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

Demencia - No Mas Dioses Ni Demonios (2022)

In this 2022 release Demencia is back with fkn vengeance. The music is, per usual, 100% rip your face off aggressive. Vocals completely insane, riffs are intense, complex, and ever changing. And Drummer s is an absolute wildman. The production is just flawless. From blistering start to lumbering finish, "No Mas Dioses Ni Demonios" weaves a dark tail of political dissension. Every track leads us in a different direction via impetuous droning of guitars and a subversive vocal assault. Throughout the album, the blistering angry guitar droning is a dominant feature. Here and there, the guitars will slow down into more of a grinding thrash sections, The first part of "Son Corruptos" exemplifies this with some great crunching riffage to bang your head to before disappearing in a sea of blazing low tuned grindcore horrors. The drumming on this particular song could not be done any better from the opening roll cycling into furious bass hits interspersed with a fast paced assault on the wrists from the snares. The instruments mesh perfectly giving us headbanging tunes. Any avid Extreme enthusiast could not consider his collection and life complete, without owning and listening to this monumental album. This album demonstrates that this band is able to mature and improve radically in just a couple years, while still maintaining 100% of the aggression that defined their early releases. This album completely slays and belongs on the shelf next to your top Extreme albums!!

facebook.com/demenciatrujillo

Review by Paul - Soulgrinder Zine 

The End A.D. - It's All In Your Head (EP 2021)

It's been a while I reviewed a release like this. The End A.D. from Pennsylvania is a mixed experience, but mostly positive, the songs on this EP are hard-hitting and captivating, and more or less constitute the blueprint on how to perform a mix between Punk and Metal with female vocals. The songs are performed in such a fierce manner, which is probably best suited for live playing, and mosh pits. This EP is basically just a barrage of violent and well executed music, but there is no way you will be able to sit still through even the first track. "Death Cult" the first track, in my opinion it makes you want to chug a Beer and then break it over someone's head. The cover of Deep Purple's "Bloodsucker" is awesome too.The production is excellent, highlighting the guitar-drum interplay very nicely. The songs are short, to the point, and well-thought-out. The whole thing is only like 15 minutes, well worth hearing. No pretense, no bullshit, Just cool music. All in all a really cool EP.

theendad.bandcamp.com

Review by Paul Caravasi

Cruel Bomb - Man Made ( EP 2022)

“Man Made” is EP number three for Pennsylvania thrashers Cruel Bomb. They still thrives on beating the listener over the head with as many riffs as they can fit into a four-minute songs. Tracks like “Dogs of War” and “Bombed Squad” have sections that seem to just unleash pure vocal rage, courtesy of  frontman Brandon James.The end result is quite satisfying, and takes this EP to the next level. From a production standpoint, “Man Made” absolutely nails it. The sound on this EP is massive and truly pushes Cruel Bomb’s sound to the next level. “Man Made” is a much more mature version of the band’s debut EP. The overall product sounds incredibly professional, and is the result of a band who knows exactly what they’re going for. This is one of the best realizations of modern thrash Metal!

facebook.com/Cruelbomb

cruelbomb570.bandcamp.com

Review by Paul Caravasi