#chilean-metal — Public Fediverse posts

Seems like the Filtration system is overburdened once again. Normally, my minions have to scavenge much longer to pick things up this early in the year, but 2026 is proving to be rich in moderately precious metallic ore. That just means I gotta push my team even harder to pull greater loads of filth from the ducts!

As I send them in for yet another round, please enjoy the spoils thus far exploited. BEHOLD!

Kenstrosity’s Tattered Tome

Overtoun // Death Drive Anthropology [February 13th, 2026 – Time to Kill Records]

Chilean progressive death thrash outfit Overtoun is what you get when you mix old school Death and Atheist with the proggier side of Pestilence, then amp the thrash up by a half turn. At a lofty 50 minutes, you’d expect third release Death Drive Anthropology to drag on, but to make that assumption is to criminally underestimate Overtoun’s creativity and versatility. Opening up the throttle in fine form, the one-two punch of “What Unites All (ft. Max Phelps) and “The Final Beat” manages to encompass many of these Chileans’ songwriting and performance skills in a scant 10 minutes. More introspective, nuanced songwriting takes center stage throughout Anthropology’s midsection, balancing smart melodies and minimalist atmosphere with complex guitar layering, proggy structures, and shreddy wizardry (“Dur Khrod,” “Jade, Gold, Obsidian,” “Yurei,” “Weeping”). The three-part “The Waves Suite” suite adds a mystical character to the affair that blends remarkably well with Overtoun’s more overt political messaging and emotional textures, which helps carry the record through its lengthy runtime without causing fatigue. It’s a neat record that’s modestly blemished by a bass presence that begs for more weight and wildness, especially considering the raw talent on hand. Nonetheless, if you’re looking for a creative, thoughtful, and sophisticated entry into the death/thrash progosphere, Death Drive Anthropology makes a strong case.

Andy-War-Hall’s Primordial Pick-Up

The Grand Myth // Of Vultures and Dragons [February 26th, 2026 – Suncrusher Recordings]

I have a grossly limited capacity for seriousness. Yeah, I like my death metal progressive, technical, and thoughtful, much the way Brandon Bordman’s The Grand Myth deliver it on their latest record, Of Vultures and Dragons, but sometimes I just want fun, too. Of Vultures and Dragons, an adaptation of Ethan Pettus’ novel series Primitive War1 in which a rescue team searches a Vietnamese jungle for a missing platoon of Green Berets and fights for their lives against dinosaurs, has fun in spades. Utilizing a many-layered guitar attack (“Symbiotic Death”), shifting and propulsive rhythms (“Through the River Styx”), a wide cast of voice actors for brief narrative bits2 and surprisingly bright tones (“Agony”), The Grand Myth’s approach to progressive death metal isn’t revolutionary, but it’s deeply refreshing and engaging regardless. Though an absolute blast, The Grand Myth doesn’t spew embarrassingly stupid levels of campiness with their sci-fi dinosaur theming like Victorius. Rather, Of Vultures and Dragons can be fairly emotionally effective at times thanks to Bordman’s emotive clean/harsh vocals and elaborate soloing (“Pyre,” “Agony”). Nobody asks about your favorite dinosaur anymore,3 so feed your inner kid with The Grand Myth’s Of Vultures and Dragons now!

Saunders’ Sunken Shards

Puscifer// Normal Isn’t [February 6th, 2026 – Alchemy Recordings]

After losing track of recent offerings, I reacquainted myself with the latest LP from Puscifer, leaving me pleasantly surprised in the aftermath. The project featuring Tool/A Perfect Circle frontman Maynard James Keenan returned for their first hit out since 2020’s Existential Reckoning. Normal Isn’t finds the shape-shifting project embracing its quirky, gothy industrial rock and electronic elements through an angsty filter of guitar-driven arty rock, post-punk, and infectious songcraft. Age should not weary Maynard, as he still sounds angry, cynical, and on point vocally through a mostly engaging, catchy bag of tunes. The dueling vocal melodies with collaborator Carina Round’s ghostly singing work a treat amidst jittery beats, angular riffs and strong electronic overtones. Rhythmically, it is an interesting ride, drummer Gunnar Olsen putting in a top-notch performance, while there is a vaguely progressive edge underlying the hook-centric songwriting. Opener “Thrust” sets the album in motion with sticky hooks, a darkly humorous, unhinged Maynard performance, and a dose of spite. Other key highlights include “Bad Wolf,” “Self Evident,” “A Public Stoning,” and “ImpetuoUs.” Puscifer made a fine return with Normal Isn’t.

Jack Harlon & The Dead Crows // Inexorable Opposites [February 6th, 2026 – Magnetic Eye Records]

You’ve gotta love a sneaky name drop from our trusty commentariat. It has led to many great discoveries over the years. On this occasion, one of our dear commenters enlightened me to Melbourne psych-blues-doomers Jack Harlon & the Dead Crows with fourth LP, Inexorable Opposites. And it didn’t take long absorbing this latest slab of rustic Aussie coolness to be struck by the album’s slow-burning, addictive power, and gritty tones. Boasting an expansive, rugged sound built on layers of distortion and a weighty blend of psych-drenched blues and doom heaviness. Jack Harlon & the Dead Crows features old school, outlaw-driven lyrical content from mastermind and vocalist/guitarist Tim Coutts-Smith, meshing fictional tales of woe and adventure of character Jack Harlon, with relatable real-life struggles. Through the fuzz, thick jammy vibes, and Coutts-Smith distorted, menacing Aussie drawl, catchy songcraft shines through the muck and psych haze. From the tense, stoner-infected grit and catchy hooks of opener “Moss,” through to the stormy outback balladry of closer “To Die,” Inexorable Opposites is a hard-hitting, riffy delight, further evidenced through scorched earth, infectious cuts like “Venomous,” “Seer,” and the trippy, drug-addled “Mt. Macedon.”

Grin Reaper’s Reaped Recluse

Cold Communion // Monuments to Ruin [February 13th, 2026 – Self Released]

Melodic death/doom isn’t a genre I dabble in often, but every now and again, one of its bands thwarts my defenses and wraps their tendrils around my precious listening time. Durham, North Carolina’s Cold Communion is one such band, featuring Barre Gambling (Daylight Dies) on guitar and Tim Rowland (Alchemy of Flesh, Silent Vigil) on everything else. If that sounds like an unfair split, take a spin and reassess, because Gambling’s performance defines Cold Communion’s melancholic character as much as Rowland’s emotive growl. Forgoing any long-form doom epics, Monuments to Ruin’s longest song comes in at five-and-a-half minutes, with the entire album clocking just forty-five. It’s a tidy platter, and both in song composition and mood shares ample common ground with Finnish sadbois Insomnium. Besides Monuments’ superior production, songs like “A Stillness Survival” and “When the Light Breaks” wouldn’t feel out of place on Across the Dark or One for Sorrow. And despite the somber trappings one might expect from doom-adjacency, there’s plenty of lively riffing and solos to find across Monuments to Ruin, adding a touch of boom to the gloom. In the end, Cold Communion doesn’t reinvent the genre or break new ground, but Monuments to Ruin offers a comfy chair by the fireside on a freezing cold day, and I’m perfectly content with that.

Mossgiver // Renewer [February 6th, 2026 – Sij MusicArt]

Atmospheric black metal often contrasts the beautiful with the bestial, typically prioritizing moods over hooks. ‘Twas a delight, then, to unearth Mossgiver’s Renewal, which deftly combines the two. Weaving together hypnotic passages flooded with strings, piano, flute, synths, double bass rolls, and the requisite blackened tremolos,4 Mossgiver’s mastermind Tilen Šimon (Ueldes) delivers the band’s best record to date. Above all, Renewer sounds like a celebration of nature in the vein of Autrest and Cân Bardd, evoking a whispering wind whipping at leaves or sunlight dappling a brook shaded by oaks and maples. Beyond the well-crafted soundtrack for a walk through the woods, Mossgiver etches emotion into the nooks and crannies of Renewer’s five tracks. From rousing string orchestrations (“I Bring the Spring with Me”) to soft-and-heavy tradeoffs pitting clean guitar and pan pipes against distorted guitar and blast beats (“Renewer”), Mossgiver shimmers with a lush backdrop of instrumentation rife with playfulness and pensiveness. The trio of primary songs5 revolve around powerful melodies that evolve over each track’s duration, with assorted instruments coming in and out to push refrains along. Renewer’s brisk thirty-four minutes showcase Mossgiver’s sticky compositions and leave me whistling its melodies for days at a time. Now throw on your hiking boots and get lost in the Moss.

Ossomancer // Banebdjed’s Path [February 28th, 2026 – Esoteric Evocations]

Six-and-a-half years removed from Ossomancer’s debut Artes Magickae, lone wolf and mastermind Kamose returns to tread Banebjed’s Path. Bursting with references to mythology and mysticism, Banebjed’s Path rumbles and shakes with arcane thunder. Although the backdrop and track names might recall the frenzied onslaught of Nile, Ossomancer instead conceives a realm recalling Aeternam, Iotunn, and Naglfar. Despite the scant thirty-four-minute runtime, Banebjed’s Path sprawls across diverse landscapes and textures. Opener “The Ogdoad Arrangement and the Osirian Creation” oscillates between In Flames melodies and a slinky crawl that could pass for a 90s Geddy Lee bass line played over synth injections from Rush’s 80s era. Follow-up track “Sobek – Cosmic Vibrations Devoured” features Kreator-bred riffing, while closing duo “A Sea of Sand, a Silver Star” and “Retraction into Kether” synthesize the ethereal atmospheres of Iotunn with the blackened assault of Naglfar. Through it all, Ossomancer sounds fabulous, as Banebjed’s Path flaunts an enviable DR 8 and a bodacious mix that spotlights its burly bass performance. Ossomancer’s sophomore outing is crammed with meloblack goodies, and though it’s not a long trek, the journey down Banebjed’s Path far transcends its distance.

Tyme’s Danish Dalliance

Ædel Fetich // Ædel Fetich [February 20th, 2026 – Deadbanger Productions]

That blinged-out pink dish-glove-clad hand is what first drew me to Denmark outfit Ædel Fetich’s self-titled debut. Then I clicked play and was taken on one of the more compelling “black” metal rides in recent memory. With roots primarily buried in the soil of the traditional second-wave, Ædel Fetich is rife with moments of rifferous tremolodic speed (“Ridderlig Lider,” “Madras”) and absolutely berserk guitar chaos (“Sort Magi”). There’s a Trhä-like sense of experimentation, and the rawness of the production enhances the oft-changing compositions, which, like weather in the Midwest, often shift on a dime without warning. Luckily, Ædel Fetich’s adept songwriting organically smooths these transitions, which could have easily come off stilted and jarring, but makes drawing direct comparisons to the Ædel Fetich sound difficult, as there’s a spectrum of other influences at play. There are tracks packed with punky punch (“Et Liv Fuld af Fejl,” “Ildtang”) or imbued with folky reverence (“Mit Billede af Dig”) and even some 80s pop—fans of the movie Flashdance shouldn’t have a problem finding the poppy easter egg hiding near the end of “Sort Magi.”6 Far and away the star of the show, however, is singer Skvat, whose performance is filled with as much black metal bravado as it is theatrical exuberance, his arsenal of shrieks, growls, hoots, howls, and operatic baritonations a refreshing treat, akin to if Mike Patton woke up one day deciding to record a Danish black metal album. Bottom line is, I really dig Ædel Fetich and think you will too.

Creeping Ivy’s Ashen Afterthought

Belzebong // The End is High [February 20th, 2026 – Heavy Psych Sounds]

In my humble opinion, lyrics are key to making stoner metal more than novelty music. If you’re referencing reefer in your album art, band name, and song titles, at least keep the reeferisms out of the songs themselves,7 or better yet, avoid vocals altogether. Taking this latter advice to heart is instrumental Polish four-piece Belzebong, who have been at it for almost 20 years now. On The End is High, their fourth full-length, Belzebong deal 35 minutes of fuzzed-out riffery described as “a new sermon for the final days.” While not as highbrow (huh huh) as the instrumental stoner metal of Bongripper, Belzebong are similarly ominous on opener (yes) “Bong & Chain,” which caps its ten-minute burn with creepy, haunting synths. From there, the band settle into material more akin to Bongzilla; sound clips adorn the chill grooves of “420 Horsemen,” “Hempnotized,” and “Reefer Mortis,” which closes things out with some solid Electric Wizard worship. If you instinctively (and understandably) recoil from music with marijuana aesthetics but dig the meditative repetition offered by stoner metal, consider sampling The End is High. It’s not exactly the caricature it advertises itself as.

Baguette’s Bygone Bounty

Sundecay // The Blood Lives Again [February 13th, 2026 – Self Released]

Toronto’s Sundecay has been around for a while. These Canadian doomers spawned sometime prior to 2014, quietly releasing EP material every once in a blue moon. The Blood Lives Again is their first full-length release—their first signs of life since 2018 in general—and the time and care they took to develop their sound and songwriting prowess pays off here in spades. The doom and proto-doom inspirations from Black Sabbath to Saint Vitus are obvious (“Here Comes the Wizard”), complemented by other influences from proto-metal, psychedelic, and progressive music (“Silence Spoken”). The hefty, layered guitars have a nice fuzz without fully landing in stoner territory. Ambitious long-form tracks like “Will Dusk Defy Dawn” flow like water while carrying significant emotional heft. Lastly, a moody, reverb-heavy vocal performance crowns the classic doom trance the band is aiming for. At five tracks and some 43 minutes, The Blood Lives Again is a total vibe and flies by before you’ve even noticed. Fans of the ’70s should take notes!

Temple Balls // Temple Balls [February 13th, 2026 – Frontiers Music]

One of the most authentic ways you can honor rock music tradition is via questionable naming conventions. On an unrelated note, Temple Balls is a Finnish hard rock/glam rock band, and they’re fun as hell! They’re not particularly new around the block, either: the group formed in 2009, and self-titled Temple Balls is already their fifth album since debut Traded Dreams in 2017. 2023’s Avalanche felt like a watershed moment, a welcome surprise that brought some new life and energy to a fairly dated genre of Europeisms and Hanoi Rocks rehashes. Temple Balls proves that Avalanche wasn’t a one-off, continuing their extremely authentic throwback approach. The heavy/power-metal-meets-AOR direction of songwriting (“Flashback Dynamite,” “Soul Survivor”) gives it that extra guitar oomph and energy that melodic music like this requires to be anywhere near competitive. With great all-out vocals from Arde Teronen and gigantic hooks to match, it’s just a damn good time front to back. Though it will sadly be the last time we’ll hear Niko Vuorela’s guitar work on record (R.I.P., and fuck cancer), the self-titled is certainly a worthy final milestone for him—and hopefully, another beginning for his comrades.

ClarkKent’s Enchanting Earworm

Hela // A Reign to Conquer [February 27, 2026 – Ardua Music]

Just as it put a pause on many plans and projects, the COVID pandemic slowed down the output of Spain’s Hela. A Reign to Conquer marks their first record since 2019’s Vegvìsir, which was their third release since 2013. This brief hiatus brought new blood in the form of vocalist Raquel Navarro, though, in truth, the only consistency in Hela’s lineup is the other three members—Tano Giménez on bass, Miguel Fernández (The Holeum) on drums, and Julián Velasco (The Holeum) on guitars. They have a deep bond, first forged in 2009 with The Sand Collector before forming Hela just three years later. Though they brand Hela as melodic doom, and the band does have a little in common with Katatonia, I think it’s more accurate to describe them as dreamy progressive rock. Navarro is a major reason for this, with dreamy croons that guide listeners through breezy soundscapes. She bears a passing resemblance to Maud the Moth, though the music Hela plays is decidedly more metal than our Dolphin friend’s favorite nocturnal insect. Guitarist Velasco plays a hypnotizing mix of atmospheric fuzz, crushing doom, and melodic riffs that add some heft and crunch to the ethereal sound. A Reign to Conquer has plenty of layers to probe, rewarding listeners who bear with it for repeat listens. While my initial spins left me wanting, I’ve since become spellbound. Add to that some gorgeous artwork, and this is a nice addition to anyone’s vinyl collection. Hela yeah!

Spicie Forrest’s Vicious Vittles

A Wilhelm Scream8 // Cheap Heat [February 27th, 2026 – Creator-Destructor Records]

A Wilhelm Scream9 returns after a four-year hiatus with their eighth long player, Cheap Heat. Sounding like the best combination of The Story So Far and Rise Against, A Wilhelm Scream delivers an impressive tour de force so late in their career. Vocalist Nuno Pereira10 is the highlight of Cheap Heat, driving the album with urgency and passion (“Somebody’s Gonna Die,” “Fell Off”), but no one here is a slouch. The rhythm section—bassist Brian J. Robinson, rhythm guitarist Trevor Reilly, and drummer Nicholas Pasquale Angelini—gleefully tosses gas on Pereira’s bonfire (“I Got Tunnel Vision”) and delivers solid grooves (“Poison II”) and searing ragers (“Unsolving the Mystery”) that keep the energy cranked to 11 all through Cheap Heat. Hooks are by far the most common lead duty, and Ben Murray puts on a fucking clinic. Each note that rings out from his axe sounds like it fucking owns the place (“Run,” “Visitor: Unimpressed”). Cheap Heat is a smidge front-loaded with “Midnight Ghost” and “I Got Tunnel Vision” being album highlights, but no song on here is anything short of a barn burner. At a super tight 28 minutes, Cheap Heat hits hard and fast and gets the fuck out of Dodge before you’re even sure what hit you. I didn’t expect a 26-year-old hardcore outfit to knock my teeth out when I queued it up on a whim one morning, but Cheap Heat is proving to be one of my favorite albums of the year.

Lead Injector // Witching Attack [February 20th, 2026 – High Roller Records]

Who doesn’t like the combination of thrash’s unchained aggression and black metal’s cold hate? There’s never been a better pair. Lead Injector hit the ground running on debut LP Witching Attack. From the opening moments of “Siege Upon Heaven” to the closing moments of “Nuclear Antichrist,” Lead Injector is here to do two things: feed high-speed buckshot to God, skeletons, and anything else that gets in their way, and have a Hellripping good time. “Angel Destructor” and “Siege Upon Heaven” barrel pell-mell through searing riffs and blast beats, while groovier tracks like “Evil Executioner” and “Nuclear Antichrist” let black metal’s punk ancestry shine through. Heavy metal influences a la Judas Priest can be found injected into tracks like “Sacrifice This Bitch” and “M.C.C.I.” While nothing about Lead Injector’s sound is particularly new, I’m not sure that’s a bad thing. This debut is a unique and retro spin on a tried-and-true formula that bodes well for a young band. Witching Attack is a killer time that Ash Williams would gladly spin while boomsticking Deadites alongside Lord Arthur’s army.

What’s your favorite slam album and why? Do you value catchiness in your big bruutz? Clear production? Melodic presence? My favorite slam alternates with my mood between Devourment’s Obscene Majesty and Analepsy’s Quiescence; the former for the excellent execution of such a narrow sound, and the latter for the colors and beauty imbued into the otherwise bone-shattering grooves. Though given a bad rap for its easy-to-emulate smoothbrain caveman stereotypes, slam has shown much evolution in recent years as bands continue to push and redefine the limits of extremity. Hailing from Chile, new outfit Sermon to the Lambs have arrived with their self-titled debut, coming with the usual aggrandizing promises of maximum aural violence and assurances of a downright traumatizing listen for anyone who has ears to hear; will this sermon find the hearts of true believers or leave the congregation cold and unmoved?

Well, at least they know their way around a riff. Periodic snapshots show Sermon to the Lambs at their proselytizing best, with the occasional moment raising itself to headbangable proportions (“Crowned King of the Worms”, “God Spat and the Man was Done”) with a high octane assault. Slam styles range from the chunkier chromatic walks of Maggot Colony or Condemned, to moodier setpieces near the end of “Clergy’s Malevolence” for tonal shift and a sense of climax to round out the release. Melodies are almost completely excised in favor of a full steam ahead barrage, which rarely tinkers with tempo changes or distinguishing features, placing Sermon to the Lambs as students of the class of professors Disgorge and Gorgasm with regard to their commitment to bludgeoning the listener to death.

Sermon to the Lambs by SERMON TO THE LAMBS

Unfortunately, those highlights are few and far between and only serve to exacerbate how unbelievably bland this album is. Vocalist Richard Aguayo falls prey to the maddening trend of not knowing how to let his vocals support the music, choosing instead to slather almost the entire album with belches and brees which possess little sense of diction or phrasing. His gutturals are excellent, but the frustrating insistence on double-tracking them with his more shrill screams is not, and the mix has him pushed so far forward that he frequently drowns out whatever interesting musicality might be hiding underneath. Songs stop and go on a dime, and frequently I’d be surprised to see I was several tracks deeper into a listen than I thought I was, thanks to song conclusions and kick-offs blurring together in composition. Any random 30 seconds chosen to play would certainly unleash an attack filled with energy and enthusiasm, but Sermon to the Lambs is utterly devoid of truly head-spinning moments or anything to warrant repeat listens.

What is the biggest culprit for this? The mix is no help, with all the knobs on the board shoved all the way up to 11, leaving instrument and vocals fighting for attention while the bass’s body is buried in the backyard and forgotten. For the most part, the riffs are no help, a hodgepodge of expected staccato presentations and a beige haze of blasts. The drumming is no help; while skillfully delivered, there are certainly no fills to catch the listener’s attention. Other than the aforementioned moments of semi-memorability in the bookending tracks, there’s definitely no run of riffs to raise horns and toss beer at innocent passerby. Sermon to the Lambs lacks any dose of menace or cinema, though the band definitely tries, taking a page from the book of Brodequin and injecting some Gregorian chant into an intro (“Maximum Apostasy”) before that too devolves into paint-drying and bird watching. The closing track makes a valiant effort to get some real atmosphere with its tempo shifts, and Sermon to the Lambs wisely err on the side of brevity with the releases 30 minute runtime. But ultimately, this is an opaque, textureless, flavorless album, so focused on the brutalizing that it never manages to get out of first gear and approach anything with replayability.

I’ve wrestled for a while on why this is. Objectively, there’s nothing executed that’s “poor” in the literal sense. Instruments are played well, throats are wildly abused, and snares blow out the treble in your speakers with savage glee. One might argue that this was the very vision, and if such monotonous brutality is your jam, you’ll probably find lots more to like here. But slam is capable of its own artistic merit and is more than malleable to compositional adventures, and Sermon to the Lambs is lacking heavily in both artistic vision (beyond “kill”) and compositional adventures. If straightforward jackhammer thrashings are your parish, you’ll find plenty of good word here, but this lion lamb will be attending services elsewhere.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 41 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Comatose Music
Website: Album Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: March 6th, 2025

New year, new beginnings. And just as my resolutions refresh and my word count resets to zero, Chilean quartet Oraculum arrives to break the seal. These connoisseurs of the “tried and true” first graced these pages more than ten years ago with their counter-breaking EP, Sorcery of the Damned—back when EPs still qualified for regular reviews outside of our now annual EP/Split/Single Roundups.1 That initial offering was a grim manifesto on old-school death metal (OSDM), forging deathly Incantations into a sharp, lethal slab of barbaric hostility. After a second EP and years of underground existence, these purveyors of all things old are ready to exhume the classic formula once again. Far from reinventing the wheel, with their first full-length, Hybris Divina, Oraculum is out to prove that while the year is new, death metal’s ancient pulse remains as potent as ever.

Hybris Divina is a primordial love letter to OSDM’s early days. Oraculum leans into the festering rot of early Death and Morbid Angel, anchored by Scourge of God’s vocals—a throat-shredding hybrid of Obituary-style barks and classic Motörhead grit. On standouts like “Spiritual Virility,” “Mendacious Heroism” and “The Great One,” Scourge and Gaius Coronatus’ guitars collide in a cavernous vortex of spiraling mid-tempo riffs, trilling leads, abyssal whammy-dives and violent tremolo churns, punctuated by Conqueror of Fear’s unhinged tribal blasts. Bathed in a thick, suffocating reverb, Hybris Divina floods its own tomb with an opaque production style that demands a period of ear adjustment for Oraculum’s sound to translate into its intended, grim form, but also grants the kit a massive boom and the guitars a meaty, ghastly allure.

Hybris Divina by Oraculum

Hybris Divina reaches its apex when Oraculum relies on its high-energy, technical merits. “Mendacious Heroism” and “The Great One” serve as the primary conduits for the album’s fury, resurrecting the primitive spirit of Scream Bloody Gore with serrated, stair-stepping riffs and a turbulent sense of movement. While the performances embrace a rugged looseness—resulting in the occasional missed beat or frayed edge—these human imperfections ultimately bolster Hybris Divina’s grit rather than hinder its occult-infused frenzy. Scourge’s vocals remain Oraculum’s most consistent strength, delivering disgusting viscosity with tons of emotion and a satisfying gruffness to guide even the album’s weaker tracks (“Dolos,” “Posthumous Exultation”) to completion. But the clear crown jewel here is the late track “Spiritual Virility.” Ushered in by a badass war horn, it represents the group at their most purposeful. Never feeling too long, the song features an attention-grabbing technical riff-set with all the classic OSDM fixins, culminating in Hybris Divina’s finest moment: a galloping, descending monolithic riff that slices through the cavernous production with genuine hook-driven power.

While the highs are peak OSDM, Hybris Divina frequently loses its way in its own ossurian depths, feeling significantly longer than its 41-minute runtime suggests. Despite consisting of only 8 tracks, the record frequently meanders, revealing a palpable need for tighter editing. “Posthumous Exultation,” “Dolos” and “Mendacious Heroism,” for instance, all drift too aimlessly during their closing stretches, relying on repetitive loops and a deluge of frantic shredding that dulls Oraculum’s lethal edge. Even the superior “The Great One” falls victim to a chaotic shred-fest in its final moments. Making matters worse are the ritualistic intro, “A Monument to Fallen Virtues,” and its mid-album counterpart, “The Heritage of Our Brotherhood.” These short pieces are difficult to justify; their spoken-word segments and anemic guitar leads feel more like distractions than essential thematic segues. This is particularly frustrating because Oraculum clearly understands the value of a motif, like when “Carnage” successfully revisits the record’s opening themes to create a much-needed sense of continuity within the mayhem.

Hybris Divina delivers some solid cuts of old-fashioned death worship that, despite stumbling over its own arcane fervor, remains unapologetically true to its roots. There is plenty of primal substance here for the OSDM faithful to satisfy their cravings for the new year, but inconsistent songwriting and bloat mask Oraculum’s true talent. While this Chilean outfit has already proven they can summon the spirit of the genre’s founding fathers in shorter bursts, future offerings must hone the sacrificial blade and tighten the ritualistic focus.

Rating: Mixed
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Invictus Productions
Websites: invictusproductions666.bandcamp.com/album/hybris-divina | facebook.com/oraculum.chile
Releases Worldwide: January 9th, 2026

#ThursDeath for this week is the excellent debut EP 'Under the Mantle of Desolation' from Chile's blackened death-doom outfit MYST that came out a couple days ago.

https://mystoneiric.bandcamp.com/album/under-the-mantle-of-desolation

These are several dynamic, grueling, fairly lengthy slabs of disgust with killer vocals-- including some occasional agonized wails of true despair.

#metal #DeathMetal #DeathDoom #BlackenedDeath #Chile #ChileanMetal #ChileanBands #SouthAmericanMetal #SouthAmericanBands @brian @HailsandAles @rtw @swampgas @Kitty @c0m4 @nnenov @umrk @guffo @flockofnazguls

Burning Sun – Retribution Review

By Angry Metal Guy

By: Nameless_n00b_607

It has been a much slower year for power metal than I would like. There have been a couple of fun releases here and there, but the volume of quality output has been very low. The classic ‘90s style of guitar-forward and keyboard-minimalist power metal has been significantly lacking in particular, and Burning Sun is looking to change that. Naming themselves after a Helloween song,1 this half-Hungarian, half-Chilean duo is on a mission to tell a classic fantasy story through a legacy sound. Burning Sun’s sophomore album, Retribution, lands only two years after their debut, Wake of Ashes, continuing the story of a paladin named Emaly.2

Burning Sun pays homage to various ‘90s European power metal bands well. While the debut was all about breakneck brightness, Retribution sets its sights towards the guitar grit of Iron Savior and Primal Fear (“Cold Winds,” “Fight in the Night”). The anthemic qualities of Helloween dominate across the board (“Open Your Eyes,” “Shadows Undone”),3 and the occasional Iron Maiden-informed gallops and choruses are a welcome presence. Of the duo, Zoltán Papi4 handles the bass and lyrics, whereas Pancho Ireland doubles as vocalist and guitarist. Ireland has a knack for emulating the classic style of power metal riffage they’re no doubt both fans of, opting for rhythmic hooks rather than lighting up the fretboard. He has upped his vocal game, too, navigating wail and grit in Zak Stevens fashion. Furthermore, he is now the only lead vocalist. Where the debut disoriented itself, juggling three voices, Retribution relies solely on Ireland’s pipes and is better for it. Reducing the number of hands on deck reinforces both vocal and instrumental cohesion.

Burning Sun’s focus on guitars over keyboards is a welcome change from current norms. Power metal of the European variety is often mischaracterized as the over-the-top synth-laden side of the genre, even though it’s never been that simple.5 I love a good mission to Mars, but sometimes remaining at ground level is a better option, and Retribution largely sticks to German conventions. Burning Sun enforces a guitar-first attitude and swears by the triumvirate of soaring anthemic vocals, triumphant guitars, and charming choruses. The culmination of this approach is the stunning Primal Fearesque lead guitar melody on “Cold Winds.” Unfortunately, Retribution does stray from its own design philosophy at times. For example, the moodier ‘80s synth stomper “Aftermath” features some vocal fumbles and feels out of place so early into the album. The voice acting at the end of “Cold Winds” is unintentionally hilarious and breaks immersion—once again confirming that storytelling works best when left to the music and lyrics. The album’s minor drawbacks fortunately never snowball into any major issues, and it never loses its critical fun factor.

Retribution is short and sweet but could pack a bigger punch. I’m a big fan of the trend of younger (and even some older) bands starting to write tight and concise records again, and Retribution is no exception. Below 40 minutes and sans the gargantuan epics that often characterize the genre, it’s a highly replayable breeze. But it feels like Burning Sun is still holding back its full potential. The record does its job well but lacks ambition, and I wouldn’t mind it flying a bit closer to the sun—just a bit more heft, speed, and drama to spice things up throughout. Retribution doesn’t need more songs; its material just needs to rip and tear more. It lacks a true barn burner, the likes of “Steel Tormentor,” or indeed, “Burning Sun.” Cuts like “Heart of Darkness” and “By the Light” are damn close to fortune and glory. Likewise, further production improvements can only help. The sound is better than on the debut, but it could still use punchier drums and more prominent bass. I’m content with what the album delivers, but the flame can and should burn brighter.

Retribution is a fun throwback to the glory days of power metal. Burning Sun isn’t doing anything extraordinary, but they’ve accomplished their goals of writing a good, earnest tale of swords and sorcery. It’s the sort of comfort food that I can never have enough of. The trajectory looks promising for Burning Sun, and I’m curious to see if they can enchant their blades in the future and set aflame the ground beneath.

Rating: Good!
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s CBR MP3
Label: Metalizer Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Release Date: August 22nd, 2025

#2025 #30 #Aug25 #BurningSun #ChileanMetal #Europower #Helloween #HungarianMetal #IronMaiden #IronSavior #MetalizerRecords #PowerMetal #PrimalFear #Retribution #Review #Reviews #WorldOfWarcraft

Infernal Thorns – Christus Venari Review

By Kenstrosity

You may ask if the world needs yet another Satan-worshipping, demon-loving, God-forsaking metal band. The rational answer is probably a resounding no. And normally, I would agree. But I recognize that moving away from those themes is a lot to ask of the metalverse. Chilean thrashy death metal imps Infernal Thorns certainly aren’t inclined to stop reveling in hellish delights just because it’s a stereotype. They’ve been doing it since 2003, after all, and doing it quite well. So well, in fact, that after spending two weeks with third tome Christus Venari, I hope they never listen to me and keep churning out killer tunes from the nine circles for all eternity.

Evoking the same raucous debauchery that made icons like Goatwhore famous, Infernal Thorns prioritize riffs, fun, and blistering energy above all else on Christus Venari. A veritable smorgasbord of thrashy outbursts, squealing solos, demonic growls and banshee rasps, and pummeling percussion awaits listeners as they venture through 38 minutes of all-out destruction. With full-bodied tones, serrated distortion, and a clear—but not overly polished—mix, Christus Venari is as pleasing to the ear as it is threatening to the spine. It’s a classic, no-nonsense approach to scorched death metal that honors what made the genre the phenomenon it is today, but with a little bit of infernal magic to keep it fresh and exciting.

Christus Venari is a record capable of overriding the critical thinking process, replacing all higher functions with mindless headbanging and stank-face grimacing. It does this primarily by invoking an endless horde of memorable motifs, thoughtful transitions, and risky songwriting choices that pay dividends. From the outset of pounding opener “Death Chants” to the relentless call and response of “Implore Me,” Infernal Thorns embody the sounds of hell with a salacious enthusiasm sure to infect the minds of millions. This is where those memorable motifs and buttery transitions shine best, especially highlighted by the tremolo-spiced flourish of “Christ Distressed,” the Incantation-ized stomp of “Black Flesh,” the charred one-two knockout of “Finis Incipiet” and “Officiate Lapidation,” and the regal brutality of “Desde El Infierno.” When possessed, “Profane the Mass” comes close to its final throes, Infernal Thorns throw a daring vocal trick into the mix. Modulating death growls into an arpeggiated melody—complete with a pitch shift three repetitions in—Infernal Thorns creates an outright terrifying effect. Another big swing, epic eight-minute closer “Illuminated by the Flames” forges a spine-tingling guitar melody that persists in various forms throughout, drilling its form into my brain for an age, but convincing me of its worth with remarkable consistency.

Considering every song earned mention in a paragraph dedicated to Christus Venari’s virtues, it’s natural to wonder, “What are its sins?” The truth is, Infernal Thorns crafted this record so well that most of its sins are minor, and all are disguised by the sheer amount of fun and the endless vitality it exudes. With time and very focused listens, I found that as successful as closer “Illuminated by the Flames” is, it’s still about two minutes too long with most of its bloat manifesting in an overly extended fade out. Additionally, albeit strong tracks like “Black Flesh” and “Death Chants” are liable to recall influences more strongly than they are to strike a novel chord. Put another way, Infernal Thorns rely on established tropes and beloved genre conventions to hook listeners in with some of these numbers. Consequently, there’s less room to showcase more of the creative songwriting choices that make the most compelling material here (“Profane the Mass,” for example) stand out.

These are but minor quibbles. In sum, Christus Venari is a high-energy, high-reward record, blazing the sky with killer songwriting. It’s been difficult to put down, and with each new spin, I grow fonder of it. It’s not the most creative example of the style, nor will it challenge the status quo of hell-centric death metal. However, it’s the most fun I’ve had with the subject in this style since Nexorum’s incredible Death Unchained, and that’s high praise. Miss this at your own peril.

Rating: Very Good!
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Personal Records
Websites: infernalthorns.bandcamp.com | infernalthorns.com
Releases Worldwide: September 12th, 2025

#2025 #35 #BlackMetal #BlackenedDeathMetal #ChileanMetal #ChristusVenari #DeathMetal #Goatwhore #Incantation #InfernalThorns #Nexorum #PersonalRecords #Review #Reviews #Sep25 #ThrashMetal

Iron Spell – From the Grave Review

By Steel Druhm

Sometimes, we in the AMG Writers Guild grab a promo based solely on the band or album name, or the combination thereof. If it features any derivative of the word “vomit,” you know Mark Z will put his dirty paws all over it. If it has a wonky, prog-tastic moniker, Dolphin Whisper will seize the means of wank production. And if an alloy gets name-dropped, chances are Yours Steely will snatch it quicker than you can say CROM! That’s what brought me to Chile’s Iron Spell and their sophomore release, From the Grave. These chaps have been minimally active since they dropped their debut back in 2016, releasing a single some years and nothing other years. Now they’re finally back in the hunt with a proper new record, and boy does it scream 80s metal with leather-lunged ferocity. It has a NWoBHM foundation, but features nods to the US power metal scene and early speed metal. It’s harder to get more entrenched in the Wheelhouse of Steel than that, so the odds of my letting that creepy floating vampire monster into my humble abode are high.

Things open like a drunken pub brawl in London circa 1979 with “Curse of the Ushers.” It sounds like the earliest days of the British metal explosion, with that trademark punky gallop and unpolished vocals full of piss, motor oil, and beans. It’s a vibrant mash-up of olden acts like Satan, Diamond Head, and Savage, and it plays right into what AMG Himself describes as my “NostalgiaCore” fetish. It isn’t far from what Enforcer and Wolf do, but this feels a bit more authentic to the NWoBHM beginnings. It’s just a fun fucking song with classic heavy metal burned into its genetic code. From there, Iron Spell rip through a collection of old timey tunes that feel like they were exhumed from 1982. “Release from Darkness” is a rabble-rouser that uncorks the high-energy spirit of classic metal while shoving an iron fist down your throat. Then the band shake things up by launching into a 5-plus minute instrumental that brings the thunder to the tundra in happy abundance. I’m not the biggest instrumental appreciator, but this one kicks arse and wins you over with scads of wild and woolly guitar heroics that are tough to resist.

As From the Grave soldiered on, I kept waiting for the bottom to fall out, but it never did. Song after song brings the 80s magic to the party and makes you love the past. Even when “Whispers of Sorrow” shamelessly poaches the guitar lines from Queensrÿche’s “Breaking the Silence,” it still ends up a hard-charging beast feaster with more entertainment value than Lars Ulrich trapped in a hot tar dunking booth. I defy you to spin “Devil King” and not throw horns or execute your best stadium-ready air guitar maneuvers. It’s that kind of tune, and you’ll eat it up if you have any joy left in your jaded soul. Elsewhere, “Deep in the Night” will be my unofficial anthem for this summer as it’s made for loud play whilst slugging cold beers with derelicts and dear ones alike. Without any song tripping and faceplanting, From the Grave ends up a high-spirited romp through the salad days of metal while requiring zero I.Q. points to appreciate what Iron Spell are smelting. At just under 41 minutes, it’s the ideal length, and the songs all burn by in a flash. This is The Way.

This album is a guitar fiend’s wet dream. Fire Jack and Raven (their actual legal names) bring all the chaos, charm, and over-the-toppiness of 80s metal to their riffing, shredding, and lusty soloing. These boys can rip up a fretboard and do so at every opportunity. The rough n’ ready riffs are plentiful and punchy, and when it’s time for dueling solos, you get PainkillerERED. They go all in on the six-string abuse in the name of excess, leaving you rocked hard and put away moist. Frontman Merciless K.co (wut) has a wild vocal approach, sometimes sounding like Enforcer’s Olof Wikstrand, occasionally like Wolf’s Niklas Stålvind, and other times like a Screaming Mimi. His delivery is raw and unpolished, and at points his tone and pitch wander off the reservation, but it doesn’t even matter. The vocal pandemonium is a big part of the album’s charm, and it works for Iron Spell even when it absolutely shouldn’t.

From the Grave is a delightfully unhinged trip back to the early days of metal’s majesty, and I’ll be spinning it a ton as a salve for the emotional wounds left by Ozzy’s passing. This is like a party in a can, and you should crack it open and see what happens next. We all need a little pick-me-up right now, right? Iron Spell has you covered in unbridled 80s glory.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Dying Victims
Websites: facebook.com/ironspell | instagram.com/iron.spell
Releases Worldwide: July 25th, 2025

#2025 #35 #ChileanMetal #DyingVictimsProductions #Enforcer #FromTheGrave #IronSpell #Jul25 #NOWBHM #Review #Reviews #Satan #Savage #Wolf

Mawiza – ÜL Review

By ClarkKent

Mawiza, an indigenous band from Wallmapu, a territory out of South America’s Mapuche Nation (spanning Chile and Argentina), has seen a sudden rise in recent years. Formed in 2014 as Nunca Seremos Dichosos, their second album, 2019’s Kollong, would go on to win them Chile’s version of the Grammy awards (called the Pulsar Award) for Best Metal Artist. In 2021, they adopted the name Mawiza and decided to sing entirely in their ancestral language, Mapuzungum, instead of Spanish. Their music garnered enough attention from Gojira, Mastodon, and Mercyful Fate to open shows for them in front of large crowds, and Gojira’s Joe Duplantier even collaborates on a song with them. To top it off, Seasons of Mist saw enough in Mawiza to sign them ahead of the release of their debut, ÜL. 1 They’ve got quite a story, and now we find out if they have the goods.

The word ÜL means chant, and that’s a good description for their overall musical approach. Lead singer Awka Mondaka delivers a chant-like vocal performance, and the guitars and drums play a start-stop rhythm that complements Mondaka’s chants. Gojira’s influence is undeniable in the form of pinch harmonics and slides that constitute major instrumental techniques. The intro to “Wingkawnoam” sets the stage for the harmonics, and hardly a minute passes on ÜL without hearing them. Mawiza uses the combination of pinch harmonics, guitar riffs, and heartbeat-like drums to create a groovy sound that’ll get you bouncing and swaying side to side. A couple of breakdowns (“Ngulutu,” “Nawelkünuwnge”) lend a metalcore touch, though their overall sound defies simple genre tags. Nature is also an important component, both thematically and aurally. With a good pair of headphones, you can hear birds tweeting (“Wingkawnoam”) and insects trilling (“Pinhza Ñi Pewma”).

While the early songs have moments of groove to keep things fun, it’s the middle of ÜL that shines the most. These tracks stand out as more melodic than the rest. “Mamüll Reke” is a slower, ballad-like tune, but it’s also one of the catchier tracks, with a chorus that’ll make you want to learn Mapuzungum so you can sing along. It’s the closest to having a traditional structure of any song on ÜL, which makes its selection as one of the lead singles no surprise. Perhaps my favorite is “Wenu Weychan,” which creates some great energy with a combination of thumping, heavy guitar riffs and powerful blast beats. In particular, Txalkan’s rhythmic drum work makes this so much fun that you want to get up and dance. Yet these songs also display some of Mawiza’s songwriting pitfalls. As much as I love “Wenu Weychan,” it goes on for two minutes too long with some weird instrumental shenanigans. “Nawelkünuwnge,” which opens with an enjoyable Pantera-like riff, eventually devolves into an unusual drop beat breakdown. Decisions like these kill the momentum on otherwise killer tunes.

The final third of ÜL highlights its true weaknesses. “Lhan Antü” and “Kalli Lhayay” feel like half-baked rough drafts instead of well-tuned, coherent tracks. There’s a moment three minutes into “Lhan Antü” where it begins to transform into a different, far more interesting song, but the rest of it sounds like aimless banging on the drum and noise-making with guitars. “Kalli Lhayay” makes use of cybernetic-sounding riffs and vocals that sound like Skynet hacked into Mawiza’s recording session. The conclusion of “Kalli Lhayay” demonstrates how grating those pinch harmonics can be from overuse–at the most extreme, they sound like a simulation of tinnitus. The inability to write memorable hooks and melodies leads to inconsistencies throughout ÜL.

Perhaps it’s my Western concept of music that is getting in the way of enjoying Mawiza’s ÜL as much as I should. I like hooks and melodies, and it’s not as if the album is entirely devoid of these things, but it’s not as hooky or melodic as I’d like. There’s plenty to enjoy, though. The energy on display provides almost enough momentum to carry throughout the entirety of the record. And even if the songwriting is uneven, the musicianship is top-notch. I’m not a guitar player, but I can appreciate the difficulty of playing pinch harmonics, especially to the extent that Mawiza employs them here. I see ÜL as a good start, and with some better songwriting, the next one could be something special.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Seasons of Mist
Website: Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: July 18th, 2025

#25 #2025 #ChileanMetal #DeathMetal #Gojira #GrooveMetal #Jul25 #Mastodon #Mawiza #MercyfulFate #Metalcore #Pantera #Review #Reviews #SeasonsOfMist #UL

To Escape – I Wish to Escape Review

By ClarkKent

As the eruption of the craft beer scene saw a proliferation of beer styles, brewers found a need to stand out from the pack. To do so they created variations on the staples, thus the proliferation in IPAs, from hazy to smoothie to west coast. I see a parallel in metal, where bands attempt to stand out with unique genre tags. Thus, there’s doom jazz or blackened thrash or various other combinations. That brings us Chile’s To Escape, a fusion of raw black metal and traditional Latin dance. Anyone drawn by something novel will immediately take an interest based on a description like that. One has to be cautious, however, because there’s a fine line between a well-executed blend of styles and a superficial gimmick. Does I Wish to Escape prove songwriter David Sepulveda a master brewer of eclectic tunes?

In true raw black metal form, To Escape is a one-man band, with all parts written and performed by Sepulveda. Sepulveda predominantly uses stark tremolos that produce a harsh, fuzzy guitar tone. Those same harsh tones, however, create evocative, memorable, and lively melodies. Remarkably, given the usually low production values of raw black, the bass is also a dominant feature, adding a complex layer of funk and soul. Then there’s the major selling point–the percussion. The promo materials promise “snaps, bells, maracas, shakers, and guiro.” While the loudness of the guitars sometimes hides these various instruments, when you can pick them out, such as the early moments of “Those Who Don’t Know,” they add charm, personality, and a desire to get up and shake your hips. Combined with the highly energetic blast beats, it becomes apparent how I Wish to Escape earns a tag as dance music.

If there’s one thing likely to alienate listeners, it’s Sepulveda’s vocals. He sings with such raw, naked pain that you worry about the state of his larynx. If you’re familiar with Wizard Keep or Vampiric Coffin, those will give you a good idea how Sepulveda sounds, only louder. He can sometimes reach a hysterical pitch, sounding like a pleading Gollum (“Desert in My Eyes, In Your Eyes I See”) or an eerie ghoul (“That Unbreakable Chain”), and on a few moments his emotional outpouring is so draining it leaves him wheezing for breath (“Path of Your Destiny”). In an astonishing moment on “The Infinite Chain,” he swaps the shrieks for some cleans–and he sounds quite good! Considering the lyrical content about death and the wish “to escape,” his pained vocal style makes sense. The rest of the music provides a contrast, almost a celebration, to these dark themes. The fast-paced drumming brings vivacity, and the up-tuned tremolos sound buoyant, opposite those of his fellow countryman, Sergio Catalan (Winds of Tragedy), whose tremolos are much more sorrowful.

To Escape displays impressive musicianship and capable songwriting. Much like the raw black metal of Old Nick, the music is catchy and will keep playing in your head long after it’s over. The icing on the cake comes in the final 20 seconds of the already terrific “I Wish to Escape,” where Sepulveda breaks into a triumphant Latin dance beat. There’s so much to discover on I Wish to Escape, providing plenty to surprise and reward with each repeat listen. I can find little to fault on the record, yet it still falls just shy of greatness. The vocal style can be a touch grating, and the guitars tend to be a tad too loud. The drums sound tinny, and the additional percussions, while novel in concept, fail to truly stand out. I found myself simultaneously mesmerized by the musicianship and repelled by the sometimes over-the-top noisiness of the record.

I Wish to Escape is a must-listen for fans of raw black metal. It’s not just because To Escape has crafted a unique blend of styles, but because Sepulveda has created an exciting and enjoyable record. Similar to the satisfaction of drinking a uniquely flavored stout and actually tasting the promised secret flavor, To Escape allows its various flavors to audibly stand out, mostly. For those who choose to let the raw vocals stand in the way of giving the album a listen, you may have to answer to Cherd. Singing in such a pained way against the backdrop of bright dance beats is an artistic choice that serves to highlight the coexistence between agony and jubilation. This is well worth a listen.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: N/A | Format Reviewed: Stream
Label: Liminal Dread Productions
Website: Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: July 11th, 2025

#2025 #35 #BlackMetal #ChileanMetal #IWishToEscape #Jul25 #LatinDance #LiminalDreadProductions #OldNick #RawBlackMetal #Review #Reviews #ToEscape #VampiricCoffin #WindsOfTragedy #WizardKeep