Caustic Wound - Grinding Mechanism of Torment (2025)

Grinding Mechanism of Torment is the second album from Caustic Wound (with guys from Magrudergrind and  Mortiferum), again released by profound Lore records. Like their first album, this is an excellent piece of deathgrind, sounding a bit like Repulsion but faster and tighter, merging the old and new school of grind. And the icing on the cake is these guitar soli, more complex and twisted than you would have expected on a grind album. Good stuff!

 

The BC page. 

 

Artificial Brain - Artificial Brain (2022)

This self-titled and third album (again with Profound Lore Records) from Artificial Brain end the trilogy started with Labyrinth Constellation and will be the last featuring their vocalist Will Smith (yes, the album slaps!). They deliver another excellent album, full of progressive/technical/dissonant death metal, but maintaining a good equilibrium between these modern elements and the feel and raw brutality of old-school death metal. The subtle songwriting and playing is really enhancing the atmosphere of the songs (evoking dark and weird sci-fi menacing themes).

The BC page.

 

Mortiferum - Preserved in Torment (2021)

Preserved in Torment is the second album from Mortiferum (with guys from Caustic Wound and Bone Sickness), again with Profound Lore Records. They have some fine melodic leads and mourning riffs, but overall they are mostly on the more death metal side of death doom, of an old-school, raw and putrid kind, some blast-beats included (and the drumming, the sound and the playing, whether in the slow or the faster part, is something I enjoy especially on this album). Maybe the best death-doom album this year, but also among the best death metal albums of the year. Heavily recommended!

The BC page.

 

Portal - Avow (2021)

Sixth album from Portal, and with Avow, like usually with Portal you're caught in a whirlwind of dissonant guitars and sharp drumming, and once again you will like it. What is changing is that, after the somewhat sci-fi/avant-garde atmosphere of ION, they went back to their evil carvernous and muddy sound, but maybe still less cavernous than it used to. Anyway it works really well and it's another excellent album. I'd say Avow and ION are their two best ones, each in it's own flavour. they also just released a dark ambient album called Hagbulbia, not bad but a bit boring in my opinion, but you might try it as well.

The Bandcamp page.

 

Caustic Wound - Death Posture (2020)

Caustic Wound is a new band with members of Mortiferum, Cerebral Rot, Fetid, and Magrudergrind, and they play.... indie/pop?  Salsa? Tension is at its utmost.... well, of course they play deathgrind. Not very surprising, but it's a very good thing anyway because I really likes deathgrind, and they happen to play a very good deathgrind. Old school, reminding Repulsion and Terrorizer, and they do it well. I really recommend their first album Death Posture (released by profound Lore Records).

The BC page.

Pissgrave - Posthumous Humiliation (2019)

I'm back, and with maximum barbaric brutality with the second Pissgrave album, Posthumous Humiliation. I could just let you have a look at the artwork because it could be enough, it really gives a good idea of how the album sounds and what it's about. But I'll still say you can expect the most violent and relentless death/war metal and that the band from Philadelphia really did a good job at doing an album so intense it's fascinating. Posthumous Humiliation will definitely stand as one of the best, most mercilessly dirty and brutal  and most memorable death metal album of the year.

The Bandcamp page.

Lingua Ignota - Caligula (2019)

To be honest first time I listened to Lingua Ignota I wasn't impressed, but I think it was mostly because I was expecting something else. Then I saw her open a show with Author & Punisher, and the show made a huge impression on me, it was so intense! believe me, you NEED to witness a Lingua Ignota show in your life. After the show I listened to her music again and this time liked it immediately, just needed to be in the right mood... And now the new album Caligula, it's still mostly piano and harsh noise, operatic singing and screaming, on Caligula it's more piano less industrial, but same intensity. Unique and awesome.
Highly recommended.

The BC page.

Full of Hell - Trumpeting Ecstasy (2017)

Trumpeting Ecstasy (their new album released by Profound Lore records) is Full of Hell most convincing stuff. Or maybe it's because I love grind and that on this album there's less "blackened" hardcore and sludge and more death-grind, there's a lot of very good death-grind in it. Still a slight bit of noise elements, mostly on a track with female vocals. They still like having some diversity in their music and that's a good thing. A heavier and more straight forward and extreme album but also maybe more personnal, farther than their previous ones to generic blackened metal hardcore. This time I'm not thinking "they're ok, but...", this time I'm won, Trumpeting Ecstasy is indeed a really intense, interesting and enjoyable album. Really good stuff! 

The BC page.

Cobalt - Slow Forever (2016)

Slow Forever is the coming back of Cobalt, seven years after the excellent "Gin". This time Erik Wunder has a new vocalist, Charlie Fell (ex-Lord Mantis). Fell is doign a great job, sounding absolutely feral and hungry. The vocals are maybe the most black metal element, there's very few blastbeats, the album being mostly mid tempo. The riffing is also not especially black metal, except in a general way, in creating a dark and epic feel. We could say it's between black metal and sludge, sometimes also not very far from early Mastodon. But being somewhat "generic modern extreme metal" is not a weakness for Cobalt because if they are not belonging to a specific style is because what comes forward is that it really have its own style, strong and unique. After my first listens to the album I intended to write that it would have needed some editing, it's a double album, with long songs, and it took me some time to really get into it. But I changed my mind, now I realise that it's really a grower, the more I listen to it the more I like it and enjoy the different subtleties and the whole atmosphere of the album, with the "americana" element, together with the epic songwriting, again bringing something strong to the music, evoking wild and violent american lands, Cormac MacCarthy coming to mind (I know Hemingway and Hunter S.Thompson are the main inspiration in litterature for Cobalt, but still...).
So Slow Forever is really a worthy addition to Cobalt discography, a very strong and enjoyable album.

The Bandcamp page.

Cruciamentum - Charnel Passages (2015)

Charnel Passages from the UK death metal band Cruciamentum is an album that I should have paid more attention to last year, I knew them because their demo and first EP brought them deserved recognition in the underground DM scene, but for reasons that I don't really understand I wasn't at first very impressed by their first album. I was a fool because it is indeed very good, and it's for good reason that it was praised. Don't follow the hype too much, but sometimes "the hype" (well, we're talking about death-metal...) is right... That been said, what about the music? Excellent death-metal in an old school vein, not Swedish, but not completely American, although it sometimes reminds Morbid Angel with the heaviness, the grooves and the atmospheres coming nicely together. Dark and crushing at the same time with some first class songwriting skills displayed, so you memorize the songs easily even if it's not less complex than any other death metal. Highly recommended if you're into death-metal.

The Bandcamp page.

DÄLEK - Asphalt for Eden (2016)

Seven years after its previous album, Gutter tactics, Dalek is back with this Asphalt for Eden surprisingly released by Profound lore (and why not!). DJ Octopus is not in the band anymore but the classical Dalek sound is still there, maybe it's just closer to the more classical boom-bap sound of the other MC Dalek project Iconaclass. But it's still boom-bap with heavy beats and a big dose of dark and melancholic noise / shoegaze atmosphere and classy samples (even tough I miss the free jazz ones from their old releases...). So it's maybe a more traditionnal hip-hop album but since the production is still really good and keeps the specific Dalek sound, and since MC Dalek is doing great on the mic (good flow and good lyrics) I won't complain. Not my favourite Dalek album but still far better than most hip-hop release and an album than I really enjoy listening to. 

The BC page.

Full of hell & Merzbow (2014)

At first this collaboration sounds awesome, one big name of the recent powerviolence scene (Full of hell) with one of the big name of the harsh noise japanese scene (Merzbow). wow. Then listening to it is a bit disappointing,  it sounds a lot like a good Full of hell record, with some noisy interludes and a bit of noise layers added. on the four track you even wonder where the hell is Merzbow. that still would be a good album. but a disapointing collaboration, a "waste" of a big potential... (well it's a Full of hell album with Merzbow, not exactly a full collaboration) And then you listen to the second CD and it makes a lot more sense even it comes as a "bonus". But in fact it's the main interest here. Merzbow is the main protagonist on this second CD called Sister fawn, but Full of hell, and especially it's drummer are a great addition to the tracks. So what you have is good Merzbow tracks, sometimes more pure noise oriented (quite harsh at times), sometimes with more beats and groove (but still very bleak and aggressive), and the live drumming from Full of hell bring more dynamism to the tracks, and a more organic / live feel, also a kind of tribal / ritualistic beat adding to the mesmerising effect of Merzbow noise. The result is very interesting and convincing. Slower but sonically more extreme than Full of hell (but it's quite different so you can't really compare) and adding with good effect another element to Merzbow, creating something even more powerfull. 

The BC page for first  CD (Full of hell dominated)

The BC page for second CD (Merzbow dominated)

Impetuous ritual - Unholy congregation of hypocritical ambivalence (2014)

Impetuous ritual is an australian death / black metal band sharing members with Portal and Grave upheaval. it has also in common with these bands an occult atmosphere and a very lo-fi, murky and suffocating sound. the brutal drumming and the crazy guitar leads sometimes offer a more direct attack, but still with a very "evil" feel, reminding the dangerous vibe of a band like Arkhon infaustus. and on their second album (release by Porfound lore) Unholy congregation of hypocritical ambivalence those faster and wilder parts are my favourite, the slower more ambiant ones being sometimes a bit too monotonous. I'd say it shares with their first album thes same evident qualities but aslo drawbacks. still a very good album, especially if you like your death metal with a somber "evil" feel.

the BC page.

The Coffinworm interview

Coffinworm released in march IV.I.VIII which I consider one of the best album of the year (read my review HERE) and if you're into heavy and sinister stuff you have to give a try at this doom / death masterpiece.  so i sent them a few questions to learn more about it, and am pleased to be able to present you this interview :

-Can you present quickly Coffinworm, what was the project at the start and how it evolved?


We formed in 2007 after our now ex-guitarist, Tony McGuire, and I had talked about doing a project together. He was playing with Dave and Todd in Black Arrows of Filth & Impurity at the time. I had been playing guitar in a band called Salvation with Garrett and that band was ending. We got together to discuss what we wanted to do as far as musical direction and had our first practice for what would become Coffinworm a week or two later.

-I think your new album really take your music to a higher level, and especially it sounds really personal and different, do you also feel it that way?

Thank you. I agree, we had a lot of time, change, and personal things happen between the time that we recorded ‘When All Became None’ in December of 2009 and when we entered the studio in September of 2013 to record ‘IV.I.VIII’ — I think we all changed quite a bit as people and our music evolved. The biggest triumph to me about the new album is that I feel like it doesn’t sound like any other band in particular and we were able to capture something unique. I’m very proud of what we accomplished in writing those songs and how the record came out.

-I'd say the songs have at the same time some powerful grooves and also develops some creepy atmospheres, with a very "evil" vibe. Was it something you had in mind when you wrote and recorded it?

Definitely. We've always tried to strike a balance between locking into that slow/mid-tempo groove and keeping the dynamics (somewhat) varied so the songs breathe and are more interesting. The main objective when we’re writing music is not to stay within a prescribed set of parameters while always retaining the essence of ‘our sound’.

-Do you see Coffinworm as a death metal band (old school death metal) or more as a very dark doom band, or as a combination of the two?

We're rooted in doom, but have always pulled elements from other genres that we like into our music. I usually refer to us as a "metal" band for that reason. Classification's not necessary, either it hits you and you like it or you don't. Genre tags and fitting into a ‘scene’ have never been important to me personally.


-Which subjects are you dealing with in the lyrics of the songs?

Generally speaking, the lyrics are open for interpretation to the listener. Dave writes from a personal perspective, the basis of his lyrics being rooted in real life with lots of wordplay and black humor. He’s always said he wishes the lyrics to be a dialogue.


-How did you get into extreme music? Which bands were more influential for you, either for the music or for other things?


For me it was a natural progression from some of the traditional metal bands I was exposed to when I was younger. My extreme metal conversion moment was finding a copy of Entombed's "Clandestine" album on cassette at a pawnshop near my house when I was 12 years old. I was hooked after that. On the extreme side, definitely Entombed, but Black Sabbath have always been the masters as far as metal music. I started getting into a lot of punk music around that time as well.


-Which bands from your area would you recommend?

Black Goat of the Woods, Wretch (a new band Karl from The Gates of Slumber has going), Sacred Leather, Conjurer, Apostle of Solitude, Boddicker. I’m also playing in another band called Kvlthammer.


-What is planned for Coffinworm in the coming months, touring and writing songs I suppose? Do you already have some ideas for the next record?

Nothing planned currently in the way of touring. We’ll be doing a record release show in the next few months when the vinyl for ‘IV.I.VIII’ is released on Flenser Records. It’s too early to say regarding the next record.


-Which evolution would you like to see for underground music in the future?

Hard to say. I’d like to see more honesty happening with whatever the next evolution is in underground music. There are always some good bands and a lot more shitty ones making music at any given time. I’m sure someone will resurrect another style that’s already been done and the cycle will continue. I’ll stick to wading through to find the few modern gems and keep listening to old favorites.


-Something to add?


Thanks for the interview, Dennis! Cheers!

Lord Mantis - Death mask (2014)

Death mask is the third full lenght from Chicago's "death sludge" dealers Lord Mantis. i'd been impressed by their previous album Pervertor and am pleased to say that Death mask is of the same caliber. sounds completely filthy and drenched in pain. it features some old school death metal elements but we could say that overall it's sludge (heavy and slow parts, noisy and dirty guitar sound), but a very black sludge, closer to death metal than to punk hardcore, with even some "industrial" elements (for exemple some effects on the vocals reinforcing their inhuman sound) adding to the cold and bleak atmosphere. add to that the very strong songwriting, with well crafted epic moments and some few but good nasty melodies, and you have another excellent piece of sludgy death audio nihilism from Lord Mantis. highly recommended!

listen to Death mask on Profound lore Bandcamp.

Coffinworm - IV.I.VIII (2014)

Coffinworm, from Indianapolis, did a good start with Great bringer of night / When all become none but they are doing better with this second album called IV.I.VIII (released by the excellet Profound lore records). some say they are are "blackened doom" but it could also be described as old school death metal with a slow pace even bordering funeral doom at times. anyway it's slow, dark and filthy. this new album is a bit less raw but more subtle than what they did before. and that way they are better at capturing your attention and building an hypnotic atmosphere with all the insidious grooves (helped by some excellent and very personnal drumming) and creepy melodies that fills the songs.
insidious and creepy, that's it! a very strong album!

the BC page.

Subrosa - More constant than the gods (2013)

Subrosa's previous album was one of my favourite release in 2011 (read HERE my review, going with an interview I did with one of their singer/guitarist) and More constant than the gods is already one of my favourite album released this year (on Profound lore records again). their special brand of metal, with heavy guitars, mid tempo epic doom songs, but also two electric violins and female vocals (clean and raw) is still extremely powerfull, but their sucess does not rely on the uniqueness of this combination, the new album follow the path of the previous one so i'm not surprised anymore by it's specificity. no, the key to the excellence of Subrosa is not their unique formula, it's just how extremely well crafted the songs are. excellent songwriting and excellent delivery, that's it. each one of the six long songs on the album develops a strong atmosphere, very emotionally charged (the excellent vocals helps!) and vibrant, with fascinating epic crescendo and climaxes. it's really heavy, and at the same time the melodies and the vocals lines stays in your head and grips you by the gut. as classy as it's cover art. it's different, but it's a classic.
 heavy metal at its best.

their Bandcamp.

Altar of plagues - Teethed glory and injury (2013)

Altar of plagues were an atmospheric black metal that had something special. now with Teethed glory and injury they went a step further from black metal and are even more special. this new gem in the Profound lore catalog see the band adding more "alien" sounds in their black metal with slight industrial / electronic elements, while the progressive / post nature of the songwriting gets even more developped. the album really gains from this diversity and the more agressive parts (there is still blast beats and black metal vocals in their music) and more ambient ones enhance each other while they embarks you in their constant dialogue.

you can listen to one of the song in the Profound lore page for the band.

Antediluvian-λόγος (2013)

Through the cervix of Hawaah, Antediluvian's previous full lenght was one of the best death metal record released in 2011. their split with Adversarial was also of high quality so expectaions were high for their new album called λόγος (its in greek but I dont know what does it means..). The good thing is that the canadians didn't rest on their laurels and made their music evolve. it's now even more dissonant and creepy, a bit like a death metal Blut aus nord, more loose, atmospheric and sometimes a bit doomy. the writing of songs is a bit lost on the way but it's interesting. maybe Through the cervix of Hawaah was better but maybe this one will work as a necessery transition album and if they manage to find a songwriting more focused while keeping the weird disturbing and almost "free" vibe they created in λόγος they could give birth to a new terrific kind of extreme music. one way or another their future stuff should be an interesting listen.

their BC page (but the new album is not in it..).

Ash borer-Cold of ages (2012)

I saw many positive comments about this band, Ash borer, and record, cold of ages, so I decided to try it. the fact that it's been released by Profound lore was also a hint of somehing good. I can only agree with all the positive comments about it. It is indeed a really good record. what it sound like? black metal with post-whatever elements. four long songs filled with good dark melodies and dissonant riffing, with a good balance between ambient / atmospheric moments and blasts beats with black metal riffing. they may come from California it nonetheless makes a good record for dark and cold winter times.


here's their blog