#blackened-thrash — Public Fediverse posts

THE NECROVOMITS (Estats Units) presenta nou Split: "Din-Addict / The NecroVomits" #TheNecrovomits #BlackenedThrash #SpeedMetal #Octubre2026 #EstatsUnits #NouSplit #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

#blackmetal #blackened #blackenedthrash #plaag #somber #blackandroll #blacknroll
For those of you who know the Black 'N Roll band PLAAG from Belgium....this is Somber's new band.

Razorcult - Enter The Cult (2026)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=1sRbwo4goqk&is=16HAuFh5AayLcd8V

Much of underground metal is fueled by the devotion of single-minded enthusiasts. For every obscure band that spends years lingering between major releases, there are several solitary creators like Gary Brents or Damián Antón Ojeda whose prolific output forms a substantial part of the genre’s global ecosystem. Die Entweihung is one such project, serving as the creative outlet for Israeli multi-instrumentalist Denis Tereschenko. Over the past 15 years, Tereschenko has released an astonishing 11 full-length albums under the Die Entweihung banner. I’d never encountered his work before, but the project’s latest release, Worldwide Terror, landed in our overflowing promo bin promising a blend of progressive thrash and classic heavy metal. Joined by vocalist Alena 7, Tereschenko aims to deliver a forward-thinking, challenging record fit for a turbulent era. With that much experience behind him, does Die Entweihung’s twelfth full-length live up to its ambitions?

The particular brand of thrash on Worldwide Terror feels ripped straight out of the mid-80s. This is a vintage flavor of the style that largely eschews modern production and tonecraft for an analog-flavored, heavy metal-adjacent payload that recalls early Overkill, tempered with flashes of Voivod. The eponymous opener sets the stage with the expected power-chord gallop, but tempers its aggression with subtle melodic keyboard lines throughout and largely succeeds as a piece of throw-back enjoyment. Tereschenko deploys plenty of energetic, odd-meter riffs, and his active bass work and grounded drumming style provide some much-appreciated instrumental meat even as the song rides a standard structure for just a tad too long. On tracks like this and “Warriors of the Lie,” Die Entweihung reads as competent prog-tinged retro thrash executed with just enough personality to keep things engaging, but the same cannot be said for much of the album’s runtime.

Alena 7’s vocal performance on Worldwide Terror recalls the hard-rocking delivery of Doro Pesch or Lee Aaron, lending Die Entweihung a distinctive, campy personality even when the vocal lines themselves fall short. She switches between throaty mid-growls and charmingly unpolished operatics, but too many songs are undermined by grating melodies. The hooks on “Newborn,” “Really Your Life, and “Eight Billion Headed Whore” are particularly tough to stomach, actively detracting from the listening experience. Thrash may not be known for stellar vocal performances, but the record’s heavier traditional-metal leanings and vintage production place far more emphasis on the vocals, making their inconsistencies difficult to ignore. As a result, the back half becomes a slog, particularly when the shaky vocals are compounded by increasingly uninspired songwriting.

There are plenty of exciting instrumental moments on Worldwide Terror, but the disparate pieces rarely coalesce into satisfying songs. Die Entweihung largely deploys all-too-familiar riffs and songwriting clichés that just fail to register as anything interesting. Tereschenko is a skilled musician who understands the assignment, yet his compositions too often feel plodding and directionless. Every track stretches past the five-minute mark, and there simply isn’t enough substance to justify those runtimes. “The Darkest Morning” and “Newborn” push seven and eight minutes, respectively, and while both feature dynamic shifts and notable turns, their transitions are clumsy enough that every minute of their length is felt. Occasional flourishes, like the strings and saxophone interjections on “Generation of Pawns,” add some welcome texture but can’t rescue songs that fundamentally lack momentum. Moreso, the record features two full-length instrumentals (“Generation of Pawns” and “The Brightest Night”) which offer little structural variation and ultimately feel more like unfinished compositions in search of vocals.

It brings me no joy to pen such a negative review of a small artist, but I struggled immensely to make it through repeat listens of Worldwide Terror. Die Entweihung has delivered an album of overlong songs built around riffs that are simultaneously boilerplate and ineffective, further kneecapped by some genuinely unpleasant vocal lines. It’s clear that Tereschenko is both a veteran of the scene and a talented musician, but this entry in his prolific catalog is best left unattended.

Rating: 1.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Morbid and Miserable Records
Websites: morbidandmiserable.bandcamp.com| instagram.com/dieentweihung
Releases Worldwide: August 7th, 2026

I have one for the #TuneTuesday theme of #MisheardLyrics. At around 1:30 in Skeletonwitch's 'Longing for Domination', it sounds like he says 'let me be your parking savior'. No idea what Chance is really saying there. But it cracks me up every time 😂

https://youtu.be/RPYUg73UdiA

#metal #DeathMetal #thrash #BlackMetal #Skeletonwitch #BlackenedThrash #BlackenedDeath #Ohio #OhioMetal #OhioBands

I’ve wrestled with this intro more than I typically do. There’s a joke in here somewhere about how the title, The Violence of Time could only be charitably described as “unfortunate.” I’ve had flashbacks to mandatory HR meetings, to that brief time I worked for a house painting company, and that one day a relative wanted to give me a long and detailed story about health issues involving sores on her bum. But no amount of witticisms and anecdotes can properly convey the fact that this album, for its strengths (such as they are), is boring. Ghastly, appallingly boring. Eternal Drak have descended from Canada with their fourth album, a blueprint of all the ways blackened thrash ought not to be executed.

So what’s the good news? He used a blade Eternal Drak at least have some peak production, with the drumming from Ben1 arriving with some amphitheater-style thunk and reverb. As a whole, The Violence of Time sounds mixed with old school heavy metal ethos and has echoes of classic rock in the spaciousness of sound. The lush DR confirms this, with the uncredited bass lines pulsing away under dueling guitars. Everything is open, letting the occasional air-guitar-inducing leads like in “The Unborn Paths Rot” cut through the mix with a semblance of energy before collapsing into straight-ahead chugs. The few bits of double bass and blast beats in moments like “Across the Watching Veils” never drown out the licks and riffs, while vocalist Drakar howls with a screech that echoes over the proceedings. The production is of genuine quality, and it’s a good template for this style.

The bad news is The Violence of Time is amongst the most drab, listless, flaccid releases I’ve ever heard. It’s astounding how Eternal Drak have managed to take a genre known for its vim and vigor and cranked out an album devoid of true highlights, energy, or memorability. The few leads sound almost cliched in their approach, like the worlds safest imitation of what good thrash shredding is supposed to sound like, and are gone as quickly as they start. The vast majority of the songs operate in mid-gear, with the occasional spurts of speed collapsing back into monotonous mid-paced chugging. “The Cosmos Rejects You” really tries to sell its main chorus as a violent, mountain-crushing moment with Ben blasting his heart out, but repeatedly returns to verses which try to be atmospheric but only serve to be anticlimactic. “No Direction Total War” falters as an album climax with a short chorus repeated to the point of obnoxiousness, and opening track “We Force It to Speak” aspires to be a dramatic curtain-raising kickoff, but its monotonous repetition and lethargic lead style only serve to be an accurate warning to the listener for what lies within.

Experiments, adventurousness, and memorable moments are so minuscule as to be almost nonexistent. The biggest curveball comes by way of “The Blasphemy of Time” with a blast-beat suddenly introducing uncredited lady vocals for a chorus. She sounds swell, but her sudden arrival is jarring, used for isolated lines rather than anything approaching texture or layering. Eternal Drak try their own hand at cleans with “Breathing Once Again”, a completely unnecessary power ballad in the middle of an already sluggish album, with Drakar doing his best Godsmack impression without the hefty chords to back him up. In point of fact, these two flirtations with clean vocals are the only memorable element of The Violence of Time, for better and worse. I’ve rarely heard an album that objectively has high BPM and still manages to sound this slow. The leads are boring. The riffs are boring. The incessant abuse of chugging is boring. The constant waltz time signatures over what should be atmospheric and menacing scales are boring. This album isn’t blackened as much as dimmed, and doesn’t thrash as much as wriggle, and given the potency of the genre, that’s a real shame.

Eternal Drak have dropped the safest album I’ve heard all year, carefully engineered to be as inoffensive and bland as possible. Amnesia-inducing, insomnia-conquering, and performed with the conviction that surely everything played is friggin’ awesome, The Violence of Time is as memorable as your college statistics class, as delightful as your grocery store having a sale on lint brushes, and as intense as toddlers pillowfighting. It’s genuinely disappointing, as the production really is fantastic, and I’d kill to hear some actually worthwhile songs presented in this soundscape. I’d say I look forward to forgetting this album, but it does an excellent job erasing itself from your memory on its own as soon as each playthrough concludes. For audiophiles and genre diehards only; I’m off to go find another album which will be less violent with my time.

Rating: 1.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: FirstWave Studio
Website: Album Bandcamp2
Releases Worldwide: July 17th, 2026

SKULL SERVANT (Estats Units) presenta nou àlbum: "Seven Trumpets" #SkullServant #BlackenedThrash #DoomMetal #Maig2026 #EstatsUnits #NouÀlbum #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

MISTWALKER (Canadà) presenta nou àlbum: "The Obsidian Gospel" #Mistwalker #RawBlackMetal #BlackenedThrash #HeavyMetal #Maig2026 #Canadà #NouÀlbum #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

Today is a great day for #metal as is the release day for the new #Hellripper 🤘🐐🤘

#Hellripper #Coronarch #goatcvlt #thrashmetal #speedmetal #blackenedthrash

https://hellripper.bandcamp.com/album/coronach-24-bit-hd-audio

PUTRID (Perú) presenta nou àlbum: "All That We Hate" #Putrid #BlackenedThrash #DeathMetal #Desembre2025 #Perú #NouÀlbum #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

PUTRID (Perú) presenta nou EP: "We´ve Always Despised You" #Putrid #BlackenedThrash #DeathMetal #Novembre2025 #Perú #NouEp #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

❗ "Crimson Dawn" de 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 est une superbe orgie de Black/Thrash tonitruant...

https://www.coreandco.fr/chroniques/deathhammer-crimson-dawn-10558.html

#review #chronique #blackenedthrash #speedthrash #norway

A few years back, wifey and I did a project together, as we often do. We wanted to do a very specific mashup - death metal and Pokémon. It's admittedly a niche. But we wanted to choose Cubone because that's the name of our furry son (the one in my avi). And the Pokémon's back story, wearing his dead mom's skull, it's pretty metal. Original shirt inspiration on the right, for reference (I have a very worn copy of this one). I sketched it out, she painted (she's so talented-- the REAL talent between us). She of course added her excellent flair to it. Acrylic on canvas.

#metal #DeathMetal #Pokémon #art #Cubone #AcrylicPainting #painting #ThrashMetal #BlackenedThrash #MetalArt #AcrylicArt #mashup #mashups #MastoArt #Skeletonwitch @brian @HailsandAles

WRECKAGE (Bulgària) presenta nou single: "Cosmic Drive" #Wreckage #BlackenedThrash #DeathMetal #Juliol2025 #Bulgària #NouSingle #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

SKULL SERVANT (Estats Units) presenta nou àlbum en directe: "Live Magicks" #SkullServant #BlackenedThrash #DoomMetal #Abril2025 #EstatsUnits #NouÀlbumEnDirecte #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

HEXECUTOR (França) presenta nou àlbum: "…Where Spirit Withers in Its Flesh Constraint" #Hexecutor #BlackenedThrash #HeavyMetal #Març2025 #França #NouÀlbum #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

Bewitcher – Spell Shock Review

By Mark Z.

Bewitcher has always felt different than the blackened speed metal wave that emerged in the last decade or so. I’ve enjoyed some Midnight or Hellripper in my day, but by the late 2010s, it seemed like there were way too many groups offering a stock combination of raspy black metal vocals, bouncy riffs in the style of Exciter or Kill ‘Em All, and a chorus where they shout something about fire or Satan or some shit. By the 666th time I’ve heard a song like that, it just starts feeling tired and disingenuous. Not so with Bewitcher. Not only was their 2016 self-titled debut more ferocious than much of the blackened speed metal it preceded, but Bewitcher also quickly broke beyond the style’s tight leather confines. With 2019’s terrific Under the Witching Cross, this Portland trio began incorporating hard rock elements, an influence that became even more pronounced with their Century Media debut, 2021’s Cursed Be Thy Kingdom. Through it all, the band is more fun, genuine, and inspired than most of their peers. Now, with our resident Bewitcher scribe Holdeneye unavailable due to entirely unsuspicious circumstances,1 I must bear the burden of reviewing Bewitcher’s fourth album, Spell Shock.

Spell Shock feels like a logical continuation of Cursed Be Thy Kingdom. With the resources of Century Media still behind them, the band has crafted another album brimming with sharp hooks, and a modern, punchy production,2 and plenty of hard rock influences. “We Die in Dust” has perhaps the most blatant rock vibes, with stomping beats and crunchy riffs that sound like 80s hair metal performed by Venom. At times, the rock similarities are even more direct. The main riff of barnstorming opener “Starfire Maelstrom” evokes the main riff from HIM’s “You Are the One” repurposed for a speed metal context, while the guitar line in the bridge of the title track sounds like a reinvention of the main guitar melody from Heart’s “Crazy on You.”

Spell Shock finds Bewitcher’s increasing rocky influences not only working but also making the more typical blackened thrash moments hit harder. “Lavish Desecration,” the album’s second track, charges forward with the playful and jumpy riffing we’ve all come to expect from Bewitcher, but fresher and more invigorated. Other tracks strike equally hard. While gang vocals are an oft-used trope in this style, I still can’t help but throw my grimy fist in the air when the chants of “Spell shock!” hit in the title track. “Out against the Law” burns rubber like classic Motörhead, while “Seasons of Foul Harvest” crafts a simple hook using sustained bends that recall heavy metal’s golden age. Through it all, vocalist and guitarist M. Von Bewitcher keeps an eye toward extremity with his gruff and charismatic rasp, sounding better than ever over his kinetic riffing. The man’s leads are also an unholy force to behold, with almost every one of these ten tracks containing slick and wild solos that fly high and reek of vintage charm.

The best thing about Spell Shock, though, is how it feels like a refinement of the last album. Whereas Cursed Be Thy Kingdom felt like a collection of (good) songs, Spell Shock has a better sense of cohesion and structure. Spell Shock’s penultimate track, “Pagan Shadows,” is a two-minute Western Americana instrumental, which is somehow exactly what the album needed at that point. Likewise, the band wisely forego a third iteration of the chorus on the closer “Ride of the Iron Fox,” ending the record more effectively with an extended instrumental outro of clean picking, rocking solos, and a weird atmospheric sample. While some songs aren’t as impressive (“Dystopic Demonolatry”), most of the tracks are great, if uniform; a weird curveball or two wouldn’t have hurt. Lars Frederiksen of punk legends Rancid also does an excellent job on production duties, offering a vibrant guitar tone and an overall sound that’s powerful and clear without being sterile.

If Spell Shock isn’t the best Bewitcher album, then it’s certainly the most fully realized. It’s an improvement over the last album while featuring the same high energy and fantastic hooks they’ve always had. This time, it’s with better production and a renewed swagger. Ultimately, Spell Shock is a terrific addition to the Bewitcher catalog and I’d recommend it to even the crustiest and most jaded of heavy metal fans.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Century Media Records
Websites: bewitcher.bandcamp.com | bewitcher.us | facebook.com/bewitcherofficial
Releases Worldwide: September 27th, 2024

#2024 #40 #AmericanMetal #Bewitcher #BlackMetal #BlackenedThrash #CenturyMediaRecords #Exciter #Heart #Hellripper #HIM #Midnight #Motörhead #Rancid #Review #Reviews #Sep24 #SpeedMetal #SpellShock #Venom

Demiser – Slave to the Scythe Review

By Cherd

I generally avoid metal music videos. Way too often they’re overly self-serious retreads of the same spooky/angry/edgy schtick and ultimately just serve to remind you that metal bands don’t have the budget for music videos. Lyric videos are even worse, as they expose metal’s unfortunate dearth of skilled lyricists. So I was surprised when, after watching the lead video single from Demiser’s sophomore full-length Slave to the Scythe, I was left thinking “Damn. There’s a band who know who they are.” South Carolina’s leading researchers of all things infernal, Demiser present the findings of their scholarly research into the contents of Hades with the peer-reviewed case study “Hell is Full of Fire.” Like the song title and self-same chorus, the accompanying video is charmingly direct. Here’s the band playing in a garage or small club setting. Here they are drinking in a cemetery at night. Back to the band playing. Back to the cemetery, where they’ve somehow lit a grave on fire. Band playing. Someone brought a scythe to the cemetery and it’s on fire. Ope, hard to play that guitar when it’s on fire. The whole thing is lit low but warm and looks well shot for what it is.

Demiser are a metal throwback in spirit: hard drinking, fast playing, “Fuck yeah/you!” attitude. They’re a throwback in sound too, in that way only newer bands blend a bunch of throwback sounds into a sticky paste of pastiche. This is blackened thrash with a deep vein of NWOBHM combining the likes of Overkill, Motörhead, and Gorgoroth. “Feast” kicks things off with a very “Painkiller”-esque drum intro followed by sinister riffage and lightning-fast fret-work. It sets a blazing pace that rarely lets up over the next 40 minutes of vicious axe-wielding (Gravepisser, Phallomancer, and Defiler) and machine gun time-keeping (Infestor) while Demiser the Demiser holds court with his blackened shouts. Lyrical themes are mostly of the blasphemous variety, with memorable declarations of damned-ness in “Feast” (“All! Hell! Now! Opens wide!”), “Hell is Full of Fire,” and “In Nomine Baphomet,” but they do take a break from hailing Satan to talk about driving motorcycles real fast in the delightful “Carbureted Speed.”

All this results in a comfort food metal album that’s more fun than a Hell themed roller coaster with dangerously loose safety bars. I defy any metalhead, regardless of sub-genre preference, to keep their figurative pants on when the guitar solos hit in “Feast” or to keep their invisible fruit in their pockets when Demiser the Demiser declares “Hell! Is Full! Of Fire!” Slave to the Scythe is best when it keeps the gas pushed all the way to road pavement, which it does a lot, but the addition of a foot-stomping bop and some surprising melodicism elevates “Phallomancer the Phallomancer” to the position of album highlight. After the debut included the memorable “Demiser the Demiser,” the next record better give Gravepisser and Defiler their own eponymous ditties or else feelings are going to get hurt.

My issues with Slave to the Scythe are all relatively minor. When played front to back, the title track falls a little flat compared to the two rip snorters that sandwich it. As for the acoustic interlude, it’s nice enough and it adds to the 80s thrash vibe, but I quickly began skipping it after the second spin or so. The record is in no way overstuffed at a blazing 40 minutes, but final track “In Nomine Baphomet” stands out for being 8 minutes long, and it does go a bit mushy in the middle of that run time. Thankfully, these moments do little to detract from a record where even second-tier tracks like “Total Demise” or “Infernal Bust” have stank-face riffs and drive-it-like-it’s-stolen energy.

Demiser are a band who know who they are. They aren’t reinventing the wheel, but they are putting it on the front of a motorcycle and driving it recklessly. If you were a fan of their rollicking debut Through the Gate Eternal, you’ll get more of the same breakneck goodness on Slave to the Scythe. Given the talent involved here, I expect they’ll just keep churning out albums of sack-whipping blackened thrash for years to come.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade Records
Websites: demiser.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/demiserofficial
Releases Worldwide: August 23rd, 2024

#2024 #35 #AmericanMetal #Aug24 #BlackMetal #BlackenedThrash #Demiser #Gorgoroth #HeavyMetal #MetalBladeRecords #Motörhead #Review #Reviews #SlaveToTheScythe #ThrashMetal

Duskwalker – Underground Forever Review

By Saunders

While my shortlist of noteworthy albums in 2024 continues to grow, my own reviewing assignments have thus far underwhelmed. Desperate times call for desperate blind leaps into the promo sump to hopefully reel in an underground gem. In this case the band in question is Canada’s Duskwalker, set to release third LP Underground Forever. First impressions from the cheesy, retro-inspired artwork is Duskwalker must revel in ’80s thrash worship, with perhaps a dose of horror movie shtick and crossover edge. Although Duskwalker certainly draw inspiration from metal’s storied past, the end result is something a little less straightforward to pigeonhole. Classic thrash vibes bleed through the band’s energetic and aggressive delivery, accompanied by an array of other styles and influences, from snippets of the blackened thrash fury and crunch of Skeletonwitch and Necropanther, to chunkier death and groove metal forays, and whiffs of Carcass. The sound is bright, modern, and crunchy, despite the old school flavors. But does this unsung, talented quartet have the songwriting chops to match their exuberance and instrumental talents?

A good opener is often key to setting an album’s momentum and platform to launch from. The bending, swaggering grooves and chunky death and groove metal crunch of “Crippled at the Core” does a serviceable job in this regard. From here Duskwalker forge ahead with hard rocking attitude and feisty gallops, meshing the aggressively punchy, with fun, rough-and-tumble vibes. “Never Going Back” unleashes a rapid-fire old school thrash attack, strengthened by a strong set of riffs and hooks, Pantera-esque grooves are coupled with blackened and death elements, adding an urgent, extreme bite to proceedings. The title track plays into Duskwalker’s mode of not taking themselves too seriously, combining classic ’80s metal guitar licks, with sing-along vocal hooks, anthemic thrash, and black n’ roll grooves. After a grinding, slow build opening, “Posing Corpses” eventually gets going and cranks out some urgent blackened thrash gallops, guitar acrobatics, and rugged grooves.

The heaving trample of “City on a Cemetery” channels Duskwalker’s death and groove-based tendencies, riding extra beefy riffs, fun dual vocal tradeoffs, and quality lead work. Inevitably there are elements of Duskwalker’s diverse sound that do not gel as well as others, leading to inconsistent and clunkier moments, balancing out Underground Forever’s more endearing qualities. The sample-laden, largely mid-paced thump of “Artillery Communion” fails to engage or rise to any great heights. Similarly, “Vanquisher” features a darker, tone and nice leads, but tends to drag and chug along without any real purpose or impact. Duskwalker right things towards the backend, ending with the death-doom-driven march of the awesomely titled, “Inhaling the Dust of Bones.” At 47 minutes Underground Forever never loses the plot, but hits a few lulls, resulting in an album that feels as though it runs a tad long. Several songs could use a slight trim to tighten up the final package.

Musically, Duskwalker is an accomplished band and the various old school and contemporary influences color sprightly performances. John Robinson clearly enjoys his work, wielding his axe with flair and appreciation of metal’s storied past. The album’s tone is a little uneven musically, but Robinson does his best to enliven things with beefy, chugging riffs, slashing solos, and groovy swagger, drawing from a well of thrash, death, black, trad, and hard rock influences. The rhythm section holds its own, with John Neadow’s bass given room to shake in the mix. Duskwalker tend to thrill more at higher speeds, but the varied territory they explore makes for a fun, if uneven ride. Meanwhile, Joey Scaringi’s versatile vocals switch from deathly bellows to thrashier barks and blackened screams, with reasonable spark and effectiveness.

Production-wise, Underground Forever features a clean, crisp profile that generally fits their sound, though it could benefit from a dirtier, less polished sound. Meanwhile, the loud master strips away breathing space, detracting from the more appealing sonic elements at play. Gripes aside, Underground Forever certainly has its high points and enjoyable moments. It’s a fun, groovy listen, full of infectious energy and some killer songs. Unfortunately, the package does not quite form something more formidable and noteworthy. Regardless, I have enjoyed my time with Underground Forever and if Duskwalker can refine their songwriting and hone their strengths, better things may be in store for future offerings.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Black Lion Records
Websites: duskwalkerblacklion.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/DuskwalkerOfficial
Releases Worldwide: July 26th, 2024

#2024 #30 #BlackLionRecords #BlackenedThrash #CanadianMetal #Carcass #DeathMetal #Duskwalker #Necropanther #Pantera #Review #Reviews #Skeletonwitch #ThrashMetal #UndergroundForever

The Absence – The Absence Review

By Saunders

Florida’s The Absence have carved out a tidy career of dependable material across two separate career arcs since forming way back in 2002. Their first few albums were thrashy, slightly blackened melodeath bangers with killer riffs, striking melodies and catchy hooks in tow. Hardly groundbreaking stuff but solidly entertaining, nonetheless. Following an eight-year recording hiatus, The Absence kicked back into gear in 2018 and now we arrive at the third album of their recharged second era, and sixth overall, following on from 2021’s reliably solid Coffinized release. On this occasion, the veteran act decided to go the self-titled route, which often translates to a stylistic reinvention, or assertive back-to-basics approach. Reinvention is not on the cards with The Absence falling more so into the latter camp, crafting a taut, energetic collection of trademark thrash-infused melodic death tuneage. Taking cues from the classic Gothenburg scene, especially At the Gates, and merging with US-styled blackened thrash, The Absence unleash a slickly played and bouncy style, with enough sharpness and bite to provide a steelier edge.

Veterans in the game, The Absence possess a tight and playful sound, accentuating tasteful melodeath licks, punchy riffs, and groovy, headbanging swagger. Nastier, blackened throes and spiteful edge of early albums From Your Grave and Riders of the Plague have been buffed and smoothed over in later years. The accessible, streamlined approach on The Absence retains many of the band’s signature traits and foundations, albeit in a less urgent, edgier manner compared to their earlier work. Regardless, The Absence excel in ripping through workman-like melodeath tunes without resorting to gimmicks or compromising integrity with tacked-on elements to boost accessibility. The more streamlined material still packs a feisty punch, and the riffs are consistently solid, backed by ear-catching melodic leads and technical flourishes. Original member Jamie Stewart’s blackened growls feature a more weathered charm, while the crisp though stripped-back production lends the songs a grittier, no-frills edge. Right out the gate, The Absence rip out a trademark thrasher courtesy of lively opener “Communion Carbonized,” launching the album into gear.

“The Silent Eye” fits the bill well as a single and is a tidy way to attract newer listeners. Across nearly six minutes, The Absence mix some beguiling central melodies and vocal hooks with thrashier surges and earworm hooks. There are similarly strong cuts scattered across the album, such as the progressively leaning “Planetary Mortuary,” straight ahead riff rager “Grieving Winds,” and lean, mean thrasher, “Fleshwalker.” The Absence rarely hit peak form, but never really drop the ball either. Closer “Breeding Hysterics” ensures shit ends with a bang rather than whimper, its chunky riffs, feisty thrust and retro feel lend it a cool, old-school charm. Outside the highlights, the majority of songs leave solid, if sometimes unremarkable impression, while a couple of songs come across a bit by the numbers. Quibbles aside, The Absence is a largely enjoyable listen that continues the band’s lasting consistency. Guitarist Taylor Nordberg (also handling bass and keys) has been around the traps a long time and livens the material with spicy axework, an array of headbangable riffs, throwback old school leads and embellishments. The technical and mildly progressive elements help main interest. Meanwhile, experienced drummer Jeramie Kling (Inhuman Condition, Ex Deo) keeps pace with an aggressive, precision performance on the kit.

As previously mentioned, the production hits the spot. The clean, sharp tones offset by an uncluttered mix, dynamic master and organic, gritty tones, especially the drums. Overall, The Absence is a tidy entry into the band’s underappreciated catalog, despite feeling a little safe and less urgent than prior offerings. In particular, the frantic, blackened approach of their first few albums are missed, and the songs don’t hit quite as hard as previous album Coffinized. Regardless, The Absence is an endearing act that pump out consistently solid, thrash-infused melodeath tunes that are easy to like. The Absence may not be the most compelling selling point or entry in this veteran Floridian band’s lengthy career, however, it’s a solid batch of fun and no-frills melodeath tunes.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Listenable Insanity
Websites: theabsenceofficial.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/theabsenceofficial
Releases Worldwide: March 29th, 2024

#2024 #30 #AmericanMetal #AtTheGates #BlackenedThrash #ExDeo #InhumanCondition #ListenableInsanityRecords #MelodicDeathMetal #Review #Reviews #TheAbsence #Thrash

For #TuneTuesday the theme is #SongsAboutClassicMonsters, and what better way to celebrate the foul, shambling undead than Skeletonwitch's "Released from the Catacombs". 🧟

https://youtu.be/4K0-0HReapo?si=xJGFhH9RkmndB0N7

#metal #DeathMetal #BlackMetal #thrash #BlackenedThrash #zombies #undead #monsters #ClassicMonsters

Listening to more of last year's Necropanther album 'Betrayal'. I overlooked it last year and it wouldn't have broken my top 20, but it's pretty good.

Necropanther of course have strong Skeletonwitch (blackened death-thrash) vibes, and are arguably doing it better now than Skeletonwitch (who had to switch to a different singer several years back).

'Betrayal' has some overly kinda proggy spots (for me, as I'm not into prog stuff) here and there. But I can't complain, I dig the overall sound.

https://necropanther.bandcamp.com/album/betrayal

#metal #DeathMetal #thrash #BlackMetal #BlackenedThrash #Necropanther #Skeletonwitch

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VIDEO NASTIES Provides All The Blackened Thrash You Need On "Harvest Of Flies"
Very Tribulation-esque.

https://metalinjection.net/new-music/video-nasties-provides-all-the-blackened-thrash-you-need-on-harvest-of-flies

#VideoNasties #NewMusic #BlackenedThrash #HarvestOfFlies #MetalInjection

This week's #ThursdayFiveList is #TheCold.

Skeletonwitch - Beyond the Permafrost
https://youtu.be/IONL7qdLD8s

Coil - The Snow
https://youtu.be/rELqs5B75eI

Guided by Voices - 14 Cheerleader Coldfront
https://youtu.be/82n-W6pfL7k

Bog Body - Ice Stained Kurgan
https://youtu.be/59EUqdgIRJM

Beck - Cold Brains
https://youtu.be/_uTmybT93l8

#metal #DeathMetal #thrash #ThrashMetal #BlackenedThrash #techno #IndieRock #acoustic #folk #FolkRock #FolkMusic #Skeletonwitch #BogBody #Beck #GbV #GuidedByVoices #Coil #industrial #ambient #AmbientMusic #DarkAmbient