Ophiolatry – Serpent’s Verdict (WormHoleDeath)
There’s been a long history for this act – originally starting in the mid-90s as Cursed Celebration, before changing names in 1998 to release two albums and then dissolve in 2012. So, after seventeen...
Crytopsy – An Insatiable Violence (Season of Mist)
Two years ago, Cryptopsy returned with a new full-length that was their strongest in decades in As Gomorrah Burns. The long-standing Canadian technical death metal group managed to find a sweet spot between their...
Gungire – Outlive (Self-Released)
Continuing their string of frequent EPs, Japan's Gungire is back once again with more angry, groovy music. It's impressive the sheer volume of output the band is capable of. For those who haven't yet...
Byzantine – The Long Haul
The unsung heroes of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal, Byzantine has unfortunately not been able to find a way out of the shadows in the last 25 years. But with each new...
Fairyland – The Story Remains (Frontiers Music)
In the face of loss, French symphonic power metal arises with their latest studio record The Story Remains. One of the founders keyboardist Philippe Giordana passed away in 2022 – leaving material to be...
Byzantine – Harbingers (Metal Blade)
Byzantine came out with force with their last full-length effort, The Cicada Tree. But looking at the timeline, that was now eight years ago! How quickly time flies when as you get older, but...
Meny Da Familliar – New World Order (Office Glace)
Formed at the tail end of 2023, New World Order represents the first musical output from Meny Da Familliar. Much like a number of groups that seem to be forming in Japan, there's a...
Sodom – Stop Fighting
Photo: Mumpi Kuenster
German thrash stalwarts Sodom continue to roll like tanks on the newest studio album The Arsonist. Even though it may be longer between records, the band hasn’t exactly been idle – making...
Selected Singles – Spring 2025
As usual, this column seems to come second to however many interviews have piled up in queue, so as we approach the summer 'quiet' season, it seemed the time was ripe to get another...
Lacabra – Lacabra (M-Theory Audio)
Record labels and their staff can be curators of talented musicians – elevating artists in the metal realm due to perseverance, knowledge, and proper channels to promote work up the ladder of success. Arising...