#suffocation — Public Fediverse posts

Bludgeoning, bruising, and belligerent, brutal death metal beats listeners down into bloody paste when it does its job right. Indonesian duo Vertiginous takes this direction to heart, holding back nothing as they trounce on listeners with nary a batted eye. The pair released debut Reek of Putrefaction on Excruciating Lust in 2024, and now Hendika Dwi Prasetyo and Jossi Bima return to pulpify you with sophomore outing Incessant Affliction. As is the case for many in the genre, Vertiginous keeps it simple via a relentless teeth-rattling clatter that induces merciless pulverization. In the end, does this Incessant Affliction incubate an infectiously good time, or leave us dying to be put out of our collective misery?

From its first moment, Incessant Affliction pulverizes listeners with unflinching ruthlessness. Opener “Suffering, Misery, and Slaughtering” surges forth with tortured, inhuman vocals, flurries of snare abuse, and lawless stringed onslaught, setting the stage for Incessant Affliction’s violent incursion. And the hits keep coming, as each track roils with the seething intensity of touchstone titans. Musically, Vertiginous recalls early Suffocation with flecks of Devourment and Cannibal Corpse thrown in. Sprinkled throughout are bite-sized bass breaks that act as nice ‘n’ chunky, Alex Webster-inspired flourishes (“Mutilated with Anguishes”). And while paces mostly accelerate toward maximum impact, “Suffering, Misery, and Slaughtering,” “Engraved Loathing,” and “Unclear Misery” dawdle in quick snatches of lurching trudgery, providing brief but welcome respites.

For all the dizzying bombardments that Vertiginous unleashes, though, I find it difficult to differentiate one blood-soaked moment from the next. “Crucified in Fate Hesitation” mauls with pummeling drumming and buzzsaw guitar licks, leaving you sticky with phlegm and ichor. But moving into follow-up track “Incubated Inquietude,” I wouldn’t notice the songs changing if not for the short gap of silence between them. “Tortured with Endless Despair” and “Mutilated with Anguishes” repeat this pattern, separated only by the fading crash of a cymbal. And so on. At half an hour, Incessant Affliction rips and renders with nary a moment to cull, yet there’s also no peak or passage that sticks with me after “Unclear Misery” fades into the ether. Ultimately, this slathers Vertiginous’s latest with too much similitude, undercutting an album that otherwise roars with delicious menace.

Although Vertiginous could stand to add some diversity to Incessant Affliction, they elect some pretty mouthwatering choices as well. The production pushes everything to the fore, but given the genre, this embodies an appropriate choice. The sonic concussion is a calculated bludgeon rather than the result of a glossy or careless mix, and even with Vertiginous relentlessly flogging your skull, Incessant Affliction rumbles with a carefully honed depth. In addition to the production, performances satisfy as well. Bima’s frog-stomping gutturals can be felt as much as heard, churning guts and bowels with seismic malevolence. Prasetyo, meanwhile, handles all instrumentation, impressing with his clangorous drumming. The guitars are suitably chaotic and deadly, although a more focused effort on riff development would go a long way towards solidifying identities for individual songs, which characterizes what separates Vertiginous from brutal death greats like Cryptopsy, Skinless, and Dying Fetus. I also wish the bass played a more prominent role, as the times when it’s most audible create a refreshing dimension that stands out above the pack.

Despite the knocks against Incessant Affliction when evaluated as a whole, taken a song at a time, Vertiginous supplies killer tricks sopping with venomous barbs. I like it more than the score may reflect, but the lack of distinction between songs unfortunately hampers my desire to return to it. Still, I’ll be interested in what Vertiginous cooks up next, because their brand of unrestrained brutality evinces a potent batch of death metal. While Incessant Affliction doesn’t prove as contagious as I’d hoped, the disease is rotten enough for fans to give it a whiff or three.

Rating: Mixed
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Comatose Music
Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: August 7th, 2026

Bludgeoning, bruising, and belligerent, brutal death metal beats listeners down into bloody paste when it does its job right. Indonesian duo Vertiginous takes this direction to heart, holding back nothing as they trounce on listeners with nary a batted eye. The pair released debut Reek of Putrefaction on Excruciating Lust in 2024, and now Hendika Dwi Prasetyo and Jossi Bima return to pulpify you with sophomore outing Incessant Affliction. As is the case for many in the genre, Vertiginous keeps it simple via a relentless teeth-rattling clatter that induces merciless pulverization. In the end, does this Incessant Affliction incubate an infectiously good time, or leave us dying to be put out of our collective misery?

From its first moment, Incessant Affliction pulverizes listeners with unflinching ruthlessness. Opener “Suffering, Misery, and Slaughtering” surges forth with tortured, inhuman vocals, flurries of snare abuse, and lawless stringed onslaught, setting the stage for Incessant Affliction’s violent incursion. And the hits keep coming, as each track roils with the seething intensity of touchstone titans. Musically, Vertiginous recalls early Suffocation with flecks of Devourment and Cannibal Corpse thrown in. Sprinkled throughout are bite-sized bass breaks that act as nice ‘n’ chunky, Alex Webster-inspired flourishes (“Mutilated with Anguishes”). And while paces mostly accelerate toward maximum impact, “Suffering, Misery, and Slaughtering,” “Engraved Loathing,” and “Unclear Misery” dawdle in quick snatches of lurching trudgery, providing brief but welcome respites.

For all the dizzying bombardments that Vertiginous unleashes, though, I find it difficult to differentiate one blood-soaked moment from the next. “Crucified in Fate Hesitation” mauls with pummeling drumming and buzzsaw guitar licks, leaving you sticky with phlegm and ichor. But moving into follow-up track “Incubated Inquietude,” I wouldn’t notice the songs changing if not for the short gap of silence between them. “Tortured with Endless Despair” and “Mutilated with Anguishes” repeat this pattern, separated only by the fading crash of a cymbal. And so on. At half an hour, Incessant Affliction rips and renders with nary a moment to cull, yet there’s also no peak or passage that sticks with me after “Unclear Misery” fades into the ether. Ultimately, this slathers Vertiginous’s latest with too much similitude, undercutting an album that otherwise roars with delicious menace.

Although Vertiginous could stand to add some diversity to Incessant Affliction, they elect some pretty mouthwatering choices as well. The production pushes everything to the fore, but given the genre, this embodies an appropriate choice. The sonic concussion is a calculated bludgeon rather than the result of a glossy or careless mix, and even with Vertiginous relentlessly flogging your skull, Incessant Affliction rumbles with a carefully honed depth. In addition to the production, performances satisfy as well. Bima’s frog-stomping gutturals can be felt as much as heard, churning guts and bowels with seismic malevolence. Prasetyo, meanwhile, handles all instrumentation, impressing with his clangorous drumming. The guitars are suitably chaotic and deadly, although a more focused effort on riff development would go a long way towards solidifying identities for individual songs, which characterizes what separates Vertiginous from brutal death greats like Cryptopsy, Skinless, and Dying Fetus. I also wish the bass played a more prominent role, as the times when it’s most audible create a refreshing dimension that stands out above the pack.

Despite the knocks against Incessant Affliction when evaluated as a whole, taken a song at a time, Vertiginous supplies killer tricks sopping with venomous barbs. I like it more than the score may reflect, but the lack of distinction between songs unfortunately hampers my desire to return to it. Still, I’ll be interested in what Vertiginous cooks up next, because their brand of unrestrained brutality evinces a potent batch of death metal. While Incessant Affliction doesn’t prove as contagious as I’d hoped, the disease is rotten enough for fans to give it a whiff or three.

Rating: Mixed
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Comatose Music
Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: August 7th, 2026

They say you’re a different person every seven years. That’s how long it takes for every cell in your body to slowly get replaced by a new batch, rendering you a new fellow, hopefully wiser and better than the one you were before. By such metrics, Cranial Osteotomy are a new band twice over, emerging from the mountains of Russia with their second offering, Vortex of the Dark Knowledge, a whopping fifteen years after their debut. Brutal death has had a lot of growth in those years, where the slams got hammier, the jams got whammier, and the sanity of listeners everywhere grew more defeated. Have the last fifteen years given Cranial Osteotomy the knowledge they need to compete?

Vortex of the Dark Knowledge comes with a sound that sounds modernized, for better and worse.1 Vocalist/guitarist Vlad carries a moist, guttural register between Devourment and Symphobia, and manages to make his syllables serve the riffs instead of vomiting mindlessly over the tracks. Drummer Vlad Melnik has a good flair for triplet and quintuplet-heavy fills, using a more jazzy, perpetually changing approach to rhythm making, especially with his snare, not relying on sixteenth-note straightforward monotony. Bassist Vitaly Sturk, while never quite showcased beyond a few all-too-brief fills, is given enough room in the cramped mix to bolster the collection of grooves and slams present. Despite a fairly brickwalled master, there’s been enough care put into the mix to ensure it sounds somewhat thick and chunky to justify the writing style, with a decent amount of articulation being given to the drum kit.

At their peak, Cranial Osteotomy know how to fling some absolutely savage snapshots of brutality. “Structures of Decadence2 Impurity” features the stankiest snare-to-rimshot accent before dropping into a halftime slam while Vlad changes his beats with the creativity of Gigan. Riff structures yeet the listener hither and dither, using Decrepit Birth’s …And Time Begins approach to stitching the moments together, but actual measures feature a Putridity meets Visceral Disgorge styling. “Obscenity Aeon” channels vintage Suffocation through staccato-laced chugs, while “Dripping into Sombre3 Quagmire” toys with arpeggio leads which consistently descend into Abysmal Dawn-styled chugs. Multiple cuts come with a mean slam or foul bop of a beat, always metamorphizing into the next brief idea.

The problem is these highs are so disassociated that it renders Vortex of the Dark Knowledge a collection of dope moments, but not of dope songs. The compositional approach Cranial Osteotomy have taken is dizzying, disjointed, and high-octane, but so rooted in the art of the transition that remembering a whole track is a difficult task. I can recall the slow-mo slam opening up “Vortex of the Dark Knowledge”, the time signature changes littering “Cathedral Butchery Feast”, and a litany of other bits, but if you aren’t following the track list actively, you wouldn’t know you’re in certain songs until those highlights arrive. Song changes are so rapid as to be nonexistent, with only the requisite fadeout closing “Scorched Diadem” a clear signal the album has concluded. This outro is another highlight, with the drums continuing to dig more and more pockets into the menacing riff as it carries us to the finish line. It’s also another point of regret, as that outro is the only part of the song I can remember existing. Vortex of the Dark Knowledge is curiously backloaded, which, while not an issue unto itself, exacerbates the overall blurry nature of the album, as early cuts rush by without much in the way of real identity. While featuring a glut of moments to make listeners clutch the air and bench-press their couch, there are no songs that demand being replayed for their beginning-to-end sense of quality in composition.

Credit where it’s due, our Russian lads have indeed emerged from the ether sporting some real growth in their Dark Knowledge. Nevertheless, their struggles with putting together memorable songs over memorable snapshots cannot be denied. If this upward trajectory continues, we will all meet back here when I’m in my late 40s to be subjected to a real taint-kicker of a release. Until then, give it a listen, harvest your choice of cuts for some gym playlists, and then join those who have already chosen the path of brutality in seeking true enlightenment elsewhere.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Comatose Music
Website: Album Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: July 10th, 2026

They say you’re a different person every seven years. That’s how long it takes for every cell in your body to slowly get replaced by a new batch, rendering you a new fellow, hopefully wiser and better than the one you were before. By such metrics, Cranial Osteotomy are a new band twice over, emerging from the mountains of Russia with their second offering, Vortex of the Dark Knowledge, a whopping fifteen years after their debut. Brutal death has had a lot of growth in those years, where the slams got hammier, the jams got whammier, and the sanity of listeners everywhere grew more defeated. Have the last fifteen years given Cranial Osteotomy the knowledge they need to compete?

Vortex of the Dark Knowledge comes with a sound that sounds modernized, for better and worse.1 Vocalist/guitarist Vlad carries a moist, guttural register between Devourment and Symphobia, and manages to make his syllables serve the riffs instead of vomiting mindlessly over the tracks. Drummer Vlad Melnik has a good flair for triplet and quintuplet-heavy fills, using a more jazzy, perpetually changing approach to rhythm making, especially with his snare, not relying on sixteenth-note straightforward monotony. Bassist Vitaly Sturk, while never quite showcased beyond a few all-too-brief fills, is given enough room in the cramped mix to bolster the collection of grooves and slams present. Despite a fairly brickwalled master, there’s been enough care put into the mix to ensure it sounds somewhat thick and chunky to justify the writing style, with a decent amount of articulation being given to the drum kit.

At their peak, Cranial Osteotomy know how to fling some absolutely savage snapshots of brutality. “Structures of Decadence2 Impurity” features the stankiest snare-to-rimshot accent before dropping into a halftime slam while Vlad changes his beats with the creativity of Gigan. Riff structures yeet the listener hither and dither, using Decrepit Birth’s …And Time Begins approach to stitching the moments together, but actual measures feature a Putridity meets Visceral Disgorge styling. “Obscenity Aeon” channels vintage Suffocation through staccato-laced chugs, while “Dripping into Sombre3 Quagmire” toys with arpeggio leads which consistently descend into Abysmal Dawn-styled chugs. Multiple cuts come with a mean slam or foul bop of a beat, always metamorphizing into the next brief idea.

The problem is these highs are so disassociated that it renders Vortex of the Dark Knowledge a collection of dope moments, but not of dope songs. The compositional approach Cranial Osteotomy have taken is dizzying, disjointed, and high-octane, but so rooted in the art of the transition that remembering a whole track is a difficult task. I can recall the slow-mo slam opening up “Vortex of the Dark Knowledge”, the time signature changes littering “Cathedral Butchery Feast”, and a litany of other bits, but if you aren’t following the track list actively, you wouldn’t know you’re in certain songs until those highlights arrive. Song changes are so rapid as to be nonexistent, with only the requisite fadeout closing “Scorched Diadem” a clear signal the album has concluded. This outro is another highlight, with the drums continuing to dig more and more pockets into the menacing riff as it carries us to the finish line. It’s also another point of regret, as that outro is the only part of the song I can remember existing. Vortex of the Dark Knowledge is curiously backloaded, which, while not an issue unto itself, exacerbates the overall blurry nature of the album, as early cuts rush by without much in the way of real identity. While featuring a glut of moments to make listeners clutch the air and bench-press their couch, there are no songs that demand being replayed for their beginning-to-end sense of quality in composition.

Credit where it’s due, our Russian lads have indeed emerged from the ether sporting some real growth in their Dark Knowledge. Nevertheless, their struggles with putting together memorable songs over memorable snapshots cannot be denied. If this upward trajectory continues, we will all meet back here when I’m in my late 40s to be subjected to a real taint-kicker of a release. Until then, give it a listen, harvest your choice of cuts for some gym playlists, and then join those who have already chosen the path of brutality in seeking true enlightenment elsewhere.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Comatose Music
Website: Album Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: July 10th, 2026

Nestled in the underground crevices and rocky terrain of Denver, Colorado, emerging upstarts Crypts of Golgotha rise with the debut full-length, Disembodied in the Arms of Perdition, hellbent on bruising and battering the weak. Formed in 2022, the four-piece have cranked out a busy collection of demos, EPs and split releases before arriving at their debut LP. The term is perhaps used a little loosely in this case, as Crypts of Golgotha strip shit down to the bare essentials, crushing the listener into submission over the course of an all too brief twenty-four-minute beatdown. Boasting an uber chunky style of brutal, groove-infected death, let us dig in to see whether Crypts of Golgotha possess the chops and songwriting smarts to elevate themselves from the overcrowded pack.

As quickly determined, subtlety is not in the Crypts of Golgotha playbook. Nor are they preoccupied with techy flatulence, shitty interludes or throwaway instrumentals. These dudes cut to the chase, using the almighty power of the riff to drive each rugged, in-your-face composition, packing each meaty slab with enough tempo shifts, cohesion and structural variety to maintain interest. Tight, direct and refreshingly clutter- and gimmick-free, Crypts of Golgotha draws inspiration from classic sources, including the mighty Suffocation, Dying Fetus and Morbid Angel. Outside of the classic fare, Crypts of Golgotha strike a nifty balance of contemporary meets old school influences, recalling the immense weight, riff-based chugs, and uppercutting grooves of modern heavyweights Bloodgutter, Unhallowed Deliverance, and reliable Danish vets, Dawn of Demise.

Crypts of Golgotha slather their old school ideals with a modern approach, complete with lashings of slammy groove, pit-ready breakdowns, and guttural brutal death, wrapped in a dense, beefy production and darkly gritty underground atmosphere. Sprightly and impactful, Crypts of Golgotha crafted a heavyweight platform of bricks and mortar to expand upon. Roots of budding potential are well established, as Crypts of Golgotha thrive on pummeling the listener into dust, slowing down to bowel-rumbling levels for maximum heaviness, while frequently shifting tempos and rhythmic patterns to ensure the material doesn’t devolve into monotony. Instrumentally heavy opener “Cross on Calvary” spends most of its runtime battering auditory senses through beefy riffs, slick tempo changes, and a devastatingly heavy climax. Featuring impressive quality and consistency, Disembodied in the Arms of Perdition features a rampaging collection of killer tunes, with nary a moment wasted. Brutally rugged riffs, sick dual vox, and gargantuan grooves regularly detonate with crushing, infectious impact (“Disembodied in the Arms of Perdition,” ‘Pummeled into Nonexistence,” “I am Decay”).

“Wolf and the Knife” draws power from its thick, sinewy basslines, slobber-knocking riffs, and techy, urgent throes, while “Elegy of the Forgotten God” channels the stout power and attitude of classic New York death. The rapid affair concludes with the compellingly riff-stacked and body-slamming grooves of “Order to Comply.” Technically proficient without resorting to flashy showmanship, Crypts of Golgotha sound immensely tight and monstrously heavy. Showcasing a deft handle of songcraft, bolstered by a weighty sack of hammering riffs and gnarly, varied vox to drive momentum, the riffs cycle through brutal and classic death metal influences, cutting a satisfyingly heavy wallop and a brutally infectious streak. Guitars are reinforced by extra beefy tones, mixing sledgehammer heft and sharp clarity. Gabe Sragon (also on vox) and Dominik Dworak wield their axes with confidence and a nasty underground swagger. I would be remiss not to highlight the excellent rhythm section, from Cooper Jones’ ever-present, chunkified bass rumbles to the bulldozing, groove-centric and creative patterns of drummer Joaquin Aragon.

Strengths comfortably outweigh any nitpicks or weaknesses on Disembodied in the Arms of Perdition. To be expected from a young band’s debut LP, there is naturally room for growth and development in the songwriting department to refine their identity, and occasionally the album could benefit from more frequent bursts of speed. While reluctant to draw a negative of refreshing brevity, the album leaves you wanting more, making for enjoyable replay value, but a feeling an extra few minutes of material would have made for a more fully fleshed-out experience. Otherwise, matching songwriting smarts to compliment the preposterously guttural onslaughts and knuckle-dragging bruteness, Crypts of Golgotha unleashed a confident, delightfully crushing debut, with youth on their side to hone their craft into an even more deadly form of thuggish savagery.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: N/A | Format Reviewed: Stream
Label: DSFP Records
Website: Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: June 26th, 2026

Nestled in the underground crevices and rocky terrain of Denver, Colorado, emerging upstarts Crypts of Golgotha rise with the debut full-length, Disembodied in the Arms of Perdition, hellbent on bruising and battering the weak. Formed in 2022, the four-piece have cranked out a busy collection of demos, EPs and split releases before arriving at their debut LP. The term is perhaps used a little loosely in this case, as Crypts of Golgotha strip shit down to the bare essentials, crushing the listener into submission over the course of an all too brief twenty-four-minute beatdown. Boasting an uber chunky style of brutal, groove-infected death, let us dig in to see whether Crypts of Golgotha possess the chops and songwriting smarts to elevate themselves from the overcrowded pack.

As quickly determined, subtlety is not in the Crypts of Golgotha playbook. Nor are they preoccupied with techy flatulence, shitty interludes or throwaway instrumentals. These dudes cut to the chase, using the almighty power of the riff to drive each rugged, in-your-face composition, packing each meaty slab with enough tempo shifts, cohesion and structural variety to maintain interest. Tight, direct and refreshingly clutter- and gimmick-free, Crypts of Golgotha draws inspiration from classic sources, including the mighty Suffocation, Dying Fetus and Morbid Angel. Outside of the classic fare, Crypts of Golgotha strike a nifty balance of contemporary meets old school influences, recalling the immense weight, riff-based chugs, and uppercutting grooves of modern heavyweights Bloodgutter, Unhallowed Deliverance, and reliable Danish vets, Dawn of Demise.

Crypts of Golgotha slather their old school ideals with a modern approach, complete with lashings of slammy groove, pit-ready breakdowns, and guttural brutal death, wrapped in a dense, beefy production and darkly gritty underground atmosphere. Sprightly and impactful, Crypts of Golgotha crafted a heavyweight platform of bricks and mortar to expand upon. Roots of budding potential are well established, as Crypts of Golgotha thrive on pummeling the listener into dust, slowing down to bowel-rumbling levels for maximum heaviness, while frequently shifting tempos and rhythmic patterns to ensure the material doesn’t devolve into monotony. Instrumentally heavy opener “Cross on Calvary” spends most of its runtime battering auditory senses through beefy riffs, slick tempo changes, and a devastatingly heavy climax. Featuring impressive quality and consistency, Disembodied in the Arms of Perdition features a rampaging collection of killer tunes, with nary a moment wasted. Brutally rugged riffs, sick dual vox, and gargantuan grooves regularly detonate with crushing, infectious impact (“Disembodied in the Arms of Perdition,” ‘Pummeled into Nonexistence,” “I am Decay”).

“Wolf and the Knife” draws power from its thick, sinewy basslines, slobber-knocking riffs, and techy, urgent throes, while “Elegy of the Forgotten God” channels the stout power and attitude of classic New York death. The rapid affair concludes with the compellingly riff-stacked and body-slamming grooves of “Order to Comply.” Technically proficient without resorting to flashy showmanship, Crypts of Golgotha sound immensely tight and monstrously heavy. Showcasing a deft handle of songcraft, bolstered by a weighty sack of hammering riffs and gnarly, varied vox to drive momentum, the riffs cycle through brutal and classic death metal influences, cutting a satisfyingly heavy wallop and a brutally infectious streak. Guitars are reinforced by extra beefy tones, mixing sledgehammer heft and sharp clarity. Gabe Sragon (also on vox) and Dominik Dworak wield their axes with confidence and a nasty underground swagger. I would be remiss not to highlight the excellent rhythm section, from Cooper Jones’ ever-present, chunkified bass rumbles to the bulldozing, groove-centric and creative patterns of drummer Joaquin Aragon.

Strengths comfortably outweigh any nitpicks or weaknesses on Disembodied in the Arms of Perdition. To be expected from a young band’s debut LP, there is naturally room for growth and development in the songwriting department to refine their identity, and occasionally the album could benefit from more frequent bursts of speed. While reluctant to draw a negative of refreshing brevity, the album leaves you wanting more, making for enjoyable replay value, but a feeling an extra few minutes of material would have made for a more fully fleshed-out experience. Otherwise, matching songwriting smarts to compliment the preposterously guttural onslaughts and knuckle-dragging bruteness, Crypts of Golgotha unleashed a confident, delightfully crushing debut, with youth on their side to hone their craft into an even more deadly form of thuggish savagery.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: N/A | Format Reviewed: Stream
Label: DSFP Records
Website: Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: June 26th, 2026

Maybe war never changes, but Warside has. Between releasing inaugural EP The Enemy Inside, and recording their debut, three of Warside’s five members left the band. Now a quartet, the Lyon, France collective tromps into the death metal arena, brandishing Cognitive Extinction, their first long play. Down a guitarist, Warside reports Cognitive Extinction as having ‘a rawer, more direct sound.’ Though The Enemy Inside can’t be classified as polished or subtle, Cognitive Extinction embraces an even leaner, meaner aggression through twenty-eight minutes. Additionally, Warside weaves a broad theme into the album—the erosion of intelligence and critical thinking due to the proliferation of screens and dependence on technology. It’s an increasingly relevant theme in these crazy times, but is Warside’s warning enough to keep listeners’ gray matter from atrophying into pudding?

Though simply billed as ‘death metal,’ Warside skews towards the technical end of the spectrum. Dying Fetus, Misery Index, and Vomitory are cited as influences in the promo materials, and while elements of those bands exist on Cognitive Extinction,1 I also hear the frantic immediacy of Benighted and Aborted enmeshed with the tech-heavy grooves of more recent Cryptopsy and Suffocation. Technical without falling into technical death metal territory and bruising without earning a brutal death metal tag, Warside toes the line between extreme metal subgenres without fully committing to any specific one. Rather than wavering or wandering, though, Cognitive Extinction sounds confident, direct, and ready to peel your skull back to get a look at your cognition firsthand.

Despite adding some new members and shuffling guitar duties, Warside launches a savage assault that never relents. Returning from The Enemy Within, guitarist Vincent Morelle resumes six-string duties on Cognitive Extinction while former guitarist Jérôme dons the mantle of bassist. Joining them are duo Mathieu (vocals) and Thô (drums) from deathgrind project Festering Process, and together this foursome unleashes barrage after barrage of merciless death metal thunder. Tracks “Neurocide” and “Invasive Thoughts” meld Morbid Angel’s wicked melodies with Nile’s violent velocity, frequently coaxing involuntary stank-face. “Visceral” punches with Suffocation’s might, windmilling between stutter-stop leads and kick drum cannonades, while “Thirst for Rot” dive bombs into an early solo before hitting a swarthy Cryptopsy-meets-Decapitated groove. Throughout, Mathieu discharges fierce gutturals that remind me of Benighted’s Julien Truchan,2 primal and bloodthirsty without ever going full BREEE. All told, kinetic hooks, furious blast beats, and husky bass grooves carry the momentum of each track, with feverish solos offering brief detours from Warside’s otherwise unyielding onslaught.

Warside evokes death metal titans throughout Cognitive Extinction, yet clinging too tightly to these touchstones prevents them from fully realizing an identity of their own. In fairness, Cognitive Extinction works cohesively, with a consistent aural context that’s as bludgeoning as it is swift. And even though Warside sidesteps critical flaws, hooking an overcrowded niche with deathly wares can be a significant challenge. Genre greats can provide a strong template for writing compelling music, but emulation without innovation risks giving listeners an experience that drives them back to inspirations. Said simply, bands with unique sounds become reference points, while others get buried beneath the sands of time. In this regard, Cognitive Extinction feels like a half measure, where a blend of influences comes together to form a coherent album, yet lacks a wholly original voice.

Standout performances and sharp, economical songwriting distinguish Warside as an act I’ll follow closely, and help achieve a portion of the identity they need. Cognitive Extinction teems with talent and promise, and despite the abysmal dynamic range,3 the mix is well-balanced and allows listeners to appreciate what Warside does within its runtime. I’ve greatly enjoyed my time with Cognitive Extinction, and a couple of its gems have helped add some weight to my Heavy Moves Heavy ’26 playlist, but with so many killer death metal albums out this year, I’m unsure what lasting impact it’ll have. Time will tell, and in the meantime, I hope that Warside continues honing their blades to keep minds and interest sharp.

Rating: Good!
DR: 3 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Gruesome Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: April 17th, 2026

Maybe war never changes, but Warside has. Between releasing inaugural EP The Enemy Inside, and recording their debut, three of Warside’s five members left the band. Now a quartet, the Lyon, France collective tromps into the death metal arena, brandishing Cognitive Extinction, their first long play. Down a guitarist, Warside reports Cognitive Extinction as having ‘a rawer, more direct sound.’ Though The Enemy Inside can’t be classified as polished or subtle, Cognitive Extinction embraces an even leaner, meaner aggression through twenty-eight minutes. Additionally, Warside weaves a broad theme into the album—the erosion of intelligence and critical thinking due to the proliferation of screens and dependence on technology. It’s an increasingly relevant theme in these crazy times, but is Warside’s warning enough to keep listeners’ gray matter from atrophying into pudding?

Though simply billed as ‘death metal,’ Warside skews towards the technical end of the spectrum. Dying Fetus, Misery Index, and Vomitory are cited as influences in the promo materials, and while elements of those bands exist on Cognitive Extinction,1 I also hear the frantic immediacy of Benighted and Aborted enmeshed with the tech-heavy grooves of more recent Cryptopsy and Suffocation. Technical without falling into technical death metal territory and bruising without earning a brutal death metal tag, Warside toes the line between extreme metal subgenres without fully committing to any specific one. Rather than wavering or wandering, though, Cognitive Extinction sounds confident, direct, and ready to peel your skull back to get a look at your cognition firsthand.

Despite adding some new members and shuffling guitar duties, Warside launches a savage assault that never relents. Returning from The Enemy Within, guitarist Vincent Morelle resumes six-string duties on Cognitive Extinction while former guitarist Jérôme dons the mantle of bassist. Joining them are duo Mathieu (vocals) and Thô (drums) from deathgrind project Festering Process, and together this foursome unleashes barrage after barrage of merciless death metal thunder. Tracks “Neurocide” and “Invasive Thoughts” meld Morbid Angel’s wicked melodies with Nile’s violent velocity, frequently coaxing involuntary stank-face. “Visceral” punches with Suffocation’s might, windmilling between stutter-stop leads and kick drum cannonades, while “Thirst for Rot” dive bombs into an early solo before hitting a swarthy Cryptopsy-meets-Decapitated groove. Throughout, Mathieu discharges fierce gutturals that remind me of Benighted’s Julien Truchan,2 primal and bloodthirsty without ever going full BREEE. All told, kinetic hooks, furious blast beats, and husky bass grooves carry the momentum of each track, with feverish solos offering brief detours from Warside’s otherwise unyielding onslaught.

Warside evokes death metal titans throughout Cognitive Extinction, yet clinging too tightly to these touchstones prevents them from fully realizing an identity of their own. In fairness, Cognitive Extinction works cohesively, with a consistent aural context that’s as bludgeoning as it is swift. And even though Warside sidesteps critical flaws, hooking an overcrowded niche with deathly wares can be a significant challenge. Genre greats can provide a strong template for writing compelling music, but emulation without innovation risks giving listeners an experience that drives them back to inspirations. Said simply, bands with unique sounds become reference points, while others get buried beneath the sands of time. In this regard, Cognitive Extinction feels like a half measure, where a blend of influences comes together to form a coherent album, yet lacks a wholly original voice.

Standout performances and sharp, economical songwriting distinguish Warside as an act I’ll follow closely, and help achieve a portion of the identity they need. Cognitive Extinction teems with talent and promise, and despite the abysmal dynamic range,3 the mix is well-balanced and allows listeners to appreciate what Warside does within its runtime. I’ve greatly enjoyed my time with Cognitive Extinction, and a couple of its gems have helped add some weight to my Heavy Moves Heavy ’26 playlist, but with so many killer death metal albums out this year, I’m unsure what lasting impact it’ll have. Time will tell, and in the meantime, I hope that Warside continues honing their blades to keep minds and interest sharp.

Rating: Good!
DR: 3 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Gruesome Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: April 17th, 2026

Dimmu Borgir are heading out on a North American tour this summer.

Support comes from Hypocrisy, Suffocation, and Hulder.

Details: https://metalinsider.net/touring/dimmu-borgir-announce-summer-2026-north-american-tour-with-hypocrisy-suffocation-hulder

#DimmuBorgir #Hypocrisy #Suffocation #Hulder #TourAnnouncement

Suffocation respond to Eric Morotti’s claims and share their side of the split.

The band also released the original email sent regarding his departure.

Details: https://metalinsider.net/news/suffocation-respond-to-eric-morottis-claims-shares-statement-and-email

#Suffocation #DeathMetal #MetalNews #EricMorotti

The life of the unpaid, overworked metal reviewer is not an easy one. The reviewing collective at AMG lurches from one new release to the next, errors and n00bs strewn in our wake. But what if, once in a while, the collective paused to take stock and consider the discography of those bands that shaped many a taste? What if multiple aspects of the AMG collective personality shared with the slavering masses their personal rankings of that discography, and what if the rest of the personality used a Google sheet some kind of dark magic to produce an official guide to, and an all-around definitive aggregated ranking of, that band’s entire discography? Well, if that happened, we imagine it would look something like this…

Formed in 1988, Immolation emerged shortly after death metal’s dawn of aggression. Alongside Incantation, Suffocation, and Mortician, Immolation cemented themselves as a cornerstone of New York’s death metal scene in the early 90s. Since then, the band has erected a kingdom of consistency, releasing cut after unholy cut of complex arrangements, unwavering hostility, and anti-religious ruminations about the failures of gods. Key to Immolation’s dependable, high-quality output are mainstays bassist/vocalist Ross Dolan and guitarist Robert Vigna, who have both been with the band since inception. Even Immolation’s other members prove steadfast, with drummer Steve Shalaty searing skins since 2003 and Alex Bouks lending his axe since 2016. Through eleven full-length releases, Immolation has proven that their ability to harness ruin and forge death metal majesty is nigh unparalleled.

With twelfth album Descent arriving soon, staffers old and new clamored to share their opinions on how Immolation’s back catalog stacks up. Unlike rankings mostly prescribed by overwhelming consensus on their highs and lows, Immolation presents a discography with nothing to atone for, providing fertile ground for healthy, well-considered discourse. Without further ado, then, let’s put our ears to the door of a world below and divine these diabolical rankings!

– Grin Reaper

The Rankings

Grin Reaper

In my book, nobody does pure death metal better than Immolation. More consistent than Suffocation and Incantation and more uncompromising than Morbid Angel and Cryptopsy,1 Immolation scoffs at AMG’s Law of Diminishing Recordings™ as they reign atop an unimpeachable discography that lacks a single turd. Seriously. The ‘worst’ album Immolation ever put out still rivals or surpasses the best from most other death metal outfits, and their indomitable march to dismantle the weak and unworthy entrenches them as one of my all-time favorite acts. Jesus wept—Immolation never fucking flinched.

#11. Harnessing Ruin (2005) — Something has to be last, and Harnessing Ruin gets my tap. Songwriting-wise, Immolation drops a strong effort with acerbically grim leads and a rousing introduction to new drummer Steve Shalaty. Guitars supply the album highlights—from the gnarled riffing in “Our Savior Sleeps” and the sludgy sway on “Son of Iniquity” to the scalding solo on “Dead to Me,” Bob Vigna and Bill Taylor sizzle with hell’s fire across Harnessing Ruin. Unfortunately, the album’s production holds it back, and the muffled mix lacks the bite of Unholy Cult. Also, the longest songs cluster at the end, dragging the back half a touch.

#10. Kingdom of Conspiracy (2013) — Kingdom of Conspiracy just ekes ahead of Harnessing Ruin, clocking three minutes briefer despite having one more track. To my ears, Kingdom of Conspiracy features Immolation’s brightest, most modern production. This offers a boon to Dolan’s grating growls and the tormented guitar tandem of Vigna and Taylor, but it also buries the bass and pushes the drums further away from the dead corpse smacks that characterize my favorite Immolation bass drum tones. As one might expect from the bottom end of such an excellent discography, Kingdom of Conspiracy does little wrong, but lacks the heretical heft that defines Immolation’s best material.

#9. Shadows in the Light (2007) — Concluding what I consider Immolation’s middle period, Shadows in the Light chronologically bridges their weakest link, Harnessing Ruin, and powerhouse Nuclear Blast debut, Majesty and Decay. Shadows in the Light drastically improves on Harnessing Ruin’s production, wading out of the former’s forlorn pall and laying down brimstone-tinged bangers like one-two punch “Passion Kill” and “World Agony.” A sense of immediacy pervades Shadows that, while not lacking in the lowest-ranked albums, burns even hotter here, filling its forty minutes with writhing leads and furious drumming that typifies what Immolation does so damned well.

#8. Failures for Gods (1999) — Failures for Gods falling to #8 proves just how potent Immolation’s discography is, as the album would be a crown jewel in countless other discographies. On the surface, Failures for Gods has everything Immolation fans could ask for: punishing grooves, tortured guitars, and vocals that could command the armies of hell. Despite that, Failures for Gods feels like it holds back from the devastating offensive that would launch a year later, instead rehashing rather than progressing what Immolation accomplished on their first two albums. Still, Failures introduced drummer Alex Hernandez, and though his masterstrokes would be heard on Close, songs like “God Made Filth” and “The Devil I Know” heralded the storm to come.

#7. Dawn of Possession (1991) — Pure fucking evil rarely sounds this intoxicating. Steeped in an unpolished production that’s coarse yet clear, Dawn of Possession hooks ears and souls alike, flaying them with its hellish implements. Though it’s Immolation’s most straightforward album, tracks like “Into Everlasting Fire, “Those Left Behind,” and “Immolation” exemplify why suburban mothers clutch their pearls when they happen upon their precious babes listening to death metal. Dawn of Possession was my entry point for Immolation, and it encompasses everything the band offers without guile. I still recommend it for the uninitiated, particularly those who enjoy straight-up OSDM with a side of heresy.

#6. Unholy Cult (2002) — Where Failures for Gods luxuriates in gloomy menace and Close to a World Below reeks of sulfurous damnation, Unholy Cult blurs the line between the two. Starting with a slow build on opener “Of Martyrs and Men,” Unholy Cult careens between ominous drawls and infernal fervor with a substantially improved production over Immolation’s 90s output. “Unholy Cult” remains the second-longest song these death peddlers have penned, and it looms large, rooted in the front half of the album. From there, the tracks rumble and blitz up to closer “Bring Them Down,” a funky barnburner that highlights Dolan’s basswork amidst Immolation’s blazing backdrop.

#5. Majesty and Decay (2010) — Immolation unleashed a juggernaut for their first platter with Nuclear Blast. Blistering, contemplative, and brimming with moldering melody, Majesty and Decay swats with the divine laze of a celestial being, uncoiling at its leisure but devastating in its wrath once roused. Tracks like “A Glorious Epoch” and “The Rapture of Ghosts” toe this line, where beefy chugs pound beneath soaring, anthemic guitars. Meanwhile, the likes of “The Purge” and “A Token of Malice” hit with the force of a thunderclap, unrelenting in their fury. I originally had Majesty and Decay in the same tier as Atonement and Acts of God, but the busy mix and unimaginatively titled “Intro” and “Interlude” hold it back.2

#4. Atonement (2017) — With no song running past the five-minute mark, Atonement exhibits Immolation’s dedication to excising the fat and gristle. Vigna’s crooked leads and crushing riffs mesh perfectly with new guitarist Alex Bouks’ calculated anarchy, and together they synchronize in exquisite harmony. Along with Majesty and Decay, Atonement might be the closest Immolation comes to achieving accessibility. Typically, my favorite straight-up death metal furnishes little room for nuance, and though Immolation doesn’t have a reputation for subtlety, Atonement expertly doles out moments of relief (the end of “When the Jackals Come,” the intro to “Lower”) that almost lull you into safety before the bottom drops out and sends you to hell.

#3. Acts of God (2022) — When I first saw Immolation flaunting fifteen tracks totaling over fifty minutes, I thought their best days were behind them. Bloat is never a good sign, particularly from a band with such a pristine track record. I happily resign to being wrong, though, as Acts of God not only subverted but demolished my expectations. Immolation’s allure lies in the intricacies of their music. Dolan’s patristic admonishment of humanity, Vigna and Bouks’ serpentine noodling, and Shalaty’s tempestuous brutalization of the kit define the band’s sound, yet here the music is more direct and urgent than ever. Rather than missing any beats, Immolation sounds ruinously revitalized.

#2. Here in After (1996) — Though not a significant shift away from Dawn of Possession, Immolation struck nails to gold with Here in After. Compared to later releases, Here in After radiates a few extra degrees of chaos, with deranged soloing that reminds of Slayer’s vision of hell and a slightly more impassioned vocal performance from Dolan. To be clear, his vocals are one of my favorite aspects of Immolation’s sound, and his matter-of-fact, comprehensible gutturals against such malicious metal engenders wonderful drama. The edge to his voice on “Nails to Gold” and “Christ’s Cage” adds a dimension of metaphysical dread that is the chef’s kiss throughout Here in After’s inflamed impiety.

#1. Close to a World Below (2000) — I can’t fathom any other Immolation album topping this blasphemous bonanza than Close to a World Below. Opening with my favorite Immolation track “Higher Coward,” the album bursts forth with an unapologetic eruption of sinuous guitars, vicious growls, and an unyielding onslaught by drummer Alex Hernandez. The drum tones alone deserve a spotlight, but the cataclysmic bombardment of stick on skin violence stops me dead in my tracks anytime one of Close to a World Below’s songs pops up. Immolation distills the essence of what worked so well on previous albums and folds those layers into a perfect performance across eight insidiously immaculate tracks. “Father, You’re Not a Father,” “Unpardonable Sin,” and the closing title track resonate with especially inspired performances, but the entirety of Close to a World Below boils over with the most unhinged and malignant performance of Immolation’s career. Being damned never sounded so Iconic.

Lavender Larcenist

#11. Harnessing Ruin (2005) — Immolation does not have a bad album, but Harnessing Ruin feels like a band chugging along in a bit of an in-between space. The production is muddled here, especially after Unholy Cult and Close to a World Below, but “Our Savior Sleeps” still retains that Immolation heft while “At Mourning’s Twilight” is an inspired closer with an incredible solo at the midpoint. Harnessing Ruin would be the best album of many other bands’ careers, but it is only a lower-tier album for a band as storied as Immolation.

#10. Shadows in the Light (2007) — Shadows in the Light follows Harnessing Ruin in terms of feeling like a band spinning its wheels (as much as a band as talented as Immolation can). Even then, “Passion Kill” is a classic Immolation track with an incredible breakdown that will make a fan out of any listener. “World Agony” follows with a dissonant wailing riff backing as it drops headfirst into a rolling bulldozer of a track. Unfortunately, there isn’t much else to Shadows in the Light that helps it stand out amongst the rest of Immolation’s discography, but it still makes for a solid death metal record with some memorable tracks that have stood the test of time.

#9. Failures for Gods (1999) — Failures for Gods is a solid album that is no slouch in the songwriting department, but it is marred by some truly busted production. Everything feels muddy, oddly loud, and compressed at the same time. “No Jesus, No Beast” is a monster, and the title track features that classic evil tone that becomes so apparent in late-stage Immolation, but the production handicaps this album at every turn. Great songwriting goes a long way, but in a race this tight, poor production brings Failures for Gods low.

#8. Kingdom of Conspiracy (2013) — Kingdom of Conspiracy shaves off a bit of Majesty and Decay’s technicality to its detriment. It is the closest Immolation has come to creating an album that is more groove than tech. As a result, it is probably one of their more approachable records, but it is the weakest of their current era. “Keep the Silence” is a monster of a track, and Kingdom has more than enough material to make it worth a listen. I think this is an album more fans should revisit, and newbies should start with, because it is hooky, heavy, and groovy in ways that will tickle your evil organ.

#7. Dawn of Possession (1991) — Dawn of Possession is an incredible debut from a band that is clearly young and ready to fuck the world up. Robert Vigna’s trademark style is immediately apparent, and Immolation’s blend of groove, dizzying technicality, and evil vibes is on display out of the gate. Craig Smilowski’s drumming is absurd in its rhythm and technical flourishes, but the album lacks the atmosphere that Immolation became famous for later in their career. Dawn of Possession is a fantastic debut that is only brought down by the extent to which its tracks bleed together. Something Immolation struggles with throughout their career.

#6. Here in After (1996) — Here in After sees the band refine their skills and write tighter songs that hit harder while adding just a little dash of that trademark Immolation vibe. The groove is starting to creep in, and tracks like “Christ’s Cage” showcase the band playing with the truly evil tone that pervades their most recent work. Album opener “Nailed to Gold” is a classic for the band, and Here in After is a quintessential Immolation album. Ross Dolan’s vocals have switched from Dawn’s nastier tone to his trademark bellow, and Vigna’s pirouetting shredwork is here to stay. Here in After is Immolation in classic form.

#5. Close to a World Below (2000) — Opening with “Higher Coward”, Close to a World Below starts on a high note and never stops delivering. The production foibles of Failures are ironed out, and Immolation sounds like a band ready to bulldoze society. “Unpardonable Sin” is as heavy as it is frantic with its switches back and forth between dissonant groove and face-melting speed. “Lost Passion” crescendos into trademark Immolation wankery in the best way, but Close to a World Below still suffers from some odd production. Dolan’s vocals feel slightly different track to track, but this is an album with some of Immolation’s best songs to date.

#4. Unholy Cult (2002) — Something about Unholy Cult just clicks for me. “Of Martyrs and Men” is that pure, wonderful, evil shit. After an explosive intro, the track moves into one of Immolation’s most crushing riffs. The title track is a slice of hell in a way the band hasn’t played with since “Christ’s Cage”, an eight-minute epic that is as catchy as it is devastating. Vigna flips from this vibrato-tremolo guitar riff right into an all-out assault and back to massive Immolation grooves without a hitch. Unholy Cult is stuffed with great tracks and feels like a first step towards the second half of Immolation’s career, where atmosphere and groove hold more sway over pure technicality.

#3. Majesty and Decay (2010) — Majesty and Decay is where modern Immolation comes into full form. Part truly diabolical atmosphere, part neutron star heavy, all technical and groovy as hell. “Intro” gives listeners a glimpse into the band’s future. “A Glorious Epoch” has one of the best riffs, basically ever, making for a track that gets my blood boiling without fail. “A Token of Malice” is astounding in its technicality while being a freight train of destruction with Vigna riding shotgun. Majesty and Decay is also the best Immolation has sounded up to this point, where the production finally feels consistent, clear, and absolutely brutal.

#2. Atonement (2017) — Likely an album that will grace the top tier on every list, Atonement feels like the quintessential Immolation album. If I were to introduce the band to anyone, I would probably start here. “When the Jackals Come” is one of the band’s best tracks, and “Lower” is just astounding in how brutal Immolation still is decades later. It also keeps things at a slim and trim forty-four minutes, and album closer “Epiphany” puts a perfect bow on this devil baby. There isn’t a track worth skipping on Atonement, a feat made all the more impressive when it is a band ten albums into their career.

#1. Acts of God (2022) — Where do I start with Acts of God? To me, it is the perfect combination of creativity, groove, technicality, and that evil Immolation sound we have come to know and cherish. As one of Immolation’s longest albums, you would think the well has run dry, but the intro “Abandoned” and interlude “And The Flames Wept” add so much cohesion to the album and drape the entire affair in a veil of depravity. Acts of God features some of Immolation’s biggest and baddest riffs, while also pushing their atmosphere to new heights. Their most evil album, their most creative, and maybe even their heaviest. “Noose of Thorns” is led by a diabolical descending riff that drops into high-pitched tapping that sets the tone so well you can’t help but feel pulled by hell’s destructive currents. “Immoral Stain” is dripping with malice; you can hear it seep into every riff and lyric. “Let the Darkness In” features a bouncing, infectious groove that immediately flips into Vigna’s trademark dissonant wails. Acts of God is Immolation’s magnum opus in every sense, and somehow my favorite album by a band that feels like they can do no wrong.

Mark Z.

Immolation feel like old friends. I discovered them early in my extreme metal journey and was immediately captivated by Bob Vigna’s unconventional riffing style and Ross Dolan’s commanding (and surprisingly comprehensible) growl. No matter what’s happened in the metal scene, it’s always been comforting to know that Immolation have been there, touring relentlessly while consistently delivering their trademark brand of dissonant death metal and never releasing a true dud. In the world of old school death metal, they’re the one band I could always count on. Because of that, they’ll always have a special place in my ever-blackening heart.

#11. Shadows in the Light (2007) — Not a bad album, just a relatively bland one. While there are some inspired ideas, most of the tracks have little of the dark atmosphere or interesting songwriting found on their earlier material. Nonetheless, it’s a testament to Immolation’s quality that even their worst album still has stuff as good as the lumbering grooves of “Passion Kill” or the growl-along catchiness of “World Agony,” which is one of the group’s best songs.

#10. Harnessing Ruin (2005) — Arguably Immolation’s most accessible album, Harnessing Ruin shows them trying to find their place in the mid-2000s death metal scene by writing some more direct songs than usual. Just like with Shadows in the Light, however, this album sags in its back half and lacks the darkness or quality of the first few records. There’s good stuff here, but this record also feels bleak and oddly dated, possibly due to the generic mid-2000s artwork, plain production job, or the misguided use of whispered vocals in “Dead to Me” and “Son of Iniquity.”

#9. Kingdom of Conspiracy (2013) — The fucking drums, man. The drum sound here is borderline overbearing, and given that this record is already pretty fast, the overall experience is a relentless and punishing one that largely crushes nuance beneath the heel of its boot. Fortunately, the riffing is still strong, and the album’s generally fast nature makes the slower, commanding marches of “Keep the Silence” and “All That Awaits Us” hit all the harder.

#8. Majesty and Decay (2010) — After a relatively lackluster era in the mid-2000s, Immolation signed to Nuclear Blast and seemed hell-bent on redemption with Majesty and Decay. Compared to its immediate predecessors, this record has an improved production job, more dynamic songwriting, and a better sense of structure (with the band employing an intro track and interlude for the first time). While the title track’s Gateways to Annihilation vibes make it one of the band’s best slower songs, the album as a whole would be better if some of the weaker tracks were shaved off and a few others were tightened up a bit.

#7. Acts of God (2022) — This is a very good album with two main issues: It’s too long, and it has the misfortune of having to follow up Atonement. Not even an Immolation album needs to be 52 minutes long, and compared to its predecessor, the production is stuffier and the songs aren’t as strong. As a whole, however, this is still a blasphemous good time that maintains a consistently high level of quality throughout, with “The Age of No Light” and “Overtures of the Wicked” being especially powerful cuts.

#6. Unholy Cult (2002) — Immolation’s fifth album represents a bridge between the apocalyptic malevolence of their early material and the polished hostility of their later work. It’s also potentially their most vicious and chaotic release, with the opening track “Of Martyrs and Men” even featuring some borderline-mathcore riffs. While at times tough to untangle, Unholy Cult ultimately succeeds as a 41-minute shrapnel blast of ideas that somehow combines the epic and the violent into an utterly compelling whole.

#5. Failures for Gods (1999) — The start of Immolation’s long partnership with producer Paul Orofino, Failures for Gods is held back a bit by his lack of prior experience with death metal, with the bass drums sounding like bouncing basketballs. Stylistically and structurally, however, this is essentially Here in After Part II, with twisted and brooding compositions that vary between being grandiose and cutthroat. While a bit front-loaded, Failures is still a brilliant record. In a just world, “No Jesus, No Beast” would be the closer at every Immolation show.

#4. Dawn of Possession (1991) — Immolation’s debut essentially gave their death-thrash demo tracks a murkier production job and placed them alongside newer songs that would hint at the band’s dissonance to come. As such, Dawn of Possession is the most traditional death metal album in the band’s catalog while also being one of the most distinct and stylistically diverse. While Bob Vigna would only improve as a songwriter from here, Dawn’s numerous classic tracks and otherworldly sense of blasphemy make it easy to love, warts and all.

#3. Atonement (2017) — How the fuck is this album so good? Late-career albums aren’t supposed to be this good, but this is the rare lightning-strike release where everything hits just right: the production, the songwriting, the performances, and even the cover art (which marks the return of the band’s classic logo). It’s like they found a way to increase the quality of everything while sacrificing nothing, resulting in a record that’s powerful yet understated, hooky yet stuffed with riffs, and listenable yet extreme. It may be slightly front-loaded, but it’s still one of my favorite death metal albums of the 2010s.

#2. Here in After (1996) — Arriving five years after their debut, Here in After shows Immolation truly coming into their own, with Bob Vigna’s dark, dissonant arrangements and Ross Dolan’s menacing, intelligible growl both emerging in full force. The improved songwriting is apparent right from the flawless opener, “Nailed to Gold,” which could be one of the Top 10 death metal songs ever. While the twisted structures that follow are less immediately accessible, it all eventually coalesces into a masterfully crafted whole, demonstrating a keen sense of flow and diversity while exuding a timeless, unheavenly darkness that only Immolation could conjure.

#1. Close to a World Below (2000) — There are certain albums so good that they transcend not only their own band’s discography, but also the rest of their genre. Close to a World Below is one of those albums. Never before or since has an album sounded so much like being in hell, with a suffocating and merciless production job that somehow still allows every note to be heard in all its unholy glory. Drummer Alex Hernandez delivers a once-in-a-career performance that sounds like he’s bashing every part of his kit at once, and Bob Vigna somehow manages to write his catchiest material while still delivering riffs more warped than ever. The record also has one of the best openings of all time, with a sullen voice asking, “Didn’t you say. . . Jesus was coming?” before a blasting onslaught tramples any hope of ever making it to heaven. Fukk it, send me below!

Spicie Forrest

Having begun my metal journey in nü territory, there are holes in my metallic knowledge you could drive a commercial truck through.3 While Immolation has long been a name vaguely known to me, it wasn’t until Atonement that I actually heard any of their music. So, when the call for a ranking came in, I saw an excellent opportunity to dive deeply into a storied discography and see what I’ve been missing.

#11. Harnessing Ruin (2005) — While comparably unremarkable, even the bottom end of this list is still good. The truth is, Immolation has never put out a bad album. With such a consistent base quality, placing albums in a numbered order became a game of sudden death. The nail in the coffin for Harnessing Ruin? The whispering vocals on “Dead to Me” and “Son of Iniquity.”

#10 Unholy Cult (2002) — How the hell do you follow up Close to a World Below? By comparison—and even in isolation—Unholy Cult feels lackluster and unremarkable. I’d likely still recognize most of this as Immolation in a playlist, and it’s still very solid death metal by any measure, but there’s precious little here that demands my attention or elevates it above background music. Additionally, pacing shifts, as on “Reluctant Messiah” and “Bring Them Down,” make it difficult to find a groove or flow through the album.

#9 Failures for Gods (1999) — The first three albums Immolation released are all, more or less, of a piece. Failures for Gods maintains much of the quality from earlier releases, from the searing, whiplash solo work and deep riffage of “No Jesus, No Beast” and “Failures for Gods” to the brooding, intimidating tone of “The Devil I Know.” There’s a bit of staleness that creeps into Failures for Gods, though. Aside from some odd, Spanish-inflected acoustic riffing on the title track, not much here stands out from their earlier work or in retrospect.

#8 Shadows in the Light (2007) — Immolation’s output through the mid-00s is, for me, their least engaging, but Shadows in the Light sees them begin to turn things around toward the high quality they’d been known for in the early years. The percussion on Shadows in the Light caught me by surprise, reminding me mightily of Slipknot’s self-titled. Steve Shalaty’s kit work feels alive and visceral, just itching to incite a riot. This holds especially true on “Passion Kill” and “Breathing the Dark.”

#7 Kingdom of Conspiracy (2013) — Kingdom of Conspiracy is an odd duck in Immolation’s discography. This 2013 release has proven divisive not only for its shift in theme,4 but for its notably clean production, as well. While I do appreciate the clarity and snappiness, it is a tad sterile. Ross Dolan’s vocals are hurt the most by this, making him sound toothless and tired. Highlights like “All That Awaits Us” and “God Complex” still hit hard, but as a whole, Kingdom of Conspiracy just doesn’t have the searing identity of records higher on this list.

#6 Here in After (1996) — Being the sophomore album is a tough break. The pressure’s on, expectations are high. Here in After largely holds the line and even improves on the debut in some ways—the title track and “Christ’s Cage” are absolute powerhouses, wielding the weight of worlds like feathers. That said, Here in After does not feel as compositionally tight or structurally sound as Dawn of Possession. Additionally, much of the solo work feels jarring and a skosh too chaotic for my sensibilities, especially on “Nailed to Gold” and “Burn with Jesus.”

#5 Majesty and Decay (2010) — A continuation of the upward shift in quality from Shadows in the Light, Majesty and Decay sees Immolation beginning to explore the more tempered, measured sound so prevalent in their contemporary output. Some tracks, like “A Thunderous Consequence” and “Power and Shame,” fall flat in their attempts to create atmosphere, but “Divine Code” and “A Glorious Epoch” show exactly how menacing and powerful Immolation can be and truly embody the title of the album.

#4 Dawn of Possession (1991) — This served as the standard by which all else was measured. Apocalyptic and vicious, Immolation’s debut was a revelation. There’s a ferocity on Dawn of Possession that only a young band eager to share their vision can produce. And in so doing, Immolation marred the tapestry forever. Injecting their relentless assault with streaks of virtuosity, Dawn of Possession became the bar not only for the band, but for thousands of inspired musicians in the decades since. Immolation has tweaked and tempered their blueprint in the 35 years since, but the core has always remained.

#3 Acts of God (2022) — I’m normally not a fan of intros, but “Abandoned” sets the stage perfectly for the brutal and utterly savage cudgeling to come. Fully returning to the unchecked hatred for Christians and their gods, Acts of God is contemptuous and caustic in way that hasn’t been heard since Close to a World Below. Most impressive here is Immolation’s success in merging the pomp and circumstance of their modern output with the rage of their early work. While not strictly their best release, Acts of God is a quintessential work, defining the true identity of Immolation.

#2 Close to a World Below (2000) — Already known for their malicious, uncompromising sound, Immolation cranks all the dials to eleven on Close to a World Below. It’s seething, it’s virulent, it’s fucking hostile. If this masterpiece ever lets up, it’s only to parade and mock the mangled corpse of Christ before grabbing a bigger hammer. Every second of this album drips with scorn, from the indictment of “Father, You’re Not a Father,” to the blasphemy of “Unpardonable Sin.” I get chills at the start of “Higher Coward” every fucking time, and they don’t go away until long after “Close to a World Below” fades out.

#1 Atonement (2017) — The first Immolation album I ever heard, Atonement still remains untouched. The imperial confidence and contempt—the sheer power—left me speechless, and I still return to it, nearly ten years later. Atonement is more atmospheric than much of their other work, but the result is a heretofore unknown level of weight and heft, no doubt aided by its more vibrant and textured production. Like the change in the air before a coming storm, Atonement feels like a harbinger of ruin, and at times like the disaster itself. Barns burn on tracks like “Destructive Currents” and “Rise the Heretics,” but Immolation truly shines in patient malevolence. Highlights like “When the Jackals Come,” “Thrown to the Fire,” and “Lower” are in no rush to grind your bones to paste. Atonement is the full realization of what was hinted on Majesty and Decay, and it is breathtaking to behold.

Angry Metal Guy Staff Ranking

Thanks to the dark magic of profane arithmetic, we present the aggregate staff ranking below:

1. 1. Harnessing Ruin (2005)
   2. Shadows in the Light (2007)
   3. Kingdom of Conspiracy (2013)
   4. Failures for Gods (1999)
   5. Unholy Cult (2002)
   6. Dawn of Possession (1991)
   7. Majesty and Decay (2010)
   8. Here in After (1996)
   9. Acts of God (2022)
   10. Atonement (2017)
   11. Close to a World Below (2000)

For any ignorant, curious, or non-practicing heathens out there that need to bathe in the everlasting fire, look no further than AMG’s Immolation primer:



The life of the unpaid, overworked metal reviewer is not an easy one. The reviewing collective at AMG lurches from one new release to the next, errors and n00bs strewn in our wake. But what if, once in a while, the collective paused to take stock and consider the discography of those bands that shaped many a taste? What if multiple aspects of the AMG collective personality shared with the slavering masses their personal rankings of that discography, and what if the rest of the personality used a Google sheet some kind of dark magic to produce an official guide to, and an all-around definitive aggregated ranking of, that band’s entire discography? Well, if that happened, we imagine it would look something like this…

Formed in 1988, Immolation emerged shortly after death metal’s dawn of aggression. Alongside Incantation, Suffocation, and Mortician, Immolation cemented themselves as a cornerstone of New York’s death metal scene in the early 90s. Since then, the band has erected a kingdom of consistency, releasing cut after unholy cut of complex arrangements, unwavering hostility, and anti-religious ruminations about the failures of gods. Key to Immolation’s dependable, high-quality output are mainstays bassist/vocalist Ross Dolan and guitarist Robert Vigna, who have both been with the band since inception. Even Immolation’s other members prove steadfast, with drummer Steve Shalaty searing skins since 2003 and Alex Bouks lending his axe since 2016. Through eleven full-length releases, Immolation has proven that their ability to harness ruin and forge death metal majesty is nigh unparalleled.

With twelfth album Descent arriving soon, staffers old and new clamored to share their opinions on how Immolation’s back catalog stacks up. Unlike rankings mostly prescribed by overwhelming consensus on their highs and lows, Immolation presents a discography with nothing to atone for, providing fertile ground for healthy, well-considered discourse. Without further ado, then, let’s put our ears to the door of a world below and divine these diabolical rankings!

– Grin Reaper

The Rankings

Grin Reaper

In my book, nobody does pure death metal better than Immolation. More consistent than Suffocation and Incantation and more uncompromising than Morbid Angel and Cryptopsy,1 Immolation scoffs at AMG’s Law of Diminishing Recordings™ as they reign atop an unimpeachable discography that lacks a single turd. Seriously. The ‘worst’ album Immolation ever put out still rivals or surpasses the best from most other death metal outfits, and their indomitable march to dismantle the weak and unworthy entrenches them as one of my all-time favorite acts. Jesus wept—Immolation never fucking flinched.

#11. Harnessing Ruin (2005) — Something has to be last, and Harnessing Ruin gets my tap. Songwriting-wise, Immolation drops a strong effort with acerbically grim leads and a rousing introduction to new drummer Steve Shalaty. Guitars supply the album highlights—from the gnarled riffing in “Our Savior Sleeps” and the sludgy sway on “Son of Iniquity” to the scalding solo on “Dead to Me,” Bob Vigna and Bill Taylor sizzle with hell’s fire across Harnessing Ruin. Unfortunately, the album’s production holds it back, and the muffled mix lacks the bite of Unholy Cult. Also, the longest songs cluster at the end, dragging the back half a touch.

#10. Kingdom of Conspiracy (2013) — Kingdom of Conspiracy just ekes ahead of Harnessing Ruin, clocking three minutes briefer despite having one more track. To my ears, Kingdom of Conspiracy features Immolation’s brightest, most modern production. This offers a boon to Dolan’s grating growls and the tormented guitar tandem of Vigna and Taylor, but it also buries the bass and pushes the drums further away from the dead corpse smacks that characterize my favorite Immolation bass drum tones. As one might expect from the bottom end of such an excellent discography, Kingdom of Conspiracy does little wrong, but lacks the heretical heft that defines Immolation’s best material.

#9. Shadows in the Light (2007) — Concluding what I consider Immolation’s middle period, Shadows in the Light chronologically bridges their weakest link, Harnessing Ruin, and powerhouse Nuclear Blast debut, Majesty and Decay. Shadows in the Light drastically improves on Harnessing Ruin’s production, wading out of the former’s forlorn pall and laying down brimstone-tinged bangers like one-two punch “Passion Kill” and “World Agony.” A sense of immediacy pervades Shadows that, while not lacking in the lowest-ranked albums, burns even hotter here, filling its forty minutes with writhing leads and furious drumming that typifies what Immolation does so damned well.

#8. Failures for Gods (1999) — Failures for Gods falling to #8 proves just how potent Immolation’s discography is, as the album would be a crown jewel in countless other discographies. On the surface, Failures for Gods has everything Immolation fans could ask for: punishing grooves, tortured guitars, and vocals that could command the armies of hell. Despite that, Failures for Gods feels like it holds back from the devastating offensive that would launch a year later, instead rehashing rather than progressing what Immolation accomplished on their first two albums. Still, Failures introduced drummer Alex Hernandez, and though his masterstrokes would be heard on Close, songs like “God Made Filth” and “The Devil I Know” heralded the storm to come.

#7. Dawn of Possession (1991) — Pure fucking evil rarely sounds this intoxicating. Steeped in an unpolished production that’s coarse yet clear, Dawn of Possession hooks ears and souls alike, flaying them with its hellish implements. Though it’s Immolation’s most straightforward album, tracks like “Into Everlasting Fire, “Those Left Behind,” and “Immolation” exemplify why suburban mothers clutch their pearls when they happen upon their precious babes listening to death metal. Dawn of Possession was my entry point for Immolation, and it encompasses everything the band offers without guile. I still recommend it for the uninitiated, particularly those who enjoy straight-up OSDM with a side of heresy.

#6. Unholy Cult (2002) — Where Failures for Gods luxuriates in gloomy menace and Close to a World Below reeks of sulfurous damnation, Unholy Cult blurs the line between the two. Starting with a slow build on opener “Of Martyrs and Men,” Unholy Cult careens between ominous drawls and infernal fervor with a substantially improved production over Immolation’s 90s output. “Unholy Cult” remains the second-longest song these death peddlers have penned, and it looms large, rooted in the front half of the album. From there, the tracks rumble and blitz up to closer “Bring Them Down,” a funky barnburner that highlights Dolan’s basswork amidst Immolation’s blazing backdrop.

#5. Majesty and Decay (2010) — Immolation unleashed a juggernaut for their first platter with Nuclear Blast. Blistering, contemplative, and brimming with moldering melody, Majesty and Decay swats with the divine laze of a celestial being, uncoiling at its leisure but devastating in its wrath once roused. Tracks like “A Glorious Epoch” and “The Rapture of Ghosts” toe this line, where beefy chugs pound beneath soaring, anthemic guitars. Meanwhile, the likes of “The Purge” and “A Token of Malice” hit with the force of a thunderclap, unrelenting in their fury. I originally had Majesty and Decay in the same tier as Atonement and Acts of God, but the busy mix and unimaginatively titled “Intro” and “Interlude” hold it back.2

#4. Atonement (2017) — With no song running past the five-minute mark, Atonement exhibits Immolation’s dedication to excising the fat and gristle. Vigna’s crooked leads and crushing riffs mesh perfectly with new guitarist Alex Bouks’ calculated anarchy, and together they synchronize in exquisite harmony. Along with Majesty and Decay, Atonement might be the closest Immolation comes to achieving accessibility. Typically, my favorite straight-up death metal furnishes little room for nuance, and though Immolation doesn’t have a reputation for subtlety, Atonement expertly doles out moments of relief (the end of “When the Jackals Come,” the intro to “Lower”) that almost lull you into safety before the bottom drops out and sends you to hell.

#3. Acts of God (2022) — When I first saw Immolation flaunting fifteen tracks totaling over fifty minutes, I thought their best days were behind them. Bloat is never a good sign, particularly from a band with such a pristine track record. I happily resign to being wrong, though, as Acts of God not only subverted but demolished my expectations. Immolation’s allure lies in the intricacies of their music. Dolan’s patristic admonishment of humanity, Vigna and Bouks’ serpentine noodling, and Shalaty’s tempestuous brutalization of the kit define the band’s sound, yet here the music is more direct and urgent than ever. Rather than missing any beats, Immolation sounds ruinously revitalized.

#2. Here in After (1996) — Though not a significant shift away from Dawn of Possession, Immolation struck nails to gold with Here in After. Compared to later releases, Here in After radiates a few extra degrees of chaos, with deranged soloing that reminds of Slayer’s vision of hell and a slightly more impassioned vocal performance from Dolan. To be clear, his vocals are one of my favorite aspects of Immolation’s sound, and his matter-of-fact, comprehensible gutturals against such malicious metal engenders wonderful drama. The edge to his voice on “Nails to Gold” and “Christ’s Cage” adds a dimension of metaphysical dread that is the chef’s kiss throughout Here in After’s inflamed impiety.

#1. Close to a World Below (2000) — I can’t fathom any other Immolation album topping this blasphemous bonanza than Close to a World Below. Opening with my favorite Immolation track “Higher Coward,” the album bursts forth with an unapologetic eruption of sinuous guitars, vicious growls, and an unyielding onslaught by drummer Alex Hernandez. The drum tones alone deserve a spotlight, but the cataclysmic bombardment of stick on skin violence stops me dead in my tracks anytime one of Close to a World Below’s songs pops up. Immolation distills the essence of what worked so well on previous albums and folds those layers into a perfect performance across eight insidiously immaculate tracks. “Father, You’re Not a Father,” “Unpardonable Sin,” and the closing title track resonate with especially inspired performances, but the entirety of Close to a World Below boils over with the most unhinged and malignant performance of Immolation’s career. Being damned never sounded so Iconic.

Lavender Larcenist

#11. Harnessing Ruin (2005) — Immolation does not have a bad album, but Harnessing Ruin feels like a band chugging along in a bit of an in-between space. The production is muddled here, especially after Unholy Cult and Close to a World Below, but “Our Savior Sleeps” still retains that Immolation heft while “At Mourning’s Twilight” is an inspired closer with an incredible solo at the midpoint. Harnessing Ruin would be the best album of many other bands’ careers, but it is only a lower-tier album for a band as storied as Immolation.

#10. Shadows in the Light (2007) — Shadows in the Light follows Harnessing Ruin in terms of feeling like a band spinning its wheels (as much as a band as talented as Immolation can). Even then, “Passion Kill” is a classic Immolation track with an incredible breakdown that will make a fan out of any listener. “World Agony” follows with a dissonant wailing riff backing as it drops headfirst into a rolling bulldozer of a track. Unfortunately, there isn’t much else to Shadows in the Light that helps it stand out amongst the rest of Immolation’s discography, but it still makes for a solid death metal record with some memorable tracks that have stood the test of time.

#9. Failures for Gods (1999) — Failures for Gods is a solid album that is no slouch in the songwriting department, but it is marred by some truly busted production. Everything feels muddy, oddly loud, and compressed at the same time. “No Jesus, No Beast” is a monster, and the title track features that classic evil tone that becomes so apparent in late-stage Immolation, but the production handicaps this album at every turn. Great songwriting goes a long way, but in a race this tight, poor production brings Failures for Gods low.

#8. Kingdom of Conspiracy (2013) — Kingdom of Conspiracy shaves off a bit of Majesty and Decay’s technicality to its detriment. It is the closest Immolation has come to creating an album that is more groove than tech. As a result, it is probably one of their more approachable records, but it is the weakest of their current era. “Keep the Silence” is a monster of a track, and Kingdom has more than enough material to make it worth a listen. I think this is an album more fans should revisit, and newbies should start with, because it is hooky, heavy, and groovy in ways that will tickle your evil organ.

#7. Dawn of Possession (1991) — Dawn of Possession is an incredible debut from a band that is clearly young and ready to fuck the world up. Robert Vigna’s trademark style is immediately apparent, and Immolation’s blend of groove, dizzying technicality, and evil vibes is on display out of the gate. Craig Smilowski’s drumming is absurd in its rhythm and technical flourishes, but the album lacks the atmosphere that Immolation became famous for later in their career. Dawn of Possession is a fantastic debut that is only brought down by the extent to which its tracks bleed together. Something Immolation struggles with throughout their career.

#6. Here in After (1996) — Here in After sees the band refine their skills and write tighter songs that hit harder while adding just a little dash of that trademark Immolation vibe. The groove is starting to creep in, and tracks like “Christ’s Cage” showcase the band playing with the truly evil tone that pervades their most recent work. Album opener “Nailed to Gold” is a classic for the band, and Here in After is a quintessential Immolation album. Ross Dolan’s vocals have switched from Dawn’s nastier tone to his trademark bellow, and Vigna’s pirouetting shredwork is here to stay. Here in After is Immolation in classic form.

#5. Close to a World Below (2000) — Opening with “Higher Coward”, Close to a World Below starts on a high note and never stops delivering. The production foibles of Failures are ironed out, and Immolation sounds like a band ready to bulldoze society. “Unpardonable Sin” is as heavy as it is frantic with its switches back and forth between dissonant groove and face-melting speed. “Lost Passion” crescendos into trademark Immolation wankery in the best way, but Close to a World Below still suffers from some odd production. Dolan’s vocals feel slightly different track to track, but this is an album with some of Immolation’s best songs to date.

#4. Unholy Cult (2002) — Something about Unholy Cult just clicks for me. “Of Martyrs and Men” is that pure, wonderful, evil shit. After an explosive intro, the track moves into one of Immolation’s most crushing riffs. The title track is a slice of hell in a way the band hasn’t played with since “Christ’s Cage”, an eight-minute epic that is as catchy as it is devastating. Vigna flips from this vibrato-tremolo guitar riff right into an all-out assault and back to massive Immolation grooves without a hitch. Unholy Cult is stuffed with great tracks and feels like a first step towards the second half of Immolation’s career, where atmosphere and groove hold more sway over pure technicality.

#3. Majesty and Decay (2010) — Majesty and Decay is where modern Immolation comes into full form. Part truly diabolical atmosphere, part neutron star heavy, all technical and groovy as hell. “Intro” gives listeners a glimpse into the band’s future. “A Glorious Epoch” has one of the best riffs, basically ever, making for a track that gets my blood boiling without fail. “A Token of Malice” is astounding in its technicality while being a freight train of destruction with Vigna riding shotgun. Majesty and Decay is also the best Immolation has sounded up to this point, where the production finally feels consistent, clear, and absolutely brutal.

#2. Atonement (2017) — Likely an album that will grace the top tier on every list, Atonement feels like the quintessential Immolation album. If I were to introduce the band to anyone, I would probably start here. “When the Jackals Come” is one of the band’s best tracks, and “Lower” is just astounding in how brutal Immolation still is decades later. It also keeps things at a slim and trim forty-four minutes, and album closer “Epiphany” puts a perfect bow on this devil baby. There isn’t a track worth skipping on Atonement, a feat made all the more impressive when it is a band ten albums into their career.

#1. Acts of God (2022) — Where do I start with Acts of God? To me, it is the perfect combination of creativity, groove, technicality, and that evil Immolation sound we have come to know and cherish. As one of Immolation’s longest albums, you would think the well has run dry, but the intro “Abandoned” and interlude “And The Flames Wept” add so much cohesion to the album and drape the entire affair in a veil of depravity. Acts of God features some of Immolation’s biggest and baddest riffs, while also pushing their atmosphere to new heights. Their most evil album, their most creative, and maybe even their heaviest. “Noose of Thorns” is led by a diabolical descending riff that drops into high-pitched tapping that sets the tone so well you can’t help but feel pulled by hell’s destructive currents. “Immoral Stain” is dripping with malice; you can hear it seep into every riff and lyric. “Let the Darkness In” features a bouncing, infectious groove that immediately flips into Vigna’s trademark dissonant wails. Acts of God is Immolation’s magnum opus in every sense, and somehow my favorite album by a band that feels like they can do no wrong.

Mark Z.

Immolation feel like old friends. I discovered them early in my extreme metal journey and was immediately captivated by Bob Vigna’s unconventional riffing style and Ross Dolan’s commanding (and surprisingly comprehensible) growl. No matter what’s happened in the metal scene, it’s always been comforting to know that Immolation have been there, touring relentlessly while consistently delivering their trademark brand of dissonant death metal and never releasing a true dud. In the world of old school death metal, they’re the one band I could always count on. Because of that, they’ll always have a special place in my ever-blackening heart.

#11. Shadows in the Light (2007) — Not a bad album, just a relatively bland one. While there are some inspired ideas, most of the tracks have little of the dark atmosphere or interesting songwriting found on their earlier material. Nonetheless, it’s a testament to Immolation’s quality that even their worst album still has stuff as good as the lumbering grooves of “Passion Kill” or the growl-along catchiness of “World Agony,” which is one of the group’s best songs.

#10. Harnessing Ruin (2005) — Arguably Immolation’s most accessible album, Harnessing Ruin shows them trying to find their place in the mid-2000s death metal scene by writing some more direct songs than usual. Just like with Shadows in the Light, however, this album sags in its back half and lacks the darkness or quality of the first few records. There’s good stuff here, but this record also feels bleak and oddly dated, possibly due to the generic mid-2000s artwork, plain production job, or the misguided use of whispered vocals in “Dead to Me” and “Son of Iniquity.”

#9. Kingdom of Conspiracy (2013) — The fucking drums, man. The drum sound here is borderline overbearing, and given that this record is already pretty fast, the overall experience is a relentless and punishing one that largely crushes nuance beneath the heel of its boot. Fortunately, the riffing is still strong, and the album’s generally fast nature makes the slower, commanding marches of “Keep the Silence” and “All That Awaits Us” hit all the harder.

#8. Majesty and Decay (2010) — After a relatively lackluster era in the mid-2000s, Immolation signed to Nuclear Blast and seemed hell-bent on redemption with Majesty and Decay. Compared to its immediate predecessors, this record has an improved production job, more dynamic songwriting, and a better sense of structure (with the band employing an intro track and interlude for the first time). While the title track’s Gateways to Annihilation vibes make it one of the band’s best slower songs, the album as a whole would be better if some of the weaker tracks were shaved off and a few others were tightened up a bit.

#7. Acts of God (2022) — This is a very good album with two main issues: It’s too long, and it has the misfortune of having to follow up Atonement. Not even an Immolation album needs to be 52 minutes long, and compared to its predecessor, the production is stuffier and the songs aren’t as strong. As a whole, however, this is still a blasphemous good time that maintains a consistently high level of quality throughout, with “The Age of No Light” and “Overtures of the Wicked” being especially powerful cuts.

#6. Unholy Cult (2002) — Immolation’s fifth album represents a bridge between the apocalyptic malevolence of their early material and the polished hostility of their later work. It’s also potentially their most vicious and chaotic release, with the opening track “Of Martyrs and Men” even featuring some borderline-mathcore riffs. While at times tough to untangle, Unholy Cult ultimately succeeds as a 41-minute shrapnel blast of ideas that somehow combines the epic and the violent into an utterly compelling whole.

#5. Failures for Gods (1999) — The start of Immolation’s long partnership with producer Paul Orofino, Failures for Gods is held back a bit by his lack of prior experience with death metal, with the bass drums sounding like bouncing basketballs. Stylistically and structurally, however, this is essentially Here in After Part II, with twisted and brooding compositions that vary between being grandiose and cutthroat. While a bit front-loaded, Failures is still a brilliant record. In a just world, “No Jesus, No Beast” would be the closer at every Immolation show.

#4. Dawn of Possession (1991) — Immolation’s debut essentially gave their death-thrash demo tracks a murkier production job and placed them alongside newer songs that would hint at the band’s dissonance to come. As such, Dawn of Possession is the most traditional death metal album in the band’s catalog while also being one of the most distinct and stylistically diverse. While Bob Vigna would only improve as a songwriter from here, Dawn’s numerous classic tracks and otherworldly sense of blasphemy make it easy to love, warts and all.

#3. Atonement (2017) — How the fuck is this album so good? Late-career albums aren’t supposed to be this good, but this is the rare lightning-strike release where everything hits just right: the production, the songwriting, the performances, and even the cover art (which marks the return of the band’s classic logo). It’s like they found a way to increase the quality of everything while sacrificing nothing, resulting in a record that’s powerful yet understated, hooky yet stuffed with riffs, and listenable yet extreme. It may be slightly front-loaded, but it’s still one of my favorite death metal albums of the 2010s.

#2. Here in After (1996) — Arriving five years after their debut, Here in After shows Immolation truly coming into their own, with Bob Vigna’s dark, dissonant arrangements and Ross Dolan’s menacing, intelligible growl both emerging in full force. The improved songwriting is apparent right from the flawless opener, “Nailed to Gold,” which could be one of the Top 10 death metal songs ever. While the twisted structures that follow are less immediately accessible, it all eventually coalesces into a masterfully crafted whole, demonstrating a keen sense of flow and diversity while exuding a timeless, unheavenly darkness that only Immolation could conjure.

#1. Close to a World Below (2000) — There are certain albums so good that they transcend not only their own band’s discography, but also the rest of their genre. Close to a World Below is one of those albums. Never before or since has an album sounded so much like being in hell, with a suffocating and merciless production job that somehow still allows every note to be heard in all its unholy glory. Drummer Alex Hernandez delivers a once-in-a-career performance that sounds like he’s bashing every part of his kit at once, and Bob Vigna somehow manages to write his catchiest material while still delivering riffs more warped than ever. The record also has one of the best openings of all time, with a sullen voice asking, “Didn’t you say. . . Jesus was coming?” before a blasting onslaught tramples any hope of ever making it to heaven. Fukk it, send me below!

Spicie Forrest

Having begun my metal journey in nü territory, there are holes in my metallic knowledge you could drive a commercial truck through.3 While Immolation has long been a name vaguely known to me, it wasn’t until Atonement that I actually heard any of their music. So, when the call for a ranking came in, I saw an excellent opportunity to dive deeply into a storied discography and see what I’ve been missing.

#11. Harnessing Ruin (2005) — While comparably unremarkable, even the bottom end of this list is still good. The truth is, Immolation has never put out a bad album. With such a consistent base quality, placing albums in a numbered order became a game of sudden death. The nail in the coffin for Harnessing Ruin? The whispering vocals on “Dead to Me” and “Son of Iniquity.”

#10 Unholy Cult (2002) — How the hell do you follow up Close to a World Below? By comparison—and even in isolation—Unholy Cult feels lackluster and unremarkable. I’d likely still recognize most of this as Immolation in a playlist, and it’s still very solid death metal by any measure, but there’s precious little here that demands my attention or elevates it above background music. Additionally, pacing shifts, as on “Reluctant Messiah” and “Bring Them Down,” make it difficult to find a groove or flow through the album.

#9 Failures for Gods (1999) — The first three albums Immolation released are all, more or less, of a piece. Failures for Gods maintains much of the quality from earlier releases, from the searing, whiplash solo work and deep riffage of “No Jesus, No Beast” and “Failures for Gods” to the brooding, intimidating tone of “The Devil I Know.” There’s a bit of staleness that creeps into Failures for Gods, though. Aside from some odd, Spanish-inflected acoustic riffing on the title track, not much here stands out from their earlier work or in retrospect.

#8 Shadows in the Light (2007) — Immolation’s output through the mid-00s is, for me, their least engaging, but Shadows in the Light sees them begin to turn things around toward the high quality they’d been known for in the early years. The percussion on Shadows in the Light caught me by surprise, reminding me mightily of Slipknot’s self-titled. Steve Shalaty’s kit work feels alive and visceral, just itching to incite a riot. This holds especially true on “Passion Kill” and “Breathing the Dark.”

#7 Kingdom of Conspiracy (2013) — Kingdom of Conspiracy is an odd duck in Immolation’s discography. This 2013 release has proven divisive not only for its shift in theme,4 but for its notably clean production, as well. While I do appreciate the clarity and snappiness, it is a tad sterile. Ross Dolan’s vocals are hurt the most by this, making him sound toothless and tired. Highlights like “All That Awaits Us” and “God Complex” still hit hard, but as a whole, Kingdom of Conspiracy just doesn’t have the searing identity of records higher on this list.

#6 Here in After (1996) — Being the sophomore album is a tough break. The pressure’s on, expectations are high. Here in After largely holds the line and even improves on the debut in some ways—the title track and “Christ’s Cage” are absolute powerhouses, wielding the weight of worlds like feathers. That said, Here in After does not feel as compositionally tight or structurally sound as Dawn of Possession. Additionally, much of the solo work feels jarring and a skosh too chaotic for my sensibilities, especially on “Nailed to Gold” and “Burn with Jesus.”

#5 Majesty and Decay (2010) — A continuation of the upward shift in quality from Shadows in the Light, Majesty and Decay sees Immolation beginning to explore the more tempered, measured sound so prevalent in their contemporary output. Some tracks, like “A Thunderous Consequence” and “Power and Shame,” fall flat in their attempts to create atmosphere, but “Divine Code” and “A Glorious Epoch” show exactly how menacing and powerful Immolation can be and truly embody the title of the album.

#4 Dawn of Possession (1991) — This served as the standard by which all else was measured. Apocalyptic and vicious, Immolation’s debut was a revelation. There’s a ferocity on Dawn of Possession that only a young band eager to share their vision can produce. And in so doing, Immolation marred the tapestry forever. Injecting their relentless assault with streaks of virtuosity, Dawn of Possession became the bar not only for the band, but for thousands of inspired musicians in the decades since. Immolation has tweaked and tempered their blueprint in the 35 years since, but the core has always remained.

#3 Acts of God (2022) — I’m normally not a fan of intros, but “Abandoned” sets the stage perfectly for the brutal and utterly savage cudgeling to come. Fully returning to the unchecked hatred for Christians and their gods, Acts of God is contemptuous and caustic in way that hasn’t been heard since Close to a World Below. Most impressive here is Immolation’s success in merging the pomp and circumstance of their modern output with the rage of their early work. While not strictly their best release, Acts of God is a quintessential work, defining the true identity of Immolation.

#2 Close to a World Below (2000) — Already known for their malicious, uncompromising sound, Immolation cranks all the dials to eleven on Close to a World Below. It’s seething, it’s virulent, it’s fucking hostile. If this masterpiece ever lets up, it’s only to parade and mock the mangled corpse of Christ before grabbing a bigger hammer. Every second of this album drips with scorn, from the indictment of “Father, You’re Not a Father,” to the blasphemy of “Unpardonable Sin.” I get chills at the start of “Higher Coward” every fucking time, and they don’t go away until long after “Close to a World Below” fades out.

#1 Atonement (2017) — The first Immolation album I ever heard, Atonement still remains untouched. The imperial confidence and contempt—the sheer power—left me speechless, and I still return to it, nearly ten years later. Atonement is more atmospheric than much of their other work, but the result is a heretofore unknown level of weight and heft, no doubt aided by its more vibrant and textured production. Like the change in the air before a coming storm, Atonement feels like a harbinger of ruin, and at times like the disaster itself. Barns burn on tracks like “Destructive Currents” and “Rise the Heretics,” but Immolation truly shines in patient malevolence. Highlights like “When the Jackals Come,” “Thrown to the Fire,” and “Lower” are in no rush to grind your bones to paste. Atonement is the full realization of what was hinted on Majesty and Decay, and it is breathtaking to behold.

Angry Metal Guy Staff Ranking

Thanks to the dark magic of profane arithmetic, we present the aggregate staff ranking below:

1. 1. Harnessing Ruin (2005)
   2. Shadows in the Light (2007)
   3. Kingdom of Conspiracy (2013)
   4. Failures for Gods (1999)
   5. Unholy Cult (2002)
   6. Dawn of Possession (1991)
   7. Majesty and Decay (2010)
   8. Here in After (1996)
   9. Acts of God (2022)
   10. Atonement (2017)
   11. Close to a World Below (2000)

For any ignorant, curious, or non-practicing heathens out there that need to bathe in the everlasting fire, look no further than AMG’s Immolation primer:



#RFT #Cats #babies #suffocation

https://survivorliteracy.com/2026/03/20/relational-anthropology-the-weaponization-of-an-urban-legend/

SUFFOCATION (Estats Units) presenta nou Boxed set: "Jesus Wept - The Roadrunner Years" #Suffocation #Brutal #TechnicalDeathMetal #Febrer2026 #EstatsUnits #NouBoxedSet #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

"Martin Pavlata píše o návštěvě USA" -- "Denně jsem se dusil!!!" -- "jsem tam málem zemřel" -- "okna tam nejsou, dusili jsme se. Žádal jsem, ať otevřou dveře, že se dusíme. Že mám astma. Hrozili obuškama, že mě zmlátí… 🤮 Pokud nebudu držet ústa. Že prý když někdo umře, tak jedině dobře.Budou mít méně práce a máme všem říct, ať do 🇺🇸 nejezdí!" -- "Téměř měsíc jsem nesměl kontaktovat rodinu! Nikdo v ČR nevěděl, co se mnou je, nebo kde jsem!" - "Měl jsem otravu plísní. Všem to bylo jedno, vysmívali se mi. Že mě to naučí a do 🇺🇸 už nepojedu." -- "2025 jsem navštívil 🇺🇸 jako turista" -- "jsem byl bez soudu pravděpodobně nelegálně držen > 2 měsíce!!!" -- "Skončil v koncentráku za to, že nechtěl vydat hesla od počítače." -- "Mimo jiné proto, že jsem jim nedal hesla od telefonu a notebooku, řvali, ať jim hned dám hesla. Řekl jsem NE. Nevidím důvod." -- "všechny mé osobní věci zůstaly na hranicích. ICE se mi vysmáli, že je nahází do kontejneru a můžu je prý žalovat." -- "Měl jsem s sebou velmi drahé věci, elektroniku, hotovost"

https://blisty.cz/art/131557-nejezdete-do-usa.html

Cítím

e x t r é m n ě s i l n é o p o v r ž e n í

vůči režimu Spojených států🇺🇸 když toto vidím.

Já mám podezření, že režim Spojených států🇺🇸 tohle dělá mimo jiného ze zištných důvodů, aby mohli dle mého názoru uloupit "velmi drahé věci, elektroniku, hotovost".

#ice #suffocation #dušení #assault #napadení #fyzickénapadení #torture #mučení #abduction #únos #neardeath #téměřzemřel #téměřsmrt #violentthreat #násilnévyhrožování #násilnévýhrůžky #pohrůžkynásilím #vyhrožování #threat #threats #pokusovraždu #murderattempt #concentrationcamp #koncentrák #koncentračnítábor #humanrights #humanrightsabuse #pošlapávánílidskýchpráv #pošlapánílidskýchpráv #porušovánílidskýchpráv #porušenílidskýchpráv #poisoning #otrava #mocking #vysmívání #privacy #soukromí #verbalabuse #verbálnízneužívání #yelling #řvaní #robbery #loupež #theft #krádež #greed #hamižnost #zištnost #contempt #opovržení

"Martin Pavlata píše o návštěvě USA" -- "Denně jsem se dusil!!!" -- "jsem tam málem zemřel" -- "okna tam nejsou, dusili jsme se. Žádal jsem, ať otevřou dveře, že se dusíme. Že mám astma. Hrozili obuškama, že mě zmlátí… 🤮 Pokud nebudu držet ústa. Že prý když někdo umře, tak jedině dobře.Budou mít méně práce a máme všem říct, ať do 🇺🇸 nejezdí!" -- "Téměř měsíc jsem nesměl kontaktovat rodinu! Nikdo v ČR nevěděl, co se mnou je, nebo kde jsem!" - "Měl jsem otravu plísní. Všem to bylo jedno, vysmívali se mi. Že mě to naučí a do 🇺🇸 už nepojedu." -- "2025 jsem navštívil 🇺🇸 jako turista" -- "jsem byl bez soudu pravděpodobně nelegálně držen > 2 měsíce!!!" -- "Skončil v koncentráku za to, že nechtěl vydat hesla od počítače." -- "Mimo jiné proto, že jsem jim nedal hesla od telefonu a notebooku, řvali, ať jim hned dám hesla. Řekl jsem NE. Nevidím důvod." -- "všechny mé osobní věci zůstaly na hranicích. ICE se mi vysmáli, že je nahází do kontejneru a můžu je prý žalovat." -- "Měl jsem s sebou velmi drahé věci, elektroniku, hotovost"

https://blisty.cz/art/131557-nejezdete-do-usa.html

Cítím

e x t r é m n ě s i l n é o p o v r ž e n í

vůči režimu Spojených států🇺🇸 když toto vidím.

Já mám podezření, že režim Spojených států🇺🇸 tohle dělá mimo jiného ze zištných důvodů, aby mohli dle mého názoru uloupit "velmi drahé věci, elektroniku, hotovost".

#ice #suffocation #dušení #assault #napadení #fyzickénapadení #torture #mučení #abduction #únos #neardeath #téměřzemřel #téměřsmrt #violentthreat #násilnévyhrožování #násilnévýhrůžky #pohrůžkynásilím #vyhrožování #threat #threats #pokusovraždu #murderattempt #concentrationcamp #koncentrák #koncentračnítábor #humanrights #humanrightsabuse #pošlapávánílidskýchpráv #pošlapánílidskýchpráv #porušovánílidskýchpráv #porušenílidskýchpráv #poisoning #otrava #mocking #vysmívání #privacy #soukromí #verbalabuse #verbálnízneužívání #yelling #řvaní #robbery #loupež #theft #krádež #greed #hamižnost #zištnost #contempt #opovržení

#TIDAL #MUSIC #PLAYLIST

#Afro- #Metal

#Heavymetal and #hardcore #bands with #black #singers.

https://tidal.com/playlist/6feee810-5a97-41ab-a98b-ba052be77037

#sevendust #killswitchengage #livingcolour #suffocation #bodycount #badbrains #godforbid

#TIDAL #MUSIC #PLAYLIST

#Afro- #Metal

#Heavymetal and #hardcore #bands with #black #singers.

https://tidal.com/playlist/6feee810-5a97-41ab-a98b-ba052be77037

#sevendust #killswitchengage #livingcolour #suffocation #bodycount #badbrains #godforbid

RE: https://metalhead.club/@HailsandAles/115991571064899142

omg team #suffocation where art thou

RE: https://metalhead.club/@HailsandAles/115991571064899142

omg team #suffocation where art thou

“From Blockade to Asphyxiation”

by Manila de Los Santos in Savage Minds on Substack

@[email protected]
@[email protected]
@[email protected]
@usa

“On 29 January 2026, the Trump administration transformed a long-standing campaign of pressure into a blunt instrument of #suffocation. With an executive order, it weaponized the US tariff system against any nation, including countries like #Mexico, that dares to sell oil to Cuba”

https://open.substack.com/pub/savageminds/p/from-blockade-to-asphyxiation

#Press #SocialMedia #US #Cuba #EconomicWarfare #Trump #Oil

“From Blockade to Asphyxiation”

by Manila de Los Santos in Savage Minds on Substack

@[email protected]
@[email protected]
@[email protected]
@usa

“On 29 January 2026, the Trump administration transformed a long-standing campaign of pressure into a blunt instrument of #suffocation. With an executive order, it weaponized the US tariff system against any nation, including countries like #Mexico, that dares to sell oil to Cuba”

https://open.substack.com/pub/savageminds/p/from-blockade-to-asphyxiation

#Press #SocialMedia #US #Cuba #EconomicWarfare #Trump #Oil

It’s gotta be tough being inspired by genre giants. For bands like Incantation or Autopsy, it can be hard to drink from their well without sounding like derivative, uninspired knockoffs. In the realm of brutal death, Suffocation unsurprisingly stands at the top of the corpse pile, with a sound that’s inspired offshoot after offshoot and triggered more permutations of listener-savaging than one can count. There was a period when “Suffoclone” was used as a term of mockery, and now time has looped back around to turning such a descriptor into a potential point of praise. Architectural Genocide have landed with their sophomore album Malignant Cognition, which unsurprisingly seeks to worship at the altar of the brutal death kings. Will their tribute allow them to rise to the ranks of priesthood in this church of the charnel, or relegate them to mere parish members of the profane?

Architectural Genocide overcome brutal deaths first major hurdle with an excellent sound and a clearly articulated production. With a slightly above average DR (particularly by genre standards), every instrument1 is clearly articulated, with a real shine to the drums. Nate Conner’s drum performance rides snare violations, and china fills in what sounds like a refreshingly undigital performance, while guitarists Tom Savage and Caleb Baker offer up a hodgepodge of slams and chuggy assaults which alternate between breakdowns and full-blown Suffo-isms at the drop of a hat. Vocalist Daniel Brockway, in particular, manages to share a similar register with Ricky Myers when in his higher range, adding some sense of familiarity to the proceedings. Everything is confidently delivered and competently composed.

Malignant Cognition by ARCHITECTURAL GENOCIDE

With brutal death being such a broad target to hit, various strains of DNA making their presence known is unsurprising. As already alluded too, Suffocation are the clear cornerstone, with Architectural Genocide even going so far as to kick off the album with a sample that uses the phrase “Bind, torture, kill” (“Precursor to Bloodshed.”) Occasional nods to mid-era Devourment (“Malicious Wager”) and swings to Mob Justice-era Vulvodynia (“Leave It to Cleaver”) litter Malignant Cognition, as one riff after another attempts to channel different foul spirits of savagery into one whole. In the included promo sheet, Architectural Genocide brag about distilling all the vital elements of the genre into one offering, and the sheer glut of names that can occur to anyone with a slight knowledge of the genre is telling that they’ve done their homework.

But while it’s true that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, everyone always forgets the back half of the quote: “…that mediocrity can pay to greatness.” In a world where gurgles and snare-shattering blasts are a requisite, the distinction between the goods and the greats is personality. Architectural Genocide have their greatest strength function as their biggest Achilles heel, in that they remind me of so many other bands that I find myself wishing I was listening to them instead. The snare-based drum patterns grow to be so repetitive that even Pathology might suggest toning them down a little bit, while tracks like “Malicious Wager” use a start-stop method of riffing which doesn’t get past Amputate in “intensity”, with the staccato presentation only underscoring how “fine” it is. The most interesting riffing and intense moments are all saved for the back end of the album (“Zed Requiem”, Stuffed Under Floordboards”), where Nate Connor unfurls some genuinely fun fills, and we have our first meaningful bass presence. We even get a slam worthy of slicing spines to carry us to the conclusion, ending on a high note, but also leaving one to ask where this personality has been hiding the entire time. It seems like Architectural Genocide have spent the last few years learning the compositional tricks of all these great bands, but are still struggling to cobble together the pieces into what distinguished those outfits from their hoards of imitators.

This is disappointing, because Architectural Genocide are skilled players with a good grasp of composition. But at the moment, that composition has only allowed them to ring out with the echoes of the greats, rather than sing with their own anthems of death. Nobody knocks bands anymore (usually) for sounding inspired by others, but everyone at least knows that you have to come with flair and personality, not just good emulation of style. I believe the band has the toolset to evolve past their inspirations, and I am rooting for them to do so. In the meantime, if you need a quick fix of head-bobbing gnarliness, there are plenty worse options out there.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Comatose Music
Website: Official Album Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: January 16th, 2025

It’s gotta be tough being inspired by genre giants. For bands like Incantation or Autopsy, it can be hard to drink from their well without sounding like derivative, uninspired knockoffs. In the realm of brutal death, Suffocation unsurprisingly stands at the top of the corpse pile, with a sound that’s inspired offshoot after offshoot and triggered more permutations of listener-savaging than one can count. There was a period when “Suffoclone” was used as a term of mockery, and now time has looped back around to turning such a descriptor into a potential point of praise. Architectural Genocide have landed with their sophomore album Malignant Cognition, which unsurprisingly seeks to worship at the altar of the brutal death kings. Will their tribute allow them to rise to the ranks of priesthood in this church of the charnel, or relegate them to mere parish members of the profane?

Architectural Genocide overcome brutal deaths first major hurdle with an excellent sound and a clearly articulated production. With a slightly above average DR (particularly by genre standards), every instrument1 is clearly articulated, with a real shine to the drums. Nate Conner’s drum performance rides snare violations, and china fills in what sounds like a refreshingly undigital performance, while guitarists Tom Savage and Caleb Baker offer up a hodgepodge of slams and chuggy assaults which alternate between breakdowns and full-blown Suffo-isms at the drop of a hat. Vocalist Daniel Brockway, in particular, manages to share a similar register with Ricky Myers when in his higher range, adding some sense of familiarity to the proceedings. Everything is confidently delivered and competently composed.

Malignant Cognition by ARCHITECTURAL GENOCIDE

With brutal death being such a broad target to hit, various strains of DNA making their presence known is unsurprising. As already alluded too, Suffocation are the clear cornerstone, with Architectural Genocide even going so far as to kick off the album with a sample that uses the phrase “Bind, torture, kill” (“Precursor to Bloodshed.”) Occasional nods to mid-era Devourment (“Malicious Wager”) and swings to Mob Justice-era Vulvodynia (“Leave It to Cleaver”) litter Malignant Cognition, as one riff after another attempts to channel different foul spirits of savagery into one whole. In the included promo sheet, Architectural Genocide brag about distilling all the vital elements of the genre into one offering, and the sheer glut of names that can occur to anyone with a slight knowledge of the genre is telling that they’ve done their homework.

But while it’s true that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, everyone always forgets the back half of the quote: “…that mediocrity can pay to greatness.” In a world where gurgles and snare-shattering blasts are a requisite, the distinction between the goods and the greats is personality. Architectural Genocide have their greatest strength function as their biggest Achilles heel, in that they remind me of so many other bands that I find myself wishing I was listening to them instead. The snare-based drum patterns grow to be so repetitive that even Pathology might suggest toning them down a little bit, while tracks like “Malicious Wager” use a start-stop method of riffing which doesn’t get past Amputate in “intensity”, with the staccato presentation only underscoring how “fine” it is. The most interesting riffing and intense moments are all saved for the back end of the album (“Zed Requiem”, Stuffed Under Floordboards”), where Nate Connor unfurls some genuinely fun fills, and we have our first meaningful bass presence. We even get a slam worthy of slicing spines to carry us to the conclusion, ending on a high note, but also leaving one to ask where this personality has been hiding the entire time. It seems like Architectural Genocide have spent the last few years learning the compositional tricks of all these great bands, but are still struggling to cobble together the pieces into what distinguished those outfits from their hoards of imitators.

This is disappointing, because Architectural Genocide are skilled players with a good grasp of composition. But at the moment, that composition has only allowed them to ring out with the echoes of the greats, rather than sing with their own anthems of death. Nobody knocks bands anymore (usually) for sounding inspired by others, but everyone at least knows that you have to come with flair and personality, not just good emulation of style. I believe the band has the toolset to evolve past their inspirations, and I am rooting for them to do so. In the meantime, if you need a quick fix of head-bobbing gnarliness, there are plenty worse options out there.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Comatose Music
Website: Official Album Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: January 16th, 2025

Charting the course to 2026: reflecting on 70000tons of Metal 2025 Artist Spotlight: Suffocation:

#Suffocation #70000tons #70000tonsOfMetal #ArtistSpotlight

Link: https://metalinsider.net/columns/artist-spotlight/charting-the-course-to-2026-reflecting-on-70000tons-of-metal-2025-artist-spotlight-suffocation

New England Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs assaulted private chef over pay dispute, court documents allege

The New England Patriots’ superstar wide receiver, Stefon D…
#NFL #NewEnglandPatriots #NewEngland #Patriots #AFCChampionshipGame #batterycharge #courtdocument #dec. #Dedham #DedhamDistrictCourt #Football #incident #Massachusetts #misdemeanorassault #starreceiver #StefonDiggs #strangulationcharge #suffocation #superstarwidereceiver #touchdown #WCVB #yard
https://www.rawchili.com/nfl/641303/

New England Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs assaulted private chef over pay dispute, court documents allege https://www.rawchili.com/nfl/641303/ #AFCChampionshipGame #BatteryCharge #CourtDocument #dec. #Dedham #DedhamDistrictCourt #Football #incident #Massachusetts #MisdemeanorAssault #NewEngland #NewEnglandPatriots #NewEngland #NewEnglandPatriots #NFL #Patriots #StarReceiver #StefonDiggs #StrangulationCharge #suffocation #SuperstarWideReceiver #touchdown #WCVB #yard

Cradle of Filth announce spring 2026 U.S Tour:

#CradleOfFilth #Suffocation #TourAlert

Link: https://metalinsider.net/touring/cradle-of-filth-announce-spring-2026-u-s-tour

BBC: Online porn showing choking to be made illegal, government says. “Online pornography showing strangulation or suffocation is to be made illegal, as part of government plans to tackle violence against women and girls.”

https://rbfirehose.com/2025/11/04/bbc-online-porn-showing-choking-to-be-made-illegal-government-says/

Stillbirth – Survival Protocol

By Samguineous Maximus

I take a seat in a cramped, rusted chair. Across from me sits a gorilla in some sort of crown and a man whose face could only be described as Abbathian. It’s time for my first performance review at AMG Headquarters, and things aren’t looking great. “Atmospheric nü metal/free jazz? German dance music? What are we, discount Pitchfork?” Druhm bellows between frustrated simian grunts. I turn towards the head honcho for mercy, but instead, he fixes me with an eldritch stare. The words don’t pass his lips—they appear directly in my skull like a psychic command: “Brutal death metal.” He hands me a grime-encrusted CD which reeks of beer and seaweed. German brutal death metal veterans Stillbirth are responsible for this fetid package, which lies before me. It’s Survival Protocol, their ninth full-length. The attached blurb promises “a dystopian landscape” that’s “equal parts destruction and party.” The last time this group of fun-loving krauts appeared here with 2020’s Revive The Throne, it was deemed competent, but nothing impressive. Does Survival Protocol break this cycle? Or are we once again strapping in for forty minutes of well-crafted bludgeoning destined to dissolve into the great gory morass of brutal death mediocrity?

The sound present on Survival Protocol is a particularly modern and clean take on the subgenre, which bridges the gap between brutal death, slam, and deathcore. Stillbirth employ chugtastic beatdown riffs and dexterous chromatic tremolo runs atop ever-present double bass gallops in a way that we’ve come to expect from this style. On this record, however, the band showcases some more melodic and prog-leaning moments alongside impressive technicality in a way that reminds me of countrymates Cytotoxin. The best songs weave between stankface-inducing over-the-top slam breakdowns and surprisingly tasteful guitar harmonies (“Baptized in Blood,” “Sacrificial Slaughter”). There’s just something magical about the juxtaposition of impressive death metal licks and stupidly gauche “BREEE”1 frog noises. The band showcases a sly songwriting wit that, when deployed correctly, brings a grin to my jaded face. Unfortunately, not every slab of meat on this cornucopia of carnage has festered appropriately.

The biggest issue with Survival Protocol is that large sections fall into a kind of monotonous death metal “grey zone,” where everything is maximally heavy, so none of it feels particularly impactful. I appreciate Stillbirth’s take on the classic “Liege of Inveracity” riff when it surfaces for premium ape-brained satisfaction (“Existence Erased,” “Cult of the Green”), but you can only hear so many slam riffs into tech-adjacent fast riffs into more slam riffs before things start to dull a bit. To the band’s credit, guitarists Leonard Willi and Szymon Skiba are clear devotees of the ancient texts, and their riffcraft is consistently enjoyable. They demonstrate both instrumental mastery and a playful energy that’s just fun to bask in. This shines most on the closer, “Kill to Rule,” which is built around a repeating chord progression and gives both players room to show off with dueling leads. Unfortunately, standout moments like this aren’t consistent, and even after repeated listens, I find myself struggling to remember which parts belong to which songs.

That’s not for lack of effort, though. Stillbirth inject bits and pieces of other musical styles here and there to keep things fresh and the pit moving. “Trapped in Darkness” opens with a fun electronic interlude before diving into classic brutal death riffing, while album highlight “Baptized in Blood” begins with a playful, salsa-inspired acoustic section that reappears during the bridge to introduce a tasty solo and melodic outro. Moments like these add welcome levity and variety to the tracklist, while also showcasing the band’s solid grasp of their death metal fundamentals. Stillbirth clearly know their way around a Suffocation riff (or twenty), and their delivery of the brutal death formula on Survival Protocol is at least entertaining. It checks all the expected boxes, but it checks them well enough that the full album remains an enjoyable listen.

With Survival Protocol, Stillbirth once again deliver a competent, meaty slab of brutal death/slam that gets the job done without breaking a sweat or a boundary. The riffs are chunky, the grooves are mean, and the band’s veteran polish is unmistakable. This is an album that bludgeons efficiently but rarely leaves a lasting dent. There’s no question these guys know their craft. Several tracks here hit hard and hit right, but Survival Protocol ultimately feels like a victory lap rather than a challenge. It’s a fun listen while it’s on, and it’ll get a pit moving without issue, but once the dust settles, there’s not much urging me to spin it again.

Rating: 2.5/3.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Reigning Phoenix Music
Website: facebook.com/StillbirthParty
Releases Worldwide: October 31st, 2025

#25 #2025 #BrutalDeathMetal #Cytotoxin #DeathMetal #Deathcore #GermanMetal #Oct25 #ReigningPhoenixMusic #Review #Reviews #Slam #Stillbirth #Suffocation #SurvivalProtocol

Despised Icon – Shadow Work Review

By Owlswald

Widely regarded as one of the original architects of deathcore, Canada’s Despised Icon hardly needs an introduction. But just in case you’ve been living under a rock for the past two decades, here’s a brief introduction: back in 2002, when MySpace was all the rage and everyone had a friend named Tom, five dudes from Montreal dropped their debut LP, Consumed by Your Poison. Heavily influenced by the likes of Suffocation and Dying Fetus, these Canadians continued to hone their crushing sound on 2005’s The Healing Process by injecting metalcore and hardcore elements into their deathly framework. This unique formula culminated with their third LP, The Ills of Modern Man (2007)—the crown jewel of their discography that made Despised Icon deathcore royalty. The rest, they say, is history. Fast forward 18 years and, following a hiatus and three subsequent albums, the group has now readied their seventh LP, Shadow Work. So, dust off that windbreaker and lace up your best pair of New Balance kicks; it’s time to dive into Shadow Work.

In typical Despised Icon fashion, the opening title track instantly rips one’s jaw from its joints with a strong, technical launch. Leading the assault is Éric Jarrin and Ben Landreville’s signature pitch-shifted guitar squeals (a staple since 2019’s Purgatory), which, alongside rapid-fire tremolo scales, synchronize perfectly with Alex Pelletier’s blistering rhythms and Sebastien Piché’s grinding bass to fuel the album’s heavy, frenetic passages. The dual-headed vocal attack from Alex Erian and Steve Marois sounds as strong as ever, alternating raspy screams, slam-style pig squeals and hardcore chants that add a sharp, aggressive edge. Guest spots from Matthew Honeycutt (Kublai Khan TX), Scott Ian Lewis (Carnifex) and Tom Barber (Chelsea Grin) compliment Erian and Marois’ delivery but ultimately land with mixed results. Shadow Work’s powerful first half (“Shadow Work” through “The Apparition”) proves Despised Icon can still execute with the same ferocity as on past efforts. Conversely, Shadow Work’s energy wanes toward the end with formulaic pit anthems (“Obsessive Compulsive Disaster,” “Fallen Ones”) settling into a cliché hardcore spirit, though the record’s strongest material warrants repeat listens.

The first half of Shadow Work delivers a powerful blend of technical proficiency and a dash of genre experimentation before the album settles into a more formulaic hardcore groove. “Death Of An Artist” is a straight-up, drum-driven banger that introduces new wrinkles like clean vocals, dissonant high leads and a tasteful thrash and death eeriness that adds fresh flavor to Despised Icon’s well-known formula. Similarly, “The Apparition” is a relentless burner, injecting elements of symphonic death and black metal while maintaining the group’s core sound. Across the album’s succinct 37 minutes, monolithic breakdowns are plentiful—tense builds frequently give way to gut-punching beatdowns replete with fret slides (“Shadow Work”), air raid sirens (“The Apparition”) and stutter-step riffing (“Death of an Artist”), delivering a seismic release and an irresistible urge to pit.

However, Shadow Work hits a predictable wall at its midpoint, slumping into an over-reliance on tropey, Hatebreed-adjacent, inspirational anthems. Characterized by pervasive gang vocals, two-step riffs, and cheesy lyrical themes, tracks like “Fallen Ones,” “Obsessive Compulsive Disaster,” and “Reaper” feel less about pushing Despised Icon’s established deathcore boundaries and more about catering to the masses, thereby detracting from Shadow Work’s initial aggression. While Scott Ian Lewis’ gruff, thrashy vocal textures on “In Memoriam” effectively add a new element and the raucous “Omen of Misfortune” or “ContreCoeur” offer relief, Despised Icon’s heavy reliance on clichéd, tough-guy hardcore vocal cadences and themes holds Shadow Work back. For instance, lines like “From the ground up, never gave up, from the gutter to the surface” (“Reaper”) leans too far into its hardcore roots. Even the otherwise stronger early track “Over My Dead Body” is hampered by a cheesy hardcore/nu-metal feel in its bridge, its jarring cadence and Honeycutt’s yelling of “bitch” further exposing Shadow Work’s central weakness.1

Shadow Work is a good record marred by frustrating dualities. The first half unleashes the punishing, technical ferocity and syncopated slams that cement Despised Icon’s legacy as godfathers of deathcore. Yet, Shadow Work’s potential is sacrificed in the latter half, by leaning too hard on formulaic, predictable hardcore anthems. By repeatedly prioritizing comfortable clichés over their trademark sound, Despised Icon ultimately delivers an uneven album that only teases at the complete savagery fans know these legends are still more than capable of delivering.

Rating: Good
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Nuclear Blast
Websites: despisedicon.com | facebook.com/despisedicon
Releases Worldwide: October 31st, 2025

#2025 #30 #CanadianMetal #Carnifex #ChelseaGrin #Deathcore #DespisedIcon #Devourment #DyingFetus #Hatebreed #KublaiKhanTX #NuclearBlast #Oct25 #Review #Reviews #ShadowWork #Suffocation

Plague Curse – Verminous Contempt Review

By Spicie Forrest

We’ve all been told, once or thrice, not to judge a book by its cover. As a species, we’re pretty good at doing it anyway. In metal circles, band logos and album art often follow certain tropes that let us quickly identify what we’re about to hear and set expectations accordingly. Except when they don’t. When I first saw the cover art for Verminous Contempt, I thought I had it pegged. I mean, rats? Green mystery fluid? Skulls? This was sewage-drenched death metal for sure. I was, of course, wrong. For their debut, Plague Curse instead offers a highly polished platter of blackened death metal. Irregardless of genre, however, the only question that matters here is, does it slap?

The heart of Verminous Contempt beats death, but its blackened influences are plenty vital. Bolt Thrown riffs, courtesy of Joe Caswell (Burden of Ymir), and Neil Schneider’s fully automatic drums offer a tank tread massage on “In the Shadow of Hate” and “Procession of Dead,” while “Amidst the Devastation” and “Hate Fuck Of Fornication and Malice” get their meat hooks in you like Cattle Decapitation in an asylum. Guitar licks in the skeletal, dissonant veins of Morbid Angel or Pestilence add a hunted sense of unrest (“Nocturnal Cruelty,” “Callous Abomination”). This would make for a decent record on its own, but well-placed blackened tremolos coalesce and melt away throughout the album like specters in a fog. “Umbrage Earned” and “Of Fornication and Malice” open with hellish, blackened salvos of Archspired urgency, but what’s particularly noteworthy about the former—and true to varying degrees across all of Verminous Contempt—is the way the band twists and warps death metal instrumentation to fit over black metal structures. While much of this record sounds like death metal, “Umbrage Earned” reminds me more of Watain from a compositional standpoint. Verminous Contempt isn’t just black metal and death metal played next to each other; Plague Curse creates a true blend of the two.

The instrumentals on Verminous Contempt are nothing to sneeze at, and neither is Nick Rossi’s vocal performance. His lows evoke Suffocation or Septicflesh, while highs are closer to Cattle Decapitation or Mental Cruelty. Rossi even gets brutally low on “In the Shadow of Hate” and “Callous Abomination.” He’s got an impressive toolkit. And whether low, high, or somewhere in between, he’s phlegmy and wet, not unlike Lik. It brings an unrefined, unhinged edge to an album whose production is otherwise pretty clean. The added grit does wonders for Plague Curse’s sound, creating much-needed texture across Verminous Contempt. Rossi’s standout performance is occasionally a detriment, however, as a few instrumental sections struggle to hold their own in his absence (“Procession of Dead,” “Reigning in Ruin”).

Verminous Contempt is an energetic and dynamic album. Riffs abound, both searing like Spectral Wound (“Most Vile”) and crushing like Immolation (“Callous Abomination”). Whether slinging neoclassical hooks (“Most Vile”), creating blackened tension (“In the Shadow of Hate”), or expertly shifting tempo (“Reigning in Ruin”), Caswell can count on Schneider and bassist George Van Doorn to provide a solid foundation upon which to drive each track. Transitions are well-timed and flow seamlessly, making the album an enjoyable and smooth listen end to end. Even tastefully and sparingly added dissonance incorporates well into the broader picture (“Reigning in Ruin,” “Nocturnal Cruelty”). But with such obvious songwriting prowess and tight construction, it’s a little frustrating to trudge through several minutes that should have been left on the cutting room floor, including the last third of “Reigning in Ruin” and the entire outro “Oderint Dum Metuant.”

I picked up Verminous Contempt expecting Foetal Juice, but was instead treated to an impressive mix of some of metal’s meanest sounds. Like being blindsided with a brick, Plague Curse comes out swinging and, with the exception of a couple of competent slowdowns, never lets up. Between noteworthy vocals and frenetic yet controlled instrumentation, Verminous Contempt is an enjoyable and easily consumed album. On their debut, Plague Curse establish themselves as a vicious but accessible contender in blackened death circles. With a more enthusiastic scalpel and a little more attention paid to instrumental passages, Plague Curse could easily be a future cornerstone of the genre.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Adirondack Black Mass
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: October 10th, 2025

#2025 #35 #AdirondackBlackMass #Archspire #BlackMetal #BlackenedDeathMetal #BoltThrower #BurdenOfYmir #CattleDecapitation #DeathMetal #FoetalJuice #Immolation #InternationalMetal #LIK #MentalCruelty #MorbidAngel #Oct25 #Pestilence #PlagueCurse #Review #Reviews #SepticFlesh #SpectralWound #Suffocation #VerminousContempt #Watain

Wednesday, September 24, 2025

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