#fumingmouth — Public Fediverse posts

Fuming Mouth Added To The Black Dahlia Murder’s European “Nocturnal” 20th Anniversary Tour

Death metal-laced hardcore outfit Fuming Mouth have landed the direct support role to melodic death metal outfit The…
#Europe #EU #European #FumingMouth #TheBlackDahliaMurder
https://www.europesays.com/europe/139227/

An age-old challenge for critical houses like ours is that, while they simultaneously represent a cohesive vision, each editor should have their own unique voice. As time passes, writers come to AMG and go like so much beef through a meat grinder. All this faffing about to say, we have vastly different opinions, and as senior writers drop bands, new blood comes in to offer a fresh perspective. To this end, our Dear Hollow did not have a glowing opinion of Fuming Mouth’s previous album, Last Day of Sun. For me, it was one of my favorite albums that year and a record I spin frequently to this day. It was a conceptual cavalcade of crushing riffage, emotional asides, and Radiohead-esque interludes all wrapped in the blanket of melancholy that is surviving cancer. Mark Whelan’s epic battle with the dreaded disease inspired their best work, and represented a band at their most powerful, driven, and potent. With their latest, The Ringing Bell, does this inspiration give their latest life? Or are we calling the pallbearers?

If Last Day of Sun was the atmospheric slow-burner, The Ringing Bell is the bludgeoning, neanderthal club. Fuming Mouth’s patented brand of death-infused hardcore in the vein of bands like Gatecreeper, Creeping Death, and Venom Prison is alive and well on their latest record. A more direct analogue to their initial release, The Grand Descent, their latest is efficient, brutal as hell, and full of a downright stupid amount of knuckledraggery. Mark Whelan remains the star of the show with his absurd number of chunky grooves and cragged riffs that fill the record, as well as his Nails-inspired vocals with their trademark frothiness and fuzz. His cleans (while only appearing on a single track this time) remain ethereal, forlorn, and spacious, making the title track an absolute highlight; melding a potent concoction of hardcore death with atmospheric cleans. Jay Weinberg (yes, previously of Slipknot fame) is the newest member, and his style and taste seem much more suited to an act as natural-sounding and raw as Fuming Mouth. His rhythmic drumming, rollicking fills, and snare abuse are more at home within hardcore than the chaotic nu-metal of Slipknot.

For those who felt Last Day of Sun was a letdown, The Ringing Bell will surely please you. There is no shortage of bulldozing riffs, explosive vocals, and blistering drumming. Tracks like “Self-Exhumed”, “Barbian Scourge”, and “Respect Mortality” are sure to topple crowds and maim concertgoers at Fuming Mouth’s next show. Mark Whelen’s divisive clean singing is all but cut from the record, and the album comes in at a slim thirty-four minutes. For many, it will be the antidote to Last Day of Sun. For me, while still a strong record in its own right, I couldn’t help but feel let down by The Ringing Bell. Gone is much of the creativity, replaced by simplified lyrics that feel downright silly at times and a detrimental dedication to destruction. The album bleeds together, and I felt myself hoping and waiting for songs as creative as “The Silence Beyond Life”, “Leaving Euphoria”, and “Postfigurement”. It was a genuine relief when the title track came on and held hints of what made Last Day of Sun so damn affecting to me even to this day.

The Ringing Bell is solid, well played, full of great moments, and genuinely heartfelt in its execution. The production is spot-on with the perfect amount of raw grit and depth, letting the hardcore hit and the death disturb. Kurt Ballou’s mixing is on point as always. Despite these positives, I found the record disappointingly shallow compared to their last album. Song after song follows the same themes of fighting back and positivity in the face of adversity to the point of silliness. I appreciate the message, and it is especially rare in the genre, but it feels childish juxtaposed with the lyricism and emotion of Last Day of Sun.

The Ringing Bell is a tale of two tastes. Those who loved their previous record may find it lacking, especially compared to contemporaries like Gatecreeper’s Dark Superstition or Tribal Gaze’s Inveighing Brilliance. But if you hated Last Day of Sun, The Ringing Bell is here to resurrect your love of Fuming Mouth. Either way, it is a solid record, but whether or not it is truly great depends on your taste for all-out destruction versus the more thoughtful musings of their previous work.

Rating: Good
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Triple B Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Official Site
Releases Worldwide: July 17th, 2026

An age-old challenge for critical houses like ours is that, while they simultaneously represent a cohesive vision, each editor should have their own unique voice. As time passes, writers come to AMG and go like so much beef through a meat grinder. All this faffing about to say, we have vastly different opinions, and as senior writers drop bands, new blood comes in to offer a fresh perspective. To this end, our Dear Hollow did not have a glowing opinion of Fuming Mouth’s previous album, Last Day of Sun. For me, it was one of my favorite albums that year and a record I spin frequently to this day. It was a conceptual cavalcade of crushing riffage, emotional asides, and Radiohead-esque interludes all wrapped in the blanket of melancholy that is surviving cancer. Mark Whelan’s epic battle with the dreaded disease inspired their best work, and represented a band at their most powerful, driven, and potent. With their latest, The Ringing Bell, does this inspiration give their latest life? Or are we calling the pallbearers?

If Last Day of Sun was the atmospheric slow-burner, The Ringing Bell is the bludgeoning, neanderthal club. Fuming Mouth’s patented brand of death-infused hardcore in the vein of bands like Gatecreeper, Creeping Death, and Venom Prison is alive and well on their latest record. A more direct analogue to their initial release, The Grand Descent, their latest is efficient, brutal as hell, and full of a downright stupid amount of knuckledraggery. Mark Whelan remains the star of the show with his absurd number of chunky grooves and cragged riffs that fill the record, as well as his Nails-inspired vocals with their trademark frothiness and fuzz. His cleans (while only appearing on a single track this time) remain ethereal, forlorn, and spacious, making the title track an absolute highlight; melding a potent concoction of hardcore death with atmospheric cleans. Jay Weinberg (yes, previously of Slipknot fame) is the newest member, and his style and taste seem much more suited to an act as natural-sounding and raw as Fuming Mouth. His rhythmic drumming, rollicking fills, and snare abuse are more at home within hardcore than the chaotic nu-metal of Slipknot.

For those who felt Last Day of Sun was a letdown, The Ringing Bell will surely please you. There is no shortage of bulldozing riffs, explosive vocals, and blistering drumming. Tracks like “Self-Exhumed”, “Barbian Scourge”, and “Respect Mortality” are sure to topple crowds and maim concertgoers at Fuming Mouth’s next show. Mark Whelen’s divisive clean singing is all but cut from the record, and the album comes in at a slim thirty-four minutes. For many, it will be the antidote to Last Day of Sun. For me, while still a strong record in its own right, I couldn’t help but feel let down by The Ringing Bell. Gone is much of the creativity, replaced by simplified lyrics that feel downright silly at times and a detrimental dedication to destruction. The album bleeds together, and I felt myself hoping and waiting for songs as creative as “The Silence Beyond Life”, “Leaving Euphoria”, and “Postfigurement”. It was a genuine relief when the title track came on and held hints of what made Last Day of Sun so damn affecting to me even to this day.

The Ringing Bell is solid, well played, full of great moments, and genuinely heartfelt in its execution. The production is spot-on with the perfect amount of raw grit and depth, letting the hardcore hit and the death disturb. Kurt Ballou’s mixing is on point as always. Despite these positives, I found the record disappointingly shallow compared to their last album. Song after song follows the same themes of fighting back and positivity in the face of adversity to the point of silliness. I appreciate the message, and it is especially rare in the genre, but it feels childish juxtaposed with the lyricism and emotion of Last Day of Sun.

The Ringing Bell is a tale of two tastes. Those who loved their previous record may find it lacking, especially compared to contemporaries like Gatecreeper’s Dark Superstition or Tribal Gaze’s Inveighing Brilliance. But if you hated Last Day of Sun, The Ringing Bell is here to resurrect your love of Fuming Mouth. Either way, it is a solid record, but whether or not it is truly great depends on your taste for all-out destruction versus the more thoughtful musings of their previous work.

Rating: Good
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Triple B Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Official Site
Releases Worldwide: July 17th, 2026

An age-old challenge for critical houses like ours is that, while they simultaneously represent a cohesive vision, each editor should have their own unique voice. As time passes, writers come to AMG and go like so much beef through a meat grinder. All this faffing about to say, we have vastly different opinions, and as senior writers drop bands, new blood comes in to offer a fresh perspective. To this end, our Dear Hollow did not have a glowing opinion of Fuming Mouth’s previous album, Last Day of Sun. For me, it was one of my favorite albums that year and a record I spin frequently to this day. It was a conceptual cavalcade of crushing riffage, emotional asides, and Radiohead-esque interludes all wrapped in the blanket of melancholy that is surviving cancer. Mark Whelan’s epic battle with the dreaded disease inspired their best work, and represented a band at their most powerful, driven, and potent. With their latest, The Ringing Bell, does this inspiration give their latest life? Or are we calling the pallbearers?

If Last Day of Sun was the atmospheric slow-burner, The Ringing Bell is the bludgeoning, neanderthal club. Fuming Mouth’s patented brand of death-infused hardcore in the vein of bands like Gatecreeper, Creeping Death, and Venom Prison is alive and well on their latest record. A more direct analogue to their initial release, The Grand Descent, their latest is efficient, brutal as hell, and full of a downright stupid amount of knuckledraggery. Mark Whelan remains the star of the show with his absurd number of chunky grooves and cragged riffs that fill the record, as well as his Nails-inspired vocals with their trademark frothiness and fuzz. His cleans (while only appearing on a single track this time) remain ethereal, forlorn, and spacious, making the title track an absolute highlight; melding a potent concoction of hardcore death with atmospheric cleans. Jay Weinberg (yes, previously of Slipknot fame) is the newest member, and his style and taste seem much more suited to an act as natural-sounding and raw as Fuming Mouth. His rhythmic drumming, rollicking fills, and snare abuse are more at home within hardcore than the chaotic nu-metal of Slipknot.

For those who felt Last Day of Sun was a letdown, The Ringing Bell will surely please you. There is no shortage of bulldozing riffs, explosive vocals, and blistering drumming. Tracks like “Self-Exhumed”, “Barbian Scourge”, and “Respect Mortality” are sure to topple crowds and maim concertgoers at Fuming Mouth’s next show. Mark Whelen’s divisive clean singing is all but cut from the record, and the album comes in at a slim thirty-four minutes. For many, it will be the antidote to Last Day of Sun. For me, while still a strong record in its own right, I couldn’t help but feel let down by The Ringing Bell. Gone is much of the creativity, replaced by simplified lyrics that feel downright silly at times and a detrimental dedication to destruction. The album bleeds together, and I felt myself hoping and waiting for songs as creative as “The Silence Beyond Life”, “Leaving Euphoria”, and “Postfigurement”. It was a genuine relief when the title track came on and held hints of what made Last Day of Sun so damn affecting to me even to this day.

The Ringing Bell is solid, well played, full of great moments, and genuinely heartfelt in its execution. The production is spot-on with the perfect amount of raw grit and depth, letting the hardcore hit and the death disturb. Kurt Ballou’s mixing is on point as always. Despite these positives, I found the record disappointingly shallow compared to their last album. Song after song follows the same themes of fighting back and positivity in the face of adversity to the point of silliness. I appreciate the message, and it is especially rare in the genre, but it feels childish juxtaposed with the lyricism and emotion of Last Day of Sun.

The Ringing Bell is a tale of two tastes. Those who loved their previous record may find it lacking, especially compared to contemporaries like Gatecreeper’s Dark Superstition or Tribal Gaze’s Inveighing Brilliance. But if you hated Last Day of Sun, The Ringing Bell is here to resurrect your love of Fuming Mouth. Either way, it is a solid record, but whether or not it is truly great depends on your taste for all-out destruction versus the more thoughtful musings of their previous work.

Rating: Good
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Triple B Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Official Site
Releases Worldwide: July 17th, 2026

An age-old challenge for critical houses like ours is that, while they simultaneously represent a cohesive vision, each editor should have their own unique voice. As time passes, writers come to AMG and go like so much beef through a meat grinder. All this faffing about to say, we have vastly different opinions, and as senior writers drop bands, new blood comes in to offer a fresh perspective. To this end, our Dear Hollow did not have a glowing opinion of Fuming Mouth’s previous album, Last Day of Sun. For me, it was one of my favorite albums that year and a record I spin frequently to this day. It was a conceptual cavalcade of crushing riffage, emotional asides, and Radiohead-esque interludes all wrapped in the blanket of melancholy that is surviving cancer. Mark Whelan’s epic battle with the dreaded disease inspired their best work, and represented a band at their most powerful, driven, and potent. With their latest, The Ringing Bell, does this inspiration give their latest life? Or are we calling the pallbearers?

If Last Day of Sun was the atmospheric slow-burner, The Ringing Bell is the bludgeoning, neanderthal club. Fuming Mouth’s patented brand of death-infused hardcore in the vein of bands like Gatecreeper, Creeping Death, and Venom Prison is alive and well on their latest record. A more direct analogue to their initial release, The Grand Descent, their latest is efficient, brutal as hell, and full of a downright stupid amount of knuckledraggery. Mark Whelan remains the star of the show with his absurd number of chunky grooves and cragged riffs that fill the record, as well as his Nails-inspired vocals with their trademark frothiness and fuzz. His cleans (while only appearing on a single track this time) remain ethereal, forlorn, and spacious, making the title track an absolute highlight; melding a potent concoction of hardcore death with atmospheric cleans. Jay Weinberg (yes, previously of Slipknot fame) is the newest member, and his style and taste seem much more suited to an act as natural-sounding and raw as Fuming Mouth. His rhythmic drumming, rollicking fills, and snare abuse are more at home within hardcore than the chaotic nu-metal of Slipknot.

For those who felt Last Day of Sun was a letdown, The Ringing Bell will surely please you. There is no shortage of bulldozing riffs, explosive vocals, and blistering drumming. Tracks like “Self-Exhumed”, “Barbian Scourge”, and “Respect Mortality” are sure to topple crowds and maim concertgoers at Fuming Mouth’s next show. Mark Whelen’s divisive clean singing is all but cut from the record, and the album comes in at a slim thirty-four minutes. For many, it will be the antidote to Last Day of Sun. For me, while still a strong record in its own right, I couldn’t help but feel let down by The Ringing Bell. Gone is much of the creativity, replaced by simplified lyrics that feel downright silly at times and a detrimental dedication to destruction. The album bleeds together, and I felt myself hoping and waiting for songs as creative as “The Silence Beyond Life”, “Leaving Euphoria”, and “Postfigurement”. It was a genuine relief when the title track came on and held hints of what made Last Day of Sun so damn affecting to me even to this day.

The Ringing Bell is solid, well played, full of great moments, and genuinely heartfelt in its execution. The production is spot-on with the perfect amount of raw grit and depth, letting the hardcore hit and the death disturb. Kurt Ballou’s mixing is on point as always. Despite these positives, I found the record disappointingly shallow compared to their last album. Song after song follows the same themes of fighting back and positivity in the face of adversity to the point of silliness. I appreciate the message, and it is especially rare in the genre, but it feels childish juxtaposed with the lyricism and emotion of Last Day of Sun.

The Ringing Bell is a tale of two tastes. Those who loved their previous record may find it lacking, especially compared to contemporaries like Gatecreeper’s Dark Superstition or Tribal Gaze’s Inveighing Brilliance. But if you hated Last Day of Sun, The Ringing Bell is here to resurrect your love of Fuming Mouth. Either way, it is a solid record, but whether or not it is truly great depends on your taste for all-out destruction versus the more thoughtful musings of their previous work.

Rating: Good
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Triple B Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Official Site
Releases Worldwide: July 17th, 2026

An age-old challenge for critical houses like ours is that, while they simultaneously represent a cohesive vision, each editor should have their own unique voice. As time passes, writers come to AMG and go like so much beef through a meat grinder. All this faffing about to say, we have vastly different opinions, and as senior writers drop bands, new blood comes in to offer a fresh perspective. To this end, our Dear Hollow did not have a glowing opinion of Fuming Mouth’s previous album, Last Day of Sun. For me, it was one of my favorite albums that year and a record I spin frequently to this day. It was a conceptual cavalcade of crushing riffage, emotional asides, and Radiohead-esque interludes all wrapped in the blanket of melancholy that is surviving cancer. Mark Whelan’s epic battle with the dreaded disease inspired their best work, and represented a band at their most powerful, driven, and potent. With their latest, The Ringing Bell, does this inspiration give their latest life? Or are we calling the pallbearers?

If Last Day of Sun was the atmospheric slow-burner, The Ringing Bell is the bludgeoning, neanderthal club. Fuming Mouth’s patented brand of death-infused hardcore in the vein of bands like Gatecreeper, Creeping Death, and Venom Prison is alive and well on their latest record. A more direct analogue to their initial release, The Grand Descent, their latest is efficient, brutal as hell, and full of a downright stupid amount of knuckledraggery. Mark Whelan remains the star of the show with his absurd number of chunky grooves and cragged riffs that fill the record, as well as his Nails-inspired vocals with their trademark frothiness and fuzz. His cleans (while only appearing on a single track this time) remain ethereal, forlorn, and spacious, making the title track an absolute highlight; melding a potent concoction of hardcore death with atmospheric cleans. Jay Weinberg (yes, previously of Slipknot fame) is the newest member, and his style and taste seem much more suited to an act as natural-sounding and raw as Fuming Mouth. His rhythmic drumming, rollicking fills, and snare abuse are more at home within hardcore than the chaotic nu-metal of Slipknot.

For those who felt Last Day of Sun was a letdown, The Ringing Bell will surely please you. There is no shortage of bulldozing riffs, explosive vocals, and blistering drumming. Tracks like “Self-Exhumed”, “Barbian Scourge”, and “Respect Mortality” are sure to topple crowds and maim concertgoers at Fuming Mouth’s next show. Mark Whelen’s divisive clean singing is all but cut from the record, and the album comes in at a slim thirty-four minutes. For many, it will be the antidote to Last Day of Sun. For me, while still a strong record in its own right, I couldn’t help but feel let down by The Ringing Bell. Gone is much of the creativity, replaced by simplified lyrics that feel downright silly at times and a detrimental dedication to destruction. The album bleeds together, and I felt myself hoping and waiting for songs as creative as “The Silence Beyond Life”, “Leaving Euphoria”, and “Postfigurement”. It was a genuine relief when the title track came on and held hints of what made Last Day of Sun so damn affecting to me even to this day.

The Ringing Bell is solid, well played, full of great moments, and genuinely heartfelt in its execution. The production is spot-on with the perfect amount of raw grit and depth, letting the hardcore hit and the death disturb. Kurt Ballou’s mixing is on point as always. Despite these positives, I found the record disappointingly shallow compared to their last album. Song after song follows the same themes of fighting back and positivity in the face of adversity to the point of silliness. I appreciate the message, and it is especially rare in the genre, but it feels childish juxtaposed with the lyricism and emotion of Last Day of Sun.

The Ringing Bell is a tale of two tastes. Those who loved their previous record may find it lacking, especially compared to contemporaries like Gatecreeper’s Dark Superstition or Tribal Gaze’s Inveighing Brilliance. But if you hated Last Day of Sun, The Ringing Bell is here to resurrect your love of Fuming Mouth. Either way, it is a solid record, but whether or not it is truly great depends on your taste for all-out destruction versus the more thoughtful musings of their previous work.

Rating: Good
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Triple B Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Official Site
Releases Worldwide: July 17th, 2026

FUMING MOUTH (Estats Units) presenta nou àlbum: "The Ringing Bell" #FumingMouth #DeathMetal #Crust #Juliol2026 #EstatsUnits #NouÀlbum #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

FUMING MOUTH (Estats Units) presenta nou àlbum: "The Ringing Bell" #FumingMouth #DeathMetal #Crust #Juliol2026 #EstatsUnits #NouÀlbum #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

Fuming Mouth have unleashed the crushing new single and video for "Cheat Death," the latest preview from their upcoming album The Ringing Bell, arriving in July via Triple B Records.

Details: https://metalinsider.net/video/fuming-mouth-unleash-new-single-cheat-death

#FumingMouth #CheatDeath #TheRingingBell #TripleBRecords #NewMusic

Fuming Mouth have unleashed the crushing new single and video for "Cheat Death," the latest preview from their upcoming album The Ringing Bell, arriving in July via Triple B Records.

Details: https://metalinsider.net/video/fuming-mouth-unleash-new-single-cheat-death

#FumingMouth #CheatDeath #TheRingingBell #TripleBRecords #NewMusic

Revocation are celebrating 20 years of technical death metal with the newly announced 20 Years Of Torment North American tour.

The fall trek will feature support from Fuming Mouth, Defeated Sanity, and Weeping.

Details: https://metalinsider.net/touring/revocation-announce-20-years-of-torment-north-american-tour

#Revocation #DaveDavidson #20YearsOfTorment #TechnicalDeathMetal #DeathMetal #FumingMouth #DefeatedSanity #Weeping #MetalTour #MetalNews

Revocation are celebrating 20 years of technical death metal with the newly announced 20 Years Of Torment North American tour.

The fall trek will feature support from Fuming Mouth, Defeated Sanity, and Weeping.

Details: https://metalinsider.net/touring/revocation-announce-20-years-of-torment-north-american-tour

#Revocation #DaveDavidson #20YearsOfTorment #TechnicalDeathMetal #DeathMetal #FumingMouth #DefeatedSanity #Weeping #MetalTour #MetalNews

Fuming Mouth have announced their new album The Ringing Bell, arriving this July.

The Massachusetts metal outfit has also unleashed the first single, "A Blaze of Nihilism," marking the band's first album with drummer Jay Weinberg.

Details: https://metalinsider.net/video/fuming-mouth-drop-a-blaze-of-nihilism-video-announce-new-album

#FumingMouth #TheRingingBell #ABlazeOfNihilism #JayWeinberg

Fuming Mouth have announced their new album The Ringing Bell, arriving this July.

The Massachusetts metal outfit has also unleashed the first single, "A Blaze of Nihilism," marking the band's first album with drummer Jay Weinberg.

Details: https://metalinsider.net/video/fuming-mouth-drop-a-blaze-of-nihilism-video-announce-new-album

#FumingMouth #TheRingingBell #ABlazeOfNihilism #JayWeinberg

AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö: Acrid Rot – Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall

By Killjoy

“AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö” is a time-honored tradition to showcase the most underground of the underground—the unsigned and unpromoted. This collective review treatment continues to exist to unite our writers in boot or bolster of the bands who remind us that, for better or worse, the metal underground exists as an important part of the global metal scene. The Rodeö rides on.”

Surprise! You probably noticed that I am not, in fact, Dolph. Welcome to a special edition of the Unsigned Band Rodeö exclusively featuring all five members of the Freezer Crew.1 Originally admitted as part of the 2021 casting call, our n00b class was summarily put on ice for a few years until management remembered us the Internet was ready to receive our correct opinions. Due to these unorthodox circumstances, we of the Crew are firm believers in the “better late than never” philosophy. This proved fortunate for the death/doom/sludge group Acrid Rot, who sent us their debut album Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall on the very day of its release. Normally, this is a good way to not get a review, but in this case they get five! Without further ado, let’s examine how well this young spitfire band from Pennsylvania capitalizes on the second chance they’ve been given. – Killjoy

Acrid Rot // Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall [July 21st, 2025]

Alekhines Gun: ”Wiser, Older, Still Hates Sludge” is one of our many banner themes in these hallowed halls. And yet, for every subgenre we hate2 there comes such a well-constructed illustration of the idea that it defies the sn00tiness of even such “above it all” outfits as us, The Freezer Crew. Acrid Rot classify themselves as doom/death/sludge, and while there isn’t really all that much doom, there’s definitely some well-crafted sludgy death. Where Flesh Transcends… is a moody beast, littered in modern The Acacia Strain gloom and an approach to emotive riff-craft adjacent to Terminal Nation and Fuming Mouth. “Where Fangs Supplant Teeth” is as clear of an album mission statement as any, with a chug-centric, lead-slathered construction seemingly showing the whole album’s hand. And yet, the deeper you go, the more Acrid Rot unfurl tendrils in other directions, with “The Torment of Mending” recalling the years of metalcore before that was a dirty word. Surprisingly, acoustic interludes (“A Night Upon the Mire”, “Blood Upon the Cabin Floor”) don’t come across as filler, instead adding more to the mood pervasive through the album in a vein similar to Morbid Angel’s “Desolate Ways.” Some switched-up track sequencing might help Where Flesh Transcends…feel less like an album with two sides (particularly the back half featuring cleans which, while not bad, definitely sound dated and out of place). Otherwise, Acrid Rot have dropped a debut to redeem the honor of deathly sludge in these halls and is worthy of your time. 3.5/5.0

Killjoy: Acrid Rot’s identity seems to be in a constant state of flux, even for a new band. Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall initially struck me as a post-ier Warcrab, ricocheting between death, doom, sludge, and post metal with reckless abandon. The common denominator is lots of grimy yet groovy riffs which, when coupled with Matt Weisberg’s venomous growls yields a pleasurably abrasive result. Acrid Rot makes a positive first impression with opener “Where Fangs Supplant Teeth,” successfully navigating nearly 8 minutes with a feral statement of intent before transitioning to a crushing doom section midway through. There are still some good times to follow, but after this point the pacing becomes choppy and a bit puzzling at times. “To Wallow in Infirmity” is a coarse death metal-leaning track with a slightly underdeveloped outro. “Desidarium” and “The Torment of Mending” both mine similar veins of weighty death-doom, the latter experimenting with clean vocals to middling effect. The two acoustic guitar-picked interludes, “A Night Upon the Mire” and “Blood Upon the Cabin Floor,” don’t add a whole lot, and just one (or none) of them would have sufficed. Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall is worthy of at least a few spins but the overall quality isn’t quite consistent enough to have much staying power for me. 2.5/5.0

Owlswald: Formed in 2022, Pennsylvania-based death/sludge quintet Acrid Rot is a young band and it shows on their debut album, Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall. Although the record shows glimmers of potential, its consistency and execution are frustratingly uneven. Acrid Rot is at its best when the group finds its focus. Tracks like “Desidarium” and the title track are highlights, featuring tight arrangements, quality songwriting and potent, hooky Edge of Sanity-esque riffing that hint at a promising future once the fivesome fully hones its voice. Unfortunately, these standout moments are too few and far between and, as a whole, the album feels more like a rough draft than a final product. While the riffs and vocals lay a raw, powerful foundation, the drumming holds back the songwriting. It feels loose and lacks the precision and energy needed on tracks like “Salvation’s Pointed Knife,” “To Wallow in Infinity” and “The Torment of Meaning.” Other songs, like “Where Fangs Supplant Teeth” and “The Weight of Impermanence,” overstay their welcome without offering enough originality, leaning on repetitive riffs and breakdowns that occasionally stray into generic groove and nu-metal territory. In the end, Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall is a disappointing effort that lacks the polish and creativity for lasting appeal, leaving me to hope that this debut is a mere stepping stone for Acrid Rot and not a sign of what’s to come. Disappointing.

Thyme: Come now, all ye listeners of other things, and prepare to have thy face stanked and thy neck destroyed via vigorous whipped lashings. Pennsylvania’s new sludge act, Acrid Rot, dropped their big ugly Crowbar of a debut album, Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall in July. Flush with enough fat, meaty riffs to keep even the snobbiest of sludge-esieurs satiated, there’s tons o’ melody in them thar hills as well (“Where Fangs Supplant Teeth,” “The Weight of Impermanence”). Once the two-man project of multi-instrumentalist Dax Giglio and vocalist Matt Weisberg, Acrid Rot has expanded into a full-fledged five-piece with enough chops to suggest a group that has been together for way longer. My nod to Crowbar stands as the best comparison, as Acrid Rot execute perfectly on the template that those Nola-ns established with ’91’s Obedience Through Suffering. Weisberg matches Kirk Windstein blow for blow, his gruff, sludgy grunts and gravelly tones (“The Torment of Mending”) a dead ringer for Crowbar’s front man, but with the ace of some absolutely guttural, deathly growls up his sleeve (“Desidarium”) to slide out and win the hand. Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall is one monstrous riff-fest of a debut, and aside from a couple of much-needed acoustic interludes that I enjoyed as well, there wasn’t a moment of this forty-three-minute monster that didn’t have me testing the boundaries of my cervical spine. Why Acrid Rot aren’t signed yet is a mystery, but I’ll guarantee you they won’t stay unsigned for long. 3.5/5.0

ClarkKent: That stench pervading Pennsylvania is none other than Acrid Rot, a group of young upstarts unleashing their debut album on the unwitting masses. Where Flesh Transcends… contains a set of rancid sludge that seamlessly alternates between the creep of doom to more up-tempo death metal. The musicians have a restrained discipline in their approach to the music, allowing ideas to fester develop organically without feeling overlong. It helps that the riffs are a cut above average, and there’s a fair amount of variety. Speaking of variety, vocalist Matt Weisberg is all over the place, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. He alternates between punky shouts and powerful doom growls, but he also manages to surprise with some old school Beastie Boys-like yells (“To Wallow in Infinity”) and slam gurgles (“Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall”). This variety helps prevent the record from growing stale. With a DR 9, Where Flesh Transcends… is well-produced and sounds appropriately putrid, but for something that leans doom I found the drums to be a bit on the weak side. The compositions are the work of mature musicians—a little more bite to the instruments would have elevated the whole package. Nonetheless, Acrid Rot prove themselves a promising new face in the sludge scene. 3.0/5.0

#2025 #AcridRot #AmericanMetal #AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo #AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo2025 #BeastieBoys #Crowbar #DeathMetal #DoomMetal #EdgeOfSanity #FumingMouth #Jul25 #MorbidAngel #Review #Reviews #SelfRelease #SludgeMetal #TerminalNation #TheAcaciaStrain #Warcrab #WhereFleshTranscendsManStandsTall

AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö: Acrid Rot – Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall

By Killjoy

“AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö” is a time-honored tradition to showcase the most underground of the underground—the unsigned and unpromoted. This collective review treatment continues to exist to unite our writers in boot or bolster of the bands who remind us that, for better or worse, the metal underground exists as an important part of the global metal scene. The Rodeö rides on.”

Surprise! You probably noticed that I am not, in fact, Dolph. Welcome to a special edition of the Unsigned Band Rodeö exclusively featuring all five members of the Freezer Crew.1 Originally admitted as part of the 2021 casting call, our n00b class was summarily put on ice for a few years until management remembered us the Internet was ready to receive our correct opinions. Due to these unorthodox circumstances, we of the Crew are firm believers in the “better late than never” philosophy. This proved fortunate for the death/doom/sludge group Acrid Rot, who sent us their debut album Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall on the very day of its release. Normally, this is a good way to not get a review, but in this case they get five! Without further ado, let’s examine how well this young spitfire band from Pennsylvania capitalizes on the second chance they’ve been given. – Killjoy

Acrid Rot // Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall [July 21st, 2025]

Alekhines Gun: ”Wiser, Older, Still Hates Sludge” is one of our many banner themes in these hallowed halls. And yet, for every subgenre we hate2 there comes such a well-constructed illustration of the idea that it defies the sn00tiness of even such “above it all” outfits as us, The Freezer Crew. Acrid Rot classify themselves as doom/death/sludge, and while there isn’t really all that much doom, there’s definitely some well-crafted sludgy death. Where Flesh Transcends… is a moody beast, littered in modern The Acacia Strain gloom and an approach to emotive riff-craft adjacent to Terminal Nation and Fuming Mouth. “Where Fangs Supplant Teeth” is as clear of an album mission statement as any, with a chug-centric, lead-slathered construction seemingly showing the whole album’s hand. And yet, the deeper you go, the more Acrid Rot unfurl tendrils in other directions, with “The Torment of Mending” recalling the years of metalcore before that was a dirty word. Surprisingly, acoustic interludes (“A Night Upon the Mire”, “Blood Upon the Cabin Floor”) don’t come across as filler, instead adding more to the mood pervasive through the album in a vein similar to Morbid Angel’s “Desolate Ways.” Some switched-up track sequencing might help Where Flesh Transcends…feel less like an album with two sides (particularly the back half featuring cleans which, while not bad, definitely sound dated and out of place). Otherwise, Acrid Rot have dropped a debut to redeem the honor of deathly sludge in these halls and is worthy of your time. 3.5/5.0

Killjoy: Acrid Rot’s identity seems to be in a constant state of flux, even for a new band. Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall initially struck me as a post-ier Warcrab, ricocheting between death, doom, sludge, and post metal with reckless abandon. The common denominator is lots of grimy yet groovy riffs which, when coupled with Matt Weisberg’s venomous growls yields a pleasurably abrasive result. Acrid Rot makes a positive first impression with opener “Where Fangs Supplant Teeth,” successfully navigating nearly 8 minutes with a feral statement of intent before transitioning to a crushing doom section midway through. There are still some good times to follow, but after this point the pacing becomes choppy and a bit puzzling at times. “To Wallow in Infirmity” is a coarse death metal-leaning track with a slightly underdeveloped outro. “Desidarium” and “The Torment of Mending” both mine similar veins of weighty death-doom, the latter experimenting with clean vocals to middling effect. The two acoustic guitar-picked interludes, “A Night Upon the Mire” and “Blood Upon the Cabin Floor,” don’t add a whole lot, and just one (or none) of them would have sufficed. Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall is worthy of at least a few spins but the overall quality isn’t quite consistent enough to have much staying power for me. 2.5/5.0

Owlswald: Formed in 2022, Pennsylvania-based death/sludge quintet Acrid Rot is a young band and it shows on their debut album, Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall. Although the record shows glimmers of potential, its consistency and execution are frustratingly uneven. Acrid Rot is at its best when the group finds its focus. Tracks like “Desidarium” and the title track are highlights, featuring tight arrangements, quality songwriting and potent, hooky Edge of Sanity-esque riffing that hint at a promising future once the fivesome fully hones its voice. Unfortunately, these standout moments are too few and far between and, as a whole, the album feels more like a rough draft than a final product. While the riffs and vocals lay a raw, powerful foundation, the drumming holds back the songwriting. It feels loose and lacks the precision and energy needed on tracks like “Salvation’s Pointed Knife,” “To Wallow in Infinity” and “The Torment of Meaning.” Other songs, like “Where Fangs Supplant Teeth” and “The Weight of Impermanence,” overstay their welcome without offering enough originality, leaning on repetitive riffs and breakdowns that occasionally stray into generic groove and nu-metal territory. In the end, Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall is a disappointing effort that lacks the polish and creativity for lasting appeal, leaving me to hope that this debut is a mere stepping stone for Acrid Rot and not a sign of what’s to come. Disappointing.

Thyme: Come now, all ye listeners of other things, and prepare to have thy face stanked and thy neck destroyed via vigorous whipped lashings. Pennsylvania’s new sludge act, Acrid Rot, dropped their big ugly Crowbar of a debut album, Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall in July. Flush with enough fat, meaty riffs to keep even the snobbiest of sludge-esieurs satiated, there’s tons o’ melody in them thar hills as well (“Where Fangs Supplant Teeth,” “The Weight of Impermanence”). Once the two-man project of multi-instrumentalist Dax Giglio and vocalist Matt Weisberg, Acrid Rot has expanded into a full-fledged five-piece with enough chops to suggest a group that has been together for way longer. My nod to Crowbar stands as the best comparison, as Acrid Rot execute perfectly on the template that those Nola-ns established with ’91’s Obedience Through Suffering. Weisberg matches Kirk Windstein blow for blow, his gruff, sludgy grunts and gravelly tones (“The Torment of Mending”) a dead ringer for Crowbar’s front man, but with the ace of some absolutely guttural, deathly growls up his sleeve (“Desidarium”) to slide out and win the hand. Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall is one monstrous riff-fest of a debut, and aside from a couple of much-needed acoustic interludes that I enjoyed as well, there wasn’t a moment of this forty-three-minute monster that didn’t have me testing the boundaries of my cervical spine. Why Acrid Rot aren’t signed yet is a mystery, but I’ll guarantee you they won’t stay unsigned for long. 3.5/5.0

ClarkKent: That stench pervading Pennsylvania is none other than Acrid Rot, a group of young upstarts unleashing their debut album on the unwitting masses. Where Flesh Transcends… contains a set of rancid sludge that seamlessly alternates between the creep of doom to more up-tempo death metal. The musicians have a restrained discipline in their approach to the music, allowing ideas to fester develop organically without feeling overlong. It helps that the riffs are a cut above average, and there’s a fair amount of variety. Speaking of variety, vocalist Matt Weisberg is all over the place, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. He alternates between punky shouts and powerful doom growls, but he also manages to surprise with some old school Beastie Boys-like yells (“To Wallow in Infinity”) and slam gurgles (“Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall”). This variety helps prevent the record from growing stale. With a DR 9, Where Flesh Transcends… is well-produced and sounds appropriately putrid, but for something that leans doom I found the drums to be a bit on the weak side. The compositions are the work of mature musicians—a little more bite to the instruments would have elevated the whole package. Nonetheless, Acrid Rot prove themselves a promising new face in the sludge scene. 3.0/5.0

#2025 #AcridRot #AmericanMetal #AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo #AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo2025 #BeastieBoys #Crowbar #DeathMetal #DoomMetal #EdgeOfSanity #FumingMouth #Jul25 #MorbidAngel #Review #Reviews #SelfRelease #SludgeMetal #TerminalNation #TheAcaciaStrain #Warcrab #WhereFleshTranscendsManStandsTall

AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö: Acrid Rot – Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall

By Killjoy

“AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö” is a time-honored tradition to showcase the most underground of the underground—the unsigned and unpromoted. This collective review treatment continues to exist to unite our writers in boot or bolster of the bands who remind us that, for better or worse, the metal underground exists as an important part of the global metal scene. The Rodeö rides on.”

Surprise! You probably noticed that I am not, in fact, Dolph. Welcome to a special edition of the Unsigned Band Rodeö exclusively featuring all five members of the Freezer Crew.1 Originally admitted as part of the 2021 casting call, our n00b class was summarily put on ice for a few years until management remembered us the Internet was ready to receive our correct opinions. Due to these unorthodox circumstances, we of the Crew are firm believers in the “better late than never” philosophy. This proved fortunate for the death/doom/sludge group Acrid Rot, who sent us their debut album Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall on the very day of its release. Normally, this is a good way to not get a review, but in this case they get five! Without further ado, let’s examine how well this young spitfire band from Pennsylvania capitalizes on the second chance they’ve been given. – Killjoy

Acrid Rot // Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall [July 21st, 2025]

Alekhines Gun: ”Wiser, Older, Still Hates Sludge” is one of our many banner themes in these hallowed halls. And yet, for every subgenre we hate2 there comes such a well-constructed illustration of the idea that it defies the sn00tiness of even such “above it all” outfits as us, The Freezer Crew. Acrid Rot classify themselves as doom/death/sludge, and while there isn’t really all that much doom, there’s definitely some well-crafted sludgy death. Where Flesh Transcends… is a moody beast, littered in modern The Acacia Strain gloom and an approach to emotive riff-craft adjacent to Terminal Nation and Fuming Mouth. “Where Fangs Supplant Teeth” is as clear of an album mission statement as any, with a chug-centric, lead-slathered construction seemingly showing the whole album’s hand. And yet, the deeper you go, the more Acrid Rot unfurl tendrils in other directions, with “The Torment of Mending” recalling the years of metalcore before that was a dirty word. Surprisingly, acoustic interludes (“A Night Upon the Mire”, “Blood Upon the Cabin Floor”) don’t come across as filler, instead adding more to the mood pervasive through the album in a vein similar to Morbid Angel’s “Desolate Ways.” Some switched-up track sequencing might help Where Flesh Transcends…feel less like an album with two sides (particularly the back half featuring cleans which, while not bad, definitely sound dated and out of place). Otherwise, Acrid Rot have dropped a debut to redeem the honor of deathly sludge in these halls and is worthy of your time. 3.5/5.0

Killjoy: Acrid Rot’s identity seems to be in a constant state of flux, even for a new band. Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall initially struck me as a post-ier Warcrab, ricocheting between death, doom, sludge, and post metal with reckless abandon. The common denominator is lots of grimy yet groovy riffs which, when coupled with Matt Weisberg’s venomous growls yields a pleasurably abrasive result. Acrid Rot makes a positive first impression with opener “Where Fangs Supplant Teeth,” successfully navigating nearly 8 minutes with a feral statement of intent before transitioning to a crushing doom section midway through. There are still some good times to follow, but after this point the pacing becomes choppy and a bit puzzling at times. “To Wallow in Infirmity” is a coarse death metal-leaning track with a slightly underdeveloped outro. “Desidarium” and “The Torment of Mending” both mine similar veins of weighty death-doom, the latter experimenting with clean vocals to middling effect. The two acoustic guitar-picked interludes, “A Night Upon the Mire” and “Blood Upon the Cabin Floor,” don’t add a whole lot, and just one (or none) of them would have sufficed. Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall is worthy of at least a few spins but the overall quality isn’t quite consistent enough to have much staying power for me. 2.5/5.0

Owlswald: Formed in 2022, Pennsylvania-based death/sludge quintet Acrid Rot is a young band and it shows on their debut album, Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall. Although the record shows glimmers of potential, its consistency and execution are frustratingly uneven. Acrid Rot is at its best when the group finds its focus. Tracks like “Desidarium” and the title track are highlights, featuring tight arrangements, quality songwriting and potent, hooky Edge of Sanity-esque riffing that hint at a promising future once the fivesome fully hones its voice. Unfortunately, these standout moments are too few and far between and, as a whole, the album feels more like a rough draft than a final product. While the riffs and vocals lay a raw, powerful foundation, the drumming holds back the songwriting. It feels loose and lacks the precision and energy needed on tracks like “Salvation’s Pointed Knife,” “To Wallow in Infinity” and “The Torment of Meaning.” Other songs, like “Where Fangs Supplant Teeth” and “The Weight of Impermanence,” overstay their welcome without offering enough originality, leaning on repetitive riffs and breakdowns that occasionally stray into generic groove and nu-metal territory. In the end, Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall is a disappointing effort that lacks the polish and creativity for lasting appeal, leaving me to hope that this debut is a mere stepping stone for Acrid Rot and not a sign of what’s to come. Disappointing.

Thyme: Come now, all ye listeners of other things, and prepare to have thy face stanked and thy neck destroyed via vigorous whipped lashings. Pennsylvania’s new sludge act, Acrid Rot, dropped their big ugly Crowbar of a debut album, Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall in July. Flush with enough fat, meaty riffs to keep even the snobbiest of sludge-esieurs satiated, there’s tons o’ melody in them thar hills as well (“Where Fangs Supplant Teeth,” “The Weight of Impermanence”). Once the two-man project of multi-instrumentalist Dax Giglio and vocalist Matt Weisberg, Acrid Rot has expanded into a full-fledged five-piece with enough chops to suggest a group that has been together for way longer. My nod to Crowbar stands as the best comparison, as Acrid Rot execute perfectly on the template that those Nola-ns established with ’91’s Obedience Through Suffering. Weisberg matches Kirk Windstein blow for blow, his gruff, sludgy grunts and gravelly tones (“The Torment of Mending”) a dead ringer for Crowbar’s front man, but with the ace of some absolutely guttural, deathly growls up his sleeve (“Desidarium”) to slide out and win the hand. Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall is one monstrous riff-fest of a debut, and aside from a couple of much-needed acoustic interludes that I enjoyed as well, there wasn’t a moment of this forty-three-minute monster that didn’t have me testing the boundaries of my cervical spine. Why Acrid Rot aren’t signed yet is a mystery, but I’ll guarantee you they won’t stay unsigned for long. 3.5/5.0

ClarkKent: That stench pervading Pennsylvania is none other than Acrid Rot, a group of young upstarts unleashing their debut album on the unwitting masses. Where Flesh Transcends… contains a set of rancid sludge that seamlessly alternates between the creep of doom to more up-tempo death metal. The musicians have a restrained discipline in their approach to the music, allowing ideas to fester develop organically without feeling overlong. It helps that the riffs are a cut above average, and there’s a fair amount of variety. Speaking of variety, vocalist Matt Weisberg is all over the place, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. He alternates between punky shouts and powerful doom growls, but he also manages to surprise with some old school Beastie Boys-like yells (“To Wallow in Infinity”) and slam gurgles (“Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall”). This variety helps prevent the record from growing stale. With a DR 9, Where Flesh Transcends… is well-produced and sounds appropriately putrid, but for something that leans doom I found the drums to be a bit on the weak side. The compositions are the work of mature musicians—a little more bite to the instruments would have elevated the whole package. Nonetheless, Acrid Rot prove themselves a promising new face in the sludge scene. 3.0/5.0

#2025 #AcridRot #AmericanMetal #AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo #AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo2025 #BeastieBoys #Crowbar #DeathMetal #DoomMetal #EdgeOfSanity #FumingMouth #Jul25 #MorbidAngel #Review #Reviews #SelfRelease #SludgeMetal #TerminalNation #TheAcaciaStrain #Warcrab #WhereFleshTranscendsManStandsTall

AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö: Acrid Rot – Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall

By Killjoy

“AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö” is a time-honored tradition to showcase the most underground of the underground—the unsigned and unpromoted. This collective review treatment continues to exist to unite our writers in boot or bolster of the bands who remind us that, for better or worse, the metal underground exists as an important part of the global metal scene. The Rodeö rides on.”

Surprise! You probably noticed that I am not, in fact, Dolph. Welcome to a special edition of the Unsigned Band Rodeö exclusively featuring all five members of the Freezer Crew.1 Originally admitted as part of the 2021 casting call, our n00b class was summarily put on ice for a few years until management remembered us the Internet was ready to receive our correct opinions. Due to these unorthodox circumstances, we of the Crew are firm believers in the “better late than never” philosophy. This proved fortunate for the death/doom/sludge group Acrid Rot, who sent us their debut album Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall on the very day of its release. Normally, this is a good way to not get a review, but in this case they get five! Without further ado, let’s examine how well this young spitfire band from Pennsylvania capitalizes on the second chance they’ve been given. – Killjoy

Acrid Rot // Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall [July 21st, 2025]

Alekhines Gun: ”Wiser, Older, Still Hates Sludge” is one of our many banner themes in these hallowed halls. And yet, for every subgenre we hate2 there comes such a well-constructed illustration of the idea that it defies the sn00tiness of even such “above it all” outfits as us, The Freezer Crew. Acrid Rot classify themselves as doom/death/sludge, and while there isn’t really all that much doom, there’s definitely some well-crafted sludgy death. Where Flesh Transcends… is a moody beast, littered in modern The Acacia Strain gloom and an approach to emotive riff-craft adjacent to Terminal Nation and Fuming Mouth. “Where Fangs Supplant Teeth” is as clear of an album mission statement as any, with a chug-centric, lead-slathered construction seemingly showing the whole album’s hand. And yet, the deeper you go, the more Acrid Rot unfurl tendrils in other directions, with “The Torment of Mending” recalling the years of metalcore before that was a dirty word. Surprisingly, acoustic interludes (“A Night Upon the Mire”, “Blood Upon the Cabin Floor”) don’t come across as filler, instead adding more to the mood pervasive through the album in a vein similar to Morbid Angel’s “Desolate Ways.” Some switched-up track sequencing might help Where Flesh Transcends…feel less like an album with two sides (particularly the back half featuring cleans which, while not bad, definitely sound dated and out of place). Otherwise, Acrid Rot have dropped a debut to redeem the honor of deathly sludge in these halls and is worthy of your time. 3.5/5.0

Killjoy: Acrid Rot’s identity seems to be in a constant state of flux, even for a new band. Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall initially struck me as a post-ier Warcrab, ricocheting between death, doom, sludge, and post metal with reckless abandon. The common denominator is lots of grimy yet groovy riffs which, when coupled with Matt Weisberg’s venomous growls yields a pleasurably abrasive result. Acrid Rot makes a positive first impression with opener “Where Fangs Supplant Teeth,” successfully navigating nearly 8 minutes with a feral statement of intent before transitioning to a crushing doom section midway through. There are still some good times to follow, but after this point the pacing becomes choppy and a bit puzzling at times. “To Wallow in Infirmity” is a coarse death metal-leaning track with a slightly underdeveloped outro. “Desidarium” and “The Torment of Mending” both mine similar veins of weighty death-doom, the latter experimenting with clean vocals to middling effect. The two acoustic guitar-picked interludes, “A Night Upon the Mire” and “Blood Upon the Cabin Floor,” don’t add a whole lot, and just one (or none) of them would have sufficed. Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall is worthy of at least a few spins but the overall quality isn’t quite consistent enough to have much staying power for me. 2.5/5.0

Owlswald: Formed in 2022, Pennsylvania-based death/sludge quintet Acrid Rot is a young band and it shows on their debut album, Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall. Although the record shows glimmers of potential, its consistency and execution are frustratingly uneven. Acrid Rot is at its best when the group finds its focus. Tracks like “Desidarium” and the title track are highlights, featuring tight arrangements, quality songwriting and potent, hooky Edge of Sanity-esque riffing that hint at a promising future once the fivesome fully hones its voice. Unfortunately, these standout moments are too few and far between and, as a whole, the album feels more like a rough draft than a final product. While the riffs and vocals lay a raw, powerful foundation, the drumming holds back the songwriting. It feels loose and lacks the precision and energy needed on tracks like “Salvation’s Pointed Knife,” “To Wallow in Infinity” and “The Torment of Meaning.” Other songs, like “Where Fangs Supplant Teeth” and “The Weight of Impermanence,” overstay their welcome without offering enough originality, leaning on repetitive riffs and breakdowns that occasionally stray into generic groove and nu-metal territory. In the end, Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall is a disappointing effort that lacks the polish and creativity for lasting appeal, leaving me to hope that this debut is a mere stepping stone for Acrid Rot and not a sign of what’s to come. Disappointing.

Thyme: Come now, all ye listeners of other things, and prepare to have thy face stanked and thy neck destroyed via vigorous whipped lashings. Pennsylvania’s new sludge act, Acrid Rot, dropped their big ugly Crowbar of a debut album, Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall in July. Flush with enough fat, meaty riffs to keep even the snobbiest of sludge-esieurs satiated, there’s tons o’ melody in them thar hills as well (“Where Fangs Supplant Teeth,” “The Weight of Impermanence”). Once the two-man project of multi-instrumentalist Dax Giglio and vocalist Matt Weisberg, Acrid Rot has expanded into a full-fledged five-piece with enough chops to suggest a group that has been together for way longer. My nod to Crowbar stands as the best comparison, as Acrid Rot execute perfectly on the template that those Nola-ns established with ’91’s Obedience Through Suffering. Weisberg matches Kirk Windstein blow for blow, his gruff, sludgy grunts and gravelly tones (“The Torment of Mending”) a dead ringer for Crowbar’s front man, but with the ace of some absolutely guttural, deathly growls up his sleeve (“Desidarium”) to slide out and win the hand. Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall is one monstrous riff-fest of a debut, and aside from a couple of much-needed acoustic interludes that I enjoyed as well, there wasn’t a moment of this forty-three-minute monster that didn’t have me testing the boundaries of my cervical spine. Why Acrid Rot aren’t signed yet is a mystery, but I’ll guarantee you they won’t stay unsigned for long. 3.5/5.0

ClarkKent: That stench pervading Pennsylvania is none other than Acrid Rot, a group of young upstarts unleashing their debut album on the unwitting masses. Where Flesh Transcends… contains a set of rancid sludge that seamlessly alternates between the creep of doom to more up-tempo death metal. The musicians have a restrained discipline in their approach to the music, allowing ideas to fester develop organically without feeling overlong. It helps that the riffs are a cut above average, and there’s a fair amount of variety. Speaking of variety, vocalist Matt Weisberg is all over the place, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. He alternates between punky shouts and powerful doom growls, but he also manages to surprise with some old school Beastie Boys-like yells (“To Wallow in Infinity”) and slam gurgles (“Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall”). This variety helps prevent the record from growing stale. With a DR 9, Where Flesh Transcends… is well-produced and sounds appropriately putrid, but for something that leans doom I found the drums to be a bit on the weak side. The compositions are the work of mature musicians—a little more bite to the instruments would have elevated the whole package. Nonetheless, Acrid Rot prove themselves a promising new face in the sludge scene. 3.0/5.0

#2025 #AcridRot #AmericanMetal #AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo #AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo2025 #BeastieBoys #Crowbar #DeathMetal #DoomMetal #EdgeOfSanity #FumingMouth #Jul25 #MorbidAngel #Review #Reviews #SelfRelease #SludgeMetal #TerminalNation #TheAcaciaStrain #Warcrab #WhereFleshTranscendsManStandsTall

AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö: Acrid Rot – Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall

By Killjoy

“AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö” is a time-honored tradition to showcase the most underground of the underground—the unsigned and unpromoted. This collective review treatment continues to exist to unite our writers in boot or bolster of the bands who remind us that, for better or worse, the metal underground exists as an important part of the global metal scene. The Rodeö rides on.”

Surprise! You probably noticed that I am not, in fact, Dolph. Welcome to a special edition of the Unsigned Band Rodeö exclusively featuring all five members of the Freezer Crew.1 Originally admitted as part of the 2021 casting call, our n00b class was summarily put on ice for a few years until management remembered us the Internet was ready to receive our correct opinions. Due to these unorthodox circumstances, we of the Crew are firm believers in the “better late than never” philosophy. This proved fortunate for the death/doom/sludge group Acrid Rot, who sent us their debut album Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall on the very day of its release. Normally, this is a good way to not get a review, but in this case they get five! Without further ado, let’s examine how well this young spitfire band from Pennsylvania capitalizes on the second chance they’ve been given. – Killjoy

Acrid Rot // Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall [July 21st, 2025]

Alekhines Gun: ”Wiser, Older, Still Hates Sludge” is one of our many banner themes in these hallowed halls. And yet, for every subgenre we hate2 there comes such a well-constructed illustration of the idea that it defies the sn00tiness of even such “above it all” outfits as us, The Freezer Crew. Acrid Rot classify themselves as doom/death/sludge, and while there isn’t really all that much doom, there’s definitely some well-crafted sludgy death. Where Flesh Transcends… is a moody beast, littered in modern The Acacia Strain gloom and an approach to emotive riff-craft adjacent to Terminal Nation and Fuming Mouth. “Where Fangs Supplant Teeth” is as clear of an album mission statement as any, with a chug-centric, lead-slathered construction seemingly showing the whole album’s hand. And yet, the deeper you go, the more Acrid Rot unfurl tendrils in other directions, with “The Torment of Mending” recalling the years of metalcore before that was a dirty word. Surprisingly, acoustic interludes (“A Night Upon the Mire”, “Blood Upon the Cabin Floor”) don’t come across as filler, instead adding more to the mood pervasive through the album in a vein similar to Morbid Angel’s “Desolate Ways.” Some switched-up track sequencing might help Where Flesh Transcends…feel less like an album with two sides (particularly the back half featuring cleans which, while not bad, definitely sound dated and out of place). Otherwise, Acrid Rot have dropped a debut to redeem the honor of deathly sludge in these halls and is worthy of your time. 3.5/5.0

Killjoy: Acrid Rot’s identity seems to be in a constant state of flux, even for a new band. Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall initially struck me as a post-ier Warcrab, ricocheting between death, doom, sludge, and post metal with reckless abandon. The common denominator is lots of grimy yet groovy riffs which, when coupled with Matt Weisberg’s venomous growls yields a pleasurably abrasive result. Acrid Rot makes a positive first impression with opener “Where Fangs Supplant Teeth,” successfully navigating nearly 8 minutes with a feral statement of intent before transitioning to a crushing doom section midway through. There are still some good times to follow, but after this point the pacing becomes choppy and a bit puzzling at times. “To Wallow in Infirmity” is a coarse death metal-leaning track with a slightly underdeveloped outro. “Desidarium” and “The Torment of Mending” both mine similar veins of weighty death-doom, the latter experimenting with clean vocals to middling effect. The two acoustic guitar-picked interludes, “A Night Upon the Mire” and “Blood Upon the Cabin Floor,” don’t add a whole lot, and just one (or none) of them would have sufficed. Where Flesh Transcends… Man Stands Tall is worthy of at least a few spins but the overall quality isn’t quite consistent enough to have much staying power for me. 2.5/5.0

Owlswald: Formed in 2022, Pennsylvania-based death/sludge quintet Acrid Rot is a young band and it shows on their debut album, Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall. Although the record shows glimmers of potential, its consistency and execution are frustratingly uneven. Acrid Rot is at its best when the group finds its focus. Tracks like “Desidarium” and the title track are highlights, featuring tight arrangements, quality songwriting and potent, hooky Edge of Sanity-esque riffing that hint at a promising future once the fivesome fully hones its voice. Unfortunately, these standout moments are too few and far between and, as a whole, the album feels more like a rough draft than a final product. While the riffs and vocals lay a raw, powerful foundation, the drumming holds back the songwriting. It feels loose and lacks the precision and energy needed on tracks like “Salvation’s Pointed Knife,” “To Wallow in Infinity” and “The Torment of Meaning.” Other songs, like “Where Fangs Supplant Teeth” and “The Weight of Impermanence,” overstay their welcome without offering enough originality, leaning on repetitive riffs and breakdowns that occasionally stray into generic groove and nu-metal territory. In the end, Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall is a disappointing effort that lacks the polish and creativity for lasting appeal, leaving me to hope that this debut is a mere stepping stone for Acrid Rot and not a sign of what’s to come. Disappointing.

Thyme: Come now, all ye listeners of other things, and prepare to have thy face stanked and thy neck destroyed via vigorous whipped lashings. Pennsylvania’s new sludge act, Acrid Rot, dropped their big ugly Crowbar of a debut album, Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall in July. Flush with enough fat, meaty riffs to keep even the snobbiest of sludge-esieurs satiated, there’s tons o’ melody in them thar hills as well (“Where Fangs Supplant Teeth,” “The Weight of Impermanence”). Once the two-man project of multi-instrumentalist Dax Giglio and vocalist Matt Weisberg, Acrid Rot has expanded into a full-fledged five-piece with enough chops to suggest a group that has been together for way longer. My nod to Crowbar stands as the best comparison, as Acrid Rot execute perfectly on the template that those Nola-ns established with ’91’s Obedience Through Suffering. Weisberg matches Kirk Windstein blow for blow, his gruff, sludgy grunts and gravelly tones (“The Torment of Mending”) a dead ringer for Crowbar’s front man, but with the ace of some absolutely guttural, deathly growls up his sleeve (“Desidarium”) to slide out and win the hand. Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall is one monstrous riff-fest of a debut, and aside from a couple of much-needed acoustic interludes that I enjoyed as well, there wasn’t a moment of this forty-three-minute monster that didn’t have me testing the boundaries of my cervical spine. Why Acrid Rot aren’t signed yet is a mystery, but I’ll guarantee you they won’t stay unsigned for long. 3.5/5.0

ClarkKent: That stench pervading Pennsylvania is none other than Acrid Rot, a group of young upstarts unleashing their debut album on the unwitting masses. Where Flesh Transcends… contains a set of rancid sludge that seamlessly alternates between the creep of doom to more up-tempo death metal. The musicians have a restrained discipline in their approach to the music, allowing ideas to fester develop organically without feeling overlong. It helps that the riffs are a cut above average, and there’s a fair amount of variety. Speaking of variety, vocalist Matt Weisberg is all over the place, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. He alternates between punky shouts and powerful doom growls, but he also manages to surprise with some old school Beastie Boys-like yells (“To Wallow in Infinity”) and slam gurgles (“Where Flesh Transcends…Man Stands Tall”). This variety helps prevent the record from growing stale. With a DR 9, Where Flesh Transcends… is well-produced and sounds appropriately putrid, but for something that leans doom I found the drums to be a bit on the weak side. The compositions are the work of mature musicians—a little more bite to the instruments would have elevated the whole package. Nonetheless, Acrid Rot prove themselves a promising new face in the sludge scene. 3.0/5.0

#2025 #AcridRot #AmericanMetal #AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo #AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo2025 #BeastieBoys #Crowbar #DeathMetal #DoomMetal #EdgeOfSanity #FumingMouth #Jul25 #MorbidAngel #Review #Reviews #SelfRelease #SludgeMetal #TerminalNation #TheAcaciaStrain #Warcrab #WhereFleshTranscendsManStandsTall

Ba’al – The Fine Line between Heaven and Here Review

By Angry Metal Guy

By: Nameless_n00b_605

Post-anything is a tough genre to pin down. Does the music eschew genre trappings, rightfully identifying as post in the way it challenges previous norms? Or does it draw from the well that identifies as post, infusing itself with spacey tremolo riffs, heavy atmosphere, and lengthy, non-traditional tracks? If the Sheffield UK post-metallers Ba’al have anything to say, it is the latter. Ba’al showcases some real talent and variety with epic song structures and quality attempts at sampling numerous genres throughout this LP. But, with The Fine Line between Heaven and Here, I ask myself after each track, if variety is the spice of life, why does this album end up sounding so predictable?

Ba’al as a unit is impressive. Nick Gosling’s guitar work is superb, deftly switching genres on the fly, and there is skill to Ba’al’s ability to be a chameleon. Joe Stamp’s vocals are equally agile, as he seamlessly transitions from throat-searing black metal screeches to raspy death metal howls, all while infusing the more emotive elements of the album with heart. Each of these is served well by The Fine Line between Heaven and Here’s production, allowing the post-rock interludes to breathe while the massive riffs hit hard. My only real qualm is that the lovely bass that is present on their previous LP Ellipsism, is hiding away beside standout moments such as on “The Ocean That Fills a Wound.” While all the individual elements are strong and make for a cohesive track filled with variety, the band continuously returns to that same well across the album. Tracks begin to blend into one, amorphous serving of genre-blended pea soup. The first track feels the same as the last from an emotional perspective, leaving the album feeling one-note despite the variety on display.

Ba’al consistently combines black metal, post-rock, and death metal infused with hardcore (think Fuming Mouth, Gatecreeper, and Creeping Death, etc.), and even some indie rock musings across their second LP. The previously mentioned opening track, “Mother’s Concrete Womb,” encapsulates what Ba’al is doing and sets expectations for the rest of the album. Emotional piano and post-rock musings lead into more typical black metal sections that bring to mind blackgaze stalwarts Deafheaven. Ba’al surprises and delights with the sudden introduction of the aforementioned hardcore death elements. These moments are a highlight, and massive, chunky riffs make frequent appearances across the album.

The track “Well of Sorrows” is a perfect microcosm of how The Fine Line between Heaven and Here misses the mark. Eleven minutes long and sandwiched with interstitial post-rock that feels part Russian Circles and part God Is an Astronaut. No particular element hits as hard as its genre inspirations. The black metal sections are competent, the death metal riffs are groovy but lack memorable hooks, and to tie a neat bow on all of this, Ba’al consistently resorts to emotional clean singing and borderline spoken-word segments that made me think more of The National’s Alligator and Boxer era. The clean moments are effective in tracks like “Mother’s Concrete Womb,” “Wax Gorgon,” and “The Ocean That Fills a Wound,” but they can be grating and… very British (Joe Stamp’s accent comes through heavily here), for lack of a better word. This part of the album will be divisive, I imagine, and your mileage may vary.1

Ba’al is not without talent or promise; The Fine Line between Heaven and Here is a hair’s breadth away from greatness, a fact that only highlights where it falters. The Tracks “Legasov,” and “Waxwork Gorgon” are examples of tighter song structures that get right into the good stuff with memorable opening riffs and a lot of the fat trimmed from the post-rock and black metal elements. The album could cut at least fifteen minutes to give it more impact. Even the cleans should stay, but I would love to see them lean more into melody and less into spoken word or downright wailing like on “Well of Sorrows.” The intro of “The Ocean That Fills a Wound” starts in the right place with lulling, rhythmic vocals leading into a brutal explosion of blasting black metal.

The variety and talent end up being a double-edged sword for Ba’al, as what starts as impressive quickly grows predictable. If you like what Ba’al is serving up, you will have a nearly 63-minute slab of post-black metal to nourish you, but if the initial track isn’t for you, don’t expect the rest of the album to change your mind. Despite my negativity, it is from a place of love. Ba’al is an undoubtedly talented band on the cusp of true greatness. If they can edit their songs a little and lean into their best qualities, the next album may be a genre great.2

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Road to Masochist
Websites: baalbanduk.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/baalbanduk | instagram.com/baalbanduk
Releases Worldwide: July 18th, 2025

#2025 #30 #BaAl #BlackMetal #BritishMetal #CreepingDeath #Deafheaven #FumingMouth #Gatecreeper #GodIsAnAstronaut #Hardcore #Jul25 #Metalcore #PostMetal #Review #Reviews #RoadToMasochist #RussianCircles #TheFineLineBetweenHeavenAndHere #TheNational

Ba’al – The Fine Line between Heaven and Here Review

By Angry Metal Guy

By: Nameless_n00b_605

Post-anything is a tough genre to pin down. Does the music eschew genre trappings, rightfully identifying as post in the way it challenges previous norms? Or does it draw from the well that identifies as post, infusing itself with spacey tremolo riffs, heavy atmosphere, and lengthy, non-traditional tracks? If the Sheffield UK post-metallers Ba’al have anything to say, it is the latter. Ba’al showcases some real talent and variety with epic song structures and quality attempts at sampling numerous genres throughout this LP. But, with The Fine Line between Heaven and Here, I ask myself after each track, if variety is the spice of life, why does this album end up sounding so predictable?

Ba’al as a unit is impressive. Nick Gosling’s guitar work is superb, deftly switching genres on the fly, and there is skill to Ba’al’s ability to be a chameleon. Joe Stamp’s vocals are equally agile, as he seamlessly transitions from throat-searing black metal screeches to raspy death metal howls, all while infusing the more emotive elements of the album with heart. Each of these is served well by The Fine Line between Heaven and Here’s production, allowing the post-rock interludes to breathe while the massive riffs hit hard. My only real qualm is that the lovely bass that is present on their previous LP Ellipsism, is hiding away beside standout moments such as on “The Ocean That Fills a Wound.” While all the individual elements are strong and make for a cohesive track filled with variety, the band continuously returns to that same well across the album. Tracks begin to blend into one, amorphous serving of genre-blended pea soup. The first track feels the same as the last from an emotional perspective, leaving the album feeling one-note despite the variety on display.

Ba’al consistently combines black metal, post-rock, and death metal infused with hardcore (think Fuming Mouth, Gatecreeper, and Creeping Death, etc.), and even some indie rock musings across their second LP. The previously mentioned opening track, “Mother’s Concrete Womb,” encapsulates what Ba’al is doing and sets expectations for the rest of the album. Emotional piano and post-rock musings lead into more typical black metal sections that bring to mind blackgaze stalwarts Deafheaven. Ba’al surprises and delights with the sudden introduction of the aforementioned hardcore death elements. These moments are a highlight, and massive, chunky riffs make frequent appearances across the album.

The track “Well of Sorrows” is a perfect microcosm of how The Fine Line between Heaven and Here misses the mark. Eleven minutes long and sandwiched with interstitial post-rock that feels part Russian Circles and part God Is an Astronaut. No particular element hits as hard as its genre inspirations. The black metal sections are competent, the death metal riffs are groovy but lack memorable hooks, and to tie a neat bow on all of this, Ba’al consistently resorts to emotional clean singing and borderline spoken-word segments that made me think more of The National’s Alligator and Boxer era. The clean moments are effective in tracks like “Mother’s Concrete Womb,” “Wax Gorgon,” and “The Ocean That Fills a Wound,” but they can be grating and… very British (Joe Stamp’s accent comes through heavily here), for lack of a better word. This part of the album will be divisive, I imagine, and your mileage may vary.1

Ba’al is not without talent or promise; The Fine Line between Heaven and Here is a hair’s breadth away from greatness, a fact that only highlights where it falters. The Tracks “Legasov,” and “Waxwork Gorgon” are examples of tighter song structures that get right into the good stuff with memorable opening riffs and a lot of the fat trimmed from the post-rock and black metal elements. The album could cut at least fifteen minutes to give it more impact. Even the cleans should stay, but I would love to see them lean more into melody and less into spoken word or downright wailing like on “Well of Sorrows.” The intro of “The Ocean That Fills a Wound” starts in the right place with lulling, rhythmic vocals leading into a brutal explosion of blasting black metal.

The variety and talent end up being a double-edged sword for Ba’al, as what starts as impressive quickly grows predictable. If you like what Ba’al is serving up, you will have a nearly 63-minute slab of post-black metal to nourish you, but if the initial track isn’t for you, don’t expect the rest of the album to change your mind. Despite my negativity, it is from a place of love. Ba’al is an undoubtedly talented band on the cusp of true greatness. If they can edit their songs a little and lean into their best qualities, the next album may be a genre great.2

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Road to Masochist
Websites: baalbanduk.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/baalbanduk | instagram.com/baalbanduk
Releases Worldwide: July 18th, 2025

#2025 #30 #BaAl #BlackMetal #BritishMetal #CreepingDeath #Deafheaven #FumingMouth #Gatecreeper #GodIsAnAstronaut #Hardcore #Jul25 #Metalcore #PostMetal #Review #Reviews #RoadToMasochist #RussianCircles #TheFineLineBetweenHeavenAndHere #TheNational

Ba’al – The Fine Line between Heaven and Here Review

By Angry Metal Guy

By: Nameless_n00b_605

Post-anything is a tough genre to pin down. Does the music eschew genre trappings, rightfully identifying as post in the way it challenges previous norms? Or does it draw from the well that identifies as post, infusing itself with spacey tremolo riffs, heavy atmosphere, and lengthy, non-traditional tracks? If the Sheffield UK post-metallers Ba’al have anything to say, it is the latter. Ba’al showcases some real talent and variety with epic song structures and quality attempts at sampling numerous genres throughout this LP. But, with The Fine Line between Heaven and Here, I ask myself after each track, if variety is the spice of life, why does this album end up sounding so predictable?

Ba’al as a unit is impressive. Nick Gosling’s guitar work is superb, deftly switching genres on the fly, and there is skill to Ba’al’s ability to be a chameleon. Joe Stamp’s vocals are equally agile, as he seamlessly transitions from throat-searing black metal screeches to raspy death metal howls, all while infusing the more emotive elements of the album with heart. Each of these is served well by The Fine Line between Heaven and Here’s production, allowing the post-rock interludes to breathe while the massive riffs hit hard. My only real qualm is that the lovely bass that is present on their previous LP Ellipsism, is hiding away beside standout moments such as on “The Ocean That Fills a Wound.” While all the individual elements are strong and make for a cohesive track filled with variety, the band continuously returns to that same well across the album. Tracks begin to blend into one, amorphous serving of genre-blended pea soup. The first track feels the same as the last from an emotional perspective, leaving the album feeling one-note despite the variety on display.

Ba’al consistently combines black metal, post-rock, and death metal infused with hardcore (think Fuming Mouth, Gatecreeper, and Creeping Death, etc.), and even some indie rock musings across their second LP. The previously mentioned opening track, “Mother’s Concrete Womb,” encapsulates what Ba’al is doing and sets expectations for the rest of the album. Emotional piano and post-rock musings lead into more typical black metal sections that bring to mind blackgaze stalwarts Deafheaven. Ba’al surprises and delights with the sudden introduction of the aforementioned hardcore death elements. These moments are a highlight, and massive, chunky riffs make frequent appearances across the album.

The track “Well of Sorrows” is a perfect microcosm of how The Fine Line between Heaven and Here misses the mark. Eleven minutes long and sandwiched with interstitial post-rock that feels part Russian Circles and part God Is an Astronaut. No particular element hits as hard as its genre inspirations. The black metal sections are competent, the death metal riffs are groovy but lack memorable hooks, and to tie a neat bow on all of this, Ba’al consistently resorts to emotional clean singing and borderline spoken-word segments that made me think more of The National’s Alligator and Boxer era. The clean moments are effective in tracks like “Mother’s Concrete Womb,” “Wax Gorgon,” and “The Ocean That Fills a Wound,” but they can be grating and… very British (Joe Stamp’s accent comes through heavily here), for lack of a better word. This part of the album will be divisive, I imagine, and your mileage may vary.1

Ba’al is not without talent or promise; The Fine Line between Heaven and Here is a hair’s breadth away from greatness, a fact that only highlights where it falters. The Tracks “Legasov,” and “Waxwork Gorgon” are examples of tighter song structures that get right into the good stuff with memorable opening riffs and a lot of the fat trimmed from the post-rock and black metal elements. The album could cut at least fifteen minutes to give it more impact. Even the cleans should stay, but I would love to see them lean more into melody and less into spoken word or downright wailing like on “Well of Sorrows.” The intro of “The Ocean That Fills a Wound” starts in the right place with lulling, rhythmic vocals leading into a brutal explosion of blasting black metal.

The variety and talent end up being a double-edged sword for Ba’al, as what starts as impressive quickly grows predictable. If you like what Ba’al is serving up, you will have a nearly 63-minute slab of post-black metal to nourish you, but if the initial track isn’t for you, don’t expect the rest of the album to change your mind. Despite my negativity, it is from a place of love. Ba’al is an undoubtedly talented band on the cusp of true greatness. If they can edit their songs a little and lean into their best qualities, the next album may be a genre great.2

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Road to Masochist
Websites: baalbanduk.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/baalbanduk | instagram.com/baalbanduk
Releases Worldwide: July 18th, 2025

#2025 #30 #BaAl #BlackMetal #BritishMetal #CreepingDeath #Deafheaven #FumingMouth #Gatecreeper #GodIsAnAstronaut #Hardcore #Jul25 #Metalcore #PostMetal #Review #Reviews #RoadToMasochist #RussianCircles #TheFineLineBetweenHeavenAndHere #TheNational

Ba’al – The Fine Line between Heaven and Here Review

By Angry Metal Guy

By: Nameless_n00b_605

Post-anything is a tough genre to pin down. Does the music eschew genre trappings, rightfully identifying as post in the way it challenges previous norms? Or does it draw from the well that identifies as post, infusing itself with spacey tremolo riffs, heavy atmosphere, and lengthy, non-traditional tracks? If the Sheffield UK post-metallers Ba’al have anything to say, it is the latter. Ba’al showcases some real talent and variety with epic song structures and quality attempts at sampling numerous genres throughout this LP. But, with The Fine Line between Heaven and Here, I ask myself after each track, if variety is the spice of life, why does this album end up sounding so predictable?

Ba’al as a unit is impressive. Nick Gosling’s guitar work is superb, deftly switching genres on the fly, and there is skill to Ba’al’s ability to be a chameleon. Joe Stamp’s vocals are equally agile, as he seamlessly transitions from throat-searing black metal screeches to raspy death metal howls, all while infusing the more emotive elements of the album with heart. Each of these is served well by The Fine Line between Heaven and Here’s production, allowing the post-rock interludes to breathe while the massive riffs hit hard. My only real qualm is that the lovely bass that is present on their previous LP Ellipsism, is hiding away beside standout moments such as on “The Ocean That Fills a Wound.” While all the individual elements are strong and make for a cohesive track filled with variety, the band continuously returns to that same well across the album. Tracks begin to blend into one, amorphous serving of genre-blended pea soup. The first track feels the same as the last from an emotional perspective, leaving the album feeling one-note despite the variety on display.

Ba’al consistently combines black metal, post-rock, and death metal infused with hardcore (think Fuming Mouth, Gatecreeper, and Creeping Death, etc.), and even some indie rock musings across their second LP. The previously mentioned opening track, “Mother’s Concrete Womb,” encapsulates what Ba’al is doing and sets expectations for the rest of the album. Emotional piano and post-rock musings lead into more typical black metal sections that bring to mind blackgaze stalwarts Deafheaven. Ba’al surprises and delights with the sudden introduction of the aforementioned hardcore death elements. These moments are a highlight, and massive, chunky riffs make frequent appearances across the album.

The track “Well of Sorrows” is a perfect microcosm of how The Fine Line between Heaven and Here misses the mark. Eleven minutes long and sandwiched with interstitial post-rock that feels part Russian Circles and part God Is an Astronaut. No particular element hits as hard as its genre inspirations. The black metal sections are competent, the death metal riffs are groovy but lack memorable hooks, and to tie a neat bow on all of this, Ba’al consistently resorts to emotional clean singing and borderline spoken-word segments that made me think more of The National’s Alligator and Boxer era. The clean moments are effective in tracks like “Mother’s Concrete Womb,” “Wax Gorgon,” and “The Ocean That Fills a Wound,” but they can be grating and… very British (Joe Stamp’s accent comes through heavily here), for lack of a better word. This part of the album will be divisive, I imagine, and your mileage may vary.1

Ba’al is not without talent or promise; The Fine Line between Heaven and Here is a hair’s breadth away from greatness, a fact that only highlights where it falters. The Tracks “Legasov,” and “Waxwork Gorgon” are examples of tighter song structures that get right into the good stuff with memorable opening riffs and a lot of the fat trimmed from the post-rock and black metal elements. The album could cut at least fifteen minutes to give it more impact. Even the cleans should stay, but I would love to see them lean more into melody and less into spoken word or downright wailing like on “Well of Sorrows.” The intro of “The Ocean That Fills a Wound” starts in the right place with lulling, rhythmic vocals leading into a brutal explosion of blasting black metal.

The variety and talent end up being a double-edged sword for Ba’al, as what starts as impressive quickly grows predictable. If you like what Ba’al is serving up, you will have a nearly 63-minute slab of post-black metal to nourish you, but if the initial track isn’t for you, don’t expect the rest of the album to change your mind. Despite my negativity, it is from a place of love. Ba’al is an undoubtedly talented band on the cusp of true greatness. If they can edit their songs a little and lean into their best qualities, the next album may be a genre great.2

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Road to Masochist
Websites: baalbanduk.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/baalbanduk | instagram.com/baalbanduk
Releases Worldwide: July 18th, 2025

#2025 #30 #BaAl #BlackMetal #BritishMetal #CreepingDeath #Deafheaven #FumingMouth #Gatecreeper #GodIsAnAstronaut #Hardcore #Jul25 #Metalcore #PostMetal #Review #Reviews #RoadToMasochist #RussianCircles #TheFineLineBetweenHeavenAndHere #TheNational

Ba’al – The Fine Line between Heaven and Here Review

By Lavender Larcenist

Post-anything is a tough genre to pin down. Does the music eschew genre trappings, rightfully identifying as post in the way it challenges previous norms? Or does it draw from the well that identifies as post, infusing itself with spacey tremolo riffs, heavy atmosphere, and lengthy, non-traditional tracks? If the Sheffield UK post-metallers Ba’al have anything to say, it is the latter. Ba’al showcases some real talent and variety with epic song structures and quality attempts at sampling numerous genres throughout this LP. But, with The Fine Line between Heaven and Here, I ask myself after each track, if variety is the spice of life, why does this album end up sounding so predictable?

Ba’al as a unit is impressive. Nick Gosling’s guitar work is superb, deftly switching genres on the fly, and there is skill to Ba’al’s ability to be a chameleon. Joe Stamp’s vocals are equally agile, as he seamlessly transitions from throat-searing black metal screeches to raspy death metal howls, all while infusing the more emotive elements of the album with heart. Each of these is served well by The Fine Line between Heaven and Here’s production, allowing the post-rock interludes to breathe while the massive riffs hit hard. My only real qualm is that the lovely bass that is present on their previous LP Ellipsism, is hiding away besides standout moments such as on “The Ocean That Fills a Wound.” While all the individual elements are strong and make for a cohesive track filled with variety, the band continuously returns to that same well across the album. Tracks begin to blend into one, amorphous serving of genre-blended pea soup. The first track feels the same as the last from an emotional perspective, leaving the album feeling one-note despite the variety on display.

Ba’al consistently combines black metal, post-rock, and death metal infused with hardcore (think Fuming Mouth, Gatecreeper, and Creeping Death, etc.), and even some indie rock musings across their second LP. The previously mentioned opening track, “Mother’s Concrete Womb,” encapsulates what Ba’al is doing and sets expectations for the rest of the album. Emotional piano and post-rock musings lead into more typical black metal sections that bring to mind blackgaze stalwarts Deafheaven. Ba’al surprises and delights with the sudden introduction of the aforementioned hardcore death elements. These moments are a highlight, and massive, chunky riffs make frequent appearances across the album.

The track “Well of Sorrows” is a perfect microcosm of how The Fine Line between Heaven and Here misses the mark. Eleven minutes long and sandwiched with interstitial post-rock that feels part Russian Circles and part God Is an Astronaut. No particular element hits as hard as its genre inspirations. The black metal sections are competent, the death metal riffs are groovy but lack memorable hooks, and to tie a neat bow on all of this, Ba’al consistently resorts to emotional clean singing and borderline spoken-word segments that made me think more of The National’s Alligator and Boxer era. The clean moments are effective in tracks like “Mother’s Concrete Womb,” “Wax Gorgon,” and “The Ocean That Fills a Wound,” but they can be grating and… very British (Joe Stamp’s accent comes through heavily here), for lack of a better word. This part of the album will be divisive, I imagine, and your mileage may vary.1

Ba’al is not without talent or promise; The Fine Line between Heaven and Here is a hair’s breadth away from greatness, a fact that only highlights where it falters. The Tracks “Legasov,” and “Waxwork Gorgon” are examples of tighter song structures that get right into the good stuff with memorable opening riffs and a lot of the fat trimmed from the post-rock and black metal elements. The album could cut at least fifteen minutes to give it more impact. Even the cleans should stay, but I would love to see them lean more into melody and less into spoken word or downright wailing like on “Well of Sorrows.” The intro of “The Ocean That Fills a Wound” starts in the right place with lulling, rhythmic vocals leading into a brutal explosion of blasting black metal.

The variety and talent end up being a double-edged sword for Ba’al, as what starts as impressive quickly grows predictable. If you like what Ba’al is serving up, you will have a nearly 63-minute slab of post-black metal to nourish you, but if the initial track isn’t for you, don’t expect the rest of the album to change your mind. Despite my negativity, it is from a place of love. Ba’al is an undoubtedly talented band on the cusp of true greatness. If they can edit their songs a little and lean into their best qualities, the next album may be a genre great.2

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Road to Masochist
Websites: baalbanduk.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/baalbanduk | instagram.com/baalbanduk
Releases Worldwide: July 18th, 2025

#2025 #30 #BaAl #BlackMetal #BritishMetal #CreepingDeath #Deafheaven #FumingMouth #Gatecreeper #GodIsAnAstronaut #Hardcore #Jul25 #Metalcore #PostMetal #Review #Reviews #RoadToMasochist #RussianCircles #TheFineLineBetweenHeavenAndHere #TheNational

Gig Review: Suffocation / AngelMaker / Fuming Mouth / Carcosa / Mélancolia – Slay, Glasgow (3rd March 2025)

Glasgow’s Slay played host to an unforgettable night of crushing heaviness on March 3rd, 2025, with a lineup that covered all corners of extreme metal. Fro

https://www.moshville.co.uk/reviews/gig-review/2025/03/gig-review-suffocation-angelmaker-fuming-mouth-carcosa-melancolia-slay-glasgow-3rd-march-2025/

#GigReviews #AngelMaker #Carcosa #FumingMouth #Mlancolia #Suffocation

Gig Review: Suffocation / AngelMaker / Fuming Mouth / Carcosa / Mélancolia – Slay, Glasgow (3rd March 2025)

Glasgow’s Slay played host to an unforgettable night of crushing heaviness on March 3rd, 2025, with a lineup that covered all corners of extreme metal. Fro

https://www.moshville.co.uk/reviews/gig-review/2025/03/gig-review-suffocation-angelmaker-fuming-mouth-carcosa-melancolia-slay-glasgow-3rd-march-2025/

#GigReviews #AngelMaker #Carcosa #FumingMouth #Mlancolia #Suffocation

Gig Review: Suffocation / AngelMaker / Fuming Mouth / Carcosa / Mélancolia – Slay, Glasgow (3rd March 2025)

Glasgow’s Slay played host to an unforgettable night of crushing heaviness on March 3rd, 2025, with a lineup that covered all corners of extreme metal. Fro

https://www.moshville.co.uk/reviews/gig-review/2025/03/gig-review-suffocation-angelmaker-fuming-mouth-carcosa-melancolia-slay-glasgow-3rd-march-2025/

#GigReviews #AngelMaker #Carcosa #FumingMouth #Mlancolia #Suffocation

Pyre – Where Obscurity Sways Review

By Dear Hollow

Swedeath is one of those games I have zero skin in, but its close overlap with hardcore-influenced death metal and death ‘n roll makes that relationship complicated. Like I could not be bothered by Left Hand Path, but Wolverine Blues is a stalwart among my music collection; Bloodbath is regrettably not an act I return to regularly,1 but I consider Black Breath one of those rare successful intersections of grind, death metal, and death ‘n roll. My point is, I don’t know where the line is drawn between these styles but I know I like some of it and then can’t be fussed about the rest of it. With Pyre, the jury’s still out.

Where Obscurity Sways is the Saint Petersburg quartet Pyre’s third full-length, and it wavers between full-on Entombed worship and something resembling Fuming Mouth. Professing a frigidity more closely resembling black metal coursing throughout, Pyre offers chunky riffs, feral vocals, tense tremolo and chuggy shreds, and a bouncy sense of ubiquitous buzzsaw and passages of doomier tempos, alongside a wailing lead guitar whose rip-roaring solos are owed to multiple members’ contributions to the traditional heavy metal sister act Blazing Rust. Pyre throws the kitchen sink at us, blurring the lines between hardcore- and Swedeath-influenced death metal, boasting that black metal chill and no-holds-barred attitude – only for Where Obscurity Sways to go in one ear and out the other.

That’s not to say you won’t swing your fists and break your neck across Where Obscurity Sways. Big groovy meatheaded fun is front and center with Pyre, a monosyllabic approach that’s as effective as its moniker, despite its various experimentalisms. In the sweet spot that finds itself between chunky riffs, wailing leads, and punishing weight at the mercy of the shifting tempos (“Murderous Transcendence,” “Writhing Souls”), the album pumps adrenaline, utilizing sticky chugging riffs as both capitalization of crescendo and simmering burn. When black metal rears its despondent head (“Murderous Transcendence,” “Prognostic of the Apocalypse”), the sound is transported to a cold second-wave atmosphere that it aims for. Composition is precise and effective, as a smart use of shifting tempos and proper utility of punk beats lead to satisfying conclusions of both intensity and doom (“Where Obscurity Sways,” “Pestilential Fumes”). Barked and howled vocals, provided by bassist Dym Nox, land squarely in crusty territory throughout, although the isolated occurrence of death metal gutturals (“From the Stygian Depths”) is a welcome change of pace for Pyre.

Pyre’s monotonal vocals and inconsistent uses of tempos keeps it from achieving its true potential. The Russians run quite similarly into the same issues as Arizona’s deathgrind/death-doom band Thorn, in which the atmosphere and weight is communicated well enough, but nothing more breaks through the surface. Where Obscurity Sways is entirely inconsistent, Pyre’s tracks blur together in monotonous doom sprawls, but then utilize different tricks for each half of the album: the first half weaponizes wailing leads and ominous melodies, while the second dwells entirely in darkened tremolo. Each has its highlights (“Where Obscurity Sways,” “Pestilential Fumes”) and their droning sloggers (“Domains of the Nameless Rites,” “Chanting Ancient Incantations”). While the two instrumental pieces are decent enough to establish a semblance of atmosphere, their motifs are not utilized across the rest of the tracks for it to stick. In true crusty fashion, Pyre saturates its sound into a crusty, HM-2, Swedeath goo, so it’s easy to let the album at large settle into the background.

Apart from “Murderous Transcendence” and “Writhing Souls,” the whole of Where Obscurity Sways hangs out in relatively decent yet ultimately forgettable territory. Somehow Pyre makes the album seem too long even at a very reasonable thirty-six minutes, but when several songs blur together into a featureless expanse, it’s difficult to track. Some tracks are smartly composed, others painfully dull. Despite its attempt to blend Swedeath, hardcore, doom, and black metal, it keeps tripping itself up with inconsistent tempos and motifs. Utilizing more death vocals, sticky chugs, and black metal, Pyre will have a winning formula. As it stands, Where Obscurity Sways stays obscure.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Osmose Productions
Websites: pyredeathmetal.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/pyredeathmetal
Releases Worldwide: January 31st, 2025

#20 #2025 #BlackBreath #BlackMetal #BlazingRust #Bloodbath #DeathMetal #DeathDoomMetal #Entombed #FumingMouth #Hardcore #Jan25 #OsmoseProductions #Pyre #Review #Reviews #RussianMetal #Thorn #WhereObscuritySways

Pyre – Where Obscurity Sways Review

By Dear Hollow

Swedeath is one of those games I have zero skin in, but its close overlap with hardcore-influenced death metal and death ‘n roll makes that relationship complicated. Like I could not be bothered by Left Hand Path, but Wolverine Blues is a stalwart among my music collection; Bloodbath is regrettably not an act I return to regularly,1 but I consider Black Breath one of those rare successful intersections of grind, death metal, and death ‘n roll. My point is, I don’t know where the line is drawn between these styles but I know I like some of it and then can’t be fussed about the rest of it. With Pyre, the jury’s still out.

Where Obscurity Sways is the Saint Petersburg quartet Pyre’s third full-length, and it wavers between full-on Entombed worship and something resembling Fuming Mouth. Professing a frigidity more closely resembling black metal coursing throughout, Pyre offers chunky riffs, feral vocals, tense tremolo and chuggy shreds, and a bouncy sense of ubiquitous buzzsaw and passages of doomier tempos, alongside a wailing lead guitar whose rip-roaring solos are owed to multiple members’ contributions to the traditional heavy metal sister act Blazing Rust. Pyre throws the kitchen sink at us, blurring the lines between hardcore- and Swedeath-influenced death metal, boasting that black metal chill and no-holds-barred attitude – only for Where Obscurity Sways to go in one ear and out the other.

That’s not to say you won’t swing your fists and break your neck across Where Obscurity Sways. Big groovy meatheaded fun is front and center with Pyre, a monosyllabic approach that’s as effective as its moniker, despite its various experimentalisms. In the sweet spot that finds itself between chunky riffs, wailing leads, and punishing weight at the mercy of the shifting tempos (“Murderous Transcendence,” “Writhing Souls”), the album pumps adrenaline, utilizing sticky chugging riffs as both capitalization of crescendo and simmering burn. When black metal rears its despondent head (“Murderous Transcendence,” “Prognostic of the Apocalypse”), the sound is transported to a cold second-wave atmosphere that it aims for. Composition is precise and effective, as a smart use of shifting tempos and proper utility of punk beats lead to satisfying conclusions of both intensity and doom (“Where Obscurity Sways,” “Pestilential Fumes”). Barked and howled vocals, provided by bassist Dym Nox, land squarely in crusty territory throughout, although the isolated occurrence of death metal gutturals (“From the Stygian Depths”) is a welcome change of pace for Pyre.

Pyre’s monotonal vocals and inconsistent uses of tempos keeps it from achieving its true potential. The Russians run quite similarly into the same issues as Arizona’s deathgrind/death-doom band Thorn, in which the atmosphere and weight is communicated well enough, but nothing more breaks through the surface. Where Obscurity Sways is entirely inconsistent, Pyre’s tracks blur together in monotonous doom sprawls, but then utilize different tricks for each half of the album: the first half weaponizes wailing leads and ominous melodies, while the second dwells entirely in darkened tremolo. Each has its highlights (“Where Obscurity Sways,” “Pestilential Fumes”) and their droning sloggers (“Domains of the Nameless Rites,” “Chanting Ancient Incantations”). While the two instrumental pieces are decent enough to establish a semblance of atmosphere, their motifs are not utilized across the rest of the tracks for it to stick. In true crusty fashion, Pyre saturates its sound into a crusty, HM-2, Swedeath goo, so it’s easy to let the album at large settle into the background.

Apart from “Murderous Transcendence” and “Writhing Souls,” the whole of Where Obscurity Sways hangs out in relatively decent yet ultimately forgettable territory. Somehow Pyre makes the album seem too long even at a very reasonable thirty-six minutes, but when several songs blur together into a featureless expanse, it’s difficult to track. Some tracks are smartly composed, others painfully dull. Despite its attempt to blend Swedeath, hardcore, doom, and black metal, it keeps tripping itself up with inconsistent tempos and motifs. Utilizing more death vocals, sticky chugs, and black metal, Pyre will have a winning formula. As it stands, Where Obscurity Sways stays obscure.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Osmose Productions
Websites: pyredeathmetal.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/pyredeathmetal
Releases Worldwide: January 31st, 2025

#20 #2025 #BlackBreath #BlackMetal #BlazingRust #Bloodbath #DeathMetal #DeathDoomMetal #Entombed #FumingMouth #Hardcore #Jan25 #OsmoseProductions #Pyre #Review #Reviews #RussianMetal #Thorn #WhereObscuritySways

Pyre – Where Obscurity Sways Review

By Dear Hollow

Swedeath is one of those games I have zero skin in, but its close overlap with hardcore-influenced death metal and death ‘n roll makes that relationship complicated. Like I could not be bothered by Left Hand Path, but Wolverine Blues is a stalwart among my music collection; Bloodbath is regrettably not an act I return to regularly,1 but I consider Black Breath one of those rare successful intersections of grind, death metal, and death ‘n roll. My point is, I don’t know where the line is drawn between these styles but I know I like some of it and then can’t be fussed about the rest of it. With Pyre, the jury’s still out.

Where Obscurity Sways is the Saint Petersburg quartet Pyre’s third full-length, and it wavers between full-on Entombed worship and something resembling Fuming Mouth. Professing a frigidity more closely resembling black metal coursing throughout, Pyre offers chunky riffs, feral vocals, tense tremolo and chuggy shreds, and a bouncy sense of ubiquitous buzzsaw and passages of doomier tempos, alongside a wailing lead guitar whose rip-roaring solos are owed to multiple members’ contributions to the traditional heavy metal sister act Blazing Rust. Pyre throws the kitchen sink at us, blurring the lines between hardcore- and Swedeath-influenced death metal, boasting that black metal chill and no-holds-barred attitude – only for Where Obscurity Sways to go in one ear and out the other.

That’s not to say you won’t swing your fists and break your neck across Where Obscurity Sways. Big groovy meatheaded fun is front and center with Pyre, a monosyllabic approach that’s as effective as its moniker, despite its various experimentalisms. In the sweet spot that finds itself between chunky riffs, wailing leads, and punishing weight at the mercy of the shifting tempos (“Murderous Transcendence,” “Writhing Souls”), the album pumps adrenaline, utilizing sticky chugging riffs as both capitalization of crescendo and simmering burn. When black metal rears its despondent head (“Murderous Transcendence,” “Prognostic of the Apocalypse”), the sound is transported to a cold second-wave atmosphere that it aims for. Composition is precise and effective, as a smart use of shifting tempos and proper utility of punk beats lead to satisfying conclusions of both intensity and doom (“Where Obscurity Sways,” “Pestilential Fumes”). Barked and howled vocals, provided by bassist Dym Nox, land squarely in crusty territory throughout, although the isolated occurrence of death metal gutturals (“From the Stygian Depths”) is a welcome change of pace for Pyre.

Pyre’s monotonal vocals and inconsistent uses of tempos keeps it from achieving its true potential. The Russians run quite similarly into the same issues as Arizona’s deathgrind/death-doom band Thorn, in which the atmosphere and weight is communicated well enough, but nothing more breaks through the surface. Where Obscurity Sways is entirely inconsistent, Pyre’s tracks blur together in monotonous doom sprawls, but then utilize different tricks for each half of the album: the first half weaponizes wailing leads and ominous melodies, while the second dwells entirely in darkened tremolo. Each has its highlights (“Where Obscurity Sways,” “Pestilential Fumes”) and their droning sloggers (“Domains of the Nameless Rites,” “Chanting Ancient Incantations”). While the two instrumental pieces are decent enough to establish a semblance of atmosphere, their motifs are not utilized across the rest of the tracks for it to stick. In true crusty fashion, Pyre saturates its sound into a crusty, HM-2, Swedeath goo, so it’s easy to let the album at large settle into the background.

Apart from “Murderous Transcendence” and “Writhing Souls,” the whole of Where Obscurity Sways hangs out in relatively decent yet ultimately forgettable territory. Somehow Pyre makes the album seem too long even at a very reasonable thirty-six minutes, but when several songs blur together into a featureless expanse, it’s difficult to track. Some tracks are smartly composed, others painfully dull. Despite its attempt to blend Swedeath, hardcore, doom, and black metal, it keeps tripping itself up with inconsistent tempos and motifs. Utilizing more death vocals, sticky chugs, and black metal, Pyre will have a winning formula. As it stands, Where Obscurity Sways stays obscure.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Osmose Productions
Websites: pyredeathmetal.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/pyredeathmetal
Releases Worldwide: January 31st, 2025

#20 #2025 #BlackBreath #BlackMetal #BlazingRust #Bloodbath #DeathMetal #DeathDoomMetal #Entombed #FumingMouth #Hardcore #Jan25 #OsmoseProductions #Pyre #Review #Reviews #RussianMetal #Thorn #WhereObscuritySways

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#MetalInjection
Metal Injection's Top Tracks Of The Week, 9/26/2024

https://metalinjection.net/playlist/top-tracks-of-the-week-playlist/metal-injections-top-tracks-of-the-week-9-26-2024

#LinkinPark #Spiritbox #Behemoth #Opeth #Undeath #Tribulation #Entheos #FumingMouth #Maul #RippedToShreds #JerryCantrell

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalInjection
Metal Injection's Top Tracks Of The Week, 9/26/2024

https://metalinjection.net/playlist/top-tracks-of-the-week-playlist/metal-injections-top-tracks-of-the-week-9-26-2024

#LinkinPark #Spiritbox #Behemoth #Opeth #Undeath #Tribulation #Entheos #FumingMouth #Maul #RippedToShreds #JerryCantrell

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalInjection
Metal Injection's Top Tracks Of The Week, 9/26/2024

https://metalinjection.net/playlist/top-tracks-of-the-week-playlist/metal-injections-top-tracks-of-the-week-9-26-2024

#LinkinPark #Spiritbox #Behemoth #Opeth #Undeath #Tribulation #Entheos #FumingMouth #Maul #RippedToShreds #JerryCantrell

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalInjection
Metal Injection's Top Tracks Of The Week, 9/26/2024

https://metalinjection.net/playlist/top-tracks-of-the-week-playlist/metal-injections-top-tracks-of-the-week-9-26-2024

#LinkinPark #Spiritbox #Behemoth #Opeth #Undeath #Tribulation #Entheos #FumingMouth #Maul #RippedToShreds #JerryCantrell

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalInjection
Metal Injection's Top Tracks Of The Week, 9/26/2024

https://metalinjection.net/playlist/top-tracks-of-the-week-playlist/metal-injections-top-tracks-of-the-week-9-26-2024

#LinkinPark #Spiritbox #Behemoth #Opeth #Undeath #Tribulation #Entheos #FumingMouth #Maul #RippedToShreds #JerryCantrell

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalInjection
FUMING MOUTH Streams Destructive New Single "Metal On Metal"

https://metalinjection.net/new-music/fuming-mouth-streams-destructive-new-single-metal-on-metal

#FumingMouth #MetalOnMetal #MarkWhelan #KurtBallou

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#MetalInjection
FUMING MOUTH Streams Destructive New Single "Metal On Metal"

https://metalinjection.net/new-music/fuming-mouth-streams-destructive-new-single-metal-on-metal

#FumingMouth #MetalOnMetal #MarkWhelan #KurtBallou

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#MetalInjection
FUMING MOUTH Streams Destructive New Single "Metal On Metal"

https://metalinjection.net/new-music/fuming-mouth-streams-destructive-new-single-metal-on-metal

#FumingMouth #MetalOnMetal #MarkWhelan #KurtBallou

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#MetalInjection
FUMING MOUTH Streams Destructive New Single "Metal On Metal"

https://metalinjection.net/new-music/fuming-mouth-streams-destructive-new-single-metal-on-metal

#FumingMouth #MetalOnMetal #MarkWhelan #KurtBallou

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#MetalInjection
FUMING MOUTH Streams Destructive New Single "Metal On Metal"

https://metalinjection.net/new-music/fuming-mouth-streams-destructive-new-single-metal-on-metal

#FumingMouth #MetalOnMetal #MarkWhelan #KurtBallou

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#MetalSucks
Fuming Mouth, Dark Tranquillity, and Gaerea Added to The MetalSucks Playlist
Also featuring tracks from Vomit The Soul, Umbra Vitae, and 96 Bitter Beings.

https://www.metalsucks.net/2024/05/05/fuming-mouth-dark-tranquillity-and-gaerea-added-to-the-metalsucks-playlist/

#FumingMouth #DarkTranquillity #Gaerea

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalSucks
Fuming Mouth, Dark Tranquillity, and Gaerea Added to The MetalSucks Playlist
Also featuring tracks from Vomit The Soul, Umbra Vitae, and 96 Bitter Beings.

https://www.metalsucks.net/2024/05/05/fuming-mouth-dark-tranquillity-and-gaerea-added-to-the-metalsucks-playlist/

#FumingMouth #DarkTranquillity #Gaerea

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalSucks
Fuming Mouth, Dark Tranquillity, and Gaerea Added to The MetalSucks Playlist
Also featuring tracks from Vomit The Soul, Umbra Vitae, and 96 Bitter Beings.

https://www.metalsucks.net/2024/05/05/fuming-mouth-dark-tranquillity-and-gaerea-added-to-the-metalsucks-playlist/

#FumingMouth #DarkTranquillity #Gaerea

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalSucks
Fuming Mouth, Dark Tranquillity, and Gaerea Added to The MetalSucks Playlist
Also featuring tracks from Vomit The Soul, Umbra Vitae, and 96 Bitter Beings.

https://www.metalsucks.net/2024/05/05/fuming-mouth-dark-tranquillity-and-gaerea-added-to-the-metalsucks-playlist/

#FumingMouth #DarkTranquillity #Gaerea

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalSucks
Fuming Mouth, Dark Tranquillity, and Gaerea Added to The MetalSucks Playlist
Also featuring tracks from Vomit The Soul, Umbra Vitae, and 96 Bitter Beings.

https://www.metalsucks.net/2024/05/05/fuming-mouth-dark-tranquillity-and-gaerea-added-to-the-metalsucks-playlist/

#FumingMouth #DarkTranquillity #Gaerea

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalInjection
CAVALERA, GAEREA, FUMING MOUTH & More Among Metal Injection's Top Tracks Of The Week
Plus Rivers Of Nihil, Bodysnatcher, Dark Tranquillity, and more!

https://metalinjection.net/playlist/top-tracks-of-the-week-playlist/cavalera-gaerea-fuming-mouth-more-among-metal-injections-top-tracks-of-the-week

#Cavalera #Gaerea #FumingMouth #RiversOfNihil #Bodysnatcher #Wormed #DarkTranquillity #UmbraVitae #AllThatRemains #TopTracks

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalInjection
CAVALERA, GAEREA, FUMING MOUTH & More Among Metal Injection's Top Tracks Of The Week
Plus Rivers Of Nihil, Bodysnatcher, Dark Tranquillity, and more!

https://metalinjection.net/playlist/top-tracks-of-the-week-playlist/cavalera-gaerea-fuming-mouth-more-among-metal-injections-top-tracks-of-the-week

#Cavalera #Gaerea #FumingMouth #RiversOfNihil #Bodysnatcher #Wormed #DarkTranquillity #UmbraVitae #AllThatRemains #TopTracks

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalInjection
CAVALERA, GAEREA, FUMING MOUTH & More Among Metal Injection's Top Tracks Of The Week
Plus Rivers Of Nihil, Bodysnatcher, Dark Tranquillity, and more!

https://metalinjection.net/playlist/top-tracks-of-the-week-playlist/cavalera-gaerea-fuming-mouth-more-among-metal-injections-top-tracks-of-the-week

#Cavalera #Gaerea #FumingMouth #RiversOfNihil #Bodysnatcher #Wormed #DarkTranquillity #UmbraVitae #AllThatRemains #TopTracks

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalInjection
CAVALERA, GAEREA, FUMING MOUTH & More Among Metal Injection's Top Tracks Of The Week
Plus Rivers Of Nihil, Bodysnatcher, Dark Tranquillity, and more!

https://metalinjection.net/playlist/top-tracks-of-the-week-playlist/cavalera-gaerea-fuming-mouth-more-among-metal-injections-top-tracks-of-the-week

#Cavalera #Gaerea #FumingMouth #RiversOfNihil #Bodysnatcher #Wormed #DarkTranquillity #UmbraVitae #AllThatRemains #TopTracks

ohja :)
fuming mouth - timeless
https://framerate.de/2024/05/03/fuming-mouth-timeless/
#fumingmouth #single

da kommt ein richtig gutes album ...
vorfreude: fuming mouth – last day of sun
https://framerate.de/2023/10/11/vorfreude-fuming-mouth-last-day-of-sun/
#vorfreude #fumingmouth #album

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FUMING MOUTH Returns With New Swe-Death Single "The Silence Beyond Life"
Mark Wheelan rides again!

https://metalinjection.net/video/fuming-mouth-returns-with-new-swe-death-single-the-silence-beyond-life

#FumingMouth #TheSilenceBeyondLife #SWEDeath #MetalInjection #NewSingle #HeavyMusic #ExtremeMetal

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#MetalInjection
FUMING MOUTH Returns With New Swe-Death Single "The Silence Beyond Life"
Mark Wheelan rides again!

https://metalinjection.net/video/fuming-mouth-returns-with-new-swe-death-single-the-silence-beyond-life

#FumingMouth #TheSilenceBeyondLife #SWEDeath #MetalInjection #NewSingle #HeavyMusic #ExtremeMetal

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalInjection
FUMING MOUTH Returns With New Swe-Death Single "The Silence Beyond Life"
Mark Wheelan rides again!

https://metalinjection.net/video/fuming-mouth-returns-with-new-swe-death-single-the-silence-beyond-life

#FumingMouth #TheSilenceBeyondLife #SWEDeath #MetalInjection #NewSingle #HeavyMusic #ExtremeMetal

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalInjection
FUMING MOUTH Returns With New Swe-Death Single "The Silence Beyond Life"
Mark Wheelan rides again!

https://metalinjection.net/video/fuming-mouth-returns-with-new-swe-death-single-the-silence-beyond-life

#FumingMouth #TheSilenceBeyondLife #SWEDeath #MetalInjection #NewSingle #HeavyMusic #ExtremeMetal

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#MetalInjection
STATIC-X, FUMING MOUTH, BJØRKØ & More Among Metal Injection's Top Tracks Of The Week
Check out our top 50 songs of the week!

https://metalinjection.net/playlist/top-tracks-of-the-week-playlist/static-x-fuming-mouth-bjorko-more-among-metal-injections-top-tracks-of-the-week

#MetalInjection #StaticX #FumingMouth #Bjorko #TopTracksOfTheWeek #NewMusicFriday

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#MetalInjection
STATIC-X, FUMING MOUTH, BJØRKØ & More Among Metal Injection's Top Tracks Of The Week
Check out our top 50 songs of the week!

https://metalinjection.net/playlist/top-tracks-of-the-week-playlist/static-x-fuming-mouth-bjorko-more-among-metal-injections-top-tracks-of-the-week

#MetalInjection #StaticX #FumingMouth #Bjorko #TopTracksOfTheWeek #NewMusicFriday

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalInjection
STATIC-X, FUMING MOUTH, BJØRKØ & More Among Metal Injection's Top Tracks Of The Week
Check out our top 50 songs of the week!

https://metalinjection.net/playlist/top-tracks-of-the-week-playlist/static-x-fuming-mouth-bjorko-more-among-metal-injections-top-tracks-of-the-week

#MetalInjection #StaticX #FumingMouth #Bjorko #TopTracksOfTheWeek #NewMusicFriday

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalInjection
STATIC-X, FUMING MOUTH, BJØRKØ & More Among Metal Injection's Top Tracks Of The Week
Check out our top 50 songs of the week!

https://metalinjection.net/playlist/top-tracks-of-the-week-playlist/static-x-fuming-mouth-bjorko-more-among-metal-injections-top-tracks-of-the-week

#MetalInjection #StaticX #FumingMouth #Bjorko #TopTracksOfTheWeek #NewMusicFriday

Technical Death Metal Act Gorguts Announced As Part Of 2023 Decibel Metal + Beer Fest - https://www.wearethepit.com/2022/12/gorguts-announced-as-part-of-2023-decibel-metal-beer-fest/ #TheBlackDahliaMurder #SuicidalTendencies #Eyehategod #Mizmor #FrozenSoul #AllOutWar #Undeath #Drowningman #Worm #FumingMouth #Phobophilic #EscuelaGrind #Incantation #Gorguts #DecibelMetal #BeerFest #WeAreThePit