#butcher — Public Fediverse posts

I’ve been on a bit of a thrash bender in June, and Ruyned will conclude this month’s kick for ol’ Grin. The Romanian trio sends me deep into the heart of July with turbocharged, high-octane riffing and a moderate case of whiplash. Profanum Sacrificium, Ruyned’s sophomore LP, plays thrash the way the olde school intended—at furious speeds with the subtlety of an uppercut to the jawbone. My elevator pitch for Ruyned is, ‘Midnight but faster,’ yet the crew also channels Kill ‘Em All-era Metallica and a stripped-down Hellripper. With blistering paces in all the right places, does Profanum Sacrificium satisfy listeners’ need for speed?

Profanum Sacrificium is a tale of two halves, covering a pair of narrative arcs that relate accounts of violence and death. The front-end scorches with instantaneous shots of adrenaline and describes the heinous depravity of the Vampire of Düsseldorf. “Speedchain” and “Sex’n Speed” reek of OG Metallica, where “Hit the Lights” seems a major inspiration for both “Speedchain”‘s thunderous opening as well as the primary hook in “Sex’n Speed.” “Sex Commander 666” sprints into Motörhead territory, opening with a solo that Fast Eddie Clark would approve of before slinking into a funky swagger that reminds me of “Love Me Like a Reptile.” Where Ruyned plays a touch too close to influence on the first two, “Sex Commander 666” exudes a freshness that hints at touchstones without plaguing me with questions of where I’ve heard a riff before. Meanwhile, “Orgasm Through Death” slows proceedings down appreciably, with Bogdan Mateescu’s tortured, blackened rasps guiding listeners through a plodding march that amplifies the drama.

The second half of Profanum Sacrificium shifts to a separate narrative, describing centuries-long witch hunts from post-medieval Europe steeped in folklore and flames. Musically, this pulls Ruyned away from the straightforward ragers that define Profanum Sacrificium’s first half and into darker, more novel waters. The most immediate difference is that more time gets dedicated to instrumentation on the back half, with two instrumentals and less vocal focus towards the ends of tracks “Malleus Maleficarum” and “Witches Gallöw.” Originality flares here as well, where the instrumentation is reminiscent of bands like Bütcher and Toxic Holocaust, but the songs don’t blur with comparisons. “Profanum Sacrificium,” “Malleus Maleficarum,” and “Witches Gallöw” could pass for decade-old Kreator B-sides sung by Tapping the Vein-era Tom Angelripper, boasting snappy melodic riffing supported by Mihai Marinescu’s machine-gun blast drums and Tiberiu Olescher’s mid-range bass attack.

In all, Ruyned zips through half an hour of breakneck thrash with enough energy and grit that it’s unerringly easy to enjoy despite some bumps along the way. Even before I discovered Profanum Sacrificium’s two narrative arcs, the musical split between them stood out. While each half succeeds on its own, together they present a whole too disjointed to flourish without an interceding mixer. Ruyned’s instrumentals also undercut Profanum Sacrificium’s potential, where the three of them total four-and-a-half minutes of fluff. The remainder of Profanum Sacrificium barely contains enough meat to qualify for LP status, leaving the album longing for another well-developed song or two rather than three throwaway tracks.1 Still, the rest of the album supplies plenty of good thrashing, and with a little more consideration to songwriting cohesion, Ruyned possesses the pizzazz to set barns ablaze their next time out.

After several listens through Profanum Sacrificium, I’m convinced Ruyned can write first-class thrash. Rapidfire riffs and blackened edges give Ruyned a sense of familiarity, and if they can take care to push further away from genre greats and commit to more unified songwriting, they’ll menace listeners with an all-killer fusillade next time. Until then, Profanum Sacrificium serves as a fun diversion when time doesn’t allow for a longer dive, but it ultimately doesn’t threaten what other acts have done in the space this year.

Rating: Good
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Osmose Productions
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: June 26th, 2026

I’ve been on a bit of a thrash bender in June, and Ruyned will conclude this month’s kick for ol’ Grin. The Romanian trio sends me deep into the heart of July with turbocharged, high-octane riffing and a moderate case of whiplash. Profanum Sacrificium, Ruyned’s sophomore LP, plays thrash the way the olde school intended—at furious speeds with the subtlety of an uppercut to the jawbone. My elevator pitch for Ruyned is, ‘Midnight but faster,’ yet the crew also channels Kill ‘Em All-era Metallica and a stripped-down Hellripper. With blistering paces in all the right places, does Profanum Sacrificium satisfy listeners’ need for speed?

Profanum Sacrificium is a tale of two halves, covering a pair of narrative arcs that relate accounts of violence and death. The front-end scorches with instantaneous shots of adrenaline and describes the heinous depravity of the Vampire of Düsseldorf. “Speedchain” and “Sex’n Speed” reek of OG Metallica, where “Hit the Lights” seems a major inspiration for both “Speedchain”‘s thunderous opening as well as the primary hook in “Sex’n Speed.” “Sex Commander 666” sprints into Motörhead territory, opening with a solo that Fast Eddie Clark would approve of before slinking into a funky swagger that reminds me of “Love Me Like a Reptile.” Where Ruyned plays a touch too close to influence on the first two, “Sex Commander 666” exudes a freshness that hints at touchstones without plaguing me with questions of where I’ve heard a riff before. Meanwhile, “Orgasm Through Death” slows proceedings down appreciably, with Bogdan Mateescu’s tortured, blackened rasps guiding listeners through a plodding march that amplifies the drama.

The second half of Profanum Sacrificium shifts to a separate narrative, describing centuries-long witch hunts from post-medieval Europe steeped in folklore and flames. Musically, this pulls Ruyned away from the straightforward ragers that define Profanum Sacrificium’s first half and into darker, more novel waters. The most immediate difference is that more time gets dedicated to instrumentation on the back half, with two instrumentals and less vocal focus towards the ends of tracks “Malleus Maleficarum” and “Witches Gallöw.” Originality flares here as well, where the instrumentation is reminiscent of bands like Bütcher and Toxic Holocaust, but the songs don’t blur with comparisons. “Profanum Sacrificium,” “Malleus Maleficarum,” and “Witches Gallöw” could pass for decade-old Kreator B-sides sung by Tapping the Vein-era Tom Angelripper, boasting snappy melodic riffing supported by Mihai Marinescu’s machine-gun blast drums and Tiberiu Olescher’s mid-range bass attack.

In all, Ruyned zips through half an hour of breakneck thrash with enough energy and grit that it’s unerringly easy to enjoy despite some bumps along the way. Even before I discovered Profanum Sacrificium’s two narrative arcs, the musical split between them stood out. While each half succeeds on its own, together they present a whole too disjointed to flourish without an interceding mixer. Ruyned’s instrumentals also undercut Profanum Sacrificium’s potential, where the three of them total four-and-a-half minutes of fluff. The remainder of Profanum Sacrificium barely contains enough meat to qualify for LP status, leaving the album longing for another well-developed song or two rather than three throwaway tracks.1 Still, the rest of the album supplies plenty of good thrashing, and with a little more consideration to songwriting cohesion, Ruyned possesses the pizzazz to set barns ablaze their next time out.

After several listens through Profanum Sacrificium, I’m convinced Ruyned can write first-class thrash. Rapidfire riffs and blackened edges give Ruyned a sense of familiarity, and if they can take care to push further away from genre greats and commit to more unified songwriting, they’ll menace listeners with an all-killer fusillade next time. Until then, Profanum Sacrificium serves as a fun diversion when time doesn’t allow for a longer dive, but it ultimately doesn’t threaten what other acts have done in the space this year.

Rating: Good
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Osmose Productions
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: June 26th, 2026

I’ve been on a bit of a thrash bender in June, and Ruyned will conclude this month’s kick for ol’ Grin. The Romanian trio sends me deep into the heart of July with turbocharged, high-octane riffing and a moderate case of whiplash. Profanum Sacrificium, Ruyned’s sophomore LP, plays thrash the way the olde school intended—at furious speeds with the subtlety of an uppercut to the jawbone. My elevator pitch for Ruyned is, ‘Midnight but faster,’ yet the crew also channels Kill ‘Em All-era Metallica and a stripped-down Hellripper. With blistering paces in all the right places, does Profanum Sacrificium satisfy listeners’ need for speed?

Profanum Sacrificium is a tale of two halves, covering a pair of narrative arcs that relate accounts of violence and death. The front-end scorches with instantaneous shots of adrenaline and describes the heinous depravity of the Vampire of Düsseldorf. “Speedchain” and “Sex’n Speed” reek of OG Metallica, where “Hit the Lights” seems a major inspiration for both “Speedchain”‘s thunderous opening as well as the primary hook in “Sex’n Speed.” “Sex Commander 666” sprints into Motörhead territory, opening with a solo that Fast Eddie Clark would approve of before slinking into a funky swagger that reminds me of “Love Me Like a Reptile.” Where Ruyned plays a touch too close to influence on the first two, “Sex Commander 666” exudes a freshness that hints at touchstones without plaguing me with questions of where I’ve heard a riff before. Meanwhile, “Orgasm Through Death” slows proceedings down appreciably, with Bogdan Mateescu’s tortured, blackened rasps guiding listeners through a plodding march that amplifies the drama.

The second half of Profanum Sacrificium shifts to a separate narrative, describing centuries-long witch hunts from post-medieval Europe steeped in folklore and flames. Musically, this pulls Ruyned away from the straightforward ragers that define Profanum Sacrificium’s first half and into darker, more novel waters. The most immediate difference is that more time gets dedicated to instrumentation on the back half, with two instrumentals and less vocal focus towards the ends of tracks “Malleus Maleficarum” and “Witches Gallöw.” Originality flares here as well, where the instrumentation is reminiscent of bands like Bütcher and Toxic Holocaust, but the songs don’t blur with comparisons. “Profanum Sacrificium,” “Malleus Maleficarum,” and “Witches Gallöw” could pass for decade-old Kreator B-sides sung by Tapping the Vein-era Tom Angelripper, boasting snappy melodic riffing supported by Mihai Marinescu’s machine-gun blast drums and Tiberiu Olescher’s mid-range bass attack.

In all, Ruyned zips through half an hour of breakneck thrash with enough energy and grit that it’s unerringly easy to enjoy despite some bumps along the way. Even before I discovered Profanum Sacrificium’s two narrative arcs, the musical split between them stood out. While each half succeeds on its own, together they present a whole too disjointed to flourish without an interceding mixer. Ruyned’s instrumentals also undercut Profanum Sacrificium’s potential, where the three of them total four-and-a-half minutes of fluff. The remainder of Profanum Sacrificium barely contains enough meat to qualify for LP status, leaving the album longing for another well-developed song or two rather than three throwaway tracks.1 Still, the rest of the album supplies plenty of good thrashing, and with a little more consideration to songwriting cohesion, Ruyned possesses the pizzazz to set barns ablaze their next time out.

After several listens through Profanum Sacrificium, I’m convinced Ruyned can write first-class thrash. Rapidfire riffs and blackened edges give Ruyned a sense of familiarity, and if they can take care to push further away from genre greats and commit to more unified songwriting, they’ll menace listeners with an all-killer fusillade next time. Until then, Profanum Sacrificium serves as a fun diversion when time doesn’t allow for a longer dive, but it ultimately doesn’t threaten what other acts have done in the space this year.

Rating: Good
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Osmose Productions
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: June 26th, 2026

I’ve been on a bit of a thrash bender in June, and Ruyned will conclude this month’s kick for ol’ Grin. The Romanian trio sends me deep into the heart of July with turbocharged, high-octane riffing and a moderate case of whiplash. Profanum Sacrificium, Ruyned’s sophomore LP, plays thrash the way the olde school intended—at furious speeds with the subtlety of an uppercut to the jawbone. My elevator pitch for Ruyned is, ‘Midnight but faster,’ yet the crew also channels Kill ‘Em All-era Metallica and a stripped-down Hellripper. With blistering paces in all the right places, does Profanum Sacrificium satisfy listeners’ need for speed?

Profanum Sacrificium is a tale of two halves, covering a pair of narrative arcs that relate accounts of violence and death. The front-end scorches with instantaneous shots of adrenaline and describes the heinous depravity of the Vampire of Düsseldorf. “Speedchain” and “Sex’n Speed” reek of OG Metallica, where “Hit the Lights” seems a major inspiration for both “Speedchain”‘s thunderous opening as well as the primary hook in “Sex’n Speed.” “Sex Commander 666” sprints into Motörhead territory, opening with a solo that Fast Eddie Clark would approve of before slinking into a funky swagger that reminds me of “Love Me Like a Reptile.” Where Ruyned plays a touch too close to influence on the first two, “Sex Commander 666” exudes a freshness that hints at touchstones without plaguing me with questions of where I’ve heard a riff before. Meanwhile, “Orgasm Through Death” slows proceedings down appreciably, with Bogdan Mateescu’s tortured, blackened rasps guiding listeners through a plodding march that amplifies the drama.

The second half of Profanum Sacrificium shifts to a separate narrative, describing centuries-long witch hunts from post-medieval Europe steeped in folklore and flames. Musically, this pulls Ruyned away from the straightforward ragers that define Profanum Sacrificium’s first half and into darker, more novel waters. The most immediate difference is that more time gets dedicated to instrumentation on the back half, with two instrumentals and less vocal focus towards the ends of tracks “Malleus Maleficarum” and “Witches Gallöw.” Originality flares here as well, where the instrumentation is reminiscent of bands like Bütcher and Toxic Holocaust, but the songs don’t blur with comparisons. “Profanum Sacrificium,” “Malleus Maleficarum,” and “Witches Gallöw” could pass for decade-old Kreator B-sides sung by Tapping the Vein-era Tom Angelripper, boasting snappy melodic riffing supported by Mihai Marinescu’s machine-gun blast drums and Tiberiu Olescher’s mid-range bass attack.

In all, Ruyned zips through half an hour of breakneck thrash with enough energy and grit that it’s unerringly easy to enjoy despite some bumps along the way. Even before I discovered Profanum Sacrificium’s two narrative arcs, the musical split between them stood out. While each half succeeds on its own, together they present a whole too disjointed to flourish without an interceding mixer. Ruyned’s instrumentals also undercut Profanum Sacrificium’s potential, where the three of them total four-and-a-half minutes of fluff. The remainder of Profanum Sacrificium barely contains enough meat to qualify for LP status, leaving the album longing for another well-developed song or two rather than three throwaway tracks.1 Still, the rest of the album supplies plenty of good thrashing, and with a little more consideration to songwriting cohesion, Ruyned possesses the pizzazz to set barns ablaze their next time out.

After several listens through Profanum Sacrificium, I’m convinced Ruyned can write first-class thrash. Rapidfire riffs and blackened edges give Ruyned a sense of familiarity, and if they can take care to push further away from genre greats and commit to more unified songwriting, they’ll menace listeners with an all-killer fusillade next time. Until then, Profanum Sacrificium serves as a fun diversion when time doesn’t allow for a longer dive, but it ultimately doesn’t threaten what other acts have done in the space this year.

Rating: Good
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Osmose Productions
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: June 26th, 2026

I’ve been on a bit of a thrash bender in June, and Ruyned will conclude this month’s kick for ol’ Grin. The Romanian trio sends me deep into the heart of July with turbocharged, high-octane riffing and a moderate case of whiplash. Profanum Sacrificium, Ruyned’s sophomore LP, plays thrash the way the olde school intended—at furious speeds with the subtlety of an uppercut to the jawbone. My elevator pitch for Ruyned is, ‘Midnight but faster,’ yet the crew also channels Kill ‘Em All-era Metallica and a stripped-down Hellripper. With blistering paces in all the right places, does Profanum Sacrificium satisfy listeners’ need for speed?

Profanum Sacrificium is a tale of two halves, covering a pair of narrative arcs that relate accounts of violence and death. The front-end scorches with instantaneous shots of adrenaline and describes the heinous depravity of the Vampire of Düsseldorf. “Speedchain” and “Sex’n Speed” reek of OG Metallica, where “Hit the Lights” seems a major inspiration for both “Speedchain”‘s thunderous opening as well as the primary hook in “Sex’n Speed.” “Sex Commander 666” sprints into Motörhead territory, opening with a solo that Fast Eddie Clark would approve of before slinking into a funky swagger that reminds me of “Love Me Like a Reptile.” Where Ruyned plays a touch too close to influence on the first two, “Sex Commander 666” exudes a freshness that hints at touchstones without plaguing me with questions of where I’ve heard a riff before. Meanwhile, “Orgasm Through Death” slows proceedings down appreciably, with Bogdan Mateescu’s tortured, blackened rasps guiding listeners through a plodding march that amplifies the drama.

The second half of Profanum Sacrificium shifts to a separate narrative, describing centuries-long witch hunts from post-medieval Europe steeped in folklore and flames. Musically, this pulls Ruyned away from the straightforward ragers that define Profanum Sacrificium’s first half and into darker, more novel waters. The most immediate difference is that more time gets dedicated to instrumentation on the back half, with two instrumentals and less vocal focus towards the ends of tracks “Malleus Maleficarum” and “Witches Gallöw.” Originality flares here as well, where the instrumentation is reminiscent of bands like Bütcher and Toxic Holocaust, but the songs don’t blur with comparisons. “Profanum Sacrificium,” “Malleus Maleficarum,” and “Witches Gallöw” could pass for decade-old Kreator B-sides sung by Tapping the Vein-era Tom Angelripper, boasting snappy melodic riffing supported by Mihai Marinescu’s machine-gun blast drums and Tiberiu Olescher’s mid-range bass attack.

In all, Ruyned zips through half an hour of breakneck thrash with enough energy and grit that it’s unerringly easy to enjoy despite some bumps along the way. Even before I discovered Profanum Sacrificium’s two narrative arcs, the musical split between them stood out. While each half succeeds on its own, together they present a whole too disjointed to flourish without an interceding mixer. Ruyned’s instrumentals also undercut Profanum Sacrificium’s potential, where the three of them total four-and-a-half minutes of fluff. The remainder of Profanum Sacrificium barely contains enough meat to qualify for LP status, leaving the album longing for another well-developed song or two rather than three throwaway tracks.1 Still, the rest of the album supplies plenty of good thrashing, and with a little more consideration to songwriting cohesion, Ruyned possesses the pizzazz to set barns ablaze their next time out.

After several listens through Profanum Sacrificium, I’m convinced Ruyned can write first-class thrash. Rapidfire riffs and blackened edges give Ruyned a sense of familiarity, and if they can take care to push further away from genre greats and commit to more unified songwriting, they’ll menace listeners with an all-killer fusillade next time. Until then, Profanum Sacrificium serves as a fun diversion when time doesn’t allow for a longer dive, but it ultimately doesn’t threaten what other acts have done in the space this year.

Rating: Good
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Osmose Productions
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: June 26th, 2026

https://www.europesays.com/ch/105216/ SVP calls for easier access to AC in Geneva #AnglophoneRadioStation #broadcast #Butcher #EnglishRadio #Europe #expat #FM #Geneva #Geneve #InternetRadio #Lausanne #LocalNewsGeneva #LocalRadio #media #news #SkiNews #SkiUpdate #SnowReport #Swiss #SwissNews #Switzerland #SwitzerlandNews #What'sOn #WorldRadioSwitzerland #WRS

Let me start by saying that the nom de jure adopted by this French heavy/speed metal act gives me a minor case of major league OCD. Was Iron Onslaught unavailable? How about Iron Slaughter? Iron SlaughterER?1 Anywho, the duo behind Iron Slaught started life in 2015 with their Crusading Metal Mercenaries debut,2 and it’s taken them 11 long years to get back in the black with sophomore outing, Metallic Torments. Exactly what kind of metallic torments await the listener, you ask? Well, the formula here is a potent merger of 80s Germanic thrash like Deathrow, Vendetta, and Iron Angel with classic heavy metal and touches of black and death included for extra spice. Does that sound a touch overly ambitious? Mayhaps, but the gruesome twosome behind this project brings a lot of energy and verve to the war hall, and damn if they don’t deliver pure tundra thunder at times. That’s enough to get Steel slaughting3

After a lengthy but interesting instrumental intro, the real fire gets to spreading on “Ghastly Obsession.” This is fast, aggressive 80s speed excess with a premium on catchy, melodic leads that remind me of Running Wild or their blackened descendant, Forefather. In fact, some of the rollicking, rocking riffs are so Running Wild, I almost donned an eye patch and bought meself a parrot. This means the song is plenty of wild, lawless fun, and it will bring the privateers to the YARRRRd. “The Executioner” is another rip ride, brimming with blackened thrash energy and 80s heavy metal bravado. Some of the guitar work is straight up 80s Mercyful Fate, but these moments eventually give way to German-flavored speed assaults with mucho machismo. “Soldier of Fortune” is pure 80s gold with a joyously anthemic, fist-pumping energy and wild guitar pyrotechnics. The clean vocals are interesting and not always great, but they work well enough to sell the product.

Several tracks are sung entirely in French, including the very Bütcher-esque “Condamné Pour L’Éternité” and the large-and-in-charge power ballad “Charme Funeste.” Both work despite being the language barrier for uncouth clods like myself, though the latter feels a touch too portly at 7 minutes. Many of my favorite moments arrive during the equally stout 8-plus minutes of closer “Fatal Retaliations,” where the level of blackened thrash reaches Desaster levels of berserk lunacy. There’s also a competing Grave Digger vibe that rudely and Germanically injects itself, thereby making the whole construct feel loony and amusingly over-the-top as the time passes by quickly. There’s more than enough sheer chaos in this one to keep you entertained as the duo stretches itself to the utmost compositionally. At a trim 44 minutes with no tracks tanking and only minor issues with bloatage, there’s enough unbridled enthusiasm on Metallic Torments to keep you locked in and thrashing along.

Iron Jérémy4 handles guitars and vocals, and his fretboard surfing is quite impressive. The dude can noodle up a storm, but he also has a firm grasp on how to craft memorable, ear-snagging riffs that stick the landing. Whether he’s borrowing from various heroes of 80s classic metal or veering into the extremes of thrash and black metal, there’s a keen sense of purpose and craftsmanship to what he does. His rough, raw thrash bellows and harsher blackened rasps are solid and effective, and even when he ventures into clean singing, he manages to pull it off more often than not, and at times he really brings it. Partner-in-grime Nikrass mans the bass, and though he isn’t all that audible amid the mayhem, he provides a solid foundational rumble upon which they build a temple to batshit craziness. The drums were apparently programmed, but I didn’t detect that on my review spins, so they did a good job there.

Metallic Toments is one of those unsung little albums you happen upon that ends up punching way above its weight, and there’s no way to blast this and not get your metal mood elevated. It’s easy to digest, high-octane, and ambitious enough to throw some surprises at the listener. Iron Slaught may not be a household name, or even have a name worthy of entry into most houses, but they know how to bring the metal to the filthy masses, and bring it they do here. Bless this poorly monikered mess.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Gates of Hell
Websites: ironslaught.bandcamp.com |facebook.com/profile.php
Releases Worldwide: July 10th, 2026

Let me start by saying that the nom de jure adopted by this French heavy/speed metal act gives me a minor case of major league OCD. Was Iron Onslaught unavailable? How about Iron Slaughter? Iron SlaughterER?1 Anywho, the duo behind Iron Slaught started life in 2015 with their Crusading Metal Mercenaries debut,2 and it’s taken them 11 long years to get back in the black with sophomore outing, Metallic Torments. Exactly what kind of metallic torments await the listener, you ask? Well, the formula here is a potent merger of 80s Germanic thrash like Deathrow, Vendetta, and Iron Angel with classic heavy metal and touches of black and death included for extra spice. Does that sound a touch overly ambitious? Mayhaps, but the gruesome twosome behind this project brings a lot of energy and verve to the war hall, and damn if they don’t deliver pure tundra thunder at times. That’s enough to get Steel slaughting3

After a lengthy but interesting instrumental intro, the real fire gets to spreading on “Ghastly Obsession.” This is fast, aggressive 80s speed excess with a premium on catchy, melodic leads that remind me of Running Wild or their blackened descendant, Forefather. In fact, some of the rollicking, rocking riffs are so Running Wild, I almost donned an eye patch and bought meself a parrot. This means the song is plenty of wild, lawless fun, and it will bring the privateers to the YARRRRd. “The Executioner” is another rip ride, brimming with blackened thrash energy and 80s heavy metal bravado. Some of the guitar work is straight up 80s Mercyful Fate, but these moments eventually give way to German-flavored speed assaults with mucho machismo. “Soldier of Fortune” is pure 80s gold with a joyously anthemic, fist-pumping energy and wild guitar pyrotechnics. The clean vocals are interesting and not always great, but they work well enough to sell the product.

Several tracks are sung entirely in French, including the very Bütcher-esque “Condamné Pour L’Éternité” and the large-and-in-charge power ballad “Charme Funeste.” Both work despite being the language barrier for uncouth clods like myself, though the latter feels a touch too portly at 7 minutes. Many of my favorite moments arrive during the equally stout 8-plus minutes of closer “Fatal Retaliations,” where the level of blackened thrash reaches Desaster levels of berserk lunacy. There’s also a competing Grave Digger vibe that rudely and Germanically injects itself, thereby making the whole construct feel loony and amusingly over-the-top as the time passes by quickly. There’s more than enough sheer chaos in this one to keep you entertained as the duo stretches itself to the utmost compositionally. At a trim 44 minutes with no tracks tanking and only minor issues with bloatage, there’s enough unbridled enthusiasm on Metallic Torments to keep you locked in and thrashing along.

Iron Jérémy4 handles guitars and vocals, and his fretboard surfing is quite impressive. The dude can noodle up a storm, but he also has a firm grasp on how to craft memorable, ear-snagging riffs that stick the landing. Whether he’s borrowing from various heroes of 80s classic metal or veering into the extremes of thrash and black metal, there’s a keen sense of purpose and craftsmanship to what he does. His rough, raw thrash bellows and harsher blackened rasps are solid and effective, and even when he ventures into clean singing, he manages to pull it off more often than not, and at times he really brings it. Partner-in-grime Nikrass mans the bass, and though he isn’t all that audible amid the mayhem, he provides a solid foundational rumble upon which they build a temple to batshit craziness. The drums were apparently programmed, but I didn’t detect that on my review spins, so they did a good job there.

Metallic Toments is one of those unsung little albums you happen upon that ends up punching way above its weight, and there’s no way to blast this and not get your metal mood elevated. It’s easy to digest, high-octane, and ambitious enough to throw some surprises at the listener. Iron Slaught may not be a household name, or even have a name worthy of entry into most houses, but they know how to bring the metal to the filthy masses, and bring it they do here. Bless this poorly monikered mess.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Gates of Hell
Websites: ironslaught.bandcamp.com |facebook.com/profile.php
Releases Worldwide: July 10th, 2026

Let me start by saying that the nom de jure adopted by this French heavy/speed metal act gives me a minor case of major league OCD. Was Iron Onslaught unavailable? How about Iron Slaughter? Iron SlaughterER?1 Anywho, the duo behind Iron Slaught started life in 2015 with their Crusading Metal Mercenaries debut,2 and it’s taken them 11 long years to get back in the black with sophomore outing, Metallic Torments. Exactly what kind of metallic torments await the listener, you ask? Well, the formula here is a potent merger of 80s Germanic thrash like Deathrow, Vendetta, and Iron Angel with classic heavy metal and touches of black and death included for extra spice. Does that sound a touch overly ambitious? Mayhaps, but the gruesome twosome behind this project brings a lot of energy and verve to the war hall, and damn if they don’t deliver pure tundra thunder at times. That’s enough to get Steel slaughting3

After a lengthy but interesting instrumental intro, the real fire gets to spreading on “Ghastly Obsession.” This is fast, aggressive 80s speed excess with a premium on catchy, melodic leads that remind me of Running Wild or their blackened descendant, Forefather. In fact, some of the rollicking, rocking riffs are so Running Wild, I almost donned an eye patch and bought meself a parrot. This means the song is plenty of wild, lawless fun, and it will bring the privateers to the YARRRRd. “The Executioner” is another rip ride, brimming with blackened thrash energy and 80s heavy metal bravado. Some of the guitar work is straight up 80s Mercyful Fate, but these moments eventually give way to German-flavored speed assaults with mucho machismo. “Soldier of Fortune” is pure 80s gold with a joyously anthemic, fist-pumping energy and wild guitar pyrotechnics. The clean vocals are interesting and not always great, but they work well enough to sell the product.

Several tracks are sung entirely in French, including the very Bütcher-esque “Condamné Pour L’Éternité” and the large-and-in-charge power ballad “Charme Funeste.” Both work despite being the language barrier for uncouth clods like myself, though the latter feels a touch too portly at 7 minutes. Many of my favorite moments arrive during the equally stout 8-plus minutes of closer “Fatal Retaliations,” where the level of blackened thrash reaches Desaster levels of berserk lunacy. There’s also a competing Grave Digger vibe that rudely and Germanically injects itself, thereby making the whole construct feel loony and amusingly over-the-top as the time passes by quickly. There’s more than enough sheer chaos in this one to keep you entertained as the duo stretches itself to the utmost compositionally. At a trim 44 minutes with no tracks tanking and only minor issues with bloatage, there’s enough unbridled enthusiasm on Metallic Torments to keep you locked in and thrashing along.

Iron Jérémy4 handles guitars and vocals, and his fretboard surfing is quite impressive. The dude can noodle up a storm, but he also has a firm grasp on how to craft memorable, ear-snagging riffs that stick the landing. Whether he’s borrowing from various heroes of 80s classic metal or veering into the extremes of thrash and black metal, there’s a keen sense of purpose and craftsmanship to what he does. His rough, raw thrash bellows and harsher blackened rasps are solid and effective, and even when he ventures into clean singing, he manages to pull it off more often than not, and at times he really brings it. Partner-in-grime Nikrass mans the bass, and though he isn’t all that audible amid the mayhem, he provides a solid foundational rumble upon which they build a temple to batshit craziness. The drums were apparently programmed, but I didn’t detect that on my review spins, so they did a good job there.

Metallic Toments is one of those unsung little albums you happen upon that ends up punching way above its weight, and there’s no way to blast this and not get your metal mood elevated. It’s easy to digest, high-octane, and ambitious enough to throw some surprises at the listener. Iron Slaught may not be a household name, or even have a name worthy of entry into most houses, but they know how to bring the metal to the filthy masses, and bring it they do here. Bless this poorly monikered mess.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Gates of Hell
Websites: ironslaught.bandcamp.com |facebook.com/profile.php
Releases Worldwide: July 10th, 2026

Let me start by saying that the nom de jure adopted by this French heavy/speed metal act gives me a minor case of major league OCD. Was Iron Onslaught unavailable? How about Iron Slaughter? Iron SlaughterER?1 Anywho, the duo behind Iron Slaught started life in 2015 with their Crusading Metal Mercenaries debut,2 and it’s taken them 11 long years to get back in the black with sophomore outing, Metallic Torments. Exactly what kind of metallic torments await the listener, you ask? Well, the formula here is a potent merger of 80s Germanic thrash like Deathrow, Vendetta, and Iron Angel with classic heavy metal and touches of black and death included for extra spice. Does that sound a touch overly ambitious? Mayhaps, but the gruesome twosome behind this project brings a lot of energy and verve to the war hall, and damn if they don’t deliver pure tundra thunder at times. That’s enough to get Steel slaughting3

After a lengthy but interesting instrumental intro, the real fire gets to spreading on “Ghastly Obsession.” This is fast, aggressive 80s speed excess with a premium on catchy, melodic leads that remind me of Running Wild or their blackened descendant, Forefather. In fact, some of the rollicking, rocking riffs are so Running Wild, I almost donned an eye patch and bought meself a parrot. This means the song is plenty of wild, lawless fun, and it will bring the privateers to the YARRRRd. “The Executioner” is another rip ride, brimming with blackened thrash energy and 80s heavy metal bravado. Some of the guitar work is straight up 80s Mercyful Fate, but these moments eventually give way to German-flavored speed assaults with mucho machismo. “Soldier of Fortune” is pure 80s gold with a joyously anthemic, fist-pumping energy and wild guitar pyrotechnics. The clean vocals are interesting and not always great, but they work well enough to sell the product.

Several tracks are sung entirely in French, including the very Bütcher-esque “Condamné Pour L’Éternité” and the large-and-in-charge power ballad “Charme Funeste.” Both work despite being the language barrier for uncouth clods like myself, though the latter feels a touch too portly at 7 minutes. Many of my favorite moments arrive during the equally stout 8-plus minutes of closer “Fatal Retaliations,” where the level of blackened thrash reaches Desaster levels of berserk lunacy. There’s also a competing Grave Digger vibe that rudely and Germanically injects itself, thereby making the whole construct feel loony and amusingly over-the-top as the time passes by quickly. There’s more than enough sheer chaos in this one to keep you entertained as the duo stretches itself to the utmost compositionally. At a trim 44 minutes with no tracks tanking and only minor issues with bloatage, there’s enough unbridled enthusiasm on Metallic Torments to keep you locked in and thrashing along.

Iron Jérémy4 handles guitars and vocals, and his fretboard surfing is quite impressive. The dude can noodle up a storm, but he also has a firm grasp on how to craft memorable, ear-snagging riffs that stick the landing. Whether he’s borrowing from various heroes of 80s classic metal or veering into the extremes of thrash and black metal, there’s a keen sense of purpose and craftsmanship to what he does. His rough, raw thrash bellows and harsher blackened rasps are solid and effective, and even when he ventures into clean singing, he manages to pull it off more often than not, and at times he really brings it. Partner-in-grime Nikrass mans the bass, and though he isn’t all that audible amid the mayhem, he provides a solid foundational rumble upon which they build a temple to batshit craziness. The drums were apparently programmed, but I didn’t detect that on my review spins, so they did a good job there.

Metallic Toments is one of those unsung little albums you happen upon that ends up punching way above its weight, and there’s no way to blast this and not get your metal mood elevated. It’s easy to digest, high-octane, and ambitious enough to throw some surprises at the listener. Iron Slaught may not be a household name, or even have a name worthy of entry into most houses, but they know how to bring the metal to the filthy masses, and bring it they do here. Bless this poorly monikered mess.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Gates of Hell
Websites: ironslaught.bandcamp.com |facebook.com/profile.php
Releases Worldwide: July 10th, 2026

Let me start by saying that the nom de jure adopted by this French heavy/speed metal act gives me a minor case of major league OCD. Was Iron Onslaught unavailable? How about Iron Slaughter? Iron SlaughterER?1 Anywho, the duo behind Iron Slaught started life in 2015 with their Crusading Metal Mercenaries debut,2 and it’s taken them 11 long years to get back in the black with sophomore outing, Metallic Torments. Exactly what kind of metallic torments await the listener, you ask? Well, the formula here is a potent merger of 80s Germanic thrash like Deathrow, Vendetta, and Iron Angel with classic heavy metal and touches of black and death included for extra spice. Does that sound a touch overly ambitious? Mayhaps, but the gruesome twosome behind this project brings a lot of energy and verve to the war hall, and damn if they don’t deliver pure tundra thunder at times. That’s enough to get Steel slaughting3

After a lengthy but interesting instrumental intro, the real fire gets to spreading on “Ghastly Obsession.” This is fast, aggressive 80s speed excess with a premium on catchy, melodic leads that remind me of Running Wild or their blackened descendant, Forefather. In fact, some of the rollicking, rocking riffs are so Running Wild, I almost donned an eye patch and bought meself a parrot. This means the song is plenty of wild, lawless fun, and it will bring the privateers to the YARRRRd. “The Executioner” is another rip ride, brimming with blackened thrash energy and 80s heavy metal bravado. Some of the guitar work is straight up 80s Mercyful Fate, but these moments eventually give way to German-flavored speed assaults with mucho machismo. “Soldier of Fortune” is pure 80s gold with a joyously anthemic, fist-pumping energy and wild guitar pyrotechnics. The clean vocals are interesting and not always great, but they work well enough to sell the product.

Several tracks are sung entirely in French, including the very Bütcher-esque “Condamné Pour L’Éternité” and the large-and-in-charge power ballad “Charme Funeste.” Both work despite being the language barrier for uncouth clods like myself, though the latter feels a touch too portly at 7 minutes. Many of my favorite moments arrive during the equally stout 8-plus minutes of closer “Fatal Retaliations,” where the level of blackened thrash reaches Desaster levels of berserk lunacy. There’s also a competing Grave Digger vibe that rudely and Germanically injects itself, thereby making the whole construct feel loony and amusingly over-the-top as the time passes by quickly. There’s more than enough sheer chaos in this one to keep you entertained as the duo stretches itself to the utmost compositionally. At a trim 44 minutes with no tracks tanking and only minor issues with bloatage, there’s enough unbridled enthusiasm on Metallic Torments to keep you locked in and thrashing along.

Iron Jérémy4 handles guitars and vocals, and his fretboard surfing is quite impressive. The dude can noodle up a storm, but he also has a firm grasp on how to craft memorable, ear-snagging riffs that stick the landing. Whether he’s borrowing from various heroes of 80s classic metal or veering into the extremes of thrash and black metal, there’s a keen sense of purpose and craftsmanship to what he does. His rough, raw thrash bellows and harsher blackened rasps are solid and effective, and even when he ventures into clean singing, he manages to pull it off more often than not, and at times he really brings it. Partner-in-grime Nikrass mans the bass, and though he isn’t all that audible amid the mayhem, he provides a solid foundational rumble upon which they build a temple to batshit craziness. The drums were apparently programmed, but I didn’t detect that on my review spins, so they did a good job there.

Metallic Toments is one of those unsung little albums you happen upon that ends up punching way above its weight, and there’s no way to blast this and not get your metal mood elevated. It’s easy to digest, high-octane, and ambitious enough to throw some surprises at the listener. Iron Slaught may not be a household name, or even have a name worthy of entry into most houses, but they know how to bring the metal to the filthy masses, and bring it they do here. Bless this poorly monikered mess.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Gates of Hell
Websites: ironslaught.bandcamp.com |facebook.com/profile.php
Releases Worldwide: July 10th, 2026

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https://www.wesh.com/article/stephen-king-defends-graham-platner-assault-allegations/71851694

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https://www.wesh.com/article/stephen-king-defends-graham-platner-assault-allegations/71851694

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https://www.wesh.com/article/stephen-king-defends-graham-platner-assault-allegations/71851694

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German black/thrash/heavy metal trio Witching Hour return for your soul, eight long years since their last outburst ...and Silent Grief Shadows the Passing Moon. Alongside contemporaries like Nocturnal, Cruel Force, and Manzer, Witching Hour’s recent output has been well-received by critics and audiences alike. This puts the upcoming Decending… Where Time Has Ceased to Exist, Witching Hour’s fourth release in 20 years, in a prime position to compete well in its field. Will Descent… lead to greatness or will Witching Hour fumble the landing?

In some ways, they’ve threatened both. Witching Hour are an incredibly talented bunch, deftly straddling fences between black metal char, heavy metal righteousness, and thrash metal vitriol. Descending…’s warm and natural tones enhance these qualities, presenting a product that is easy on the ear while deadly to the spine. Songs build around long-form structures, with the shortest cut measuring over six minutes (not counting the fluffy instrumental intro), but overall runtime slots in at a tight 43 minutes. This makes repeat listens easy to approach. Sounds like everything is in place to secure a high score on the board, right?

Unfortunately, the songwriting lets Descending… down. Witching Hour’s latest epic suffers the same flaw as its predecessor: a lack of compositional dynamics and an overabundance of recycled parts. Each song taken out of the whole makes a compelling case. “Where Time Has Ceased to Exist” sets the bar quite high for the rest of the record, churning with a heavy metal swagger and roaring with spirit through epic leads, scorching tremolos, and thrashy switch-ups. Similarly, “Profane Resurrection of a Presumed Dead” hooks its claws into the brain with an insidious chorus bark and fiery guitar and percussion work. However, when unified as a whole, it’s all too easy to interchange phrases and measures between songs without fragmenting the experience. I can place my mark on two opposite sides—and stick a couple more pins in the center—and the same riffing motif, similar leads and flourishes, suspiciously familiar vocal runs, and the exact same bass-snare alternation greet me.

Doubly damning, epic 11-minute closer “…and Then Came the Flames” showcases all of these issues in a microcosm, establishing a concise summary of everything heard thus far. And just like the others, taken out of the album context, the song rocks. Reminiscent of the same kind of grand, hellish adventure that Bütcher so gloriously captures on 666 Goats Carry My Chariot, “…and Then Came the Flames” feels complete, exciting, and wild, at least at first. As the track progresses, recycled parts and pieces cheapen the experience until I’m desperate to jump off the boat as it reaches shore. This mirrors my experience with the album as a whole. Fun and entertaining in the initial throes, it becomes a slog to get through in remarkably short order. By the time the closer wraps up, I’ve heard multiple iterations of the same ideas, spliced and arranged to deceive me into believing, if only for a moment, that I could pick any of these songs (minus the opener proper) out of a lineup without a cheat sheet.

Confounding as it is, Witching Hour represents a clash between having great ideas and writing songs that don’t adequately support or develop them. Instead, Descending… drops their best work into a sea of repetitive structures and monotonous bloat in the hopes that observers might then discern and appreciate them. With at least a half dozen spins under my belt at the time of writing, I did indeed find worthy gems to take home—and when isolated from the collection, those gems really sparkle. However, those rewards don’t quite justify the expanse of fluff and drag that bog Descending… down. In another world where Witching Hour invoked a greater variety of techniques, tempos, and textures to fortify their compositions and bring reliability to excitement, this record would’ve been a barnburner. As it is, it never truly catches fire, and leaves me wanting.

Rating: Disappointing…
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: May 22nd, 2026

German black/thrash/heavy metal trio Witching Hour return for your soul, eight long years since their last outburst ...and Silent Grief Shadows the Passing Moon. Alongside contemporaries like Nocturnal, Cruel Force, and Manzer, Witching Hour’s recent output has been well-received by critics and audiences alike. This puts the upcoming Decending… Where Time Has Ceased to Exist, Witching Hour’s fourth release in 20 years, in a prime position to compete well in its field. Will Descent… lead to greatness or will Witching Hour fumble the landing?

In some ways, they’ve threatened both. Witching Hour are an incredibly talented bunch, deftly straddling fences between black metal char, heavy metal righteousness, and thrash metal vitriol. Descending…’s warm and natural tones enhance these qualities, presenting a product that is easy on the ear while deadly to the spine. Songs build around long-form structures, with the shortest cut measuring over six minutes (not counting the fluffy instrumental intro), but overall runtime slots in at a tight 43 minutes. This makes repeat listens easy to approach. Sounds like everything is in place to secure a high score on the board, right?

Unfortunately, the songwriting lets Descending… down. Witching Hour’s latest epic suffers the same flaw as its predecessor: a lack of compositional dynamics and an overabundance of recycled parts. Each song taken out of the whole makes a compelling case. “Where Time Has Ceased to Exist” sets the bar quite high for the rest of the record, churning with a heavy metal swagger and roaring with spirit through epic leads, scorching tremolos, and thrashy switch-ups. Similarly, “Profane Resurrection of a Presumed Dead” hooks its claws into the brain with an insidious chorus bark and fiery guitar and percussion work. However, when unified as a whole, it’s all too easy to interchange phrases and measures between songs without fragmenting the experience. I can place my mark on two opposite sides—and stick a couple more pins in the center—and the same riffing motif, similar leads and flourishes, suspiciously familiar vocal runs, and the exact same bass-snare alternation greet me.

Doubly damning, epic 11-minute closer “…and Then Came the Flames” showcases all of these issues in a microcosm, establishing a concise summary of everything heard thus far. And just like the others, taken out of the album context, the song rocks. Reminiscent of the same kind of grand, hellish adventure that Bütcher so gloriously captures on 666 Goats Carry My Chariot, “…and Then Came the Flames” feels complete, exciting, and wild, at least at first. As the track progresses, recycled parts and pieces cheapen the experience until I’m desperate to jump off the boat as it reaches shore. This mirrors my experience with the album as a whole. Fun and entertaining in the initial throes, it becomes a slog to get through in remarkably short order. By the time the closer wraps up, I’ve heard multiple iterations of the same ideas, spliced and arranged to deceive me into believing, if only for a moment, that I could pick any of these songs (minus the opener proper) out of a lineup without a cheat sheet.

Confounding as it is, Witching Hour represents a clash between having great ideas and writing songs that don’t adequately support or develop them. Instead, Descending… drops their best work into a sea of repetitive structures and monotonous bloat in the hopes that observers might then discern and appreciate them. With at least a half dozen spins under my belt at the time of writing, I did indeed find worthy gems to take home—and when isolated from the collection, those gems really sparkle. However, those rewards don’t quite justify the expanse of fluff and drag that bog Descending… down. In another world where Witching Hour invoked a greater variety of techniques, tempos, and textures to fortify their compositions and bring reliability to excitement, this record would’ve been a barnburner. As it is, it never truly catches fire, and leaves me wanting.

Rating: Disappointing…
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: May 22nd, 2026

German black/thrash/heavy metal trio Witching Hour return for your soul, eight long years since their last outburst ...and Silent Grief Shadows the Passing Moon. Alongside contemporaries like Nocturnal, Cruel Force, and Manzer, Witching Hour’s recent output has been well-received by critics and audiences alike. This puts the upcoming Decending… Where Time Has Ceased to Exist, Witching Hour’s fourth release in 20 years, in a prime position to compete well in its field. Will Descent… lead to greatness or will Witching Hour fumble the landing?

In some ways, they’ve threatened both. Witching Hour are an incredibly talented bunch, deftly straddling fences between black metal char, heavy metal righteousness, and thrash metal vitriol. Descending…’s warm and natural tones enhance these qualities, presenting a product that is easy on the ear while deadly to the spine. Songs build around long-form structures, with the shortest cut measuring over six minutes (not counting the fluffy instrumental intro), but overall runtime slots in at a tight 43 minutes. This makes repeat listens easy to approach. Sounds like everything is in place to secure a high score on the board, right?

Unfortunately, the songwriting lets Descending… down. Witching Hour’s latest epic suffers the same flaw as its predecessor: a lack of compositional dynamics and an overabundance of recycled parts. Each song taken out of the whole makes a compelling case. “Where Time Has Ceased to Exist” sets the bar quite high for the rest of the record, churning with a heavy metal swagger and roaring with spirit through epic leads, scorching tremolos, and thrashy switch-ups. Similarly, “Profane Resurrection of a Presumed Dead” hooks its claws into the brain with an insidious chorus bark and fiery guitar and percussion work. However, when unified as a whole, it’s all too easy to interchange phrases and measures between songs without fragmenting the experience. I can place my mark on two opposite sides—and stick a couple more pins in the center—and the same riffing motif, similar leads and flourishes, suspiciously familiar vocal runs, and the exact same bass-snare alternation greet me.

Doubly damning, epic 11-minute closer “…and Then Came the Flames” showcases all of these issues in a microcosm, establishing a concise summary of everything heard thus far. And just like the others, taken out of the album context, the song rocks. Reminiscent of the same kind of grand, hellish adventure that Bütcher so gloriously captures on 666 Goats Carry My Chariot, “…and Then Came the Flames” feels complete, exciting, and wild, at least at first. As the track progresses, recycled parts and pieces cheapen the experience until I’m desperate to jump off the boat as it reaches shore. This mirrors my experience with the album as a whole. Fun and entertaining in the initial throes, it becomes a slog to get through in remarkably short order. By the time the closer wraps up, I’ve heard multiple iterations of the same ideas, spliced and arranged to deceive me into believing, if only for a moment, that I could pick any of these songs (minus the opener proper) out of a lineup without a cheat sheet.

Confounding as it is, Witching Hour represents a clash between having great ideas and writing songs that don’t adequately support or develop them. Instead, Descending… drops their best work into a sea of repetitive structures and monotonous bloat in the hopes that observers might then discern and appreciate them. With at least a half dozen spins under my belt at the time of writing, I did indeed find worthy gems to take home—and when isolated from the collection, those gems really sparkle. However, those rewards don’t quite justify the expanse of fluff and drag that bog Descending… down. In another world where Witching Hour invoked a greater variety of techniques, tempos, and textures to fortify their compositions and bring reliability to excitement, this record would’ve been a barnburner. As it is, it never truly catches fire, and leaves me wanting.

Rating: Disappointing…
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: May 22nd, 2026

German black/thrash/heavy metal trio Witching Hour return for your soul, eight long years since their last outburst ...and Silent Grief Shadows the Passing Moon. Alongside contemporaries like Nocturnal, Cruel Force, and Manzer, Witching Hour’s recent output has been well-received by critics and audiences alike. This puts the upcoming Decending… Where Time Has Ceased to Exist, Witching Hour’s fourth release in 20 years, in a prime position to compete well in its field. Will Descent… lead to greatness or will Witching Hour fumble the landing?

In some ways, they’ve threatened both. Witching Hour are an incredibly talented bunch, deftly straddling fences between black metal char, heavy metal righteousness, and thrash metal vitriol. Descending…’s warm and natural tones enhance these qualities, presenting a product that is easy on the ear while deadly to the spine. Songs build around long-form structures, with the shortest cut measuring over six minutes (not counting the fluffy instrumental intro), but overall runtime slots in at a tight 43 minutes. This makes repeat listens easy to approach. Sounds like everything is in place to secure a high score on the board, right?

Unfortunately, the songwriting lets Descending… down. Witching Hour’s latest epic suffers the same flaw as its predecessor: a lack of compositional dynamics and an overabundance of recycled parts. Each song taken out of the whole makes a compelling case. “Where Time Has Ceased to Exist” sets the bar quite high for the rest of the record, churning with a heavy metal swagger and roaring with spirit through epic leads, scorching tremolos, and thrashy switch-ups. Similarly, “Profane Resurrection of a Presumed Dead” hooks its claws into the brain with an insidious chorus bark and fiery guitar and percussion work. However, when unified as a whole, it’s all too easy to interchange phrases and measures between songs without fragmenting the experience. I can place my mark on two opposite sides—and stick a couple more pins in the center—and the same riffing motif, similar leads and flourishes, suspiciously familiar vocal runs, and the exact same bass-snare alternation greet me.

Doubly damning, epic 11-minute closer “…and Then Came the Flames” showcases all of these issues in a microcosm, establishing a concise summary of everything heard thus far. And just like the others, taken out of the album context, the song rocks. Reminiscent of the same kind of grand, hellish adventure that Bütcher so gloriously captures on 666 Goats Carry My Chariot, “…and Then Came the Flames” feels complete, exciting, and wild, at least at first. As the track progresses, recycled parts and pieces cheapen the experience until I’m desperate to jump off the boat as it reaches shore. This mirrors my experience with the album as a whole. Fun and entertaining in the initial throes, it becomes a slog to get through in remarkably short order. By the time the closer wraps up, I’ve heard multiple iterations of the same ideas, spliced and arranged to deceive me into believing, if only for a moment, that I could pick any of these songs (minus the opener proper) out of a lineup without a cheat sheet.

Confounding as it is, Witching Hour represents a clash between having great ideas and writing songs that don’t adequately support or develop them. Instead, Descending… drops their best work into a sea of repetitive structures and monotonous bloat in the hopes that observers might then discern and appreciate them. With at least a half dozen spins under my belt at the time of writing, I did indeed find worthy gems to take home—and when isolated from the collection, those gems really sparkle. However, those rewards don’t quite justify the expanse of fluff and drag that bog Descending… down. In another world where Witching Hour invoked a greater variety of techniques, tempos, and textures to fortify their compositions and bring reliability to excitement, this record would’ve been a barnburner. As it is, it never truly catches fire, and leaves me wanting.

Rating: Disappointing…
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: May 22nd, 2026

German black/thrash/heavy metal trio Witching Hour return for your soul, eight long years since their last outburst ...and Silent Grief Shadows the Passing Moon. Alongside contemporaries like Nocturnal, Cruel Force, and Manzer, Witching Hour’s recent output has been well-received by critics and audiences alike. This puts the upcoming Decending… Where Time Has Ceased to Exist, Witching Hour’s fourth release in 20 years, in a prime position to compete well in its field. Will Descent… lead to greatness or will Witching Hour fumble the landing?

In some ways, they’ve threatened both. Witching Hour are an incredibly talented bunch, deftly straddling fences between black metal char, heavy metal righteousness, and thrash metal vitriol. Descending…’s warm and natural tones enhance these qualities, presenting a product that is easy on the ear while deadly to the spine. Songs build around long-form structures, with the shortest cut measuring over six minutes (not counting the fluffy instrumental intro), but overall runtime slots in at a tight 43 minutes. This makes repeat listens easy to approach. Sounds like everything is in place to secure a high score on the board, right?

Unfortunately, the songwriting lets Descending… down. Witching Hour’s latest epic suffers the same flaw as its predecessor: a lack of compositional dynamics and an overabundance of recycled parts. Each song taken out of the whole makes a compelling case. “Where Time Has Ceased to Exist” sets the bar quite high for the rest of the record, churning with a heavy metal swagger and roaring with spirit through epic leads, scorching tremolos, and thrashy switch-ups. Similarly, “Profane Resurrection of a Presumed Dead” hooks its claws into the brain with an insidious chorus bark and fiery guitar and percussion work. However, when unified as a whole, it’s all too easy to interchange phrases and measures between songs without fragmenting the experience. I can place my mark on two opposite sides—and stick a couple more pins in the center—and the same riffing motif, similar leads and flourishes, suspiciously familiar vocal runs, and the exact same bass-snare alternation greet me.

Doubly damning, epic 11-minute closer “…and Then Came the Flames” showcases all of these issues in a microcosm, establishing a concise summary of everything heard thus far. And just like the others, taken out of the album context, the song rocks. Reminiscent of the same kind of grand, hellish adventure that Bütcher so gloriously captures on 666 Goats Carry My Chariot, “…and Then Came the Flames” feels complete, exciting, and wild, at least at first. As the track progresses, recycled parts and pieces cheapen the experience until I’m desperate to jump off the boat as it reaches shore. This mirrors my experience with the album as a whole. Fun and entertaining in the initial throes, it becomes a slog to get through in remarkably short order. By the time the closer wraps up, I’ve heard multiple iterations of the same ideas, spliced and arranged to deceive me into believing, if only for a moment, that I could pick any of these songs (minus the opener proper) out of a lineup without a cheat sheet.

Confounding as it is, Witching Hour represents a clash between having great ideas and writing songs that don’t adequately support or develop them. Instead, Descending… drops their best work into a sea of repetitive structures and monotonous bloat in the hopes that observers might then discern and appreciate them. With at least a half dozen spins under my belt at the time of writing, I did indeed find worthy gems to take home—and when isolated from the collection, those gems really sparkle. However, those rewards don’t quite justify the expanse of fluff and drag that bog Descending… down. In another world where Witching Hour invoked a greater variety of techniques, tempos, and textures to fortify their compositions and bring reliability to excitement, this record would’ve been a barnburner. As it is, it never truly catches fire, and leaves me wanting.

Rating: Disappointing…
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: May 22nd, 2026

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