Sepulchral Curse - death metal, let's get ready to rumble!

Sepulchral Curse

Crimson Moon Evocations

Dark Descent Records

28 February 2025

Is it time for this band to dismiss the vocalist? I conducted an experiment to determine the answer. I'll tell you about the experiment in a minute.

Have you ever done a group project, with a certain person not pulling their weight while getting credit as the people who did most of the work? Imagine working on a presentation and one person in the group does the minimum, but on the day of the presentation itself this individual is all smiles, leading the audience to believe that this person played a bigger role on the presentation, while in reality this individual showed up "ready" only during the presentation: ready to be the center of attention.

This album is kind of like that. It is a type of melodic, even catchy, ominous death metal from Finland. It's not truly brutal, but it is very heavy and underground. There are plenty of good melodies and riffs on this album. A lot of work has gone into making these songs, and those melodies and riffs are overwhelming evidence of how hard the guitars have worked to add melodies to the heaviness, working with a rhythm section does a lot towards a cavernous, knuckle-dragging album. It deceptively seems like basic caveman brutality, but it is more sophisticated than that.

The problem. The album is held back by the stubbornly monotonous, monochromatic, almost 100% one-dimensional boring, faceless, harmless "cavernous" low growling. There may be justifications for the nondescript vocals, which are about as exciting as a bowl of plain white rice for dinner. Perhaps the vocalist is a really good friendly member of the band and a good drinking buddy. Maybe the vocalist has been told to be monotonous by the band: "Don't act like you are Ronnie James Dio, dude," they told him, "Just do a low growl, and keep it that way." Whatever the reason, the end result is a sound of everyone, except one person, working hard to deliver a quality album. This recording sounds like a vocalist that could record a whole album's worth of this type of growling every single week: just grab a microphone and proceed to do this comfortable, low, forgettable growling. It’s not awful growling, but it’s ok only, not great. Well, what about the guitars? Could they knock out an album every week? No way! There are too many melodies that have taken a long time to be crafted and too many riffs that have to created and then arranged. I doubt the drummer or bassist could also just get on the instruments and play mindlessly without thinking.

I conducted an experiment with this album. I read a whole bunch of reviews and looked to find reviewers that had even mentioned the vocals on this album. How many reviewers felt enough enthusiasm about the vocals to write about them? Do you know what I found?! There is not one single review in which the writer is enthusiastic about the vocals. Not a single one, and the vast majority of the reviewers, like me, enjoy this album a lot. The most positive thing that I could find was reviewers writing words like "monster" and "brutal" (or similar) to describe the vocals, but such descriptions are debatable: the problem with the vocals is precisely that they are not brutal nor monstrous. However, not a single reviewer really dove deep into the vocals. Why? Because they are not interesting, that's the real reason.

Death metal fans have been forced to accept the idea that in this genre the vocals do not matter. It's a weird idea: The vocals supposedly don't matter, just put a warm body in the center of the stage because this is what people expect, want and need. Fans expect a person, any person, doing vocals, and as long as it sounds ok, fans do not even care. The vocalist is there like a pacifier for a child: Fans feel better with some dude, any dude, a dude, growling. Do bands and fans feel wrong, feel naked, without a vocalist on the stage? It is clear that 99 percent of death metal bands would not dare get on the stage without the growler, even if the growler is rather lazy and only writes mind-numbingly stupid lyrics, because there is this incorrect idea out there, which we have not been able to get rid of: that death metal is death metal because of the vocals.

Is this particular vocalist hopeless? Interestingly enough, no, he isn't! It seems to me that perhaps he is on autopilot. There is actual evidence that he is capable of a lot more than he has decided or has been ordered to deliver. For example, the song "Empress of the Dead" is one of the better examples of what is possible. By the way, said song features some rather nice guitar harmonies or melodies at the beginning before jumping into a barnstormer of a song that induces headbanging irresistibly. It has a bunch of awesome things: black, thrash, death riffs, with a cool shreddy solo in which the guitars do some switching out for some segments, like classic heavy metal. It's all very nice, indeed. After the guitar, there is some rough-nosed riffing that could not be more metal. Good stuff. Now then, the song has been going for a full six minutes, with the vocalist doing his thing, his low, gruff, gentle-ogre growl. Then, at the six-minute mark, inexplicably, my guy launches into an awesome brutal, vocal chords ripping, black metal growl. It sounds unbelievable! It's like the student that everybody thought did not know how to read all of a sudden is reading The Old Man and the Sea aloud to the class perfectly pronouncing every word with excellent, clear enunciation. Like, what on earth! I didn't know you could read, Johnny!

Alright, then, that is very good! Nevertheless, we now have a different problem, don't we?! Why have you not been using all your abilities on the songs?! The predominant growling on the album would be wonderful if dialed back to one third of the album; the black metal increased to about a third, and leave plenty of room for the vocalist: Paint the town red! Get crazy. Imagine you are the Jim Carrey or Robin Williams of extreme metal and amaze us with some creative, unexpected vocals. What about some cavernous monk chanting? How about taking the low growling much lower to the point in which the words are 100% super indecipherable, like a rumbling murmur? What about some higher black metal screaming? What about actual brutal death metal growling?

About the lyrics. I do not have the lyrics. Judging this book by its cover and by the titles of the songs, I would assume that the lyrics are some type of garbage, meaningless "dark" and "occult" hogwash that metal bands like to do. I guess it's what you do when you do not have anything to say. Finland has a long history and prehistory. It's not like there is a shortage of topics: the relation to Sweden, to Russia and Germany. Of course, nowadays Finland is preparing for the inevitable conflicts and wars that are going to take place in neighboring lands and in Finland itself. Thus, it's not like Finnish metal bands, like the Finnish population in general, have nothing serious on their minds. Or, what about writing about life experiences? What have you lived? Or, what about your beliefs, if you have any, unless you stand for nothing?

To end, this album is awesome and it makes you bang your head. Death metal fans should find lots to enjoy. My critique has to do with the lack of creativity in the by-the-numbers growling. The album is worth keeping, despite the shortcomings in the vocals and subject matter.

https://www.facebook.com/SepulchralCurse

Xoth - Washington metal band announce U.S. West Coast tour

Seattle (WA) - Death/thrash/black metal futurists, XOTH, are thrilled to announce their U.S. West Coast Tour, beginning on Friday, April 4th in Tacoma, WA, where the band will share the stage with the legendary 3 Inches of Blood.

Along the way, XOTH will join forces with a host of killer bands, including Starcourt, Street Cleaner, and Upon Stone. The band will showcase tracks from their acclaimed release, Exogalactic, a record praised for its intricate musicianship and ability to transport listeners to the furthest reaches of the universe. Tour dates as as follows:

Fri 4/4 – Tacoma, WA – Airport Tavern – w/ 3 Inches of Blood

Tue 4/8 – Portland, OR – Star Theatre – w/ Starcourt

Wed 4/9 – Eureka, CA – Savage Henry

Thu 4/10 – San Jose, CA – The Ritz

Fri 4/11 – San Luis Obispo, CA – Humdinger Brewing

Sat 4/12 – Los Angeles, CA – Knucklehead – w/ Street Cleaner, Upon Stone

Sun 4/13 – San Diego, CA – Tower Bar w/ Street Cleaner

Wed 4/16 – Santa Cruz, CA – Blue Lagoon

Thu 4/17 – San Francisco, CA – Thee Parkside

Fri 4/18 – Medford, OR – Rockafairy

Sat 4/19 – Eugene, OR – John Henry’s – w/ Starcourt

For ticketing information, updates, and additional live dates, visit beholdxoth.com.

The 7the Guild - power metal goes to the opera

The 7the Guild

Triumviro

Scarlet Records

21 February 2025

THE 7TH GUILD

Tomi Fooler - vocals

Giacomo Voli - vocals

Ivan Giannini - vocals

Simone Mularoni - guitar

Francesco Ferraro - bass

Daniele Mazza - orchestras and arrangements

Alessio Lucatti - keyboards and piano

Michael Ehrè - drums

Holy Land 5:17

The 7th Guild 5:01

Glorious 5:38

La Promessa Cremisi 5:14

In Nomine Patris 6:35

Time 3:00

Guardians Of Eternity 5:24

The Metal Charade 5:21

Fairy Tale 6:21

Excess. More is more. Over the top. Who's to say what is too much, though? Take musicals as an example. Musicals as an artform are pretty extreme: Sing throughout the entire work? Sure, why not! Or, even the violin can be extreme. The Italian violinist Niccolò Paganini (1782–1840) enjoyed dazzling audiences with violin techniques and compositions that went overboard, to say the least. Paganini makes me ask, “What are you doing?!” Or, opera: Richard Wagner (1813–1883) pleased and upset plenty of people with the exorbitant quantity of ideas and genres shoved into super long operas. I’ve never had endurance to get through Wagner in one sitting; only in portions.

Speaking of opera, this work right here brings together three melodic singers from Italy and lets them run amuck with an album that celebrates singing big time, featuring Skeletoon's Tomi Fooler, Rhapsody of Fire's Giacomo Voli and Ivan Giannini (ex-Vision Divine, Derdian). This has everything that Italian power/melodic metal has come to be known for: catchy songs and sugary melodies, except that here, all of it is increased to a higher level with three singers thinking: "Go for it. Let's see what happens!" Well, we see what happened. It's a superabundance of power metal operatic singing, that's what. In addition, the guitars are very melodic, too, for fans wanting to hear an album in which every song sounds like a hit. Having said that, to avoid any misunderstanding, this music still sounds like power metal, and not an actual musical (like West Side Story or The Sound of Music), a theater play or an opera. Therefore, fans of melodic singing should get a kick out of this album. This is very much in the genre of power metal, with an Italian opera flavor!

A little trivia: One of the songs is called "Time," and it must be a type of tribute to an important person in the metal opera field: Tobias Sammet from Edguy and Avantasia. The song must be a tribute to Tobias Sammet because "Time" sounds remarkably like Tobias Sammet's Edguy song "Another Time," from the 1999 album Theater of Salvation, so much so that this Italian project even borrows the lyric "I can't take it for granted," making this new ballad an open tribute, a nod to German power metal incarnate in the person of Tobias Sammet, whose contributions to melodic metal have endured for decades. In total, this entire album is a huge celebration of singing, melodies, catchy songs and power metal in general. I get the feeling this album is just the beginning. The album includes three important singers in melodic metal in Italy today, but there are other good singers in Italian metal currently. This can be a beginning, right?! There has to be more of these albums, right?! Right?!

https://www.facebook.com/the7thguild

Carmeria - gothic metal goes acoustic

Carmeria

Trinity: Volume I

14 February 2025

1.Lost in the Snow 3:47

2.Solaris (Acoustic) 3:23

3.A Sailorman's Hymn 4:06

Carmeria did something different. On these three songs, the music is acoustic or mellow, a plethora of gentle melodies that are very ear-friendly. The first song is from 2025. The second one is an acoustic version of one of their previous songs for which they had made a video (see the video at the bottom of this post), a catchy song, for sure. The third track is a cover a Roy Khan-era Kamelot song from the 1999 album The Fourth Legacy. I recommend this recording for fans of good singing and melodies in a relaxed, sing-along EP. The Kamelot cover is simply the band having some fun, and finally addressing something that is a rather obvious: Carmeria is influenced by classic Kamelot, including in the singing, and they finally have the confidence to record it, and see how it holds up to Roy Khan's pleasant, melodic yet strong voice. Overall, of course, this brief recording is not meant to represent Carmeria's main melodic metal, but rather a vacation, if you will, from their established sound. I have enjoyed it a lot.

CARMERIA - Lost in the Snow (Official Video)

Tragédie D'amour by Carmeria

https://www.facebook.com/CarmeriaMusic

CARMERIA - Solaris (Official Video)

Radiant Grave - new local metal in Washington State, U.S.

Radiant Grave

Onward

Bleak Archivists

Feb 21, 2025

1.Age of the Radiant Grave

2. Onward Har Megiddo

3.Annul

Radiant Grave is a local band in the state of Washington, in the city of Bellingham, a college town some 90 miles or 145 kilometers to the north of Seattle. These three songs are a good introduction to the band’s no-nonsense, headbanging sound. Or I should say: They are a good introduction for me, as a new listener. I have been enjoying their direct way of going about the songwriting. You can hear the trio’s guitar, bass, drums and vocals in a clear, heavy way, and with a bit of a raw edge, that tells you that they like their music to be hard-hitting, in a metal-punk style that features some thrashy riffs with semi-growled vocals. On Metal Archives it shows that this is their first recording. Their music doesn’t fit narrowly into a particular subgenre. It’s more important what it’s meant to do for the listener: get in a mosh pit, get up and get moving, get a workout in or just sit back and nod along to the metal, but maybe be careful driving while listening to these songs. They might get you driving faster than the authorities would prefer. Anyway, it is not melodic metal, but it’s easy to remember the songs, as the sound is all Radiant Grave: impact!

This recording is available starting on Feb 21, 2025: digitally on Radiant Grave's Bandcamp page https://radiantgrave.bandcamp.com/album/onward, cassettes from Bleak Archivists Bandcamp page: (link: https://bleakarchivists.bandcamp.com).

Order the cassette here.

Check out the digital release here.

13 MAG - the grooves from Spokane, Washington State, U.S.

13 Mag, according to Metal Archives, was a groove band from Hillyard/Spokane, Washington from 2010-2012. Metal Archives shows an album called Those Left Standing from 2011. Here are couple of YouTube links in case that some readers may want to hear this band. It's possible that fans of prime-time Pantera may enjoy the energy and testosterone of this band, in addition to the overall sound and songwriting.

13 Mag

Those Left Standing

August 12th, 2011

1. Undone 04:16

2. Reborn 03:02

3. Spiteful 04:07

4. Unnamed Hate 04:04

5. Forgotten Road 05:07

6. Rectify 05:29

7. Rain Down on Me 04:06

8. Broken Man 04:54

9. Unfinished Ink 05:33

10. Those Left Standing 04:02

total time 44:40

Jon Vensel - bass

Tommy Scherer - drums

Kevin Blodgett - guitars (lead), vocals

Mike Bonin - guitars (rhythm)

Unnamed Hate

Broken Man

Phrenelith - cavernous death metal savagery for this Friday

Phrenelith

Ashen Womb Dark

Descent Records / Me Saco Un Ojo Records

7 February 2025

One possible way of thinking of these Danish purveyors of ominous, savage sounds is to consider this as an exercise in claustrophobic death metal, with minimal distractions or melodies, just straight-to-the-point ultra-heaviness. This is not melodic, and if you judge the album based on melodies, this is easily a 1 or 2 out of ten. Really, we didn't come here for melodies. We came here for the cavernous. That's pretty much the short and long of it. For example, the vocals are low growling, no singing, screeching, howling, upper-range extreme vocals, none of that, really, pretty much indecipherable, percussive low growling that sounds in some ways like a part of the rhythm, sometimes adjacent to the drumming patterns or rhythm riffs. The drummer puts on a clinic! Those are pretty awesome speeds. The guitar playing is a combination of low-tuned, often blazing, black and death metal riffs. If you listen closely, you will find the music in the barrage, but it is possible that some listeners will never find the music within the noise. If you don’t, that’s ok, that’s the way it goes sometimes. On the other hand, the band started more than ten years ago, and they knew what they were doing from the beginning with this particular subgenre, and they have experience in other brutal bands. It is music for a tiny demographic within an already small audience.

https://www.facebook.com/phrenelith

Alissa White-Gluz covers Pat Benatar's "Heartbreaker"

This cover of Pat Benatar's "Heartbreaker" features Alissa White-Gluz, Frank Bello, Alex Skolnick and Doug Aldrich. That song seems to be one that some rockers happen to like a lot, as this cover demonstrates. Just for fun, here is also Pat Benatar's version, in case that you may be interested in hearing the earlier version.

The following information is not written by me. It is just copied from YouTube, for those that may new to the song.

"Heartbreaker" is a song by American singer Pat Benatar from her debut studio album In the Heat of the Night (1979). Written and composed by Geoff Gill and Cliff Wade, the song had first been recorded by English singer Jenny Darren on her 1978 album Queen of Fools, and Benatar adjusted the original lyrics, as such references as "A to Zed" and "moonraker" would have likely confused American listeners. "Heartbreaker" was the second single released off In the Heat of the Night after the first, "If You Think You Know How to Love Me", failed to reach the US Billboard Hot 100. A sleeper hit, "Heartbreaker" proved to be Benatar's breakthrough single, reaching number 23 on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 while spending four and a half months on the chart, the fourth longest of all of her singles. It was more popular on album-oriented rock stations as it peaked at number 13 on Tunecasters Rock Tracks chart in March 1980. The song peaked at number 16 in Canada and at number 14 in New Zealand, although it only reached number 95 in Australia. The song was named the 72nd best hard rock song of all time by VH1.

Ultimate Jam "Heartbreaker" Pat Benatar Cover Alissa White-Gluz Frank Bello Alex Skolnick NAMM

Pat Benatar - Heartbreaker (RESTORED - SUPERSCALED TO 4K)

Tulip covers Pat Benatar's "Love Is a Battlefield"

Melodic band Tulip has covered the Pat Benatar song "Love Is A Battlefield," as part of their third album Big Shiny Metal Tunes (2024). Their first EP was in 2018, and ever since then they have been knocking on the door of anyone that will listen to them. They did an album in 2020, another EP in 2021, a second album in 2023 and the 2024 covers album. Sometimes they sound a bit more neosymphonic, sometimes more pop, it all depends. Basically, it is a poppy form of heavy rock. If you like these songs below, you may want to check out their page and hear some more songs and see what you think.

Love Is A Battlefield

TULIP - The Inner Light (Official Music Video)

https://www.facebook.com/wearetulipofficial/

Visions of Atlantis will perform in Seattle in April 2025

Long-running melodic-neosymphonic band Visions of Atlantis have announced a tour for the U.S. and Canada, including a show in Seattle. Check out the band's announcement below.

⚓ Sailors, Buccaneers, Privateers, and Adventurers of North America—Your Queen and Captain summon you! ⚓ A new journey is upon us, and the winds whisper of adventure!

The time draws near — we are preparing to set sail once more towards the United States and Canada, and we need every fearless soul on deck!

🦜 As is tradition, no great journey begins without a proper tale!

Our latest tour-trailer is here, a short cinematic glimpse into the storm that awaits. Let the fire in your heart burn as you witness the rising of the ARMADA!

(This trailer is now available on our YouTube channel too) 23 times shall we drop anchor.

23 treasures shall we seek.

Mark your maps, sharpen your blades, and ready your voices—we are gathering the largest ARMADA North America has ever seen, and we will need you among our ranks!

🎟️ Join the adventure—secure your ticket now at visionsofatlantis.at!

🔥 LIMITED VIP Upgrades available—seize them while you can!

🏴‍☠️ Tour Dates:

🇺🇸 25.04.02 PA - MECHANICSBURG / Lovedrafts

🇺🇸 25.04.03 MD - BALTIMORE / Ottobar

🇺🇸 25.04.04 PA - PITTSBURGH / Preserving Underground

🇺🇸 25.04.05 NY - NEW YORK / Meadows

🇺🇸 25.04.06 MA - CAMBRIDGE / Middle East

🇨🇦 25.04.08 QC - QUEBEC CITY / La Source Martinière

🇨🇦 25.04.09 ON - TORONTO / Lee’s Palace

🇺🇸 25.04.10 MI - DETROIT / The Sanctuary

🇺🇸 25.04.11 IL - JOLIET / The Forge

🇺🇸 25.04.12 MN - ST. PAUL / Turf Club

🇨🇦 25.04.14 AB - EDMONTON / Starlite

🇨🇦 25.04.15 AB - CALGARY / Dickens

🇺🇸 25.04.16 WA - SEATTLE / El Corazon

🇺🇸 25.04.17 OR - PORTLAND / The Bossanova Ballroom

🇺🇸 25.04.18 CA - SAN FRANCISCO / DNA Lounge

🇺🇸 25.04.19 CA - LOS ANGELES / Whisky A Go Go

🇺🇸 25.04.21 CA - SAN DIEGO / Brick By Brick

🇺🇸 25.04.24 NV - LAS VEGAS / The Usual Place

🇺🇸 25.04.25 AZ - PHOENIX / The Rebel Lounge

🇺🇸 25.04.26 UT - SALT LAKE CITY / Soundwell

🇺🇸 25.04.27 CO - DENVER / Oriental Theater

🇺🇸 25.04.28 TX - EL PASO / Rockhouse Bar & Grill

🇺🇸 25.04.29 TX - DALLAS / Granada Theater

VISIONS OF ATLANTIS - Tonight I'm Alive (Official Video) | Napalm Records

https://www.facebook.com/visionsofatlantisofficial

Iced Earth - announces vinyl versions of the first four albums

U.S. metal band Iced Earth has announced vinyl versions of the first albums Iced Earth (1990, Night of the Stormrider (1991), Burnt Offerings (1995) and Dark Saga (1996). I'm sure their page has all their relevant information about to order those albums and all that stuff. Anyway, there are a whole bunch of classic tunes on those albums. Just for fun, in case you have not seen it, below is a video from a YouTunnel channel that has the band's legendary shows in Greece. The Greek fans reaction to the songs itself demonstrates that metal fans in Greece understood the band's sound and songwriting. Those fans in Greece had been following things happening on those early albums!

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialIcedEarth

ICED EARTH Alive in Athens

Limuria - Washington State band has new music in 2025

Washington State, U.S. band Limuria greeted 2025 with some new music. Fans may be interested to know that Stu Block (Into Eternity, Iced Earth, The Midgard Project, Annihilator, Omega Crom, etc.) participated on the vocals for this recording. For the vocals it says that it is Berzan Onen and Stu Block, with Rafael Serrano on drums, and Eduardo Serrano (all guitars, keyboards, bongos, egg shaker). On Bandcamp it says about the new music: "Written in 2017, The Forest Maze went through various arrangements, until i finally settled on the final version of the song a few years ago (2019). The idea was to create a song with African tribal sounds, I did not really succeed in that as the song ended up having more of a middle eastern oriental flavour. I was happy with the end result either way. It features quite alot of layers in certain parts of the song, with melodies overlapping eachother. This was fun to do. I got the idea of having Stu and Berzan in early 2024. The song deals with a man being followed by a monster in a maze. This is more of a metaphor, as the man represents us all. The monster representing our dark side (addictions, bad habits, neurotic patterns etc) which we all have. The only way to stop the monster, is to embrace it as our own, because at the end of the day, you cant run away from yourself."

The Forest Maze by Limuria

https://www.facebook.com/limuriamusic/

Pain Field - local heavy metal band announces two shows in Everett, WA

Local band Pain Field has announced two shows for the Everett area. Both shows will be at Tony V's in March 2025. Pain Field is traditional heavy metal. According to Metal Archives, they have one album called Blackened Skies from 2022. Check out this song from YouTube. If you like the music, check it their Facebook page below.

"It’s a Double Shot Month of Pain! You’re not going to want to miss either! 2 Shows & 2 completely different sets Featuring New Music and Classic Gems."

Blackened Skies

https://www.facebook.com/painfieldrocks/

Beltfed Weapon - Rise From Eternal Darkness (Official Lyric Video)

Beltfed Weapon has a new song with a lyric video to go with it. Fans of thrash and death metal will want to bang their heads to this new one!

rise from eternal darkness featuring

Frank Hetzel - guitar

Stu Block - vocals

Mike LePond - bass

Kragen Lum - lead guitar

Bryan Newbury - drums

mixed and mastered by Juan Urtega

art created by Sidjimbe Art

video created by Andrzej Art

--

Beltfed Weapon BIO

--

Founded in 1999 by guitarist and songwriter Frank Hetzel, Beltfed Weapon has become known for their distinctive blend of thrash, death, and technical metal in the Seattle metal scene. Following several lineup changes, Hetzel took control of the band’s future by collaborating with highly respected musicians in the metal world.

Their 2015 EP, Raining Plague, was well-received by critics. Metal Gods TV rated it 8/10, praising the “fast-paced riffs” and “shredding guitars”, while Ever Metal gave it 9/10, noting its successful blend of aggression and melody. The EP featured contributions from major figures in the metal scene, such as Jeff Loomis (Arch Enemy, ex-Nevermore) on lead guitar, and Steve DiGiorgio (Testament, Death) on bass. Loomis’s intricate solos were a key element, establishing a strong working relationship with Hetzel. After the success of Raining Plague, Hetzel continued working with top-tier musicians, including Steve Tucker (Morbid Angel), who lent his powerful growls to tracks on the Darkened Demise EP. Tucker’s performance added intensity and helped shape the band’s heavier sound direction.

In September 2024, Beltfed Weapon released their latest single, “Tortured Within”, featuring Stu Block (Into Eternity, ex-Iced Earth) on vocals, Kragen Lum (Heathen, Exodus) on lead guitar, Mike LePond (Symphony X) on bass, and Bryan Newbury (Into Eternity) on drums. This new track continues the band’s tradition of collaborating with notable musicians, building on the intensity and precision that have become the band’s trademarks.

“Tortured Within” focuses on internal battles, including addiction and the struggle to break free from destructive cycles, according to Hetzel. The single has received praise for its technical musicianship and powerful thematic content, with Hetzel expressing satisfaction with the contributions from Block and LePond, both of whom noted the unique challenge and reward of working with Hetzel’s aggressive riffs.

With each new release, including “Tortured Within”, Frank Hetzel remains dedicated to evolving Beltfed Weapon’s sound. His ongoing collaborations with respected figures in metal have cemented the band’s place as a powerful force in the genre.

Beltfed Weapon Rise From Eternal Darkness Official Lyric VIdeo

https://beltfedweapon.bandcamp.com/music

metal show in Everett, Washington

Friends in Everett,

I came across this announcement about a metal show at Tony V's. It's not for a while, but it looks like a pretty good line-up.

Live at Tony V's March 28

Coven

Pain Field

Whythre

Metaphoria

all ages until 11

$10

Event starts at 8

Vermilia - Kansojen Kaipuu (Official Video) from upcoming third album Karsikko by Finnish melodic extreme project

Finnish melodic extreme metal act Vermilia will issue its third album called Karsikko on February 14th, 2025. Three of the album's songs are streaming at Bandcamp. Vermilia, according to Metal Archives, began in 2017 and seems to be an independent project that sometimes performs live, an example of which is included below, too. The vocals are melodic singing and screaming, and the music can be fast, like extreme metal, but also can slow down for more melodic passages. Over at Metal Archives there are several devoted fans that have written some really nice views on the previous two albums. For example, one review says, in part, "To complete this masterpiece, the amazing artist displays fantastic care for details, breaking the patterns with imprints of fabulous cymbal play, a few bass stand-out moments and even a couple of guitar leads. I really like that she didn't stuff solos in there just for the heck of it and only drove the creative stream into guitar leads when it came so naturally. There's also a bit of string sound in "Mustan taivaan morsian" that might be keyboard or sample but I'm not sure. To be honest, the album isn't perfect. You could pick on the fact that most songs end pretty suddenly and there is no sort of intro feel, the tracks going straight into it. But I honestly just don't care about that. There are only two debut albums that I've enjoyed as much as this. Those are Wintersun's self titled album and An Abstract Illusion's Illuminate the Path and as I never got bored of those, it is now time to see if 'Kätkyt', will stand the test of time. Now get the album, hit play, hit repeat and start obsessing!" That's what a reviewer named "andreipianoman" states.

That's very nice, indeed, right?

Another reviewer states, "I loved this record when it first came out, and I still love it to this day. It never gets old. It is quite an amazing record and one of the very best ever produced - easily in the black metal genre. I will never falter from this statement. My only concern is will Vermilia go the route of Myrkur and prove a fake or will she stay the course and prove how authentic she really is? This will remain to be seen, but I have much more confidence in Vermilia. Still, money is a corrupting power, especially in this business. Let us all hope that Vermilia stays true because there is the potential for some music for the ages, here. Until then, 'Kätkyt' is a timeless masterpiece I will enjoy for years to come!" This is the opinion of one "Quindorrian" on Metal Archives.

Therefore, as you see, there are reviewers have really followed the music for a while. I am not familiar enough to have an intelligent conversation with anyone about it at this point, but I have been listening to the new three songs and it's sounding pretty good to me, actually. In the meantime, check out the music for yourself and see what you think.

Vermilia - Kansojen Kaipuu (Official Video)

Karsikko by Vermilia

https://www.facebook.com/vermiliaofficial

Vermilia live in Berlin 30.06.2023

VERMILIA - "Vedestä Vieraantunut" - (Live at "Zobens un Lemess" Open Air 2020)

Hyperstrike - it's a new, catchy song from the Seattle band. Man, this needs an exclamation point!

Hey, stop what you're doing! Put down that bowl of guacamole! Grab your helmet and harness, it's time again to join our new Seattle metal friends calling themselves Hyperstrike. Hyper.Strike. Hyperstrike! It feels like it was just yesterday that I was finding out about this new band, well, now here they go again with a song called "Savage Sword," and man, it looks like they got the magic going on. This tune actually feels too short. Maybe because it's so good, right?! You know what, just who are these dudes? They are doing these sneaky metal songs that pop up out of nowhere and here they are with this new one.

By the way, if you are curious, I am going to include below all the relevant information that the overlords have given me access to. This information is what I know, and now you know as much as I do.

This song is just so catchy.

Ok, fine, now you can continue eating your guacamole again. Guacamole and Hyperstrike. Not too bad. Not too shabby at all. Are you going to put some hot sauce on that guacamole or not? Tabasco?! Really?!

Seattle (WA) - Powerhouse Action-Metal band, Hyperstrike, is back with an explosive new single, "Savage Sword," on all digital platforms! Serving as the ultimate rallying cry for those who know we live in a simulation, this track challenges listeners to confront the fabric of reality itself. "Savage Sword" tells the story of a world trapped in an artificial construct controlled by an evil deity broadcasting illusions from Saturn. Hyperstrike asks the provocative question: what if everything you see is a lie? The song’s protagonist wields the savage sword, a symbol of truth and rebellion, to sever the deceptive veil and spark a revolt against this cosmic oppressor.

"Savage Sword" follows close behind debut single, "Warning Shot." Both cuts will appear on the band's long-awaited debut album, High Risk, a ten-track thrill ride that drops this spring, delivering an unrelenting assault of melody, power, and precision. Each of the album's songs plunges listeners into a high-stakes narrative, from the devastating chaos of "Meltdown (Stop the Reactor)" to the primal defiance of "Steel Heart" and the warrior’s anthem "King of the Slain." The album captures the sound of rebellion with blistering guitar solos, thunderous rhythms, and vocals that alternate between soaring and savage. Recorded in the heart of Seattle’s legendary metal scene, High Risk cements Hyperstrike’s reputation as a band that dares to push boundaries while delivering unforgettable hooks. Brace yourselves—the countdown to the most electrifying release of 2025 is on!

BIO: Born in the Blade, forged in chaos—Hyperstrike is Seattle's action metal war machine. Founded in 2024 by bass-slapping juggernaut Ben "Chop Daddy" Bennett, this band doesn’t play music; they drop sonic bombs. With a shadowy past tearing through thrash titans Warbringer and Bonded by Blood, and reigning as the "Lord of the Low End" in sci-fi shredders Xoth, Bennett knew exactly what kind of beast he was building. First, he wrangled in Ilya, the shredder known as "The Claw," an assassin with riffs sharper than steel. Then came Adon, the "Brain Lord"—a maniacal force spitting venomous truths, carrying the fire from his days in Ghost Ship Octavius and the twisted depths of Spiritual Suicide. Together, they built a soundtrack for the end of the world: songs about nuclear meltdowns, cage fighters, and kings of the slain. The final weapon in their arsenal? Josh, a drum-detonating powerhouse known as "Goblin Hammer," whose percussive assault forged their chaos into a relentless onslaught. Hyperstrike is a raw, unfiltered force with hearts of steel and a taste for mania. No apologies. No survivors. Just unrelenting aggression. Brace for impact—because once the trigger drops, nothing will ever be the same.

Savage Sword

Savage Sword by Hyperstrike

Blackslash - Heroes, Saints & Fools (Official Video) + 2 more videos

The paradigm of heavy metal known as Blackslash are about to reveal their new album in its entirety to the whole world on the 31st of January, 2025. Now on their fifth full-length, and an active band since 2007, they have already established their sound as melodic, memorable, headbanging traditional heavy metal for fans of the classic sounds. Featuring a fun, pleasant, easy-on-the-ears singing voice with well worked-out guitar melodies, the new music aligns very nicely with their previous albums, including all the way back to their first official recordings in 2011 and 2013. Even more importantly, fans that have not heard their previous music have nothing to worry about: You may start with this new album and come along for the ride regardless of seniority. As evidence, the band has released three singles. I am sharing the videos that the good people at the YouTube channel have posted. The three songs are pretty convincing, I think.

In addition, the band has made videos in which they talk the songs and the album in general. Of course, start with the songs and go from there. The documentary part is in German. If you like the music and would like to know more, I'm sure that you, with your technological knowledge can easily figure out how to access it in English, like headphones that translate from German to English. Or perhaps with your fancy phone or computer, such translation is no problem at all. Anyway, I have included the German-language videos of the band talking about the album, just in case you like the music that much. And why not!

Enough. Let's get to the music videos!

Blackslash

Heroes, Saints & Fools

January 31st, 2025

Iron Shield Records

1. Heroes, Saints & Fools 04:55

2. 東京 (Tokyo) 04:26

3. Sacrificed 03:25

4. Black Widow 05:22

5. Life After Death 05:35

6. The Watcher 05:31

7. Die by the Blade 05:05

8. Where Are We Heading to? 05:37

9. Maniacs and Madmen 04:56

total time 44:52

Blackslash - Heroes, Saints & Fools (Official Video)

Blackslash - The Watcher (Official Video)

Blackslash - 東京 (Tokyo) (Official Video)

BEHIND THE ALBUM "HEROES, SAINTS & FOOLS" BY BLACKSLASH PART 1

BEHIND THE ALBUM "HEROES, SAINTS & FOOLS" BY BLACKSLASH PART 2

BEHIND THE ALBUM "HEROES, SAINTS & FOOLS" BY BLACKSLASH PART 3

https://www.facebook.com/blackslashband

ANCIENT BARDS - Soulbound Symphony (Official Video)

Italian melodic band Ancient Bards (2003 - present) has released a video for the song "Soulbound Symphony." The album will not available until April, 2005. This will be their fifth album. For fans of happy and prototypical European power metal. I just found out about this album the other day myself, so let's listen together to hear what this band is about.

Ancient Bards

Artifex

April 25th, 2025

Limb Music

1. Luminance and Abyss 03:07

2. My Prima Nox 05:40

3. The Vessel 05:58

4. The Empire of Black Death 05:10

5. Unending 05:14

6. Minister of Light 05:19

7. Proximity 03:52

8. Soulbound Symphony 06:11

9. My Blood and Blade 03:43

10. Mystic Echoes 06:01

11. Under the Shadow 05:17

12. Sea of Solitude 03:53

13. Artifex 03:28

total time 01:02:53

Martino Garattoni Bass

Daniele Mazza Keyboards, Orchestrations, Songwriting

Claudio Pietronik Guitars (lead)

Sara Squadrani Vocals, Lyrics

Federico Gatti Drums

Simone Bertozzi Guitars (rhythm), Vocals (growl)

ANCIENT BARDS - Soulbound Symphony (Official Video)

https://ancientbards.bandcamp.com

Fleshbore - Target Fixation OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO (Technical Death Metal)

Fleshbore

Painted Paradise

Transcending Obscurity Records

24 January 2025

What would it take for you, dear reader, to get on board with the dazzling speeds of this excessive complexity? This is the domain of wrist-injuring, arthritis-causing fast guitar playing extreme metal. Aficionados of technicality should find comfort in an album such as this because isn't wonderful that there are such dedicated maniacs who have given their lives to the craft of fast and complex guitar playing, at the risk of lifelong body ailments and injuries, and all in the name of metal?

The vocals feature both a low and a higher growl, rhythms for moshing or for travelling down wormholes to other dimensions, and an unexpected amount of melody. At the first the melody might not be so obvious because of the barrage of noise. After a couple of listens, however, it will be easier to find.

FLESHBORE (US) - Target Fixation OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO (Technical Death Metal) Transcending Obscurity

Master Sword - living it up this weekend with some Legend of Zelda-inspired power metal

Master Sword

Toying with Time

January 17th, 2025

This is it! It is the weekend of Master Sword! I know that the U.S.-American tackle-foot-ball playoffs are taking place this weekend and I'm sure that the sports games will be a real extravaganza for all the United-States-Americans. The Americans love their tackle-fuß-ball! This is why all Americans are heroes, such a love for sports and the joyous good time of party-fiesta times. And why not! Roll out the good times. I am not sure if the tackle-fuß-ball team of Seattle, the Sea-Hawkings, is a participant in the tournament, but either way more pizza, more tacos and more libations, this week I shall learn the intricaties of the tournament because a man name Troy Aikman explains everything in a clear, robotic voice. Ok, however, also, also, hey now!

Master Sword has now delivered their new album: eight songs in 55 minutes. The band especializes in melodic songwriting featuring singing, sometimes they lean more on their prog side and at other times they go more towards the rocking energy. An interesting piece of trivia for people new to the band: The band began inspired by the video game Legend of Zelda! Do you have to be a gamer to enjoy the music? Is it necessary to know about the video game? Not at all! Look at me, I know nothing about that video game. I know nothing about any video games! I am too busy fighting the squirrels in my backyard. I am enjoying the new music. The catchy songs and singing is plenty for me to sail on a quest to the enchantment of the songs. It is prog in some ways, but not too prog that it is not fun to listen to. It's not crazy-prog, you know? It has good melodies and the band knows how to keep things reasonable for all audiences supporting of melodic metal, especially the more traditional forms, from classic rock to heavy metal and melodic prog metal.

I hope that by the end of this weekend, after the friendly robot-man Troy Aikman educates the United States of America about the rules of tackle-fuß-ball, I will also be fully immersed in the Americanness and Americanity of the prog power metal and melodies of Master Sword. Master Sword. Remember that name, write it down on your typewriter, and get on that telegraph, and get yourself some of this music. You may be surprised by the quality, skill and style of this band. I know that I was!

Come and get it.

Toying With Time by Master Sword

https://www.facebook.com/masterswordband

Prehistoria - Oh, snap, this high screaming heavy metal is going to make me lose my mind up in here, up in here

U.S.-based melodic thrashers Prehistoria are about to launch again with a new recording called Cryptic Halo. Prepared to show you their wares, this album will be their first full-length follow-up to their four-song EP from back in 2022 when they came out in a high-energy form of melodic thrash/power/heavy metal with prototypical heavy metal singing, in the sense air-raid siren. Your mission, should you accept it, is to bang your head as much as humanly possible. It is believed that the band does not know the meaning of the word "slow." None of the members of the band have a dictionary, so they are not able to look it up and see what's it all about. If you like typical metal, the Chilean banshee known as Alonso Zo Donoso will be more than glad to show you the way.

There is one song streaming right now before the album release on 11 February 2025, but below you can hear their previous EP. Together, the song and the EP, they illustrate what the album will be like. Look into this band. Everyone either hates them or loves them. Or think they are ok. What will it be for you?!

The band is made of up of the following residents in the Indiana State Mental Institute, Spa and Alligator Zoo:

Ian Bender [Zephaniah, ex-Under the Wake, ex-Argonaut] nuclear power plant low vibrations

Cody Johns [Viking, Zephaniah, ex-Eighty Thousand Dead, ex-Acheron (live)] hyperactive supersonic violence

Max Otworth [Borboropsis, Cheap Gas, Choking, Heavy Lies the Crown, Well of Night, ex-Lysura, ex-Trioxin, ex-Venality, The Eddington Limit, ex-Acheron, ex-Darkness Undying, ex-Voidweaver] high-end vibrations of the frozen tundra

Shaun Cothron [Heavy Lies the Crown, Zephaniah, ex-Acheron, ex-Obscene, ex-Photian Schism (live), ex-Viking (live), ex-Lysura, ex-VadimVon (live)] high-end waves of the tunnel of the stargate

Alonso Zo Donoso [Eternal Voyager, Unity, ex-Powerthrone, ex-Words Unspoken, ex-Dark Mirror, ex-Kjeldor, ex-Legendry, ex-Northern Insomnia Project] glass-shattering banshee screaming

Prehistoria

Cryptic Halo

StormSpell Records

11 February 2025

Cryptic Halo by Prehistoria (2025)

Cursed Lands by Prehistoria (2022)

Prehistoria - Obsidian Gateways - Lyric Video

https://www.facebook.com/prehistoriaband

Phrenelith - Neanderthal quartet streaming new song

For ten years now these knuckledraggers have been contaminating their much befouled corner of Neanderthaland. Their third album will be crawling out their cave in less than a month, based on their one thought: to pummel their instruments until the instruments break or the brutes themselves get tired, whichever happens first. So they have one song for you, signaling their willingnes to allow unknown, foreign, alien brutes like yourself to chomp on some cavernous death metal, made with all the love and dedication of a savage.

Phrenelith

Ashen Womb

Dark Descent Records / Me Saco Un Ojo Records

7 February 2025

Phrenelith is:

Simon Daniel [Ascendency, Discipel, Lesion, Alucarda, ex-Undergang (live), ex-Mold] - bass (2013-2015), guitars (lead), vocals

David [Sequestrum, Ulcerot, Undergang, Wormridden, ex-Reefer, ex-Hyperdontia, ex-Realm of Chaos, ex-Mold (live), ex-Trepanation (live)] guitars, vocals (2013-present)

Jakob (ex-Sulphurous) - bass (2015-present)

Andreas Nordgreen [Chaotian, Hectichaos, Morgellons, Sequestrum, Undergang (live)] - drums (2021-present)

Tracklist:

1) Noemata

2) Astral Larvae

3) A Husk Wrung Dry

4) Lithopaedion

5) Nebulae

6) Stagnated Blood

7) Sphageion

8) Chrysopoeia

9) Ashen Womb

https://www.facebook.com/phrenelith

Slaughtersun - This is how a violin makes death metal

New information has come in! The earlier version of this review asked the question: "What type of violin makes such death metal?" Well, the man himself Ben Karas explains below how he achieves the sound. Here is the original review below, and under it, you will find Ben's answer to the question. You will also find a link to their Ampwall page where the physical CDs can be ordered.

Slaughtersun

Black Marrow

10 January 2025

There once was a little boy named Benjamin Karas. He lived in Montclair, New Jersey, U.S. He practiced the violin day and night. In 2010 he received a telegraph to join the melodic black metal band Windfaerer, from New Jersey, and to this day Ben plays violin with that band. Then, a funny thing happened in 2013. The mailman brought him another telegraph to join the prog jazz band Thank You Scientist, also from New Jersey. A crazy thought popped into Ben's head. It was something strange. He kept asking himself this question: "How would death metal sound if my violin eliminates the guitar?" Up until that point, in the other bands there are guitarists, and Ben was thinking about making his violin take the place of the guitar.

So, this band has no guitars and what sounds like guitar is actually a violin. What type of violin? What type of strings? I do not know. The music is a type of prog-tech death, but not excessively so. It does sound different with the violin, but not strangely so, if that makes sense. If there were no information available about the band, and I just listened to the music, I really don't think I would have noticed consciously that it is a type of violin, and not a guitar. I have a confession: I did listen to this recording many times while at the gym and I had not read the information about them. Therefore, I am telling you that I was not smart enough to detect the violin. I had only noticed that I liked the smooth or fluttering rhythm of the "guitar" and I kept coming back to it to figure it out. Well, in fact, I never did figure it. It was only when I read the information about the band that I finally realized that it is a violin in this headbanging death metal band.

The keys to the mystery are explained by Ben Karas himself. He wrote to this publication to answer the questions: What type of violin do you use and how do you make sound this way? Do you use a guitar amp?

"I use a 5 string ETJ electric violin. It's a solid body instrument with a Starfish piezo pickup. I used different combinations of equipment for each song on the EP, but I'm basically running it through an overdrive pedal into a tube amp sometimes with extra EQ. For amps I used a 6505, Engl Fireball and EVO BK50 all for various songs. The Electric Eye Mudkiller and Horizon Drive were probably the most frequently used boost pedals. The strings are D'addario Helicore violin strings; nothing unusual for the instrument. Most importantly the playing technique is a major part of the sound as I've practiced imitating metal guitar playing for many years. I'm running through a tube amp. Most of them are all guitar amps, but I have a signature model, the EVO BK-50 which is a custom amp that has been adjusted specifically for the violin. It's my primary rig, but sometimes I like to blend tones in the studio or simply change things up."

https://ampwall.com/a/slaughtersunnj/merch/black-marrow-ep

https://www.facebook.com/slaughtersunnj https://slaughtersunnj.bandcamp.com/album/black-marrow-ep