Messe Mortuaire - Nocturnal Demonic Visitation (Demo/EP 2022)

I'm going to preface my review with a little bit about myself. I've always loved death metal. Always.
After 30 years of listening to death metal (among other types of extreme metal) I had realized one day, i need to keep searching more newer bands, So, Messe Mortuaire came up and I gave it a listen. The atmosphere on this EP is hideous, ugly, disgusting, and vile. They somehow managed to capture the sonic essence of all of the grotesque subject matter of Death Metal. I think a lot of it has to do with the production. It's raw, a little murky, with razor sharp guitars and the bass high in the mix, thumping away like a diseased human heart about to give up.The thing is, nothing on this release is boring. It's pure energy, from start to finish. Every riff, every lead, every kick on the bass drum, it's all flawless, relentless power. It's primitive death metal, for sure. You certainly won't find any technical acrobatics here, but what is here is a collection of exciting, in-your-fucking-face death metal. It captures a grotesque atmosphere. It really is essential listening !!

messemortuaire.bandcamp.com

Review by Paul Caravasi

Cabinet - Claustrophobic Dysentery (2022)

Cabinet " Claustrophobic Dysentery" takes their music in finest doom/death sound. Containing crushing doom riffs packed with sorrow and dread, as well as fantastic drumming that really puts the depression in your face, and not to forget the festering vocals that echo throughout this album to put together a doom/death brutality. The first thing that hits you is a monstrous scream that slams you in the face, the guttural vocals approach is good for this doom style on this record, terrifying tortuous slow break in the middle, it sounds like it was being recorded in a murky cave and at the same time becoming a monster. Other than slows this album has a great deal of murderous screams. These screams give the album some variety and amazing atmosphere. All in all the vocals make this album what it is and really drive the doom/death direction home. Overall it features an amazing display of skill and along with drum tone, it really makes this album's atmosphere depressing in a good way. In the end the guitar work fits perfectly in the album and provides memorable riffs, spastic solos and even a few atmospheric melodic parts. Displaying great doom riffs, and amazing vocals as well as fantastic drumming. This one reminds me a little of the legendary "Mental Funeral" by the gods Autopsy, but on steroids and more raw, this is pure savagery. It is a must have for anyone looking to explore doom or death metal genres.

bloodymountainrecords.com

Review by Paul Caravasi

Soothsayer - We Came For Killing (2022)

ThrashBack Records released this CD collection from SOOTHSAYER titled "We Came For Killing: 1987-1989". I think I'm not the only one to believe that this band had a phenomenal sound, Soothsayer possessed all features of a thrash metal classic. First of all, it sounds amazingly fresh even though after so many years have passed, and I guess that's the most important thing characterizing music in general. It doesn't age. This CD features their 3 demos, tons of amazing riffs enclosed in all tracks. There are some slower parts, but they are used just to make the heavy parts seem even heavier and more brutal. Musically, SOOTHSAYER straddles the line of Speed Metal and Thrash, with the vocals reminiscent of Flotsam and Jetsam and Wrath. "We Came For Killing: 1987-1989" compiles all of the bands studio recordings with tape transfers and remastering from the best available surviving sources, and a new interview with guitarist George Bryan conducted by me. It’s a required purchase for anyone even remotely interested in the genre. So after finish reading this review, borrow or buy this CD !!

thrashbackrecords.com

Review by Paul Caravasi

Shades of Grey - House of Fools ( Limited Edition Vinyl)

ThrashBack Records released on vinyl the 1989 demo "House of Fools" from cult underground thrashers SHADES OF GREY. These days, in the neverending world of thrash you got many hybrids, clones, bastard children, ripoffs, retarded half-thrash influence and probably somewhere behind all that you got the real shit. Shades of Grey were a really interesting band, this band is an avalanch of riffing, the drumming is insane, and killer vocals. Now that i have in my hands this awesome reissue on Vinyl , i can say they still very fucking lethal. The sound is sick, It's loaded with blazing, catchy riffs that simply keep kicking you second after second. Just listen to "Sounds of War" or "Rage of Insanity", you can't fucking even listen to one riff, and then comes the next one, it continues this way proving these guys weren't fooling around, they said they want to thrash and they thrashed! All the songs here are awesome and damn efficient. This limited edition Vinyl is a masterpiece. If you need brutal thrash... look no further. Classic !!

thrashbackrecords.com

Review by Paul Caravasi