Bütcher - On Fowl Of Tyrant Wing (2024)

On Fowl Of Tyrant Wing, like Bütcher previous album, is a fine piece of old school speed/black/thrash heavy metal. With a first half of the album more focused speed and aggression, and a second half, the last three songs, being longer epic songs channeling a nice Bathory vibe. Suitably released by Osmose Productions. Recommended!

 

The BC page.

 

 

Midnight - Hellish Expectations (2024)

The world seems determined to turn into a vile pool of shit, but at least we still can rely on Midnight to get our regular dose of speed, thrashing dbeating, traditional metal, or maybe we could call it blackened speed metal, you get the idea. Their sixth album is Hellish Expectations and we indeed get the hell we expected. And's when it's fun hell coming from Midnight it's great!

 

The BC page.

 

Systemik Viølence - Negative Mangel Attitude (2023)

Great to have Systemik Viølence back! They deliver their second album, Negative Mangel Attitude, after five years of discographic silence, and they're sharp as ever! Raw and fast D-beat with elements of speed/thrash metal, and they make the best of this cool mix. Think Discharge, Venom, Midnight and Impaled Nazarene. Excellent stuff!

The BC page.

 

 

Seax - Speed Infermo (2022)

This fifth album from Seax, called Speed Inferno is, guess what, pure speed metal. Excellent speed metal. Fast riffing and soloing, relentless drumming and high-pitched screams. In a vein similar to the first Metallica album or more recently the excellent Belgian band Evil Invaders. If you're into that kind of stuff you sure will enjoy it. I definitely do!

The BC page.

 

DRAIN - LIVING PROOF (2023)

Maybe their first album, the ridiculously good  "California cursed" was even better than the new one LIVING PROOF, but I'm happy anyway to hear again from DRAIN, back with another nice slice of their Madball meets Pantera crossover. Even the trap featuring is good, as well as the super infectiously catchy Descendents cover "Good Good Things". Hard, cool, and recommended!

 

The BC page.

Ranger - Yl​ö​s raunioista / Risen From The Ruins (2022)

 

Yl​ö​s raunioista / Risen From The Ruins is the third album from speed metal duo from Finland, Ranger. 16 songs, but it's two versions of the same 8 ones, first in Finnish, then in English. Why not? But what matters most is that it's excellent speed metal, with a big Slayer vibe but also more heavy/speed elements. Somewhere between Reign in blood, Kill'em All and Painkiller. Among more recent bands, they could be compared to the also awesome Evil Invaders. Fast and aggressive as it should be, but also catchy just enough. Recommended for everyone, especially if you're into old-school metal.

The BC page.

 

Revenge - Venomous Vengeance (2022)

As you can guess this Revenge is not the War/black metal Revenge, nor the hardcore one. They play traditional heavy/speed metal, are from Columbia, and for the 20th anniversary of the band they released this album called Venomous Vengeance. There is a Iron Maiden / Judas Priest element, but I'd say the biggest influence would be early Metallica (Kill & Ride, mostly the first one). Fast, thrashy and aggressive heavy/speed. Very well crafted and enjoyable.

The Bandcamp page.

 

Voivod - Synchro Anarchy (2022)

I don't know Voivod enough to say precisely how their new albums Synchro Anarchy differs from their previous works, but I can tell you it is another fine piece of their weird and futuristic progressive thrash metal, full of memorable songs. It's a pleasure to listen to such a unique band keeping on crafting strong and interesting music.

 

Their website.

Triage - Triage (2020)

Triage is a band with three guys from Kill The Client : vocalist Champ Morgan, bassist/guitarist Chris Richardson and Bryan Fajardo on the drums. They make a good mix of crossover trash, old school death metal and grind. We could say it sound somewhere between Napalm Death and Bolt Thrower. Old school pleasure!

The BC page.

Scorched - Ecliptic Butchery (2018)

Second release this year (Here's my review of their first) but first album for Scorched. Ecliptic Butchery is confirming how good they are for doing the old school death metal thing (with a strong slayeresque trashy feel). If you're in need of blast beats, sick solos, and headbanging inducing putrid riffing look no further. Really cool album.

The BC page.

Mammoth Grinder - Cosmic Crypt (2018)

If you're in need of your dose of old school metal/punk then Mammoth Grinder's Cosmic Crypt is exactly what you need. The trio with two Iron Reagan and a Power Trip delivers what sounds very very close to a mix of Entombed, Slayer and Discharge. If you like those bands you'll like Cosmic Crypt because Mammoth Grinde ris really good at playing this mix and they crafted a very well done and enjoyable album. They keep it short, straight to the point and pertfectly efficient, with no dull moments.

The BC page.

Gouge - Beyond Death (2015)

If you like old school death metal and thrash metal this one is not to be missed. Gouge is a Norwegian band playing some thrash / death that sounds like when thrash was turning into death metal. So it's between early death metal (like stuff from Paul Speckman for exemple) and early Slayer (Reign in Blood) or even early Sepultura as well. Fast, raw, death metal vocals, some blast beats and an aggressive thrash metal vibe. All that makes their album, Beyond Death, released last year on Hells Headbanger, a very enjoyable album, especially if you're fond of the early extreme metal era it evokes (I am!).


The Bandcamp page.