#speedmetal — Public Fediverse posts

ETERNITY'S END (Alemanya) presenta nou single: "Ravenheart" #EternitySEnd #ProgressivePower #SpeedMetal #Setembre2026 #Alemanya #NouSingle #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

ETERNITY'S END (Alemanya) presenta nou single: "Ravenheart" #EternitySEnd #ProgressivePower #SpeedMetal #Setembre2026 #Alemanya #NouSingle #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

Rapid by name, rapid by nature. A simple but effective moniker for this rip-roaring trio emerging from the Helsinki underground with a gnarly and riotous speed, thrash, and old school black metal attack. Featuring additional lashings of classic heavy metal, punk, and death influences, Rapid unleash their retro brand of ugly, thrashy mayhem on debut album, Enter the Realm of Fire. And from the get-go, these dudes share a clear devotion of ye olden days of underground, piss-and-vinegar-drenched metal, creating an authentically twisted concoction, brooding with bombast, evil vibes, and over-the-top theatrics. The colorfully named trio, consisting of bassist/vocalist Vincent Revenge, drummer The Goon, and axe wielder Atte ‘Spectre’ Nikku, formed back in 2014. During this time, they spat out a couple of demos and 2022’s Blackstar Oppression Regime EP generating underground buzz. Boasting a mean, unvarnished sound, and metal cred up the ying-yang, can Rapid back things up with songwriting to match their trve old school values?

Following an unnecessary intro piece, Rapid launch into their work proper on the ripping “Witchcraft of Horror,” laying their cards on the table, flexing their blackened thrash and speed metal combo, taking cues from the likes of Venom, early Slayer, Mercyful Fate and modern retro heavyweights Bütcher and Midnight. It’s a raucous, unhinged formula to warm the blackened hearts of’80s metal and underground aficionados. Once more, Rapid is a deceptively nimble beast, wielding their crude weapons and vicious badassery with deft hands, threading slithering melodies and sinister atmospheres into the thrashing cauldron, where galloping speed, raucously blackened riffs and unhinged vocals conspire to wreak havoc. Revenge’s vocals lend the album a wickedly over-the-top and charismatic edge, as black-thrash howls, croaks, demented screams and a rough-around-the-edges cleaner style are unleashed.

Aside from the punkish, first-wave gallop and thrust of mid-album burner “Horemheb,” and epic, if slightly overcooked closer “Beyond the Gates of the Rapid Flames,” Rapid keep the songwriting sharp and punchy, much to the album’s advantage. While the raw slash-and-burn riffage reigns supreme, the melodic embellishments and occasional noteworthy soloing add layers of substance and intrigue to the otherwise cutthroat nature of the Rapid formula. The hugely energetic delivery, coupled with their feral streak and deft handling of tempo variations, helps maintain interest across the album’s duration. At its best, Enter the Realm of Fire goes hard and comes emblazoned with deadly hooks and killer atmosphere, such as those adorning the frosty death march of “Wielder of Might – Death from Above,” grimly venomous meloblack meets heavy metal grooves of “Black Poison,” and blackened heavy metal gallop exhibited on the hooky, over-the-top “Pest Eater.” Not all tracks hit the same heights, but it’s all pretty solid and enjoyable fare.

Enter the Realm of Fire comes armed and dangerous with a roughshod production that tramples modern production values into dust, complimenting the looser vibes and gritty underground aesthetics, without sacrificing overall bite, clarity and tasty dynamics. Rough production and looser vibes do not translate to sloppy performances. The trio bust out energetic, tightly synced performances, highlighted by Revenge’s unusual yet often compelling vocals and Spectre’s raw, menacing riffs, blazing melodies, and often eloquently shredded solos. There are slight ebbs and flows in song-to-song quality, though aside from the throwaway intro and almost comically odd slower-paced track “Gaze of the Black Void,” the album is uniformly solid with a few especially potent bangers.

Rapid’s accomplished debut comes as a pleasant surprise, skillfully straddling the line between nostalgia, ’80s metal trvness, and raw underground grit, while sounding fresh enough to stand on its own. Sure, influences are proudly adorned on their ragged battle vests, but there is ample upside to what Rapid have cooked up. A wild and venomous ride, Enter the Realm of Fire is a gleefully violent, old school metal rampage that largely overcomes its warts and all flaws with solidly entertaining songwriting. The future looks bright for these throwback underground warriors.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: August 21st, 2026

The year was 2008. The place is Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Four brave souls were about to form Iron Kobra. Yearning for an era with less sheen and more grit, the band honed their craft with early demo Cult of the Snake and EP Battlesword. Their debut full-length, Dungeon Masters, wouldn’t descend upon the masses until 2012. While a little rough, it showed promise and ambition; the band clearly understood the fundamentals of hard rock and classic heavy metal. 2015 would see them return with Might & Magic, a higher-octane affair with tighter musicianship. But for a single here and there, Iron Kobra has remained quiet in the 11 years since. The metal snake returns now in 2026, promising louder, faster, and better.

I’m gonna do this review a little backward, starting with my chief complaint. Eternal Dagger feels more like a playlist than an album. There’s awesome musicianship and band cohesion on display here—the call and response antics of “Trembling Dungeons,” the stair-stepped riffs of “Fliehen,” the band’s perfect punctuation of Ela’s lyrics on “Forbidden Fruits,” Matze’s bass carrying the melody through the end of “Silver Strings and Iron Wings”—but nothing really ties these tracks together. It’s all undeniably the work of Iron Kobra, but the band careens—quite competently, at least—from searing speed metal (“Unchained & Untamed”) to Priestly NWoBHM (“Shibuya Nights”) to epic heavy metal (“Mountains of Madness”), making the album feel a bit unfocused. The great part about a criticism like this is that it has absolutely no bearing on how fucking hard these Germans rip.

From the first moments of “Trembling Dungeons”—a trash can opening, a sick divebomb, and soaring cleans—it’s clear Iron Kobra came here to chew bubblegum and kick ass, and they’re all out of bubblegum.1 Eternal Dagger is a rager written for all those who still blast Saxon on the reg. Whether burning barns (“Forbidden Fruits,” “Treacherous Tyrant”) or stomping out anthemic bangers, Iron Kobra plays with wanton abandon. This riotous and free energy never lets up, largely thanks to drummer Bjӧrn, even when the tempo drops a gear. “Silver Strings and Iron Wings” takes me back to Di’Anno-era Maiden, and “Trembling Dungeons” could’ve been an Angel Witch b-side. “Eternal Dagger” ventures into progressive territory, and although it doesn’t quite stick the landing and ends a little awkwardly, it’s intriguing, and I’d like to see them explore this narrative style more on future releases.

Eternal Dagger is a vast improvement over Iron Kobra’s back catalog, most notably stemming from its superior production. Mixed and mastered by Stefan Castevet, Eternal Dagger feels full and fleshed out. Bjӧrn’s kick drum moves some serious air, and Matze’s bass sounds absolutely incredible. It’s lush, vibrant, and responsible for some of my favorite moments on Eternal Dagger (“Shibuya Nights,” “Silver Strings,” “Unchained & Untamed”). The other major improvement of Eternal Dagger is the band’s synergy. While previous efforts felt like four talented musicians playing together, Eternal Dagger feels far more cohesive. This is best shown in the way lead guitarist Steffen dances beautifully around Ela’s rhythm guitars like variations on a theme. His leads and solos always feel like an extension of the rhythm section, rather than a standalone element (“Trembling Dungeons,” “Forbidden Fruits,” “Treacherous Tyrant”). Licks and fills from every member of Iron Kobra decorate the larger compositions, and as a result, Eternal Dagger feels like the work of a band at the top of their game.

Iron Kobra has got the goods. Front to back, Eternal Dagger is infectious and riotously fun. Whether you wanna howl at the sky while driving a bit too fast down the highway or pump your fist and bang your head in a crowd of sweaty, late-middle-aged men, Iron Kobra will get you there. I do wish Eternal Dagger had a more singular identity, but at the end of the day, I still had a blast working with this album over the past couple weeks. Unless you won’t settle for anything less than earth-shattering and paradigm-shifting masterpieces, Eternal Dagger will give you a sore neck and some involuntary stank face just fine.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: June 19th, 2026

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

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

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

Tired? Irritable? Prone to bouts of melancholy that leave you feeling listless and unfocused, particularly as the weather changes? It could be seasonal affective disorder, but these symptoms can also typify a diet deficient in vitamin R(iff). If it’s the latter, Hellripper’s Coronach practically hemorrhages the cure for what ails you, parading pulse-pounding riffs, blistering solos, and enthralling grooves with palliative nonchalance. Unleashing Hellripper’s fourth album in under a decade, architect and sole member James McBain maintains a tried-and-true release schedule and, more importantly, a steady evolution of sophisticated songwriting that’s as compelling as it is emboldening. I won’t mince words—Coronach is an undeniable corker and succeeds as Hellripper’s greatest triumph to date. So run down to your local or digital dealer and grab some Coronach posthaste!

Expanding on the achievements of Hellripper’s previous albums, Coronach harnesses the charm of earlier releases and injects them with a lethal dose of vitality. Back in 2017, debut Coagulating Darkness bled its influences on its sleeve, from riffs dripping with warp-speed Venom to the guitar lead from “Bastard of Hades” pulled straight from Metallica’s “Hit the Lights.” The Affair of the Poisons shaped Hellripper’s identity with flurries of licks that, while still laced with influences, exuded a welcome dimension of originality. Three years ago, Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags’ introduced knotted, longer-form compositions that pushed out the runtime while augmenting Hellripper’s arsenal of aural ammunition. With Coronach, Hellripper strikes a balance between the lengthier arrangements of Warlocks and the breakneck blackened bangers of yore, amplified by stellar performances throughout.

Coronach (24-bit HD audio) by Hellripper

Coronach overflows with electrifying instrumentation, and while McBain supplies most of Hellripper’s sonic ingredients, a few guests further enrich its proceedings. Searing leads and scorching solos set Coronach’s eight tracks aflame, boasting some of the hookiest guitar-playing I’ve heard this year. “Hunderprest” and “Blakk Satanik Fvkkstorm” crackle with flashy fretwork, buoyed by longtime six-string contributor Joseph Quinlan (Desert Heretic). Similarly, “Kinchyle (Goatkraft and Granite)” rumbles with snappy Motörheadstrong riffs before an acoustic guitar cuts in to transition the song into slinky grooves and heavy half-times. After some interplay, the pace ramps back up to close out on the intro riff. Hellripper has never lacked for earworms, yet Coronach unveils a mature understanding of dynamic songwriting that endows depth and complexity while never sounding forced or unnatural. Besides Quinlan, Jess Townsend contributes violin on “Baobhan Sith (Waltz of the Damned),” while singer Marianne returns to lend her vocals on a few tracks and Antonio Rodriguez reprises the bagpipes on closer “Coronach.” Vacuous’s Max Southall even bestows some percussive flair on “Mortercheyn.” Between himself and the talented musicians he’s assembled, it’s clear that while McBain is comfortable with his supporting cast, he’s determined not to put out the same album twice.

What impresses me most with Coronach is that McBain manages to broaden Hellripper’s auditory palette without ever losing the band’s core identity. “Hunderprest” and “Coronach” brim with the band’s trademark rippin’ riffs, yet the solos recall southern rock shredding à la Lynyrd Skynyrd or The Outlaws played at one-and-a-half speed. “Sculptor’s Cave,” meanwhile, channels what El Cuervo affectionately dubbed ‘Motörhead on cocaine’ energy during its “Rock ‘n’ Roll”-informed solo. A pervasive punk attitude also shimmers beneath the surface of Coronach, where the unadorned guitar refrains from “Kinchyle (Goatkraft and Granite),” “Sculptor’s Cave,” and “Mortercheyn” evoke more technical versions of Bad Religion and The Offspring. Tying it all together and allowing the myriad influences to coalesce, the mix ensures this is the best Hellripper has sounded, retaining their raw edge while dialing back the ‘everything louder than everything else’ approach that afflicted past albums—The Affair of the Poisons in particular.

Doubtlessly, Hellripper has dropped their finest release so far with Coronach, though a few small adjustments could have boosted it to undisputed excellence. “Baobhan Sith (Waltz of the Damned)” runs a tad too long, and although I like “Mortercheyn,” it doesn’t quite live up to the heights of the other tracks. Even so, I unapologetically return to Coronach again and again with no signs of slowing down. Just remember—Coronach must be taken while driving or operating heavy machinery. If lethargy creeps in or your mouth runs dry from a chronic deficit of Vitamin R, just take one to two doses of Coronach (by ear) and wait for Hellripper’s restorative fix to kick in.1

Rating: Great!!
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Century Media Records
Websites: Website | Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: March 27th, 2026

There’s a big problem with today’s metal scene: There aren’t enough fukkin bands that sound like Nifelheim. Every time I listen to those crazy Swedes, I want MOAR of their scalding black-thrash riffs, MORE of their pummeling blast beats, more of the unhinged ferocity that feels sorely lacking in today’s scene, when it seems like every band needs to have clean vocals and mix at least three genres. While Nifelheim vocalist Hellbutcher did release a very good album in 2024 via his eponymous band, his main project’s frantic intensity has gone largely unreplicated. Fortunately, Nuctemeron are here to change that. Over the past decade, this German group has kept the black flame burning with a slew of splits and EPs that bear titles like Beastfuck and Rape from the Grave, all while clad in enough spikes and leather to make them the favorite customers of their local BDSM shop. With their debut album, Demonic Sceptre, the group has continued following Nifelheim’s burning warpath, unleashing a barrage of frenetic riffs, scathing vocals, and battering rhythms that would make those Swedes proud.

Yet at the same time, calling Nuctemeron mere Nifelheim clones is hardly accurate. Perhaps most notably, the band’s aptly-named vocalist, “Lunatic Aggressor,” avoids mimicking Hellbutcher’s manic rasp by instead delivering a larynx-shredding shriek that somehow turns songs like “Burn My Skin to Leather” into singalong anthems. And, as hinted at by the cover art’s apparent homage to Destruction’s Eternal Devastation, the music here shows that these Germans have heard plenty of thrashy bands besides Hellbutcher and Co. Take the instrumental opener, “Fresh Blood for the 13th Coffin,” which is an ambient synth piece with vaguely medieval vibes that recall Desaster. Said influence continues with the Hellfire‘s Dominion-style guitar melodies that open the first proper track, “The Bat,” before the slicing verses began slashing into your neck like a sharpened scythe. Likewise, “Under Devil’s Command” features a terrific, olde school main riff that evokes the glory days of 80s speed metal, while the harmonized guitars of that song’s bridge serve as a saccharine throwback to metal’s golden age.

Demonic Sceptre by Nuctemeron

That said, it’s clear that Nifelheim is a massive influence here. And fortunately, Nuctemeron absolutely nail that band’s sound with a slew of the wildest black-thrash cuts I’ve heard in a long time. Early highlight “After Violent Storm” basically functions as a complementary vasectomy, as the ricocheting guitar line in that song’s refrain is hot enough to turn whatever genitals you have into something that looks like a charred pork rind. “Fuck Off!!! (In the Name of Evil)” uses Nifelheim’s infamous two-word mantra as the basis to unleash a shitstorm of bouncy, frantic guitars that culminates with the sound of a skipping record repeating that titular proclamation over and over. Later, the aforementioned “Burn My Skin to Leather” sounds like a lost cut from Servants of Darkness with its squealing guitar lines, while “Metallic Thunder” uses a rapid, tapping guitar line to great effect.

My only real criticism here is that some of the songs repeat their main riffs a bit too much, but that feels like a minor quibble in light of the sheer inspiration on display. The aforementioned “Lunatic Aggressor” shrieks his head off like a banshee the whole time, and the way he pronounces his V’s as W’s is positively endearing. Guitarist “Exterminator” unleashes riff after riff of pure maniacal energy, and his searing, fast solos are a perfect complement to the band’s relentless nature. As shown on the closing track, “Brandish the Hammer of Hell,” the group also aren’t afraid to mix things up, as the song concludes with crooning clean vocals that mimic a melodic guitar line. The production is also great, sounding raw and powerful while remaining clear and retaining plenty of dynamic range.

Demonic Sceptre is exactly what your psychotic inner black-thrash fan has been craving. This is the first group I’ve heard that truly embodies Nifelheim’s unhinged, frantic style, and yet they mix things up just enough to avoid being a mere worship act. What’s more, the band constantly exude a sense of furious inspiration, yet for how extreme they are, their songs sure are fukkin catchy. For me and anyone else bold enough to brave the group’s scorching fury, Nuctemeron’s debut may just be the best black-thrash record we hear this year.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps
Label: I Hate Records
Websites: nuctemeron-blackspeedhell.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/blackspeedhell
Releases Worldwide: March 13th, 2026

Sometime in the 2010s, I started disliking music with too many flourishes and began seeking out stuff that was more stripped-down, unpolished, and primitive. At this time, Barbarian were the perfect find. Depending on the album, this Italian trio has referred to themselves as “Regressive Metal,” “Absolute Metal,” or, in the case of their sixth album, Reek of God, “Retrogarde Metal” (typo and all). Led by vocalist and guitarist “Borys Crossburn,” their sound is essentially early Celtic Frost if they were fronted by a guitar-wielding grizzly bear who had a bizarre penchant for the occasional Running Wild-style melody. I’ve had many a fun time cranking my stereo and greasing my ear canals to 2014’s Faith Extinguisher and 2019’s To No God Shall I Kneel, though I agree with El Cuervo that 2022’s Viperface sagged a bit in the hookiness department. After several years on Hells Headbangers Records, Mr. Crossburn and crew have now jumped ship to a new label, Dying Victims Productions, for Reek of God, their first album in four years.

Despite the shift, Barbarian seem to have lost none of their belligerence. The album’s intro, aptly titled “Warning,” is a reimagining of the intro of the same name from the 1993 Ice-T album Home Invasion, and it helpfully informs listeners that they are listening to a Barbarian LP before instructing them to take out the tape if they are offended by phrases like “may the Almighty choke on all my sins.” From there, the first proper track, “Maxima Culpa,” roars in with burly and unapologetic guitars, throttling drums, and Crossburn’s gruff roars. As before, the sound is regressive, pulling lovingly from speed metal, thrash, black metal, and even bits of classic heavy metal with its brief majestic leads. While not the most memorable cut, it’s clear this unwashed bunch still have plenty of piss and vinegar to offer. The follow-up, “Sledgehammer,” further beats this home, with its big chunky riffs and pummeling proclamation of the track title helping the song live up to its blunt moniker.

Sadly, as Reek of God continues, it starts to stink in ways that perhaps it didn’t intend. It soon becomes apparent that Viperface’s shortage of standout hooks seems to have continued on this album—only here, it’s more of an issue. Viperface still succeeded in spite of that hangup because the songs were well-developed and took interesting turns, even if not everything was the most memorable. Here, however, the band have shortened their average track length to around three minutes, and rather than use that abbreviated format to write tight, catchy bangers, the group instead almost always eschew notable refrains in favor of simply tossing together an assortment of decent, aggressive riffs they seem to have had lying around the practice room. The result feels like an album of brief speed metal vignettes that largely pass by without much note. The production only amplifies this issue, as it sounds like the guitars and vocals are fighting for space in the mix, with the guitars having a blaring tone that I don’t love.

Fortunately, there’s still some good here. The last proper track, “Retrogarde Metal” (yes, it’s actually spelled like that), finally does feature a fun shout-along refrain, and closing the album with the horror-synth instrumental “Crurifragium” was a cool touch. “Freak Magnet,” a cover of the all-female rock band L7, is also a solid cut that adds a bit of punky energy late in the runtime. I also enjoy some of the classic heavy metal licks that appear on “Cancer Cross,” though such ideas generally seem to be less prevalent on this album than on previous ones. Crossburn also delivers some nice attitude in his vocals, with at least one “UGH!” and a self-referential shoutout of “Tell them what’s up, Crossburn!” before a ripping solo.

Overall, though, it’s hard not to be a little disappointed here. By doubling down on their no-fucks-given attitude, Barbarian seems to have taken an even moar primitive and less refined approach, resulting in shorter songs that have plenty of energy but not as much that sticks to the ribs. In their best prior works, the band excelled at combining mighty riffs and melodic leads into wholly engaging compositions. Only time will tell if we’ll ever see them do that again.



Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: linktr.ee/barbarianmetal | facebook.com/barbarianmetal
Releases Worldwide: January 23rd, 2026

Sacred Leather – Keep the Fire Burning Review

By Steel Druhm

I’ve never been to Indiana, so I’m not acquainted with how they do things. After listening to Sacred Leather’s sophomore outing, Keep the Fire Burning, I’m definitely left wondering if time moves differently there, though. That’s because this is one of the most retro, throwback-y pure metal things I’ve heard in some time, with a sound so hopelessly locked between 1983-1986, that I feel my back hair receding as my olde denim jacket grows new Venom and Motörhead patches. When I call this style “dated,” what I really mean is carbon-dated.1 Now, don’t take this as a criticism, as those years were some of the very best for classic heavy metal, and Sacred Leather do their damnedest to harvest the finest elements from a time when things were simple, pure, and still very based in hard-rock. As this album unspools, you’ll be whisked away to an age when Jag Panzer, Savage Grace, and Warlord ruled with a collective iron fist, and being labeled a poser was akin to a death sentence. Could you withstand the cred rigors of such a draconian time? Steel Druhm did once and would gladly do so again!

After a tasteful instrumental intro, Sacred Leather tan your worthless hide from point Ape to point ChimpanZee on “Spitfire at Night,” powered by the uber-period guitar work of J.J. Highway and Cvon Owens. It’s vintage metal with a speed injection, and it reminds me of long-forgotten German quasi-thrashers Vendetta mixed with Agent Steel. That’s 100% undiluted Steel bait, and the chum is thick and saucy here. Riffs churn and race, over-the-top solos stamp fat exclamation points, and frontman Dee Wrathchild screams and wails like a banshee on banshee meths. It’s a recipe for rowdy, high-energy shenanigans, and in the steady hands of Sacred Leather, this volatile brew sizzles and pops. “Phantom Highway (Hell is Comin’ Down)” delivers more lusty worship of excess. It’s a slick blend of NWoBHM and the most sturdy of mid-80s US metal, and it reminds me of Sumerlands. “Fallen Angel” channels the early days of Jag Panzer with big arena-ready guitars dueling with wanton vocals locked in overdrive as every ounce of meatheaded drama is wrung from the music. Sure, Mr. Wrathchild lets his voice get away from him at times, but that’s freaking metal, folks.

Song after song hits like a runaway freight train from 1985, and at no point will you want to step off the tracks. “Tear Out My Heart” feels like the bastard love child of Warlord and Savage Grace, with stunning guitars framing the kind of massive vocal drama that only 80s metal can provide. If you were looking for a burly, hard-as-nails breakup song for written for men who don’t cry, this is it. The title track channels the badass anthemic might of the criminally underappreciated Cities, and the band proudly honor their oath to keep the flame of the 80s burning bright. Just as you regain your senses, the big epic closer “Mistress of the Sun” arrives to make you love it or feel the wrath of Wrathchild. This is the same kind of larger-than-life metal tune as Krokus’ immortal “Screaming in the Night,” walking the line between anthem and power ballad and damn if it doesn’t tickle all the same nerve endings. There are no bad tracks, with each activating a major nostalgia bomb. So, what, if any, drawbacks will you encounter amid this most retro metal marination session? There are bits of bloat here and there, like on “Tear Out My Heart,” but not to the point where the songs are seriously undermined. In fact, at a tight 40 minutes, this thing feels like a fast-moving mission statement on how to properly worship the 80s, with a production about as trve to the time as one could hope for.

This is the kind of metal album that exudes guitar magic, and Highway and Owens spare no expense in decorating each song with the trappings of yesteryear. I hear many classic 80s albums referenced in their playing, and they really know the era they pay homage to. The riffs are energetic, beefy, and vibrant, and the harmonies and solos rock hard. Over the top of this solid foundation, Dee Wrathchild channels his inner metal god. Blessed with a broad range, he lets it all hang out, exploring his upper register freely and sometimes in ill-advised ways. He does seem to slip out of tune here and there when going all in, but I don’t especially care. Most of what he delivers is solid and commanding, checking all the boxes of 80s overkill and melodrama.

I love it when I blunder into some December release expecting little but getting my ass handed to me on a gleaming chrome platter. Sacred Leather bring the classic metal thunder, and if you love the sounds of the 80s, you should await the lightning strike. As winter moves ever closer, you too should Keep the Fire Burning. Any other choice would smack of flagrant poserism, and that would mean a visit from the Metal Inquisition. Be true to your olde school.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: King Volume Records / Wise Blood Records
Websites: facebook.com/leathersacredleather | instagram.com/sacred_leather
Releases Worldwide: December 12th, 2015

#2025 #35 #AgentSteel #AmericanMetal #Cities #Dec25 #HeavyMetal #JagPanzer #KeepTheFireBurning #Review #Reviews #SacredLeather #SavageGrace #SpeedMetal #Sumerlands #Vendetta #Warlord

MIASMATA (Nova Zelanda) presenta nou àlbum: "Subterrania" #Miasmata #MelodicBlack #SpeedMetal #HeavyMetal #Octubre2025 #NovaZelanda #NouÀlbum #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

MIASMATA (Nova Zelanda) presenta nou àlbum: "Subterrania" #Miasmata #MelodicBlack #SpeedMetal #HeavyMetal #Octubre2025 #NovaZelanda #NouÀlbum #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

MIASMATA (Nova Zelanda) presenta nou àlbum: "Subterrania" #Miasmata #MelodicBlack #SpeedMetal #HeavyMetal #Octubre2025 #NovaZelanda #NouÀlbum #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

MIASMATA (Nova Zelanda) presenta nou àlbum: "Subterrania" #Miasmata #MelodicBlack #SpeedMetal #HeavyMetal #Octubre2025 #NovaZelanda #NouÀlbum #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

MIASMATA (Nova Zelanda) presenta nou àlbum: "Subterrania" #Miasmata #MelodicBlack #SpeedMetal #HeavyMetal #Octubre2025 #NovaZelanda #NouÀlbum #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

Stuck in the Filter: August 2025’s Angry Misses

By Kenstrosity

The heat persists, but now the humidity comes in full force as storm systems wreak havoc upon the coasts. I hide in my cramped closet of an office, lest I be washed out once again by an unsuspecting deluge. However, I still send my minions out into the facility, bound by duty to search for those metallic scraps on which we feast.

Fortuitously, most all of those imps I sent out came back alive, and with wares! BEHOLD!

Kenstrosity’s Galactic Gremlin

Silent Millenia // Celestial Twilight: Beyond the Crimson Veil [August 26th, 2025 – Self-Release]

Have you ever seen such a delightfully cheesy cover? Probably, but it’s been a while for me. I bought Celestial Twilight: Beyond the Crimson Veil, the second raw symphonic black metal opus from Finnish one-man act Silent Millenia, on the strength of the artwork alone. Little did I know that what lay beyond this crimson veil was some of the most fun melodic black metal this side of Moonlight Sorcery. The same low-fi roughness that personifies Old Nick’s work grounds Silent Millenia’s starbound songwriting as it traverses the universe with an energetic punch reminiscent of Emperor or Stormkeep (“Awaken the Celestial Spell,” “Daemonic Mastery”). To help differentiate Silent Millenia’s sound from that of their peers, a gothic atmosphere ensorcells much of this material to great effect, merging eerie Victorian melodies with galactic adventurism in an unlikely pair (“Enthrone the Spectral”). Swirling synths and sparkling twinkles abound as well, creating blissful moments of interest as frosty tremolos and piercing blasts take full advantage of the false sense of security those entrancing clouds of synthetic instrumentation create (“Benighted Path to Darkness Mysterium,” “Reign in Cosmic Majesty”). Simply put, Celestial Twilight is an unexpected gem of a symphonic black metal record, bursting with killer ideas and infinite levels of raw, unabashed fun. You should hear it!

Kronos’ Unexpected Unearthments

Street Sects // Dry Drunk [August 15th, 2025 – Self Release]

Dry Drunk sticks to your inner surfaces, draining down like cigarette tar along paralyzed cilia to pool in your lungs until the cells themselves foment rebellion. Once it’s in you, you feel paranoid, wretched, and alone. So it’s the proper follow-up to Street Sects’ visionary debut, End Position. Like that record, Dry Drunk plumbs the most mundane and unsavory gutters of America for a cast of protagonists that it dwells in or dispatches with a mixture of pity and disgust, with vocalist Leo Ashline narrating their violent crimes and self-hatred in a mixture of croons, shrieks, and snarls that cook the air before the speakers into the scent of booze and rotten teeth. And like that record, Shaun Ringsmuth (Glassing) dresses the sets with a fractal litter of snaps, squeals, crashes, gunshots, and grinding electronics, caked in tar and collapsing just as soon as it is swept into a structure. And like End Position, Dry Drunk is a masterpiece. The impeccable six-song stretch from “Love Makes You Fat” through “Riding the Clock” ties you to the bumper and drags you along some of the duo’s most creative side-roads, through the simmering, straightjacketed sludge of “Baker Act” to the chopped-up, smirking electronica of “Eject Button.” Swerving between addled, unintelligible agony and unforgettable anthems, Dry Drunk, like End Position before it is nothing less than the life of a junkie scraped together, heated on a spoon, and injected into your head. Once you’ve taken a hit, you will never be quite the same.

Thus Spoke’s Frightening Fragments

Defacement // Doomed [August 22nd, 2025 – Self Release]

There’s music for every vibe.1 The one Defacement fits is an exclusively extreme metal flavor of moody that is only appreciable by genre fans, made tangibly more eerie by their persistent idiosyncratic use of dark ambient interludes amidst the viciously distorted blackened death. Audiences—and reviewers—tend to disparage these electronic segments, but I’ve always felt their crackling presence increases the analog horror of it all, and rather than being a breather from the intensity, they prolong the nausea, the sense of emptiness, and the abject fearfulness of head-based trauma. This latter concept grows more metaphorical still on Doomed, where the violence is inside the mind, purpose-erasing, and emotionally-detaching. The ambience might be the most sadly beautiful so far (“Mournful,” and “Clouded” especially), and the transitions into nightmarish heaviness arguably the most fluid. And the metal is undoubtedly the most ambitious, dynamic, and magnificent of Defacement’s career, combining their most gruesome dissonance (“Portrait”) with their most bizarrely exuberant guitar melodies (“Unexplainable,” “Unrecognised”). Solos drip tangibly with (emotional) resonance (“Unexplainable,” “Absent”) and there’s not a breath or a moment of wasted space. Yes, the band’s heavier side can suffer from a nagging sense of homogeneous mass, but it remains transporting. While I can appreciate why others do not appreciate Defacement, this is the first of their outings I can truthfully say mesmerised me on first listen.

ClarkKent’s Heated Hymns

Phantom Fire // Phantom Fire [August 8th, 2025 – Edged Circle Productions]

While I waded through the murky depths of the August promo sump, Steel implored me to take the eponymous third album from Phantom Fire. “The AMG commentariat love blackened heavy metal,” he said. I disregarded his advice at my peril, and while I ended up enjoying what I grabbed, it turns out this would have been solid too. Featuring members from Enslaved, Kraków. Hellbutcher, and Aeternus, Phantom Fire play old school speed metal that harks back to the likes of Motörhead and Iron Maiden’s Killers. Thanks to healthy doses of bass and production values that allow the instruments to shine, each song is infused with energetic grooves. The music sounds fresh, crisp, and clear, from the booming drums to Eld’s “blackened” snarls. Early tracks “Eternal Void” and “All For None” show off the catchy blend of simple guitar riffs and a hoppin’ bass accompanied by energetic kit work. While placing a somewhat lengthy instrumental track in the middle of a record usually slows it down, “Fatal Attraction” turns out to be a highlight. It tells a tragic love story involving a motorcycle with nothing but instruments, an engine revving, and some police sirens. The second half of Phantom Fire gets a bit on the weirder side, turning to some stoner and psychedelia. There’s a push and pull between the stoner and Motörhead speed stuff on songs like “Malphas” and “Submersible Pt. 2,” and this blend actually works pretty well. It turns out that they aren’t phantom after all—these guys are truly fire.

Burning Witches // Inquisition [August 22nd, 2025 – Napalm Records]

With six albums in eight years, Swiss quintet Burning Witches has really been burning rubber. While such prolific output in such a short time frame generally spells trouble, Inquisition is a solid piece of heavy/power metal. Burning Witches dabbles in a mix of speedy power metal and mid-tempo heavy metal, often sounding like ’80s stalwarts Judas Priest and Def Leppard. With Laura Guldemond’s gruff voice, they produce a more weighty, less happy version of power metal than the likes of Fellowship or Frozen Crown. While the songs stick to formulaic structures, tempo shifts from song to song help keep things from growing stale. We see this variety right from the get-go, where “Soul Eater” takes a high-energy approach before moving into the more mellow “Shame.” There’s even a pretty solid ballad, “Release Me,” that grounds the back half of the record. Songs of the sort that Burning Witches write need catchy choruses, and fortunately, they deliver. “High Priestess of the Night” is a particular standout, delivering a knock-out punch in its delivery. It helps that the instrumental parts are well-executed, from crunchy riffs to subdued solos to booming blast beats. Anyone looking for a solid bit of power metal that’s not too heavy on the cheese will find this worth a listen.

Deathhammer // Crimson Dawn [August 29th, 2025 – Hells Headbangers Records]

Celebrating 20 years of blackened speed, Deathhammer drop LP number six with the kind of energy that exhausted parents dread to see in their children at bedtime. This is my first foray with the band, and I am in awe of the relentless level of manic energy they keep throughout Crimson Dawn’s 39 minutes. If science could learn how to harness their energy, we’d have an endless source of renewables. The two-piece out of Norway channels classic Slayer on crack and even has moments reminiscent of Painkiller-era Judas Priest. They play non-stop thrash cranked to 11, with persistent blast beats and some dual guitar parts that leave your head spinning from the rapid-fire directions the riffs fire off in. The heart of the mania is singer Sergeant Salsten. His crazed vocals are amazing—snarling, shouting, and shrieking in a way that took me back to the manic pitch Judge Doom could reach in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? He sings so fast that on the chorus of “Crimson Dawn,” it sounds like he says “Griffindor,” which had me searching confusedly for the Harry Potter tag. This was probably my favorite song, not just because of the Griffindor thing, but because that chorus is so catchy. Either way, it’s tough to pick a standout track because they all grip you by the throat and don’t let go. Crimson Dawn is a ton of fun and a must listen if you like your music fast.

Grin Reaper’s Bountiful Blight

Kallias // Digital Plague [August 14th, 2025 – Self Release]

Machine gun drumming, spacey synths, Morbid Angel-meets-Meshuggah riffing, Turian-esque barking and Voyager-reminiscent vocal melodies…what the fuck is going on here? The only thing more surprising than someone having the moxie to blend all these things together is how well they work in concert. Kallias doesn’t hold back on sophomore album Digital Plague, and the result is a rocket-fueled blast through forty-four minutes of eclectic, addictive prog. The mishmash of styles keeps the album fresh and unpredictable while never dipping its toes in inconsistent waters, and staccato rhythms propel listeners through eight tracks without losing steam. As with any prog metal worth its salt, Kallias brandishes technical prowess, and their cohesion belies the relatively short time they’ve been putting out music.2 The mix is well-suited to spotlight whoever needs it at a given time, whether the bass is purring (“Exogíini Kyriarchía”), the drums are being annihilated (“Pyrrhic Victory”), or a guitar solo nears Pettrucian wankery (“Phenomenal in Theory”). The end result is three-quarters of an hour filled with myriad influences that fuse into a sound all Kallias’s own, and it’s one I’ve returned to several times since discovering (also, credit to MontDoom for his stunning artwork, which helped initially draw my attention). Check it out—you’ll be sick if you avoid this one like the Plague.

Luke’s Kaleidoscopic Kicks

Giant Haze // Cosmic Mother [August 22nd, 2025 – Tonzonen Records]

Whereas many of my colleagues are bracing themselves for cooler conditions and harsh winters to come, in my neck of the woods, things are warming up. While my own wintry August filter proved scarce, there was one particular summery gem to lift moods with burly riffs and fat stoner grooves. Unheralded German act Giant Haze seemingly emerged out of nowhere during a random Bandcamp deep dive. Debut LP Cosmic Mother channels the good old days of ’90s-inspired desert rock, featuring grungy, doomy vibes via a groovy batch of riff-centric, hard-rocking and uplifting jams, evoking the nostalgic spirit of Kyuss, Fu Manchu, Clutch and perhaps even a dash of Danzig. Punching out raucous, groove-soaked hard rockers with skyscraping hooks (“Geographic Gardens Suck,” “King of Tomorrow,” “Panic to Ride”), summery, funk–psych jams (“Sunrise”), and bluesy, punk-infused fireballs (“Crank in Public,” “Shrink Age”) Giant Haze get a lot of things right on this assured debut. The songwriting is deceptively diverse and punchy, bolstered by solid production, tight musicianship, and the swaggering, ever so slightly goofy vocal charms and powerful hooks of frontman Christoph Wollmann. Inevitably, a few rough spots appear, but overall Cosmic Mother showcases oodles of budding potential, an impactful delivery, cheeky sense of humor, and infectious, feel-good songcraft.

Spicie Forrest’s Foraged Fruit

Bask // The Turning [August 22nd, 2025 – Season of Mist]

Last seen in 2019, Bask returns with fourth LP, The Turning, a concept album following The Rider as she and The Traveler traverse the stars. They still peddle the unique blend of stoner rock and Americana Kenstrosity reviewed favorably in 2019, but 2025 sees them looking up for inspiration. The Turning incorporates a distinct cosmic bent (“The Traveler,” “The Turning”) and post-rock structures (“Dig My Heels,” “Unwound”). These augmentations to Bask’s core sound are enhanced by the masterful pedal steel of new official member Jed Willis. Whether floating through the firmament or tilling earthly pastures, Willis creates textures both fresh and intensely nostalgic. The infinite shifting vistas of The Turning’s front half coalesce into singular timeless visions on the back half, supporting its conceptual nature in both content and form. Like a combination of Huntsmen and Somali Yacht Club, Bask weaves riffs and melodies heard across the plains and through the void above with an unguarded authenticity felt in your soul.

Dolphin Whisperer’s Disseminating Discharge

Plasmodulated // An Ocean ov Putrid, Stinky, Vile, Disgusting Hell [August 1st, 2025 – Personal Records]

Stinky, sticky, slimy—all adjectives that define the ideal death metal platter. Myk Colby has been trying to chase this perfect balance in a reverb-wonky package with projects like the d-beaten Hot Graves and extra hazy Wharflurch, but vile death metal balance is hard to achieve. However, An Ocean ov Putrid, Stinky, Vile, Disgusting Hell contains a recklessly pinched Demilichian riffage, classic piercing whammy bombs, and spook-minded synth ambience that places Plasmodulated with an odor more pungent than its peers. With an infected ear that festers equally with doom-loaded, Incantation-indebted drags (“Gelatinous Mutation ov Brewed Origin,” “Trapped in the Plasmovoid”) and Voivod-on-jenkem cutaways to foul-throated extravagence (“The Final Fuckening”). An air of intelligent tempo design keeps An Ocean from never feeling trapped in a maze of its own fumes, with Colby’s lush and bubbling synth design seguing tumbles into hammering deathly tremolo runs (“Such Rapid Sphacelation”) and Celtic Frosted riff tumbles (“Drowning in Sputum”) alike, all before swirling about his own tattered, trailing vocal sputters. Steady but slippery, elegant yet effluvial, An Ocean ov Putrid, Stinky, Vile, Disgusting Hell provides the necessary noxious pressure to corrode death metal-loving denizens into pure gloops of stained-denim pit worship. Delivered as labeled, Plasmodulated earns its hazardous declaration. We here at AMG are not liable for any OSHA violations that occur as a result of Plasmodulated consumption on the job, though.

#2025 #Aeternus #AmericanMetal #Americana #AnOceanOvPutridStinkyVileDisgustingHell #Aug25 #Bask #BlackMetal #BlackenedDeathMetal #BurningWitches #CelestialTwilightBeyondTheCrimsonVeil #CelticFrost #Clutch #CosmicMother #CrimsonDawn #Danzig #DarkAmbient #DeathMetal #Deathhammer #DefLeppard #Defacement #Demilich #DigitalPlague #Doomed #DryDrunk #DutchMetal #EdgedCircleProductions #Emperor #Enslaved #Fellship #FinnishMetal #FrozenCrown #FuManchu #GermanMetal #GiantHaze #Glassing #Hardcore #HeavyMetal #Hellbutcher #HellsHeadbangersRecords #HotGraves #Huntsmen #Incantation #Inquisition #IronMaiden #JudasPriest #Kallias #Kraków #Kyuss #MelodicBlackMetal #Meshuggah #MoonlightSorcery #MorbidAngel #Motörhead #NapalmRecords #NorwegianMetal #OldNick #PersonalRecords #PhantomFire #Plasmodulated #PowerMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #RawBlackMetal #Review #Reviews #SelfRelease #SilentMillenia #Slayer #Sludge #SludgeMetal #SomaliYachtClub #SpeedMetal #StonerRock #Stormkeep #StreetSects #StuckInTheFilter #StuckInTheFilter2025 #SwissMetal #SymphonicBlackMetal #TechnicalDeathMetal #TheTurning #TonzonenRecords #Turian #Voivod #Voyager #Wharflurch

Revenge – Night Danger Review

By Creeping Ivy

Like all subgenres, speed metal exists at the nexus of other genres: namely, classic heavy metal and thrash. Whether a band leans towards a classic or thrashy version of the sound becomes the primary distinguisher. Night Danger, the latest LP from longstanding Colombian band Revenge, is a speed metal record in the vein of Running Wild and Razor. But Revenge leans in a classic direction, claiming Judas Priest and Helloween as inspirations. Indeed, that Helloween-inspired artwork, coupled with the band’s longevity, should be enough to convince speed freaks to give Night Danger a spin. Those who observe the speed limit, however, will probably need more than the orange glow of a horse’s face to be convinced.1

Speed metal fans will be happy to hear that Night Danger consistently fulfills the promise of the genre’s adjective, with quality performances across the board. All but one of its songs gallop at the pace of the steed adorning its cover. To the list of Revenge’s self-professed classic influences, I would add the contemporary heavy metal band Century as a sonic touchstone, insofar as Night Danger tends to keep things up-tempo and, production-wise, traditional. The first half of the album races through songs that veer more in the classic direction, offering harmonized guitar melodies (“Black Sight”), fist-pumping choruses from Esteban ‘Hellfire’ Mejía (“Night Danger”), and impressive solos from lead guitarist Night Crawler (“Soldier’s Heart”). On the back half, Revenge delves into thrashier terrain, building songs around more menacing riffs (“Desire from Pain”) and stompier bridges (“The Devil Race”) that allow drummer Hell Avenger to show off his double bass skills. Despite really having only one speed, Night Danger doesn’t overstay its welcome; no song feels overlong, and the album sensibly clocks in at just under 40 minutes.

Even for speed metal aficionados, though, Night Danger will read less like a holistic album and more like a collection of similar songs. The title track, for example, follows up opener “Black Sight” with a similar kind of introduction: a riff punctuated by drum accents before blastoff. From there, “Night Danger” also mirrors the opener’s pre-solo, half-time bridge. By the time the intro riff to “Soldier’s Heart” rolls around at the midpoint, the listener feels as if they’ve already heard a version of it as the intro to “Night Danger.” Closer “Crushing Death” is one of the stronger cuts on the album, morphing its righteously thrashin’ riff into a jaunty verse and a chorus with uber melodic guitar tags. Nothing about it, however, makes it feel like a closer; it could just as easily live somewhere in the middle of Night Danger.

This is not to say, however, that there’s no songwriting variation to be found here. As the only mid-tempo track on Night Danger, “Misty Night” first comes to mind. Beyond its tempo, the song’s solo also contains a minute variation, picking up on the melody of the main riff before shredding the listener’s face off. Speaking of solos, “The Devil Race” refreshingly opens with one (and, yes, has one during the bridge). On the low end, bassist Camilo Hernandez is periodically noticeable, adding countermelodies that would make Steve Harris proud (“Night Danger,” “Desire from Pain”). Switching from strings to voices: Hellfire is a solid vocalist, but the gang vocals on “The Hammers Fall” add a refreshing flavor to the mix. All of these variations, however, are infrequent and virtually imperceptible.

Speed metal is gonna speed metal, but the lack of variety on Night Danger will likely pose issues for devotees and neophytes alike. Fans of the genre should dig this, but they’ll also crave a few more mid-tempo tracks to keep things interesting. Those less familiar with Revenge’s influences won’t easily forgive the album’s mono-temporality. Night Danger probably won’t turn you into a speed freak, but if you already are one, it’ll satisfy your need.

Rating: Mixed
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: revenge666.bandcamp.com/album/night-danger | facebook.com/revengespeed
Releases Worldwide: October 17th, 2025

#25 #2025 #Century #ColumbianMetal #DyingVictimsProductions #HeavyMetal #Helloween #JudasPriest #NightDanger #Oct25 #Razor #Revenge #Review #Reviews #RunningWild #SpeedMetal

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SADUS Announces First Album In 16 Years, 'The Shadow Inside'

https://blabbermouth.net/news/sadus-announces-first-album-in-16-years-the-shadow-inside

#Sadus
#TheShadowInside
#NewAlbum
#Metal
#Thrash
#16Years
#SpeedMetal
#NorthernCalifornia
#SteveDiGiorgio
#JonAllen
#DennisButkus
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#BLABBERMOUTH
SADUS Announces First Album In 16 Years, 'The Shadow Inside'

https://blabbermouth.net/news/sadus-announces-first-album-in-16-years-the-shadow-inside

#Sadus
#TheShadowInside
#NewAlbum
#Metal
#Thrash
#16Years
#SpeedMetal
#NorthernCalifornia
#SteveDiGiorgio
#JonAllen
#DennisButkus
#SpecialGuest

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#BLABBERMOUTH
SADUS Announces First Album In 16 Years, 'The Shadow Inside'

https://blabbermouth.net/news/sadus-announces-first-album-in-16-years-the-shadow-inside

#Sadus
#TheShadowInside
#NewAlbum
#Metal
#Thrash
#16Years
#SpeedMetal
#NorthernCalifornia
#SteveDiGiorgio
#JonAllen
#DennisButkus
#SpecialGuest