expect to achieve naturally in the gym. Well, I’m an ectomorph so it’s tough—and takes a lot more time—to build and maintain muscle. The solution? Twist my helixes and instantly quadruple my gains. Mutagenic Host’s “The Twisted Helix” is just the tool for the job!
“+++Engine Kill+++” // Ruinous Power (EXTREME DANGER: Prototype Weaponry) – Sometimes you just need something threatening to rip the rails right off the track to hype you up for a grueling session. That’s what songs like Ruinous Power’s “+++Engine Kill+++” are for. Short, to the point, and vicious, it will get your blood surging and your body raring to go.
“Femto’s Theme” // Flummox (Southern Progress) – Something so theatrical doesn’t sound like a natural fit when working out, but the sheer heft and chunky rhythms of Flummox’s “Femto’s Theme” defies those expectations. I’ve been using it for leg days and the results are crazy town! Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself!
Steel Druhm Trains His Ape Arms to Crush the Empire State Building:
“Abandoned Feretrum” // Sepulchral (Beneath the Shroud) – Blending old school black and death noise, Sepulchral mainline pure badger adrenaline and rattlesnake venom into your major muscle groups. Handle those power chugs with care, Brah.
“Necrobotic Enslavement” // Glorious Depravity (Death Never Sleeps) – Taking discarded Morbid Angel riffs and repurposing them to turn a peaceful man rabid is why we have science. Take 2 doses of “Necrobotic Enslavement” 30 minutes before throwing 45 lb plates at people who sit on exercise machines and chat.
“A Scream in the Snow” // Black Soul Horde (Symphony of Chaos) – Trve metal can embiggen the innate desire for strength and raw power like no other, and “A Scream in the Snow” will have you swinging olympic bars to get that sword arm ready for bloody constraint and weightroom glory.
“Eyes on Six” // Biohazard (Divided We Fall) – Loudmouthed tough guys from Brooklyn scream at you to watch your back as they try to snap it with angry riffs and bad attitudes. This is for the caveman living in your reptile brain.
“Carry On” // Nite (Cult of the Serpent Sun) – Badass riffs and Manowar-esque demands that you carry on despite hardships are the crucial things that separate a routine workout from a Herculean trial that transforms you. Carry on to bigness.
“Crusaders” // Starlight Ritual (Rogue Angels) – A dirty, greasy 80s metal anthem that sounds like proto-Iron Maiden is what you need to evolve from tubby baby to a fucking WRATHCHILD. Join this crusade and tip your templar.
“Iron Sign” // Ambush (Evil in All Dimensions) – Unraveling the Riddle of Steel requires a long, hard journey guided only by iron signs. This cut will set you on the right path toward your ferric destiny.
“Bending the Steel” // Ambush (Evil in All Dimensions) – If you’re out there bending the steel, why not get moral support from Ambush with this massive aggressive dose of testosterone and primal motivation? When the singer shouts, “Let’s go, boys!” you’ll feel your strength grow 3 times (plus two!). With an iron will, you gotta keep bending the steel!
“Garuda (Eater of Snakes)” // Brainstorm (Plague of Rats) – Brainstorm write heavy metal for leg day, and Garuda is your feathery guardian iron eagle compelling you to crush that feeble PB. The strong can tell their eagle where to fly and what snakes to eat.
“Beyond Enemy Lines” // Brainstorm (Plague of Rats) – Brainstorm ain’t done with you by a damn sight! If the thundering drums and beefy riffs here don’t get you chalked up and ready for iron warfare, you should take up underwater doily knitting.
Steel-Jacketed Olden Bonus:
“Spark to the Flame” // Winter’s Bane (Redivivus) – One of the greatest gym/workout songs EVER. Lyrics that speak of creating a better version of yourself as you burn in the crucible of effort will help you rise high as those burly riffs hammer your inner coward into moist gum paste.
Grin Reaper Gets Down with the Fitness:
“No Pain, No Gain” // Majestica (Power Train) – Metals of Power and Heft are a must for my workouts, especially stretching and pre-lifting calisthenics. Majestica’s cheesy anthem is perfect montage-fodder, and even though the track is rife with clichéd chestnuts, it features kinetic hooks that gird my gears for what’s to come.
“Storm the Gates” // Soulfly (Chama) – Once I’m limbered up, it’s time to sweat. Max and the boys’ bouncy grooves peddle just the right combination of chest-thumping swagger and ferocity to make sure my next rep sets the tone for a simmering sesh of glorious gainz.
“Skullbattering” // Werewolves (The Ugliest of All) – There’s no better way to keep momentum hurtling forward than with a good ol’ fashioned ode to smashing braincases. Setting the right tone for a workout is paramount, and here Werewolves does not fuck around. There’s nothing pretty or flowery about “Skullbattering,” but if swole is your goal, you need to exorcise the Ugly.
“Anodyne Rust” // Blood Red Throne (Siltskin) – I hurt my shoulder a few years ago, and though stretching and (prescribed) drugs didn’t help much, bulking up did. Exercise slipped out of my routine as work and family commitments grew (as did my waistline), but as I’ve recently knocked the Rust off my dumbbells, I’m reminded of the palliative restoration that comes from pumping iron and death metal.
“Ravenous Leech” // Guts (Nightmare Fuel) – Scuzzy, groovy, and unapologetically fun, Nightmare Fuel is filled to the gills with mid-paced chugs that make a great soundtrack for AMRAP workouts. While most of Guts’ bloody remnants will Fuel your workout, spinning “Ravenous Leech” is sure to leave you hungry for even more punishment.
“By Lead or Steel” // Barbarous (Initium Mors) – Does Cannibal Corpse feature heavily in your gym listening? If so, consider Barbarous, who channels similar vibes and vitriol with less viscera. It’ll make you want to drink motör oil and punch babies, and that’s the kind of shove you need when you’re out on swole patrol.2
“Kaltfront” // Eisbrecher (Kaltfront) – Something about heavy distortion, dance-adjacent electronics, and gravelly vocals makes ‘New German Hardness’ prime listening for calculated and efficient movements. With near imperceptible head bops and a commitment to perfect form, this “Kaltfront” leaves me focused and hard as a block of ice.
“Hope Terminator” // Cytotoxin (Biographyte) – Plenty of great death metal jams spurn gym-list inclusion with slow-build intros, not getting to proper stankin’ until they’re well into the track. Cytotoxin knows better, immediately flaying you with technicality. “Hope Terminator’ is the perfect mid-playlist piece to curb fatigue and keep your spirit engorged.
“Let There Be Oblivion” // Ade (Supplicium) – Rome’s Ade lays down a banger of a riff on “Let There Be Oblivion,” and it’s long and strong enough to push me through a set or two. If I’m struggling during a workout, whether in motivation or physically, I need every ounce of energy I can muster, and songs like this one can be the tipping point.
“Blinding Oblivion” // Depravity (Bestial Possession) – Like Guts’ Nightmare Fuel, Bestial Possession boasts track after track of gym-ready scorchers. I chose “Blinding Oblivion” 1. to maintain consistency with “Let There Be Oblivion” and 2. because something about the subtle melody in the song gives it an air of refreshment that I need as the demands of my workout ramp to a frothing climax.
“Elevator Operator” // Electric Callboy (Elevator Operator) – It’s dumb, it’s trite, and it’s so devastatingly catchy that it sticks in my head for days on end. Most importantly, it makes me want to move things up and down, and I won’t apologize for that.
“Sunlight Covenant” // Spire of Lazarus (Those Who Live in Death) – I don’t dabble in deathcore often, but when I do, it’s usually technical, symphonic, and anthemic. Spire of Lazarus crafts just the right blend of their core components to make “Sunlight Covenant” a certified HMH banger. As a bonus, try to time it so that the track hits on your last set of the day—the melody and backing swells make a triumphant send-off as you clinch the last rep and wipe down the bench. You wiped the bench, right?
“Fossilized” // Ültra Raptör (Fossilized) – This song has stayed close since I first laid ears on it, and not once has it failed to engage the hype machine. Whether warming up, working out, or cooling down, the classic retro riffs and sunglasses-at-night nonchalance define a cool I strive for, and motivation like that is the key to gainz.
Dolph Does Heavy This Time:3
“Mortuary Rites” // Mörtual (Altar of Brutality) – Blood boils fastest with a roto-tom take off followed by a death-thrash pummel. As churning pit energy converts to flared nostrils, focused vision, and engorged fibers at the crack of a incessant stick, find a slow and steady breath as your body prepares for war.
“Tlazolteotl” // Kalaveraztekah (Nikan Axkan) – The beat of a clanging snare threatens whatever weighted structure exists in your path. “Tlazolteotl” marches ever forward through growling twists, hardwood clack, and flute-led guitar abandon. A brief respite of acoustics awaits—but so does the real bulk of this journey.
“Black Scrawl” // Pupil Slicer (Fleshwork) – Feedback, growling bass, pneumatic kicks, and an urgent snarl—Pupil Slicer demands your full thrust. With this affixing hardcore anchor, “Black Scrawl” will carry you to your first peak push with a dragging breakdown coda.
“Swamp Mentality” // The Acacia Strain (You Are Safe from God Here) – Rest does not come to those who push only once, though. The burn of your resolve will light the path in the angst and mire and core-fluid whiplash of “Swamp Mentality.” And Vincent Bennett’s tattered and spit-riddled mic will provide an extra OUGH to your exhale.
“Orphans” // Dormant Ordeal (Tooth and Nail) – If you could tether your pulse to the relentless kick assaults that Chason Westmoreland brings to “Orphans”—all of Tooth and Nail really—your spotter wouldn’t be able to find dial emergency fast enough to save you. Instead, search for the heavier weighted tempo that exists between the pitter-patter as your guide. In this space, relentless and emotive riff runs and lead wails coalesce into one of the most threatening thrash-pit breaks of the year. Harness this power.
“The Great Day of His Wrath” // Blindfolded (What Seeps through Threads) – In vicious harmonized splendor, Blindfolded’s neoclassical scale hopping riffage possesses a buoyancy that is vital to remaining invigored. And whipping around bleating and squealing mic energy with resplendent solo work, “The Great Day of His Wrath” both maintains your demanding schedule and restores a lightness to your being before the heaviest pulls come to play.
“Retina” // Pillars of Cacophony (Paralipomena) – Neoclassical drama, however, doesn’t always seek to restore with its airy play. “Retina” arrives, rather, with a mechanical and and programmed structure that functions as a scaffold upon which ascending scale iterations match your own gradual and gravity-creating climb. As the pinch-happy shuffle sneers in precision stank-face deployment, resist the urge to discharge your steel load into the earth.
“Lunar Tear” // Barren Path (Grieving) – In any routine, no matter how structured, a moment of ferocious release can provide a benefit. Before this playlist enters its most grueling minutes, a lightning-speed romp in the grips of endless blasts and riffs exists to shake off the inertia that can result from testing your limits.
“Heaping Pile of Electrified Gore” // Pissgrave (Malignant Worthlessness) – We are all filth—corpses brought to life by the signals we create. Synapses creating chains from proximal to distal drive our movements from concept to power. Through squelching refrain and lockstep death metal assault, fibers at the edge of their load-bearing capacity persist and persevere in the midst of Pissgrave’s shifting and grimy rhythms.
“Bursting with Life’s True Fruit” // Umulamahri (Learning the Secrets of Acid) – Guttural expression unlocks the last inches of a tough pull. As we channel Doug Moore’s garbage disposal tier phlegmanations into our own tidal vibrations, we visualize the final set. We are victorious. And in a celebratory expression of might, we slip into Umulamahri’s enlightened synth dissolution. Those who float cannot collapse.
#AndOceans #1914 #2025 #Ade #Ambush #Ashen #Barbarous #BarrenPath #Bianca #Biohazard #BlackSoulHorde #BlindEquation #Blindfolded #BloodRedThrone #Brainstorm #Cytotoxin #Deafheaven #DeathWhore #Depravity #DormantOrdeal #Eisbrecher #ElectricCallboy #FiliiNigrantiumInfernalium #Flummox #GloriousDepravity #Guts #HeavyMovesHeavy #Igorr #Jordsjuk #Kalaveraztekah #Majestica #Mortual #MutagenicHost #Nephylim #Nite #ParadiseLost #PedestalForLeviathan #Phobocosm #PillarsOfCacophony #Pissgrave #PrimitiveMan #Psycroptic #PupilSlicer #RuinousPower #Sepulchral #SerenityInMurder #Soulfly #SpireOfLazarus #StarlightRitual #TheAcaciaStrain #ToTheGrave #ÜltraRaptör #Umulamahri #Unbirth #Werewolves #WinterSBane -
Living Mindfully: The Power of Ki, Wa, and Pneuma
A glowing blue light weaves through a tranquil bamboo forest at dusk.In the fast-paced, individualistic culture of the United States, many seek meaning, balance, and connection. While Western philosophies often emphasize personal achievement and independence, Japanese life philosophies—particularly the concepts of Ki (energy, spirit) and Wa (harmony)—offer a refreshing perspective. When blended with the ancient Greek idea of Pneuma (breath, vital spirit), these philosophies can transform the way we live and work in the West.
Understanding Ki (気 or 氣 ): The Flow of Energy
Ki, written as 気 in Japanese, is a concept that transcends simple translation. It is often described as “energy,” “spirit,” or “breath,” but in reality, it is the subtle, animating force that permeates all aspects of existence. In traditional Japanese culture, Ki is not just an abstract idea; it is a lived reality, shaping how people move, interact, and even think. It is the invisible current that links the mind, the body, and the world around us, creating a sense of unity and flow.
When we bring the idea of Ki into the context of Western life, especially in the United States where the pace is often relentless and the focus is on outward achievement, it becomes a powerful tool for transformation. In the workplace, for example, Ki can be seen in the energy we project during meetings, the focus we bring to our tasks, and the way we interact with colleagues. A person whose Ki is balanced and strong tends to radiate calm confidence, inspiring trust and cooperation. Conversely, when our Ki is scattered—when we are stressed, distracted, or exhausted—our work suffers, and so do our relationships.
Cultivating Ki in daily life requires a shift in awareness. Rather than treating energy as an unlimited resource to be spent carelessly, we begin to notice its ebb and flow. This might mean recognizing when we are pushing ourselves too hard and choosing to pause, breathe, and reset. It could involve starting the day with a few moments of stillness, allowing the mind to settle and the breath to deepen, setting a tone of clarity and intention. In interactions with others, honoring Ki means being fully present—listening with attention, speaking with sincerity, and responding with empathy. This presence is felt by others, often more powerfully than words.
The Japanese understanding of Ki also teaches us that our energy is not isolated. It is constantly interacting with the Ki of others and the environment. In a Western context, this can be a reminder that our mood and attitude are contagious. A leader who maintains a steady, positive Ki can uplift an entire team, while negativity or agitation can quickly spread. By tending to our own Ki, we not only improve our own well-being but also contribute to a healthier, more harmonious atmosphere around us.
Ultimately, living with an awareness of Ki is about moving through life with intention and respect—for ourselves, for others, and for the spaces we inhabit. It is a practice of attunement, of noticing the subtle signals within and without, and responding with care. In a world that often values speed and output above all else, the wisdom of Ki invites us to slow down, to breathe, and to remember that true vitality comes from balance, presence, and connection.
Ki (気) is the subtle, animating force often described as energy, spirit, or breath, permeating all aspects of existence in Japanese culture. More than an abstract idea, Ki shapes how people move, interact, and think, linking mind, body, and environment in a unified flow. In Western life, especially amid the pressures of constant achievement, Ki becomes a transformative tool—guiding us to be mindful of our energy, to act with intention, and to be present in our interactions. Cultivating Ki means recognizing its ebb and flow, caring for our own vitality, and understanding that our energy affects those around us. Ultimately, living with Ki is about moving through life with awareness and respect, fostering balance, presence, and meaningful connection.
Embracing Wa (和): Harmony in Community
Wa, represented by the character 和, is deeply woven into the fabric of Japanese culture. It is more than just the absence of conflict; it is an active, ongoing cultivation of balance and unity, both within oneself and among people. In Japan, Wa is not simply a social ideal but a lived practice, influencing everything from the way meetings are conducted to the subtle etiquette of daily interactions. It is the invisible glue that holds communities together, fostering a sense of mutual respect and shared purpose.
Translating Wa into a Western context, especially in the United States where individual achievement and assertiveness are often celebrated, can feel countercultural. Yet, the principle of Wa offers a powerful antidote to the isolation and fragmentation that sometimes accompany such values. Embracing Wa means shifting the focus from “me” to “we,” from personal gain to collective flourishing. It is about recognizing that our well-being is intimately connected to the well-being of those around us.
In the workplace, Wa manifests as a commitment to collaboration and open communication. Rather than viewing colleagues as competitors, we begin to see them as partners in a shared endeavor. This shift encourages us to listen more deeply, to value diverse perspectives, and to resolve disagreements with empathy and respect. When conflicts arise, the spirit of Wa invites us to seek solutions that honor everyone’s dignity, rather than simply “winning” an argument. Over time, this approach builds trust and loyalty, creating a work environment where people feel safe to contribute their best.
In personal life, Wa encourages us to nurture our relationships with care and intention. It is present in the small acts of kindness that sustain friendships, in the patience we extend to family members, and in the effort we make to create peaceful, welcoming spaces. Wa also extends beyond our immediate circles, inspiring us to contribute to the greater good—whether through volunteering, supporting community initiatives, or simply being a considerate neighbor. In this way, Wa becomes a guiding principle for living in harmony with others, reminding us that our actions ripple outward, shaping the world we share.
Perhaps most importantly, Wa is not about suppressing individuality or avoiding all conflict. Rather, it is about finding a dynamic balance, where each person’s unique gifts are honored within the context of the whole. By integrating Wa into Western life, we learn to move beyond self-interest, cultivating a sense of belonging and shared responsibility. In doing so, we create communities—at work, at home, and beyond—where harmony is not just an ideal, but a lived reality.
Wa (和) is a core Japanese value that goes beyond simply avoiding conflict; it is the active cultivation of balance, unity, and mutual respect within oneself and among people. Deeply embedded in Japanese culture, Wa shapes daily interactions and community life, serving as the foundation for cooperation and shared purpose. In Western contexts, especially where individualism is prized, embracing Wa means shifting focus from personal gain to collective well-being, fostering collaboration, empathy, and open communication. Wa encourages nurturing relationships, contributing to the greater good, and creating harmonious environments, all while honoring individual uniqueness within the group. Ultimately, Wa is about building communities where harmony is not just an ideal, but a practical, lived experience.
The Breath of Life: Pneuma (πνεῦμα)
Pneuma, a word that echoes through the halls of ancient Greek philosophy, is far more than mere air. It is the vital spirit, the animating breath that infuses the body with life and consciousness. For the Stoics, Pneuma was the force that structured the cosmos and gave coherence to all living things; for physicians like Galen, it was the subtle substance that moved through the body, sustaining health and awareness. In this sense, Pneuma is both a physical and metaphysical principle, a reminder that life itself is inseparable from the act of breathing.
In the context of modern Western life, Pneuma offers a powerful metaphor for vitality and presence. The breath, so often taken for granted, becomes a touchstone for our state of being. When we are anxious or hurried, our breathing becomes shallow and rapid, mirroring the turbulence within. When we are calm and centered, our breath deepens and slows, anchoring us in the present moment. By bringing conscious attention to the breath, we can influence not only our physiological state but also our mental clarity and emotional resilience.
Incorporating Pneuma into daily routines does not require elaborate rituals. It can begin with the simple act of pausing to notice the breath before a challenging conversation or a demanding task. This pause creates a space—a moment of stillness—where we can gather ourselves, release tension, and approach the situation with greater composure. Over time, practices such as meditation, yoga, or even mindful walking can deepen our relationship with the breath, transforming it from an unconscious reflex into a source of renewal and strength.
The breath also serves as a bridge between body and mind, uniting the physical and the spiritual. In moments of stress or distraction, returning to the breath can ground us, drawing our awareness back from scattered thoughts to the immediacy of the present. This grounding effect is not merely psychological; it has tangible benefits for our health, reducing stress hormones, lowering blood pressure, and enhancing overall well-being.
Moreover, Pneuma invites us to consider the interconnectedness of all life. Just as the air we breathe is shared by every living creature, so too is the spirit of vitality that animates us all. In this way, the practice of mindful breathing becomes an act of communion—with ourselves, with others, and with the world at large. It is a gentle but profound reminder that, at the most fundamental level, we are all sustained by the same breath, the same spirit.
By embracing Pneuma in our daily lives, we cultivate not only physical vitality but also a deeper sense of presence and purpose. The breath becomes more than a biological necessity; it becomes a wellspring of clarity, resilience, and connection, infusing each moment with the fullness of life.
Pneuma, in ancient Greek philosophy, is much more than air—it is the vital spirit or animating breath that gives life and consciousness to all beings. For the Stoics, it structured the cosmos and unified existence; for ancient physicians, it sustained health and awareness. In modern life, Pneuma serves as a metaphor for vitality and presence, reminding us that conscious attention to our breath can ground us, calm our minds, and enhance our well-being. By making the breath a focal point—whether through simple pauses or mindful practices—we bridge body and mind, foster resilience, and connect more deeply with ourselves and others. Ultimately, Pneuma teaches that we are all sustained by the same breath, and that mindful breathing can infuse our lives with clarity, strength, and a sense of shared humanity.
Integrating East and West: A Practical Approach
Bringing together the philosophies of Ki, Wa, and Pneuma within the context of a Western lifestyle is not about rejecting the values or traditions one has grown up with. Rather, it is an act of enrichment—a way to deepen and broaden the experience of daily life by drawing on the wisdom of multiple cultures. This integration is subtle and personal, manifesting not as a wholesale adoption of foreign customs, but as a gentle layering of new perspectives onto familiar routines.
The day might begin with a quiet moment of reflection, a conscious tuning-in to one’s own energy. This is the practice of Ki: noticing how you feel, what your body and mind are communicating, and setting an intention for how you wish to move through the hours ahead. This intention is not just about productivity or accomplishment, but about the quality of presence you bring to your activities. It is a way of honoring your own vitality and preparing to engage with the world in a meaningful way.
As the day unfolds, the principle of Wa comes into play, especially in interactions with others. Whether at work, at home, or in the community, there is an opportunity to prioritize harmony and collaboration over competition or self-assertion. This does not mean suppressing your own needs or opinions, but rather seeking a balance between your individuality and the collective good. It is about listening as much as speaking, supporting as much as leading, and recognizing that the strength of any group lies in its ability to work together with mutual respect. In this way, Wa becomes a living value, shaping the tone of conversations, the resolution of conflicts, and the building of trust.
Throughout all of this, the breath—Pneuma—serves as a constant companion and guide. By returning to the breath in moments of stress, excitement, or fatigue, you create a bridge between body and mind, grounding yourself in the present and renewing your sense of purpose. The breath becomes a tool for resilience, helping you to navigate challenges with greater calm and clarity. It is also a reminder of your connection to something larger: the shared air, the shared spirit, that links you to others and to the world itself.
In this integrated approach, success is redefined. It is no longer measured solely by personal achievement or external recognition, but by the quality of your relationships, the sense of balance you maintain, and the positive impact you have on those around you. The pursuit of individual goals is harmonized with a commitment to the well-being of the community, creating a life that is both fulfilling and sustainable.
Ultimately, living with Ki, Wa, and Pneuma is an ongoing practice—a way of being that evolves with experience and reflection. It is an invitation to move through the world with greater awareness, compassion, and vitality, drawing on the best of both Eastern and Western traditions to create a life that is uniquely your own.
Integrating the philosophies of Ki, Wa, and Pneuma into a Western lifestyle is not about abandoning one’s own culture, but about enriching daily life by blending diverse wisdoms. This approach involves tuning into your own energy and intentions (Ki), fostering harmony and collaboration in relationships (Wa), and using mindful breathing (Pneuma) to stay grounded and resilient. Rather than adopting foreign customs wholesale, it’s about layering these perspectives onto familiar routines, redefining success as balance, meaningful connection, and positive impact. Ultimately, living with Ki, Wa, and Pneuma is a personal, evolving practice that brings greater awareness, compassion, and vitality, harmonizing individual goals with the well-being of the community.
Conclusion
The synthesis of Ki, Wa, and Pneuma offers a profound reimagining of what it means to live well in the modern Western world. Rather than asking us to abandon the drive, ambition, and individuality that characterize much of Western culture, these philosophies invite us to temper those qualities with a deeper sense of awareness, harmony, and presence. The result is a life that is not only dynamic—full of energy, creativity, and personal growth—but also deeply harmonious, rooted in connection to others and to the world around us.
In a society where the pursuit of personal achievement and relentless productivity can sometimes lead to isolation, stress, and a sense of emptiness, the wisdom of Ki reminds us to honor our own energy and to move through life with intention. Wa, in turn, encourages us to see ourselves as part of a larger whole, to cultivate relationships and environments where cooperation and mutual respect flourish. Pneuma, the breath of life, grounds us in the present moment, offering a simple yet powerful tool for resilience and renewal.
Together, these philosophies create a framework for living that is both expansive and grounded. They teach us that true fulfillment is not found in the extremes of self-sacrifice or self-absorption, but in the ongoing dance between self and community, ambition and acceptance, action and stillness. This integrated approach does not diminish the value of Western ideals; instead, it enriches them, adding layers of meaning and connection that might otherwise be overlooked.
Ultimately, to weave Ki, Wa, and Pneuma into the fabric of daily life is to choose a path of balance. It is to recognize that our well-being is inseparable from the well-being of others, that our vitality is sustained by both inner intention and outer harmony, and that our greatest achievements are those that contribute to a sense of belonging and shared purpose. In this way, we create not just a life of personal success, but a life of genuine connection—a life that honors both the self and the whole, and that finds its deepest meaning in the spaces between.
#Breath #Energy #Harmony #ki #Life #Philosophy #pneuma #Wa -
Alekhines Gun’s, ClarkKent’s and Owlswald’s Top Ten(ish) of 2025 By Steel Druhm
Alekhines Gun
It’s genuinely surreal to be writing this article. This Gun found his whole life flipped upside down literally on New Year’s Eve, in a new town, a new state, unemployed, and with nothing to do but review. By God’s grace, I’ve managed to find an actual career in my new town, walking into a new industry with nothing on my resume but exuberance and enthusiasm.1 This blog, with its incredible set of writers who inspire me daily, and readership who prove endearing and exasperating in equal measure, has been a rare moment of consistency in a year filled with professional and personal uncertainty. I didn’t get to listen to nearly as many albums as I’d hoped to, thanks to this being such a transitional year for my life, and perhaps in years to come, I’ll look back on this list in annoyance. But for the moment, it stands as a monument of achievement; of personal growth and practical accomplishment, and I’m immensely grateful to every reader and commenter for being along with me on this journey.
My thanks to The Angry One for giving me a second chance in my n00b days when it became clear I didn’t understand the assignment; I hope you don’t regret your choice too much.2 Thanks to the main AMG staff for being so friendly and welcoming, especially Mystikus Hugebeard, Dear Hollow, Twelve, and Kenstrosity. My eternal fealty to Steel for enduring what I imagine was an unbearable amount of stupid questions and formatting issues as I got my sea legs under me, and continue to see how much I have yet to grow as a writer.
And lastly, all my love and an Eternal Hails to my Freezer Freak brethren – Tyme, Killjoy, Owlswald, and Clark Kent. You guys were the best n00b class a guy could ask to come up with, and it has been such a privilege to have been formally writing alongside the four of you this year and call you friends as well as colleagues. Cheers to many more.
#Ish: Phobocosm // Gateway – Late release or no, it only took one listen to know this was something I needed in my life. Unrelenting in its atmosphere and with a tone like being devoured by vampire bats, Gateway doesn’t want for a plethora of oppressive moments and maintains its bleakness with admirable consistency. With interludes that function more like proper instrumentals between the more heavy cuts, Phobocosm rotate between blunt force trauma and existential despair in equal measure, flattening brain marrow with kaiju-sized stomptastic riffs only to throw you haplessly into depressive and gloom-drenched melodies the next. The rare kind of death metal peak for a rainy day, open up the gate and let it take you on a journey you might not come back from.
#10: Ancient Death // Ego Dissolution – Ancient Death is a testimony to why you should always read our foul filter excavations. Boasting a styling of, dare I say, classier old school deathisms with a healthy dollop of melody and chuggathons for days, Ego Dissolution is a mighty slab indeed. Kenstrosity quite correctly heaped praise on this release for its rare tonal fusion of Death and The Chasm, and beyond that, it has excellently implemented clean vocals, subtle synth work to bolster doomier moments, and riffs which transition from bludgeoning to esoteric in a heartbeat. Solos are peak, as all good death requires, atmospheres are coated in muck and mire without being underproduced, and even the instrumental stands out as a solid step in the journey on offer. Ego Dissolution deserves better than being a footnote in the annals of filter history, representing a highbrow slab of quality in mood-setting while still offering up violence at every turn.
#9: Teitanblood // From the Visceral Abyss – These void-worshipers have crafted an album that straddles the line of black, death, and war metal so flawlessly that every trip to their abyss leaves me exhausted and battered, but utterly enthralled. A flawless fusion of riff and atmosphere in equal measure, every ingredient from the militant drumming to the cacophonous vocals is a means to an end, and whether you’re in it more for the former or the latter is entirely irrelevant. Few albums manage to transcend being a collection of tracks into being a completed whole body of work so smoothly, and From the Visceral Abyss does so with blackened bile pouring through pounding through its poisoned veins. Disconcerting in its antagonism yet enthralling in the exactness of its vision, Teitanblood remains an auditory scrying mirror into the deepest pits that we were never meant to gaze upon.
#8: Imperial Triumphant // Goldstar – Goldstar is exactly what I had hoped for after the excessively out-there of their previous release: A more riff-centric album, which only just scales down the weird to let the approachability shine through like bait on the unsuspecting listener. To be sure, the alien Gorguts and Voivodisms remain, but this album takes a flavor similar to Alphaville3 and it builds its progressivism on the bones of licks and riffs which don’t take twenty listens to decipher before their foundation is made clear. Virtuoso musicianship remains at a peak, but as the tagline “Nine Class ‘A’ Songs” suggests, Imperial Triumphant have opted less to overwhelm the listener as much as flex on them, with fantastic results. A great introduction if you’re new to the band, and an enthralling listen for the jazz enthusiast and avant-garde black metal fan alike.
#7: Kalaveraztekah // Nikan Axkan – I underrated this a bit during the initial rodeo. While my complaints about the treble-heavy lack of bottom end remain, this is a masterfully composed record which continues to reveal new moments of wonder with each spin. Riffs designed to evoke thematic atmosphere and crush skulls in equal measure abound (“Nikan Axkan”) while remembering to summon the native beauty of the Aztec backdrop (“Yowaltekuhtli”) with skill. Lurching into Morbid Angel flirtations laced with delightful indigenous beats one minute and having haunting clean vocals drenched with horror and ritualism the next, this album is a whirlwind of a listen, a journey through primal soundscapes and human history meshed with technical prowess and grace. Hopefully someone picks them up soon, as they are well deserving of a bigger spotlight, and if you missed our rodeo on this release (shame on you) then you owe it to yourself to give it a listen.
#6: Labryinthus Stellarum // Rift in Reality – When I was very young, trancecore was one of the first “heavy” sounds I cut my teeth on, and consequently, my earballs feel right at home in these rifts. Impossibly catchy without being so simple as to offend my intelligence, and featuring electronics that have as much diversity and life in them as any guitar tone, Rift in Reality is a testimony that you can make techno and metal work on albums not named The Key. The blackened production stands in sharp contrast to the piercing, cosmic-echo cleanliness of the electronics, which are always spearheading the melodies but never at the cost of the full band’s heft and power. Spreading their songwriting wings a bit from the last release in more intricate melodies, a smattering of breakdowns, and heavier use of cleans has afforded Labryinthus Stellarum more personality than gimmickries, and I can’t wait to see where they go from here.
#5: Oskoreien // Hollow Fangs – It’s been a decent year for the more raw elements of black metal, but these fangs poisoned all who stood in their way. Somehow catchy in its simplicity yet not devoid of moving melodies, Hollow Fangs isn’t as much an innovation of the thing as much as the thing done at peak quality and skill. The cold tones reinforce the melancholy on display in the chord progressions, while the occasional leads sound more introspective than meandering despite their lack of raw noodlage. While I agree with the spirit of Owlswald‘s criticisms, I cannot deny that I continue to be drawn to this record despite its warts. Hollow Fangs has managed to set itself apart this year while not doing much out of the ordinary, containing that X factor that finds me reaching out to it over and over again.
#4: Blut Aus Nord // Ethereal Horizons – Like all good Blut Aus Nord albums, I had to let this album come to me, but once it did, it shows no signs of letting up. Somehow sidestepping the melodic trappings of the Memoria Vetusta series into something far more hypnotic yet no less deep in scope, Ethereal Horizons places all its stock on triumphant hypnosis. With nods to several chapters towards the band’s era in composition and production alike, the French kings use the building blocks of their dissonant works and claustrophobic atmospheres to construct something liberating and uplifting, with even the momentary bouts of darkness more atmospheric than truly grueling. I suspect we will find Ethereal Horizons to be an important stepping stone for the next chapter of blackened adventure. For now, adjust expectations away from whatever sequel you were hoping for in their litany of journeys and accept the new horizons showing just past the dawn.
#3: Cryptopsy // An Insatiable Violence – I was an admitted latecomer to the Cryptopsy brand, stumbling upon their excellent Book of Suffering EPs some years ago. Consequently, I’ve been a staunch defender of their modern era even as I dove backward into the classics and peculiarities. An Insatiable Violence smacks with a validation of all my affections, keeping the technical might while continuing to grow in groovy, melodic directions. True, I should have been a tad harder on the production of the drum tones than I was in my initial review, but tough tiddlywinks. From the sky-piercing beauty of the solo in the opening track “The Nimis Adoration” to the bookending body blow of “Malignant Needs,” this album remains a quality offering of the most elite of brutal death. Succinct in length but with twice the riff-to-minute factor, Cryptopsy stands supreme at the top of the more violent end of the musical spectrum this year.
#2: Messa // The Spin – While part of me deeply misses the droning elements and slightly crustier tone of Belfry, there’s no denying the spiritual journey this album takes me on with each listen. The embodiment of a grower, what begins as a somewhat underwhelming (compared to previous efforts) listen slowly unfurls itself to be an excellently realized, meticulously composed release. Look no further than album highlight “The Dress” for riffs that border more on twangy than “crushing” and yet pack the spirit of the doomiest doom in each measure. Vocalist Sara continues to up her harmonization game with double and triple-tracked melodies that reach right into my soul. Though The Spin is relatively light in guitar tone, each listen reveals a weight and power hidden from track to track, and the fantastic album closer “Thicker Blood” instinctively has me reaching out to replay the album as soon as it ends. Truly gorgeous.
#1: Aran Angmar // Ordo Diabolicum – Since plucking this record at random with no prior knowledge or expectations from the pit, Aran Angmar has stuck with me through professional and personal challenges and victories, tragedies and triumphs, in a manner befitting the greatest of Greek black metal. The harmonized leads in “Chariots of Fire” still dwell rent-free in my head, and the wailing clean vocals of the kickoff track “Dungeons of the Damned” still get my blood pumping every time. Excellent for cleaning your impossibly filthy house, working on a long overdue job project, or slaughtering your enemies by the hundreds in equal measure, Ordo Diabolicum is the sound of perseverance rewarded, of effort given and blood shed for a higher purpose, and actually witnessing the payoff with your own eyes. Sidestepping the tropes of evil for something so supremely triumphant is a move that has paid big dividends for this outfit, and while blackened to its core, few soundtracks have encouraged me to keep on keepin’ on like this has. A monstrous record to declare war on whatever oppresses you.
Honorable Mentions:
- Mutagenic Host // The Diseased Machine – Designed to reduce one’s gluteus maximus into a shape far more concave, this is a youthful release wise beyond its years in bringing the pain and infecting all in its wake.
- Qrixkuor // The Womb of the World – Bringing in an actual symphonic performance has somehow rendered this cavernous sound even more daunting. At once engaging and uncomfortable, this is an album for those who find beauty in the most repulsive of darkened shrines.
ClarkKent
When I first discovered the Angry Metal Guy blog back in 2021,4 it was during a period of transition in my life, as COVID spurred a career transition out of teaching and, eventually, into data analytics. At the time, my metal tastes were limited to more well-known acts like Metallica and Iron Maiden, with forays into Opeth, Enslaved, and Ayreon. Boy, did this blog expand my horizon. Between taking online classes and staying home with my two kids, I devoured AMG reviews and dove into the vast ocean of metal acts that both the writers and commenters introduced me to. And then, when Angry Metal Guy put out the casting call later that year, I was out of a job and always wanted to be a writer, so I thought, Why not? Little did I know this decision would see me stored in a freezer for four long years. Thankfully, when I thawed out last year, it was with four great guys who all kept each other sane during our n00bship: Alekhines Gun, Tyme, Killjoy, and Owlswald. I’m happy to have had their camaraderie and friendship, and I’m stoked that all five of us were demoted to staff writers. I am also grateful to Steel Druhm and Angry Metal Guy for bringing me aboard, despite my horrid taste, and to Dolphin Whisperer and Maddog for their helpful tips and feedback on my drafts. As Steel would say, you guys were gentle, yet brutal, and in the best possible way. With 2025 proving a stressful year, largely due to increasing work demands, listening to promos and writing reviews has proven a helpful outlet. I’m looking forward to an awesome 2026.
#ish. Bloodletter // Leave the Light Behind — While staying true to their melothrash sound, Bloodletter continues to improve in their songwriting year after year. This is easily their best and my favorite thrash record of the year, in a year where not much thrash really stood out to me. The tight songwriting, the energy, and the melodic leads are all top-notch, and this one stands up even after repeated spins.
#10. Wings of Steel // Winds of Time — This was one of my favorite reviews to write in 2025. Not just because the album was big and fun, with big bombastic numbers like the opening song “Winds of Time,” or tight and speedy cuts like “Saints and Sinners,” or ballads like “Crying,” or my song of the year, “Flight of the Eagle.” It gave me the rare opportunity to write fart jokes and the even rarer chance to “steal” a promo from Steel. So many throwback classic metal bands sound like they belong in that older time, but Wings of Steel sound timeless—they could belong in the new and the then all at the same time.
#9. Besna // Krásno — While I’m not typically drawn to post-metal, Besna’s Krásno proves an exception. The harsh guitar tones and vocals provide an alluring contrast with the catchy melodic tremolos. Despite its brief length, this is a surprisingly progressive album. Each song reveals a beauty to Besna’s songwriting and musicianship, and that album art is gorgeous, to boot. I love everything Besna does here, and this proved to be just the beginning of what was a strong start to 2025.
#8. Green Carnation // A Dark Poem Part I: The Shores of Melancholia — I’m glad Doc Grier introduced Green Carnation to me when Leaves of Yesteryear topped his 2020 list. I love this band, and this record is no exception. It has six tracks of pure earworm and ends up being one of the catchiest albums of the year. These guys know how to write songs that make you feel good and want to dance and sing along to. What’s more exciting is that this is the first of a planned trilogy, so hopefully that means we don’t have to wait long for the next one.
#7. Phantom Spell // Heather and Hearth — Heather and Hearth is like a time machine, one taking you back to ’70s era prog. Man, it’s a lot of fun. It’s catchy and bright—a shining beacon amidst a horde of brutal, violent metal. This is packed to the gills with hooks, from spry riffs to feel-good synths to memorable choruses. Metal rarely puts a smile on your face without sounding like cheesy power metal à la Fellowship, but Phantom Spell does it here. Apparently, this kind of bright and cheery metal was just what I needed this year, and it proved a nice summer balm.
#6. Atlantic // Timeworn — When I first listened to this earlier in the year, I just assumed it was the work of an established, well-known band. So it was a surprise to learn Timeworn was actually the debut from a relative newcomer in Callan Hoy. Something about 2025 has drawn me towards these uplifting albums that burst with good feelings and catchy melodies. For the 34 minutes I spend with this, I just get lost in the currents of the tremolos and blast beats and, at least for a moment, live in a world of calm and bliss.
#5. In the Woods… // Otra — This sort of melodic, catchy metal is my kryptonite. In the Woods… plays the kind of songs that get lodged in my brain, and I start whistling them while doing my grocery shopping, drawing funny looks. I’d never heard of these guys until Grier’s review earlier this year, and now I’m thinking maybe I should dive into their back catalog. More worryingly, this is the second album on my list that Grier gave a glowing review for. That means either he actually has good taste, or my taste is just as bad as his.
#4. Oromet // The Sinking Isle — If I had a time machine, I’d go back and rate this one a little higher. This isn’t a “marathon” like some of Bell Witch’s records, nor a piece of crushing funeral doom, nor one that makes extensive use of silence. It is introspective, full of surprises, and melodic. It also came at a period in my life when work was particularly stressful. Playing this helped provide me with some solace and calm as I took in the beautiful compositions. These guys have a bright future ahead of them.
#3. Deafheaven // Lonely People with Power — After the misstep that was Infinite Granite, it’s nice to see Deafheaven back to form. I was ready to write them off, but thanks to Doom_et_Al’s impassioned words, I excitedly dove in. I’m glad I did. I now know their form of shoegaze-y black metal is divisive among metal fans (I was clueless about this fact when I first discovered them), but I don’t care, and I still love it. It’s just so easy to get lost in those lush guitar tones and harsh rasps. It’s tough to pick out any one tune as a standout because it’s the experience of the record as a whole that is so rewarding.
#2. In Mourning // The Immortal — This is a remarkable piece of melodic progressive death. I hadn’t heard of In Mourning until Kenstrosity and the other AMG staffers started talking them up ahead of this release. It seems I’ve really missed out and need to fix that. The Immortal is just about perfect. From song craft to musical performances, these guys nail it. From the beautiful guitar tones to the excellent combo of clean and harsh vox to the memorable melodies, The Immortal is an emotional tour de force that grows more majestic with each spin.
#1. Tómarúm // Beyond Obsidian Euphoria — When I first moved away from more mainstream metal acts, it was progressive death bands like Tómarúm that drew me in. Opeth, Between the Buried and Me, Enslaved, and Ayreon opened up my ears to the reward of listening to songs that reveal new layers and depth with repeated listening. Each year, one or two prog death records climb high in my rankings, and this year that mantle belongs to Tómarúm. This record is massive, and the more time I spend with it, the more depths I plumb, and I find that it contains never-ending riches. There are just so many surprises—the technicality, the speed, the melodies—even some flutes! As great as the debut was, these guys have only gotten better and have earned a spot as one of my current favorites in the genre, along with Iotunn and Dvne. This is the kind of album I love to get lost in—it’s pure bliss.
Honorable Mentions
- Empyrean Sanctum // Detachment from Reality — This passion project from Justin Kellerman may not have impressed my Rodeo-mates as much as me, but I strongly connected with it due to dynamic songwriting and inspired performances.
- Skaldr // Samsr — This was initially a lot higher on my list, but it didn’t hold up as well as it did back in January. Still, it’s a remarkable bit of melodic black metal and good enough to rank as among the best of 2025.
- Aephenamer // Utopie — Melodic and symphonic metal with superb songwriting? Sign me up. This latest from Aephenamer is just so dynamic and fun, and it’s another great effort from a reliably high-quality group. The last couple of songs are absolute beauties.
- An Abstract Illusion // The Sleeping City — This may not be as strong as their older stuff, but it’s still incredibly moving. The introduction of synths charts a new direction for the band, but they make it work with some gorgeous atmospherics.
Songs o’ the Year
1. Wings of Steel — “Flight of the Eagle” 2. Lord of the Lost — “One of Us Will Be Next” 3. In the Woods — “Let Me Sing” 4. Hanging Garden — “Morgan’s Trail” 5. Fer de Lance — “Fires on the Mountainside” 6. Tómarúm — “Shed this Erroneous Skin” 7. Green Carnation — “In Your Paradise” 8. Structure — “Will I Deserve It?” 9. Atlantic — “Voyages” 10. In Mourning — “Staghorn” 11. Dolven — “You’ve Chosen”
Owlswald
I’ve finally made it to the end of my first year on staff, culminating with my inaugural list. This time last year, I was deep in the throes of my n00bdom and watched from the dark confines of the dungeon as many of my Freezer Crew brethren shared their initial staff lists. And as stoked as I was for my mates, I couldn’t help but feel a bit jealous that I was still toiling with cleanup detail as an unnamed shadow. But the wheel of ascent turns for us all. After a few more months surviving on table scraps and standing water, our Managing Ape unlocked my cage, releasing me at last into the aviary and the promised start of my pledged service bound labor.
Though my escape from the rookery took longer, that extended time was not without its merits. Reviewing is a skill that must be honed like any other, and although metal—and music generally—has been an essential part of my life since I was young, it has admittedly taken longer for me to truly articulate the “why.” Anyone can declare an album “good” or “bad,” but developing and communicating the rationale is an entirely different discipline. A discipline that I believe I have improved over my first year as a writer here, and one that I look forward to developing further with more time in the seat.
My thanks go out, first and foremost, to Steel and AMG Himself for granting me the opportunity to contribute to this very special, longstanding community and for the monumental trust they have placed in me. Specifically, the trust that I wouldn’t utterly trash the place—a faith I’ve done my best to test (More on one attempt below). I must also thank my fellow writers—both old and new, including those now in the annals of AMG—who I’ve read for years and whose work continues to inspire me. And last, but certainly not least, I thank all of you who read, comment and visit the site regularly. The reality that my thoughts command even a sliver of your precious time remains utterly surreal. For that connection, I am truly honored.
Taking this good energy and running with it, let’s get to the list!
#ish. Harvested // Dysthymia – I wouldn’t have believed you if you’d told me at the start of the year that my first list would be kicked off by an unsigned band. But here we are, and Harvested’s self-released debut, Dysthymia, deserves the honor because it fucking rules. Operating in the sweet spot between Decapitated and Cattle Decapitation, the album boasts one of the best guitar tones of the year. These Canadians flaunt a songwriting maturity that many veteran groups twice their age still haven’t found—a sound that is as bone-crushingly heavy as it is technically brutal. I have been spinning Dysthymia regularly since its release, and highlight tracks like “Unending Madness” and “Gathered and Deluded” make primo Heavy Moves Heavy additions.
#10. Jade // Mysteries of a Flowery Dream – Some albums demand the right conditions and the listener’s utmost attention to enjoy fully, and Jade’s Mysteries of a Flowery Dream is such a record. Though it took a while for their sophomore effort to envelop me in its dark, murky, and oscillating guise, I’m glad I remained patient because the payoff was huge. This Barcelonian quartet has created a sensory-rich listening experience that is as immersive as it is complex and dynamic, featuring superb songwriting intertwined with recurrent themes and soaring leads that ensure the album’s 43 minutes feel unified and purposeful. Achieving this level of cohesive, complex dynamism is a feat that is incredibly hard to execute well, which makes Mysteries of a Flowery Dream all the more impressive.
#9. Pillars of Cacophony // Paralipomena – Each year, one tech-death record usually carves out a spot on my list. Last year, Apogean’s Cyberstrictive set an incredibly high bar, taking album of the year honors with its near-perfect blend of hook-laden guitar maneuvers and groove-focused rhythms. While tech-death won’t be repeating as champion in 2025, Pillars of Cacophony are nonetheless representing the genre in a major way with Paralipomena. The album showcases multi-instrumentalist Dominik’s talents in crafting unsettling, unpredictable soundscapes filled with propulsive fretwork, dissonant phrases, and kinetic rhythmic patterns. Drawing directly from Dominik’s own research as a bioscientist, Paralipomena coils science with the aural might of death metal to create a record that is as conceptually authentic as it is musically captivating.
#8. King Witch // III – Doom—and more specifically stoner—has always been hit-or-miss to these ears. But on III, Scotland’s King Witch grabbed the best parts of the genre and compressed them into a Seattle-made mold of hard rock and grunge that immediately won me over. The album is the culmination of the group’s artistic evolution, combining the strong songwriting of their debut with the dynamic shifts of their follow-up. Guitarist Jamie Gilchrist and bassist Rory Lee assemble a sophisticated foundation of earthmoving, genre-bending riffs that perfectly augment the star power of vocalist Laura Donnelly, whose Chris Cornell-like range and Janis Joplin grit give the material undeniable power and command. The result is a sound that elevates III far beyond typical doom boundaries into one of the year’s best records.
#7. Agriculture // The Spiritual Sound – I initially missed Agriculture’s self-titled debut and follow-up EP, so The Spiritual Sound was my first introduction to this Californian black metal outfit. But after months of having this record on constant rotation—and seeing their live show—I can confidently conclude they are one of the most innovative and unique black metal groups operating right now. Self-dubbed as “ecstatic black metal,” Agriculture shatters convention by challenging the dark extremity of the genre with a patchwork of math rock, shoegaze, noise, and folk influences. Powered by Leah Levinson’s manic, shifting vocals and inventive guitar work from Dan Meyer and Richard Chowenhill, The Spiritual Sound is a genre-defying record that is both unpredictable and intensely authentic.
#6. Cryptopsy // An Insatiable Violence – Outside of my admiration for fellow drummer extraordinaire Flo Mounier, I have to admit that I had more or less forgotten about Cryptopsy after 2012’s self-titled album. Thanks to my fellow Freezer Crew brother Alekhines Gun, I gave them another go, and An Insatiable Violence hit me like a ton of bricks, forcing me to quickly figure out how to start begging these Canadians for forgiveness. From Matt McGachy’s unique, manic screams to Mounier’s pummeling gravity blasts and double-bass to Christian Donaldson’s “waltz-rooted chuggathons” and fret noises, every aspect of An Insatiable Violence is crystal clear, full of groove and hits like a fucking tank. Needless to say, I won’t be making the same mistake twice, and these death metal legends now have my full attention again.
#5. …and Oceans // The Regeneration Itinerary – Being a longtime fan of these multifarious Finns, I rejoiced when they returned from an extended hiatus in 2020 with Cosmic World Mother. Yet, as strong as that album—and follow-up As in Gardens, So in Tombs—was, it didn’t have the same symphonic and eclectic oomph as The Dynamic Gallery of Thoughts or The Symmetry of I – The Circle of O. Much to my pleasure, The Regeneration Itinerary is a riveting return to form for …and Oceans, returning to their symphonic, frenetic and blackened sound of yore while maintaining the incisiveness of their modern form. This album is peppered with their classic trademarks, and “Prophetical Mercury Implement” is the best song the group has written in decades. After taking a couple of albums to get their groove back, The Regeneration Itinerary is evidence that …and Oceans has found it again.
#4. Messa // The Spin – Messa’s fourth full-length marks the second doom record on my list (and the second led by a badass frontwoman). On The Spin, Messa continues to evolve their progressive identity, imbuing their sound with flavors of 80’s dark post-punk and gothic rock that evoke the haunting architecture of early Killing Joke. While Sara’s vocals may not possess the same boisterous power as Laura Donnelly’s, her spellbinding presence and seductive delivery make The Spin simply irresistible. Guitarist Alberto complements Sara’s bewitching and buttery croons with sparkling arpeggios and overdriven solos steeped heavily in the classic occult groups of the ’70s. It’s clear Messa is operating on a completely different level than their peers, and I can’t get enough of The Spin.
#3. Buried Realm // The Dormant Darkness – You always remember your first. Buried Realm’s The Dormant Darkness was my first full review on staff, a record that I am forever grateful Twelve decided to waive his seniority over and allow my newly-clipped wings to review because it ended up surprising the hell out of me. Josh Dummer’s technical melodeath project came out firing on all cylinders with its third album, upping the virtuosity with a slew of new guests. It is full of highlights, memorable hooks, and technically impressive solos and is a non-stop blast. In fact, I loved The Dormant Darkness so much that I committed the cardinal sin of breaking the score counter immediately—an action that can quickly get one thrown into the woodchipper of despair. Luckily, I am still here to tell the tale, and now I have my love of The Dormant Darkness to show for it.
#2. Tómarúm // Beyond Obsidian Euphoria – If there was ever a year for me to look for a #1A/#1B scenario, this would have been it, as I floundered back and forth between this album and my #1 pick. Chalk it up to indecision or whatever you must, but ultimately, one can’t go wrong with either in this instance. In short, Tómarúm’s Beyond Obsidian Euphoria is long-form progressive death metal greatness. Razor-sharp technicality, sparkling melodicism, and excellent songwriting form a weighty spirit that counterbalances crushing heft with airy refrains that move and flow seamlessly across its rewarding 70-minute runtime. There isn’t much more I can say here that Sponge-fren Ken‘s aptly penned review didn’t capture already, outside of stating that Tómarúm‘s opus is as close to perfect in both structure and execution as one can get. To put it simply, it’s a triumph.
#1. In Mourning // The Immortal – Speaking of perfection, In Mourning have achieved such a standard with their latest melodeath offering, The Immortal. After our Almighty Overlord listened to The Immortal following the flurry of votes the record received for August’s Record O’ the Month, he responded with a few choice words that captured my thoughts about the album succinctly: “Damn…” he said. “They nailed this. Well, that’s easy.” But I think that is even an understatement for how incredibly awesome this album is, and, doing one better, I don’t think many have grasped it yet, either. With their seventh album, these Swedes have found the perfect combination of their patented Opethian death metal chuggery, sadboi melodies, and creative dynamism, resulting in a sound rich in emotional depth with more digestible hooks than one can handle. I’m talking hooks—both riffs and vocal melodies—that dig deep into your psyche and never let go. They connect on a different level—a telltale sign we’re dealing with a classic. A decade from now, when In Mourning has hopefully amassed an even deeper discography, should the question arise—”What is the most essential melodeath album of the last ten years?”—I’m willing to bet The Immortal will be the resounding answer.
Honorable Mentions
- Mutagenic Host // The Diseased Machine – I miss Edge of Sanity with a passion, but Mutagenic Host’s The Diseased Machine is helping stem my longing—at least temporarily. These newcomers kicked off 2025 with an absolutely filthy dose of death metal that hasn’t stopped invading my playlist.
- Abigail Williams // A Void Within Existence – While 2019’s Walk Beyond the Dark was one hell of a record, A Void Within Existence may very well surpass it. Drummer Mike Heller codifies the attack, as Ken Sorceron and company unleash an all-out assault of crushing weight and unrelenting groove.
- Bianca // Bianca – Despite its late arrival hindering its consideration for a higher ranking, these Italians clearly have something special brewing with their self-titled debut. An enchanting mix of ethereality and chilling blackened soundscapes that is worth hearing immediately.
- Ambush // Evil in All Dimensions – Heavy metal group Ambush lived up to their name when they absolutely ambushed my ears and eyes with their nostalgic blend of 80’s Maiden, Priest, and Helloween, replete with their oh-so-tight fashion. Vocalist Oskar Jacobsson is poised to be the genre’s next colossal talent. Remember—you heard it here first.
- Fallujah // Xenotaph – Following the heavily criticized 2019 effort, Undying Light, it took six years for these tech-death masters to regroup and recalibrate. But Fallujah delivered a massive surprise with Xenotaph, easily one of their strongest—and best sounding—records to date. Here’s to hoping this reinvigorated momentum holds true.
Song o’ the Year
Ambush // “Bending the Steel” – This surprise pick eventually knocked …and Oceans’ “Prophetical Mercury Implement” from the top spot. It’s a brilliant piece of songwriting that would have immediately launched this act to superstardom had it only been released four decades earlier. 100% nostalgia and cold, hard steel.
#AndOceans #2025 #AbigailWilliams #Aephenamer #Agriculture #AlekhinesGunS #Ambush #AnAbstractIllusion #AncientDeath #AranAngmar #Atlantic #Besna #Bianca #BlogLists #Bloodletter #BlutAusNord #BuriedRealm #ClarkKentSAndOwlswaldSTopTenIshOf2025 #Cryptopsy #Deafheaven #EmpyreanSanctum #Fallujah #GreenCarnation #Harvested #ImperialTriumphant #InMourning #InTheWoods #Jade #Kalaveraztekah #KingWitch #LabryinthusStellarum #Lists #Messa #MutagenicHost #Oromet #Oskoreien #PhantomSpell #Phobocosm #PillarsOfCacophony #Skaldr #Teitanblood #Tómarúm #WingsOfSteel -
Immolation – Descent Review By Steel Druhm
Immolation are the uncommon band that sits both on top of their chosen genre and outside of it simultaneously. As one of the titans of early days death metal, the natural inclination is to lump them in with all the other old school death acts from the late 80s and early 90s. While that wouldn’t be entirely wrong based on their Dawn of Possession debut, over time Immolation have evolved into something else – Still classic death metal, but much more too. And while their style can seem too opaque at times to tickle the casual OSDM lizard brain, there’s something truly primordial to their sound that exemplifies death metal like no other. They’ve also been the most consistent brand in death over the decades, releasing 11 albums of high-quality material with no duds. 2022s Acts of God saw the band move in a slightly different direction, stripping down some of their more extravagantly creative impulses and hardening around a muscular core of dissonance and punishing ugliness. Now comes Descent. What do founding members Robert Vigna and Ross Dolan have in store for us this time? You know it will be something enormous and crushing, but what else awaits your feeble ears?
In a nutshell, Descent is a continuation of what Immolation did on Acts of God, but the soundscape is now subject to a carefully curated tension between their usual penchant for brutality and dissonance and an on-and-off experimentation with a more grandiose and vaguely symphonic vibe. These diverse elements grate upon each other like opposing grindstones, and the result is often quite dramatic. Opener “These Vengeful Winds” is heavy as an anvil pyramid, crushing you beneath waves of corckscrewing, twisting riffs that feel too weighty to move, yet move they do like Cthulu’s hideous face tendrils. This is Immolation at their most basic and threatening, and it’s a grotesque joy to experience. “God’s Last Breath” delivers a crushing midtempo assault peppered with hateful guitar flourishes before lapsing into a massive stomping groove that feels dangerous and unhinged. Soon, everything goes utterly insane, and blastbeats and mind-flaying riffs try to unbalance your sanity. It’s special. It isn’t until “Bend Toward the Dark” arrives that Immolation show you all their cards. The song is pummeling and ridiculously heavy, and hidden in the swirling maelstrom is a vague SepticFlesh vibe that almost feels symphonic, but not quite. It’s strange, but it fits, and Ross Dolan extends his vocal range ever so slightly to sound more Deity-like.
Later cut, “Host” stands apart from the rest of Descent due to its unconventional and experimental approach. It feels like a fever dream in the way it leaps from idea to idea, and it can feel a bit disjointed, but it’s massive and rocks a relentlessly evil vibe that chills the bone marrow. It took several spins to “get it,” but once I got used to the strange ebb and flow, it worked more often than it didn’t. “False Ascent” is a direct, savage assault with little effort to be clever, and because of that, it hits extra hard. The closing title track is like the best moments of Immolation condensed into an almost 6-minute brain injection. It will destroy your body, but you need it nonetheless. Is everything this killer? Well, “Attriton” has many good pieces, but it doesn’t quite gel for me as a cohesive entity. Could I do without the instrumental “Banished”? Yes, as it does more to disrupt the album’s flow than add anything truly meaningful. At 42 minutes, Descent feels shorter and less overstuffed with ideas than Acts of God, and it’s easier to process. The production by Zack “Sometimes Friend o’ the Blog” Ohren is quite loud and confrontational, but less smashed than the DR 5 might suggest. The guitar tone is menacing as fuck, and the drums have a titanic force behind them. Most importantly, there’s enough cavern murk and scuzz to round out the existential dread Immolation traffics in.
I know it’s a waste of time to discuss how talented Immolation is at this point, but I’m going to anyway. Robert Vigna deserves his own wing in the Death Metal Guitarist Hall of Fame, and his strange style continues to bear rotting fruit at every turn of the thumbscrews. His playing is unlike anyone else, and his offbeat perspective on death metal riffing is why Immolation stand out as they do. He and Alex Bouks put on a clinic on how to decorate a death metal song with riff gold, and they build dark, threatening worlds as easily as you or I build a pile of dirty dishes in the sink. Ross Dolan is a tremendous death vocalist and always delivers the goods, and Steve Shalaty’s drumming is next-level insane and technical.
I agonized over how to score Descent. Ultimately, I prefer it over Acts of God, but, as with most Immolation albums, the qualitative differences are minor and come down to small personal preferences.1 It’s a metal truism that you can buy any Immolation release without fear of disappointment, and Descent will certainly please the filthy death masses. Immolation remain a rare, altered beast among other repellent horrors, painting their uniquely disturbing soundscapes across history and time.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Nuclear Blast
Websites: immolation.info | immolation.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/immolation | instagram.com/immolation_band
Releases Worldwide: April 10th, 2026Kenstrosity
It’s been said before, but it bears repeating: Immolation need no introduction. Far and away the most consistently great act in death metal, the New York troupe forge a deadly blade with each new release, familiar in design and function but meticulously crafted to rise with distinction. A discography unmarred by blemishes or misfires ensures that no matter where your point of entry, listeners new to Immolation’s fatally sharp weaponry will find themselves summarily eviscerated in short order. Twelve albums and thirty-eight years in, Immolation nests Descent inside an already legendary catalog with astonishing ease.
Drawing from the rich pool of their own history, Immolation have little need to reference their peers for ideas or inspiration on Descent. Pulling the infernal energy of Close to a World Below (“These Vengeful Winds,” “Attrition”), merging it with the violent groove of Majesty and Decay (“The Ephemeral Curse,” “Descent”), and embedding purposeful structure into the resulting mesh by way of Atonement’s sweeping, multi-phase phrasing and intentionally scorched layers (“God’s Last Breath,” “Host”), Descent honors its ancestry in monstrous fashion. Rare is the death metal act that exudes class and elegance, but Immolation embodies those traits in Descent’s grander songwriting—particularly evocative of Communion-era SepticFlesh—which makes the whole all that much more imposing. That’s to say nothing of the riffs, which have the same verve and vitality as ever without sacrificing an iota of Immolation’s core identity—an astounding feat that needs to be heard to be believed.
As water-cooler discussions in AMG HQ’s back alleys and seedy underbellies confirm, Descent creates an environment solely populated with muscular apex predators, leaving the staff gnashing teeth and sharpening claws to defend their favorite track as the best item on hand. Mine are “Adversary,” “Bend Towards the Dark,” and “False Ascent,” primarily because they invoke a horde of particularly fiery trem-picked leads, flourishes, and shimmers that provide a bright contrast to Immolation’s trademark deep roars, stomping motifs, and precisely punctuated percussion. Equally compelling, high-impact cuts like “The Ephemeral Curse,” “Attrition,” and gargantuan closer “Descent” boast the same or similar features, applied in other ways or in alternate locations to create varied textures and high-detail points of interest. No song proper drops the ball at any point, and at a remarkably tight 42 minutes, the album as a whole boasts ridiculous levels of immediacy and engagement.
Immediate though Descent is, time and attention are its best friends. Revisits unfurl and intensify Immolation’s latest salvo such that it effortlessly deflects distraction. Harmonized layers, multifaceted riffs, and tumbling transitions across the record expand in scope and grandeur in direct correlation to the number of times I hear it. Strict structuring and highly compartmentalized compositions loosen, relax, and bleed into rich sonic hombre, betraying an intricacy and sophistication that such blunt force instrumentation shouldn’t be capable of achieving. Even my initial misgivings towards penultimate interlude “Banished,” which feels fluffy and insubstantial at first, gained some justification as the days and weeks spent with Descent progress. What once felt like a rude interruption now feels more like a palate cleanser for the final course. Still, I could cut it from the runtime. Even though the ride to the end might feel a tad rougher for it, I am not convinced I would wholly miss the padding. My only other critique of import concerns production. While incredibly well-mixed all things considered, Descent is loud, crushed to within an inch of its life—a life that barely breathes only by the grace of meaty guitar tones and a snappy snare.
As I grow closer to this world below, I feel nothing but reverence for an act whose unflappable dedication to the death metal craft knows no equal. I am awestruck by the longevity of Immolation’s back catalog and the remarkable quality of their modern entries. Descent is no exception. It is, instead, exceptional. Taste amongst my peers polarizes to some extent as to which Immolation era earns the most flowers, but recognition of their collective elite status is universal. This twelfth album, soon upon us, perpetuates that standard and may even prove, with time, to have elevated it once again. At the very least, it ranks among my personal favorites by these New Yorkers. It is my intention, consequently, to spend every free moment basking in its consuming flame.
Rating: Great!
#2026 #35 #40 #ActsOfGod #AmericanMetal #Apr26 #DeathMetal #Descent #Immolation #NuclearBlastRecords #Review #Reviews #SepticFlesh -
AMG Goes Ranking – Megadeth By Grin Reaper
The life of the unpaid, overworked metal reviewer is not an easy one. The reviewing collective at AMG lurches from one new release to the next, errors and n00bs strewn in our wake. But what if, once in a while, the collective paused to take stock and consider the discography of those bands that shaped many a taste? What if multiple aspects of the AMG collective personality shared with the slavering masses their personal rankings of that discography, and what if the rest of the personality used a Google sheet some kind of dark magic to produce an official guide to, and an all-around definitive aggregated ranking of, that band’s entire discography? Well, if that happened, we imagine it would look something like this…
Megadeth requires no introduction, but I’ll give one anyway to provide context for why we composed an overwrought missive about one of thrash’s most enduring acts. Last year, frontman and metal legend Dave Mustaine announced Megadeth would call it quits following one last album and tour. With over forty years of metal history in the books and Megadeth’s endgame on the horizon, what better way to celebrate a storied career filled with legendary cuts and excessive ellipses than with a good ol’ fashioned ranking? Through sixteen albums, Dave and his Dethcrew have offered platters ranging from so good to so what, and we at AMG apparently have a lot to say about them.
Regardless of how you feel about Megadeth, their lasting legacy casts an immense shadow. Mustaine’s indelible footprint is evident, driving many of us writers to spend countless hours sweating bullets and overwriting about a band we love to Deth. From inauspicious beginnings in 1983,1 when Dave was famously booted from Metallica a month before recording Kill ’em All, to clawing their way into metal’s collective consciousness, Megadeth notched an extraordinary victory and became one of the most recognized bands in rock and metal. Mustaine’s influence stands tall, a monument to what a man can accomplish when he dives headlong into the lungs of hell and sets the metal world on fire with one sick lick after another. We’ll be back with a look at Megadeth’s self-titled swan song, but in the meantime, let us commence reckoning Dave and AMG’s countdown to distinction.
– Grin Reaper
The Rankings
Grin Reaper
Megadeth has been a mainstay of my diet for as long as I’ve listened to metal. I started with their greatest hits, then greedily absorbed album after album as my rapacity for thrash deepened. Leading up to Megadeth, returning to this discography gives me a new appreciation for what Dave has accomplished. Even if the lyrics can be heavy-handed and the desire for accessibility occasionally hamstrings success, Megadeth has forged some of the best thrash platters ever. For the hours I’ve spent with this music, I owe Megathanks.2
#16. Risk (1999) — I’m paraphrasing, but at some point, Mustaine said, “If Risk didn’t have Megadeth’s name on it, it would’ve sold.” Maybe,3 but it seems clear the priority was selling records and not writing great fucking metal. The doctor is calling, and he says to listen to any other Megadeth album, stat.
#15. Th1rt3en (2011) — Th1rt3en contains many of Megadeth’s core ingredients, but lacks the hooks and vitality of other releases. The album’s thirteen tracks are exhaustively padded and range from forgettable to middling. One of Megadeth’s most phoned-in albums, I rarely return to Th1rt3en outside of a full Deth play-through.
#14. Super Collider (2013) — Compared to Th1rt3en, Super Collider’s highs are higher and its lows lower. Tracks like “Kingmaker” and “Built for War” burn with a fire that rarely ignites on its predecessor, and while Super Collider’s duration is vastly improved, it only edges out Th1rt3en by the skin of its teeth.
#13. The World Needs a Hero (2001) — TWNaH might rank higher if Megadeth said goodbye to “When” and “Promises” and trimmed fat from other tracks. As is, the choruses on “Disconnect” and “Burning Bridges” nestle between Youthanasia and Cryptic Writings, which scores big points. Though not the ‘return to thrash’ advertised following Risk, it proved a crucial first step in course correction.
#12. The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! (2022) — A step down from Dystopia, TStDatD bears some undeniable moments (including the entirety of “We’ll Be Back”) that put a high-speed hurt on your earholes. At its best, the album cranks a blistering fury that defines the immediacy Kiko brought to Megadeth. Hobbled by bloat, this could have been a better album with judicious editing.
#11. The System Has Failed (2004)4 — An irrefutable improvement on TWNaH, The System Has Failed tightened up the songwriting and injected more thrashitude than fans had seen since Youthanasia.5 Dave’s vocals are particularly strong here, and while it’s not as good as the two albums that followed, The System Has Failed is a striking improvement over Risk and TWNaH.
#10. Dystopia (2016) — Dystopia outstrips Th1rt3en and Super Collider by a country mile. While Megadeth doesn’t totally shake excess length or back-half slogs here, the opening trio of songs on Dystopia comprises the best introductory salvo since Rust in Peace.6 The rest of the album teeters between okay and very good, but “The Threat Is Real,” “Dystopia,” and “Fatal Illusion” are the most vital Deth has sounded in the 21st century.
#9. Endgame (2009) — Chris Broderick joining Megadeth set fire to the guitar leads, crafting scorching, thrashy magic on the likes of “This Day We Fight!” and “Head Crusher.” This is the most technical Megadeth has played since Marty Friedman was in the band, and the combination of six-string acrobatics, tight songwriting, and a mighty back half gives Endgame the right to be insane.
#8. United Abominations (2007) — Endgame and United Abominations are a toss-up, but UA wins out because there’s more variety from track to track, the bass slaps me silly with engaging countermelodies (“Washington Is Next!”), and there’s no “The Hardest Part of Letting Go…Sealed with a Kiss.” Plus, “Sleepwalker” is one of my favorite Megadeth tracks in the last thirty years.
#7. Cryptic Writings (1997) — Infusing all the post-grunge, alternative angst of the mid-to-late ’90s, Cryptic Writings teems with direct, catchy riffs and a vaguely dark edge. Boasting a restrained runtime, singalong choruses, and killer bass grooves, Cryptic Writings travels the popular, rock-oriented path whose biggest sin is lacking the thrash beatdown they’re so damn good at.
#6. Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! (1985) — Megadeth’s debut hemorrhages razor-sharp riffs in an uncontested frenzy of vitriol and venom. Unrefined and raw compared to what came later, Killing Is My Business endures as a testament to Dave Mustaine’s tenacity and vehement pledge to play better and faster than everyone else, all in an indefatigable half hour.
#5. Youthanasia (1994) — Doubling down on the streamlined songwriting from Countdown to Extinction, Youthanasia flaunts grade-A, pop-informed hookiness with metal vestiges. It also sports one of my favorite solos Megadeth wrote after 1990 in “Victory,” which encapsulates the danger of early Deth and how Mustaine’s and Friedman’s fretwork feels like it could go off the rails at any moment, but never quite does. The digestible track lengths sustain Youthanasia’s kinetic momentum throughout, even if it dips toward the end. Megadeth doesn’t recapture the aggression and destruction present on prior outings, but Youthanasia still evinces a band firing on all cylinders.
#4. So Far, So Good… So What! (1988) — I originally had SFSGSW ranked lower because of how much it’s overshadowed by the albums surrounding it. Listening with a ranking mindset and not chronologically,7 it’s apparent that Megadeth’s third album wields the unpolished vigor of their debut to greater effect. SFSGSW snatches you with barbed hooks in ear, dragging you into singalong anarchy.8 The album also contains “In My Darkest Hour,” one of the all-time great Megadeth jams. It takes the raw energy and animosity from Peace Sells and foreshadows the more progressive structures of Rust in Peace, cementing it as not only the best track on the album, but one of the best in Deth’s catalog.
#3. Countdown to Extinction (1992) — Forsaking the technical fervor of Rust in Peace, Mustaine rerouted Megadeth’s trajectory down a more commercially viable path. And though I loathe the change in direction from RiP, I can’t deny Dave’s success in creating some of the band’s most recognizable anthems while discharging the best-selling album of Megadeth’s career. “Symphony of Destruction” was the first Megadeth song I encountered, and once I dove deeper, “Skin o’ My Teeth” and “Sweating Bullets” quickly became frequent stops. Countdown remains the best fusion of Megadeth’s bethrashened roots and perennial commercial lust.
#2. Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? (1986) — Many will tell you that Peace Sells is Megadeth’s best album. It’s not, but it’s very, very close. Maintaining the rabid ferocity of Killing Is My Business, Mustaine exercised a modicum of restraint, and instead of pumping toxic levels of riffs straight down your ear gullet, he wrote some all-time burners that expanded on the debut’s technicality without sacrificing its infectious charm. Guitar theatrics blaze through Peace Sells’ scant thirty-six minutes while the bass and drums complement serpentine axe-work with inspired grooves and rolls. In another discography, this thrashterpiece would wear the crown without challenge. Alas, Megadeth perfected technical thrash four years later…
#1. Rust in Peace (1990) — For years, Megadeth’s pièce de résistance has been my unquestioned favorite thrash metal album. Its progressive alchemy marries unfuckwithable riffs and Dave’s ever-present punky snarl, taking no prisoners and defining an iconic benchmark of the genre. When I first broke into Megadeth via their Greatest Hits, “Holy Wars…” and “Hangar 18” dominated my early listening. When I relented and bought Rust in Peace, those early listens were a revelation. I expected solid material on par with the tracks I already knew, but the quality of bangers here is unparalleled. The deep-cut status of “Tornado of Souls” and “Rust in Peace… Polaris” is criminal, but demonstrates the strength of the songwriting. Rust in Peace never relents in its cascade of squealing solos, pummeling fills, and sneer-along anthems, and there’s nary a moment that doesn’t set my head crushing banging. The apex of Megadeth’s discography is absolute perfection, and if you don’t like it, go tell it to Reader’s Digest.
Owlswald
Long tethered to Metallica’s shadow, Dave Mustaine has consistently forged music that resonates with me in some way, regardless of his antics or the era’s quality. Megadeth spearheaded my obsession with thrash and extreme metal. And although decades of lineup shifts, addiction, and health battles aimed to thwart Megadeth multiple times, Mustaine’s resilience has been steadfast. Accordingly, Megadeth is set to release their seventeenth album—a final curtain call for Mustaine to voluntarily leave the stage as metal royalty. So, to a living legend: thank you for your relentless dedication and for opening the gates of metal for me. Your legacy is secure, your throne is earned, and your place as a true titan of the genre is solidified.
#16. Risk (1999) — Essentially, “Dave tries to write hit songs,” Risk finds Mustaine still chasing a #1 record after Cryptic Writings and failing even worse the second time. Both albums serve as underwhelming final chapters for the group’s most storied era. There isn’t much else to say: Megadeth’s greatest lineup deserved a much better send-off.
#15. The World Needs a Hero (2001) — Mustaine intended for this record to fix the damage of Risk, but missed the mark completely. “1000 Times Goodbye” and “Promises” rank among Megadeth’s worst songs, squandering the potential of the “Return to Hangar” concept. Indeed, the world may still need a hero, but it certainly didn’t need this album.
#14. Th1rt3en (2011) — When the only lasting impression is Mustaine’s awful lyrics, the system has truly failed. Megadeth clearly mailed in most of this record, from the tropey “Guns, Drugs, & Money” and “We the People,” right down to its uninspired self-titled name. In short: ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzz.
#13. Super Collider (2013) — Though clearly bad, this record at least contains some semblance of the Mega juice missing from Th1rt3en. “Kingmaker,” “Beginning of Sorrow,” and “Built for War” make it memorable, for better or worse. However, the title track inexplicably finds Mustaine going full John Cougar Mellencamp, and “The Blackest Crow” sounds like the Deadliest Catch theme song.
#12. United Abominations (2007) — Despite “Sleepwalker,” “Washington Is Next!” and revisiting “A Tout Le Monde,” United Abominations falls on its face faster than you can decipher whatever the hell is going on with that artwork. Tracks like “Amerikhastan,” “Gears of War” and the title track are a mess, and Mustaine’s sermonizing rants further weigh things down.
#11. The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! (2022) — Megadeth’s sixteenth effort leans on repetitive formulas and Mustaine’s weary vocals. Kiko Loureiro’s world-class fret-work and Dirk Verbeuren’s thundering percussion shine on tracks like “Night Stalkers,” “Sacrifice,” “Life In Hell” and “We’ll Be Back.” However, by the time “Mission to Mars” hits, bloated runtimes and awful songwriting drag things to Super Collider territory.
#10. Cryptic Writings (1997) — Chasing a #1 record, Megadeth adopted a disappointing, radio-oriented sound under producer Bud Prager. By dividing itself into thirds—one part speed, one part melody, and one part mainstream—Cryptic Writings is lackadaisical. Still, tracks like “She-Wolf,” “The Disintegrators,” and hit song “Trust” remain solid amidst an otherwise underwhelming record.
#9. Dystopia (2016) — Like Endgame, Dystopia marks a return to form with the addition of Chris Adler’s precision and Loureiro’s flair, reviving some of that classic Deth energy. Despite cringy lyrics and bloat, the record brings the goods with crunchy power chords (“Post American World,” “Fatal Illusion”), breakneck speed (“The Threat is Real”) and impressive shredding (“Conquer or Die,” “Dystopia”).
#8. So Far, So Good… So What! (1988) — Production woes, a fractured lineup, and mountains of substance abuse notwithstanding, this record somehow survived. Less aggressive and more disjointed than KIMB or Peace Sells, So Far, So Good… So What!9 still delivers some bangers with “Set the World Afire,” “Hook in Mouth” and the classic “In My Darkest Hour.”
#7. The System Has Failed (2004) — This album is a crucial recovery from the Risk era. Chris Poland’s return and the addition of session drummer Vinnie Colaiuta provide a massive lift, compensating for muted production and a sluggish mid-section. “Kick the Chair” drives the record, offering essential proof of life and showcasing Mustaine’s resilience.
#6. Endgame (2009) — Megadeth recaptures their golden-era speed and calculated aggression through heavier, more technical songwriting. While tracks like “Bite the Hand” showcase classic riffcraft, guitarist Chris Broderick is the true catalyst—his insane solos and leads elevate the entire record. Despite minor stumbles like “The Hardest Part of Letting Go,” Endgame proved Megadeth still had it.
#5. Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! (1985) — More than a mere middle finger to Metallica, this debut is pure vitriol and velocity. From the breakneck pace of “Mechanix” to the straight-up thrash assault of “The Skull Beneath the Skin,” this record introduced Megadeth to the metal world and forged their identity with fire. A rhythm section unlike any other at the time anchored Mustaine’s venomous vocals and Poland’s unorthodox leads. Samuelson’s jazz-infused sensibilities and Ellefson’s precision formed a lethal engine, providing the framework for Mustaine and Poland to unleash their frantic guitar fury overhead. Beyond its raw aggression, KIMB served as a dress rehearsal for the creative pinnacle that would soon follow.
#4. Youthanasia (1994) — Hanging babies! This record captures Megadeth at the height of their mainstream powers, delivering a record that is more vocally driven than its predecessors. Mustaine offers arguably his finest vocal performance here, showcasing a resonant range that outshines even Countdown to Extinction. From the chugging pick-scrapes of the groovy “Train of Consequences” to the vulnerable “A Tout Le Monde,” though the songwriting on Youthanasia feels more calculated, controlled, and melodic, the album still retains its bite. Nick Menza’s drums hit like artillery fire, particularly on tracks like “Black Curtains,” “Youthanasia,” and “Reckoning Day.” It’s Megadeth riding on popularity without losing their edge.
#3. Countdown to Extinction (1992) — Countdown to Extinction marked Megadeth’s definitive arrival as a commercial powerhouse. It introduced a polished, but still high-octane sound filled with purpose and precision that left almost all others in their deathly wake. Boasting a wealth of riffs, sophisticated lead work, Menza’s monumental drumming, and a vibrant production that gives everything an in-your-face presence, Countdown is essential Megadeth. Though it famously debuted at #2 on the charts—stymied only by another now-famous black album—tracks like the legendary “Symphony of Destruction” and “Sweating Bullets,” “Foreclosure of a Dream” and my personal favorite, “Architecture of Aggression,” prove why this record launched Megadeth into the stratosphere.
#2. Rust in Peace (1990) — What more can anyone say about this record that hasn’t already been shouted from the rafters? As the most heralded record in the Megadeth discography, Rust in Peace debuted the best lineup, fully established their now iconic sound, and ignited an incredible multi-album hot streak. Admittedly, I arrived at the Rust in Peace party late—discovering this masterpiece only after Countdown to Extinction had dropped. But it’s also cool to be fashionably late, right? Aside from the cheesy “Dawn Patrol,” this record is nothing less than a classic, proving why Megadeth earned their spot atop the thrash hierarchy.
#1. Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? (1986) — Speaking of classics, this was my gateway into Megadeth and the wider world of thrash metal. On a local record store recommendation,10 I picked up the tape, and once Samuelson’s drum roll kicked off “Wake Up Dead,” that was all she wrote. Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? is a masterclass in aggression and technicality. While “Wake Up Dead,” the title track and “The Conjuring” are popular classics, it’s the darker, complex depths of “Bad Omen,” “Devil’s Island” and “Good Mourning / Black Friday” that define the record’s soul. The musical evolution from their debut to this is nothing short of astonishing. Most point to Rust in Peace as the pinnacle, but for me, this will forever be the definitive Megadeth record. It’s home to some of the most legendary, headbangable riffs ever written and is the ultimate Deth experience.
Baguette of Bodom
With great ’80s thrashing comes great ’90s blunders, unless you’re Testament. MEGADAVE’s long history contains many missteps, and the incessant obsession with remixing everything 17 times made this younger metalhead’s introductory experience needlessly confusing years ago. That being said, the highs are very high indeed, and I love talking veteran bands without any nostalgia goggles. For this ranking, I’m taking my favorite (and hence, most familiar) version of each album into account, usually indicated by the cover art. Though many of the originals are a must, there are notable exceptions.11 Lists sell… but who’s buying?
#16. The World Needs a Hero (2001) – Nothing says ‘thrash comeback’ like sly, edgy ’00s breakup songs at 50 BPM. Infinitely worse than their rock misadventures ever were, the stretch from “1000 Times Goodbye” to alt-metal ballad “Promises” should be considered a war crime. At least “Return to Hangar” apes a good Megadeth track.
#15. Super Collider (2013) — I don’t know what possessed Dave to reattempt the Risk method, but it went even worse for him this time. There are a couple of okay tracks here (“Kingmaker,” “Built for War”), but as a whole, the album just comes off as bafflingly tone-deaf and humorously weak.
#14. The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! (2022) — Holy cow, what a massive disappointment. I thought they were getting somewhere again with Dystopia, and then they fell right back below sea level. The title track and the fun “Mission to Mars” are salvageable, otherwise it’s a bloated monstrosity full of mediocre to bad re-thrash.
#13. Risk (1999) — Even having Risk this high might invoke threats of mob violence. Cuts like embarrassing arena wannabe “Crush ‘Em” make Risk comically lame, but some are decent and catchy (“Wanderlust,” “I’ll Be There”). Not a good record by any means, but Megadave is capable of worse than boring.
#12. United Abominations (2007) — A good four-track EP (especially “Washington Is Next!”) held hostage by the seven lame tracks that follow, not to mention “À Tout le Monde (Set Me Free)” being offensive to the original Youthanasia gem. Not an abomination, but still corny and mediocre.
#11. So Far, So Good… So What! (1988) — When discussing Megadeth’s ‘first four,’ SFSGSW is usually spoken of under breath, if mentioned at all. And for good reason: it’s angsty, gimmicky, and “Anarchy in the U.K.” is a Thing That Should Not Be. However, the all-time great “In My Darkest Hour” justifies the existence of the entire album.12
#10. Cryptic Writings (1997) — Overhated! It’s bloated with annoying radio filler, but also contains some strong, catchy tunes with a great sense of both melody and groove (“Trust,” “A Secret Place”). Crown jewel “She-Wolf” is a discography highlight, and the closest Megadave ever got to Iron Maiden.13
#9. Th1rt3en (2011) — Aside from the terribad name, Thirteen14 is also way overhated. It’s a bit too long and I don’t spin it regularly, but it’s a consistently solid record from a band that often struggles with consistency. Basically a slower Endgame/Dystopia, with good fun tracks like “Fast Lane” and “Wrecker.”15
#8. Dystopia (2016) — I’ve cooled on this album, but it’s still one of their better current-millennium records. Not that there’s a whole lot of competition! The instrumental “Conquer or Die!” is very fun in particular, but it’s good thrash all around, with more energy and stronger highlights than Thirteen. Worse vocals, though.
#7. Countdown to Extinction (1992) — A strong transitional record, even if somewhat overrated. Gimmicks (“Psychotron,” “Captive Honour”) and oversimplified guitar work set it back somewhat, but the highlights are great. The title track is one of Megadeth’s finest moments, and “Ashes in Your Mouth” deserves more praise, too.
#6. Endgame (2009) — This is commonly regarded as the best post-1990 ‘Deth, and I totally see why. It’s a powerful, aggressive, energetic record, almost front to back, with even shredtastic intro gem “Dialectic Chaos” somehow being a highlight. However, there are other albums that I think do more with higher peaks.
#5. The System Has Failed (2004) — Severely underrated! The songwriting is heavy, catchy, and creative all at the same time, in a way it hasn’t been ever since, and everything from “Die Dead Enough” to “Back in the Day” is an earworm. This album sees the brief comeback of Chris Poland, guitarist on KIMB and Peace Sells, and he’s still got it here. Drummer Vinnie Colaiuta (Frank Zappa, Joe Satriani) also brings in that crucial outside influence that often results in great albums. I could leave “Something That I’m Not” and the strange dual outro-ish last two tracks off, but they’re alright as is.
#4. Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! (1985) — An endlessly fun, blazing fast, wild, and free set of bangers by a pissed-off young Dave and co. How could anyone resist “The Skull Beneath the Skin” or “Mechanix?” Though the original $0 budget mix of the album (not easily available outside of YouTube) is limp and occasionally harms the listening experience, the 2002 mix pictured here is fortunately great and largely fixes its issues. That being said, the original uncensored version of “These Boots” is much preferable—but the re-recorded and censored one on reissues is really funny in its own way.
#3. Youthanasia (1994) — Much like The Ritual was Testament’s way of showing the world you can ‘sell out’ and still make great music,16 Youthanasia managed to do the same to Megadeth’s already Countdown-diluted sound. Except this is a direct upgrade to Countdown. An infectiously catchy album front to back, loaded with great tunes while still featuring strong guitar work and clever songwriting by Marty and Dave. The back half deserves more recognition for its excellencies: “Family Tree,” “Blood of Heroes,” and song title reference extravaganza “Victory” to boot. I’d maybe only drop the title track, funnily enough.
#2. Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? (1986) — Despite my accidentally remix-fueled lukewarm first impression,17 the original version soon found its way through my ears into my heart and never left. Maybe part of its magic is the jazz fusion background of Chris Poland and drummer Gar Samuelsson being more prominent, or the gang blowing a little less money on drugs, or both. Regardless, Peace Sells is a special little bottle of lightning, relentless yet intelligent, and massively hook-laden. “I Ain’t Superstitious” is the only slight drawback, but “My Last Words” makes you forget it by dishing out some of the best guitar work in the genre.
#1. Rust in Peace (1990) — What is there left to say about a stone-cold classic and nigh-perfect album that hasn’t already been said? Controversially, I prefer the 2004 remix for its drum sound,18 but Rust would take the crown either way. An album that starts with “Holy Wars… The Punishment Due” and ends in “Rust in Peace… Polaris” is already an absolute monster, and the rest of the track list is equally fantastic19 only further cements its status as an all-timer. This is the album that introduced drummer Nick Menza and guitarist Marty Friedman to the wider metal world, and the music is all the richer for it. Thunderous rhythm and lead guitar work, legendary solo craft, complex yet catchy barn-burners—it’s all here. Rust in Peace is not just a cornerstone of thrash metal; it’s also a hallmark of progressive metal.
Andy-War-Hall
I remember when Pandora radio first put Megadeth’s “Skin O’ My Teeth” my way, exposing an impressionable teenage Andy to thrash metal for the very first time. At once, I grew angrier, my IQ plummeted substantially, and my chances at female companionship dropped to NY Jets Super Bowl probabilities. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Megadeth is a household name of heavy metal for a reason, and their discography has shaped the genre forever. To the kings of Too Much—whether it be notes-per-riff, ellipses-per-title, or time scrolling Facebook conspiracy theory rabbit holes—we salute thee!
#16. Risk (1999) — Risk is—to borrow the closing line of “Take No Prisoners”—”shit.” Every choice in Risk attempts to ride the already-tired waves of alt-rock and arena country. Worse yet, none of it sounds good at all. To quote “Good Mourning/Black Friday”—”What the fuck is this?”
#15. Super Collider (2013) — You know your album is in dire straits when you gotta tap Disturbed’s David Draiman for songwriting help. Just barely not Megadeth’s worst album, Super Collider feels the most exasperating. Butt-rock banality infects every nook and cranny, presenting Megadeth as a band thoroughly out of steam. Nuts.
#14. The World Needs a Hero (2001) — Bouncing back from Risk was never going to be easy. This isn’t a bounce back. If not for “Dread and the Fugitive Mind” or the deeply ironic enjoyment I derive from “1000 Times Goodbye,” TWNaH could easily have slipped to the bottom of this list for its shallowness alone.
#13. Th1rt3en (2011) — This straight up pisses me off that I got Th1rt3en at #13. It feels like I let Dave win. It being here has the same air of pretense as Mustaine’s decision to make Th1rt3en thirteen tracks long. There are perhaps five acceptable ones.
#12. Cryptic Writings (1997) — You know, I actually had a bit of fun with my last spin of Cryptic Writings. It stinks, but don’t let the Motörhead beligerence of “The Disintegrators,” the Maidenesque harmonies of “She-Wolf” or the pure thrash bonanza of “FFF” be forgotten amongst the bad of Cryptic Writings.
#11. United Abominations (2007) — If Mustaine wasn’t so utterly miserable all the time, United Abominations could’ve been awesome. The grooves and solos are real, but not one of you can tell me that the rants on “United Abominations” or “Amerikhastan” make the music better. Turn off the TV, Dave. Take a deep breath.
#10. The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! (2022) — Megadeth engenders strong opinions. Love ’em or hate ’em, you either love ’em or hate ’em. I have no strong feelings towards The Sick… I chuckle at the “Bring out yer dead!” sampling in the title track. I wince at Ice-T’s narration on “Night Stalkers.” Beyond that, it’s fine.
#9. So Far, So Good… So What! (1988) — The roughest, crustiest of Megadeth’s early material, So Far… feels like a band caught in limbo, embodying neither the piss-and-vinegar of KIMB nor the sophistication of Rust in Peace. But it’s still plenty fun, particularly with the closing three tracks. It’s like Peace Sells after a few beers.
#8. Youthanasia (1994) — The faintest odors of the enshittification of Megadeth can be smelt at times, particularly in its more rock-driven moments, but Youthanasia is nonetheless a killer send-off record to Deth’s best lineup. I used “Reckoning Day” in a short story I wrote in college one time. It was bad.
#7. Dystopia (2016) — When I heard “Fatal Illusion”‘s bitchin’ bass line in high school, I entered a fugue state and woke up with a Dystopia t-shirt from Hot Topic. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the rest of the album was also mostly good, if a bit slow at times.
#6. The System Has Failed (2004) — Why does nobody talk about The System Has Failed? After Megadeth’s most miserable stretch of albums, bangers like “Blackmail the Universe” and “Kick the Chair” soar in purest triumph. Some slight duds here and there keep it down, but if you’ve slept on The System then correct that at once!
#5. Endgame (2009) — Where Mustaine and co. found the spark that set Endgame ablaze so late in their career is a mystery to me, but boy am I glad they found it! Endgame is erupting flatulent with adrenaline-rushed barn burners like “Headcrusher,” “This Day We Fight!” and “1,320′,” and Megadeth sounds almost as volatile as they did on Killing Is My Business… with Chris Broderick’s gob-smacking guitar solos. If not for the out-of-place balladry of “The Hardest Part of Letting Go…Sealed with a Kiss,” this could’ve been a top-three contender. Shred ’til yer ded!
#4. Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? (1986) — The album that set Megadeth on the course towards fancier, more adventurous waves, Peace Sells… feels like the record Mustaine wanted to write but needed to vent with Killing Is My Business… first. From nasty bruisers like “Wake Up Dead” and “Devil’s Island” to dramatically-bent cuts like “The Conjuring” and “Good Mourning/Black Friday” to Mustaine’s first awkward steps into political commentary on “Peace Sells,” the Megadeth we know today truly began with this record. To put it simply, stupid, Peace Sells… is a huge part of what made ’86 the year for thrash metal.
#3. Countdown to Extinction (1992) — Do you understand just how incredibly slick Countdown to Extinction is? Yeah, it’s a long step back technically from Rust in Peace, but with that stripping down in chops came sharpness, and songs like “Skin O’ My Teeth,” “Architecture of Aggression” and “High Speed Dirt” are lean, mean and sharp, indeed. Countdown sees Megadeth at their absolute hookiest, with “Symphony of Destruction,” “Sweating Bullets” and “Foreclosure of a Dream” digging deeper into my gray matter than any of their bids for radio play ever could. If not for some bloat at the end, Countdown could’ve threatened the top spot.20
#2. Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! (1985) — The Megadeth we all know began with Peace Sells… but Killing Is My Business… is just Dave Mustaine doing what Dave Mustaine does best: playing way too many notes way too fast and way too mad. And I love it. These riffs are just stupid in the best way, imbuing “Looking Down the Cross,” “Rattlehead” and “Mechanix” with so much spite and hostility it’s stupefying. While most pre-extreme metal records that once terrified parents now come off as a bit toothless, Killing Is My Business…, while still kinda silly, sounds dangerous in 2026.
#1. Rust in Peace (1990) — I like Megadeth. Hopefully, that came across after all of this. But for every album of theirs, even the good ones, there’s usually one or two questionable aspects or a dud song that keep them from being essential. Rust in Peace, however, is as totally essential as an album can be. Manned by Megadeth’s greatest lineup in Mustaine, Ellefson, Menza and Friedman, Rust in Peace is a heavy metal masterclass and an unquestionable classic. A marvelous artistic achievement that’s as technical (“Lucretia”) as it is emotional (“Tornado of Souls”) as it is dreadful (“Holy Wars…The Punishment Due”) as it is fun (“Take No Prisoners”), Rust in Peace is the kind of masterpiece only Dave Mustaine and his complete unwillingness to restrain himself could create. Proving that “Less Is More” is the greatest scam of our age, Rust In Peace is Megadeth’s magnum opus and you’d better believe it!
Tyme
As contentious as it’s been at times, I wouldn’t want to live in a universe where Metallica never kicked Dave Mustaine to the curb. The fact that two of the greatest thrash metal bands of all time sprouted from that split inarguably supports that statement. Despite his ups and downs and propensity for assholeish shenanigans, I’ve always been a Dave fan. As we seem to have reached a time when he’s poised to walk away from music on his terms, I’d be lying if I said I’m not a little verklempt about it. Megadeth has been a massive part of my metal upbringing, and I’ll always be thankful for the music that’ll be left behind. Well, maybe not all of it, this is a ranking post after all.
#16. Super Collider (2013) — Especially disappointing since I’d hoped Megadeth’s Risk years were safely behind them. From the cringe-inducing lyrics and tired, played-out riffs to the ridiculously boring, Vic-free cover, Super Collider is insipidly weak. It sits at the bottom of my barrel as a testament to Dave’s riskily unlearned lesson.
#15. Risk (1999) — Intentional or not, Risk was definitely that, a radio-rock debacle that more than earned its spot here. This album had always been Dave’s longest-standing turd for me, at least until 2013. My second listen, endured solely for this ranking, did nothing to change that opinion.
#14. The World Needs a Hero (2001) — Outside of “Return to Hangar,” which is a decent song even if it’s offensively cheesy, I had never listened to TWNaH completely. Megadeth-lite had entirely moved off my radar after Risk, so I never even thought about giving this a spin in 2001, or any other year until now. Thrash.
#13. Th1rt3en (2011) — Beyond the uber-cheesy, ridiculously juvenile ’13’ puns, there were a few rays of promise on this mostly bloated platter (“Sudden Death,” “Black Swan,” and “13”). Not even Dave Ellefson’s return could elevate the album from its inherent mediocrity, though—the last body in the sub-basement of Megadeth’s discog.
#12. United Abominations (2007) — I saw Megadeth live for the first time during 06’s Gigantour, where I picked up a nifty autographed print of United Abominations’ cover art. This album is mid-tier Megadeth, and while a few diamonds exist, it takes some weed-whacking through the rough to find them.
#11. Cryptic Writings (1997) — Tolerably catchy, Cryptic Writings was a definite precursor to Megadeth’s dark years (1998 – 2003). Still, there’s a handful of tracks here I return to on the regular. For me, Cryptic Writings marked the end of the most successful run of Megadeth’s existence.
#10. Endgame (2009) — By far one of the better records to come from the second half of Megadeth’s career, Endgame is full of crispy riffs and Dave’s trademark snarls. It is by far the best album recorded by the Broderick, LoMenzo, Drover line-up, even though I don’t return to it very often.
#9. Dystopia (2016) — Sporting one of my favorite Megadeth covers, Dystopia brings the riffs in droves. Kiko Loureiro’s guitar mastery and Chris Adler’s drum magic elevate the material, even bolstering Ellefson’s performance, who sounds satisfyingly rejuvenated. My biggest nit is that almost every track has an annoying fade-in.
#8. The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! (2022) — With the return of the mighty Megadethian ellipsis, and the addition of Steve DiGiorgio and Dirk Verbeuren, TS,tD… atD blew me away, coming out swinging way harder than it had any right to. Unequivocally, my favorite thing Megadeth has done in nearly two decades as of this ranking. Let the beatings commence.
#7. The System Has Failed (2004) — After disbanding due to injury, it was encouraging to hear Dave had recovered and, despite my trepidation, was going to release a solo record.21 I was, however, beyond stoked to see the Rattlehead-adorned, Megadeth-monikered TSHF drop, which was light years better than I anticipated, with keenly satisfying melodies and some of Dave’s best vocals.22
#6. Youthanasia (1994) — As an old-head Megadeth fan, the more melodic direction raised some concerns, but Youthanasia is one of the best-sounding albums in the band’s discography. That first warm and crunchy riff on “Reckoning Day” still works wonders, while “À Tout le Monde,” albeit overwrought, rocks and could only have been pulled off by Dave. Oui oui.
#5. So Far, So Good… So What! (1988) — My appreciation for SF, SG… SW! did not manifest until later in my metal life. I mean, any album was going to struggle to meet the high bar set by Peace Sells, but the thin production and, what I perceived as lackluster songs, aside from the most excellent “In My Darkest Hour,” just didn’t land with me. In time, though, I came to love this little gem, from the album’s lethal opening one-two punch to the last couple uppercuts (“Liar,” “Hook In Mouth”). It’s the weakest of Megadeth’s first four outings, to be sure, but it’s still a classic and sits deservingly at my number five.
#4. Countdown to Extinction (1992) — Countdown to Extinction is a muther fuckin’ CRUNCH fest. With its surgically precise production, every riff, lick, lead, bass line, and snare strike sounds crystal clear, putting the album in a sonic category all its own. Yes, it was a more rock-forward affair and a departure from the classic thrash assault Megadeth had become known for, but I love every minute of it. Countdown holds some of my favorite deep cuts (“This Was My Life,” “Psychotron,” “Ashes in Your Mouth”) and, despite its uber-popularity, “Symphony of Destruction” is still a pulse pounder.
#3. Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! (1985) — When Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor came wafting out of my speakers for the first time, it hooked me. Every acidic drop of Dave’s piss and vinegar attitude pours out of each minute on Killing, his vocal performance brilliantly unhinged. Of the Big Four debuts, Killing Is My Business stands as the rawest and most eclectic, full of lightning-fast riffs and jazzy, blues-tinged melodies. Ellefson’s performance, especially, is a delight for me, ebullient and Maideningly noodling, it stands as the best of his Megadeth career. And by the time I made it to the jet-fueled funny car speed of “Mechanix,” I was fascinated by how fast “The Four Horsemen” could be played.
#2. Rust in Peace (1990) — Technically proficient, polished, and magnificently executed, Rust in Peace is one of the largest jewels in Megadeth’s crown. In fact, there’s not a track on this, or on either of the other two excellent Megaplatters wedged above and below it on this list, that compels me to reach for the skip button, bangers all. A guitar-lover’s absolute wet dream, Friedman and Mustaine combine to turn in the shreddingest performance of any Megadeth release bar none. And though the Friedman, Ellefson, Menza iteration of the band would never surpass the excellence on offer here, they never needed to—Megadeth perfection.
#1. Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? (1986) — If the 80s were the golden age of thrash, 1986 was the platinum year of that age—each of the Big Four releasing, for me at least, the best albums of their careers.23 Peace Sells took the unhinged craziness of Killing and honed it to a razor’s edge, while still retaining a rawness that, for me, perfectly embodies the classic sound of thrash metal. Coming of age at a time when MTV was still playing music videos, I spent countless nights riveted to the screen watching Headbanger’s Ball, and no video got my blood pumping more than “Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying?” It’s my favorite Megadeth song to this day, and that harmonized breakdown mid-song still gives me goosebumps. From the brilliantly rendered Ed Repka cover art, whose work became synonymous with the genre, to the thirty-six minutes of utter thrash metal bliss, Peace Sells has been and will always be my number one.
MegaDolph
I’ve been listening to Megadeth for almost as long as I’ve been listening to metal, as classic NWOBHM and shred led me straight down a path to thrash. With a perpetual chip on his shoulder and a voice suited for little beyond punkish and sneering music, Dave Mustaine cemented his brand of all-fury riffcraft and roll-the-dice band selection into my listening history, even if his own history with Megadeth has near as many flaws as it does adornments. And so, in the spirit that Mustaine would harbor, I’m pulling no punches and delivering my mostly agreeable stances on Megadeth with tact and brevity. And that leads us straight to…
The Bad: The bottom can be entertaining in some discographies, but when #16 Risk (1999) holds the floor, you get tepid alt-rock sung by a guy who should be doing something else. Likewise, when #15 The World Needs a Hero (2001) stands above it in its “Dave writes songs about being angry at women” glory, and when Dave wastes the screeching talents of Al Pitrelli (Savatage, Trans-Siberian Orchestra), little better awaits you. I wish I could say that #14 Super Collider (2013) raised the bar, but in a similar fashion to its rung below, Chris Broderick might as well have had his guitar credits removed cause Dave went to great lengths to focus on anything but what Broderick could add to Dave revisiting sloggy blues rock with the occasional thrash riff. #13 Cryptic Writings (1997) marks the first improvement on this grueling path to the good stuff, if only because a few songs continue the playful-but-not-really-thrash energy of early ’90s Deth. #12 The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! (2022) sees Dave pulling the same old tricks in hiring legendary bassist Steve DiGiorgio (Quadvium, Testament) just for him to be part of the album’s absent low-end; however, Kiko Loureiro (ex-Angra), at least, bolsters this walking speed collection with sick solos. In many ways, #11 Endgame (2009) was the same album, a little more than a decade earlier, but with Chris Broderick being the additional fretboard fire—I wish those flames had burned “The Hardest Part of Letting Go… Sealed with a Kiss” to ashes. But, as we move to the top 10 of Megadeth’s career, things truly do get better.
#10. Th1rt3en (2011) — Though a cut above the most disposable of Megadeth’s works—and host to their worst album name by a wide margin—Dave wears his last effective snarl in the Megadeth chronology and manages to use Broderick in smart ways against his punky/blues rock attitude.
#9. Dystopia (2016) — Much like the album that comes after it (The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead!), its breezy cadence makes for a low enthusiasm experience, but one with Kiko Loureiro, again, stealing the show when he’s allowed to flex—he’s even given one full song to himself to do it (“Conquer or Die”)!
#8. Youthanasia (1994) — Though already halfway to the sound they’d explore later in the ’90s, Megadeth still thinks they’re a groovy metal band for most (sans the ballads, yuck) of Youthanasia, which goes a long way with the classic Menza-Ellefson rhythm section and Friedman solo magic.
#7. United Abominations (2007) — The Drover brothers harbor the tightest rhythm-lead interplay on UA since Youthanasia while Dave drags it down all the way to the 7-spot by filling about 71% of this album with drunk uncle ranting and radio-filtered “samples.”
#6.Countdown to Extinction (1992) — Hot off the heels of Rust in Peace, this step backwards in composition functions a lot like the step backwards that So Far, So Good… So What! delivered, except that about half the songs disappear under the weight of its best cuts.
#5. So Far, So Good… So What! (1988) — A lot of people, even my colleagues, I’m sure, will call half this album filler or unadvisable, but I call it Dave having a blast with one-time second guitarist Jeff Young, littering pinchy, wailing, neoclassical lead work over punchy, punky, small club thrash.24
#4. The System Has Failed (2004) — System possesses an ambition in Megadeth returning to thrash, Poland returning to melting faces, and Dave creating big studio arrangements around riffed out hooks and his classic snarky diatribes—balance and power.
#3. Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! (1985) — Megadeth sounds like they could fall apart at any moment of Killing’s reckless 6-string mania, but they never do despite having blown most of their production budget on performance-enhancing substances.
#2. Rust in Peace (1990) — Megadeth captured Marty Friedman in his metal-related creative peak, which makes for some of the most iconic thrash solos that elevate simpler cuts—most of Rust is quite technical and progressive for an American thrash band like at that time—like “Take No Prisoners” and “Poison Was the Cure” to rager status.
#1. Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying? (1986) — Bass-forward, fretboard gymnastics-loaded, and crowd-ready in its aggressive thrash platform, Peace Sells stands the test of time in every riff, in every spiteful Dave spitting, and every sweat stain of pure mosh energy.
Angry Metal Guy Staff Ranking
We’ve once again used our tallying magic to use a complex point system based on submitted rankings.
- Risk (1999)
- Super Collider (2013)
- The World Needs a Hero (2001)
- Th1rt3en (2011)
- The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! (2022)
- Cryptic Writings (1997)
- United Abominations (2007)
- Dystopia (2016)
- Endgame (2009)
- So Far, So Good… So What! (1988)
- The System Has Failed (2004)
- Youthanasia (1994)
- Countdown to Extinction (1992)
- Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! (1985)
- Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? (1986)
- Rust in Peace (1990)
Angry Metal Discord Pile o’ Entitled Opinions
We did the same thing for our Discord users. Their opinions smell almost as bad as they do. But they have strong opinions about Dave and his rotating cast of thrashy miscreants. There’s no way they got it more right though… right? But you asked for more lists25
- Super Collider (2013)
- The World Needs a Hero (2001)
- Risk (1999)
- The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! (2022)
- Th1rt3en (2011)
- United Abominations (2007)
- Cryptic Writings (1997)
- Dystopia (2016)
- The System Has Failed (2004)
- Youthanasia (1994)
- Endgame (2009)
- So Far, So Good… So What! (1988)
- Countdown to Extinction (1992)
- Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! (1985)
- Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? (1986)
- Rust in Peace (1990)
Given the wide reach Megadeth’s music has, we thought it would be a good exercise to highlight some of Deth’s lesser-known tracks to let casual listeners know what they’ve been missing.
#2026 #AmericanMetal #AMGGoesRanking #AMGRankings #Angra #Dystopia #Endgame #FrankZappa #IronMaiden #Jan26 #JoeSatriani #JohannSebastianBach #Megadeth #Metallica #Quadvium #Savatage #SexPistols #SuperCollider #Testament #Th1rt3en #TheSickTheDyingAndTheDead #Thirteen #ThrashMetal #TransSiberianOrchestra -
By Samguineous Maximus
If you’re like me, then your experience with German industrial metal largely revolves around Rammstein, the fun, if not inconsistent, institution that still somehow sells out arenas worldwide with their patented brand of simple riffs, simpler grooves, and deep-voiced German monotone “singing.” If you’re also like me, then listening to Rammstein became a lot less appealing when allegations surrounding frontman Til Lindemann arose, tainting my ability to enjoy the band. Thankfully, Germany is nothing if not efficient, and for every aging industrial Goliath there’s a newer, sleeker unit revving up on the assembly line. Erdling is one such machine, and they’ve been honing their brand of Neue Deutsche Härte since 2014. 1 My simian overlord, Steel Druhm, found their 4th record, 2020’s Yggdrasil, to be competent enough, if not a tad underwhelming. Since then, the Krauts have kept busy, releasing 2 albums in quick succession and garnering a respectable (and I presume mostly German) following. Now, they’re back with Mana, a lean collection of 11 tracks readymade to soundtrack a Berlin nightclub. Has Erdling crafted a delectable enough display of dance-inducing industrial to fill the void?
Mana is what happens when Rammstein and Crematory’s industrial template slams into the glossy, market-tested sheen of Amaranthe. No, Erdling doesn’t have over-processed female vocals or cringe-inducing rap parts (thank Wotan); instead, they take the clear craftsmanship and studio-minded sheen of a more commercial-oriented Euro sound and apply them to a beefy industrial metal core. The result is a batch of sleek, pop tunes that feel precision-engineered to get your fist pumping and stick in your head for days afterwards. The essential ingredients—straightforward Nü-tinged riffing, simple but danceable grooves, and monotone but charismatic German spoken vocals are all here—but they’re arranged in razor-tight formation and often spruced up with garish synth leads or autotuned choirs. Nearly every track on Mana sits around the 3-minute mark, featuring absolutely zero fluff or overlong vibe-killing sections. We have the tried-and-true methodology of ABABCB 2 applied throughout with just enough variety to keep things interesting. For most albums, this slavish devotion to formula would turn me away, but luckily for Erdling, they’re incredibly proficient in their execution.
A full listen of Mana delivers industrial metal banger after banger in rapid succession. The single “Dominus Omnium” showcases Erdling’s command of the style, skillfully building from eerie, restrained verses that highlight vocalist Neill Freiwald’s sinister delivery, into massive, synth-drenched choruses backed by layered guitars. Throughout the album, Erdling nods to various major European metal acts, adding variety and keeping the tracklist feeling fresh. “Los Los Los,” for example, is driven by an Amon Amarth-style melodeath riff but leans more into dance territory, complete with a flashy EDM lead that shines throughout and, of course, an earworm of a chorus. “Miasma” draws from the folk metal playbook, centering its chorus around a natural minor progression you’ve probably heard in dozens of Alestorm tracks. Another element that sets Erdling apart from many of their industrial peers is their lead guitarist. Ole Anders delivers several impressive solos and tasteful lead melodies across the album, adding a dynamic edge to even the more traditional cuts. Tracks like opener “Aurora” are pulled out of complacency by fiery, harmonized guitar work that keeps things from feeling too safe.
Now, it’s not all glühwein and glowsticks. Mana is a formulaic record by design and by limitation. Erdling commit to their template with near-militant discipline. There are no breathers, no tempo shifts, no moody detours. If you’re hoping for a left-field ballad or something vaguely introspective, keep walking. That said, the B-side introduces some welcome variations, like the blast beats and blackened vocals on “Alles dreht sich,” or the somber clean guitar textures on the closer “Sternenschimmer.” The album doesn’t evolve so much as it sprints headfirst into your chest for 37 minutes straight. But that also makes it endlessly re-listenable. Where most industrial albums sag under the weight of their own cyberpunk cosplay, Mana just keeps throwing punches. It’s the kind of record that’s over before you notice, only for your body to demand you hit play again like some kind of blood sugar-crashing dancefloor junkie.
At the end of the day, Erdling aren’t here to challenge the genre’s boundaries; they’re here to perfect it. Mana is a polished, addictive blast of industrial metal that would feel equally at home in a sweaty Berlin club or as fuel for your next deadlift PR. The songwriting is tight, the hooks hit hard, and the band understands exactly what kind of experience they’re delivering: 100% efficiency, zero filler. Is it deep? No. Is it innovative? Not really. Is it a blast and addictively replayable? Absolutely. Until Rammstein either implode or redeem themselves, Erdling just might be the Neue Deutsche Härte fix we need.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 192 kbps mp3
Label: Out of Line Records
Websites: erdling.rocks |erdling.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: October 17th, 2025#2025 #35 #Alestorm #Amaranthe #AmonAmarth #Crematory #ElectronicMetal #Erdling #GermanMetal #Industrial #IndustrialMetal #Mana #NeuDeutscheHärte #Oct25 #OutOfLineMusic #PopMetal #Rammstein #Review #Reviews
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Angry Metal Guy’s Top Ten(ish) of 2023
By Angry Metal Guy
The Year of Our Angry Overlord 2023 saw an AngryMetalGuy.com that continues its upward trajectory. We produced 713 posts (mostly reviews), which, in terms of raw numbers, is the lowest since 2015 and can be improved upon, but the 890 word-per-post mark that we are at, is the highest average word count in our history. This means, we ended up with a hefty 634,674 words in 2023. We also averaged 39,539 views a day, leading us to our highest readership numbers ever at 14,420,637 total page views in 2023. The readership of AMG is also global, though the English-speaking world dominates our readership, with the USA, England and Canada taking up spots 1 to 3 on our highest views list. Happily, in my opinion, Germany has overtaken Australia as our fourth biggest readership and that means it’s only a matter of time before I’m asked to perform a live review writing at Wacken. Spots 6-10 are taken up by the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Spain and Brazil—a who’s who of excellent footballing nations (and an excellent Eurovision nation) that also love our brand of high quality, long form analytical reviews. So, thanks to all of you from all over the world for loving us almost as much as we love you! And to the one guy (literally) in Vatican City who visits our blog once a year, we appreciate you so much.
That we continue to outstrip our previous performance is entirely because of you, our readers, who are so loyal and open to new music that we can claim an Angry Metal Guy Bump™, because when we review stuff, you listen to it. I’ve received plenty of personal correspondence from bands and PR people reporting that AngryMetalGuy.com gives better numbers than Decibel in terms of listens and purchases. This means that Angry Metal Guy matters, and we intend to use that power to … do exactly the same thing we always do: listen to great music, promote music that we love and trash popular bands for all the engagement it brings us.1
The year 2023 also saw us welcoming in new writers, and despite some people fading away or stepping back (both Madam X and Grymm will be missed), I feel like we have as strong a profile for our writing as we ever had. Again, it makes me beyond happy that all my stupid little ideas about how a music blog should be run have turned into this bazaar of the bizarre, with writers whose taste in music I pretty much detest, as well as some good eggs who hold true to the AngryMetalGuy.com vision of giving everything from Scandinavia a 4.0 or better. Anyway, regardless of how bad your taste is, thanks to you all for your hard work and dedication. You’ll be especially fond of me—each and every one of you—when you read the footnotes to this post. It’s footnote 6 that’s of particular interest to you. I would also like to especially thank our dedicated editing staff, headed up by—but certainly not limited to—Steel Druhm as well as Sentynel, whose steadfast dedication to keeping the site running warms my heart.
On a personal note, this year was supposed to be one of the best of my life. It has been an unmitigated pile of shit, with only a few bright spots. As usual, I’ll try to make 2024 a better year, where I am Angry Metal Guy in practice, not just in spirit. A new year always brings unreasonable and unrealistic goals that get broken in shame by April, doesn’t it? Well, that’s mine.
I love you all. Except the Discord. You guys are terrible.
#ish: Fellowship // The Winterlight Chronicles [December 22nd, 2023 | Scarlet Records] — Oh man, they did piano versions of songs from The Saberlight Chronicles? RotY. <3
#ish: Riverside // ID.Entity [January 20th, 2023 | InsideOut Music] — Back and forth between the 10-spot and then the 9-spot and now an #ish, ID.Entity is a genuinely good album from a band that I am happy has regained some of its swagger. I didn’t need another morose, overly wet album full of painfully sad songs and a Great Plains style mastering job.2 I needed a record that was absolutely swimming in references to The Police and ’80s Yes, and Riverside obliged. At 53 minutes, I decided, that “The Place Where I Belong” just mars the whole a little too much to put it higher up the list. But color me excited for what’s next for Riverside, because ID.Entity definitely got my attention again.
#ish: Soen // Memorial [September 1st, 2023 | Silver Lining Music] — Once before I’ve missed a review for a Soen album, but that time I had our much missed Huckster to cover me. Memorial continues down the path the band started down on Imperial—well, on Lotus, in actuality—of making tight, poppy groove metal with an emotional edge. I particular enjoy Memorial’s fast paced tracks and the introduction of the Iron Maiden-style guitar harmonies that litter the album. There have been some gripes that Memorial hews too close to the arc of Imperial, but I think the album has both its own sound and is loaded with great songs. And unlike its predecessor, Memorial seems to genuinely peak in terms of the heaviness that these old guys are willing to put on (proverbial) tape, while still leaning into savvy pop choruses with Eklöf’s unique emotional cadence. We shouldn’t have missed it and neither should you.
#10: Vomitory // All Heads Are Gonna Roll [May 26th, 2023 | Metal Blade Records] — Vomitory is not trend. Vomitory is not kvlt. Vomitory makes death metal to mosh your brains out to. They are very good at it. And that’s why their first album since their deeply underrated Opus VIII was a happening in the Angry Metal Guy household. As time has worn on, I have become less and less excitable before a new release. But in this case, I was right to be excited. All Heads Are Gonna Roll—despite its Swenglish title3—delivers the kind of decapitating death metal that the world—by which I mean me—has missed in the 12 years that the pride of Karlstad has been missing in action. And weirdly few bands are living in the sphere that Vomitory runs in right now, meaning that All Heads Are Gonna Roll is an even more vital contribution to the propagation of good, grinding, groovy death metal that isn’t trying to be Gorguts or Ulcerate OR to relive the glory years of the Stockholm scene. Long live Vomitory!
#9: Crypta // Shades of Sorrow [August 4th, 2023 | Napalm Records] — Years ago, I remember reviewing Vomitory’s Opus VIII and thinking it was remarkable because it was direct and to the point and it just felt like “good, honest death metal.” I had a similar feeling hearing Crypta’s debut record, Echoes of the Soul, and I became enamored with the album. But, as with so many successful bands experiencing success,, Crypta lost a key member almost immediately; their glam-as-fuck guitarist who was, at least in part, responsible for the band’s strong melodic core. This gave rise to worry that Shades of Sorrow might suffer from Ye Olde Sophomore Slumpe. Fortunately, Brazil’s favorite daughters found an excellent replacement and are filled to the brim with riffs. Shades of Sorrow pumps out another 52 minutes of memorable, groovy death metal (albeit with a darker, more blackened vibe) and has been a constant companion since I first heard it. After what must have been an absolutely crazy year for them—having toured with Morbid Angel and lost their rented RV in the process—I hope that they’re leaning back and appreciating what they’ve accomplished in the last three years. Two Angry Metal Guy top 10s? Does it get better than that?
#8: Gorod // The Orb [March 10th, 2023 | Self-Release] — Gorod is my favorite active tech death band for a reason. To paraphrase myself: greatness is hard; consistent greatness is Gorod. That’s because these French death metallers are a breed apart, with a sound that’s truly special. The Orb, which dropped back in March, helped to re-solidify my admiration for the band’s dynamic, guitar-driven approach. Every time I put it in, I’m immersed in the most captivating riffs, the boldest ideas, the most intense rasps and growls, and a compositional variety that consistently engages. There are, of course, minor things that make it a little less my favorite than its predecessor, but The Orb exudes Gorod’s unique character and is so flawlessly executed that any criticisms seem trivial. The Orb shows Gorod being true to its essence, a spectacle we should be thankful to experience.
#7: Haken // Fauna [March 3rd, 2023 | InsideOut Music] — I have to be honest: I didn’t expect Fauna to get anywhere near this list during 95% of the year. The reality is that when I first got it, I couldn’t get into it. I have two different partially written drafts that I could never finish because it kept losing me. I wanted to like it. I didn’t like it, but I couldn’t put my finger on why. So, I ascribed it to me going through some stuff, since I wasn’t enjoying much of anything. Recently, it popped up and I gave it another chance. As these things can go, it clicked. And of course it did. Haken, a ridiculously good band despite going Full Djent™ a few years ago, has a history of throwing curveballs and exploring sounds. Fauna finds them working in the artistic tradition of writing music that’s meant to evoke other creatures—bulls, monkeys, elephants, etc.—and this artistic device helped them to diversify their sound on Fauna. The result is an album that is as diverse as it is expansive and—first and foremost—fun! Like the best albums, Fauna reveals new things every time I go back to it, and I can never quite decide what my favorite song is. It also serves as a reminder that Haken is one of the best active prog bands, honestly, the only limits they have are the ones they set for themselves.
#6: Isole // Anesidora — I’ve always respected Isole and enjoyed their material. But I’ve never been overly enamored with them and I’ve never considered myself “a big fan.” Anesidora has changed that. Isole’s newest opus hits that sweet spot between a classic Candlemass record and a classic My Dying Bride record that I didn’t even know I needed. The result of this unholy blending of sounds and feels is a doom metal that I love as much as nearly any doom in my collection. Anesidora sports all the best traits of great albums; memorable songs; a listening time that results in instant re-listens; and, first and foremost, addictive melodies and themes. After weeding its way into regular rotation, Anesidora has simply never left. It’s a combination of excellent songwriting, great performances and some of the most subtly sticky composition I’ve heard in years. It’s clear to me now why Isole is only second to the Christmas Goat on the list of “famous people and/or entities from Gävle, Sweden” on Wikipedia.4
#5: Leiþa // Reue [January 13th, 2023 | Noisebringer Records] — I’ll never recapture the feeling of sheer and utter wonder that I felt hearing Windir for the first time. Nor will I relive the naïveté of enjoying Halmstad without having heard of Kvarforth. But if I’m going to get close, Leiþa’s epic Reue would be the thing that did it. This may be the first time that a one-man black metal side project (this time from Kanonenfieber’s Noise) has graced one of my Top 10(ish) lists, and that should be enough to make you sit up and take note. Leiþa has wrought a masterful work of great—potentially even excellent—black metal that deftly balances the genre’s past and present. The album, which Carcharodon correctly diagnosed as both “rich and textured,” is uncompromising, cutting a unique path through the depressive black metal subgenre with aggressive riffing and production which is on the attack. Yet, despite being free of the bed of reverb endemic to anything ‘depressive,’ Reue exquisitely evokes the existential angst of remorse while evoking the melodic black metal chops reserved for Norway’s most underrated black metal band. I will not rue the day I heard Reue, because it helped to define 2023 for me.
#4: Anareta // Fear Not [April 8th, 2023 | Self-release] — One of the first revelations of 2023, Anareta’s particular approach to extreme metal surprised and enchanted me. Throughout the year, Fear Not has continued to show up on my playlist and every time, I’m just as impressed with it. One can criticize the production, but there’s something that feels genuine and authentic about Anareta’s not-that-great-sound and that simply works for me. But for me, there’s no point in rehashing a debate about production on the debut album from a self-released artist. The music—and that music’s impeccable vibes—speaks for itself. From start to finish, Fear Not regales listeners with an idiosyncratic take on orchestral metal that evokes some all time classics. But it’s not enough to hear potential in a band; there’s also something about Anareta that radiates agility and an oppenness for new ideas. In a field filled with rehashes, Anareta offer something meaningfully different, and that meaningful difference will keep getting spins for years to come.
#3: Xoth // Exogalatic [November 3rd, 2023 | Self-release] — I remember hearing Xoth for the first time: frenetic guitars; frantic vocals; blasts from hell bolstering ripping riffs made all the sharper with biting guitar tone. But aside from its intensity, Xoth sported great songs with slick hooks that made all the energy and enthusiasm feel genuine and justified. Exogalactic continues the band’s triumphant march across the universe to pillage and revel in the spoils of war.5 Sporting the consistently best thrashy melodic death metal this world has heard since the early-90s, Xoth has started to cement themselves as one of my favorite bands. If you aren’t listening to this album on repeat, do you even like metal?6 I’ll leave you to ponder that as you cry alone in the shower (I hear it gets great natural reverb). In the meantime, I’ll be over here, trying to figure out to make my Xoth, Carnosus, Gorod triple headlining tour happen and whether I can afford the subsequent neck surgery.
#2: Angra // Cycles of Pain [November 3, 2023 | Atomic Fire Records] — If you had told me that I would become a fast fan of Angra back in 2000s, when I was siding with the then-simply-monikered Rhapsody about whether Sascha Paeth wrote their music, I would have laughed in your face. Thus, there is a level of irony that I have come to really love Angra now, for the first time, when they have saved ex-[(Luca) Turilli(/Lione)’s] Rhapsody [of Fire] singer Fabio Lione from his old life. And, for my part, I think that Cycles of Pain is on par with previous end-of-year-list-gracers like Secret Garden and Ømni—yes, and even with the band’s classics like Temple of Shadows—with Fabio sounding better than he ever has in his career and with vital, engaging, energetic writing.7 Cycles of Pain was a late-year release, but it was one of my most anticipated for a reason. From start to finish, Cycles of Pain features truly great songs and performances and demonstrates that Angra is as vital as ever.8
#1: Carnosus // Visions of Infinihility [February 10th, 2023 | Self-release] — The term tour de force was coined to describe albums like Visions of Infinihility. Sometimes an album simply rules and your record o’ the year choice is uncomplicated. Carnosus’ sophomore album is such an album. The music is intense and techy, but there’s something that feels remarkably direct about an album that crushes this hard from start to finish. From the word go Visions of Infinihility oozes addictive riff after heart crushing riff and lodges itself in your headbanging muscle. It’s impossible to listen to Carnosus without wanting to fuck some shit up and that’s exactly how I—and I assume everyone reading a website named after me—wants their Record o’ the Year to sound. And unlike other years, where I spent a lot of time agonizing over the choice and regretted it later, this was easy.. Sure, there’s been plenty of competition throughout the year from awesome bands who make excellent music; see the foregoing list! But Visions of Infinihility stands out in its steadfast and stubborn place at the top of my playlist. And I know I’m not alone. Now that these guys have signed to Willowtip—which I’m taking as a win for us—I cannot wait to see what these guys do in the future.9
Honorable Mentions
Insomnium // Anno 1696 [February 24th, 2023 | Century Media Records] — Insomnium will never release another Winter’s Gate, I just have to get used to that. But 2023 saw Anno 1696, which was a good record that I have enjoyed a lot. The problem that I have is that Anno 1696 all too often has sent me packing to listen to Winter’s Gate, because I feel like it starts too damned slow and really peaks once I’m about a third of the way. Still, I’ve been listening to it a lot because the songwriting is great, the vibes are legit and Insomnium is a great band. Just missed the cut.
In Flames // Foregone [February 10th, 2023 | Nuclear Blast Records] — In Flames didn’t threaten to genuinely list, if I’m honest. But I need to bring this album up as one of the best surprises I had all year. I don’t care what you think, Foregone has some of the best material the band has put out since Colony and I am fucking here for it.
By Fire and Sword // Glory [September 22nd, 2023 | No Remorse Records] — This album has been threatening to make this list for a while now. I am creeped out by it and amused by it and I think the biggest problem I have with it is that the singer lacks that power metal edge that I like, but also doesn’t have the silky smooth delivery of a Tony Kakko. Still, the songwriting here is fantastic and funny and I suspect that I will regret not spending more time with this prior to Listurnalia. Though, what does it replace?
Sacred Outcry // Towers of Gold [May 19th, 2023 | No Remorse Records] — It ain’t “Sworn in the Metal Wind,” but after reading Metal Pigeon‘s rant about power metal not taking power metal seriously anymore, I checked out Sacred Outcry. And he was right, Towers of Gold is a fantastic record that shows what could be happening in power metal if fans of it weren’t so fucking embarrassed to like it.
Twilight Force // At the Heart of Wintervale [January 20th, 2023 | Nuclear Blast Records] — At the Heart of Wintervale is adventurous, epic, and surprisingly agile power metal from Dalarna in Sweden (+ a brilliant Italian singer). Throughout this epic romp through Wintervale, these (mostly) Swedes serve up “bombastic” and “flamboyant” songs that develop a diverse, more experimental sound than what Twilight Force trafficked in previously. The result is an extremely diverting record with only minor blemishes, and the future has never seemed brighter for Twilight Force.
Fellowship // The Saberlight Chronicles [July 13th, 2022 | Scarlet Records] — Okay, okay, this is a stupid stunt. But it is my second most listened to album in 2023 and it’s really hard to move on from it. Just great music, lyrics, and all around vibes. These dorks speak the language of intense angst and fantasy novels and, let’s face it, I’m fluent in that shit.
…and Oceans // As in Gardens, So in Tombs [January 27th, 2023 | Seasons of Mist] — Did everyone forget that …and Oceans released its second great ‘reunion’ record? Well, you shouldn’t have. It’s fucking good. It’s weird how this one kind of fell off the map for a lot of people.
Frozen Dawn // The Decline of the Enlightened Gods [February 10th, 2023 | Transcending Obscurity Records] — Spanish meloblack that cuts a path through the overly wet, overly repetitive atmoblack people with an ice pick and trem picked melodies. These guys have some growing to do in terms of writing, but The Decline of the Enlightened Gods is a great album and I look forward to hearing more from them in future.
Top 10(ish) Songs o’ the Year
#ish: Katatonia – “Impermanence” from Sky Void of Stars — I didn’t include “disappointments” on this list, but needless to say, I found Sky Void of Stars to be lacking. Still, when Katatonia hits, they really hit. “Impermanence” — which coincidentally also features Joel Eklöf from Soen — hits exactly the vibe I’m looking for from Katatonia. Give me 45 minutes of this, guys, and you’ll be printing your own Excellent reviews.
#10: In Flames – “Foregone, Pt. 1” from Foregone — My biggest surprise this year was that I liked an In Flames album for the first time in two decades. With the reintroduction of their classic sound and, in particular, that 6/8 counterpoint to the guitar solo at 2:36, these guys cemented in me a deep hope that the next one will be even better.
#9: Isole – “Monotonic Scream” from Anesidora — This whole record is filled with hooks and ideas that I adore, but “Monotonic Scream” is likely the song that brought me back to to Anesidora after hearing it the first couple times. Two things stand out about this track for me. First, I love the classic doom sound and that eighth note doom feel, but it’s the chorus that really gets me with its strong My Dying Bride vibe. Daniel Bryntse’s vocal performance here absolutely nails the exact vibe I crave in my doom metal. Everything fits perfectly and sounds great. The repetition of the riff and chorus that starts at 5:43 is powerful as hell.
#8: Soen – “Memorial” from Memorial — It’s actually hard to choose a song from Memorial because I think the music is very strong. What I love about “Memorial” is that it shows off what the album does well. The combination of huge poppy choruses with a genuinely heavy crunch and a scooped, American sound on the production with harmonized guitars and Eklöf’s emotive vocals just works. The dual lead at 3:19 helps to illustrate the way that Memorial has added a wrinkle to the band’s sound and it all builds into the kind of melodramatic outro that I can’t get enough of. These guys speak my musical language of love.
#7: Carnosus – “Towards Infinihilistic Purity” from Visions of Infinihility — Sometimes the only thing I need is a blast beat, a ska riff, and a weird fucking eBow guitar drone to get me to listen to a song 700 times in a row. This grinds super hard and feel is perfect. Shout out to the formerly tightly betrousered and hilariously beswooped Jonatan Karasiak for his totally wild performance throughout this whole record.
#6: Riverside – “Self Aware” from ID.Entity — If this were the style and vibe of all future Riverside material, I would take it. Bass-driven, The Police-referencing, awkward vaguely moralistic lyrics, but with that slight underlying sadness that shows up on everything these guys has ever done? Yeah, I’d take it. In particular, I love this main riff and the strong ’80s vibe. More of this, plz!
#5: Gorod – “We Are the Sun Gods” from The Orb — The interplay between the guitars here is pretty much the only thing I need in my life. In particular, listen to the harmonies in the pre-chorus. These fuckers are ridiculous and their style and sound make me so happy. Now, check that clean tapping section that starts at 2:16 and tell me that isn’t one of the coolest things you’ve heard all year. I especially love how the drums get more intense as the part goes on.
Gorod is better than humanity deserves.
#4: Haken – “Sempiternal Beings” from Fauna — This may be the best song Haken has written since The Mountain. Obviously, this still has a kind of djenty rhythmic approach, but the mix of sounds and feels—the clean, melancholic sounds and melody—culminates in an absolutely epic chorus. Here’s a special shout out to the section that starts around 5:20 that sounds like Radiohead as interpreted by Muse as interpreted by Haken before breaking into a ridiculous guitar solo.
#3: By Fire and Sword – “Leave a Little Room” from Glory — I’m going to be totally honest, the singer—Tom Newby—sounds a little bit like your buddy singing along with music in the car at times. But what makes Glory such a crazy, fun album is the songwriting. “Leave a Little Room” features a straightforward and memorable chorus (love those harmonies under the vocals). It has a direct, classic metal vibe that’s hard not to nod your head to. But it’s that moment at 3:46—”Leave a little room, leave a little room, leave little room, leave it…”—followed by Tom Newby’s fundy pastor impression that left me going “Wait, what?” and replaying the whole thing. Again. And again. And again. Honestly, I can’t get enough of this record, and this is the song that got me hooked.
#2: Xoth – “The Parasitic Orchestra” from Exogalactic — This whole album is fantastic, but I just can’t get past the totally majestic chorus in this song. Great riffs. Great vocals. Majestic-ass chorus. Also, love those harmonized solos at the end of the track. They remind me of The Black Dahlia Murder’s best work with Ryan Knight. I could listen to this on a loop for 24 hours and be okay with myself. Though the next six months “doo doo dooing” the guitar melody from the chorus might eventually drive me mad.
#1: Angra – “Tears of Blood” from Cycles of Pain — My hot take over recent years has been that Rafael Bittencourt should just take over the vocal duties in Angra. This was in part because every time they released a record, they would have a duet where it was Bittencourt who took on the vocal duties. These tracks features as my song of the year twice (that is, going 2 for 2 in the Fabio era) and I have to say that I love the man’s voice.
“Tears of Blood” may be the argument that what I love is Bittencourt’s writing, instead of his voice. Going 3-for-3, Cycles of Pain’s big culminating track is a duet that this time features Fabio and Amanda Somerville—just check her Metal Archives to figure out why you know her even though you don’t know that you know her—and it’s everything I’m looking for.10 Fabio sounds, again, as good as he’s ever sounded—keeping his vibrato in check, while flexing his opera muscles—and Somerville has a fantastic voice. These are bound up in the kind of operatic duet that you could imagine Italy sending to Eurovision. It’s all power and melodrama, orchestra swells and big ol’ voices. And it’s my favorite song of the year.
#AndOceans #2023 #AmandaSomerville #Anareta #Angra #AngryMetalGuySTop10Ish_ #BlogPosts #ByFireAndSword #Carnosus #Crypta #FabioLione #Fellowship #FrozenDawn #Gorod #Haken #InFlames #Insomnium #Isole #Kanonenfieber #Katatonia #Leipa #Leitha #Lists #Listurnalia #MorbidAngel #Riverside #SacredOutcry #Soen #TwilightForce #Vomitory #Xoth
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Angry Metal Guy’s Top Ten(ish) of 2023
By Angry Metal Guy
The Year of Our Angry Overlord 2023 saw an AngryMetalGuy.com that continues its upward trajectory. We produced 713 posts (mostly reviews), which, in terms of raw numbers, is the lowest since 2015 and can be improved upon, but the 890 word-per-post mark that we are at, is the highest average word count in our history. This means, we ended up with a hefty 634,674 words in 2023. We also averaged 39,539 views a day, leading us to our highest readership numbers ever at 14,420,637 total page views in 2023. The readership of AMG is also global, though the English-speaking world dominates our readership, with the USA, England and Canada taking up spots 1 to 3 on our highest views list. Happily, in my opinion, Germany has overtaken Australia as our fourth biggest readership and that means it’s only a matter of time before I’m asked to perform a live review writing at Wacken. Spots 6-10 are taken up by the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Spain and Brazil—a who’s who of excellent footballing nations (and an excellent Eurovision nation) that also love our brand of high quality, long form analytical reviews. So, thanks to all of you from all over the world for loving us almost as much as we love you! And to the one guy (literally) in Vatican City who visits our blog once a year, we appreciate you so much.
That we continue to outstrip our previous performance is entirely because of you, our readers, who are so loyal and open to new music that we can claim an Angry Metal Guy Bump™, because when we review stuff, you listen to it. I’ve received plenty of personal correspondence from bands and PR people reporting that AngryMetalGuy.com gives better numbers than Decibel in terms of listens and purchases. This means that Angry Metal Guy matters, and we intend to use that power to … do exactly the same thing we always do: listen to great music, promote music that we love and trash popular bands for all the engagement it brings us.1
The year 2023 also saw us welcoming in new writers, and despite some people fading away or stepping back (both Madam X and Grymm will be missed), I feel like we have as strong a profile for our writing as we ever had. Again, it makes me beyond happy that all my stupid little ideas about how a music blog should be run have turned into this bazaar of the bizarre, with writers whose taste in music I pretty much detest, as well as some good eggs who hold true to the AngryMetalGuy.com vision of giving everything from Scandinavia a 4.0 or better. Anyway, regardless of how bad your taste is, thanks to you all for your hard work and dedication. You’ll be especially fond of me—each and every one of you—when you read the footnotes to this post. It’s footnote 6 that’s of particular interest to you. I would also like to especially thank our dedicated editing staff, headed up by—but certainly not limited to—Steel Druhm as well as Sentynel, whose steadfast dedication to keeping the site running warms my heart.
On a personal note, this year was supposed to be one of the best of my life. It has been an unmitigated pile of shit, with only a few bright spots. As usual, I’ll try to make 2024 a better year, where I am Angry Metal Guy in practice, not just in spirit. A new year always brings unreasonable and unrealistic goals that get broken in shame by April, doesn’t it? Well, that’s mine.
I love you all. Except the Discord. You guys are terrible.
#ish: Fellowship // The Winterlight Chronicles [December 22nd, 2023 | Scarlet Records] — Oh man, they did piano versions of songs from The Saberlight Chronicles? RotY. <3
#ish: Riverside // ID.Entity [January 20th, 2023 | InsideOut Music] — Back and forth between the 10-spot and then the 9-spot and now an #ish, ID.Entity is a genuinely good album from a band that I am happy has regained some of its swagger. I didn’t need another morose, overly wet album full of painfully sad songs and a Great Plains style mastering job.2 I needed a record that was absolutely swimming in references to The Police and ’80s Yes, and Riverside obliged. At 53 minutes, I decided, that “The Place Where I Belong” just mars the whole a little too much to put it higher up the list. But color me excited for what’s next for Riverside, because ID.Entity definitely got my attention again.
#ish: Soen // Memorial [September 1st, 2023 | Silver Lining Music] — Once before I’ve missed a review for a Soen album, but that time I had our much missed Huckster to cover me. Memorial continues down the path the band started down on Imperial—well, on Lotus, in actuality—of making tight, poppy groove metal with an emotional edge. I particular enjoy Memorial’s fast paced tracks and the introduction of the Iron Maiden-style guitar harmonies that litter the album. There have been some gripes that Memorial hews too close to the arc of Imperial, but I think the album has both its own sound and is loaded with great songs. And unlike its predecessor, Memorial seems to genuinely peak in terms of the heaviness that these old guys are willing to put on (proverbial) tape, while still leaning into savvy pop choruses with Eklöf’s unique emotional cadence. We shouldn’t have missed it and neither should you.
#10: Vomitory // All Heads Are Gonna Roll [May 26th, 2023 | Metal Blade Records] — Vomitory is not trend. Vomitory is not kvlt. Vomitory makes death metal to mosh your brains out to. They are very good at it. And that’s why their first album since their deeply underrated Opus VIII was a happening in the Angry Metal Guy household. As time has worn on, I have become less and less excitable before a new release. But in this case, I was right to be excited. All Heads Are Gonna Roll—despite its Swenglish title3—delivers the kind of decapitating death metal that the world—by which I mean me—has missed in the 12 years that the pride of Karlstad has been missing in action. And weirdly few bands are living in the sphere that Vomitory runs in right now, meaning that All Heads Are Gonna Roll is an even more vital contribution to the propagation of good, grinding, groovy death metal that isn’t trying to be Gorguts or Ulcerate OR to relive the glory years of the Stockholm scene. Long live Vomitory!
#9: Crypta // Shades of Sorrow [August 4th, 2023 | Napalm Records] — Years ago, I remember reviewing Vomitory’s Opus VIII and thinking it was remarkable because it was direct and to the point and it just felt like “good, honest death metal.” I had a similar feeling hearing Crypta’s debut record, Echoes of the Soul, and I became enamored with the album. But, as with so many successful bands experiencing success,, Crypta lost a key member almost immediately; their glam-as-fuck guitarist who was, at least in part, responsible for the band’s strong melodic core. This gave rise to worry that Shades of Sorrow might suffer from Ye Olde Sophomore Slumpe. Fortunately, Brazil’s favorite daughters found an excellent replacement and are filled to the brim with riffs. Shades of Sorrow pumps out another 52 minutes of memorable, groovy death metal (albeit with a darker, more blackened vibe) and has been a constant companion since I first heard it. After what must have been an absolutely crazy year for them—having toured with Morbid Angel and lost their rented RV in the process—I hope that they’re leaning back and appreciating what they’ve accomplished in the last three years. Two Angry Metal Guy top 10s? Does it get better than that?
#8: Gorod // The Orb [March 10th, 2023 | Self-Release] — Gorod is my favorite active tech death band for a reason. To paraphrase myself: greatness is hard; consistent greatness is Gorod. That’s because these French death metallers are a breed apart, with a sound that’s truly special. The Orb, which dropped back in March, helped to re-solidify my admiration for the band’s dynamic, guitar-driven approach. Every time I put it in, I’m immersed in the most captivating riffs, the boldest ideas, the most intense rasps and growls, and a compositional variety that consistently engages. There are, of course, minor things that make it a little less my favorite than its predecessor, but The Orb exudes Gorod’s unique character and is so flawlessly executed that any criticisms seem trivial. The Orb shows Gorod being true to its essence, a spectacle we should be thankful to experience.
#7: Haken // Fauna [March 3rd, 2023 | InsideOut Music] — I have to be honest: I didn’t expect Fauna to get anywhere near this list during 95% of the year. The reality is that when I first got it, I couldn’t get into it. I have two different partially written drafts that I could never finish because it kept losing me. I wanted to like it. I didn’t like it, but I couldn’t put my finger on why. So, I ascribed it to me going through some stuff, since I wasn’t enjoying much of anything. Recently, it popped up and I gave it another chance. As these things can go, it clicked. And of course it did. Haken, a ridiculously good band despite going Full Djent™ a few years ago, has a history of throwing curveballs and exploring sounds. Fauna finds them working in the artistic tradition of writing music that’s meant to evoke other creatures—bulls, monkeys, elephants, etc.—and this artistic device helped them to diversify their sound on Fauna. The result is an album that is as diverse as it is expansive and—first and foremost—fun! Like the best albums, Fauna reveals new things every time I go back to it, and I can never quite decide what my favorite song is. It also serves as a reminder that Haken is one of the best active prog bands, honestly, the only limits they have are the ones they set for themselves.
#6: Isole // Anesidora — I’ve always respected Isole and enjoyed their material. But I’ve never been overly enamored with them and I’ve never considered myself “a big fan.” Anesidora has changed that. Isole’s newest opus hits that sweet spot between a classic Candlemass record and a classic My Dying Bride record that I didn’t even know I needed. The result of this unholy blending of sounds and feels is a doom metal that I love as much as nearly any doom in my collection. Anesidora sports all the best traits of great albums; memorable songs; a listening time that results in instant re-listens; and, first and foremost, addictive melodies and themes. After weeding its way into regular rotation, Anesidora has simply never left. It’s a combination of excellent songwriting, great performances and some of the most subtly sticky composition I’ve heard in years. It’s clear to me now why Isole is only second to the Christmas Goat on the list of “famous people and/or entities from Gävle, Sweden” on Wikipedia.4
#5: Leiþa // Reue [January 13th, 2023 | Noisebringer Records] — I’ll never recapture the feeling of sheer and utter wonder that I felt hearing Windir for the first time. Nor will I relive the naïveté of enjoying Halmstad without having heard of Kvarforth. But if I’m going to get close, Leiþa’s epic Reue would be the thing that did it. This may be the first time that a one-man black metal side project (this time from Kanonenfieber’s Noise) has graced one of my Top 10(ish) lists, and that should be enough to make you sit up and take note. Leiþa has wrought a masterful work of great—potentially even excellent—black metal that deftly balances the genre’s past and present. The album, which Carcharodon correctly diagnosed as both “rich and textured,” is uncompromising, cutting a unique path through the depressive black metal subgenre with aggressive riffing and production which is on the attack. Yet, despite being free of the bed of reverb endemic to anything ‘depressive,’ Reue exquisitely evokes the existential angst of remorse while evoking the melodic black metal chops reserved for Norway’s most underrated black metal band. I will not rue the day I heard Reue, because it helped to define 2023 for me.
#4: Anareta // Fear Not [April 8th, 2023 | Self-release] — One of the first revelations of 2023, Anareta’s particular approach to extreme metal surprised and enchanted me. Throughout the year, Fear Not has continued to show up on my playlist and every time, I’m just as impressed with it. One can criticize the production, but there’s something that feels genuine and authentic about Anareta’s not-that-great-sound and that simply works for me. But for me, there’s no point in rehashing a debate about production on the debut album from a self-released artist. The music—and that music’s impeccable vibes—speaks for itself. From start to finish, Fear Not regales listeners with an idiosyncratic take on orchestral metal that evokes some all time classics. But it’s not enough to hear potential in a band; there’s also something about Anareta that radiates agility and an oppenness for new ideas. In a field filled with rehashes, Anareta offer something meaningfully different, and that meaningful difference will keep getting spins for years to come.
#3: Xoth // Exogalatic [November 3rd, 2023 | Self-release] — I remember hearing Xoth for the first time: frenetic guitars; frantic vocals; blasts from hell bolstering ripping riffs made all the sharper with biting guitar tone. But aside from its intensity, Xoth sported great songs with slick hooks that made all the energy and enthusiasm feel genuine and justified. Exogalactic continues the band’s triumphant march across the universe to pillage and revel in the spoils of war.5 Sporting the consistently best thrashy melodic death metal this world has heard since the early-90s, Xoth has started to cement themselves as one of my favorite bands. If you aren’t listening to this album on repeat, do you even like metal?6 I’ll leave you to ponder that as you cry alone in the shower (I hear it gets great natural reverb). In the meantime, I’ll be over here, trying to figure out to make my Xoth, Carnosus, Gorod triple headlining tour happen and whether I can afford the subsequent neck surgery.
#2: Angra // Cycles of Pain [November 3, 2023 | Atomic Fire Records] — If you had told me that I would become a fast fan of Angra back in 2000s, when I was siding with the then-simply-monikered Rhapsody about whether Sascha Paeth wrote their music, I would have laughed in your face. Thus, there is a level of irony that I have come to really love Angra now, for the first time, when they have saved ex-[(Luca) Turilli(/Lione)’s] Rhapsody [of Fire] singer Fabio Lione from his old life. And, for my part, I think that Cycles of Pain is on par with previous end-of-year-list-gracers like Secret Garden and Ømni—yes, and even with the band’s classics like Temple of Shadows—with Fabio sounding better than he ever has in his career and with vital, engaging, energetic writing.7 Cycles of Pain was a late-year release, but it was one of my most anticipated for a reason. From start to finish, Cycles of Pain features truly great songs and performances and demonstrates that Angra is as vital as ever.8
#1: Carnosus // Visions of Infinihility [February 10th, 2023 | Self-release] — The term tour de force was coined to describe albums like Visions of Infinihility. Sometimes an album simply rules and your record o’ the year choice is uncomplicated. Carnosus’ sophomore album is such an album. The music is intense and techy, but there’s something that feels remarkably direct about an album that crushes this hard from start to finish. From the word go Visions of Infinihility oozes addictive riff after heart crushing riff and lodges itself in your headbanging muscle. It’s impossible to listen to Carnosus without wanting to fuck some shit up and that’s exactly how I—and I assume everyone reading a website named after me—wants their Record o’ the Year to sound. And unlike other years, where I spent a lot of time agonizing over the choice and regretted it later, this was easy.. Sure, there’s been plenty of competition throughout the year from awesome bands who make excellent music; see the foregoing list! But Visions of Infinihility stands out in its steadfast and stubborn place at the top of my playlist. And I know I’m not alone. Now that these guys have signed to Willowtip—which I’m taking as a win for us—I cannot wait to see what these guys do in the future.9
Honorable Mentions
Insomnium // Anno 1696 [February 24th, 2023 | Century Media Records] — Insomnium will never release another Winter’s Gate, I just have to get used to that. But 2023 saw Anno 1696, which was a good record that I have enjoyed a lot. The problem that I have is that Anno 1696 all too often has sent me packing to listen to Winter’s Gate, because I feel like it starts too damned slow and really peaks once I’m about a third of the way. Still, I’ve been listening to it a lot because the songwriting is great, the vibes are legit and Insomnium is a great band. Just missed the cut.
In Flames // Foregone [February 10th, 2023 | Nuclear Blast Records] — In Flames didn’t threaten to genuinely list, if I’m honest. But I need to bring this album up as one of the best surprises I had all year. I don’t care what you think, Foregone has some of the best material the band has put out since Colony and I am fucking here for it.
By Fire and Sword // Glory [September 22nd, 2023 | No Remorse Records] — This album has been threatening to make this list for a while now. I am creeped out by it and amused by it and I think the biggest problem I have with it is that the singer lacks that power metal edge that I like, but also doesn’t have the silky smooth delivery of a Tony Kakko. Still, the songwriting here is fantastic and funny and I suspect that I will regret not spending more time with this prior to Listurnalia. Though, what does it replace?
Sacred Outcry // Towers of Gold [May 19th, 2023 | No Remorse Records] — It ain’t “Sworn in the Metal Wind,” but after reading Metal Pigeon‘s rant about power metal not taking power metal seriously anymore, I checked out Sacred Outcry. And he was right, Towers of Gold is a fantastic record that shows what could be happening in power metal if fans of it weren’t so fucking embarrassed to like it.
Twilight Force // At the Heart of Wintervale [January 20th, 2023 | Nuclear Blast Records] — At the Heart of Wintervale is adventurous, epic, and surprisingly agile power metal from Dalarna in Sweden (+ a brilliant Italian singer). Throughout this epic romp through Wintervale, these (mostly) Swedes serve up “bombastic” and “flamboyant” songs that develop a diverse, more experimental sound than what Twilight Force trafficked in previously. The result is an extremely diverting record with only minor blemishes, and the future has never seemed brighter for Twilight Force.
Fellowship // The Saberlight Chronicles [July 13th, 2022 | Scarlet Records] — Okay, okay, this is a stupid stunt. But it is my second most listened to album in 2023 and it’s really hard to move on from it. Just great music, lyrics, and all around vibes. These dorks speak the language of intense angst and fantasy novels and, let’s face it, I’m fluent in that shit.
…and Oceans // As in Gardens, So in Tombs [January 27th, 2023 | Seasons of Mist] — Did everyone forget that …and Oceans released its second great ‘reunion’ record? Well, you shouldn’t have. It’s fucking good. It’s weird how this one kind of fell off the map for a lot of people.
Frozen Dawn // The Decline of the Enlightened Gods [February 10th, 2023 | Transcending Obscurity Records] — Spanish meloblack that cuts a path through the overly wet, overly repetitive atmoblack people with an ice pick and trem picked melodies. These guys have some growing to do in terms of writing, but The Decline of the Enlightened Gods is a great album and I look forward to hearing more from them in future.
Top 10(ish) Songs o’ the Year
#ish: Katatonia – “Impermanence” from Sky Void of Stars — I didn’t include “disappointments” on this list, but needless to say, I found Sky Void of Stars to be lacking. Still, when Katatonia hits, they really hit. “Impermanence” — which coincidentally also features Joel Eklöf from Soen — hits exactly the vibe I’m looking for from Katatonia. Give me 45 minutes of this, guys, and you’ll be printing your own Excellent reviews.
#10: In Flames – “Foregone, Pt. 1” from Foregone — My biggest surprise this year was that I liked an In Flames album for the first time in two decades. With the reintroduction of their classic sound and, in particular, that 6/8 counterpoint to the guitar solo at 2:36, these guys cemented in me a deep hope that the next one will be even better.
#9: Isole – “Monotonic Scream” from Anesidora — This whole record is filled with hooks and ideas that I adore, but “Monotonic Scream” is likely the song that brought me back to to Anesidora after hearing it the first couple times. Two things stand out about this track for me. First, I love the classic doom sound and that eighth note doom feel, but it’s the chorus that really gets me with its strong My Dying Bride vibe. Daniel Bryntse’s vocal performance here absolutely nails the exact vibe I crave in my doom metal. Everything fits perfectly and sounds great. The repetition of the riff and chorus that starts at 5:43 is powerful as hell.
#8: Soen – “Memorial” from Memorial — It’s actually hard to choose a song from Memorial because I think the music is very strong. What I love about “Memorial” is that it shows off what the album does well. The combination of huge poppy choruses with a genuinely heavy crunch and a scooped, American sound on the production with harmonized guitars and Eklöf’s emotive vocals just works. The dual lead at 3:19 helps to illustrate the way that Memorial has added a wrinkle to the band’s sound and it all builds into the kind of melodramatic outro that I can’t get enough of. These guys speak my musical language of love.
#7: Carnosus – “Towards Infinihilistic Purity” from Visions of Infinihility — Sometimes the only thing I need is a blast beat, a ska riff, and a weird fucking eBow guitar drone to get me to listen to a song 700 times in a row. This grinds super hard and feel is perfect. Shout out to the formerly tightly betrousered and hilariously beswooped Jonatan Karasiak for his totally wild performance throughout this whole record.
#6: Riverside – “Self Aware” from ID.Entity — If this were the style and vibe of all future Riverside material, I would take it. Bass-driven, The Police-referencing, awkward vaguely moralistic lyrics, but with that slight underlying sadness that shows up on everything these guys has ever done? Yeah, I’d take it. In particular, I love this main riff and the strong ’80s vibe. More of this, plz!
#5: Gorod – “We Are the Sun Gods” from The Orb — The interplay between the guitars here is pretty much the only thing I need in my life. In particular, listen to the harmonies in the pre-chorus. These fuckers are ridiculous and their style and sound make me so happy. Now, check that clean tapping section that starts at 2:16 and tell me that isn’t one of the coolest things you’ve heard all year. I especially love how the drums get more intense as the part goes on.
Gorod is better than humanity deserves.
#4: Haken – “Sempiternal Beings” from Fauna — This may be the best song Haken has written since The Mountain. Obviously, this still has a kind of djenty rhythmic approach, but the mix of sounds and feels—the clean, melancholic sounds and melody—culminates in an absolutely epic chorus. Here’s a special shout out to the section that starts around 5:20 that sounds like Radiohead as interpreted by Muse as interpreted by Haken before breaking into a ridiculous guitar solo.
#3: By Fire and Sword – “Leave a Little Room” from Glory — I’m going to be totally honest, the singer—Tom Newby—sounds a little bit like your buddy singing along with music in the car at times. But what makes Glory such a crazy, fun album is the songwriting. “Leave a Little Room” features a straightforward and memorable chorus (love those harmonies under the vocals). It has a direct, classic metal vibe that’s hard not to nod your head to. But it’s that moment at 3:46—”Leave a little room, leave a little room, leave little room, leave it…”—followed by Tom Newby’s fundy pastor impression that left me going “Wait, what?” and replaying the whole thing. Again. And again. And again. Honestly, I can’t get enough of this record, and this is the song that got me hooked.
#2: Xoth – “The Parasitic Orchestra” from Exogalactic — This whole album is fantastic, but I just can’t get past the totally majestic chorus in this song. Great riffs. Great vocals. Majestic-ass chorus. Also, love those harmonized solos at the end of the track. They remind me of The Black Dahlia Murder’s best work with Ryan Knight. I could listen to this on a loop for 24 hours and be okay with myself. Though the next six months “doo doo dooing” the guitar melody from the chorus might eventually drive me mad.
#1: Angra – “Tears of Blood” from Cycles of Pain — My hot take over recent years has been that Rafael Bittencourt should just take over the vocal duties in Angra. This was in part because every time they released a record, they would have a duet where it was Bittencourt who took on the vocal duties. These tracks features as my song of the year twice (that is, going 2 for 2 in the Fabio era) and I have to say that I love the man’s voice.
“Tears of Blood” may be the argument that what I love is Bittencourt’s writing, instead of his voice. Going 3-for-3, Cycles of Pain’s big culminating track is a duet that this time features Fabio and Amanda Somerville—just check her Metal Archives to figure out why you know her even though you don’t know that you know her—and it’s everything I’m looking for.10 Fabio sounds, again, as good as he’s ever sounded—keeping his vibrato in check, while flexing his opera muscles—and Somerville has a fantastic voice. These are bound up in the kind of operatic duet that you could imagine Italy sending to Eurovision. It’s all power and melodrama, orchestra swells and big ol’ voices. And it’s my favorite song of the year.
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