UMUR "Bombers From Burundi" is the eponymously titled debut full-length studio album by German, Munich based crossover thrash metal act Bombers From Burundi. The album was released through SPV GmbH/Steamhammer Records in 1989. Bombers From Burundi formed in 1988, but prior to 1988 they had actually worked under the Die Ausgebombten monicker playing hardcore punk in the period 1983-1988 (even releasing an album).

Stylistically the material on the 13 tracks, 33:28 minutes long album is a fast-paced, aggressive, and powerful sounding crossover thrash metal style. The band´s hardcore punk past is audible but the riffs are often more metallic and thrash/speed metal oriented, making the crossover thrash metal label suiting. Think The Exploited meets Cryptic Slaughter and you´re halfway there. The vocalist is a raw hardcore punk type singer and although he isn´t anything out of the ordinary for the genre, he gets the job done and his voice and singing style suit the instrumental part of the music. The lyrical themes are the usual for the genre which songtitles like "Brain Rape", "Fist F**k", and "Free Beer" are a testament to.

The songwriting is relatively memorable and effective, and the material is delivered with great power and conviction. This is tight, sharp, and relentlessly aggressive music, and Bombers From Burundi are a well playing band. The album also features a raw, heavy, and harsh sounding production job, which further enhances the quality of the release. Upon conclusion "Bombers From Burundi" is a crossover thrash metal release worth investigating if you´re a fan of the genre. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Democracy" is the debut full-length studio album by US, South Carolina metal act The Deboning Method. The album was independently released in 1993. It´s probably not a band or a release which many people have heard of, but if you look at the lineup you´ll notice that a certain Derek Roddy is credited for playing the drums. The Deboning Method formed in 1988 and it´s Roddy´s first band. Roddy subsequently went on to play with artists like Malevolent Creation, Aurora Borealis, Blotted Science, Council of the Fallen, and Hate Eternal (among others). Roddy also auditioned for and was in the run for being the new Dream Theater drummer when Mike Portnoy left in 2011 (a spot which ultimately went to Mike Mangini).

...in other words The Deboning Method is graced with one of the top drummers on the scene and not surprisingly the drumming on "Democracy" is one of the great assets of the album. Stylistically the material on the 11 tracks, 55:26 minutes long album is an aggressive type of thrash metal with both death metal and hardcore elemnts. It´s both fast-paced and crushingly heavy and groove laden, so this is not old school 80s influenced thrash metal, but rather a heavier and more brutal version. Artists like Solstice and Ripping Corpse are valid references. Lead vocalist Jason Skipper sounds pissed and his delivery is commanding and fierce. There´s a savage, brutal, and almost hysterical edge to his singing style, which is highly effectful. You´re never in doubt that he means business.

The sound production values are overall effective and the music sounds powerful, heavy, and meaty, but sometimes it´s sounds like the tracks were recorded at different studios, which is slightly distracting and not a plus in my book. When listening to an album you want to get a feeling of cohesion. The Deboning Method are successful in achieving that with the consistency of the materal, but the slight drop in sound production values on a few tracks just sounds a bit amaturish.

When that is said "Democracy" is still a high quality brutal thrash metal release from The Deboning Method. Although at this moment "Democracy" is the band´s only full-length studio album, it´s interesting to note that The Deboning Method never disbanded. They have just been inactive for many years, but they have sporadically re-appeared, and they have also recorded and released a couple of minor releases in the 2010s (mainly re-recordings of early releases). "Democracy" may not be a high profile release, but for fans of brutal thrash metal it´s a recommended listen and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "The Headless Children" is the fourth full-length studio album by US heavy metal act W.A.S.P. The album was released through Capitol Records in April 1989. It´s the successor to "Inside the Electric Circus" from November 1986 and features one lineup change since the predecessor as drummer Steve Riley has been replaced by former Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali.

"The Headless Children" marks a change in musical direction, as it features more serious lyrical content, and isn´t as focused on explicit sexual themed lyrics and lyrics about the rock´n´roll life as the lyrics on the first three albums. Political and social issues are now dealt with bringing a more mature element to W.A.S.P.´s sound. Some tracks also feature a darker and heavier songwriting approach which suits the rawness of Blackie Lawless voice well (tracks like "The Heretic (The Lost Child)" and "The Headless Children"). The construction of the songs is predominantly vers/chorus based, but W.A.S.P. have created more memorable riffs than before and the album features some pretty brilliant lead guitar work throughout. I can´t say Banali´s drumming is especially accomplished to my ears (it´s simple and doesn´t help the songs flow), but maybe it´s just his drumming style which I don´t agree with.

"The Real Me" (a cover of The Who) and the power ballad "Forever Free" are the most well known tracks from "The Headless Children", but it´s a good quality release throughout, featuring well written and memorable material.

Other than the great lead guitar playing (courtesy of Chris Holmes), the voice and vocal delivery by Lawless are the standouts of the performances on "The Headless Children". He has such a raw, intense and commanding way of singing, that it´s impossible not to feel awe when listening to him. "The Headless Children" also features a relatively well sounding production job (the drums could have prospered from less reverb effects), and upon conclusion it´s a pretty strong release from W.A.S.P. Fans of the early releases will still enjoy this but listeners who didn´t enjoy the first three albums, may actually also find that they can discover something to appreciate here. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Funeral Serenade" is the second full-length studio album by Brazilian thrash metal act Sextrash. The album was released through Cogumelo Records in September 1992. It´s the successor to "Sexual Carnage" from 1990. Sextrash was founded in 1987 by former Sarcófago drummer D.D. Crazy under the Insulter monicker but soon changed their name to Sextrash. They released the "XXX" EP in 1989 and their debut full-length studio album "Sexual Carnage" in 1990. Both releases featuring some pretty controversial cover artworks. Although "Funeral Serenade" also features a naked lady on the cover, the artwork is a bit more cartoonish and innocent.

While the two first releases by Sextrash features a raw, primitive, and savage sounding type of thrash metal, the band have added an additional death metal element to their sound on "Funeral Serenade". Given the major success of fellow countrymen Sepultura who followed a similar path, it´s not a strange move, and a move many other contemporary Brazilian thrash metal artists also made.

The band write some pretty effective, powerful, and also relatively varied tracks, and that´s the greatest asset of "Funeral Serenade". The playing is a bit sloppy/amaturish and the sound production lacks power and also belongs in the slightly amaturish end of the scale, but it´s not worse than the sound productions on many other Brazilian death- and thrash metal releases from that time. Had the performances been stronger and the sound production been sharp, detailed, and powerful, "Funeral Serenade" could have been a high quality release. As it is now it may hold some interest for fans of late 80s Sepultura and similar death/thrash artists, but you shouldn´t expect anything of the same quality as the output of their more famous countrymen. A 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Promo Tape '92" is the third demo recording by Finnish death metal act Mordicus. The demo was independently released in 1992. It follows the release of the June 1991 "Grown Under Shade of Sorrow" demo. Seven tracks were recorded during the sessions, but only four were included on this demo. "Promo Tape '92" was not sold in large numbers by Mordicus, who instead opted to concentrate on sending the promo tape to labels. Wild Rags Records eventually got a copy of the demo, and offered Mordicus a deal to release the full session (all seven tracks) as the "Wrathorn" tape only label demo.

Stylistically the material on "Promo Tape '92" is the natural continuation of the Carcass influenced death metal also found on the "Grown Under Shade of Sorrow" demo. It´s obvious that Mordicus have grown as musicians and composers though, and the sound production values are also even better than they were on the already well produced "Grown Under Shade of Sorrow" demo. While the Carcass influence is undeniably very strong, Mordicus still manage to put their own melancholic Finnish touch to the songs, which all feature slow- or mid-paced parts with melancholic or morbid lead guitar work and even a whiff of epic ethnic folk melodies. The latter is heard on the opening minute of "A Thorn in Holy Flesh", where I´m immediately reminded of Amorphis. Early Paradise Lost is another influence heard here and there.

So, it´s fair to say that Mordicus have created a rather unique sounding release which combines the brutality and rawness of death metal and goregrind with the epic and melancholic atmosphere of death-doom metal. It´s quite the fascinating hybrid sound, which really shouldn´t work, but somehow Mordicus manage to seamlessly combine the elements of their sound in a natural way. Upon conclusion "Promo Tape '92" is another positive evolutionary step in the formative years of Mordicus' career, and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is fully deserved.

UMUR "Grown Under Shade of Sorrow" is the second demo recording by Finnish death metal act Mordicus. The demo was independently released in June 1991. It´s the successor to the January 1991 "Abominations of the Earth" demo.

If you´re familiar with "Abominations of the Earth" it´s interesting to note that Mordicus in a few months went from being heavily influenced by Autopsy, Death, and early Paradise Lost, to aquiring a heavy dose of Carcass influence on "Grown Under Shade of Sorrow" (the two vocalists deep juicy growling/higher pitched raw snarling approach and all...). There is still the occasional melancholic death-doom metal section in the music, but it´s arguably the "Symphonies of Sickness" (1989) influence which is the most dominant influence on the musical direction on "Grown Under Shade of Sorrow". Contemporary Finnish death metal acts like Xysma, Disgrace, and Lubricant also looked in the directon of "Symphonies of Sickness" for influence, so it´s safe to say that Carcass had a huge impact on the Finnish death metal scene of the late 80s/early 90s.

Mordicus combine their Carcass influenced deathgrinding sections with heavy groove laden death metal parts and the aforementioned melancholic death-doom metal moments, so "Grown Under Shade of Sorrow" is quite the varied demo considering that it´s an early 90s death metal demo. If the songwriting was promsing and interesting on "Abominations of the Earth", "Grown Under Shade of Sorrow" more than fulfills that promise, although the Carcass influence is maybe a bit too obvious.

While "Abominations of the Earth" was more or less an advanced rehearsal room demo (recorded on a 4-track recorder), "Grown Under Shade of Sorrow" was recorded at a professional recording studio with a recording engineer (Jukka Timonen) and it´s a huge improvement in sound quality and listening enjoyment over the first demo. It´s still obviously a demo recording, but this time around you´re able to hear all instruments and vocals clearly in the mix and it´s overall a both powerful, raw, and brutal sounding demo. To my ears "Grown Under Shade of Sorrow" is a seminal Finnish death metal demo and a 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Abominations of the Earth" is the first demo recording by Finnish death metal act Mordicus. The demo was independently released in January 1991. Mordicus formed in 1989 in the town of Joensuu situated on the eastern Finnish border to Russia. Some members came from the thrash metal band Mortuary, but Mordicus was formed with the idea to write more brutal music, which wasn´t an unusual move for young bands of the era, who had picked up on the new brutal death metal sounds coming from the death metal scenes of the US, the UK, and Sweden.

"Abominations of the Earth" is arguably a pure old school death metal release, with only the genre´s usual nods towards brutal thrash metal, so Mordicus did reach their goal with this debut demo. The songwriting is quite interesting and unique featuring elements from artists like Autopsy, Death, and early Paradise Lost. The vocals are gurgling raw snarling rather than deep growling, but the vocal part of the demo is generally quite effective and raw.

The demo was recorded on a 4-track recorder and it´s a pretty lo-fi sounding release, but it´s not without its raw and primitive charm. Mordicus are relatively well playing for a young band, but "Abominations of the Earth" is a warts and all type of release, and sometimes the instruments sound a bit out of tune and there are a few playing mistakes here and there. I can live with that on a debut demo because of the intriguing and promising songwriting though. This is definitely a band with a lot of interesting songwriting ideas and although I´d overall call "Abominations of the Earth" more interesting than great, I appreciate this demo more than my 2.5 star (50%) rating may show.

UMUR "Demo 1992" is the second demo recording by Finnish death metal/grindcore act Lifeless Vomit. The demo was independently released in February 1992. Lifeless Vomit formed in 1988 and released two demos prior to disbanding in 1992 (the first demo was released in 1991). All material from the two demos plus an unreleased demo from 2013 were compiled on the "Entrails on the Floor, Rock-Roller at the Door / Rugged Fish-Beard Walks Without Hooks" compilation album and released in March 2020 through Old Skull Productions.

Stylistically the material on the 17 tracks, 15:11 minutes long demo is in some ways a continuation of the filthy death metal/grindcore style of the preceding demo. This demo is a bit more on the grindcore side though and the death metal elements have been toned down. Lifeless Vomit are down to a trio and they are still a well playing band with a nice domimant distorted bass and some tight drumming. Drummer Juha Merilaakso is also the vocalist and he delivers one sick vocal style after another. It´s some pretty nasty stuff and I´d say "Scum" (1987)-era Napalm Death mixed with "Acts of the Unspeakable" (1992)-era Autopsy blended with a bit of goregrind Carcass isn´t the worst description I can come up with.

The sound production is decent although a bit thin sounding, but the sound production values suit the material well. To my ears the first demo was a bit more interesting because the death metal elements of the band´s sound were more equally shared with the grindcore part of the music, while "Demo 1992" tend to hammer away in a relatively monotone grindcore style. It´s still an interesting release though and a 2.5 star (50%) rating isn´t all wrong.

UMUR "Demo )91(" is the first demo recording by Finnish death metal/grindcore act Lifeless Vomit. The demo was independently released in My 1991. Lifeless Vomit formed in 1988 and released two demos prior to disbanding in 1992. All material from the two demos plus an unreleased demo from 2013 were compiled on the "Entrails on the Floor, Rock-Roller at the Door / Rugged Fish-Beard Walks Without Hooks" compilation album and released in March 2020 through Old Skull Productions.

The 12 tracks on the 12:56 minutes long demo are stylistically a combination of death metal and grindcore. Sometimes leaning more towards one than the other and other times the other way around. Lifeless Vomit are pretty well playing and other than the punked clean vocals on opening track "Harsh Boar", the vocals are quite well performed growling or harsh screaming. The über distorted bass is quite the treat as well as the well playing drummer (who is also the vocalist). The songs are quite creative considering that Lifeless Vomit is a quartet and there aren´t any lead guitar parts. It´s just drums, bass, guitars, and some nasty juicy growling (two vocalists).

The nature of the lyrics may have you think that this is not a serious release (songtitles like "Harsh Boar", "Horrendous Fuck of Hate", and "Sickly Shellfish" don´t exactly reek of anything serious), but to my ears the music is of a high quality. Lifeless Vomit understand how to use the tools of the trade and the material on this demo is some pretty interesting gory death metal/grindcore. The sound production is filthy, oddly thin sounding, but still heavy, and it suits the material perfectly. A 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Defiled in Oblivion" is the debut full-length studio album by US, New York based (although the members come from Mexico, Norway, Sweden, Colombia, and USA) death metal act Castrator. The album was released through Dark Descent Records in July 2022. Castrator was formed in 2013 and released a demo in 2014 and an EP in 2015.

Castrator features an all-female lineup and they are quite unusual on the extreme metal scene as their lyrics feature themes like feminism, anti-rape, and misandry. It´s probably a clear and conscious backlash at the often blatant misogyny, sexual exploitation of- and violence against women found on many male lineup dominated extreme metal releases.

If you don´t pay much attention to lyrics, "Defiled in Oblivion" is stylistically a pretty regular contemporary death metal release, which means it´s not a filthy old school death metal release, but rather a death metal release featuring elements from different ends of the spectrum (old school brutality and more contemporary technical playing and heavy grooves/breakdowns). Regular doesn´t mean average in this case though, as the quality of the performances, the sound production values, and the songwriting are all on a high level, but regular in terms of Castrator not standing out much (other than their lyrics) on the contemporary death metal scene. This is muscular, meaty, brutal, and powerful death metal and lead vocalist Clarissa Badini delivers both death metal growling and aggressive snarling vocals (often doubled) with both fierce passion and conviction.

Upon conclusion it´s refreshing to hear women´s perspective on delivering extreme metal and especially extreme metal lyrics, but ultimately I can conclude that this is actually a field where men and women are pretty equal when it comes to delivering quality and a brutal assault on the senses. "Defiled in Oblivion" is a good quality death metal release and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Period of Depression" is the second demo recording by Finnish thrash metal act Violent Solution. The demo was independently released in February 1990. Violent Solution formed in 1987 and originally featured future Amorphis members Jan Rechberger (vocals, guitars) and Tomi Koivusaari (guitars, backing vocals). The latter also had a short but important stint with Abhorrence during 1989-1990 and he is therefore not a part of the lineup who recorded "Period of Depression" where he is replaced by another future Amorphis member Esa Holopainen (guitars). So it´s safe to say that the Amorphis connection is strong in Violent Solution. The remaining members who recorded "Period of Depression" are bassist/backing vocalist Miika Kulinock and drummer Petri Eklund. Both also performed on Violent Solution´s first demo "Disorder of Composure" from 1989.

Amorphis connection or not the music featured on the four tracks, 19:06 minutes long demo sounds almost nothing like Amorphis (there´s maybe a whiff of Amorphis in the opening sequence to "Capital Punishment", but that´s it). Instead the listener is treated to a raw yet sophisticated type of thrash metal with both raw vocals but also intricate lead guitar work and a generally well playing band. The tracks are well composed, memorable, and powerful thrash metal, and the demo features a heavy, sharp, and detailed sound production, which isn´t far removed from sounding like a professional studio recording from that time.

"Period of Depression" is definitely a Finnish thrash metal demo worth a listen or two. Good quality sound production values, intriguing and varied songwriting, and a band who can handle their instruments and also a singer with a raw voice and convincing singing style. A 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "The Blind Leading The Blind" is the second full-length studio album by Ukrainian, Lviv based black/doom/death metal act 1914. The album was released through Archaic Sound/Redefining Darkness Records in November 2018. It´s the successor to "Eschatology Of War" from December 2015. Reading the band members names in the booklet does not reveal if there have been any lineup changes, as all members of the band have been given new artist names compared to the artist names they had on the preceding release. The lead vocalist was for example named 2.Division, Infanterie-Regiment Nr.147, Oberleutnant - Ditmar Kumar on "Eschatology Of War", while he is named Capt. John B. Kumar (K Company 307th Infantry Regiment) on this album. It´s all part of the World War I concept of 1914 which the band are fully dedicated to in both music, lyrics, and image.

Stylistically the material on "The Blind Leading The Blind" is a continuation of the hybrid black/death/doom metal style of "Eschatology Of War" and the two albums are actually quite similar in style and sound. 1914 have however tweaked their sound and progressed enough for this not to be a complete clone of the debut album. The lyrics are still solely about World War I though, and 1914 even manage to make their (pretty brilliant) cover of The Exploited´s "Beat the Bastards" work within the concept of the album.

"The Blind Leading The Blind" opens and closes with the two 1910s patrotic radio tune samples complete with scratch noises from the old vinyls which helps set the mood for the remaining part of the album. Other tracks feature various other samples as intros and atmosphere enhancers, but it´s not overdone and always fits with the tracks. In addition to guitars, bass, drums, and vocals, the "Passchenhell" track features a haunting violin part, which greatly enhances the atmosphere of that particular track (the atmospheric lead parts are predominantly played with a guitar though). The vocals vary between snarling black metal snarling, and brutal death metal growling. Lead vocalist Dmytro Ternushchak has a strong voice and a commanding delivery, which are great assets to the band´s sound.

The album feautures a massive, meaty, and detailed sound production, which manages to enhance the material. The sound production is mostly suited for the death metal and doom metal parts, but the black metal parts also work well. So upon conclusion "The Blind Leading The Blind" is a high quality release from 1914. It´s not always hybrid black/death/doom metal releases work, but 1914 are really good at what they do. They write quite catchy material too, and it doesn´t take more than a few spins before you begin to be able to growl/snarl along to some of the parts. I for example find the part on "C'est mon dernier pigeon" where they sing "We need more skulls", "Kill, kill, kill" extremely effectful within the context of that particular track. A 4 star (80%) rating is fully deserved.

UMUR "War of Losers" is the first demo recording by Finnish thrash metal act Defection. Defection formed in 1987 and released "War of Losers" later the same year. Some sources claim that a 1990 demo also exists, but I have found no evidence of the existence of such a demo yet.

Stylistically the four tracks on the 20:01 minutes long demo is pretty standard fare thrash metal with a staccato shouting/talking type vocalist, and although Defection certainly are a capable band and they also write some pretty effective thrash metal tunes, "War of Losers" is overall a standard quality release for the genre. The sound production is a bit thin sounding, but especially the lead guitars and harmony parts actually sound pretty great.

Upon conclusion Defection is a footnote in the history of Finnish thrash metal, but it´s not because of the quality of "War of Losers" which is decent, but it´s because of the songwriting which may be effective, but it´s not particularly memorable and Defection´s style of thrash metal simply doesn´t stand out on the scene, if you take into consideration that this is a 1987 thrash metal demo. A 2.5 - 3 star (55%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Mutilated Testicles" is the first demo recording by Finnish grindcore/hardcore act Extreme Kill Project. The demo was independently released in August 1988. It´s the only release from Extreme Kill Project.

The demo features no less than 31 tracks, which are pretty much all short, noisy, and aggressive hardcore/grindcore. Some are silly "fun" tracks and others are for a lack of a better description more serious. I wouldn´t call much of what is featured on "Mutilated Testicles" serious though, as it all sounds like a bunch of kids cranking out noisy and silly hardcore/grindcore while being drunk and laughing at it.

Of course the demo ended up being distributed so at least Extreme Kill Project thought it was worth releasing. To my ears this is a completely redundant release. If I want to hear silly drunk teenagers puking and screaming, I can listen to the teenagers next door when they are throwing one of their awkward teenage parties. I don´t need to subject myself to this lo-fi and directionless silly recording (and silly in this case doesn´t mean funny and entertaining). A 0.5 star (10%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Cryptic '89" is the second demo recording by Finnish thrash metal act Cryptic. The demo was independently released in 1989. It´s the successor to "Demo I/88" from 1988. Cryptic formed in 1986 and released only the two demos before disbanding in 1990. All material from the two demos was reissued on the "Revolving Circus" compilation album (July 2022, Old Skull Productions).

The demo features four tracks and a total playing time of 25:48 minutes. The 9:32 minutes long "Tommorow´s Gift" opens the demo with a long instrumental intro. It´s almost 4 minutes into the song before Cryptic change pace and starts playing some fast, aggressive, and raw thrash metal. The song changes back to a mid-paced riff heavy style though, and it´s overall a pretty dynamic composition. The remaining tracks are also in this style. Lead vocalist/guitarist Hannu Kujanen has a raw snarling delivery. It´s artists like Kreator, Sodom, and Celtic Frost that I´m reminded of.

The sound production is raw, a little murky, and unpolished. The savage sounding production values suit the material well, but a little more punch and clarity wouldn´t have hurt. Upon conclusion "Cryptic '89" is a decent quality sophomore demo from Cryptic, but it´s nothing out of the ordinary for the time or for the style. A 2.5 star (50%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Sick of Standard Living" is the second demo recording by Finnish thrash/speed metal act Morphosis. The demo was independently released in 1989. It´s the successor to the "Nasty and Disturbed" demo from 1988. Morphosis formed in 1988 and released three demos during the period 1988-1993 before calling it quits. Lead vocalist Janne Sova (Demonos Sova) would later find fame in Barathrum. All material from "Sick of Standard Living" would be included and reissued on the "Thrashing Relics Vol. 1" various artists compilation album, released through Bestial Burst Records in April 2006.

Featuring no less than nine tracks, one could make the assumption that this was a full-length demo recording, but most tracks are relatively short and the total playing time is 21:43 minutes. Stylistically Morphosis play a thrash metal style with both crossover- and speed metal elements. It´s pretty basic music (although a few more sophisticated melodic moments occur) packed in a well sounding production job. Considering the time of release, the sound production is actually close to sounding like a professional studio production. The bass is maybe placed a bit too high in the mix, but other than that "Sick of Standard Living" sounds pretty good.

Morphosis are well playing too and although this is a pretty unpolished performance, it´s still audible that these guys can play. Sova has a nicely aggressive and raw vocal delivery and upon conclusion "Sick of Standard Living" is a good quality demo release from Morphosis. The music style is a bit generic and you won´t hear anything here you haven´t heard before and often better, but for what it is, it´s an entertaining release while it plays. A 2.5 - 3 star (55%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Songs of Last Resort" is the tenth full-length studio album by Swedish thrash metal act The Haunted. The album was released through Century Media Records in May 2025. It´s the successor to "Strength in Numbers" from 2017 and there have been no lineup changes since the predecessor, making "Songs of Last Resort" the third The Haunted album in a row with a steady lineup.

Compared to the two preceding releases which featured relatively similar music styles combining thrash metal, groove metal, and melodic death metal elements, "Songs of Last Resort" leans a bit more heavily on the thrash metal side of the band´s sound, although the album still features elements from both groove metal and melodic death metal. Album opener "Warhead" is a crushingly heavy and fast-paced thrash metal song and it sets the tone and the standard for the remaining part of the album. The Haunted have audibly changed towards a more sharp and aggressive music style, which is a real treat if you´re fans of the band´s late 90s/early 00s releases like "Made Me Do It" (2000) and "One Kill Wonder" (2003). "Songs of Last Resort" is of course the work of a more mature band and Ola Englund´s (who joined The Haunted in 2013) guitar solos add the occasional more melodic touch to the otherwise relentlessly aggressive thrash metal assault.

The generally faster pace, fierce energy, and increased aggression of The Haunted´s music are welcome after two albums which were maybe a bit too mature and safe in sound and style. "Songs of Last Resort" is The Haunted letting loose and returning to their more savage and gnarly past and it suits them well. In a stream of consciousness it slipped my tongue in my review of "Strength in Numbers" that The Haunted were past their prime, and while that may still be true to some extent, it´s not heard on "Songs of Last Resort" which is through and through a high quality release featuring a powerful, detailed, and heavy sounding production job, high level performances from all involved (it´s probably the best vocal performance I´ve yet heard from Marco Aro), and some effective and powerful songwriting. I appreciate it when artists tell me to shut my music critic mouth with a brilliant return to form, and that´s exactly what The Haunted have done here. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Finished With the Dogs" is the second full-length studio album by German speed/thrash metal act Holy Moses. The album was released through Aaarrg Records in 1987. It´s the successor to "Queen of Siam" from 1986. There have been two lineup changes since the predecessor as bassist Raymond Brusseler has been replaced by Andre Chapalier and drummer Herbert Dreger has been replaced by Uli Kusch. Sabina Classen (vocals) and Andy Classen (guitars) remain from the lineup who recorded "Queen of Siam (1986)".

Historically Holy Moses are one of the earliest speed/thrash metal acts from Germany forming all the way back in 1980, and although Sabina Classen didn´t join until 1981 she must still be counted among the seminal female extreme metal vocalists on the scene (in Germany and internationally). And...she has a very raw voice and an extreme and aggressive delivery. Considering the time of release her vocals on this album are among the most extreme from those years, fully rivalling the most extreme contemporary male vocalists. Stylistically the material on "Finished With the Dogs" is in a savage, loud, and raw type of speed/thrash metal. It´s crushing, brutal, and relentlessly aggressive music, fronted by those caustic vocals courtesy of Sabina Classen.

Featuring 10 tracks and a total playing time of just little over half an hour, "Finished With the Dogs" is a short, effective, and energetic release, which never loses momentum or drops in quality. The rawness of the sound production perfectly suits the material too, and it´s through and through a quality release from Holy Moses. There´s a savage rawness and caustic aggression to the performances which scream authenticity. It can´t be faked...a 3.5 - 4 star (75%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Labyrinth Of Veins" is the debut full-length studio album by US, California based death metal act Static Abyss. The album was released through Peaceville Records in April 2022. Static Abyss was formed in March 2021 by drummer/lead vocalist Chris Reifert and bassist/guitarist Greg Wilkinson. Both have long careers on the extreme metal scene, and as of 2021 Wilkinson has joined Reifert in Autopsy.

Stylistically the material on the 10 track, 39:36 minutes long album is predominantly death/doom metal and as such the basis of the music isn´t that far from Autopsy´s output. You´ll also find the occasional nod towards hardcore punk. There are still some differences which make Static Abyss stand out though. The tracks are often more atmospheric, nightmarish horror themed, and epic in execution, which are typically not sounds Autopsy produce. Sure there´s a horror element in Autopsy´s music, but it´s typically in the more extreme, gory, and depraved end of the spectrum.

Reifert sounds as brutal, raw, and asylum bound as ever. His tortured growling vocal style is unique and expressive. His organic drumming style is also in place, and Wilkinson´s riffs and especially his morbid lead work are great assets to the band´s sound. It takes a few spins to tell the tracks apart, but I dare say that Static Abyss are a bit more accessible and write more memorable material than what we´ve been treated to on the last couple of Autopsy releases.

A small complaint though would be that most tracks feature the same elements, atmosphere, and playing style, and "Labyrinth Of Veins" therefore does become a slightly one-dimensional listen about halfway through the album. However when Static Abyss are best, they produce what to my ears is old school death metal/death-doom metal gold. It can´t be faked and there´s an authentic brutality and morbid atmosphere here which should please most fans of the style. Featuring a raw, yet clear and detailed sounding production, "Labyrinth Of Veins" is a good quality release on most parameters and a 3.5 - 4 star (70%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Shadows in the Light" is the seventh full-length studio album by US, New York based death metal act Immolation. The album was released through Listenable Records in May 2007. It´s the successor to "Harnessing Ruin" from February 2005 although the two full-length studio albums are bridged by the May 2007 "Hope and Horror" EP (released only a few days before "Shadows in the Light"). Immolation recorded 13 tracks during the November 2006 recording sessions for "Shadows in the Light". 10 tracks appear on "Shadows in the Light", while the remaining 3 tracks appear on "Hope and Horror".

Stylistically the material on the album is unmistakably the sound of Immolation. Twisted, labyrinthical, and dissonant guitar riffs, abstract lead work, creative technical drumming, and Ross Dolan´s brutal growling vocals in front, spewing out anti-christian/blasphemous lyrics (and other dark themed topics). It´s like a whiff of accessibility has hit the death metal veterans though, and the slightly more accessible sound suits them well. It´s still brutal and challenging death metal, but "Shadows in the Light" is not quite as impenetrable and uncompromising as their previous releases. "Shadows in the Light" also features a clear, powerful, and detailed sounding production, which greatly enchances Immolation´s music. The last couple of releases suffered slightly from thin sounding production jobs, which didn´t provide the material on those releases the best conditions to shine.

Upon conclusion "Shadows in the Light" is one of the standout albums in Immolation´s discography. They changed their sound and style a bit here, and that development and change of sound was necessary. While the last couple of albums are arguably quality death metal releases, Immolation did sound like they had stagnated a bit, but with "Shadows in the Light" they bring in new musical elements and songwriting ideas, a slightly more technical playing style, and a clearly defined sound production, which ensure that the material shine. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "In Ways Unforeseen" is the debut full-length studio album by Dutch death metal act Led Astray. The album was independently released in March 2009. Led Astray formed in 2002 and released the "Denying the Inevitable" demo in 2004. Only the "Moral Perception" track from the demo has been re-recorded and included on "In Ways Unforeseen". Led Astray disbanded Shortly after the release of "In Ways Unforeseen".

Stylistically Led Astray play a technical death metal style which reminds me of the Australians in Psycroptic (from the time when Jason Peppiatt joined). Led Astray are generally a bit more accessible and at times even bordering melodic though, and there are other influences and stylistic elements present on the album, which don´t point in the direction of Psycroptic. Some of the heavier atmospheric sections remind me slightly of Gojira. Led Astray are both a really well playing band and they compose some effective and even relatively memorable technical death metal and the influences are just that and don´t overshadow the impact of the material on the listener. The vocals are deep growling and pretty one-dimensional in delivery, but they get the job done.

"In Ways Unforeseen" features a massive, heavy, and detailed sound production, which suits the material well. This is an album for fans of Psycroptic, Decapitated and other technical death metal artists of that ilk. The brutality, the technical playing, and the heavy and fast start/stop riffs, are all assets which are there and accounted for. A good quality release overall and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Strength in Numbers" is the ninth full-length studio album by Swedish thrash metal act The Haunted. The album was released through Century Media Records in August 2017. It´s the successor to "Exit Wounds" from 2014 and the lineup who recorded the predecessor is intact. "Exit Wounds" was an album which marked a new beginning for The Haunted after a major lineup shuffle happened after the release of "Unseen" (2011). But it´s interesting to note that four out of the five members of the current lineup were members of The Haunted at various times in the 1990s/2000s, so there´s no issues with the credibility of calling the band The Haunted.

Stylistically the material on "Strength in Numbers" is a continuation of the aggressive thrash metal style also found on "Exit Wounds". The occasional excursion into groove thrash and melodic death metal territories are also heard here and there, but "Strength in Numbers" is first and foremost an aggressive thrash metal release featuring a powerful, sharp, and detailed sound production. Lead vocalist Marco Aro has a commanding raw voice and vocal delivery (somewhere between raw hardcore shouting and semi-growling), and The Haunted are as always a very well playing band. The rhythm section is tight, the riffs are delivered with precision but also an organic groove, and Ola Englund´s solos add a slight bit of melody to the otwerwise relentless thrashy brutality.

Upon conclusion "Strength in Numbers" sounds exactly how I expected it to sound, when being familiar with "Exit Wounds" (and the rest of The Haunted´s discography). It´s a solid good quality release from a seasoned band, which is an entertaining listen but not exactly a standout release in the band´s discography. It´s a bit harsh to state that their prime is behind them, but it´s what my ears tell me. When that is said I´ll maintain that "Strength in Numbers" is a good quality release and fans of aggressive thrash metal could definitely do worse than give this album a listen. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "The Hive Mind Chronicles Part I - Parasitica" is the debut full-length studio album by US, Colorado based death metal act Exuvial. The album was released through Silent Pendulum Records in November 2024. Exuvial formed in 2019 and features members and/or former members of local Denver death metal artsts like Apotheon, Monumental Discharge, Telluric Effluvium, Well of Sacrifice, and Muldrotha.

Stylistically the material on the 11 tracks, 58:37 minutes long album is technical/progressive death metal and I´m almost immediately reminded of the Germans in Obscura (Edge of Sanity´s 1996 "Crimson" album also comes to mind during the most progressive and epic parts of the album). Exuvial have a similar progressive mindset in terms of their songwriting, and their technical playing style and the tempo changes in the music are also reminiscent of Obscura´s output. Quality wise Exuvial are also up there near the top tier technical/progressive death metal artists. These guys are skilled musicians, and they are clever composers too. The death metal parts are effective, the melodic lead- and harmony work provide the music with variation, and the progressive songwriting and compositional structures make "The Hive Mind Chronicles Part I - Parasitica" an interesting listen throughout.

The vocals are predominantly growling or raw snarling, but there are some clean vocal parts featured on the album too, and they are well performed and work well within the context of the music. "The Hive Mind Chronicles Part I - Parasitica" is a concept album release featuring a sci-fi storyline, and again it´s Edge of Sanity´s 1996 "Crimson" album which comes to mind, but a more obscure release like Detest´s 1994 "Dorval" album may also have served as an inspiration. Featuring a heavy, detailed, and powerful sounding production job, "The Hive Mind Chronicles Part I - Parasitica" is overall quite the impressive debut album from Exuvial, and since it says Part I in the album title, I´m sure we´ll get a sophomore release at some point, and I´ll certainly be looking forward to listening to that. A 4 star (80%) rating is fully deserved.

UMUR "Deconstruction" is the debut full-length studio album by Japanese, Osaka based avant-garde/technical death metal act Quasidiploid. The album was released through Bloodcurdling Enterprise in July 2024. Quasidiploid formed in 2013 and released a 2014 demo and a 2015 demo before a longer recording break ensued. Thankfully it wasn´t the end of Quasidiploid and they have now resurfaced with "Deconstruction". Not surprisingly "Deconstruction" features no material from the two demos.

The album features 9 tracks and a total playing time of 24:08 minutes, so it´s fair to say you don´t get much quantity here, and that´s maybe a bit surprising given the fact that Quasidiploid has existed since 2013. You should think that the they by now would have a wealth of material, that they would like to put out, but they have obviously chosen another path and consciously release a short but effective debut album.

Using the word avant-garde in a description of the band´s music may scare off some listeners, but the core elements of "Deconstruction" is brutal technical death metal. Necrophagist and their clinical high powered precision death metal and the technical chaotic sound of early Cryptopsy are a valid references (with some added technical and heavy groove laden deathcore elements), but Quasidiploid add a lot of jazz/fusion elements to their music too. Female lead vocalist Yuki Amamiya plays the trumpet and the instrument is at times an integral part of the technical brutal death metal sound of the album (although it´s not omnipresent). The vocals are deep processed growling and effect laden high pitched screaming. Even though the album features two different vocal styles the vocal part of the album is a bit monotone and one-dimensional. There´s little emotion in the growling vocals and while the high pitched screaming vocals add an insane hysterical edge and are therefore a bit more engaging, I´d say the vocal part of the album is one of the weaker links of this release.

It´s obvious from listening to "Deconstruction" that Quasidiploid refuse to be labelled and they incorporate whatever musical element they find suitable without any regard for what others might think. While it´s certainly a bit odd at times and you have to have an open mind to appreciate this, I think the strange genre blending most of the time works pretty well. It´s actually the tracks where Quasidiploid take it all the way, that that they are most interesting. A more "normal" track like "Brutal Strafing" is for example not as interesting as some of the more experimental tracks (tracks like "Melodies of Distorted Time and Space", "ExtraVaganza Waltz ", and "Liberty 7/8").

"Deconstruction" features a clinical, sterile, and detailed sound production. It´s powerful and massive and suits the music well, but a little more filth and grit wouldn´t have hurt. Upon conclusion "Deconstruction" is a high quality debut release. It´s bold, fresh, and powerful sounding, but Quasidiploid still have a couple of things to work on for the next release. While the songwriting is varied and interesting, I´d like to hear the trumpet used in other ways than adding chaotic jazz/fusion parts to the music, and the growling vocals need more emotion and aggression to have more impact. So, at this point I´m more intrigued than satisfied but a 3.5 star (70%) rating is still deserved.

UMUR "Hope and Horror" is an EP release by US, New York based death metal act Immolation. The EP was released through Listenable Records in May 2007 (only a few days before the release of "Shadows in the Light"). It bridges the gap between Immolation´s sixth and seventh full-length studio albums "Harnessing Ruin" and "Shadows in the Light".

The EP features three tracks recorded during the same November 2006 recording sesssions as the tracks which ended up on "Shadows in the Light". The three tracks are exclusive to this release and do not appear on "Shadows in the Light". In addition to the three audio tracks, "Hope and Horror" also features a full audiovisual live show (originally a DVD disc), recorded on April 30, 2006, at B.B. King's Blues Club and Grill.

The audiovisual part of the release, is a 10 track, 46:52 minutes long live show featuring a decent sound quality. The visual part of the show is pretty basic with a couple of cameras shifting between the different musicians and some pretty standard lights. Nothing out of the ordinary, but it´s a chance to see and hear what an Immolation show feels like.

The three audio tracks culled from the "Shadows in the Light" recording sessions are unmistakably the sound of Immolation, which means twisted dissonant riffs, tempo changes, blistering lead work (these songs actually feature quite a lot of lead work compared to what you usually hear on Immolation compositions), and brutal growling vocals. Add to that anti-christian/blasphemous lyrics and you have the sound of Immolation. "The Struggle of Hope and Horror" is a bit different as it´s a 7:21 minutes long instrumental track, but it´s nice to hear Immolation try their hands at something slightly different). The music style otherwise pretty much continues the sound and music style of "Harnessing Ruin" and of course "Shadows in the Light", although the sound production values enhances the listening experience greatly compared to the thin sounding production of "Harnessing Ruin". So if you enjoy "Shadows in the Light", the "Hope and Horror" EP is definitely a mandatory acquisition. More of the same greatness. A 3.5 - 4 star (75%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Chaos and Brutality" is an EP release by US, California based thrash/speed metal act Hirax. The EP was released through Selfmadegod Records in October 2007. It´s the successor to the "Assassins of War" EP from February 2007 and features the same lineup who recorded the predecessor which at the time was a first for Hirax.

The EP features 4 tracks and a total playing time of 9:47 minutes, so it´s a short, to-the-point type of release. "Chaos and Brutality" is a new original track, which is also the case with "100,000 Strong" and "Lucifer's Inferno Reprise" (although the latter uses some of the same elements as "Lucifer's Inferno" from the "Assassins of War" EP. "Walk With Death" is on the other hand a re-recording of the song which originally appeared on the "Barrage of Noise" EP from 2001. So three new tracks and a re-recording of an older song.

The first thing I notice is that the sound production values are more contemporary sounding than on any other Hirax release before, which all featured sound productions, which could more or less have been made in the 80s (including the releases which were released in the 00s). Other than that this is Hirax thrash/speed metal as usual. Early Exodus and Slayer are some of the valid references although lead vocalist Katon W. de Pena´s distinct sounding shouting/wailing sets Hirax apart. It´s a nice short well produced EP, featuring memorable material, and high level musical performances. Closing the EP with two short instrumentals is maybe a bit odd, but it still works reasonably well and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Assassins of War" is an EP release by US, California based thrash/speed metal act Hirax. The EP was released through Deep Six Records in February 2007. It´s the successor to Hirax third full-length studio album "The New Age of Terror" from 2004. Hirax are no strangers to releasing EPs as they released the "El Diablo Negro" EP in 2000 and the "Barrage of Noise" EP in 2001. Only lead vocalist Katon W. De Pena and guitarist Glenn Rogers remain from the lineup who recorded "The New Age of Terror (2004)". New in the lineup are Lance Harrison (guitars), Steve Harrison (bass), and Fabricio Ravelli (drums).

Stylistically the material on the 5 track, 21:24 minutes long EP continues the thrash/speed metal style of the previous Hirax releases. It sounds like Hirax haven´t changed a bit since 1987, and they still play a pretty old school type of thrash metal with speed metal and heavy metal elements. Sometimes it´s relatively hard edged and aggressive and other times it´s slightly more melodic and heavy metal oriented. Lead vocalist Katon W. de Pena was always an aquired taste with his distinct sounding voice and raw shouting delivery. I´m not sure how to correctly describe his voice/singing style, but let me just establish that it´s different from most other thrash/speed metal vocalists.

The material is well written and relatively memorable and varied, and Hirax are a well playing band too. As "Assassins of War" also features a raw, powerful, and organic sounding production job, which suits the material well, it´s overall a good quality release and a 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Sculpture of the Dead" is an EP release by Swedish death metal act Deranged. The EP was released through Repulse Records in February 1996. It bridges the gap between the band´s debut- and sophomore full-length studio albums "Rated-X" from September 1995 and "High on Blood" from May 1998. There´s been one lineup change since "Rated-X" as bassist Dan Bengtsson has been added to the lineup, making Deranged a quartet on "Sculpture of the Dead" (guitarist Johan Axelsson handled the bass on "Rated-X").

Stylistically the material on "Sculpture of the Dead" continues in a similar brutal death metal style as the material on "Rated-X". Deranged are far removed from the contemporary old school Swedish death metal style, and are predominantly influenced by the brutal part of the contemporary US death metal scene (Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Deicide). Featuring songtitles like "Infernal Vaginal Bleeding" and "The Bowels of My Dismay" the lyrical universe is of course in the gory end of the spectrum. The material is brutal, sharp, and effective, although Deranged don´t add much to the genre in terms of originality. It works well though and as "Sculpture of the Dead" also features a decent sounding production job, it´s overall a good quality release and a 3.5 star (70%) rating isn´t all wrong.

UMUR "The Last Will and Testament" is the fourteenth full-length studio album by Swedish progressive metal/death metal act Opeth. The album was released through Reigning Phoenix Music in November 2024. It´s the successor to "In Cauda Venenum" from 2019 and there´s been one lineup change since the predecessor as drummer Martin Axenrot has been replaced by Waltteri Väyrynen (Paradise Lost, Abhorrence, Vallenfyre, Bodom After Midnight...ect.). Axenrot was a long serving member of Opeth having joined the band in 2006 as the replacement for Martin Lopez.

There´s always a lot of buzz in the weeks/months leading up to a new Opeth album is released (...such is their status and popularity these days), and it´s no different with "The Last Will and Testament" for several reasons. First off the teaser tracks which the band have made available feature a return of the death metal growls, which lead vocalist/guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt had otherwise left behind (or so we thought...). There´s not a single death metal growling vocal line on any of the four albums released between "Watershed" (2008) and "The Last Will and Testament", so it´s a bit of a surprise that Åkerfeldt have opted to use that vocal style again, although his melodic clean vocals do dominate the soundscape of "The Last Will and Testament" and the growls are used rather sparingly. Secondly Åkerfeldt has teased that "The Last Will and Testament" is a full-blown concept album featuring a dark mystical/dramatic storyline and thirdly Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull guests on flute and narration. If those three things aren´t enough to get you excited for a new Opeth album, I´m not sure anything will...

...and thankfully "The Last Will and Testament" is an album which lives up to its hype. The return of the death metal growls and with them darker and more heavy riffs too, "The Last Will and Testament" is a successful combination of the early 00s progressive death metal releases by the band and the progressive rock/heavy rock of the last couple of releases. Opeth have found a good balance between their different stylistic elements and the icing on the cake is of course the concept story lyrics. In short "The Last Will and Testament" features a story about the reading of a will (set in the post-World War I era) after the death of the head of a family and the surprises revealed in the will regarding family relations and who is the true heir. Except for closing track "A Story Never Told" all tracks are titled "§1","§2", "§3"...and so forth, corresponding to the paragraphs of a will.

"The Last Will and Testament" features elements from death metal, progressive rock/metal, folk rock, and classical music, and Opeth have nailed it this time around. Åkerfeldt´s growling vocals aren´t quite as commanding as they used to be, but his extreme metal vocal delivery still has a distinct tone and enough power to sound convincing. His clean vocals are as powerful, melancholic, and soulful as ever. The story telling works well and the sections with narration aren´t dominating the album. They are carefully placed and work as atmosphere enhancing moments. The album is greatly dynamic and heavy parts are followed by mellow parts and visa versa.

"The Last Will and Testament" features an incredibly well sounding production job. Every instrument is placed right in the mix and there is a great organic tone to the recording, which perfectly suits Opeth´s music. Add to that high level musicianship, and intriguing songwriting, and "The Last Will and Testament" is through and through a high quality release. It´s also a standout release in Opeth´s discography, which doesn´t sound like anything they´ve done before. Of course Opeth have introduced the various compositional ideas which make up the album on earlier releases, but it´s how they combine them on "The Last Will and Testament" which works wonders and which make "The Last Will and Testament" stand out. A 5 star (100%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "The Darkest Cloud" is the second demo recording by Finnish death metal act Endermic. The demo was independently released in 1994. Endermic formed in 1992 and released the 1993 "Syndromata Psychoorganica Ex Usu Medica Mentorum" demo and this demo before disbanding.

The material on "Syndromata Psychoorganica Ex Usu Medica Mentorum" was pretty much as amaturish as it gets when listening to early 90s death metal demos, and although "The Darkest Cloud" isn´t exactly a revelation either, the quality is slightly better here. The band however still aren´t particularly well playing and the lead guitar parts are still out of tune. The songwriting is still an odd combination of old school death metal and the occasional melancholic death-doom metal part, but Endermic are now closer to having the necessary skills and songwriting ideas to record a demo (which they weren´t on the first demo). When that is said "The Darkest Cloud" is still in the amaturish lo-fi end of the early 90s Finnish death metal demo spectrum. A 1.5 star (25%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Syndromata Psychoorganica Ex Usu Medica Mentorum" is the first demo recording by Finnish death metal act Endermic. The demo was independently released in 1993. Endermic formed in 1992 and released this demo and the 1994 "The Darkest Cloud" demo before disbanding.

The material on "Syndromata Psychoorganica Ex Usu Medica Mentorum" is a combination of filthy and murky old school death metal and melancholic death-doom metal. Combine early Paradise Lost with early Carcass and Autopsy and you´re halfway there. Quality wise this is very amaturish though. The lead guitar parts are often performed out of tune and Endermic aren´t skilled enough musicians to handle a hybrid style either. Combined with a messy, murky, and lo-fi sound production, and musicianship which is arguably below the standard for even demo recordings, "Syndromata Psychoorganica Ex Usu Medica Mentorum" come off like a mess.

Even for a death metal demo from 1993 this is a bad quality release, and it does not present Endermic in a positive light. They should have spend more time in the rehearsal room before recording a demo, honing their playing skills and being more critical of their songwriting. A 1 star (20%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Harnessing Ruin" is the sixth full-length studio album by US, New York based death metal act Immolation. The album was released through Listenable Records in February 2005. It´s the successor to "Unholy Cult" from 2002 and features one lineup change since the predecessor as drummer Alex Hernandez has been replaced by Steve Shalaty.

Stylistically there are few surprises if you´re already familiar with the last couple of albums by the band, as this is unmistakably the sound of Immolation. Twisted dissonant riffs, creative leads, labyrinthical drum patters, anti-christian/blasphemous lyrics, and cavernous deep growling vocals. This is through and through the sound of Immolation. That also means an adventurous approach to composing death metal that is quite unique. While the band certainly have core elements which they use on every track, the songs aren´t always linear and they can be quite challenging listens.

Being as consistent in style as Immolation are does have the side-effect that "Harnessing Ruin" feels like more of the same though (despite the twists and turns of each track), and as the sound production is on the thin side lacking a bit of heavy bottom (the guitars are a bit powerless sounding, and the drums thin and clicky sounding), it´s not among the most remarkable releases in the band´s discography. The quality of the songwriting and the high level musicianship are still redeeming factors, so a 3.5 star (70%) rating is still deserved, which of course speaks volumes about the generally high quality of Immolation´s output.

UMUR "Tales From the Grave in Space" is the third full-length studio album by UK (Northern Ireland) crossover/thrash metal act Gama Bomb. The album was released through Earache Records in November 2009. It´s the successor to "Citizen Brain" from 2008. The original release features 12 tracks, while the 2010 Earache Records reissue, features the 5 track "Half Cut" EP as bonus material. The "Half Cut" EP is (for now) only available in this format, and is not an individual release.

The material on "Tales From the Grave in Space" is a continuation of the crossover thrash metal style of the previous releases from Gama Bomb. It´s crossover thrash metal in the thrashy end of the spectrum, although the music certainly also features hardcore aggression and intensity. The lyrics are campy horror/comedy type lyrics (if the title of the album hadn´t already given that away) and very typical for the genre. Songtitles like "New Eliminators of Atlantis B.C.", "Mussolini Mosh", and "Return to Blood Castle" tell that story well. The band are well playing and lead vocalist Philly Byrne delivers both raw staccato styled thrash metal vocals and high pitched piercing screams. The latter feature makes Gama Bomb stand out just a bit on the scene.

"Tales From the Grave in Space" features a sharp, powerful, and detailed sounding production job, and upon conclusion it´s another high quality release from Gama Bomb. If you can´t get enough of this, you should of course get a hold of the reissue version with the 5 track "Half Cut" bonus material EP. But don´t expect anything out of the ordinary from the bonus material. It´s just more of the same. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "XI" is as the title suggests the eleventh full-length studio album by US power/heavy metal act Metal Church. The album was released through Rat Pak Records in March 2016. It´s the successor to "Generation Nothing" from 2013 and there´s been one lineup change since the predecessor as lead vocalist Ronny Munroe left Metal Church in 2014 after having fronted the band on four consecutive studio albums. Metal Church initially opted to continue, but were once again on the brink of disbanding when guitarist/main composer Kurdt Vanderhoof contacted former Metal Church lead vocalist Mike Howe to hear if he was interested in coming back. Howe fronted three Metal Church albums released in the years 1989-1993 before being fed up with the recording industry and leaving the business completely. Howe said yes to rejoining the band and he returned to Metal Church in 2015 and the band began writing new music.

Not that the Munroe-fronted Metal Church albums aren´t great (because they certainly are), but the return of Howe still sounds like it´s ignited a more intense fire in the band. Howe is a skilled vocalist capable of delivering raw US power metal vocals but also more melodic and cleaner vocals. The rest of the band deliver one powerful, sharp, and heavy riff after another and some pounding energetic rhythm work to match. The lead guitar work on the album are also worth a mention as we´re treated to high level playing and great melodic ideas.

In terms of songwriting it´s obvious that Metal Church have looked back on Howe´s debut with the band "Blessing in Disguise" (1989), and they´ve succeeded in creating an album in a similar style and also an album with an 80s sounding production job. "XI" is a very authentic sounding 80s influenced US power/heavy metal album, featuring elements from both traditional heavy metal and thrash metal with a few progressive rock elements thrown in for variation. It may be a retro sounding release, but it does not sound stale, as Metal Church are still a force to be reckoned with and there´s a freshness and intensity to the delivery and the material which reek class and high level musicianship. Thankfully Metal Church were rewarded by their fans for creating a strong release like "XI", as the album charted on the Billboard 200 chart as the first Metal Church album since "Blessing in Disguise" (1989). It´s a high quality comeback for the Howe-fronted version of Metal Church and a 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Cancer Culture" is the eighth full-length studio album by Polish metal act Decapitated. The album was released through Nuclear Blast in May 2022. It´s the successor to "Anticult" from 2017 and there´s been a few lineup changes since the predecessor as drummer Młody has been replaced by British drummer James Stewart. Bassist Hubert Więcek has also jumped ship. The latter has not been replaced here, so the bass is recorded by session bassist Paweł Pasek. The usual suspects are lead vocalist Rafał Piotrowski (credited as Rasta) and guitarist and band founder Vogg. Since the release and subsequent tour supporting "Anticult", Vogg has landed the high profile job as lead guitarist in Machine Head (which he has now left again), and paired with the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, it´s not so strange that it´s taken Vogg and co. 5 years to write, record, and release "Cancer Culture".

The time has been spend wisely though, as "Cancer Culture" is an effective, powerful, and well composed release filled to the brim with fast technical drumming, ultra sharp and intense guitar riffs, intriguing lead work, and a raw shouting/semi-growling frontman. Stylistically Decapitated are a bit hard to nail down, but a hybrid of artists like Gojira, Meshuggah, Fear Factory, and Machine Head isn´t all wrong. There is a sharp and brutal groove to their music and a combination of groove laden post-thrash and technical death metal probably isn´t an all wrong description of their music. Although they stared out playing a technical death metal style, which was a little more old school oriented, they´ve played a similar style to the one found on "Cancer Culture" on the last couple of preceding releases. So it´s nothing new or suprising, but Decapitated have really brought their A-game to "Cancer Culture", which is their strongest and most memorable album in a while.

There are some truly jaw-dropping moments found on the album, and especially some of the fast rhythmic riffing by Vogg is extraordinaire. He is incredibly skilled and fully deserves the riff meister tag. The other band members deliver high level musical performances too though, and even if this is not your poison, it´s still an album which deserves your attention just for the high level musicianship. Piotrowski is probably the least standout member of the band. He delivers shouting/screaming semi-growling vocals, which are alright, but could just as well have been added to most other contemporary releases in this genre, and you wouldn´t know that it was him singing. In other words...he gets the job done, but neither his voice nor his delivery are anything out of the ordinary for the genre. Jinjer vocalist Tatiana Shmayluk guests on "Hello Death", which brings some variation to the vocal part of the album and Vogg´s new (now former) employer Robb Flynn also contributes guest vocals on "Iconoclast".

The sound production is clear, powerful, and detailed, suiting the material perfectly and upon conclusion "Cancer Culture" is through and through a high quality release from Decapitated. If things go as they usually do "Cancer Culture" will be another moderate success for Decapitated, who are a well respected name on the scene, but aren´t a commercially successful act beyond being a successful underground artist, and that would be a real shame, as this album has a bit more potential than usual for the band. My ears don´t agree with every choice the band have made or with every aspect of the band´s sound (the vocal part of the music could for example have been more unique), but overall this is a great release and a 4 - 4.5 star (85%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Godless Beauty" is the second full-length studio album by Swedish death metal act Cemetary. The album was released through Black Mark Production in October 1993. It´s the successor to "An Evil Shade of Grey" from 1992 and features one lineup change since the predecessor as guitarist Christian Saarinen has been replaced by Anton Hedberg. Cemetary formed in 1989 and released a couple of demos before getting signed by Black Mark Production for the release of "An Evil Shade of Grey (1992)".

While "An Evil Shade of Grey (1992)" was more or less an old school Swedish death metal release in the unremarkable end of the scale, "Godless Beauty" is a pretty different sounding beast. Cemetary are still rooted in death metal, but they have opted to include death´n´roll, death/doom, and goth metal elements to their sound. Lead vocalist/lead guitarist Mathias Lodmalm is the focus of the music with his haunted semi-growling vocals and melancholic lead guitars, while the remaining cast more or less just deliver what you´d expect.

The album features a couple of up-tempo tracks (an example is album opener "Now She Walks the Shadows"), but most tracks are either heavy and mid-paced, or slow and doomy. It´s definitely an album where atmosphere is weighted higher than interesting playing details and sharp riffs. Valid references are artists like Paradise Lost and Tiamat but with an occasional death´n´roll twist.

Upon conclusion "Godless Beauty" is a decent quality release. It´s reasonably varied, the sound production (although a bit thin) is alright and the musicianship is decent too. It´s certainly more interesting than the lacklustre debut album, but it´s not an album which is through and through convincing. Maybe is just hasn´t aged well, because I remember it being a lot better when I listened to it in the 90s. A 3 star (60%) rating isn´t all wrong.

UMUR "Enveloping Absurdity" is the debut full-length studio album by US, North Dakota based death metal act Phobophilic. The album was released through Prosthetic Records in September 2022. Phobophilic formed in 2016 in Fargo and have released two demos, an EP, and a split with Canadian death metal act Sedimentum before being signed for the release of "Enveloping Absurdity".

Stylistically the material on "Enveloping Absurdity" continues the Demilich/Adramelech influenced old school death metal style with a semi-technical twist, which Phobophilic have played since day one. After listening to the 2019 "Undimensioned Identities" EP, I was a bit disappointed that Phobophilic had opted for a relatively one-dimensional unintelligible growling vocal style, because the vocals on their 2017 "Demo 1" featured some pretty aggressive and intense vocals, which were a great asset to that release. Well...my disappointment continues regarding the vocals on "Enveloping Absurdity" because it would seem that the one-dimensional unintelligible growling vocal style is now Phobophilic´s prefered singing style. It´s actually not because it´s bad or doesn´t suit the music, but it´s just when you know that they once delivered something which was a lot more interesting and intense, it´s hard not to feel a little disappointed.

That aside (I wasn´t planning on the description of the vocals becoming such a huge part of my review), Phobophilic still deliver a varied, dark, and twisted old school death metal attack, featuring many tempo changes, morbid leads, a dark surreal atmosphere, and a great organic playing style. "Enveloping Absurdity" features a well sounding production job too, so upon conclusion it´s a high quality debut album from Phobophilic and they can rightfully be proud of this release. A 3.5 - 4 star (75%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Horrific Manifestations" is a split release featuring Canadian death metal act Sedimentum and US death metal act Phobophilic. The Split was released through Rotted Life Records in May 2020. It features one track from each artist, which are exclusive to this release.

Sedimentum is first up with "Oblitération", which is a harsh, murky, and very brutal death metal track with abysmal deep growling vocals. Phobophilic´s "The Bottom of Creation" is a slightly more dynamic old school death metal track in their usual Demilich/Adramelech influenced playing style (this opens as one of their more heavy and doomy tracks, but soon enters whirlwind blasting territory). Both tracks are great quality old school death metal with a slight semi-technical twist. Nothing too fancy, but there is no doubt that these guys can play.

"Oblitération" features a slightly more dark and murky sounding production style than the more detailed yet still brutal and powerful sounding production on "The Bottom of Creation". Two tracks of course aren´t much to put on any release, but mind you that both tracks are exclusive to "Horrific Manifestations" and both are well worth the price of admission. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Undimensioned Identities" is an EP release by US, North Dakota based death metal act Phobophilic. The EP was released through Blood Harvest Records (co-released by Rotted Life Records) in September 2019. It´s the band´s first label release, as both the 2017 "Demo 1" and the 2019 "Rehearsal 2019" demo were independently released by the band.

Stylistically the four tracks on the 18:37 minutes long EP continue the semi-technical old school death metal sound of the previous releases. It´s still the Demilich/Adramelech school of playing that Phobophilic are a part of, but thankfully they aren´t just clones. I was hoping it was just because it was a rehearsal demo, that the vocals on the "Rehearsal 2019" demo was pretty one-dimensional and unintelligible growling, because that wasn´t the case at all on the band´s 2017 "Demo 1". That first demo featured two different growling vocal styles, and the vocals were a great asset to the band´s sound on that demo. Unfortunately it seems that Phobophilic have now opted to only use the one-dimensional unintelligible growling vocal style, because that´s the only vocal style heard on "Undimensioned Identities" and to my ears that´s a step down in quality compared to the vocals on the first demo.

The instrumental part of the music is still as intriguing, twisted, and brutal as it was on the previous releases, and Phobophilic excel in tempo changes (often heavy and mid-paced, but also both doomy and very fast-paced blasting), morbid leads, and a great surreal atmosphere. They are quite unique although the influences mentioned above of course are heard here and there. "Undimensioned Identities" features a clear, organic, and powerful sounding production, which suits the material perfectly. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Rehearsal 2019" is the second demo release by US, North Dakota based death metal act Phobophilic. The demo was independently released in March 2019. It follows the release of the 2017 "Demo 1", which was a high quality demo recording and a very promising first release from Phobophilic.

"Rehearsal 2019" is a rehearsel demo and consists of only one 13:00 minutes long track. It consists of different sub tracks though, it´s just that the band haven´t bothered to split the track into individual tracks. Stylistically the listener is treated to the same semi-technical and quite creative old school death metal style, which is also found on the 2017 "Demo 1". The vocals are less interesting than on the studio demo though, and are just deep unintelligible growling. As expected from a rehearsal demo the sound quality isn´t pristine, but I´ve heard a lot worse, and here you are actually able to hear most of what´s going on. A 2.5 star (50%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Demo 1" is the first demo release by US, North Dakota based death metal act Phobophilic. The demo was independently released in July 2017. Phobophilic formed in 2016 in Fargo. It´s not every day you come across an extreme metal act from North Dakota, and I´m guessing it´s not a state with a huge extreme metal scene, but these guys have obviously found each other and formed a band.

The demo features 6 tracks (one is a short intro) and a total playing time of 20:57 minutes, so there´s enough quantity here to get to know what Phobophilic sound like. To my ears they play a relatively creative type of old school death metal, with the occasional more contemporary twist (breakdowns and some pretty technical playing). The music features quite a few tempo changes, and can go from slow and doomy, to mid-paced and heavy, to fast-paced and blasting in a matter of seconds (acts like Demilich, Adramelech, and Disembowelment are valid references at various points during the playing time). The vocals are either growling, or slighly more aggressive and snarling. They are brutal and quite intense, and they are generally a great asset to the music.

Considering that this is a demo release, it features a very well sounding production job. Raw, brutal, yet detailed. So upon conclusion Phobophilic arguably hit something a bit special with this release. Not only are the musical performances on a high level on all posts, but the sound production is also of a high quality, and add to that some creative songwriting resulting in an adventurous horror drenced and almost darkly psychedelic old school death metal journey. This is more than just a promising first release and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is more than deserved.

UMUR "Suffering with a Smile" is the debut full-length studio album by Danish death metal act Rohan. The album was independently released in January 2025. Rohan is a one-man project featuring former Eciton and Jeel lead vocalist/guitarist Thomas Berg, who handles all instruments, programming, and vocals on "Suffering with a Smile". An essential but not well known Danish death metal musician Berg started his musical journey in 1993 in the Copenhagen suburb Virum and played in local death metal band JegErEnLampe which changed their name to JEEL before releasing their debut full-length studio album "Dying Dreams" in 1996. JEEL released their second full-length studio album "As Morning Turns to Day" in 1999 but disbanded after a few years of inactivity. Berg then joined Eciton in 2004 and has been an active member on several releases. Berg has among other things also composed a heavy metal football anthem for his local club Lyngby Boldklub.

Stylistically the material on the 11 tracks, 38:58 minutes long album is in a style of death metal which combines elements of old school death metal with more contemporary songwriting ideas. The vocals vary from growling, to screaming, to shouting (often doubled), and even some semi-clean vocals. The programmed drums are the least interesting feature of the music, and they are wisely placed low in the mix. They are not terrible but they don´t add anything to the music either. They are just there to carry the riffs and the vocals forward. It´s definitely a death metal release where the vocals are the dominant focus in the soundscape.

Upon conclusion "Suffering with a Smile" is a decent quality first release from Rohan. It´s relatively standard for the genre both in terms of the quality and the songwriting style, and in that respect it doesn´t stand out much from a lot of other contemporary releases which also combine the old school death metal sound with a slightly more technical and varied contemporary sound, but it´s overall a good quality release and a 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Retaliation" is the second demo release by US, Virginia based thrash metal/crossover thrash metal act Enforced. The demo was independently released in December 2017. Enforced formed in 2016 and released the "Demo 2017" demo in March 2017 and this demo before being signed for the release of their debut full-length studio album "At the Walls" (July 2019, War Records). "At the Walls" however only features two new original tracks, while the remaining tracks on the album are remixed and remastered versions of the tracks from the "Demo 2017" demo and from this demo.

"Retaliation" is the sharper, even more aggressive, and intense sibling demo release to "Demo 2017". The vocals are raw shouting and ultra aggressive, while the riffs and rhythms alternate between a fast-paced thrash metal attack and mid-paced heavy grooves. The sound production is raw, sharp, and brutal, but still detailed enough to hear every instrument and vocal part clearly in the mix. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is fully deserved.

UMUR "Demo 2017" is the first demo release by US, Virginia based thrash metal/crossover thrash metal act Enforced. The demo was independently released in March 2017. Enforced formed in 2016 and released this demo and the December 2017 "Retaliation" demo before being signed for the release of their debut full-length studio album "At the Walls" (July 2019, War Records). "At the Walls" however only features two new original tracks, while the remaining tracks on the album are remixed and remastered versions of the tracks from this demo and from the "Retaliation" demo.

The demo features four tracks and a total playing time of 10:30 minutes. It´s harsh, ultra aggressive, and sharp hardcore tinged thrash metal. It´s like listening to a sharper and more aggressive version of Cro-Mags. It´s definitely the furious energy and caustic aggression which are in the high seat, although Enforced aren´t bad musicians either. They can both play and compose effective songs. "Demo 2017" features a raw, aggressive, and sharp sounding production, which suits the material perfectly, so upon conclusion it´s a good quality first demo by Enforced and a 3.5 star (70%) is deserved.

UMUR "Helvede" (featuring the subtitle "Music Defining Hatred 1992-1995") is a compilation album release by Danish death metal act Illdisposed. The compilation was released through RRS in 1995. It bridges the gap between Illdisposed´s second- and third full-length studio albums "Submit" (1995) and "There's Something Rotten... in the State of Denmark" (1997). "Helvede" features all material from the 1992 "The Winter of Our Discontempt" demo, all material from the 1993 demo/promo "Soulstorm", and three unreleased tracks ("Withering Teardrops", "Instrumental", and "Die Kingdom").

Considering that this is predominantly a compilation featuring demo material, the quality is relatively high. Illdisposed released some quality material early in their career and this compilation shows the great development Illdisposed went through from the early death-doom tinged death metal of "The Winter of Our Discontempt", to the all-out brutal and faster-paced "Soulstorm", to the three unreleased tracks which were recorded during 1994/1995 showing the diversity of Illdisposed.

"Helvede" is a compilation well worth the price of admission. If you´re fan of early Illdisposed but have only listened to the studio albums, these recordings will fill some of the gaps of your knowledge and understanding of the development of Illdisposed. A 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Soulstorm" is the second demo recording by Danish death metal act Illdisposed. "Soulstorm" was originally recorded and released as a promo tape to shop for labels after the release of Illdisposed´s debut full-length studio album "Four Depressive Seasons" (1993), but as the follow-up "Return from Tomorrow" (1994) EP and Illdisposed´s second full-length studio album "Submit" (1995) were both released on the same label (Progress Red Labels) it would appear that the band and the label came to an agreement before Illdisposed jumped ship and found a new label home. All four tracks from "Soulstorm" would be reissued on the 1995 compilation album "Helvede".

"Soulstorm" is an interesting release as it only features one track, which would be re-recorded and included on "Return from Tomorrow" ("Darkness Weaves With Many Shades"). The remaining tracks are exclusive to this demo/promo release. The whole EP reeks class and Illdisposed have grown considerably since the release of "Four Depressive Seasons". The sound production is maybe a bit thin sounding, but other than that it has the right rawness and heaviness which this type of music requires. Illdisposed now play a much more brutal type of death metal and lead vocalist Bo Summer uses many different vocal styles. The oppressive doominess of the first demo and the debut album is no longer a part of the band´s sound. This is predominantly faster-paced and even blasting at times which the occasional mid-paced heavy section thrown in. This one is definitely worth a listen and a 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "The Winter of Our Discontempt" is the first demo recording by Danish death metal act Illdisposed. The demo was recorded in January 1992 and it was self-released by the band. Illdisposed formed in 1991 and released their debut full-length studio album "Four Depressive Seasons" in 1993. All tracks from "The Winter of Our Discontempt" except "A Darkening Age" were re-recorded and included on "Four Depressive Seasons". All five tracks from "The Winter of Our Discontempt" would be reissued on the 1995 compilation album "Helvede".

Illdisposed play a filthy, raw, and brutal type of death metal with both fast-paced parts, heavy mid-paced sections, and doomy parts. Their compositions are quite varied for the genre. Lead vocalist Bo Summer has an uintelligible growling vocal style, which provide the music with a high brutality factor. The music is occasionally spiced-up by some nicely morbid leads.

The sound production is decent considering that this is a demo, but the guitars are placed a bit low in the mix, while the bass is placed a bit too high. That seldom works on a death metal release, and it doesn´t work here. So for all the good qualites of the songwriting and the strong musicianship, "The Winter of Our Discontempt" is somewhat let down by a slightly powerless production job. It´s no major issue if you remember the context (this being a death metal demo recording from the early 90s) but it´s not a positive either.

When all is said an done it´s understandable why Illdisposed is considered one of the seminal Danish death metal acts when you listen to "The Winter of Our Discontempt". They have that something extra to stand out from the crowd, and if you´re familiar with the next couple of releases in their discography you´ll known that this was just the beginning. A 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Survival of the Sickest" is the sixth full-length studio album by Swedish death metal act Bloodbath. The album was released through Napalm Records in September 2022. It´s the successor to "The Arrow of Satan Is Drawn" from 2018 and there´s been one lineup change since the predecessor as guitarist Joakim Karlsson only stayed one album and has been replaced by Tomas Åkvik (who guested on "The Arrow of Satan Is Drawn" (2018)). It´s now the third album featuring Nick Holmes (Paradise Lost) on lead vocals and he is therefore now the longest standing lead vocalist in Bloodbath. "Survival of the Sickest" features guest performances from scene veterans Mark "Barney" Greenway, Luc Lemay, and Marc Grewe.

"The Arrow of Satan Is Drawn" (2018) saw Bloodbath experiement a little with black metal elements and a slightly different atmosphere, but on "Survival of the Sickest" they have made a conscious decision to go back to their old school death metal roots and write an album in the original spirit of the band. And they certainly succeed in that because "Survival of the Sickest" is old school Swedish death metal to the core. Songtitles like "Zombie Inferno", "Putrefying Corpse", and "Malignant Maggot Therapy" definitely also signal that.

Despite often being put in the retro old school Swedish death metal catagory, Bloodbath actually have as many US death metal influences (Morbid Angel is for example a huge influence) in their music, so "Survival of the Sickest" is a relatively varied old school death metal release. Their style on "Survival of the Sickest" is somewhat reminiscent of Danish death metal act Baest, who also play a Swedish/US hybrid old school death metal style.

If you´re familiar with the preceding Bloodbath releases, it will come as no surprise that they are a skilled, tight, and well playing unit. Holmes have honed his growling skills over the last 10 years, and while he doesn´t sound like he did on the early 90s Paradise Lost releases, he has a strong voice and a powerful intelligible growling delivery. "Survival of the Sickest" also features a powerful, brutal, yet detailed sound production, so it´s another high quality release from Bloodbath. I wouldn´t call it their most remarkable release, but it´s still way above most other contemporary old school death metal releases in terms of catchy songwriting, musicianship, and production values. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Into the Vortex of Obscurity" is the fourth full-length studio album by German death metal act Obscure Infinity. The album was released through F.D.A. Records in March 2019. It´s the successor to "Perpetual Descending into Nothingness" from 2015 and there´s been one lineup change since the predecessor as drummer O. has left and hasn´t been replaced. Instead bassist Kalle performs the drums on the album, and the bass is played by guitarist Stefan, so Obscure Infinity are down to a quartet on "Into the Vortex of Obscurity".

Stylistically the material on "Into the Vortex of Obscurity" is old school based death metal, but with an occasional blackened melodic death metal element. So this is both pretty brutal and raw, but at the same time quite melodic and relatively varied because of the blackened element (which isn´t far removed from artists like Unanimated and Necrophobic). The tracks are predominantly very fast-paced and energetic, but Obscure Infinity can also play mid-paced heavy grooves like they do on "Grotesque Face". The musical performances are generally on a high level, and especially the guitar leads and harmonies are well performed and bring much to the music. The vocals are a combination of death metal growling and higher pitched screaming blackened snarling. The two vocal styles are sometimes doubled. There are a few clean vocal parts on the album, which are in heavy metal/power metal territory, and Obscure Infinity really shouldn´t have included those. It doesn´t fit the music and the clean vocals aren´t that well performed.

"Into the Vortex of Obscurity" features a brutal, raw, yet detailed sound production, where all instruments and vocals clearly stand out. It´s a sound which is perfect for the material. So upon conclusion "Into the Vortex of Obscurity" is yet another high quality release from Obscure Infinity (I can look past the awkward sounding clean vocals) and a 3.5 - 4 star (75%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Dejected in Obscurity" is the second full-length studio album by Danish death metal act Exmortem. The album was released through Euphonious Records in 1998. It´s the successor to "Labyrinths Of Horror" from 1995, although the two full-length studio albums are bridged by the 1997 "Dejected..." demo. There has been one lineup change since "Labyrinths Of Horror" as guitarist Martin "Sigtyr" Thim has been added as second guitarist. There´s still no permanent bassist in the lineup, so guitarist Henrik Kolle recorded the bass parts on "Dejected in Obscurity".

Stylistically the material on "Dejected in Obscurity" pretty much continues the relentlessly brutal, abrasive, and intense death metal style of "Labyrinths Of Horror". The addition of a second guitarist has provided the soundscape with a few more interesting details like guitar solos and morbid harmonies. Something which was completely mssing from "Labyrinths Of Horror". It´s not that solos or harmonies are a big part of Exmortem´s sound, which is still centered around brutal riffs, powerful drumming, and brutal growling vocals (which are occasionally varied with some screaming/snarling vocals), but it does bring some needed variation to Exmortem´s bleak and and otherwise pitch black music. They really understand how to create a thick oppressive atmosphere of dread and despair. One of their many great assets.

Exmortem are a well playing band and the musical performances are generally on a high level from all involved. "Dejected in Obscurity" features a slightly less abrasive and accessible sound production compared to the sound production of the debut album, but this is still a raw and savage sounding old school death metal release. A 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is warranted.