#cattledecapitation — Public Fediverse posts

Based on naming traditions and a tendency to dub groups after horrific activities, such as Cattle Decapitation or Immolation, Australian Deathcore band A Night In Texas must believe there is nothing more terrifying than spending an evening in the Lone Star State. Perhaps the horror of the unknown hits hard for a group eight thousand miles away from their namesake, but A Night In Texas is no stranger to the ubiquitous elements of modern deathcore that defy the confines of any nation or state. With The Darkest Side of Humanity, the band’s latest comes at the start of their second decade, preceded by four records that exemplified solid, if a little uninspired, deathcore and a nominally influential debut. Is their latest the one to turn heads from Texas to Brisbane, or will it cowtow to deathcore trends known the world over?

Featuring a new vocalist after the departure of their longest-running lead, Sam Cameron quickly shows that he is no slouch. If The Darkest Side of Humanity has any weakness, it isn’t for lack of Cameron’s breadth and brutality. Properly Gollum-worthy highs pierce ears alongside gut-rumbling lows as he shows as much or more potency than those that came before. Founding member and lead guitarist Cory Judd is clearly the sonic soul of the band, as The Darkest Side of Humanity is as oppressively crushing as previous records. Amongst the cacophony (more on this later), Tommy Williams feels properly black metal at times, weaving tantalizingly sullen melodies just beneath the boiling surface of Judd’s bouncing battering. Freshman drummer Chris Whitbread delivers inhuman drumming that showcases technicality rarely seen in the more beatdown-driven core, lending the band a sound that at times straddles deathcore and tech-death.

The Darkest Side of Humanity stands out from much of modern deathcore thanks to A Night In Texas’ focus on speed and tech-death trappings. Bolstering their instrumental prowess are surprisingly inspired lyrics and a genuine devotion to rhythmic timing, reminding one of Unhallowed Deliverance. Each track features a standout moment and drives to a proper crescendo, but the devotion to an ecstatic ending becomes formulaic by the album’s end. The Darkest Side of Humanity could lose a track, and it would be better for it. When the record pops off, it does so with aplomb, and the back half is particularly vicious and rousing. The mid-record epic “When the Sun Burns Out” is driven by atmospheric plucking and tasteful, yet sparse clean singing. “The Chronicles of Nihilism” is an immediate standout with its bounce-worthy lead riff and adherence to speed.

While tech-death is clearly an inspiration for A Night In Texas, The Darkest Side of Humanity is another victim of the utter flattening of the genre due to the explosion in popularity of Lorna Shore. What was once tech-deathcore now must include hamfisted symphonic elements and triple-tap bursting breakdowns. While those tech influences remain a part of Judd’s DNA, the paint-by-numbers orchestration does nothing to enhance any individual song. Ironically, the back half of the album either abandons or minimizes backing tracks to great effect, becoming far more epic through sheer instrumentation and scale. The repetitive machine-gun riffage runs rampant, and while it is used more tastefully than most, I can’t help but feel A Night In Texas has the chops to do so much more and display as much alongside the derivative chords. For every predictable breakdown or riff, there is a flurry of inspired technicality or hooky earworms.

The Darkest Side of Humanity is inoffensive for deathcore, and even shows moments of true grandiosity. The latter half is great at times; the title track and finale are a high note to go out on, but cutting a track and stripping the album of most of its orchestration would do wonders for it. For a record that is so fast, heavy, and technical, with over-the-top vocals and orchestration, it sounds consistently cacophonous. This record is dense, but there is gold in them hills for those who take the time to sift. If A Night In Texas leans into the tech, focuses on hooks, and avoids chasing trends, their next record could reach the heights I know they are capable of. For now, The Darkest Side of Humanity stands out as a solid tech-deathcore record, head and shoulders above most of its peers, but the competition is not necessarily fierce.

Rating: Good
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Unique Leader Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: September 4th, 2026

Based on naming traditions and a tendency to dub groups after horrific activities, such as Cattle Decapitation or Immolation, Australian Deathcore band A Night In Texas must believe there is nothing more terrifying than spending an evening in the Lone Star State. Perhaps the horror of the unknown hits hard for a group eight thousand miles away from their namesake, but A Night In Texas is no stranger to the ubiquitous elements of modern deathcore that defy the confines of any nation or state. With The Darkest Side of Humanity, the band’s latest comes at the start of their second decade, preceded by four records that exemplified solid, if a little uninspired, deathcore and a nominally influential debut. Is their latest the one to turn heads from Texas to Brisbane, or will it cowtow to deathcore trends known the world over?

Featuring a new vocalist after the departure of their longest-running lead, Sam Cameron quickly shows that he is no slouch. If The Darkest Side of Humanity has any weakness, it isn’t for lack of Cameron’s breadth and brutality. Properly Gollum-worthy highs pierce ears alongside gut-rumbling lows as he shows as much or more potency than those that came before. Founding member and lead guitarist Cory Judd is clearly the sonic soul of the band, as The Darkest Side of Humanity is as oppressively crushing as previous records. Amongst the cacophony (more on this later), Tommy Williams feels properly black metal at times, weaving tantalizingly sullen melodies just beneath the boiling surface of Judd’s bouncing battering. Freshman drummer Chris Whitbread delivers inhuman drumming that showcases technicality rarely seen in the more beatdown-driven core, lending the band a sound that at times straddles deathcore and tech-death.

The Darkest Side of Humanity stands out from much of modern deathcore thanks to A Night In Texas’ focus on speed and tech-death trappings. Bolstering their instrumental prowess are surprisingly inspired lyrics and a genuine devotion to rhythmic timing, reminding one of Unhallowed Deliverance. Each track features a standout moment and drives to a proper crescendo, but the devotion to an ecstatic ending becomes formulaic by the album’s end. The Darkest Side of Humanity could lose a track, and it would be better for it. When the record pops off, it does so with aplomb, and the back half is particularly vicious and rousing. The mid-record epic “When the Sun Burns Out” is driven by atmospheric plucking and tasteful, yet sparse clean singing. “The Chronicles of Nihilism” is an immediate standout with its bounce-worthy lead riff and adherence to speed.

While tech-death is clearly an inspiration for A Night In Texas, The Darkest Side of Humanity is another victim of the utter flattening of the genre due to the explosion in popularity of Lorna Shore. What was once tech-deathcore now must include hamfisted symphonic elements and triple-tap bursting breakdowns. While those tech influences remain a part of Judd’s DNA, the paint-by-numbers orchestration does nothing to enhance any individual song. Ironically, the back half of the album either abandons or minimizes backing tracks to great effect, becoming far more epic through sheer instrumentation and scale. The repetitive machine-gun riffage runs rampant, and while it is used more tastefully than most, I can’t help but feel A Night In Texas has the chops to do so much more and display as much alongside the derivative chords. For every predictable breakdown or riff, there is a flurry of inspired technicality or hooky earworms.

The Darkest Side of Humanity is inoffensive for deathcore, and even shows moments of true grandiosity. The latter half is great at times; the title track and finale are a high note to go out on, but cutting a track and stripping the album of most of its orchestration would do wonders for it. For a record that is so fast, heavy, and technical, with over-the-top vocals and orchestration, it sounds consistently cacophonous. This record is dense, but there is gold in them hills for those who take the time to sift. If A Night In Texas leans into the tech, focuses on hooks, and avoids chasing trends, their next record could reach the heights I know they are capable of. For now, The Darkest Side of Humanity stands out as a solid tech-deathcore record, head and shoulders above most of its peers, but the competition is not necessarily fierce.

Rating: Good
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Unique Leader Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: September 4th, 2026

Based on naming traditions and a tendency to dub groups after horrific activities, such as Cattle Decapitation or Immolation, Australian Deathcore band A Night In Texas must believe there is nothing more terrifying than spending an evening in the Lone Star State. Perhaps the horror of the unknown hits hard for a group eight thousand miles away from their namesake, but A Night In Texas is no stranger to the ubiquitous elements of modern deathcore that defy the confines of any nation or state. With The Darkest Side of Humanity, the band’s latest comes at the start of their second decade, preceded by four records that exemplified solid, if a little uninspired, deathcore and a nominally influential debut. Is their latest the one to turn heads from Texas to Brisbane, or will it cowtow to deathcore trends known the world over?

Featuring a new vocalist after the departure of their longest-running lead, Sam Cameron quickly shows that he is no slouch. If The Darkest Side of Humanity has any weakness, it isn’t for lack of Cameron’s breadth and brutality. Properly Gollum-worthy highs pierce ears alongside gut-rumbling lows as he shows as much or more potency than those that came before. Founding member and lead guitarist Cory Judd is clearly the sonic soul of the band, as The Darkest Side of Humanity is as oppressively crushing as previous records. Amongst the cacophony (more on this later), Tommy Williams feels properly black metal at times, weaving tantalizingly sullen melodies just beneath the boiling surface of Judd’s bouncing battering. Freshman drummer Chris Whitbread delivers inhuman drumming that showcases technicality rarely seen in the more beatdown-driven core, lending the band a sound that at times straddles deathcore and tech-death.

The Darkest Side of Humanity stands out from much of modern deathcore thanks to A Night In Texas’ focus on speed and tech-death trappings. Bolstering their instrumental prowess are surprisingly inspired lyrics and a genuine devotion to rhythmic timing, reminding one of Unhallowed Deliverance. Each track features a standout moment and drives to a proper crescendo, but the devotion to an ecstatic ending becomes formulaic by the album’s end. The Darkest Side of Humanity could lose a track, and it would be better for it. When the record pops off, it does so with aplomb, and the back half is particularly vicious and rousing. The mid-record epic “When the Sun Burns Out” is driven by atmospheric plucking and tasteful, yet sparse clean singing. “The Chronicles of Nihilism” is an immediate standout with its bounce-worthy lead riff and adherence to speed.

While tech-death is clearly an inspiration for A Night In Texas, The Darkest Side of Humanity is another victim of the utter flattening of the genre due to the explosion in popularity of Lorna Shore. What was once tech-deathcore now must include hamfisted symphonic elements and triple-tap bursting breakdowns. While those tech influences remain a part of Judd’s DNA, the paint-by-numbers orchestration does nothing to enhance any individual song. Ironically, the back half of the album either abandons or minimizes backing tracks to great effect, becoming far more epic through sheer instrumentation and scale. The repetitive machine-gun riffage runs rampant, and while it is used more tastefully than most, I can’t help but feel A Night In Texas has the chops to do so much more and display as much alongside the derivative chords. For every predictable breakdown or riff, there is a flurry of inspired technicality or hooky earworms.

The Darkest Side of Humanity is inoffensive for deathcore, and even shows moments of true grandiosity. The latter half is great at times; the title track and finale are a high note to go out on, but cutting a track and stripping the album of most of its orchestration would do wonders for it. For a record that is so fast, heavy, and technical, with over-the-top vocals and orchestration, it sounds consistently cacophonous. This record is dense, but there is gold in them hills for those who take the time to sift. If A Night In Texas leans into the tech, focuses on hooks, and avoids chasing trends, their next record could reach the heights I know they are capable of. For now, The Darkest Side of Humanity stands out as a solid tech-deathcore record, head and shoulders above most of its peers, but the competition is not necessarily fierce.

Rating: Good
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Unique Leader Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: September 4th, 2026

Based on naming traditions and a tendency to dub groups after horrific activities, such as Cattle Decapitation or Immolation, Australian Deathcore band A Night In Texas must believe there is nothing more terrifying than spending an evening in the Lone Star State. Perhaps the horror of the unknown hits hard for a group eight thousand miles away from their namesake, but A Night In Texas is no stranger to the ubiquitous elements of modern deathcore that defy the confines of any nation or state. With The Darkest Side of Humanity, the band’s latest comes at the start of their second decade, preceded by four records that exemplified solid, if a little uninspired, deathcore and a nominally influential debut. Is their latest the one to turn heads from Texas to Brisbane, or will it cowtow to deathcore trends known the world over?

Featuring a new vocalist after the departure of their longest-running lead, Sam Cameron quickly shows that he is no slouch. If The Darkest Side of Humanity has any weakness, it isn’t for lack of Cameron’s breadth and brutality. Properly Gollum-worthy highs pierce ears alongside gut-rumbling lows as he shows as much or more potency than those that came before. Founding member and lead guitarist Cory Judd is clearly the sonic soul of the band, as The Darkest Side of Humanity is as oppressively crushing as previous records. Amongst the cacophony (more on this later), Tommy Williams feels properly black metal at times, weaving tantalizingly sullen melodies just beneath the boiling surface of Judd’s bouncing battering. Freshman drummer Chris Whitbread delivers inhuman drumming that showcases technicality rarely seen in the more beatdown-driven core, lending the band a sound that at times straddles deathcore and tech-death.

The Darkest Side of Humanity stands out from much of modern deathcore thanks to A Night In Texas’ focus on speed and tech-death trappings. Bolstering their instrumental prowess are surprisingly inspired lyrics and a genuine devotion to rhythmic timing, reminding one of Unhallowed Deliverance. Each track features a standout moment and drives to a proper crescendo, but the devotion to an ecstatic ending becomes formulaic by the album’s end. The Darkest Side of Humanity could lose a track, and it would be better for it. When the record pops off, it does so with aplomb, and the back half is particularly vicious and rousing. The mid-record epic “When the Sun Burns Out” is driven by atmospheric plucking and tasteful, yet sparse clean singing. “The Chronicles of Nihilism” is an immediate standout with its bounce-worthy lead riff and adherence to speed.

While tech-death is clearly an inspiration for A Night In Texas, The Darkest Side of Humanity is another victim of the utter flattening of the genre due to the explosion in popularity of Lorna Shore. What was once tech-deathcore now must include hamfisted symphonic elements and triple-tap bursting breakdowns. While those tech influences remain a part of Judd’s DNA, the paint-by-numbers orchestration does nothing to enhance any individual song. Ironically, the back half of the album either abandons or minimizes backing tracks to great effect, becoming far more epic through sheer instrumentation and scale. The repetitive machine-gun riffage runs rampant, and while it is used more tastefully than most, I can’t help but feel A Night In Texas has the chops to do so much more and display as much alongside the derivative chords. For every predictable breakdown or riff, there is a flurry of inspired technicality or hooky earworms.

The Darkest Side of Humanity is inoffensive for deathcore, and even shows moments of true grandiosity. The latter half is great at times; the title track and finale are a high note to go out on, but cutting a track and stripping the album of most of its orchestration would do wonders for it. For a record that is so fast, heavy, and technical, with over-the-top vocals and orchestration, it sounds consistently cacophonous. This record is dense, but there is gold in them hills for those who take the time to sift. If A Night In Texas leans into the tech, focuses on hooks, and avoids chasing trends, their next record could reach the heights I know they are capable of. For now, The Darkest Side of Humanity stands out as a solid tech-deathcore record, head and shoulders above most of its peers, but the competition is not necessarily fierce.

Rating: Good
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Unique Leader Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: September 4th, 2026

Based on naming traditions and a tendency to dub groups after horrific activities, such as Cattle Decapitation or Immolation, Australian Deathcore band A Night In Texas must believe there is nothing more terrifying than spending an evening in the Lone Star State. Perhaps the horror of the unknown hits hard for a group eight thousand miles away from their namesake, but A Night In Texas is no stranger to the ubiquitous elements of modern deathcore that defy the confines of any nation or state. With The Darkest Side of Humanity, the band’s latest comes at the start of their second decade, preceded by four records that exemplified solid, if a little uninspired, deathcore and a nominally influential debut. Is their latest the one to turn heads from Texas to Brisbane, or will it cowtow to deathcore trends known the world over?

Featuring a new vocalist after the departure of their longest-running lead, Sam Cameron quickly shows that he is no slouch. If The Darkest Side of Humanity has any weakness, it isn’t for lack of Cameron’s breadth and brutality. Properly Gollum-worthy highs pierce ears alongside gut-rumbling lows as he shows as much or more potency than those that came before. Founding member and lead guitarist Cory Judd is clearly the sonic soul of the band, as The Darkest Side of Humanity is as oppressively crushing as previous records. Amongst the cacophony (more on this later), Tommy Williams feels properly black metal at times, weaving tantalizingly sullen melodies just beneath the boiling surface of Judd’s bouncing battering. Freshman drummer Chris Whitbread delivers inhuman drumming that showcases technicality rarely seen in the more beatdown-driven core, lending the band a sound that at times straddles deathcore and tech-death.

The Darkest Side of Humanity stands out from much of modern deathcore thanks to A Night In Texas’ focus on speed and tech-death trappings. Bolstering their instrumental prowess are surprisingly inspired lyrics and a genuine devotion to rhythmic timing, reminding one of Unhallowed Deliverance. Each track features a standout moment and drives to a proper crescendo, but the devotion to an ecstatic ending becomes formulaic by the album’s end. The Darkest Side of Humanity could lose a track, and it would be better for it. When the record pops off, it does so with aplomb, and the back half is particularly vicious and rousing. The mid-record epic “When the Sun Burns Out” is driven by atmospheric plucking and tasteful, yet sparse clean singing. “The Chronicles of Nihilism” is an immediate standout with its bounce-worthy lead riff and adherence to speed.

While tech-death is clearly an inspiration for A Night In Texas, The Darkest Side of Humanity is another victim of the utter flattening of the genre due to the explosion in popularity of Lorna Shore. What was once tech-deathcore now must include hamfisted symphonic elements and triple-tap bursting breakdowns. While those tech influences remain a part of Judd’s DNA, the paint-by-numbers orchestration does nothing to enhance any individual song. Ironically, the back half of the album either abandons or minimizes backing tracks to great effect, becoming far more epic through sheer instrumentation and scale. The repetitive machine-gun riffage runs rampant, and while it is used more tastefully than most, I can’t help but feel A Night In Texas has the chops to do so much more and display as much alongside the derivative chords. For every predictable breakdown or riff, there is a flurry of inspired technicality or hooky earworms.

The Darkest Side of Humanity is inoffensive for deathcore, and even shows moments of true grandiosity. The latter half is great at times; the title track and finale are a high note to go out on, but cutting a track and stripping the album of most of its orchestration would do wonders for it. For a record that is so fast, heavy, and technical, with over-the-top vocals and orchestration, it sounds consistently cacophonous. This record is dense, but there is gold in them hills for those who take the time to sift. If A Night In Texas leans into the tech, focuses on hooks, and avoids chasing trends, their next record could reach the heights I know they are capable of. For now, The Darkest Side of Humanity stands out as a solid tech-deathcore record, head and shoulders above most of its peers, but the competition is not necessarily fierce.

Rating: Good
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Unique Leader Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: September 4th, 2026

Sometimes you need an album that slaps. An album to lower the type of smackdown to make The Rock jealous, an album that brings out the joyful superlatives and meme-tier descriptors. Swedish death is the lynchpin of this idea, the undying zombie of subgenres, the style that spits in the face of innovation and artistic wankery in the name of digging further and further into still untapped and worm-riddled pockets of the grave soil. Somehow this sound was exhausted in scope years after its inception, yet it simply refuses to crawl into its own coffin as every new moon more bands pick up the Dismember’ed remains of the founding fathers to prove that it was this, specifically, Jack Black was referencing when he said: “You can’t kill the metal.” Gravecrawler (who, appropriately, are actually from Sweden) are the next to offer up their skulls for the skull throne with their debut album Nidus, and my friends, if you love to worship at the altar of the hm-2, grab your hymnals, because this right here is a rabid, bloodthirsty beast.

As is well documented through the genre’s history, good Swedeath lives on two elements: its production and its riffs. Nidus has both in spades, with a mix that is fat, burly, and deranged, flinging weepy leads and rotting remnants of entrails in equal measure. There are only so many ways in the English language to say “you know what to expect”, and short of my writing something like “무엇을 예상해야 할지 아실 겁니다.”, it’s hard not to sound plagiaristic of every other review ever. Guitars buzz away with the roaring hm-2 tones, atmosphere oozes through the riffcraft, and the superiority of the CHUG-G-G-G-G reasserts itself in all its resplendent aggression. Though starting out with an emphasis on the violent part, moods and melodies take shape as Nidus unfurls. “Primordial Sludge” has a main refrain lashed forward at a marching pace, pushed by Sebastian Olsson’s ever-shifting drumming, drenched in reverb and power. On the opposite side of the coin, “Manifest Entropy” drips a haunting atmosphere, using the best elements of modern Decapitated to run from stuttery chord progressions to leads that reek of melancholy and disdain.

What sets Gravecrawler apart from the glut of Swedeath is their grasp of the spirit of the formula: meaner, bigger, and better. Key lynchpin Billy Lundevall is one of the major ingredients, with his vocals equally diseased, wet, and powerful. Striking a key balance between the gurgles of Pharmacist and Cattle Decapitation’s Travis Ryan, his voice is no cookie-cutter death growl, elevating the music to new heights of disgust and energy. Look no further than “Primordial Sludge” to hear him oscillate between his two greatest extremes, flinging vocal narrations which shift between screeching crackhead goblin energy and vomit-spewing belches. Compositionally, guitarist and bassist Jesper and Roni pull from multiple influences, flirting with whiffs of Dark Tranquility melody (“Bogs of Torvus”), straightforward Vader curb-stomping thuggery (“Contagion”), and even foul slam experiments in “Carrion Soil.” Nidus is a refreshing album where every track comes with a highlight of riff or air-guitar moment, all the way down to the requisite grand finale of the concluding track “Nothingness Awaits.” In fact, this is the only real complaint I can muster; the final two tracks put so much stock into their well-composed atmospheres that they somewhat undo the memory of all the arterial blood spray that came before, though they’re both quality songs unto themselves.

And the sound? Saints alive, the sound. Gravecrawler got it right on their first try, with the entirety of Nidus being open and spacious, even on my streamed listen. The bass is a constant presence, mixed and produced with the care and affection of Cryptopsy, with enough tonal presence to make William Murderface weep with jealousy. Drums echo and thunk with extreme prejudice, and the guitars don’t put so much emphasis on the traditional tones that they come across as isolated and thin (looking at you, Frozen Soul), instead sounding dummy thiccc and full throughout the album. This mastery of care for the overall package renders Nidus at once an exemplary example of the genre without doing much to try to get outside of its constraints, with fantastic results.

In the year of our Lord 2026, it might seem absurd to insist that “just another Swedeath album” is glorious, but it is, I am, and I’m not apologizing. Gravecrawler has offered up a debut which has captivated and engaged me, while constantly sending me away with broken teeth and covered in beer and bodily fluids. A keen ear for production and songwriting, beguiled by their youth, has announced these Swedes as a force to be reckoned with, and with some fine-tuning, they will be ready to catapult themselves alongside the Gatecreeper’s and LIK’s. Check this out.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: n/a | Format Reviewed: Stream
Label: Independent Release
Website: Album Bandcamp
Releases worldwide: August 7th, 2026

Stuck in the Filter: October 2025’s Angry Misses

By Kenstrosity

They say it’s going to be a harsh winter this year. They always say that, and it’s almost never true, at least not from where I’ve set up camp. However, no matter the weather I am a harsh taskmaster, doling out grueling hours, no pay or benefits, and probably the worst coffee on the planet to my dutiful minions. It takes a special kind of person, motivated by pure unadulterated greed to ravenously scour the filter for dusty, almost-forgotten gems like they do.

But we are thankful for them for being exactly that! And we also benefit, in the form of quality(ish) chunks of glimmery, shimmery metal. BEHOLD!

Kenstrosity’s Riffy Representation

Xaoc // Repulsive Summoning [October 31, 2025 – Edgewood Arsenal Records]

Xaoc’s history is one of the more confusing I’ve encountered in my time writing for this blog. After breaking up in 2008, a new lineup spawned in 2022 to record and release Proxime Mortis from the ashes of songs written pre-breakup, supported by Edgewood Arsenal. At some point this year, two more members spawned in anticipation of this new slab Repulsive Summoning. But the band’s labeled as Split Up already on Metallum? I don’t understand what’s going on there, but at least I can say that Repulsive Summoning is a turbo banger! These riffs are bonkers, full of verve and swagger, brimming with groove and muscularity. A happy mix of Vomitory and Dormant Ordeal, this Virginian outfit know how to throw down. Highlights like “Ave Solva Coagula,” “Antima Samskara,” “The Great Perfected Ones,” and the entire “Degenerate Era” three-part suite reduce my body into a fine slurry by the grinding, vicious power of their riffs alone. But the rabid growls, ballistic percussion, and meaty guitar tones contain more than enough fuel to propel those riffs across this tight and thunderous 35-minute runtime. It’s a simple record, built to beat me down and leave me broken and bloodied, but it’s also an effortlessly memorable affair that leaves me wanting more despite the mounting medical bills. Don’t sleep on Xaoc!

Andy-War-Hall’s Succulent Surplus

Canvas of Silence // As the World Tree Fell [October 31st, 2025 – Rockshots Records]

Finnish symphonic metallers Canvas of Silence describe themselves as “prog-influenced chorus metal,” and that description goes far in outlining their debut As the World Tree Fell. Their core sound resembles a progged-out Nightwish moonlighting as a melodeath band, committing ludicrous bombast on symphonic-heavy cuts like “The Great Unknown” and “Wayfarer” amidst a sharp Gothenburg riff attack in “Watching the World Tree Fall” and “Drown.” Canvas of Silence mete out a balanced approach of light and dark sounds between Theocracyesque prog-power (“One With the Wind,” “Humanimal”) and Madder Mortem-like gothic twists (“Drown,” “Anthem for Ashes”), all reined in by the commanding vocal presence of singer Loimu Satakieli.1 Sitting somewhere between Anette Olzon (ex-Nightwish, The Dark Element) and Agnete Kierkevaag (Madder Mortem), her impassioned and heavily-layered singing turns As the World Tree Fell into a smörgåsbord of lush, catchy and anthemic tunes of an uplifting, sing-along nature. Optimism permeates As the World Tree Fell, felt at a fever pitch on the enormous choral bridge of “Humanimal” and the folky power metal jaunt of “One With the Wind.” Even on lyrically dark/mournful passages like “Wayfarer” and “Garden of the Fallen,” Canvas of Silence deliver soaring, hopeful crescendos that at times reach Fellowship levels of good cheer. Canvas of Silence can craft sincerely beautiful moments, and though As the World Tree Fell’s production can be sterile and overly loud2 I am nothing but excited to see what these Finns can cook up next.

Spicie Forrest’s Punky Proferrings

Violent Testimony // Aggravate [October 17th, 2025 – Horror Pain Gore Death Productions]

Do you wish there was more grind in your life? Well, Cheyenne, Wyoming’s Violent Testimony just assumed you would. Combining the punky flair of Napalm Death with the lead foot ethos of early Pig Destroyer and Cattle Decapitation, debut LP Aggravate is 26 minutes of delicious grindy goodness. From the opening salvo of “God Complex Massacre” to the final detonations of “Hit N’ Run,” Violent Testimony shows absolutely no restraint. D.N.’s Gatling drums mow down everything in their path while T.W.’s serpentine bass clears the chaff and flattens any obstruction. Shrapnel propelled by N.Y.’s brutish, breakneck riffing can be seen burying itself in concrete walls, still quivering (“Rider in the Night,” “Psychotic Episode”). Caustic growls and vitriolic screams tear from T.W.’s throat at mach fuck (“Flashbang Celebration,” “Obligatory Manifestation of Infinite Grind”). With only two tracks exceeding the two-minute mark, Violent Testimony screams their piece with as much sound and fury as possible before moving on and picking their next bone with the system. This keeps Aggravate a lean, densely-packed offering. If you need to get pissed off right now and even the fastest death metal is too slow, Violent Testimony is all too happy to decimate the opposition with you.

Uaar // Galger og Brann [October 17th, 2025 – Fysisk Format Records]

Hailing from Oslo, Norway, crust outfit Uaar celebrates their tenth birthday by releasing their debut LP. Galger og Brann, which means “Gallows and Fire” in Norwegian, expands on the foundations laid by established acts like Skitsystem and Tragedy. With one foot firmly planted in black metal and the other in hardcore, Uaar unleashes a cacophony of rage unfettered. D-beats abound, courtesy of Truls Friesl Berg, creating a frantic, enraged atmosphere. Dag Schaug Carlsen’s blackened rasps are so cold they burn, matching the evil pall hanging over tracks like “Galeås” and “Den siste.” Post-flecked, Ancsty tendencies (“Alt Skal Brenne,” “Overalt”) peek through the feral hardcore riffage (“Håpet forsvinner”) of guitarists Erik Berg Friesl and Jon Schaug Carlsen, while bassist Stian S. Evensen provides the muscle to convince you these guys aren’t screwing around. Uaar is well-versed in their base genres, alternating between and mixing black metal and hardcore effortlessly. The occasional blues-tinged heavy metal lead—as in “Overalt” and “Dolken”—keep Galger og Brann from being a one-note affair. With a dearth of standout blackened hardcore releases this year, Uaar’s Galger og Brann is a welcome—if late—addition to the list.

Scorching Tomb // Ossuary [October 24th, 2025 – Time to Kill Records]

I’ll be honest, I’ve never considered Montreal, Canada, to be prime death metal territory. Luckily, Scorching Tomb doesn’t care what I think. Debut LP Ossuary is an aural violation born of Tren-induced hardcore aggression and filthy old school death metal. With a guitar tone (Philippe Lelbanc) like sandpaper and a bass like swallowing gravel (Miguel Lepage), Scorching Tomb plays in the same cesspools as Bloodgutter and Rotpit. We normally associate melted faces with guitar solos, but that honor belongs to whatever corrosive noises issue forth from vocalist Vincent Patrick Lajeunesse’s guts. Drummer Émile Savard loves a blast beat, often detonating them in short bursts to support an already bone-breaking assault (“Feel the Blade”). “Stalagmite3 Impalement” and “Sanctum of Bones (Ossuary)” are particularly savage, with tetanus-inflicting riffs and bloodthirsty screams threatening to drag you into the crypt to be used for meal prep. On “Skullcrush,” Sanguisugabogg’s Devin Swank perfectly matches Scorching Tomb’s vile depravity, cementing them as a promising new act in the scene. Ossuary is raging, muscle-bound, caveman death metal drowned in a vat of viscera and sewage, and it tastes incredible.

ClarkKent’s Gratifying Goodies

Sutratma // Adrift [October 3rd, 2025 – Self-Release]

While I didn’t purposely seek out more doom during my self-imposed month of picking only doom promos, Sutratma’s fifth full-length, Adrift, ranks as one of the better doom albums I listened to in November. This California four-piece has been writing funeral doom for 15 years, and it shows in their ability to craft effective melancholic slow-burns that strike a balance between melody and crushingly heavy. Adrift impresses straight out the gate with the piano-drenched “Wind and Sea.” This song nicely melds the sorrowful softness of the piano with punishing guitar riffs and impressive growls. Just like stalwarts My Dying Bride, Sutratma mixes growls with cleans, and Daniel Larios’s cleans effectively hit you right in the feels while the growls take on a more despairing note. There’s plenty of variety from song to song, with organs stealing the show on “Guiding Star” and a lovely melody on “The Great Bereaver” that builds up to a moving finale. Just like with Oromet, there’s a serenity to the music that is calming, and the skilled songwriting and musicianship lends a poignancy to it all. With the frenzy of list season upon us, it’s nice to have something like this to remind us that it’s okay to just slow down—even when an angry ape is berating you for more content.

Starer // Ancient Monuments and Modern Sadness [October 10th, 2025 – Fiadh Productions]

Josh Hines, the one man behind black metal project, Starer, has been very busy. Since forming Starer in 2020, he has released four EPs and now, with the release of Ancient Monuments and Modern Sadness, four LPs. I first became acquainted with this band on 2023’s Wind, Breeze, or Breath and was taken in by Hines’s aggressively atmospheric take on black metal. Ancient Monuments and Modern Sadness hits the ground running on “I Cry Your Mother’s Blood” with some aggressively catchy melodies. The aggression continues on “Il-Kantilena” with its icy riffs and pumping blast beats. Meanwhile, “The Field of Reeds” combines the black n’ roll of Fell Omen with the fuzzy reverb of atmoblack for a rollicking good time. Hines screams into the void as subdued symphonics add layers of melody, providing a surprising amount of depth to each song. Because of the frenetic pace, the 50-minute runtime flies right by, even as songs like “Song of the Harper” do their best to vary the tempo. For black metal, the production is lush and gorgeous, giving air to all instruments. The epic, ten-minute finale is the culmination of Hines’s ability to put together complex and compelling music that both excites by its aggression and dazzles with its atmospherics. Black metal fans should not miss this one.

Grin Reaper’s Haunted Harvest

Black Cross Hotel // Songs for Switches [October 31st, 2025 – Someoddpilot Records]

Three years after dropping their favorably reviewed debut Hex, keys-drenched and industrialized outfit Black Cross Hotel returns bearing Songs for Switches. 80s-inspired synths, mid-paced chugs, and dance-ready grooves pack neatly into forty-one minutes of grubby fun, sure to interest fans of Ministry and Killing Joke, or anyone with a predilection for leather. Where Hex boasted a wider assortment of tempos, Songs for Switches narrows its focus to mid-paced songs with a keener emphasis on keyboard melodies. Averting a direction that could have been limiting, Black Cross Hotel smartly sidesteps this by shaving down song lengths and arranging the tracks for optimal pacing. Individual moments across the album evoke Me and That Man (“Eyes from Nowhere”), Soulfly (“Blood Dance”), and Joy Division (“Typo”), casting an eclectic array of sounds into Mount Gloom to forge ten dangerously fun tracks. Though I liked the album at first listen, it took multiple spins for Songs for Switches’ distilled aesthetic to fully unfurl, and once it did, my appreciation redoubled. With a sinister atmosphere designed as much for pain as pleasure, Black Cross Hotel has readied your room for a night you won’t forget.

Miasmata // Subterrania [October 31st, 2025 – Naturmacht Productions]

Still hawking their distinctive blend of meloblack and heavy metal, Miasmata dropped sophomore platter Subterrania on what was one of the most congested release days of 2025.4 In addition to the recurring influences of Windir (“Die at the Right Time”) and Iron Maiden (the intro to “Subterrania” smacks of The X Factor), Subterrania adds a dollop of thrash into the mix. Opener “Those Who Cross the Flame” struts out with a punky riff that wouldn’t be out of place on an Anthrax record, while “Full of the Devil” tastes as much like Testament or Havok as Diamond Head. The beauty of Miasmata, both on debut Unlight: Songs of Earth and Atrophy and Subterrania, is one-man mastermind Mike Wilson’s aptitude to synthesize a mighty host of influences into a unique sonic palette all his own. As Sharky noted in Unlight’s review, Miasmata has a knack for remarkable restraint. Subterrania clocks under forty minutes, layering slithery riffs upon one another in a way that propels the music in constant motion, shifting and unfolding so organically that the album slips by before you realize it’s over (an especially impressive feat considering the self-titled closer’s near fourteen-minute runtime). If you missed Miasmata’s latest on release day, go rectify that. Don’t let Subterrania get lost to the underground.

Dolphin Whisperer’s Autumnal Anomoly

夢遊病者 // РЛБ300119225 [October 28th, 2025 – Self Release]

As if plucked into lucidity from amidst a hazy, proggy machination, РЛБ30011922 steps into its narrative—an exploration of a beloved figure in its creator’s life, including sound clips describing the trials through which she persisted—with an entrancing stumble. Through an understated math rock lens, tight kit rhythms with a tension-building hi-hat clashes strut against a loud and leading bass voice across 37 minutes of fluid guitar textures. Whether it’s the chunky fusion reminiscent of Hackett-era Gordian Knot, the playful rhythmic post-rock that evokes a band like toe, or the fuzzed-out punctuation that tell a prog tale as ’70s King Crimson would, 夢遊病者, also known as Sleepwalker, makes their love of sound as clear as their love of РЛБ30011922’s inspiration. In a setting this free and detailed, not a single moment of this one-long-song opus passes by without taking a moment to focus on a given performer’s escalation in the drama of the movement. Wielding short guitar solos as segues into popping double-kick trots, spoken word exposition as pedal switch-up opportunities, all leading to a crescendo of bent and bluesy expression, 夢遊病者 succeeds in more than just holding an audience captive with their jammy and heartfelt statement. РЛБ30011922, like the shorter form releases that have graced these halls before, will have you coming back time and time again to explore its sentiments, which feel both traced from a dream yet rooted in rich, earthly tone pleasures.

Saunders’ Slinky Sneaks

Enragement // Extinguish All Existence [October 31st, 2025 – Transcending Obscurity]

The back end of 2025 has thrown down some delightfully vicious, chunkified, and straightforward death metal gems, courtesy of the likes of Depravity, Glorious Depravity and Terror Corpse. Not to be discounted, Finland’s Enragement dropped their own intense slab of brutal death on fourth LP, Extinguish All Existence. Cutting with any pleasantries, Enragement get down to business, slamming through a tight, burly collection of Americanized death, keenly treading a balance between thuggish beatdowns, chest-busting blasts, slammy, pig-squealing grooves, and more traditional, though deceptively diverse brutal death fare. Despite the certifiably crushing formula deployed, there is an air of accessibility, perhaps attributed to the clean but suitably beefy production job, bludgeoning, addictive grooves and sinister currents of atmospheric melody flowing through the album’s riff-centric veins. Thrashy, straightforward bursts of fury are tempered by more technical flourishes and an impressively versatile vocal assault. The likes of Devourment, Deeds of Flesh, Dawn of Demise and Benighted are perhaps fitting reference points, however, Enragement blast their own path of uncompromisingly heavy destruction.

Stephen Brodsky // Cut to the Core Vol. 1 [October 3rd, 2025 – Pax Aeturnum]

There are a couple of ways to broach this latest solo endeavor from lovable rogue and Cave In/Mutoid Man mastermind Stephen Brodsky. Brodsky delivers refreshed interpretations of various ’90s hardcore songs, reimagined in acoustic form. Those familiar with the original compositions will likely have fun dissecting and comparing the original anthems. While others, such as myself, largely unfamiliar with the originals, can enjoy these polished takes in their reimagined form, without comparison. Over the years, I have developed a strong connection with Brodsky’s works and come to appreciate his softer, acoustic flavorings. The likes of Snapcase, Converge, Texas is the Reason, Threadbare and By the Grace of God are some of the acts covered with typical style, zest, and emotion. Brodsky’s expressive and emotive delivery showcases both a loving appreciation of the material and deeper emotional connection that bleeds through the often darker, melancholic vibes of the acoustic constructions. The collection is remarkably consistent and infectious, highlighted by Brodsky’s crisp and soulful acoustic playing and distinctive singing voice on standout cuts, including “Windows” (Snapcase), “Benchwarmer” (Lincoln), “Fissures” (By the Grace of God), “Farewell Note to This City” (Converge), and “Voice” (Sense Field).

Soul Blind // Red Sky Mourning [October 10th, 2025 – Closed Casket Activities]

Riding a familiar wave of early ’00s alt-rock/metal and ’90s grungy nostalgia, New York’s Soul Blind emerge with sophomore LP, Red Sky Mourning. Although they tread dangerously close to overt derivation of prominent influences, including Alice in Chains, Deftones, and Helmet, Soul Blind manage to just stay afloat on their own terms. The dreamy melodies, chunky alt metal riffs, and soaring, Cantrell-esque vocal melodies cultivate some earwormy hooks and fuzzy, 90s/’00s feels. Soul Blind possess a knack for writing textured, mildly sludgy, infectious rock ditties, dabbling in shoegazing atmospherics, and sturdier alt metal territories along the way. Soul Blind relish in AIC inspired earworms (“Dyno,” “Hide Your Evil”), grittier, more aggressive alt metal fare (‘Billy,’ “New York Smoke”) and airy, indie pop-rock (“Thru the Haze”). Soul Blind have work to do to stand out from their influences and develop a more unique sound and robust character. However, the signs are positive for better things to come. Red Sky Mourning is a solid throwback album and handy companion piece to the equally nostalgia-inspired album from Bleed earlier in the year.

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