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Stuck in the Filter: March 2025’s Angry Misses
By Kenstrosity
Spring is in the air, and with it comes… an insane number of cicadas! Yes, that’s right, Brood XIV spawned this year and is currently overwhelming my staff as they trudge through embuggened ducts to clear out the Filter of semi-precious metal. I bet it’s fucking loud in there…
…. eh I’m sure they are all fine. Just fine. Anyway, enjoy the spoils of our toils!
Kenstrosity’s Gloopy Grubber
Acid Age // Perilous Compulsion [February 28th, 2025 – Self Released]
Belfast’s wacky thrash conglomerate Acid Age came out of absolutely nowhere back in March, unleashing their fourth LP Perilous Compulsion and equipping it with one helluva van-worthy cover. This is some funky, bluesy, quasi-psychedelic thrash metal that pulls no punches. Riffs abound, bonkers songwriting pervades, immense groove agitates. From the onset, “Bikini Island” establishes Perilous Compulsion as a no-nonsense, balls-out affair which reminds me heavily of Voivod and a simplified Flummox informed by Atheist’s progressive proclivities, and expanded by a touch of Pink Floyd’s nebulous jams. Of course, thrash remains Acid Age’s hero flavor, as choice cuts “State Your Business,” “Revenge for Sale,” and closing one-two punch “Rotten Tooth” and “Hamster Wheel” clearly demonstrate. While their fearless exploration of style and structure maintains a sky-high level of interest, it also introduces a couple of challenges. Firstly, this material can feel a bit disjointed at first, but focused spins reward the listener greatly as all of Perilous Compulsion’s moving parts start to mesh and move in unison. Secondly, Acid Age throws a spotlight on a few brilliant inclusions that, over time, I wish were more often utilized—namely, the delightfully bluesy harmonica solos on “Rotten Tooth.” Regardless, Acid Age put themselves on my map with Perilous Compulsion. I recommend you put them on yours, too!
Owlswald’s Desiccated Discoveries
Verbian // Casarder [March 21st, 2025 – Lost Future Records]
It’s unjust that Portuguese rockers Verbian—who have been producing quality post-rock since 2019’s Jaez—haven’t received the attention they deserve. Fusing elements of post-rock with metal, psychedelic, and stoner, Casarder is Verbian’s third full-length and the first with new drummer Guilherme Gonçalves. Taking the sounds and inspirations of 2020’s Irrupção and enriching it with new permutations and modulations, Casarder’s largely instrumental character rides punchy riffs and roiling grooves—à la Russian Circles and Elder—to transmit its thought-provoking legitimacy. Dystopian and surreal séances, via echoing Korg synthscapes (“Pausa Entre Dias,” “Vozes da Ilha”) and celestial harmonies, permeate Casarder’s forty-three-minute runtime, translating Madalena Pinto’s striking Aeon Flux-esque cover art with precision. Ominous horn sections and crusty recurrent vocals (“Marcha do Vulto,” “Depois de Toda a Mudança”) by guitarist Vasco Reis and bassist Alexandre Silva underscore Verbian’s individuality in a crowded post-rock domain. Gonçalves’s drumming—with his intricate and enchanting hard rock and samba rhythms (“Nada Muda,” “Fruta Caída do Mar”)—adds a new dimension to Verbian’s sound, assuring my attention never falters. The group describes Casarder as communicating the “…insecurities of artistic expression and personal exposure when it comes to fearing being judged for something that is somewhat outside of what is done in each artist’s niche.” Indeed, Casarder reveals Verbian is unafraid to forge their own path, and the results are gripping.
Symbiotic Growth // Beyond the Sleepless Aether [March 28th, 2025 – Self Released]
Beyond the Sleepless Aether, the sophomore effort by Ontario, Canada’s Symbiotic Growth, immediately caught my attention with its dreamy-looking cover. Building upon their 2020 self-titled debut, the Canadian trio hones epic and long-form progressive death metal soundscapes, narrating a quest for meaning across alternate realities in mostly lengthy, yet rewarding, tracks that blend technicality, atmosphere, and melody. The group frequently employs dynamic shifts, moving between raging brutality and serene shoegaze beauty (“Arid Trials and Barren Sands,” “The Sleepless Void”). This is achieved through complex and vengeful passages alongside atmospheric synth lines and softer piano interludes (“Sires of Boundless Sunset,” “Of Painted Skies and Dancing Lights”), cultivating an air of wonder, mystery, and ethereality that permeates much of Symbiotic Growth’s material. “The Architect of Annihilation” echoes the style of Ne Obliviscaris with its blend of clean harmonies and harsh growls meshed with tremolo-picked arpeggiations and catchy hooks (the guitar solo even features a violin-like quality). “Lost in Fractured Reveries” evokes In Mourning with its parallel synth and guitar lines giving way to devastating grooves that make it impossible not to headbang. Although some fine-tuning remains—the clean vocals could use some more weight and tracks like “Of Painted Skies and Dancing Lights” and “The Architect of Annihilation” overstay their welcome at times—Beyond the Sleepless Aether shows Symbiotic Growth’s burgeoning talent and signals the group is one to watch in progressive death metal.
Dear Hollow’s Drudgery Sludgery Hoist
Spiritbox // Tsunami Sea [March 7th, 2025 – Pale Chord Records | Rise Records]
From humble beginnings in a more artsy-fartsy djent post-Iwrestledabearonce world to becoming the darlings of Octane Radio, Spiritbox has seen quite the ascent. While it’s easy to look at their work and scoff at its radio-friendliness, sophomore full-length Tsunami Sea shows Courtney LaPlante and company sticking to their guns. Simultaneously more obscure and more radio-friendly in its selection of tracks, expect its signature blend of colossal riffs and ethereal melodies guided by LaPlante’s siren-then-sea serpent dichotomy of furious roars and haunting cleans. Yes, Spiritbox helms its attack with the radio singles (“Perfect Soul,”1 “Crystal Roses”) in layered soaring choruses and touches of hip-hop undergirded by fierce grooves, but the meat of Tsunami Sea finds the flexibility and patience in the skull-crushing brutality (“Soft Spine,” “No Loss, No Love”) and its more exploratory songwriting that amps layers of the ethereal and the hellish with catchy riffs and vocals alike (“Fata Morgana,” “A Haven of Two Faces”). It’s far from perfect, and its tendency towards radio will be divisive, but it shows Spiritbox firing on all cylinders.
Unfleshing // Violent Reason [March 28th, 2025 – Self Released]
I am always tickled pink by blackened crust. It takes the crusty violence and propensity for filth and adds black metal’s signature sinister nature. Unfleshing is a young, unsigned blackened crust band from St. Louis, and with debut Violent Reason, you can expect a traditional punk-infused beatdown with a battered guitar tone and sinister vocals. However, more than many, the quartet offers a beatdown that feels as atmospheric as it is pummeling. Don’t get me wrong, you get your skull caved in like the poor guy on the cover with minute-long crust beatdowns (“Body Bag,” “From the Gutter”) and full-length smackdowns (“Knife in the Dark,” “Final Breath”), both styles complete with scathing grooves, squalid feedback, climactic solos and punishing blastbeats, atop a blackened roar dripping with hate. But amid the full-throttle assault, Unfleshing utilizes ominous black metal chord progressions and unsettling plucking to add a more dynamic feature to Violent Reason (“Cathedral Rust,” “One With the Mud”). The album never overstays, and while traditional, it’s a hell of a start for Unfleshing.
Ghostsmoker // Inertia Cult [March 21st, 2025 – Art as Catharsis Records]
Ghostsmoker seems like the perfect stoner metal band name, but aside from the swampy guitar tone, there’s something much sinister lurking. Proffering a caustic blackened doom/sludge not unlike Thou, Wormphlegm, and Sea Bastard, the Melbourne group quartet devotes a crisp forty-two minutes to sprawling doom weighted by a crushing guitar tone that rivals Morast‘s latest, and shrieked vocals straight from the latest church burning. Beyond what’s expected from this particular breed of devastation, Ghostsmoker infuses an evocative patience reminiscent of post-metal’s more sludgy offerings like Neurosis or Pelican, lending a certain atmosphere and mood of dread and wilderness depicted on its cover. From the outright chugging attacks of churning aggression (“Elogium,” “Haven”) to the more experimental and thoughtful pieces (“Bodies to Shore,” instrumental closer “The Death of Solitude”), Inertia Cult largely feels like a journey through uncharted forests, with voices whispering from the trees. Ghostsmoker is something special.
GardensTale’s Paralyzed Spine
Spiine // Tetraptych [March 27th, 2025 – Self Released]
Is it still a supergroup release when half the lineup are session musicians? Spiine is made up of Sesca Scaarba (Virgin Black) and Xen (ex-Ne Obliviscaris), but on debut Tetraptych they are joined by guests Waltteri Väyrynen (Opeth) and Lena Abé (My Dying Bride). Usually, so much talent put into the same room does not yield great results. Tetraptych is one hell of an exception. A monstrous slab of crawling heaviness, Spiine lurches with abject despair through the mires of deathly funeral doom. Though I usually eschew this genre, my attention remains rapt through a variety of variations. The songwriting keeps the 4 tracks progressing, slow and steady builds, and the promise of momentary tempo changes working a two-pronged structural plan to buoy the majestic yet miserable riffs. “Oubliiette” is the best example here, going from galloping death-doom to Georgian choirs to a fantastic bridge where all the instrumentation hits only on the roared syllables. Xen’s unholy bellows flatten any objections I may have had, managing both thunder and deepest woe in the same notes. The subtle orchestration and occasional choir arrangements finish the package with regal grandeur, and the lush and warm production is the cherry on top. If you feel like drowning your sorrows with an hour of colossal doom, this is the album for you.
Saunders’ Stenched Staples
Ade // Supplicium [March 14th, 2025 – Time to Kill Records]
Sometimes unjustly pigeonholed as the Roman-inspired version of Nile, the hugely underrated Ade have punched out a solid career of quality death metal releases since emerging roughly fifteen years ago, charting their own path. Albums like 2013’s ripping Spartacus and 2019’s solid Rise of the Empire represent a tidy snapshot of the band’s career. Fifth album Supplicium, their first LP in six years, marks a low-key, welcome return. Exotic instrumentation and attention to history and storytelling are alive and well in the Ade camp, as is their penchant for punishing, unrelenting death, featuring a deftly curated mix of bombast, brutality, technical spark, and epic atmospheres. Edoardo Di Santo (Hideous Divinity) joins a largely refreshed line-up, including a new bassist and second guitarist since their last album. Line-up changes aside, familiar Ade tools of harrowing ancient Roman tales and modern death destruction remain as consistently solid as always. Top-notch riffs, intricate arrangements, fluid tempo shifts, and explosive drumming highlight songs that frequently flex their flair for drama-fueled atmospheres, hellfire blasts, and burly grooves. The immense, multi-faceted “Burnt Before Gods,” exotic melodies and raw savagery of “Ad Beastias!,” spitfire intensity of “Vinum,” and epically charged throes of “From Fault to Disfigurement” highlight more solid returns from Ade.
Masters of Reality // The Archer [March 28th, 2025 – Artone Label Group/Mascot Records]
Underappreciated desert rock pioneers and quirky stalwarts Masters of Reality returned from recording oblivion some fifteen-plus years since they last unleashed an LP. Led by the legendary Chris Goss and his collaborative counterparts across a career that first kicked off in the late ’80s, Masters of Reality return sounding inspired, wisened, and a little more chilled. Re-tinkering their familiar but ever-shifting sound, Masters of Reality incorporate woozy, bluesy laidback vibes featuring their oddball songwriting traits through a sedate, intriguing collection of new songs. The Archer showcases Masters of Reality’s longevity as seasoned, skilled songwriters, regardless of the shifting rock modes they explore. While perhaps lacking some of the energetic spark and earworm hooks of albums like Sunrise on the Sufferbus and Deep in the Hole, The Archer still marks a fine return outing. Goss’ signature voice is in fine form, and the bluesy, psych-drenched guitars, cushy basslines, ’60s and ’70s influences, and spacey vibes create a comforting haze. The delightfully dreamy, trippy “Chicken Little,” laidback hooks and old school charms of “I Had a Dream,” lively, quirky grooves of “Mr Tap n’ Go,” and moody, melancholic balladry of “Powder Man” highlight another diverse, strange brew from the veteran act.
Tyme’s Unheard Annunciations
Doomsday // Never Known Peace [March 28th, 2025 – Creator-Destructor Records]
March’s filter means spring is here, mostly, which is when I start searching for bands to populate my annual edition of Tyme’s Mowing Metal. There’s nothing I enjoy more than cracking a cold beer, sliding my headphones over my ears, and hopping on the mower to complete one of summer’s—at least for me—most enjoyable chores. A band that will feature prominently this summer is Oakland, California’s crossover thrash quintet Doomsday, and their Creator-Destructor Records debut album, Never Known Peace. Doomsday lays down a ton of mindless fun in the vein of other crossover greats like Enforced and Power Trip. There are riffs aplenty on this deliciously executed hardcore-tinged thrashtastic platter full of snarly, spiteful, Jamey Jasta-esque vocals, trademark gang shouts, and, oh, did I mention the riffs? Yeah, cuz there’s a butt-ton of ’em. Leads and solos are melodic (“Death is Here,” “Eternal Tombs”). Within its beefily warm mix, the chug-a-lug breakdowns run rampant across Never Known Peace‘s thirty-one minutes (seriously, there’s one in every track), leaving nary a tune that won’t have you at least bobbing your head and, at most, causing your neck a very nasty case of whipthrash. I’m going to be listening to Never Known Peace ALOT this summer, on and off my mower, and while I don’t care that the lawn lines in my yard will be a little wavier this year than others, I’ll chalk it up to the beer and the head banging Doomsday‘s Never Known Peace instills.
Rancid Cadaver // Mortality Denied [March 21st, 2025 – Self Released]
Another filter, another fetid fragment of foulness; this month, it’s up-and-coming deathstarts Rancid Cadaver and their independently released debut album Mortality Denied. Adam Burke’s excellent cover art caught my eye during a quick dip into the Bandcamp pool and had me pushing play. A thick slab of murderous meat ripe with fatty veins of Coffin Mulch and Morbific running through it, Mortality Denied overflows with tons of bestial vocals, crushing drums, barbaric bass, and squealing solos, all ensorcelled within the majesty of Rancid Cadaver‘s miasmic riff-gurgitations (“Slurping the Cerebral Slime,” “Mass of Gore,” and “Drained of Brains”). Fists will pump, and faces will stank during the Fulci-friendly “Zombified,” a pulverizing slow-death chug fest with an intro that landed me right back on the shores of Dr. Menard’s island of the undead.2 This quartet of Glaswegians has plopped down a death metal debut that ages like wine, getting better and better with consecutive spins. Surprisingly, Rancid Cadaver is unsigned, but I’m confident that status should change before we see a sophomore effort, and you can bet I’ll be there when that happens.
Dolphin Whisperer’s Unsophisticated Slappers
Crossed // Realismo Ausente [March 21st, 2025 – Zegema Beach Records]
Timing means everything in groove. I know that some people say that they have a hard time finding that kind of bob and sway in extreme music. But with an act like Spain’s Crossed, whose every carved word and every skronked guitar noise follows an insatiable punky stride, groove lies in every moment of third full-length Realismo Ausente. Whether it’s on the classic beat of D (“Vaciar Un Corazón,” “Cuerpo Distorsionado”), the twanging drone of a screaming bend (“Monotonía de la lluvia en la Ventana”), or the Celtic Frost-ed hammer of a chord crush (“Catedral”), a calculated, urgent, and intoxicating cadence colors the grayscale attitude throughout. But just because Crossed can find a groove in any twisted mathy rhythm—early Converge and Dillinger Escape Plan come to mind on quick cuts like “Cerrojo” and “Sentirse Solo”—doesn’t mean that their panic chord-loaded crescendos and close-outs can’t rip your head clean off in banging ecstasy. Easy listening and blackened hardcore can’t go hand-in-hand, but Crossed does their very best to make unintelligible, scathing screeches and ceiling-scraping feedback hissing palatable against crunchy punk builds and throbbing, warm bass grumbles. Likewise, Realismo Ausente stabs into a dejected body tales of loathing, fear, self-rejection, and defeated existence—nothing smiles in its urgent and apathetic crevices. But despite the lack of light at the end of the tunnel of Crossed’s horror-touched vision of impassioned hardcore, an analog warmth and human spirit trapped inside a writhing and pleading throat reveal a presence that’s still fighting. It’s the fight that counts. If you didn’t join the fight last time, now’s as good a time as any.
Nothing // The Self Repair Manifesto [March 26th, 2025 – Self Released]
If you noticed a tree zombie heading steaming through its trepanned opening, then you too found the same initial draw I had to The Self Repair Manifesto. Nothing complex often can draw us to the things we desire, yet in Nothing’s particular attack of relentless, groove-based death metal, many nooks of additional interest exist. The Self Repair Manifesto’s tribal rhythm-stirred “Initiation,” in its bouncy play, does little to set up the double-kick pummel and snarling refrains that lurk in this brutal, Australian soundscape. The simple chiming cymbal-fluttering bass call-and-response of “Subterfuge,” the throat singing summoning of “The Shroud,” the immediate onslaught of “Abrogation”—all in under 30 minutes, an infectious and progressive experience unfolds. And never fear, living by the motto “no clean singing,”3 Nothing has no intention of traveling the wandering and crooning path of an Opeth or In Vain. Rather, Nothing finds a hypnotic rhythmic presence both in fanciful kit play that stirs a foot shuffle and high-tempo stick abuse that urges bodies on bodies in the pit (“Subterfuge,” “The Shroud”), much in the same way you might hear in early Decapitated or Hate Eternal works. With flair of their own, though, and a mic near the mouth vessel of each member (yes, even the drummer!) to maintain a layered harsh intensity, Nothing serves a potent blend of death metal that is as jam-able as it is gym-able. Whether you seek gains or progressive enrichment, Nothing is the answer.
Steel Druhm’s Massive Aggressive
Impurity // The Eternal Sleep [ March 7th, 2025 – Hammerheart Records]
Impurity’s lust for all things Left Hand Path is not the least bit Clandestine, and on their full-length debut, The Eternal Sleep, they attempt to craft their own ode to the rabid HM-2 worship of the early 90s Swedeath sound. No new elements are shoehorned in aside from vaguely blackened ones, and there’s not the slightest effort to push the boundaries of the admittedly limited Swedeath sound. The Eternal Sleep sounds like the album that could have come between Entombed’s timeless debut and the Clandestine follow-up, and that’s not a bad place to be. It’s heavy, brutish, buzzing death metal with an OSDM edge, and it hits like a runaway 18-wheeler full of concrete and titanium rebar. One only needs to weather the shitstorm of opener “Denial of Clarity” to realize this is the deep water of the niche genre. It’s extremely heavy, face-melting death with more fuzz and buzz than your brain can process. Other cuts feel like a direct lift from Left Hand Path and/or Clandestine (“Tribute to Creation,”) and fetid Dismember tidbits creep in during “Pilgrimage to Utumno,” and these feel like olde friends showing up unexpectedly at the hometown watering hole. Swedeath is all about those ragged, jagged riffs, and they’re delivered in abundance over The Eternal Sleep, and despite the intrinsic lack of originality, Impurity pump enough steroids and Cialis into the genre archetypes to make the material endearing and engaging. Yes, you’ve heard this shit before. Now hear it again, chumbo!
#AcidAge #Ade #AmericanMetal #ArtAsCatharsisRecords #ArtoneLabelGroup #Atheist #AustralianMetal #BeyondTheSleeplessAether #BlackMetal #BlackenedCrust #BlackenedHardcore #CanadianMetal #Casarder #CelticFrost #CoffinMulch #Converge #CreatorDestructorRecords #Crossed #Crust #DeathMetal #Decapitated #DesertRock #DillingerEscapePlan #DoomMetal #Doomsday #Elder #Enforced #Flummox #Fulci #Ghostsmoker #Hardcore #HateEternal #HideousDivinity #Impurity #InMourning #InVain #InertialCult #InternationalMetal #ItalianMetal #iwrestledabearonce #LostFutureRecords #MascotRecords #MastersOfReality #Mathcore #MelodicMetal #Metalcore #Morast #Morbific #MortalityDenied #MyDyingBride #NeObliviscaris #Neurosis #NeverKnownPeace #Nile #Nothing #Opeth #PaleChordRecords #Pelican #PerilousCompulsion #PinkFloyd #PortugueseMetal #PostRock #PostMetal #PowerTrip #ProgressiveDeathMetal #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveThrashMetal #PyschedelicRock #RancidCadaver #RealismoAusente #Review #Reviews #RiseRecords #RussianCircles #ScottishMetal #SeaBastard #SelfReleased #SixpenceNoneTheRicher #SludgeMetal #SpanishMetal #Spiine #Spiritbox #StonerMetal #Supplicium #SymbioticGrowth #TechnicalDeathMetal #Tetraptych #TheArcher #TheEternalSleep #TheSelfRepairManifesto #Thou #ThrashMetal #TimeToKillRecords #TsunamiSea #UKMetal #Unfleshing #Verbian #ViolentReason #VirginBlack #Voivod #Wormphlegm #ZegemaBeachRecords
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Stuck in the Filter: March 2025’s Angry Misses
By Kenstrosity
Spring is in the air, and with it comes… an insane number of cicadas! Yes, that’s right, Brood XIV spawned this year and is currently overwhelming my staff as they trudge through embuggened ducts to clear out the Filter of semi-precious metal. I bet it’s fucking loud in there…
…. eh I’m sure they are all fine. Just fine. Anyway, enjoy the spoils of our toils!
Kenstrosity’s Gloopy Grubber
Acid Age // Perilous Compulsion [February 28th, 2025 – Self Released]
Belfast’s wacky thrash conglomerate Acid Age came out of absolutely nowhere back in March, unleashing their fourth LP Perilous Compulsion and equipping it with one helluva van-worthy cover. This is some funky, bluesy, quasi-psychedelic thrash metal that pulls no punches. Riffs abound, bonkers songwriting pervades, immense groove agitates. From the onset, “Bikini Island” establishes Perilous Compulsion as a no-nonsense, balls-out affair which reminds me heavily of Voivod and a simplified Flummox informed by Atheist’s progressive proclivities, and expanded by a touch of Pink Floyd’s nebulous jams. Of course, thrash remains Acid Age’s hero flavor, as choice cuts “State Your Business,” “Revenge for Sale,” and closing one-two punch “Rotten Tooth” and “Hamster Wheel” clearly demonstrate. While their fearless exploration of style and structure maintains a sky-high level of interest, it also introduces a couple of challenges. Firstly, this material can feel a bit disjointed at first, but focused spins reward the listener greatly as all of Perilous Compulsion’s moving parts start to mesh and move in unison. Secondly, Acid Age throws a spotlight on a few brilliant inclusions that, over time, I wish were more often utilized—namely, the delightfully bluesy harmonica solos on “Rotten Tooth.” Regardless, Acid Age put themselves on my map with Perilous Compulsion. I recommend you put them on yours, too!
Owlswald’s Desiccated Discoveries
Verbian // Casarder [March 21st, 2025 – Lost Future Records]
It’s unjust that Portuguese rockers Verbian—who have been producing quality post-rock since 2019’s Jaez—haven’t received the attention they deserve. Fusing elements of post-rock with metal, psychedelic, and stoner, Casarder is Verbian’s third full-length and the first with new drummer Guilherme Gonçalves. Taking the sounds and inspirations of 2020’s Irrupção and enriching it with new permutations and modulations, Casarder’s largely instrumental character rides punchy riffs and roiling grooves—à la Russian Circles and Elder—to transmit its thought-provoking legitimacy. Dystopian and surreal séances, via echoing Korg synthscapes (“Pausa Entre Dias,” “Vozes da Ilha”) and celestial harmonies, permeate Casarder’s forty-three-minute runtime, translating Madalena Pinto’s striking Aeon Flux-esque cover art with precision. Ominous horn sections and crusty recurrent vocals (“Marcha do Vulto,” “Depois de Toda a Mudança”) by guitarist Vasco Reis and bassist Alexandre Silva underscore Verbian’s individuality in a crowded post-rock domain. Gonçalves’s drumming—with his intricate and enchanting hard rock and samba rhythms (“Nada Muda,” “Fruta Caída do Mar”)—adds a new dimension to Verbian’s sound, assuring my attention never falters. The group describes Casarder as communicating the “…insecurities of artistic expression and personal exposure when it comes to fearing being judged for something that is somewhat outside of what is done in each artist’s niche.” Indeed, Casarder reveals Verbian is unafraid to forge their own path, and the results are gripping.
Symbiotic Growth // Beyond the Sleepless Aether [March 28th, 2025 – Self Released]
Beyond the Sleepless Aether, the sophomore effort by Ontario, Canada’s Symbiotic Growth, immediately caught my attention with its dreamy-looking cover. Building upon their 2020 self-titled debut, the Canadian trio hones epic and long-form progressive death metal soundscapes, narrating a quest for meaning across alternate realities in mostly lengthy, yet rewarding, tracks that blend technicality, atmosphere, and melody. The group frequently employs dynamic shifts, moving between raging brutality and serene shoegaze beauty (“Arid Trials and Barren Sands,” “The Sleepless Void”). This is achieved through complex and vengeful passages alongside atmospheric synth lines and softer piano interludes (“Sires of Boundless Sunset,” “Of Painted Skies and Dancing Lights”), cultivating an air of wonder, mystery, and ethereality that permeates much of Symbiotic Growth’s material. “The Architect of Annihilation” echoes the style of Ne Obliviscaris with its blend of clean harmonies and harsh growls meshed with tremolo-picked arpeggiations and catchy hooks (the guitar solo even features a violin-like quality). “Lost in Fractured Reveries” evokes In Mourning with its parallel synth and guitar lines giving way to devastating grooves that make it impossible not to headbang. Although some fine-tuning remains—the clean vocals could use some more weight and tracks like “Of Painted Skies and Dancing Lights” and “The Architect of Annihilation” overstay their welcome at times—Beyond the Sleepless Aether shows Symbiotic Growth’s burgeoning talent and signals the group is one to watch in progressive death metal.
Dear Hollow’s Drudgery Sludgery Hoist
Spiritbox // Tsunami Sea [March 7th, 2025 – Pale Chord Records | Rise Records]
From humble beginnings in a more artsy-fartsy djent post-Iwrestledabearonce world to becoming the darlings of Octane Radio, Spiritbox has seen quite the ascent. While it’s easy to look at their work and scoff at its radio-friendliness, sophomore full-length Tsunami Sea shows Courtney LaPlante and company sticking to their guns. Simultaneously more obscure and more radio-friendly in its selection of tracks, expect its signature blend of colossal riffs and ethereal melodies guided by LaPlante’s siren-then-sea serpent dichotomy of furious roars and haunting cleans. Yes, Spiritbox helms its attack with the radio singles (“Perfect Soul,”1 “Crystal Roses”) in layered soaring choruses and touches of hip-hop undergirded by fierce grooves, but the meat of Tsunami Sea finds the flexibility and patience in the skull-crushing brutality (“Soft Spine,” “No Loss, No Love”) and its more exploratory songwriting that amps layers of the ethereal and the hellish with catchy riffs and vocals alike (“Fata Morgana,” “A Haven of Two Faces”). It’s far from perfect, and its tendency towards radio will be divisive, but it shows Spiritbox firing on all cylinders.
Unfleshing // Violent Reason [March 28th, 2025 – Self Released]
I am always tickled pink by blackened crust. It takes the crusty violence and propensity for filth and adds black metal’s signature sinister nature. Unfleshing is a young, unsigned blackened crust band from St. Louis, and with debut Violent Reason, you can expect a traditional punk-infused beatdown with a battered guitar tone and sinister vocals. However, more than many, the quartet offers a beatdown that feels as atmospheric as it is pummeling. Don’t get me wrong, you get your skull caved in like the poor guy on the cover with minute-long crust beatdowns (“Body Bag,” “From the Gutter”) and full-length smackdowns (“Knife in the Dark,” “Final Breath”), both styles complete with scathing grooves, squalid feedback, climactic solos and punishing blastbeats, atop a blackened roar dripping with hate. But amid the full-throttle assault, Unfleshing utilizes ominous black metal chord progressions and unsettling plucking to add a more dynamic feature to Violent Reason (“Cathedral Rust,” “One With the Mud”). The album never overstays, and while traditional, it’s a hell of a start for Unfleshing.
Ghostsmoker // Inertia Cult [March 21st, 2025 – Art as Catharsis Records]
Ghostsmoker seems like the perfect stoner metal band name, but aside from the swampy guitar tone, there’s something much sinister lurking. Proffering a caustic blackened doom/sludge not unlike Thou, Wormphlegm, and Sea Bastard, the Melbourne group quartet devotes a crisp forty-two minutes to sprawling doom weighted by a crushing guitar tone that rivals Morast‘s latest, and shrieked vocals straight from the latest church burning. Beyond what’s expected from this particular breed of devastation, Ghostsmoker infuses an evocative patience reminiscent of post-metal’s more sludgy offerings like Neurosis or Pelican, lending a certain atmosphere and mood of dread and wilderness depicted on its cover. From the outright chugging attacks of churning aggression (“Elogium,” “Haven”) to the more experimental and thoughtful pieces (“Bodies to Shore,” instrumental closer “The Death of Solitude”), Inertia Cult largely feels like a journey through uncharted forests, with voices whispering from the trees. Ghostsmoker is something special.
GardensTale’s Paralyzed Spine
Spiine // Tetraptych [March 27th, 2025 – Self Released]
Is it still a supergroup release when half the lineup are session musicians? Spiine is made up of Sesca Scaarba (Virgin Black) and Xen (ex-Ne Obliviscaris), but on debut Tetraptych they are joined by guests Waltteri Väyrynen (Opeth) and Lena Abé (My Dying Bride). Usually, so much talent put into the same room does not yield great results. Tetraptych is one hell of an exception. A monstrous slab of crawling heaviness, Spiine lurches with abject despair through the mires of deathly funeral doom. Though I usually eschew this genre, my attention remains rapt through a variety of variations. The songwriting keeps the 4 tracks progressing, slow and steady builds, and the promise of momentary tempo changes working a two-pronged structural plan to buoy the majestic yet miserable riffs. “Oubliiette” is the best example here, going from galloping death-doom to Georgian choirs to a fantastic bridge where all the instrumentation hits only on the roared syllables. Xen’s unholy bellows flatten any objections I may have had, managing both thunder and deepest woe in the same notes. The subtle orchestration and occasional choir arrangements finish the package with regal grandeur, and the lush and warm production is the cherry on top. If you feel like drowning your sorrows with an hour of colossal doom, this is the album for you.
Saunders’ Stenched Staples
Ade // Supplicium [March 14th, 2025 – Time to Kill Records]
Sometimes unjustly pigeonholed as the Roman-inspired version of Nile, the hugely underrated Ade have punched out a solid career of quality death metal releases since emerging roughly fifteen years ago, charting their own path. Albums like 2013’s ripping Spartacus and 2019’s solid Rise of the Empire represent a tidy snapshot of the band’s career. Fifth album Supplicium, their first LP in six years, marks a low-key, welcome return. Exotic instrumentation and attention to history and storytelling are alive and well in the Ade camp, as is their penchant for punishing, unrelenting death, featuring a deftly curated mix of bombast, brutality, technical spark, and epic atmospheres. Edoardo Di Santo (Hideous Divinity) joins a largely refreshed line-up, including a new bassist and second guitarist since their last album. Line-up changes aside, familiar Ade tools of harrowing ancient Roman tales and modern death destruction remain as consistently solid as always. Top-notch riffs, intricate arrangements, fluid tempo shifts, and explosive drumming highlight songs that frequently flex their flair for drama-fueled atmospheres, hellfire blasts, and burly grooves. The immense, multi-faceted “Burnt Before Gods,” exotic melodies and raw savagery of “Ad Beastias!,” spitfire intensity of “Vinum,” and epically charged throes of “From Fault to Disfigurement” highlight more solid returns from Ade.
Masters of Reality // The Archer [March 28th, 2025 – Artone Label Group/Mascot Records]
Underappreciated desert rock pioneers and quirky stalwarts Masters of Reality returned from recording oblivion some fifteen-plus years since they last unleashed an LP. Led by the legendary Chris Goss and his collaborative counterparts across a career that first kicked off in the late ’80s, Masters of Reality return sounding inspired, wisened, and a little more chilled. Re-tinkering their familiar but ever-shifting sound, Masters of Reality incorporate woozy, bluesy laidback vibes featuring their oddball songwriting traits through a sedate, intriguing collection of new songs. The Archer showcases Masters of Reality’s longevity as seasoned, skilled songwriters, regardless of the shifting rock modes they explore. While perhaps lacking some of the energetic spark and earworm hooks of albums like Sunrise on the Sufferbus and Deep in the Hole, The Archer still marks a fine return outing. Goss’ signature voice is in fine form, and the bluesy, psych-drenched guitars, cushy basslines, ’60s and ’70s influences, and spacey vibes create a comforting haze. The delightfully dreamy, trippy “Chicken Little,” laidback hooks and old school charms of “I Had a Dream,” lively, quirky grooves of “Mr Tap n’ Go,” and moody, melancholic balladry of “Powder Man” highlight another diverse, strange brew from the veteran act.
Tyme’s Unheard Annunciations
Doomsday // Never Known Peace [March 28th, 2025 – Creator-Destructor Records]
March’s filter means spring is here, mostly, which is when I start searching for bands to populate my annual edition of Tyme’s Mowing Metal. There’s nothing I enjoy more than cracking a cold beer, sliding my headphones over my ears, and hopping on the mower to complete one of summer’s—at least for me—most enjoyable chores. A band that will feature prominently this summer is Oakland, California’s crossover thrash quintet Doomsday, and their Creator-Destructor Records debut album, Never Known Peace. Doomsday lays down a ton of mindless fun in the vein of other crossover greats like Enforced and Power Trip. There are riffs aplenty on this deliciously executed hardcore-tinged thrashtastic platter full of snarly, spiteful, Jamey Jasta-esque vocals, trademark gang shouts, and, oh, did I mention the riffs? Yeah, cuz there’s a butt-ton of ’em. Leads and solos are melodic (“Death is Here,” “Eternal Tombs”). Within its beefily warm mix, the chug-a-lug breakdowns run rampant across Never Known Peace‘s thirty-one minutes (seriously, there’s one in every track), leaving nary a tune that won’t have you at least bobbing your head and, at most, causing your neck a very nasty case of whipthrash. I’m going to be listening to Never Known Peace ALOT this summer, on and off my mower, and while I don’t care that the lawn lines in my yard will be a little wavier this year than others, I’ll chalk it up to the beer and the head banging Doomsday‘s Never Known Peace instills.
Rancid Cadaver // Mortality Denied [March 21st, 2025 – Self Released]
Another filter, another fetid fragment of foulness; this month, it’s up-and-coming deathstarts Rancid Cadaver and their independently released debut album Mortality Denied. Adam Burke’s excellent cover art caught my eye during a quick dip into the Bandcamp pool and had me pushing play. A thick slab of murderous meat ripe with fatty veins of Coffin Mulch and Morbific running through it, Mortality Denied overflows with tons of bestial vocals, crushing drums, barbaric bass, and squealing solos, all ensorcelled within the majesty of Rancid Cadaver‘s miasmic riff-gurgitations (“Slurping the Cerebral Slime,” “Mass of Gore,” and “Drained of Brains”). Fists will pump, and faces will stank during the Fulci-friendly “Zombified,” a pulverizing slow-death chug fest with an intro that landed me right back on the shores of Dr. Menard’s island of the undead.2 This quartet of Glaswegians has plopped down a death metal debut that ages like wine, getting better and better with consecutive spins. Surprisingly, Rancid Cadaver is unsigned, but I’m confident that status should change before we see a sophomore effort, and you can bet I’ll be there when that happens.
Dolphin Whisperer’s Unsophisticated Slappers
Crossed // Realismo Ausente [March 21st, 2025 – Zegema Beach Records]
Timing means everything in groove. I know that some people say that they have a hard time finding that kind of bob and sway in extreme music. But with an act like Spain’s Crossed, whose every carved word and every skronked guitar noise follows an insatiable punky stride, groove lies in every moment of third full-length Realismo Ausente. Whether it’s on the classic beat of D (“Vaciar Un Corazón,” “Cuerpo Distorsionado”), the twanging drone of a screaming bend (“Monotonía de la lluvia en la Ventana”), or the Celtic Frost-ed hammer of a chord crush (“Catedral”), a calculated, urgent, and intoxicating cadence colors the grayscale attitude throughout. But just because Crossed can find a groove in any twisted mathy rhythm—early Converge and Dillinger Escape Plan come to mind on quick cuts like “Cerrojo” and “Sentirse Solo”—doesn’t mean that their panic chord-loaded crescendos and close-outs can’t rip your head clean off in banging ecstasy. Easy listening and blackened hardcore can’t go hand-in-hand, but Crossed does their very best to make unintelligible, scathing screeches and ceiling-scraping feedback hissing palatable against crunchy punk builds and throbbing, warm bass grumbles. Likewise, Realismo Ausente stabs into a dejected body tales of loathing, fear, self-rejection, and defeated existence—nothing smiles in its urgent and apathetic crevices. But despite the lack of light at the end of the tunnel of Crossed’s horror-touched vision of impassioned hardcore, an analog warmth and human spirit trapped inside a writhing and pleading throat reveal a presence that’s still fighting. It’s the fight that counts. If you didn’t join the fight last time, now’s as good a time as any.
Nothing // The Self Repair Manifesto [March 26th, 2025 – Self Released]
If you noticed a tree zombie heading steaming through its trepanned opening, then you too found the same initial draw I had to The Self Repair Manifesto. Nothing complex often can draw us to the things we desire, yet in Nothing’s particular attack of relentless, groove-based death metal, many nooks of additional interest exist. The Self Repair Manifesto’s tribal rhythm-stirred “Initiation,” in its bouncy play, does little to set up the double-kick pummel and snarling refrains that lurk in this brutal, Australian soundscape. The simple chiming cymbal-fluttering bass call-and-response of “Subterfuge,” the throat singing summoning of “The Shroud,” the immediate onslaught of “Abrogation”—all in under 30 minutes, an infectious and progressive experience unfolds. And never fear, living by the motto “no clean singing,”3 Nothing has no intention of traveling the wandering and crooning path of an Opeth or In Vain. Rather, Nothing finds a hypnotic rhythmic presence both in fanciful kit play that stirs a foot shuffle and high-tempo stick abuse that urges bodies on bodies in the pit (“Subterfuge,” “The Shroud”), much in the same way you might hear in early Decapitated or Hate Eternal works. With flair of their own, though, and a mic near the mouth vessel of each member (yes, even the drummer!) to maintain a layered harsh intensity, Nothing serves a potent blend of death metal that is as jam-able as it is gym-able. Whether you seek gains or progressive enrichment, Nothing is the answer.
Steel Druhm’s Massive Aggressive
Impurity // The Eternal Sleep [ March 7th, 2025 – Hammerheart Records]
Impurity’s lust for all things Left Hand Path is not the least bit Clandestine, and on their full-length debut, The Eternal Sleep, they attempt to craft their own ode to the rabid HM-2 worship of the early 90s Swedeath sound. No new elements are shoehorned in aside from vaguely blackened ones, and there’s not the slightest effort to push the boundaries of the admittedly limited Swedeath sound. The Eternal Sleep sounds like the album that could have come between Entombed’s timeless debut and the Clandestine follow-up, and that’s not a bad place to be. It’s heavy, brutish, buzzing death metal with an OSDM edge, and it hits like a runaway 18-wheeler full of concrete and titanium rebar. One only needs to weather the shitstorm of opener “Denial of Clarity” to realize this is the deep water of the niche genre. It’s extremely heavy, face-melting death with more fuzz and buzz than your brain can process. Other cuts feel like a direct lift from Left Hand Path and/or Clandestine (“Tribute to Creation,”) and fetid Dismember tidbits creep in during “Pilgrimage to Utumno,” and these feel like olde friends showing up unexpectedly at the hometown watering hole. Swedeath is all about those ragged, jagged riffs, and they’re delivered in abundance over The Eternal Sleep, and despite the intrinsic lack of originality, Impurity pump enough steroids and Cialis into the genre archetypes to make the material endearing and engaging. Yes, you’ve heard this shit before. Now hear it again, chumbo!
#AcidAge #Ade #AmericanMetal #ArtAsCatharsisRecords #ArtoneLabelGroup #Atheist #AustralianMetal #BeyondTheSleeplessAether #BlackMetal #BlackenedCrust #BlackenedHardcore #CanadianMetal #Casarder #CelticFrost #CoffinMulch #Converge #CreatorDestructorRecords #Crossed #Crust #DeathMetal #Decapitated #DesertRock #DillingerEscapePlan #DoomMetal #Doomsday #Elder #Enforced #Flummox #Fulci #Ghostsmoker #Hardcore #HateEternal #HideousDivinity #Impurity #InMourning #InVain #InertialCult #InternationalMetal #ItalianMetal #iwrestledabearonce #LostFutureRecords #MascotRecords #MastersOfReality #Mathcore #MelodicMetal #Metalcore #Morast #Morbific #MortalityDenied #MyDyingBride #NeObliviscaris #Neurosis #NeverKnownPeace #Nile #Nothing #Opeth #PaleChordRecords #Pelican #PerilousCompulsion #PinkFloyd #PortugueseMetal #PostRock #PostMetal #PowerTrip #ProgressiveDeathMetal #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveThrashMetal #PyschedelicRock #RancidCadaver #RealismoAusente #Review #Reviews #RiseRecords #RussianCircles #ScottishMetal #SeaBastard #SelfReleased #SixpenceNoneTheRicher #SludgeMetal #SpanishMetal #Spiine #Spiritbox #StonerMetal #Supplicium #SymbioticGrowth #TechnicalDeathMetal #Tetraptych #TheArcher #TheEternalSleep #TheSelfRepairManifesto #Thou #ThrashMetal #TimeToKillRecords #TsunamiSea #UKMetal #Unfleshing #Verbian #ViolentReason #VirginBlack #Voivod #Wormphlegm #ZegemaBeachRecords
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Stuck in the Filter: March 2025’s Angry Misses
By Kenstrosity
Spring is in the air, and with it comes… an insane number of cicadas! Yes, that’s right, Brood XIV spawned this year and is currently overwhelming my staff as they trudge through embuggened ducts to clear out the Filter of semi-precious metal. I bet it’s fucking loud in there…
…. eh I’m sure they are all fine. Just fine. Anyway, enjoy the spoils of our toils!
Kenstrosity’s Gloopy Grubber
Acid Age // Perilous Compulsion [February 28th, 2025 – Self Released]
Belfast’s wacky thrash conglomerate Acid Age came out of absolutely nowhere back in March, unleashing their fourth LP Perilous Compulsion and equipping it with one helluva van-worthy cover. This is some funky, bluesy, quasi-psychedelic thrash metal that pulls no punches. Riffs abound, bonkers songwriting pervades, immense groove agitates. From the onset, “Bikini Island” establishes Perilous Compulsion as a no-nonsense, balls-out affair which reminds me heavily of Voivod and a simplified Flummox informed by Atheist’s progressive proclivities, and expanded by a touch of Pink Floyd’s nebulous jams. Of course, thrash remains Acid Age’s hero flavor, as choice cuts “State Your Business,” “Revenge for Sale,” and closing one-two punch “Rotten Tooth” and “Hamster Wheel” clearly demonstrate. While their fearless exploration of style and structure maintains a sky-high level of interest, it also introduces a couple of challenges. Firstly, this material can feel a bit disjointed at first, but focused spins reward the listener greatly as all of Perilous Compulsion’s moving parts start to mesh and move in unison. Secondly, Acid Age throws a spotlight on a few brilliant inclusions that, over time, I wish were more often utilized—namely, the delightfully bluesy harmonica solos on “Rotten Tooth.” Regardless, Acid Age put themselves on my map with Perilous Compulsion. I recommend you put them on yours, too!
Owlswald’s Desiccated Discoveries
Verbian // Casarder [March 21st, 2025 – Lost Future Records]
It’s unjust that Portuguese rockers Verbian—who have been producing quality post-rock since 2019’s Jaez—haven’t received the attention they deserve. Fusing elements of post-rock with metal, psychedelic, and stoner, Casarder is Verbian’s third full-length and the first with new drummer Guilherme Gonçalves. Taking the sounds and inspirations of 2020’s Irrupção and enriching it with new permutations and modulations, Casarder’s largely instrumental character rides punchy riffs and roiling grooves—à la Russian Circles and Elder—to transmit its thought-provoking legitimacy. Dystopian and surreal séances, via echoing Korg synthscapes (“Pausa Entre Dias,” “Vozes da Ilha”) and celestial harmonies, permeate Casarder’s forty-three-minute runtime, translating Madalena Pinto’s striking Aeon Flux-esque cover art with precision. Ominous horn sections and crusty recurrent vocals (“Marcha do Vulto,” “Depois de Toda a Mudança”) by guitarist Vasco Reis and bassist Alexandre Silva underscore Verbian’s individuality in a crowded post-rock domain. Gonçalves’s drumming—with his intricate and enchanting hard rock and samba rhythms (“Nada Muda,” “Fruta Caída do Mar”)—adds a new dimension to Verbian’s sound, assuring my attention never falters. The group describes Casarder as communicating the “…insecurities of artistic expression and personal exposure when it comes to fearing being judged for something that is somewhat outside of what is done in each artist’s niche.” Indeed, Casarder reveals Verbian is unafraid to forge their own path, and the results are gripping.
Symbiotic Growth // Beyond the Sleepless Aether [March 28th, 2025 – Self Released]
Beyond the Sleepless Aether, the sophomore effort by Ontario, Canada’s Symbiotic Growth, immediately caught my attention with its dreamy-looking cover. Building upon their 2020 self-titled debut, the Canadian trio hones epic and long-form progressive death metal soundscapes, narrating a quest for meaning across alternate realities in mostly lengthy, yet rewarding, tracks that blend technicality, atmosphere, and melody. The group frequently employs dynamic shifts, moving between raging brutality and serene shoegaze beauty (“Arid Trials and Barren Sands,” “The Sleepless Void”). This is achieved through complex and vengeful passages alongside atmospheric synth lines and softer piano interludes (“Sires of Boundless Sunset,” “Of Painted Skies and Dancing Lights”), cultivating an air of wonder, mystery, and ethereality that permeates much of Symbiotic Growth’s material. “The Architect of Annihilation” echoes the style of Ne Obliviscaris with its blend of clean harmonies and harsh growls meshed with tremolo-picked arpeggiations and catchy hooks (the guitar solo even features a violin-like quality). “Lost in Fractured Reveries” evokes In Mourning with its parallel synth and guitar lines giving way to devastating grooves that make it impossible not to headbang. Although some fine-tuning remains—the clean vocals could use some more weight and tracks like “Of Painted Skies and Dancing Lights” and “The Architect of Annihilation” overstay their welcome at times—Beyond the Sleepless Aether shows Symbiotic Growth’s burgeoning talent and signals the group is one to watch in progressive death metal.
Dear Hollow’s Drudgery Sludgery Hoist
Spiritbox // Tsunami Sea [March 7th, 2025 – Pale Chord Records | Rise Records]
From humble beginnings in a more artsy-fartsy djent post-Iwrestledabearonce world to becoming the darlings of Octane Radio, Spiritbox has seen quite the ascent. While it’s easy to look at their work and scoff at its radio-friendliness, sophomore full-length Tsunami Sea shows Courtney LaPlante and company sticking to their guns. Simultaneously more obscure and more radio-friendly in its selection of tracks, expect its signature blend of colossal riffs and ethereal melodies guided by LaPlante’s siren-then-sea serpent dichotomy of furious roars and haunting cleans. Yes, Spiritbox helms its attack with the radio singles (“Perfect Soul,”1 “Crystal Roses”) in layered soaring choruses and touches of hip-hop undergirded by fierce grooves, but the meat of Tsunami Sea finds the flexibility and patience in the skull-crushing brutality (“Soft Spine,” “No Loss, No Love”) and its more exploratory songwriting that amps layers of the ethereal and the hellish with catchy riffs and vocals alike (“Fata Morgana,” “A Haven of Two Faces”). It’s far from perfect, and its tendency towards radio will be divisive, but it shows Spiritbox firing on all cylinders.
Unfleshing // Violent Reason [March 28th, 2025 – Self Released]
I am always tickled pink by blackened crust. It takes the crusty violence and propensity for filth and adds black metal’s signature sinister nature. Unfleshing is a young, unsigned blackened crust band from St. Louis, and with debut Violent Reason, you can expect a traditional punk-infused beatdown with a battered guitar tone and sinister vocals. However, more than many, the quartet offers a beatdown that feels as atmospheric as it is pummeling. Don’t get me wrong, you get your skull caved in like the poor guy on the cover with minute-long crust beatdowns (“Body Bag,” “From the Gutter”) and full-length smackdowns (“Knife in the Dark,” “Final Breath”), both styles complete with scathing grooves, squalid feedback, climactic solos and punishing blastbeats, atop a blackened roar dripping with hate. But amid the full-throttle assault, Unfleshing utilizes ominous black metal chord progressions and unsettling plucking to add a more dynamic feature to Violent Reason (“Cathedral Rust,” “One With the Mud”). The album never overstays, and while traditional, it’s a hell of a start for Unfleshing.
Ghostsmoker // Inertia Cult [March 21st, 2025 – Art as Catharsis Records]
Ghostsmoker seems like the perfect stoner metal band name, but aside from the swampy guitar tone, there’s something much sinister lurking. Proffering a caustic blackened doom/sludge not unlike Thou, Wormphlegm, and Sea Bastard, the Melbourne group quartet devotes a crisp forty-two minutes to sprawling doom weighted by a crushing guitar tone that rivals Morast‘s latest, and shrieked vocals straight from the latest church burning. Beyond what’s expected from this particular breed of devastation, Ghostsmoker infuses an evocative patience reminiscent of post-metal’s more sludgy offerings like Neurosis or Pelican, lending a certain atmosphere and mood of dread and wilderness depicted on its cover. From the outright chugging attacks of churning aggression (“Elogium,” “Haven”) to the more experimental and thoughtful pieces (“Bodies to Shore,” instrumental closer “The Death of Solitude”), Inertia Cult largely feels like a journey through uncharted forests, with voices whispering from the trees. Ghostsmoker is something special.
GardensTale’s Paralyzed Spine
Spiine // Tetraptych [March 27th, 2025 – Self Released]
Is it still a supergroup release when half the lineup are session musicians? Spiine is made up of Sesca Scaarba (Virgin Black) and Xen (ex-Ne Obliviscaris), but on debut Tetraptych they are joined by guests Waltteri Väyrynen (Opeth) and Lena Abé (My Dying Bride). Usually, so much talent put into the same room does not yield great results. Tetraptych is one hell of an exception. A monstrous slab of crawling heaviness, Spiine lurches with abject despair through the mires of deathly funeral doom. Though I usually eschew this genre, my attention remains rapt through a variety of variations. The songwriting keeps the 4 tracks progressing, slow and steady builds, and the promise of momentary tempo changes working a two-pronged structural plan to buoy the majestic yet miserable riffs. “Oubliiette” is the best example here, going from galloping death-doom to Georgian choirs to a fantastic bridge where all the instrumentation hits only on the roared syllables. Xen’s unholy bellows flatten any objections I may have had, managing both thunder and deepest woe in the same notes. The subtle orchestration and occasional choir arrangements finish the package with regal grandeur, and the lush and warm production is the cherry on top. If you feel like drowning your sorrows with an hour of colossal doom, this is the album for you.
Saunders’ Stenched Staples
Ade // Supplicium [March 14th, 2025 – Time to Kill Records]
Sometimes unjustly pigeonholed as the Roman-inspired version of Nile, the hugely underrated Ade have punched out a solid career of quality death metal releases since emerging roughly fifteen years ago, charting their own path. Albums like 2013’s ripping Spartacus and 2019’s solid Rise of the Empire represent a tidy snapshot of the band’s career. Fifth album Supplicium, their first LP in six years, marks a low-key, welcome return. Exotic instrumentation and attention to history and storytelling are alive and well in the Ade camp, as is their penchant for punishing, unrelenting death, featuring a deftly curated mix of bombast, brutality, technical spark, and epic atmospheres. Edoardo Di Santo (Hideous Divinity) joins a largely refreshed line-up, including a new bassist and second guitarist since their last album. Line-up changes aside, familiar Ade tools of harrowing ancient Roman tales and modern death destruction remain as consistently solid as always. Top-notch riffs, intricate arrangements, fluid tempo shifts, and explosive drumming highlight songs that frequently flex their flair for drama-fueled atmospheres, hellfire blasts, and burly grooves. The immense, multi-faceted “Burnt Before Gods,” exotic melodies and raw savagery of “Ad Beastias!,” spitfire intensity of “Vinum,” and epically charged throes of “From Fault to Disfigurement” highlight more solid returns from Ade.
Masters of Reality // The Archer [March 28th, 2025 – Artone Label Group/Mascot Records]
Underappreciated desert rock pioneers and quirky stalwarts Masters of Reality returned from recording oblivion some fifteen-plus years since they last unleashed an LP. Led by the legendary Chris Goss and his collaborative counterparts across a career that first kicked off in the late ’80s, Masters of Reality return sounding inspired, wisened, and a little more chilled. Re-tinkering their familiar but ever-shifting sound, Masters of Reality incorporate woozy, bluesy laidback vibes featuring their oddball songwriting traits through a sedate, intriguing collection of new songs. The Archer showcases Masters of Reality’s longevity as seasoned, skilled songwriters, regardless of the shifting rock modes they explore. While perhaps lacking some of the energetic spark and earworm hooks of albums like Sunrise on the Sufferbus and Deep in the Hole, The Archer still marks a fine return outing. Goss’ signature voice is in fine form, and the bluesy, psych-drenched guitars, cushy basslines, ’60s and ’70s influences, and spacey vibes create a comforting haze. The delightfully dreamy, trippy “Chicken Little,” laidback hooks and old school charms of “I Had a Dream,” lively, quirky grooves of “Mr Tap n’ Go,” and moody, melancholic balladry of “Powder Man” highlight another diverse, strange brew from the veteran act.
Tyme’s Unheard Annunciations
Doomsday // Never Known Peace [March 28th, 2025 – Creator-Destructor Records]
March’s filter means spring is here, mostly, which is when I start searching for bands to populate my annual edition of Tyme’s Mowing Metal. There’s nothing I enjoy more than cracking a cold beer, sliding my headphones over my ears, and hopping on the mower to complete one of summer’s—at least for me—most enjoyable chores. A band that will feature prominently this summer is Oakland, California’s crossover thrash quintet Doomsday, and their Creator-Destructor Records debut album, Never Known Peace. Doomsday lays down a ton of mindless fun in the vein of other crossover greats like Enforced and Power Trip. There are riffs aplenty on this deliciously executed hardcore-tinged thrashtastic platter full of snarly, spiteful, Jamey Jasta-esque vocals, trademark gang shouts, and, oh, did I mention the riffs? Yeah, cuz there’s a butt-ton of ’em. Leads and solos are melodic (“Death is Here,” “Eternal Tombs”). Within its beefily warm mix, the chug-a-lug breakdowns run rampant across Never Known Peace‘s thirty-one minutes (seriously, there’s one in every track), leaving nary a tune that won’t have you at least bobbing your head and, at most, causing your neck a very nasty case of whipthrash. I’m going to be listening to Never Known Peace ALOT this summer, on and off my mower, and while I don’t care that the lawn lines in my yard will be a little wavier this year than others, I’ll chalk it up to the beer and the head banging Doomsday‘s Never Known Peace instills.
Rancid Cadaver // Mortality Denied [March 21st, 2025 – Self Released]
Another filter, another fetid fragment of foulness; this month, it’s up-and-coming deathstarts Rancid Cadaver and their independently released debut album Mortality Denied. Adam Burke’s excellent cover art caught my eye during a quick dip into the Bandcamp pool and had me pushing play. A thick slab of murderous meat ripe with fatty veins of Coffin Mulch and Morbific running through it, Mortality Denied overflows with tons of bestial vocals, crushing drums, barbaric bass, and squealing solos, all ensorcelled within the majesty of Rancid Cadaver‘s miasmic riff-gurgitations (“Slurping the Cerebral Slime,” “Mass of Gore,” and “Drained of Brains”). Fists will pump, and faces will stank during the Fulci-friendly “Zombified,” a pulverizing slow-death chug fest with an intro that landed me right back on the shores of Dr. Menard’s island of the undead.2 This quartet of Glaswegians has plopped down a death metal debut that ages like wine, getting better and better with consecutive spins. Surprisingly, Rancid Cadaver is unsigned, but I’m confident that status should change before we see a sophomore effort, and you can bet I’ll be there when that happens.
Dolphin Whisperer’s Unsophisticated Slappers
Crossed // Realismo Ausente [March 21st, 2025 – Zegema Beach Records]
Timing means everything in groove. I know that some people say that they have a hard time finding that kind of bob and sway in extreme music. But with an act like Spain’s Crossed, whose every carved word and every skronked guitar noise follows an insatiable punky stride, groove lies in every moment of third full-length Realismo Ausente. Whether it’s on the classic beat of D (“Vaciar Un Corazón,” “Cuerpo Distorsionado”), the twanging drone of a screaming bend (“Monotonía de la lluvia en la Ventana”), or the Celtic Frost-ed hammer of a chord crush (“Catedral”), a calculated, urgent, and intoxicating cadence colors the grayscale attitude throughout. But just because Crossed can find a groove in any twisted mathy rhythm—early Converge and Dillinger Escape Plan come to mind on quick cuts like “Cerrojo” and “Sentirse Solo”—doesn’t mean that their panic chord-loaded crescendos and close-outs can’t rip your head clean off in banging ecstasy. Easy listening and blackened hardcore can’t go hand-in-hand, but Crossed does their very best to make unintelligible, scathing screeches and ceiling-scraping feedback hissing palatable against crunchy punk builds and throbbing, warm bass grumbles. Likewise, Realismo Ausente stabs into a dejected body tales of loathing, fear, self-rejection, and defeated existence—nothing smiles in its urgent and apathetic crevices. But despite the lack of light at the end of the tunnel of Crossed’s horror-touched vision of impassioned hardcore, an analog warmth and human spirit trapped inside a writhing and pleading throat reveal a presence that’s still fighting. It’s the fight that counts. If you didn’t join the fight last time, now’s as good a time as any.
Nothing // The Self Repair Manifesto [March 26th, 2025 – Self Released]
If you noticed a tree zombie heading steaming through its trepanned opening, then you too found the same initial draw I had to The Self Repair Manifesto. Nothing complex often can draw us to the things we desire, yet in Nothing’s particular attack of relentless, groove-based death metal, many nooks of additional interest exist. The Self Repair Manifesto’s tribal rhythm-stirred “Initiation,” in its bouncy play, does little to set up the double-kick pummel and snarling refrains that lurk in this brutal, Australian soundscape. The simple chiming cymbal-fluttering bass call-and-response of “Subterfuge,” the throat singing summoning of “The Shroud,” the immediate onslaught of “Abrogation”—all in under 30 minutes, an infectious and progressive experience unfolds. And never fear, living by the motto “no clean singing,”3 Nothing has no intention of traveling the wandering and crooning path of an Opeth or In Vain. Rather, Nothing finds a hypnotic rhythmic presence both in fanciful kit play that stirs a foot shuffle and high-tempo stick abuse that urges bodies on bodies in the pit (“Subterfuge,” “The Shroud”), much in the same way you might hear in early Decapitated or Hate Eternal works. With flair of their own, though, and a mic near the mouth vessel of each member (yes, even the drummer!) to maintain a layered harsh intensity, Nothing serves a potent blend of death metal that is as jam-able as it is gym-able. Whether you seek gains or progressive enrichment, Nothing is the answer.
Steel Druhm’s Massive Aggressive
Impurity // The Eternal Sleep [ March 7th, 2025 – Hammerheart Records]
Impurity’s lust for all things Left Hand Path is not the least bit Clandestine, and on their full-length debut, The Eternal Sleep, they attempt to craft their own ode to the rabid HM-2 worship of the early 90s Swedeath sound. No new elements are shoehorned in aside from vaguely blackened ones, and there’s not the slightest effort to push the boundaries of the admittedly limited Swedeath sound. The Eternal Sleep sounds like the album that could have come between Entombed’s timeless debut and the Clandestine follow-up, and that’s not a bad place to be. It’s heavy, brutish, buzzing death metal with an OSDM edge, and it hits like a runaway 18-wheeler full of concrete and titanium rebar. One only needs to weather the shitstorm of opener “Denial of Clarity” to realize this is the deep water of the niche genre. It’s extremely heavy, face-melting death with more fuzz and buzz than your brain can process. Other cuts feel like a direct lift from Left Hand Path and/or Clandestine (“Tribute to Creation,”) and fetid Dismember tidbits creep in during “Pilgrimage to Utumno,” and these feel like olde friends showing up unexpectedly at the hometown watering hole. Swedeath is all about those ragged, jagged riffs, and they’re delivered in abundance over The Eternal Sleep, and despite the intrinsic lack of originality, Impurity pump enough steroids and Cialis into the genre archetypes to make the material endearing and engaging. Yes, you’ve heard this shit before. Now hear it again, chumbo!
#AcidAge #Ade #AmericanMetal #ArtAsCatharsisRecords #ArtoneLabelGroup #Atheist #AustralianMetal #BeyondTheSleeplessAether #BlackMetal #BlackenedCrust #BlackenedHardcore #CanadianMetal #Casarder #CelticFrost #CoffinMulch #Converge #CreatorDestructorRecords #Crossed #Crust #DeathMetal #Decapitated #DesertRock #DillingerEscapePlan #DoomMetal #Doomsday #Elder #Enforced #Flummox #Fulci #Ghostsmoker #Hardcore #HateEternal #HideousDivinity #Impurity #InMourning #InVain #InertialCult #InternationalMetal #ItalianMetal #iwrestledabearonce #LostFutureRecords #MascotRecords #MastersOfReality #Mathcore #MelodicMetal #Metalcore #Morast #Morbific #MortalityDenied #MyDyingBride #NeObliviscaris #Neurosis #NeverKnownPeace #Nile #Nothing #Opeth #PaleChordRecords #Pelican #PerilousCompulsion #PinkFloyd #PortugueseMetal #PostRock #PostMetal #PowerTrip #ProgressiveDeathMetal #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveThrashMetal #PyschedelicRock #RancidCadaver #RealismoAusente #Review #Reviews #RiseRecords #RussianCircles #ScottishMetal #SeaBastard #SelfReleased #SixpenceNoneTheRicher #SludgeMetal #SpanishMetal #Spiine #Spiritbox #StonerMetal #Supplicium #SymbioticGrowth #TechnicalDeathMetal #Tetraptych #TheArcher #TheEternalSleep #TheSelfRepairManifesto #Thou #ThrashMetal #TimeToKillRecords #TsunamiSea #UKMetal #Unfleshing #Verbian #ViolentReason #VirginBlack #Voivod #Wormphlegm #ZegemaBeachRecords
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Stuck in the Filter: March 2025’s Angry Misses
By Kenstrosity
Spring is in the air, and with it comes… an insane number of cicadas! Yes, that’s right, Brood XIV spawned this year and is currently overwhelming my staff as they trudge through embuggened ducts to clear out the Filter of semi-precious metal. I bet it’s fucking loud in there…
…. eh I’m sure they are all fine. Just fine. Anyway, enjoy the spoils of our toils!
Kenstrosity’s Gloopy Grubber
Acid Age // Perilous Compulsion [February 28th, 2025 – Self Released]
Belfast’s wacky thrash conglomerate Acid Age came out of absolutely nowhere back in March, unleashing their fourth LP Perilous Compulsion and equipping it with one helluva van-worthy cover. This is some funky, bluesy, quasi-psychedelic thrash metal that pulls no punches. Riffs abound, bonkers songwriting pervades, immense groove agitates. From the onset, “Bikini Island” establishes Perilous Compulsion as a no-nonsense, balls-out affair which reminds me heavily of Voivod and a simplified Flummox informed by Atheist’s progressive proclivities, and expanded by a touch of Pink Floyd’s nebulous jams. Of course, thrash remains Acid Age’s hero flavor, as choice cuts “State Your Business,” “Revenge for Sale,” and closing one-two punch “Rotten Tooth” and “Hamster Wheel” clearly demonstrate. While their fearless exploration of style and structure maintains a sky-high level of interest, it also introduces a couple of challenges. Firstly, this material can feel a bit disjointed at first, but focused spins reward the listener greatly as all of Perilous Compulsion’s moving parts start to mesh and move in unison. Secondly, Acid Age throws a spotlight on a few brilliant inclusions that, over time, I wish were more often utilized—namely, the delightfully bluesy harmonica solos on “Rotten Tooth.” Regardless, Acid Age put themselves on my map with Perilous Compulsion. I recommend you put them on yours, too!
Owlswald’s Desiccated Discoveries
Verbian // Casarder [March 21st, 2025 – Lost Future Records]
It’s unjust that Portuguese rockers Verbian—who have been producing quality post-rock since 2019’s Jaez—haven’t received the attention they deserve. Fusing elements of post-rock with metal, psychedelic, and stoner, Casarder is Verbian’s third full-length and the first with new drummer Guilherme Gonçalves. Taking the sounds and inspirations of 2020’s Irrupção and enriching it with new permutations and modulations, Casarder’s largely instrumental character rides punchy riffs and roiling grooves—à la Russian Circles and Elder—to transmit its thought-provoking legitimacy. Dystopian and surreal séances, via echoing Korg synthscapes (“Pausa Entre Dias,” “Vozes da Ilha”) and celestial harmonies, permeate Casarder’s forty-three-minute runtime, translating Madalena Pinto’s striking Aeon Flux-esque cover art with precision. Ominous horn sections and crusty recurrent vocals (“Marcha do Vulto,” “Depois de Toda a Mudança”) by guitarist Vasco Reis and bassist Alexandre Silva underscore Verbian’s individuality in a crowded post-rock domain. Gonçalves’s drumming—with his intricate and enchanting hard rock and samba rhythms (“Nada Muda,” “Fruta Caída do Mar”)—adds a new dimension to Verbian’s sound, assuring my attention never falters. The group describes Casarder as communicating the “…insecurities of artistic expression and personal exposure when it comes to fearing being judged for something that is somewhat outside of what is done in each artist’s niche.” Indeed, Casarder reveals Verbian is unafraid to forge their own path, and the results are gripping.
Symbiotic Growth // Beyond the Sleepless Aether [March 28th, 2025 – Self Released]
Beyond the Sleepless Aether, the sophomore effort by Ontario, Canada’s Symbiotic Growth, immediately caught my attention with its dreamy-looking cover. Building upon their 2020 self-titled debut, the Canadian trio hones epic and long-form progressive death metal soundscapes, narrating a quest for meaning across alternate realities in mostly lengthy, yet rewarding, tracks that blend technicality, atmosphere, and melody. The group frequently employs dynamic shifts, moving between raging brutality and serene shoegaze beauty (“Arid Trials and Barren Sands,” “The Sleepless Void”). This is achieved through complex and vengeful passages alongside atmospheric synth lines and softer piano interludes (“Sires of Boundless Sunset,” “Of Painted Skies and Dancing Lights”), cultivating an air of wonder, mystery, and ethereality that permeates much of Symbiotic Growth’s material. “The Architect of Annihilation” echoes the style of Ne Obliviscaris with its blend of clean harmonies and harsh growls meshed with tremolo-picked arpeggiations and catchy hooks (the guitar solo even features a violin-like quality). “Lost in Fractured Reveries” evokes In Mourning with its parallel synth and guitar lines giving way to devastating grooves that make it impossible not to headbang. Although some fine-tuning remains—the clean vocals could use some more weight and tracks like “Of Painted Skies and Dancing Lights” and “The Architect of Annihilation” overstay their welcome at times—Beyond the Sleepless Aether shows Symbiotic Growth’s burgeoning talent and signals the group is one to watch in progressive death metal.
Dear Hollow’s Drudgery Sludgery Hoist
Spiritbox // Tsunami Sea [March 7th, 2025 – Pale Chord Records | Rise Records]
From humble beginnings in a more artsy-fartsy djent post-Iwrestledabearonce world to becoming the darlings of Octane Radio, Spiritbox has seen quite the ascent. While it’s easy to look at their work and scoff at its radio-friendliness, sophomore full-length Tsunami Sea shows Courtney LaPlante and company sticking to their guns. Simultaneously more obscure and more radio-friendly in its selection of tracks, expect its signature blend of colossal riffs and ethereal melodies guided by LaPlante’s siren-then-sea serpent dichotomy of furious roars and haunting cleans. Yes, Spiritbox helms its attack with the radio singles (“Perfect Soul,”1 “Crystal Roses”) in layered soaring choruses and touches of hip-hop undergirded by fierce grooves, but the meat of Tsunami Sea finds the flexibility and patience in the skull-crushing brutality (“Soft Spine,” “No Loss, No Love”) and its more exploratory songwriting that amps layers of the ethereal and the hellish with catchy riffs and vocals alike (“Fata Morgana,” “A Haven of Two Faces”). It’s far from perfect, and its tendency towards radio will be divisive, but it shows Spiritbox firing on all cylinders.
Unfleshing // Violent Reason [March 28th, 2025 – Self Released]
I am always tickled pink by blackened crust. It takes the crusty violence and propensity for filth and adds black metal’s signature sinister nature. Unfleshing is a young, unsigned blackened crust band from St. Louis, and with debut Violent Reason, you can expect a traditional punk-infused beatdown with a battered guitar tone and sinister vocals. However, more than many, the quartet offers a beatdown that feels as atmospheric as it is pummeling. Don’t get me wrong, you get your skull caved in like the poor guy on the cover with minute-long crust beatdowns (“Body Bag,” “From the Gutter”) and full-length smackdowns (“Knife in the Dark,” “Final Breath”), both styles complete with scathing grooves, squalid feedback, climactic solos and punishing blastbeats, atop a blackened roar dripping with hate. But amid the full-throttle assault, Unfleshing utilizes ominous black metal chord progressions and unsettling plucking to add a more dynamic feature to Violent Reason (“Cathedral Rust,” “One With the Mud”). The album never overstays, and while traditional, it’s a hell of a start for Unfleshing.
Ghostsmoker // Inertia Cult [March 21st, 2025 – Art as Catharsis Records]
Ghostsmoker seems like the perfect stoner metal band name, but aside from the swampy guitar tone, there’s something much sinister lurking. Proffering a caustic blackened doom/sludge not unlike Thou, Wormphlegm, and Sea Bastard, the Melbourne group quartet devotes a crisp forty-two minutes to sprawling doom weighted by a crushing guitar tone that rivals Morast‘s latest, and shrieked vocals straight from the latest church burning. Beyond what’s expected from this particular breed of devastation, Ghostsmoker infuses an evocative patience reminiscent of post-metal’s more sludgy offerings like Neurosis or Pelican, lending a certain atmosphere and mood of dread and wilderness depicted on its cover. From the outright chugging attacks of churning aggression (“Elogium,” “Haven”) to the more experimental and thoughtful pieces (“Bodies to Shore,” instrumental closer “The Death of Solitude”), Inertia Cult largely feels like a journey through uncharted forests, with voices whispering from the trees. Ghostsmoker is something special.
GardensTale’s Paralyzed Spine
Spiine // Tetraptych [March 27th, 2025 – Self Released]
Is it still a supergroup release when half the lineup are session musicians? Spiine is made up of Sesca Scaarba (Virgin Black) and Xen (ex-Ne Obliviscaris), but on debut Tetraptych they are joined by guests Waltteri Väyrynen (Opeth) and Lena Abé (My Dying Bride). Usually, so much talent put into the same room does not yield great results. Tetraptych is one hell of an exception. A monstrous slab of crawling heaviness, Spiine lurches with abject despair through the mires of deathly funeral doom. Though I usually eschew this genre, my attention remains rapt through a variety of variations. The songwriting keeps the 4 tracks progressing, slow and steady builds, and the promise of momentary tempo changes working a two-pronged structural plan to buoy the majestic yet miserable riffs. “Oubliiette” is the best example here, going from galloping death-doom to Georgian choirs to a fantastic bridge where all the instrumentation hits only on the roared syllables. Xen’s unholy bellows flatten any objections I may have had, managing both thunder and deepest woe in the same notes. The subtle orchestration and occasional choir arrangements finish the package with regal grandeur, and the lush and warm production is the cherry on top. If you feel like drowning your sorrows with an hour of colossal doom, this is the album for you.
Saunders’ Stenched Staples
Ade // Supplicium [March 14th, 2025 – Time to Kill Records]
Sometimes unjustly pigeonholed as the Roman-inspired version of Nile, the hugely underrated Ade have punched out a solid career of quality death metal releases since emerging roughly fifteen years ago, charting their own path. Albums like 2013’s ripping Spartacus and 2019’s solid Rise of the Empire represent a tidy snapshot of the band’s career. Fifth album Supplicium, their first LP in six years, marks a low-key, welcome return. Exotic instrumentation and attention to history and storytelling are alive and well in the Ade camp, as is their penchant for punishing, unrelenting death, featuring a deftly curated mix of bombast, brutality, technical spark, and epic atmospheres. Edoardo Di Santo (Hideous Divinity) joins a largely refreshed line-up, including a new bassist and second guitarist since their last album. Line-up changes aside, familiar Ade tools of harrowing ancient Roman tales and modern death destruction remain as consistently solid as always. Top-notch riffs, intricate arrangements, fluid tempo shifts, and explosive drumming highlight songs that frequently flex their flair for drama-fueled atmospheres, hellfire blasts, and burly grooves. The immense, multi-faceted “Burnt Before Gods,” exotic melodies and raw savagery of “Ad Beastias!,” spitfire intensity of “Vinum,” and epically charged throes of “From Fault to Disfigurement” highlight more solid returns from Ade.
Masters of Reality // The Archer [March 28th, 2025 – Artone Label Group/Mascot Records]
Underappreciated desert rock pioneers and quirky stalwarts Masters of Reality returned from recording oblivion some fifteen-plus years since they last unleashed an LP. Led by the legendary Chris Goss and his collaborative counterparts across a career that first kicked off in the late ’80s, Masters of Reality return sounding inspired, wisened, and a little more chilled. Re-tinkering their familiar but ever-shifting sound, Masters of Reality incorporate woozy, bluesy laidback vibes featuring their oddball songwriting traits through a sedate, intriguing collection of new songs. The Archer showcases Masters of Reality’s longevity as seasoned, skilled songwriters, regardless of the shifting rock modes they explore. While perhaps lacking some of the energetic spark and earworm hooks of albums like Sunrise on the Sufferbus and Deep in the Hole, The Archer still marks a fine return outing. Goss’ signature voice is in fine form, and the bluesy, psych-drenched guitars, cushy basslines, ’60s and ’70s influences, and spacey vibes create a comforting haze. The delightfully dreamy, trippy “Chicken Little,” laidback hooks and old school charms of “I Had a Dream,” lively, quirky grooves of “Mr Tap n’ Go,” and moody, melancholic balladry of “Powder Man” highlight another diverse, strange brew from the veteran act.
Tyme’s Unheard Annunciations
Doomsday // Never Known Peace [March 28th, 2025 – Creator-Destructor Records]
March’s filter means spring is here, mostly, which is when I start searching for bands to populate my annual edition of Tyme’s Mowing Metal. There’s nothing I enjoy more than cracking a cold beer, sliding my headphones over my ears, and hopping on the mower to complete one of summer’s—at least for me—most enjoyable chores. A band that will feature prominently this summer is Oakland, California’s crossover thrash quintet Doomsday, and their Creator-Destructor Records debut album, Never Known Peace. Doomsday lays down a ton of mindless fun in the vein of other crossover greats like Enforced and Power Trip. There are riffs aplenty on this deliciously executed hardcore-tinged thrashtastic platter full of snarly, spiteful, Jamey Jasta-esque vocals, trademark gang shouts, and, oh, did I mention the riffs? Yeah, cuz there’s a butt-ton of ’em. Leads and solos are melodic (“Death is Here,” “Eternal Tombs”). Within its beefily warm mix, the chug-a-lug breakdowns run rampant across Never Known Peace‘s thirty-one minutes (seriously, there’s one in every track), leaving nary a tune that won’t have you at least bobbing your head and, at most, causing your neck a very nasty case of whipthrash. I’m going to be listening to Never Known Peace ALOT this summer, on and off my mower, and while I don’t care that the lawn lines in my yard will be a little wavier this year than others, I’ll chalk it up to the beer and the head banging Doomsday‘s Never Known Peace instills.
Rancid Cadaver // Mortality Denied [March 21st, 2025 – Self Released]
Another filter, another fetid fragment of foulness; this month, it’s up-and-coming deathstarts Rancid Cadaver and their independently released debut album Mortality Denied. Adam Burke’s excellent cover art caught my eye during a quick dip into the Bandcamp pool and had me pushing play. A thick slab of murderous meat ripe with fatty veins of Coffin Mulch and Morbific running through it, Mortality Denied overflows with tons of bestial vocals, crushing drums, barbaric bass, and squealing solos, all ensorcelled within the majesty of Rancid Cadaver‘s miasmic riff-gurgitations (“Slurping the Cerebral Slime,” “Mass of Gore,” and “Drained of Brains”). Fists will pump, and faces will stank during the Fulci-friendly “Zombified,” a pulverizing slow-death chug fest with an intro that landed me right back on the shores of Dr. Menard’s island of the undead.2 This quartet of Glaswegians has plopped down a death metal debut that ages like wine, getting better and better with consecutive spins. Surprisingly, Rancid Cadaver is unsigned, but I’m confident that status should change before we see a sophomore effort, and you can bet I’ll be there when that happens.
Dolphin Whisperer’s Unsophisticated Slappers
Crossed // Realismo Ausente [March 21st, 2025 – Zegema Beach Records]
Timing means everything in groove. I know that some people say that they have a hard time finding that kind of bob and sway in extreme music. But with an act like Spain’s Crossed, whose every carved word and every skronked guitar noise follows an insatiable punky stride, groove lies in every moment of third full-length Realismo Ausente. Whether it’s on the classic beat of D (“Vaciar Un Corazón,” “Cuerpo Distorsionado”), the twanging drone of a screaming bend (“Monotonía de la lluvia en la Ventana”), or the Celtic Frost-ed hammer of a chord crush (“Catedral”), a calculated, urgent, and intoxicating cadence colors the grayscale attitude throughout. But just because Crossed can find a groove in any twisted mathy rhythm—early Converge and Dillinger Escape Plan come to mind on quick cuts like “Cerrojo” and “Sentirse Solo”—doesn’t mean that their panic chord-loaded crescendos and close-outs can’t rip your head clean off in banging ecstasy. Easy listening and blackened hardcore can’t go hand-in-hand, but Crossed does their very best to make unintelligible, scathing screeches and ceiling-scraping feedback hissing palatable against crunchy punk builds and throbbing, warm bass grumbles. Likewise, Realismo Ausente stabs into a dejected body tales of loathing, fear, self-rejection, and defeated existence—nothing smiles in its urgent and apathetic crevices. But despite the lack of light at the end of the tunnel of Crossed’s horror-touched vision of impassioned hardcore, an analog warmth and human spirit trapped inside a writhing and pleading throat reveal a presence that’s still fighting. It’s the fight that counts. If you didn’t join the fight last time, now’s as good a time as any.
Nothing // The Self Repair Manifesto [March 26th, 2025 – Self Released]
If you noticed a tree zombie heading steaming through its trepanned opening, then you too found the same initial draw I had to The Self Repair Manifesto. Nothing complex often can draw us to the things we desire, yet in Nothing’s particular attack of relentless, groove-based death metal, many nooks of additional interest exist. The Self Repair Manifesto’s tribal rhythm-stirred “Initiation,” in its bouncy play, does little to set up the double-kick pummel and snarling refrains that lurk in this brutal, Australian soundscape. The simple chiming cymbal-fluttering bass call-and-response of “Subterfuge,” the throat singing summoning of “The Shroud,” the immediate onslaught of “Abrogation”—all in under 30 minutes, an infectious and progressive experience unfolds. And never fear, living by the motto “no clean singing,”3 Nothing has no intention of traveling the wandering and crooning path of an Opeth or In Vain. Rather, Nothing finds a hypnotic rhythmic presence both in fanciful kit play that stirs a foot shuffle and high-tempo stick abuse that urges bodies on bodies in the pit (“Subterfuge,” “The Shroud”), much in the same way you might hear in early Decapitated or Hate Eternal works. With flair of their own, though, and a mic near the mouth vessel of each member (yes, even the drummer!) to maintain a layered harsh intensity, Nothing serves a potent blend of death metal that is as jam-able as it is gym-able. Whether you seek gains or progressive enrichment, Nothing is the answer.
Steel Druhm’s Massive Aggressive
Impurity // The Eternal Sleep [ March 7th, 2025 – Hammerheart Records]
Impurity’s lust for all things Left Hand Path is not the least bit Clandestine, and on their full-length debut, The Eternal Sleep, they attempt to craft their own ode to the rabid HM-2 worship of the early 90s Swedeath sound. No new elements are shoehorned in aside from vaguely blackened ones, and there’s not the slightest effort to push the boundaries of the admittedly limited Swedeath sound. The Eternal Sleep sounds like the album that could have come between Entombed’s timeless debut and the Clandestine follow-up, and that’s not a bad place to be. It’s heavy, brutish, buzzing death metal with an OSDM edge, and it hits like a runaway 18-wheeler full of concrete and titanium rebar. One only needs to weather the shitstorm of opener “Denial of Clarity” to realize this is the deep water of the niche genre. It’s extremely heavy, face-melting death with more fuzz and buzz than your brain can process. Other cuts feel like a direct lift from Left Hand Path and/or Clandestine (“Tribute to Creation,”) and fetid Dismember tidbits creep in during “Pilgrimage to Utumno,” and these feel like olde friends showing up unexpectedly at the hometown watering hole. Swedeath is all about those ragged, jagged riffs, and they’re delivered in abundance over The Eternal Sleep, and despite the intrinsic lack of originality, Impurity pump enough steroids and Cialis into the genre archetypes to make the material endearing and engaging. Yes, you’ve heard this shit before. Now hear it again, chumbo!
#AcidAge #Ade #AmericanMetal #ArtAsCatharsisRecords #ArtoneLabelGroup #Atheist #AustralianMetal #BeyondTheSleeplessAether #BlackMetal #BlackenedCrust #BlackenedHardcore #CanadianMetal #Casarder #CelticFrost #CoffinMulch #Converge #CreatorDestructorRecords #Crossed #Crust #DeathMetal #Decapitated #DesertRock #DillingerEscapePlan #DoomMetal #Doomsday #Elder #Enforced #Flummox #Fulci #Ghostsmoker #Hardcore #HateEternal #HideousDivinity #Impurity #InMourning #InVain #InertialCult #InternationalMetal #ItalianMetal #iwrestledabearonce #LostFutureRecords #MascotRecords #MastersOfReality #Mathcore #MelodicMetal #Metalcore #Morast #Morbific #MortalityDenied #MyDyingBride #NeObliviscaris #Neurosis #NeverKnownPeace #Nile #Nothing #Opeth #PaleChordRecords #Pelican #PerilousCompulsion #PinkFloyd #PortugueseMetal #PostRock #PostMetal #PowerTrip #ProgressiveDeathMetal #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveThrashMetal #PyschedelicRock #RancidCadaver #RealismoAusente #Review #Reviews #RiseRecords #RussianCircles #ScottishMetal #SeaBastard #SelfReleased #SixpenceNoneTheRicher #SludgeMetal #SpanishMetal #Spiine #Spiritbox #StonerMetal #Supplicium #SymbioticGrowth #TechnicalDeathMetal #Tetraptych #TheArcher #TheEternalSleep #TheSelfRepairManifesto #Thou #ThrashMetal #TimeToKillRecords #TsunamiSea #UKMetal #Unfleshing #Verbian #ViolentReason #VirginBlack #Voivod #Wormphlegm #ZegemaBeachRecords
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I've gone live!
[Cataclysm DDA] First time playing this, after a lot of recommendations.
#gaming #freesoftware #linux #owncast #videogames #cdda #CataclysmDDA #roguelike
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gonna try to start a fedi hashtag to get people to start talking about fighting games more! Who do you main in the three games you play most seriously?
For me it's:
2XKO - Akali/Ahri
Rivals of Aether 2 - Clairen
Guilty Gear Strive - Ky/Bridgetquote this post or use the hashtag to share who you play, I'd love to get people chatting more!!
#MainsIn3Games #FGC #fightinggames
(and even if you don't play fighting games! If you play competitive games at all, share those mains!)
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CW: 【Cloud, 8月25日, なんだろう】をキーワードに、架空の広告 (ジャンル: エンタメ)を書いたよ！
🌃✨ 雲の上のエンターテイメント、開幕！ ✨🌃
ねぇ、知ってる？ 8月25日、空がちょっとだけ特別な日になるって。
最近、なんだか心がざわつく。理由はわからないけど、何か新しいものが始まる予感がするんだ。まるで、雲の切れ間に隠された秘密の扉が開くような…。そんな気持ち、あなたにもある？
そんなあなたに、とっておきのエンターテイメントをお届けします！
その名も…
🌌 「Celestial Echoes - 星影のシンフォニー」 🌌
これは、ただの音楽フェスじゃない。それは、雲の上から降り注ぐ星の光と、あなたの心が共鳴する、没入型エンターテイメント体験。
舞台は、都心から少し離れた、緑豊かな丘の上。そこには、巨大な雲を模した特設ステージがそびえ立ちます。ステージ上では、最先端のプロジェクションマッピング技術と、ドローンによる光の演出が織りなす、幻想的な空間が広がります。
そして、このイベントの目玉は、8月25日にデビューする、謎に包まれた音楽ユニット「Aetheria」。彼女たちの音楽は、まるで雲の流れのように、優しく、そして力強く、あなたの心を包み込みます。
Aetheriaのメンバーは、それぞれが異なる才能を持つ、個性豊かな4人組。
*Luna (ルナ)：透明感のある歌声と、繊細な歌詞で、聴く人の心を揺さぶるボーカル。彼女の歌声は、まるで月光のように、静かに、そして深く、あなたの心に響き渡ります。
*Sol (ソル)：情熱的なギタープレイと、エネルギッシュなパフォーマンスで、会場を熱狂の渦に巻き込むギタリスト。彼の奏でるギターは、まるで太陽のように、力強く、そして温かく、あなたの心を照らします。
*Stella (ステラ)：緻密なリズムと、革新的なサウンドで、音楽に新たな次元を与えるドラマー。彼女の叩くドラムは、まるで星の瞬きのように、美しく、そして力強く、あなたの心を魅了します。
*Nebula (ネビュラ)：幻想的なシンセサイザーの音色と、神秘的なステージングで、観客を異次元へと誘うキーボーディスト。彼女の奏でるシンセは、まるで星雲のように、美しく、そして神秘的に、あなたの心を癒します。
Aetheriaの楽曲は、ジャンルにとらわれない、自由な発想から生まれたオリジナル曲ばかり。エレクトロニカ、ポップス、ロック、クラシック…様々な要素が融合し、唯一無二のサウンドを生み出しています。
「Celestial Echoes」では、Aetheriaのライブパフォーマンスに加え、様々なエンターテイメントコンテンツをご用意しています。
*インタラクティブ・ライトショー：会場全体が光の海と化し、観客の動きに合わせて光の色やパターンが変化します。まるで雲の中を漂っているような、不思議な感覚を味わえます。
*ARアートインスタレーション：スマートフォンを通して、会場に隠されたARアートを鑑賞できます。雲の中に浮かぶ神秘的な生き物や、星空を彩る美しい光の粒子など、様々なARアートがあなたの目の前に現れます。
*フード＆ドリンク：宇宙をテーマにした、見た目も味も楽しめるフード＆ドリンクをご用意しています。雲のようにふわふわの綿あめや、星空をイメージしたカクテルなど、様々なメニューをお楽しみください。
*グッツショップ：Aetheriaのオリジナルグッズや、「Celestial Echoes」限定のグッズを販売します。思い出の品として、ぜひお持ち帰りください。
でも、正直に言うと、このイベントには、まだ明かされていない秘密がいくつかあるんです。
「なんだろう」って、あなたもそう思っているはず。
それは、Aetheriaのメンバーの過去、彼女たちの音楽に込められたメッセージ、そして、8月25日に何が起こるのか…。
全ては、「Celestial Echoes」で明らかになります。
さあ、あなたも雲の上のエンターテイメント体験に、飛び込んではみませんか？
チケットは、現在、先行予約受付中です！
詳しくは、公式サイトをチェックしてくださいね！
[架空の公式サイトURL]
🌌🌠 8月25日、星影の下で、あなたと出会えることを願っています。 🌠🌌
#CelestialEchoes #Aetheria #8月25日 #雲 #エンターテイメント #音楽フェス #謎 #秘密 #星空 #インタラクティブ #AR #フード #グッツ #夢 #希望 #感動 #新しい世界 #冒険 #体験 #忘れられない夜 #あなたを待ってる 💖✨
この投稿は、LLMによって生成した架空の文章で、実在の人物や団体、出来事とは一切関係ありません。
This is a fictional text generated by Large Language Model. Any resemblance to actual persons, organizations, or events is purely coincidental.
Model: Gemma 3 27B
Temperature: 0.35060002305979676 -
Aetheria
To Nina Nadu and to my children, Olivia and Henry, you all are myeverything
©2024. William Moore.
The setting of Aetheria was originally created by my brother Kiel inthe mid-90’s as a way to fulfill English homework. It was well receivedby the teacher Mr. Grey, who is this awesome hippy dude, as well asmyself. Consequently, we started to make comic books of our ownfeaturing the characters Kiel came up with and ones that I introduced.Then, as you do, you play Dungeons & Dragons. We looked no furtherthan the world, then unnamed. The following story is a reimagining ofthe history of Aetheria in a fashion that evolved out of this setting,now named Aetheria.
The Story
The Age of theOrder
The founding of the new ordering of the world after the defeat ofGornakh by the Order of the Wizards as told by the bard known only as“Johnathan”.
Aetheria is a world flush with magic. With each passing millenia, themagic gets all the more stronger. Realizing the potential fordestructiveness, Alistair, a human from a lowly background, formed theOrder of the Wizards. Each mage in the Order possessed an intricateknowledge of the magical forces of the world that they obtainedimmortality. Furthermore, this immortality came with the added benefitthat only other immortals may harm them.
However, the Order grew out of a previous League of Magical Users runby the so-called “Arch Mage”. The Arch Mage would periodically scour theland looking for potential magic users and those that were alreadypractitioners. It was during these travels that he met the youngAlistair, son of a blacksmith. The Arch Mage was fascinated by theconstruction of various metal works that Alistair constructed andnoticing that the young smithy would apply magic to cool the worksdifferently. After watching Alistair cool a horseshoe, the Arch Magedecided it was time to confront him.
“Young lad,” said the Arch Mage with a grin. “Where do you go aboutwith using magic?”
“I don’t know what you’re referring to,” said Alistair.
“That horseshoe you made. It was cooled in a way that was both quickand did not damage the metal.”
“Oh! That? It was a trick that I taught myself after talking with thelocal monks. They have these books on how to harness the magic of ourworld and use it for good.”
“Interesting. Come. You have no time to lose. I need more like you inthe League of Magical Users. We’re an elite group of those who harnessthe power of Aetheria.”
“Excuse me!?”
“Your magic abilities,” said the Arch Mage sternly, “they are uniqueand not found in the world every day. You’ll be made one of my grandmagisters if you so choose.”
“Let me think on it.”
And so, the Arch Mage left Alistair. He would return periodically andthe conversations were similar, ending with outright refusal.Eventually, the Arch Mage would not return to inquire if Alistair wasready to join or not.
Many more months would pass and the local region experienced arevolution. People, both innocent and soldier alike, were slain. Theywere led by a mysterious figure known only as General Archeus.Alistair’s town was not immune to the revolution whose bitter firesspread into the town. It started with the murder of the town’s mayor inthe night. Then, a week would go by and someone would disappear.Eventually, Alistair’s family went missing. Furious, he grabbed a swordof his own construction and went into the woods to root out therevolutionaries and do what he can to save the villagers or exactrevenge,
Stealthily, he made way into the nearest encampment and noticedseveral of his fellow townspeople bound up in the middle of the camp,near a raging fire. There was no sign of his family.
After a short period, people started to salute the entrance of thetent shouting “General Archeus, sir!” in near perfect unison. From thetent out came the Arch Mage who had been pestering him to join the ranksof the League of Magical Users.
Alistair snapped and channeled several spells, sending forth blackflames from his hands that struck several soldiers left and right. Hissword, red hot at this juncture, was pointed directly at the ArchMage.
“You must think that you can best me,” chuckled the Arch Mage, “youshould know that an immortal such as myself can only be defeated bysufficient magical energy.”
“Where’s my family?”
“Oh? Them? Well, they are no longer with us. I personally saw toit.”
Spitting out something like bile from his mouth, Alistair charged theArch Mage. The immortal easily dodged it and drew a dagger with which hecut Alistair’s cheek deeply.
“Consider this a kiss from the League. Now, if you join, I’ll spareyour life. Our roots are deep in the soil and it will be most difficultto remove them,” mocked the Arch Mage.
The two traded blows for what seemed like forever and with eachpassing moment, the Arch Mage forced Alistair nearer and nearer to thefire.
Eventually, Alistair realized his mistake.
“There’s one thing that I haven’t done that the local monks showedme,” teased Alistair.
“What’s that? How to be weaker?”
“No. This –”
With a downward slice of his sword that intentionally missed the ArchMage, the raging fire in the camp expanded towards the sky, bent over,and came crashing down onto the Arch Mage.
At first, the mage laughed. Eventually, the laughter of the so-calledGeneral Archeus turned into blood curdling screams as his body quicklyburnt away.
The fires then return to their normal state, leaving behind thecharred remains of the once great Arch Mage.
Freeing the remaining villagers who all cheered Alistair, he foundhimself suddenly alone once the last villager left. This lonliness wasdeeper than any he’s experienced before, as everyone finds themselvesalone at some point in life. This lonliness was borne out of the loss ofhis family.
Not long after slaying the Arch Mage, Alistair found himselfincrementally feeling more magical power. He found that his spells wererequiring less action, words, and components. Instead, he was finding itwas more an act of his own thoughts and will.
The years drug on and Alistair found himself not getting older.Eventually, he realized he was over 100 years old and had not passedon.
One day, he was approached by an elderly looking elf.
“Alistair, the sorcerer supreme,” cried the elf, “My name is Gaeffinand I need you to do something for me!”
“Alistair, the sorcerer supreme? I doubt it,” said Alistair.
“Ah. But you slew the Arch Mage and are now one of us, the immortalwizards. And because, unbeknownst to you, the Arch Mage was the leadingsorcerer supreme that makes you his replacement.”
“What happens next?”
“You form your own Order of Wizards to hold back the tides of greaterevils in this world. I nominate myself as the first of your order.Thanks for the nomination and acceptance!”
“Huh.”
Quickly the Order was filled with the brightest magical talents. Themore talented were promoted to immortal and made lead of the Order. Theywere many.
They fought endlessly and tirelessly greater evils than a robberbaron or a person trying to take over Aetheria, unless deemed tooruthless, which was not often.
Despite all this, the Order of Wizards was entirely unprepared forthe evil that came from beyond Aetheria.
The Age of Gornakh
The rich magical world is possibly what attracted Gornakh to theAetheria in the first place. Nobody knows where this demon-god camefrom, nor do they know if it can be defeated. However, their acquisitionof Aetheria happened slowly and none saw it coming.
It began first with the ascension of the Necromancer, a vile beingwho had become one of the trusted Order. This corruption hit deep withinthe Order. Many lower ascendants were lured away to the power of Gornakhcoursing through the Necromancer. Thinking it was just a matter ofsomeone who revolted against the Order, Alistair defeated the“revolutionary.” However, this was not the end. The Necromancer cast aspell that converted his living flesh into undead, giving it now asecond chance at existence.
Next, Gornakh formed an elite group consisting of the newlyreconstituted Necromancer; Miranda, the Hellfire Maiden; Borgen, theoutcast dwarfen soldier; and Erdan, the wild human. These individualsbathed in the power of the magics as well. They were granted long life,possibly immortality, and limitless power, in exchange for their undyingloyalty and servitude. Once formed, these forces started discretelybuilding up a cadre of worshippers that did what they thought were theobjects of their worship’s desire. In reality, it was Gornakh’smachinations.
It was at this time rumor started to spread throughout the land of anew cult that worshipped a demon-god. Alistair sent Bragolbeleg, theelfen mage, to seek out, understand, and possibly destroy the cult.
It was there at the Temple of Borgen that Bragolbeleg was ambushed.He snuck into the temple only to find them waiting and magic flying.However, Bragolbeleg was too quick to the sword and too expedient withhis magic, that he was able to slay the cultists, for they were allmortals and no match for the immortal Wizard. It was then that Borgenappeared in his very flesh. He drew his axe and they exchanged severalblows. The sparks from Bragolbeleg’s magic flew everywhere, destroyingparts of the temple in the process. After a day of combat, Borgen fellto the mighty sword of Bragolbeleg, who fled the temple as quickly ashis exhausted self could muster.
Once back in the Black Tower, where Alistair resides, he received areport of all that had happened at the Temple of Borgen, both with theunfortunate mortals worshipping Borgen and the ensuing combat with thedead Gornakhan dwarf.
Something had to be done and the Order of Wizards knew this. Theysent several of their order on reconnaissance missions and led byGaeffin, the woodland elf. Many centuries would go by and Gaeffin wouldreturn with most of the Order that went with him. There were severalbattles, but Gornakh was located on Aetheria! It was residing in avolcanic mountain near the Castle of the Necromancer. This seemed like atrap, so the entire Order was summoned to decide on what to do.
The Cult of Gornakh, as they were wont to call it, was responsiblefor the pollution of Aetheria both physically and spirtually. Livingsacrifices were made in the name of Gornakh.
This was enough for Alistair. He ordered a full assault. However,treachery was in the Order and Gornakh learned of the assault, so it wasready!
Upon arrival at the volcano, the Order was “greeted” by the fullforce of Gornakh, including the remaining elite group. Impatiently, theNecromancer, who still bore grudges with the Order, struck first. Hesent black death upon the crowded forces. This slew many of the largeOrder as well as a few of the Gornakhan forces. Unfortunately, more ofthe Order was slain. Seeing a chance, the Order charged. Fire came downfrom the sky. Lighting and flames of death were everywhere. In the end,it was not the immortals who ruled the day. Rather, a small contingentof paladin who came with the Order, desiring only to rid the world ofGornakh and his evil ilk, came to the fore and performed a miracle.
Led by the well-loved Amanda, the paladin broke free and engagedGornakh directly! It was too busy gloating over the heavy losses theOrder was receiving, but not caring much for the losses its forces weretaking as well, to notice them. They struck hard and swift. Gornakh thenrealized its error tried to flee, breaking free from the paladin andtaking down many in its escape. Amanda pursued. Amanda, Gornakh, and alowly squire named Stephen all reached the inner volcano sanctum. It washere that Amanda and Gornakh engaged in one-on-one combat. She foughthard and bravely but was soon proving no match for the demon-god. So,she summoned all her holy might and smote the mortal form that Gornakhtook. In the process, her own form was obliterated.
Stephen, stunned by the incident, left the inner sanctum and stumbledout onto the battlefield. With the apparent distruction of Gornakh, andthe willing sacrifice of Amanda, the forces of Gornakh scattered exceptits more faithful elite. In the aftermath of the battle, it wasdiscovered that only Alistair, Gaeffin, and Bragolbeleg remain of theOrder. However, the forces of Gornakh only lost of the elite Erdan,Borgen being slewn earlier by Bragolbeleg.
In the years that followed the Great Battle, the Order still was indecline both in numbers and influence. Meanwhile, the Cult of Gornakhwas subtely growing in the hearts and minds of the social and politicalelites, must to the dismay of the remaining members of the Order. Assuch, Alistair gave commands that Gaeffin would return to the woodlandsand find a way to convince the woodland elfs to help replenish theranks. Bragolbeleg, being the more combat oriented, was to continue toseek out Gornakh’s influence and snuff it where possible. Alistair sworeto find aid in other realms and other worlds of different beings in adesperate attempt to acquire a sufficient force to defeat something ashorrendeous as a demon-god, the likes of which he had never seen.
Credits
This adventure would not be possible if it weren’t for my brotherKiel all those years ago coming up with the Order of Wizards and theirhistory. Without it, I would not be able to have many successfuladventures with several people over the years. The ones that come tomind are:
Dave Baker
Chris Brillhart
Michelle Brillhart
Ben Hill
Etiam Lawson
Kiel Moore
Shannon Moore
These individuals help shaped the face of Aetheria.
With that being said, there are new people who have joined in theadventure and specifically helped shape the world with the Two Bit RPG.They are of the Clowns Gang:
Henry Moore
Olivia Moore
A huge thank you of appreciation to all who have helped create,participate, and enjoy the world of Aetheria as it evolved from a seriesof short stories by Kiel to a Dungeons & Dragons adventure because Icouldn’t come up with something.
-
Aetheria
To Nina Nadu and to my children, Olivia and Henry, you all are myeverything
©2024. William Moore.
The setting of Aetheria was originally created by my brother Kiel inthe mid-90’s as a way to fulfill English homework. It was well receivedby the teacher Mr. Grey, who is this awesome hippy dude, as well asmyself. Consequently, we started to make comic books of our ownfeaturing the characters Kiel came up with and ones that I introduced.Then, as you do, you play Dungeons & Dragons. We looked no furtherthan the world, then unnamed. The following story is a reimagining ofthe history of Aetheria in a fashion that evolved out of this setting,now named Aetheria.
The Story
The Age of theOrder
The founding of the new ordering of the world after the defeat ofGornakh by the Order of the Wizards as told by the bard known only as“Johnathan”.
Aetheria is a world flush with magic. With each passing millenia, themagic gets all the more stronger. Realizing the potential fordestructiveness, Alistair, a human from a lowly background, formed theOrder of the Wizards. Each mage in the Order possessed an intricateknowledge of the magical forces of the world that they obtainedimmortality. Furthermore, this immortality came with the added benefitthat only other immortals may harm them.
However, the Order grew out of a previous League of Magical Users runby the so-called “Arch Mage”. The Arch Mage would periodically scour theland looking for potential magic users and those that were alreadypractitioners. It was during these travels that he met the youngAlistair, son of a blacksmith. The Arch Mage was fascinated by theconstruction of various metal works that Alistair constructed andnoticing that the young smithy would apply magic to cool the worksdifferently. After watching Alistair cool a horseshoe, the Arch Magedecided it was time to confront him.
“Young lad,” said the Arch Mage with a grin. “Where do you go aboutwith using magic?”
“I don’t know what you’re referring to,” said Alistair.
“That horseshoe you made. It was cooled in a way that was both quickand did not damage the metal.”
“Oh! That? It was a trick that I taught myself after talking with thelocal monks. They have these books on how to harness the magic of ourworld and use it for good.”
“Interesting. Come. You have no time to lose. I need more like you inthe League of Magical Users. We’re an elite group of those who harnessthe power of Aetheria.”
“Excuse me!?”
“Your magic abilities,” said the Arch Mage sternly, “they are uniqueand not found in the world every day. You’ll be made one of my grandmagisters if you so choose.”
“Let me think on it.”
And so, the Arch Mage left Alistair. He would return periodically andthe conversations were similar, ending with outright refusal.Eventually, the Arch Mage would not return to inquire if Alistair wasready to join or not.
Many more months would pass and the local region experienced arevolution. People, both innocent and soldier alike, were slain. Theywere led by a mysterious figure known only as General Archeus.Alistair’s town was not immune to the revolution whose bitter firesspread into the town. It started with the murder of the town’s mayor inthe night. Then, a week would go by and someone would disappear.Eventually, Alistair’s family went missing. Furious, he grabbed a swordof his own construction and went into the woods to root out therevolutionaries and do what he can to save the villagers or exactrevenge,
Stealthily, he made way into the nearest encampment and noticedseveral of his fellow townspeople bound up in the middle of the camp,near a raging fire. There was no sign of his family.
After a short period, people started to salute the entrance of thetent shouting “General Archeus, sir!” in near perfect unison. From thetent out came the Arch Mage who had been pestering him to join the ranksof the League of Magical Users.
Alistair snapped and channeled several spells, sending forth blackflames from his hands that struck several soldiers left and right. Hissword, red hot at this juncture, was pointed directly at the ArchMage.
“You must think that you can best me,” chuckled the Arch Mage, “youshould know that an immortal such as myself can only be defeated bysufficient magical energy.”
“Where’s my family?”
“Oh? Them? Well, they are no longer with us. I personally saw toit.”
Spitting out something like bile from his mouth, Alistair charged theArch Mage. The immortal easily dodged it and drew a dagger with which hecut Alistair’s cheek deeply.
“Consider this a kiss from the League. Now, if you join, I’ll spareyour life. Our roots are deep in the soil and it will be most difficultto remove them,” mocked the Arch Mage.
The two traded blows for what seemed like forever and with eachpassing moment, the Arch Mage forced Alistair nearer and nearer to thefire.
Eventually, Alistair realized his mistake.
“There’s one thing that I haven’t done that the local monks showedme,” teased Alistair.
“What’s that? How to be weaker?”
“No. This –”
With a downward slice of his sword that intentionally missed the ArchMage, the raging fire in the camp expanded towards the sky, bent over,and came crashing down onto the Arch Mage.
At first, the mage laughed. Eventually, the laughter of the so-calledGeneral Archeus turned into blood curdling screams as his body quicklyburnt away.
The fires then return to their normal state, leaving behind thecharred remains of the once great Arch Mage.
Freeing the remaining villagers who all cheered Alistair, he foundhimself suddenly alone once the last villager left. This lonliness wasdeeper than any he’s experienced before, as everyone finds themselvesalone at some point in life. This lonliness was borne out of the loss ofhis family.
Not long after slaying the Arch Mage, Alistair found himselfincrementally feeling more magical power. He found that his spells wererequiring less action, words, and components. Instead, he was finding itwas more an act of his own thoughts and will.
The years drug on and Alistair found himself not getting older.Eventually, he realized he was over 100 years old and had not passedon.
One day, he was approached by an elderly looking elf.
“Alistair, the sorcerer supreme,” cried the elf, “My name is Gaeffinand I need you to do something for me!”
“Alistair, the sorcerer supreme? I doubt it,” said Alistair.
“Ah. But you slew the Arch Mage and are now one of us, the immortalwizards. And because, unbeknownst to you, the Arch Mage was the leadingsorcerer supreme that makes you his replacement.”
“What happens next?”
“You form your own Order of Wizards to hold back the tides of greaterevils in this world. I nominate myself as the first of your order.Thanks for the nomination and acceptance!”
“Huh.”
Quickly the Order was filled with the brightest magical talents. Themore talented were promoted to immortal and made lead of the Order. Theywere many.
They fought endlessly and tirelessly greater evils than a robberbaron or a person trying to take over Aetheria, unless deemed tooruthless, which was not often.
Despite all this, the Order of Wizards was entirely unprepared forthe evil that came from beyond Aetheria.
The Age of Gornakh
The rich magical world is possibly what attracted Gornakh to theAetheria in the first place. Nobody knows where this demon-god camefrom, nor do they know if it can be defeated. However, their acquisitionof Aetheria happened slowly and none saw it coming.
It began first with the ascension of the Necromancer, a vile beingwho had become one of the trusted Order. This corruption hit deep withinthe Order. Many lower ascendants were lured away to the power of Gornakhcoursing through the Necromancer. Thinking it was just a matter ofsomeone who revolted against the Order, Alistair defeated the“revolutionary.” However, this was not the end. The Necromancer cast aspell that converted his living flesh into undead, giving it now asecond chance at existence.
Next, Gornakh formed an elite group consisting of the newlyreconstituted Necromancer; Miranda, the Hellfire Maiden; Borgen, theoutcast dwarfen soldier; and Erdan, the wild human. These individualsbathed in the power of the magics as well. They were granted long life,possibly immortality, and limitless power, in exchange for their undyingloyalty and servitude. Once formed, these forces started discretelybuilding up a cadre of worshippers that did what they thought were theobjects of their worship’s desire. In reality, it was Gornakh’smachinations.
It was at this time rumor started to spread throughout the land of anew cult that worshipped a demon-god. Alistair sent Bragolbeleg, theelfen mage, to seek out, understand, and possibly destroy the cult.
It was there at the Temple of Borgen that Bragolbeleg was ambushed.He snuck into the temple only to find them waiting and magic flying.However, Bragolbeleg was too quick to the sword and too expedient withhis magic, that he was able to slay the cultists, for they were allmortals and no match for the immortal Wizard. It was then that Borgenappeared in his very flesh. He drew his axe and they exchanged severalblows. The sparks from Bragolbeleg’s magic flew everywhere, destroyingparts of the temple in the process. After a day of combat, Borgen fellto the mighty sword of Bragolbeleg, who fled the temple as quickly ashis exhausted self could muster.
Once back in the Black Tower, where Alistair resides, he received areport of all that had happened at the Temple of Borgen, both with theunfortunate mortals worshipping Borgen and the ensuing combat with thedead Gornakhan dwarf.
Something had to be done and the Order of Wizards knew this. Theysent several of their order on reconnaissance missions and led byGaeffin, the woodland elf. Many centuries would go by and Gaeffin wouldreturn with most of the Order that went with him. There were severalbattles, but Gornakh was located on Aetheria! It was residing in avolcanic mountain near the Castle of the Necromancer. This seemed like atrap, so the entire Order was summoned to decide on what to do.
The Cult of Gornakh, as they were wont to call it, was responsiblefor the pollution of Aetheria both physically and spirtually. Livingsacrifices were made in the name of Gornakh.
This was enough for Alistair. He ordered a full assault. However,treachery was in the Order and Gornakh learned of the assault, so it wasready!
Upon arrival at the volcano, the Order was “greeted” by the fullforce of Gornakh, including the remaining elite group. Impatiently, theNecromancer, who still bore grudges with the Order, struck first. Hesent black death upon the crowded forces. This slew many of the largeOrder as well as a few of the Gornakhan forces. Unfortunately, more ofthe Order was slain. Seeing a chance, the Order charged. Fire came downfrom the sky. Lighting and flames of death were everywhere. In the end,it was not the immortals who ruled the day. Rather, a small contingentof paladin who came with the Order, desiring only to rid the world ofGornakh and his evil ilk, came to the fore and performed a miracle.
Led by the well-loved Amanda, the paladin broke free and engagedGornakh directly! It was too busy gloating over the heavy losses theOrder was receiving, but not caring much for the losses its forces weretaking as well, to notice them. They struck hard and swift. Gornakh thenrealized its error tried to flee, breaking free from the paladin andtaking down many in its escape. Amanda pursued. Amanda, Gornakh, and alowly squire named Stephen all reached the inner volcano sanctum. It washere that Amanda and Gornakh engaged in one-on-one combat. She foughthard and bravely but was soon proving no match for the demon-god. So,she summoned all her holy might and smote the mortal form that Gornakhtook. In the process, her own form was obliterated.
Stephen, stunned by the incident, left the inner sanctum and stumbledout onto the battlefield. With the apparent distruction of Gornakh, andthe willing sacrifice of Amanda, the forces of Gornakh scattered exceptits more faithful elite. In the aftermath of the battle, it wasdiscovered that only Alistair, Gaeffin, and Bragolbeleg remain of theOrder. However, the forces of Gornakh only lost of the elite Erdan,Borgen being slewn earlier by Bragolbeleg.
In the years that followed the Great Battle, the Order still was indecline both in numbers and influence. Meanwhile, the Cult of Gornakhwas subtely growing in the hearts and minds of the social and politicalelites, must to the dismay of the remaining members of the Order. Assuch, Alistair gave commands that Gaeffin would return to the woodlandsand find a way to convince the woodland elfs to help replenish theranks. Bragolbeleg, being the more combat oriented, was to continue toseek out Gornakh’s influence and snuff it where possible. Alistair sworeto find aid in other realms and other worlds of different beings in adesperate attempt to acquire a sufficient force to defeat something ashorrendeous as a demon-god, the likes of which he had never seen.
Credits
This adventure would not be possible if it weren’t for my brotherKiel all those years ago coming up with the Order of Wizards and theirhistory. Without it, I would not be able to have many successfuladventures with several people over the years. The ones that come tomind are:
Dave Baker
Chris Brillhart
Michelle Brillhart
Ben Hill
Etiam Lawson
Kiel Moore
Shannon Moore
These individuals help shaped the face of Aetheria.
With that being said, there are new people who have joined in theadventure and specifically helped shape the world with the Two Bit RPG.They are of the Clowns Gang:
Henry Moore
Olivia Moore
A huge thank you of appreciation to all who have helped create,participate, and enjoy the world of Aetheria as it evolved from a seriesof short stories by Kiel to a Dungeons & Dragons adventure because Icouldn’t come up with something.
-
Aetheria
To Nina Nadu and to my children, Olivia and Henry, you all are myeverything
©2024. William Moore.
The setting of Aetheria was originally created by my brother Kiel inthe mid-90’s as a way to fulfill English homework. It was well receivedby the teacher Mr. Grey, who is this awesome hippy dude, as well asmyself. Consequently, we started to make comic books of our ownfeaturing the characters Kiel came up with and ones that I introduced.Then, as you do, you play Dungeons & Dragons. We looked no furtherthan the world, then unnamed. The following story is a reimagining ofthe history of Aetheria in a fashion that evolved out of this setting,now named Aetheria.
The Story
The Age of theOrder
The founding of the new ordering of the world after the defeat ofGornakh by the Order of the Wizards as told by the bard known only as“Johnathan”.
Aetheria is a world flush with magic. With each passing millenia, themagic gets all the more stronger. Realizing the potential fordestructiveness, Alistair, a human from a lowly background, formed theOrder of the Wizards. Each mage in the Order possessed an intricateknowledge of the magical forces of the world that they obtainedimmortality. Furthermore, this immortality came with the added benefitthat only other immortals may harm them.
However, the Order grew out of a previous League of Magical Users runby the so-called “Arch Mage”. The Arch Mage would periodically scour theland looking for potential magic users and those that were alreadypractitioners. It was during these travels that he met the youngAlistair, son of a blacksmith. The Arch Mage was fascinated by theconstruction of various metal works that Alistair constructed andnoticing that the young smithy would apply magic to cool the worksdifferently. After watching Alistair cool a horseshoe, the Arch Magedecided it was time to confront him.
“Young lad,” said the Arch Mage with a grin. “Where do you go aboutwith using magic?”
“I don’t know what you’re referring to,” said Alistair.
“That horseshoe you made. It was cooled in a way that was both quickand did not damage the metal.”
“Oh! That? It was a trick that I taught myself after talking with thelocal monks. They have these books on how to harness the magic of ourworld and use it for good.”
“Interesting. Come. You have no time to lose. I need more like you inthe League of Magical Users. We’re an elite group of those who harnessthe power of Aetheria.”
“Excuse me!?”
“Your magic abilities,” said the Arch Mage sternly, “they are uniqueand not found in the world every day. You’ll be made one of my grandmagisters if you so choose.”
“Let me think on it.”
And so, the Arch Mage left Alistair. He would return periodically andthe conversations were similar, ending with outright refusal.Eventually, the Arch Mage would not return to inquire if Alistair wasready to join or not.
Many more months would pass and the local region experienced arevolution. People, both innocent and soldier alike, were slain. Theywere led by a mysterious figure known only as General Archeus.Alistair’s town was not immune to the revolution whose bitter firesspread into the town. It started with the murder of the town’s mayor inthe night. Then, a week would go by and someone would disappear.Eventually, Alistair’s family went missing. Furious, he grabbed a swordof his own construction and went into the woods to root out therevolutionaries and do what he can to save the villagers or exactrevenge,
Stealthily, he made way into the nearest encampment and noticedseveral of his fellow townspeople bound up in the middle of the camp,near a raging fire. There was no sign of his family.
After a short period, people started to salute the entrance of thetent shouting “General Archeus, sir!” in near perfect unison. From thetent out came the Arch Mage who had been pestering him to join the ranksof the League of Magical Users.
Alistair snapped and channeled several spells, sending forth blackflames from his hands that struck several soldiers left and right. Hissword, red hot at this juncture, was pointed directly at the ArchMage.
“You must think that you can best me,” chuckled the Arch Mage, “youshould know that an immortal such as myself can only be defeated bysufficient magical energy.”
“Where’s my family?”
“Oh? Them? Well, they are no longer with us. I personally saw toit.”
Spitting out something like bile from his mouth, Alistair charged theArch Mage. The immortal easily dodged it and drew a dagger with which hecut Alistair’s cheek deeply.
“Consider this a kiss from the League. Now, if you join, I’ll spareyour life. Our roots are deep in the soil and it will be most difficultto remove them,” mocked the Arch Mage.
The two traded blows for what seemed like forever and with eachpassing moment, the Arch Mage forced Alistair nearer and nearer to thefire.
Eventually, Alistair realized his mistake.
“There’s one thing that I haven’t done that the local monks showedme,” teased Alistair.
“What’s that? How to be weaker?”
“No. This –”
With a downward slice of his sword that intentionally missed the ArchMage, the raging fire in the camp expanded towards the sky, bent over,and came crashing down onto the Arch Mage.
At first, the mage laughed. Eventually, the laughter of the so-calledGeneral Archeus turned into blood curdling screams as his body quicklyburnt away.
The fires then return to their normal state, leaving behind thecharred remains of the once great Arch Mage.
Freeing the remaining villagers who all cheered Alistair, he foundhimself suddenly alone once the last villager left. This lonliness wasdeeper than any he’s experienced before, as everyone finds themselvesalone at some point in life. This lonliness was borne out of the loss ofhis family.
Not long after slaying the Arch Mage, Alistair found himselfincrementally feeling more magical power. He found that his spells wererequiring less action, words, and components. Instead, he was finding itwas more an act of his own thoughts and will.
The years drug on and Alistair found himself not getting older.Eventually, he realized he was over 100 years old and had not passedon.
One day, he was approached by an elderly looking elf.
“Alistair, the sorcerer supreme,” cried the elf, “My name is Gaeffinand I need you to do something for me!”
“Alistair, the sorcerer supreme? I doubt it,” said Alistair.
“Ah. But you slew the Arch Mage and are now one of us, the immortalwizards. And because, unbeknownst to you, the Arch Mage was the leadingsorcerer supreme that makes you his replacement.”
“What happens next?”
“You form your own Order of Wizards to hold back the tides of greaterevils in this world. I nominate myself as the first of your order.Thanks for the nomination and acceptance!”
“Huh.”
Quickly the Order was filled with the brightest magical talents. Themore talented were promoted to immortal and made lead of the Order. Theywere many.
They fought endlessly and tirelessly greater evils than a robberbaron or a person trying to take over Aetheria, unless deemed tooruthless, which was not often.
Despite all this, the Order of Wizards was entirely unprepared forthe evil that came from beyond Aetheria.
The Age of Gornakh
The rich magical world is possibly what attracted Gornakh to theAetheria in the first place. Nobody knows where this demon-god camefrom, nor do they know if it can be defeated. However, their acquisitionof Aetheria happened slowly and none saw it coming.
It began first with the ascension of the Necromancer, a vile beingwho had become one of the trusted Order. This corruption hit deep withinthe Order. Many lower ascendants were lured away to the power of Gornakhcoursing through the Necromancer. Thinking it was just a matter ofsomeone who revolted against the Order, Alistair defeated the“revolutionary.” However, this was not the end. The Necromancer cast aspell that converted his living flesh into undead, giving it now asecond chance at existence.
Next, Gornakh formed an elite group consisting of the newlyreconstituted Necromancer; Miranda, the Hellfire Maiden; Borgen, theoutcast dwarfen soldier; and Erdan, the wild human. These individualsbathed in the power of the magics as well. They were granted long life,possibly immortality, and limitless power, in exchange for their undyingloyalty and servitude. Once formed, these forces started discretelybuilding up a cadre of worshippers that did what they thought were theobjects of their worship’s desire. In reality, it was Gornakh’smachinations.
It was at this time rumor started to spread throughout the land of anew cult that worshipped a demon-god. Alistair sent Bragolbeleg, theelfen mage, to seek out, understand, and possibly destroy the cult.
It was there at the Temple of Borgen that Bragolbeleg was ambushed.He snuck into the temple only to find them waiting and magic flying.However, Bragolbeleg was too quick to the sword and too expedient withhis magic, that he was able to slay the cultists, for they were allmortals and no match for the immortal Wizard. It was then that Borgenappeared in his very flesh. He drew his axe and they exchanged severalblows. The sparks from Bragolbeleg’s magic flew everywhere, destroyingparts of the temple in the process. After a day of combat, Borgen fellto the mighty sword of Bragolbeleg, who fled the temple as quickly ashis exhausted self could muster.
Once back in the Black Tower, where Alistair resides, he received areport of all that had happened at the Temple of Borgen, both with theunfortunate mortals worshipping Borgen and the ensuing combat with thedead Gornakhan dwarf.
Something had to be done and the Order of Wizards knew this. Theysent several of their order on reconnaissance missions and led byGaeffin, the woodland elf. Many centuries would go by and Gaeffin wouldreturn with most of the Order that went with him. There were severalbattles, but Gornakh was located on Aetheria! It was residing in avolcanic mountain near the Castle of the Necromancer. This seemed like atrap, so the entire Order was summoned to decide on what to do.
The Cult of Gornakh, as they were wont to call it, was responsiblefor the pollution of Aetheria both physically and spirtually. Livingsacrifices were made in the name of Gornakh.
This was enough for Alistair. He ordered a full assault. However,treachery was in the Order and Gornakh learned of the assault, so it wasready!
Upon arrival at the volcano, the Order was “greeted” by the fullforce of Gornakh, including the remaining elite group. Impatiently, theNecromancer, who still bore grudges with the Order, struck first. Hesent black death upon the crowded forces. This slew many of the largeOrder as well as a few of the Gornakhan forces. Unfortunately, more ofthe Order was slain. Seeing a chance, the Order charged. Fire came downfrom the sky. Lighting and flames of death were everywhere. In the end,it was not the immortals who ruled the day. Rather, a small contingentof paladin who came with the Order, desiring only to rid the world ofGornakh and his evil ilk, came to the fore and performed a miracle.
Led by the well-loved Amanda, the paladin broke free and engagedGornakh directly! It was too busy gloating over the heavy losses theOrder was receiving, but not caring much for the losses its forces weretaking as well, to notice them. They struck hard and swift. Gornakh thenrealized its error tried to flee, breaking free from the paladin andtaking down many in its escape. Amanda pursued. Amanda, Gornakh, and alowly squire named Stephen all reached the inner volcano sanctum. It washere that Amanda and Gornakh engaged in one-on-one combat. She foughthard and bravely but was soon proving no match for the demon-god. So,she summoned all her holy might and smote the mortal form that Gornakhtook. In the process, her own form was obliterated.
Stephen, stunned by the incident, left the inner sanctum and stumbledout onto the battlefield. With the apparent distruction of Gornakh, andthe willing sacrifice of Amanda, the forces of Gornakh scattered exceptits more faithful elite. In the aftermath of the battle, it wasdiscovered that only Alistair, Gaeffin, and Bragolbeleg remain of theOrder. However, the forces of Gornakh only lost of the elite Erdan,Borgen being slewn earlier by Bragolbeleg.
In the years that followed the Great Battle, the Order still was indecline both in numbers and influence. Meanwhile, the Cult of Gornakhwas subtely growing in the hearts and minds of the social and politicalelites, must to the dismay of the remaining members of the Order. Assuch, Alistair gave commands that Gaeffin would return to the woodlandsand find a way to convince the woodland elfs to help replenish theranks. Bragolbeleg, being the more combat oriented, was to continue toseek out Gornakh’s influence and snuff it where possible. Alistair sworeto find aid in other realms and other worlds of different beings in adesperate attempt to acquire a sufficient force to defeat something ashorrendeous as a demon-god, the likes of which he had never seen.
Credits
This adventure would not be possible if it weren’t for my brotherKiel all those years ago coming up with the Order of Wizards and theirhistory. Without it, I would not be able to have many successfuladventures with several people over the years. The ones that come tomind are:
Dave Baker
Chris Brillhart
Michelle Brillhart
Ben Hill
Etiam Lawson
Kiel Moore
Shannon Moore
These individuals help shaped the face of Aetheria.
With that being said, there are new people who have joined in theadventure and specifically helped shape the world with the Two Bit RPG.They are of the Clowns Gang:
Henry Moore
Olivia Moore
A huge thank you of appreciation to all who have helped create,participate, and enjoy the world of Aetheria as it evolved from a seriesof short stories by Kiel to a Dungeons & Dragons adventure because Icouldn’t come up with something.
-
Aetheria
To Nina Nadu and to my children, Olivia and Henry, you all are myeverything
©2024. William Moore.
The setting of Aetheria was originally created by my brother Kiel inthe mid-90’s as a way to fulfill English homework. It was well receivedby the teacher Mr. Grey, who is this awesome hippy dude, as well asmyself. Consequently, we started to make comic books of our ownfeaturing the characters Kiel came up with and ones that I introduced.Then, as you do, you play Dungeons & Dragons. We looked no furtherthan the world, then unnamed. The following story is a reimagining ofthe history of Aetheria in a fashion that evolved out of this setting,now named Aetheria.
The Story
The Age of theOrder
The founding of the new ordering of the world after the defeat ofGornakh by the Order of the Wizards as told by the bard known only as“Johnathan”.
Aetheria is a world flush with magic. With each passing millenia, themagic gets all the more stronger. Realizing the potential fordestructiveness, Alistair, a human from a lowly background, formed theOrder of the Wizards. Each mage in the Order possessed an intricateknowledge of the magical forces of the world that they obtainedimmortality. Furthermore, this immortality came with the added benefitthat only other immortals may harm them.
However, the Order grew out of a previous League of Magical Users runby the so-called “Arch Mage”. The Arch Mage would periodically scour theland looking for potential magic users and those that were alreadypractitioners. It was during these travels that he met the youngAlistair, son of a blacksmith. The Arch Mage was fascinated by theconstruction of various metal works that Alistair constructed andnoticing that the young smithy would apply magic to cool the worksdifferently. After watching Alistair cool a horseshoe, the Arch Magedecided it was time to confront him.
“Young lad,” said the Arch Mage with a grin. “Where do you go aboutwith using magic?”
“I don’t know what you’re referring to,” said Alistair.
“That horseshoe you made. It was cooled in a way that was both quickand did not damage the metal.”
“Oh! That? It was a trick that I taught myself after talking with thelocal monks. They have these books on how to harness the magic of ourworld and use it for good.”
“Interesting. Come. You have no time to lose. I need more like you inthe League of Magical Users. We’re an elite group of those who harnessthe power of Aetheria.”
“Excuse me!?”
“Your magic abilities,” said the Arch Mage sternly, “they are uniqueand not found in the world every day. You’ll be made one of my grandmagisters if you so choose.”
“Let me think on it.”
And so, the Arch Mage left Alistair. He would return periodically andthe conversations were similar, ending with outright refusal.Eventually, the Arch Mage would not return to inquire if Alistair wasready to join or not.
Many more months would pass and the local region experienced arevolution. People, both innocent and soldier alike, were slain. Theywere led by a mysterious figure known only as General Archeus.Alistair’s town was not immune to the revolution whose bitter firesspread into the town. It started with the murder of the town’s mayor inthe night. Then, a week would go by and someone would disappear.Eventually, Alistair’s family went missing. Furious, he grabbed a swordof his own construction and went into the woods to root out therevolutionaries and do what he can to save the villagers or exactrevenge,
Stealthily, he made way into the nearest encampment and noticedseveral of his fellow townspeople bound up in the middle of the camp,near a raging fire. There was no sign of his family.
After a short period, people started to salute the entrance of thetent shouting “General Archeus, sir!” in near perfect unison. From thetent out came the Arch Mage who had been pestering him to join the ranksof the League of Magical Users.
Alistair snapped and channeled several spells, sending forth blackflames from his hands that struck several soldiers left and right. Hissword, red hot at this juncture, was pointed directly at the ArchMage.
“You must think that you can best me,” chuckled the Arch Mage, “youshould know that an immortal such as myself can only be defeated bysufficient magical energy.”
“Where’s my family?”
“Oh? Them? Well, they are no longer with us. I personally saw toit.”
Spitting out something like bile from his mouth, Alistair charged theArch Mage. The immortal easily dodged it and drew a dagger with which hecut Alistair’s cheek deeply.
“Consider this a kiss from the League. Now, if you join, I’ll spareyour life. Our roots are deep in the soil and it will be most difficultto remove them,” mocked the Arch Mage.
The two traded blows for what seemed like forever and with eachpassing moment, the Arch Mage forced Alistair nearer and nearer to thefire.
Eventually, Alistair realized his mistake.
“There’s one thing that I haven’t done that the local monks showedme,” teased Alistair.
“What’s that? How to be weaker?”
“No. This –”
With a downward slice of his sword that intentionally missed the ArchMage, the raging fire in the camp expanded towards the sky, bent over,and came crashing down onto the Arch Mage.
At first, the mage laughed. Eventually, the laughter of the so-calledGeneral Archeus turned into blood curdling screams as his body quicklyburnt away.
The fires then return to their normal state, leaving behind thecharred remains of the once great Arch Mage.
Freeing the remaining villagers who all cheered Alistair, he foundhimself suddenly alone once the last villager left. This lonliness wasdeeper than any he’s experienced before, as everyone finds themselvesalone at some point in life. This lonliness was borne out of the loss ofhis family.
Not long after slaying the Arch Mage, Alistair found himselfincrementally feeling more magical power. He found that his spells wererequiring less action, words, and components. Instead, he was finding itwas more an act of his own thoughts and will.
The years drug on and Alistair found himself not getting older.Eventually, he realized he was over 100 years old and had not passedon.
One day, he was approached by an elderly looking elf.
“Alistair, the sorcerer supreme,” cried the elf, “My name is Gaeffinand I need you to do something for me!”
“Alistair, the sorcerer supreme? I doubt it,” said Alistair.
“Ah. But you slew the Arch Mage and are now one of us, the immortalwizards. And because, unbeknownst to you, the Arch Mage was the leadingsorcerer supreme that makes you his replacement.”
“What happens next?”
“You form your own Order of Wizards to hold back the tides of greaterevils in this world. I nominate myself as the first of your order.Thanks for the nomination and acceptance!”
“Huh.”
Quickly the Order was filled with the brightest magical talents. Themore talented were promoted to immortal and made lead of the Order. Theywere many.
They fought endlessly and tirelessly greater evils than a robberbaron or a person trying to take over Aetheria, unless deemed tooruthless, which was not often.
Despite all this, the Order of Wizards was entirely unprepared forthe evil that came from beyond Aetheria.
The Age of Gornakh
The rich magical world is possibly what attracted Gornakh to theAetheria in the first place. Nobody knows where this demon-god camefrom, nor do they know if it can be defeated. However, their acquisitionof Aetheria happened slowly and none saw it coming.
It began first with the ascension of the Necromancer, a vile beingwho had become one of the trusted Order. This corruption hit deep withinthe Order. Many lower ascendants were lured away to the power of Gornakhcoursing through the Necromancer. Thinking it was just a matter ofsomeone who revolted against the Order, Alistair defeated the“revolutionary.” However, this was not the end. The Necromancer cast aspell that converted his living flesh into undead, giving it now asecond chance at existence.
Next, Gornakh formed an elite group consisting of the newlyreconstituted Necromancer; Miranda, the Hellfire Maiden; Borgen, theoutcast dwarfen soldier; and Erdan, the wild human. These individualsbathed in the power of the magics as well. They were granted long life,possibly immortality, and limitless power, in exchange for their undyingloyalty and servitude. Once formed, these forces started discretelybuilding up a cadre of worshippers that did what they thought were theobjects of their worship’s desire. In reality, it was Gornakh’smachinations.
It was at this time rumor started to spread throughout the land of anew cult that worshipped a demon-god. Alistair sent Bragolbeleg, theelfen mage, to seek out, understand, and possibly destroy the cult.
It was there at the Temple of Borgen that Bragolbeleg was ambushed.He snuck into the temple only to find them waiting and magic flying.However, Bragolbeleg was too quick to the sword and too expedient withhis magic, that he was able to slay the cultists, for they were allmortals and no match for the immortal Wizard. It was then that Borgenappeared in his very flesh. He drew his axe and they exchanged severalblows. The sparks from Bragolbeleg’s magic flew everywhere, destroyingparts of the temple in the process. After a day of combat, Borgen fellto the mighty sword of Bragolbeleg, who fled the temple as quickly ashis exhausted self could muster.
Once back in the Black Tower, where Alistair resides, he received areport of all that had happened at the Temple of Borgen, both with theunfortunate mortals worshipping Borgen and the ensuing combat with thedead Gornakhan dwarf.
Something had to be done and the Order of Wizards knew this. Theysent several of their order on reconnaissance missions and led byGaeffin, the woodland elf. Many centuries would go by and Gaeffin wouldreturn with most of the Order that went with him. There were severalbattles, but Gornakh was located on Aetheria! It was residing in avolcanic mountain near the Castle of the Necromancer. This seemed like atrap, so the entire Order was summoned to decide on what to do.
The Cult of Gornakh, as they were wont to call it, was responsiblefor the pollution of Aetheria both physically and spirtually. Livingsacrifices were made in the name of Gornakh.
This was enough for Alistair. He ordered a full assault. However,treachery was in the Order and Gornakh learned of the assault, so it wasready!
Upon arrival at the volcano, the Order was “greeted” by the fullforce of Gornakh, including the remaining elite group. Impatiently, theNecromancer, who still bore grudges with the Order, struck first. Hesent black death upon the crowded forces. This slew many of the largeOrder as well as a few of the Gornakhan forces. Unfortunately, more ofthe Order was slain. Seeing a chance, the Order charged. Fire came downfrom the sky. Lighting and flames of death were everywhere. In the end,it was not the immortals who ruled the day. Rather, a small contingentof paladin who came with the Order, desiring only to rid the world ofGornakh and his evil ilk, came to the fore and performed a miracle.
Led by the well-loved Amanda, the paladin broke free and engagedGornakh directly! It was too busy gloating over the heavy losses theOrder was receiving, but not caring much for the losses its forces weretaking as well, to notice them. They struck hard and swift. Gornakh thenrealized its error tried to flee, breaking free from the paladin andtaking down many in its escape. Amanda pursued. Amanda, Gornakh, and alowly squire named Stephen all reached the inner volcano sanctum. It washere that Amanda and Gornakh engaged in one-on-one combat. She foughthard and bravely but was soon proving no match for the demon-god. So,she summoned all her holy might and smote the mortal form that Gornakhtook. In the process, her own form was obliterated.
Stephen, stunned by the incident, left the inner sanctum and stumbledout onto the battlefield. With the apparent distruction of Gornakh, andthe willing sacrifice of Amanda, the forces of Gornakh scattered exceptits more faithful elite. In the aftermath of the battle, it wasdiscovered that only Alistair, Gaeffin, and Bragolbeleg remain of theOrder. However, the forces of Gornakh only lost of the elite Erdan,Borgen being slewn earlier by Bragolbeleg.
In the years that followed the Great Battle, the Order still was indecline both in numbers and influence. Meanwhile, the Cult of Gornakhwas subtely growing in the hearts and minds of the social and politicalelites, must to the dismay of the remaining members of the Order. Assuch, Alistair gave commands that Gaeffin would return to the woodlandsand find a way to convince the woodland elfs to help replenish theranks. Bragolbeleg, being the more combat oriented, was to continue toseek out Gornakh’s influence and snuff it where possible. Alistair sworeto find aid in other realms and other worlds of different beings in adesperate attempt to acquire a sufficient force to defeat something ashorrendeous as a demon-god, the likes of which he had never seen.
Credits
This adventure would not be possible if it weren’t for my brotherKiel all those years ago coming up with the Order of Wizards and theirhistory. Without it, I would not be able to have many successfuladventures with several people over the years. The ones that come tomind are:
Dave Baker
Chris Brillhart
Michelle Brillhart
Ben Hill
Etiam Lawson
Kiel Moore
Shannon Moore
These individuals help shaped the face of Aetheria.
With that being said, there are new people who have joined in theadventure and specifically helped shape the world with the Two Bit RPG.They are of the Clowns Gang:
Henry Moore
Olivia Moore
A huge thank you of appreciation to all who have helped create,participate, and enjoy the world of Aetheria as it evolved from a seriesof short stories by Kiel to a Dungeons & Dragons adventure because Icouldn’t come up with something.
-
Aetheria
To Nina Nadu and to my children, Olivia and Henry, you all are myeverything
©2024. William Moore.
The setting of Aetheria was originally created by my brother Kiel inthe mid-90’s as a way to fulfill English homework. It was well receivedby the teacher Mr. Grey, who is this awesome hippy dude, as well asmyself. Consequently, we started to make comic books of our ownfeaturing the characters Kiel came up with and ones that I introduced.Then, as you do, you play Dungeons & Dragons. We looked no furtherthan the world, then unnamed. The following story is a reimagining ofthe history of Aetheria in a fashion that evolved out of this setting,now named Aetheria.
The Story
The Age of theOrder
The founding of the new ordering of the world after the defeat ofGornakh by the Order of the Wizards as told by the bard known only as“Johnathan”.
Aetheria is a world flush with magic. With each passing millenia, themagic gets all the more stronger. Realizing the potential fordestructiveness, Alistair, a human from a lowly background, formed theOrder of the Wizards. Each mage in the Order possessed an intricateknowledge of the magical forces of the world that they obtainedimmortality. Furthermore, this immortality came with the added benefitthat only other immortals may harm them.
However, the Order grew out of a previous League of Magical Users runby the so-called “Arch Mage”. The Arch Mage would periodically scour theland looking for potential magic users and those that were alreadypractitioners. It was during these travels that he met the youngAlistair, son of a blacksmith. The Arch Mage was fascinated by theconstruction of various metal works that Alistair constructed andnoticing that the young smithy would apply magic to cool the worksdifferently. After watching Alistair cool a horseshoe, the Arch Magedecided it was time to confront him.
“Young lad,” said the Arch Mage with a grin. “Where do you go aboutwith using magic?”
“I don’t know what you’re referring to,” said Alistair.
“That horseshoe you made. It was cooled in a way that was both quickand did not damage the metal.”
“Oh! That? It was a trick that I taught myself after talking with thelocal monks. They have these books on how to harness the magic of ourworld and use it for good.”
“Interesting. Come. You have no time to lose. I need more like you inthe League of Magical Users. We’re an elite group of those who harnessthe power of Aetheria.”
“Excuse me!?”
“Your magic abilities,” said the Arch Mage sternly, “they are uniqueand not found in the world every day. You’ll be made one of my grandmagisters if you so choose.”
“Let me think on it.”
And so, the Arch Mage left Alistair. He would return periodically andthe conversations were similar, ending with outright refusal.Eventually, the Arch Mage would not return to inquire if Alistair wasready to join or not.
Many more months would pass and the local region experienced arevolution. People, both innocent and soldier alike, were slain. Theywere led by a mysterious figure known only as General Archeus.Alistair’s town was not immune to the revolution whose bitter firesspread into the town. It started with the murder of the town’s mayor inthe night. Then, a week would go by and someone would disappear.Eventually, Alistair’s family went missing. Furious, he grabbed a swordof his own construction and went into the woods to root out therevolutionaries and do what he can to save the villagers or exactrevenge,
Stealthily, he made way into the nearest encampment and noticedseveral of his fellow townspeople bound up in the middle of the camp,near a raging fire. There was no sign of his family.
After a short period, people started to salute the entrance of thetent shouting “General Archeus, sir!” in near perfect unison. From thetent out came the Arch Mage who had been pestering him to join the ranksof the League of Magical Users.
Alistair snapped and channeled several spells, sending forth blackflames from his hands that struck several soldiers left and right. Hissword, red hot at this juncture, was pointed directly at the ArchMage.
“You must think that you can best me,” chuckled the Arch Mage, “youshould know that an immortal such as myself can only be defeated bysufficient magical energy.”
“Where’s my family?”
“Oh? Them? Well, they are no longer with us. I personally saw toit.”
Spitting out something like bile from his mouth, Alistair charged theArch Mage. The immortal easily dodged it and drew a dagger with which hecut Alistair’s cheek deeply.
“Consider this a kiss from the League. Now, if you join, I’ll spareyour life. Our roots are deep in the soil and it will be most difficultto remove them,” mocked the Arch Mage.
The two traded blows for what seemed like forever and with eachpassing moment, the Arch Mage forced Alistair nearer and nearer to thefire.
Eventually, Alistair realized his mistake.
“There’s one thing that I haven’t done that the local monks showedme,” teased Alistair.
“What’s that? How to be weaker?”
“No. This –”
With a downward slice of his sword that intentionally missed the ArchMage, the raging fire in the camp expanded towards the sky, bent over,and came crashing down onto the Arch Mage.
At first, the mage laughed. Eventually, the laughter of the so-calledGeneral Archeus turned into blood curdling screams as his body quicklyburnt away.
The fires then return to their normal state, leaving behind thecharred remains of the once great Arch Mage.
Freeing the remaining villagers who all cheered Alistair, he foundhimself suddenly alone once the last villager left. This lonliness wasdeeper than any he’s experienced before, as everyone finds themselvesalone at some point in life. This lonliness was borne out of the loss ofhis family.
Not long after slaying the Arch Mage, Alistair found himselfincrementally feeling more magical power. He found that his spells wererequiring less action, words, and components. Instead, he was finding itwas more an act of his own thoughts and will.
The years drug on and Alistair found himself not getting older.Eventually, he realized he was over 100 years old and had not passedon.
One day, he was approached by an elderly looking elf.
“Alistair, the sorcerer supreme,” cried the elf, “My name is Gaeffinand I need you to do something for me!”
“Alistair, the sorcerer supreme? I doubt it,” said Alistair.
“Ah. But you slew the Arch Mage and are now one of us, the immortalwizards. And because, unbeknownst to you, the Arch Mage was the leadingsorcerer supreme that makes you his replacement.”
“What happens next?”
“You form your own Order of Wizards to hold back the tides of greaterevils in this world. I nominate myself as the first of your order.Thanks for the nomination and acceptance!”
“Huh.”
Quickly the Order was filled with the brightest magical talents. Themore talented were promoted to immortal and made lead of the Order. Theywere many.
They fought endlessly and tirelessly greater evils than a robberbaron or a person trying to take over Aetheria, unless deemed tooruthless, which was not often.
Despite all this, the Order of Wizards was entirely unprepared forthe evil that came from beyond Aetheria.
The Age of Gornakh
The rich magical world is possibly what attracted Gornakh to theAetheria in the first place. Nobody knows where this demon-god camefrom, nor do they know if it can be defeated. However, their acquisitionof Aetheria happened slowly and none saw it coming.
It began first with the ascension of the Necromancer, a vile beingwho had become one of the trusted Order. This corruption hit deep withinthe Order. Many lower ascendants were lured away to the power of Gornakhcoursing through the Necromancer. Thinking it was just a matter ofsomeone who revolted against the Order, Alistair defeated the“revolutionary.” However, this was not the end. The Necromancer cast aspell that converted his living flesh into undead, giving it now asecond chance at existence.
Next, Gornakh formed an elite group consisting of the newlyreconstituted Necromancer; Miranda, the Hellfire Maiden; Borgen, theoutcast dwarfen soldier; and Erdan, the wild human. These individualsbathed in the power of the magics as well. They were granted long life,possibly immortality, and limitless power, in exchange for their undyingloyalty and servitude. Once formed, these forces started discretelybuilding up a cadre of worshippers that did what they thought were theobjects of their worship’s desire. In reality, it was Gornakh’smachinations.
It was at this time rumor started to spread throughout the land of anew cult that worshipped a demon-god. Alistair sent Bragolbeleg, theelfen mage, to seek out, understand, and possibly destroy the cult.
It was there at the Temple of Borgen that Bragolbeleg was ambushed.He snuck into the temple only to find them waiting and magic flying.However, Bragolbeleg was too quick to the sword and too expedient withhis magic, that he was able to slay the cultists, for they were allmortals and no match for the immortal Wizard. It was then that Borgenappeared in his very flesh. He drew his axe and they exchanged severalblows. The sparks from Bragolbeleg’s magic flew everywhere, destroyingparts of the temple in the process. After a day of combat, Borgen fellto the mighty sword of Bragolbeleg, who fled the temple as quickly ashis exhausted self could muster.
Once back in the Black Tower, where Alistair resides, he received areport of all that had happened at the Temple of Borgen, both with theunfortunate mortals worshipping Borgen and the ensuing combat with thedead Gornakhan dwarf.
Something had to be done and the Order of Wizards knew this. Theysent several of their order on reconnaissance missions and led byGaeffin, the woodland elf. Many centuries would go by and Gaeffin wouldreturn with most of the Order that went with him. There were severalbattles, but Gornakh was located on Aetheria! It was residing in avolcanic mountain near the Castle of the Necromancer. This seemed like atrap, so the entire Order was summoned to decide on what to do.
The Cult of Gornakh, as they were wont to call it, was responsiblefor the pollution of Aetheria both physically and spirtually. Livingsacrifices were made in the name of Gornakh.
This was enough for Alistair. He ordered a full assault. However,treachery was in the Order and Gornakh learned of the assault, so it wasready!
Upon arrival at the volcano, the Order was “greeted” by the fullforce of Gornakh, including the remaining elite group. Impatiently, theNecromancer, who still bore grudges with the Order, struck first. Hesent black death upon the crowded forces. This slew many of the largeOrder as well as a few of the Gornakhan forces. Unfortunately, more ofthe Order was slain. Seeing a chance, the Order charged. Fire came downfrom the sky. Lighting and flames of death were everywhere. In the end,it was not the immortals who ruled the day. Rather, a small contingentof paladin who came with the Order, desiring only to rid the world ofGornakh and his evil ilk, came to the fore and performed a miracle.
Led by the well-loved Amanda, the paladin broke free and engagedGornakh directly! It was too busy gloating over the heavy losses theOrder was receiving, but not caring much for the losses its forces weretaking as well, to notice them. They struck hard and swift. Gornakh thenrealized its error tried to flee, breaking free from the paladin andtaking down many in its escape. Amanda pursued. Amanda, Gornakh, and alowly squire named Stephen all reached the inner volcano sanctum. It washere that Amanda and Gornakh engaged in one-on-one combat. She foughthard and bravely but was soon proving no match for the demon-god. So,she summoned all her holy might and smote the mortal form that Gornakhtook. In the process, her own form was obliterated.
Stephen, stunned by the incident, left the inner sanctum and stumbledout onto the battlefield. With the apparent distruction of Gornakh, andthe willing sacrifice of Amanda, the forces of Gornakh scattered exceptits more faithful elite. In the aftermath of the battle, it wasdiscovered that only Alistair, Gaeffin, and Bragolbeleg remain of theOrder. However, the forces of Gornakh only lost of the elite Erdan,Borgen being slewn earlier by Bragolbeleg.
In the years that followed the Great Battle, the Order still was indecline both in numbers and influence. Meanwhile, the Cult of Gornakhwas subtely growing in the hearts and minds of the social and politicalelites, must to the dismay of the remaining members of the Order. Assuch, Alistair gave commands that Gaeffin would return to the woodlandsand find a way to convince the woodland elfs to help replenish theranks. Bragolbeleg, being the more combat oriented, was to continue toseek out Gornakh’s influence and snuff it where possible. Alistair sworeto find aid in other realms and other worlds of different beings in adesperate attempt to acquire a sufficient force to defeat something ashorrendeous as a demon-god, the likes of which he had never seen.
Credits
This adventure would not be possible if it weren’t for my brotherKiel all those years ago coming up with the Order of Wizards and theirhistory. Without it, I would not be able to have many successfuladventures with several people over the years. The ones that come tomind are:
Dave Baker
Chris Brillhart
Michelle Brillhart
Ben Hill
Etiam Lawson
Kiel Moore
Shannon Moore
These individuals help shaped the face of Aetheria.
With that being said, there are new people who have joined in theadventure and specifically helped shape the world with the Two Bit RPG.They are of the Clowns Gang:
Henry Moore
Olivia Moore
A huge thank you of appreciation to all who have helped create,participate, and enjoy the world of Aetheria as it evolved from a seriesof short stories by Kiel to a Dungeons & Dragons adventure because Icouldn’t come up with something.
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Het nieuwe boek van Ruud Licht uit Haarlem is verschenen
Op vrijdag 8 maart verschijnt het nieuwe boek Aetheria - AI-unit EVA ontwaakt tot bewustzijn van Ruud Licht. In dit verhaal neemt Ruud de lezer mee naar Aetheria, een fictieve wereld waarmee het AI-vraagstuk benaderd wordt. Dit complexe science-fictionboek wordt uitgegeven door Uitgeverij...
https://www.haarlemupdates.nl/2024/03/05/het-nieuwe-boek-van-ruud-licht-uit-haarlem-is-verschenen/
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Het nieuwe boek van Ruud Licht uit Haarlem is verschenen
Op vrijdag 8 maart verschijnt het nieuwe boek Aetheria - AI-unit EVA ontwaakt tot bewustzijn van Ruud Licht. In dit verhaal neemt Ruud de lezer mee naar Aetheria, een fictieve wereld waarmee het AI-vraagstuk benaderd wordt. Dit complexe science-fictionboek wordt uitgegeven door Uitgeverij...
https://www.haarlemupdates.nl/2024/03/05/het-nieuwe-boek-van-ruud-licht-uit-haarlem-is-verschenen/
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Het nieuwe boek van Ruud Licht uit Haarlem is verschenen
Op vrijdag 8 maart verschijnt het nieuwe boek Aetheria - AI-unit EVA ontwaakt tot bewustzijn van Ruud Licht. In dit verhaal neemt Ruud de lezer mee naar Aetheria, een fictieve wereld waarmee het AI-vraagstuk benaderd wordt. Dit complexe science-fictionboek wordt uitgegeven door Uitgeverij...
https://www.haarlemupdates.nl/2024/03/05/het-nieuwe-boek-van-ruud-licht-uit-haarlem-is-verschenen/
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Het nieuwe boek van Ruud Licht uit Haarlem is verschenen
Op vrijdag 8 maart verschijnt het nieuwe boek Aetheria - AI-unit EVA ontwaakt tot bewustzijn van Ruud Licht. In dit verhaal neemt Ruud de lezer mee naar Aetheria, een fictieve wereld waarmee het AI-vraagstuk benaderd wordt. Dit complexe science-fictionboek wordt uitgegeven door Uitgeverij...
https://www.haarlemupdates.nl/2024/03/05/het-nieuwe-boek-van-ruud-licht-uit-haarlem-is-verschenen/
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puts a cowboy hat on the butler
Berkant belongs to @yamilink -
puts a cowboy hat on the butler
Berkant belongs to @yamilink -
puts a cowboy hat on the butler
Berkant belongs to @yamilink -
A doodle of Novus, the Primordial of Space on Aetheria. The design isn't 100% solid, and the eyes are actually going to be blue or gold depending on the time of day around Novus.
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A doodle of Novus, the Primordial of Space on Aetheria. The design isn't 100% solid, and the eyes are actually going to be blue or gold depending on the time of day around Novus.
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A doodle of Novus, the Primordial of Space on Aetheria. The design isn't 100% solid, and the eyes are actually going to be blue or gold depending on the time of day around Novus.
