(We have another monthly collection of reviews and enthusiastic recommendations from Daniel Barkasi. This one dials in six albums released in August 2026.)
When I titled this column, it can be taken as a literal statement for me – we’ve got three dogs, after all – but it’s generally a reference to the hottest period of the summer, which ends in August. I’m used to melting in this month, but the transition to this time of year in the mountains is a stark contrast to that of the Florida soup that we’re used to.
Here, the weather has been absolutely gorgeous, with our former geographical locale still being a humid swamp. We’ve made sure to literally touch grass more often to make sure to enjoy it while it lasts. Watching our young foal Ezri growing every day has been the highlight of recent times for the wife and I.
Now, is this trade-off worthwhile for dealing with the icy, snowy winters – absolutely fucking not. Ice is for hockey, not for chopping and shoveling to get out of the house. But, hey, even my pessimistic self needs to look at the bright side sometimes! I just need to get Ezri a coat soon.
The moniker of “Dog Days” can also be utilized in reference to the general slowdown of releases that tends to happen every August. True, it’s been a slower month. Collectively, however, plenty of good stuff has been dug up at NCS, highlighted for yours truly with the new Hulder album that thankfully alleviated all fears of a regression, along with Fen’s latest opus that won’t be leaving my brain anytime soon.
Classic metal fans should absolutely check out Ironflame’s latest Worlds to Conquer for a good time, while Abyssal Rift put together a solid offering of death/doom. Death. Void. Terror. took home the prize for the wholly odd and intriguing with their To the Great Monolith 2.5 EP (stay turned for To the Great Monolith III: Rifts to follow quickly on September 25). For death metal, Gravecrawler, Invocation Ritual and especially Azatoth had a lot to say, whereas black metal gave us sneakily excellent efforts from Cvinger and Hesperia (dig the delightfully cheesy old school cover).
As for what six prizes we have for you here, we’ve dug deep and found a few black metal records from under the surface that you may not have come across, a throwback death metal act (or two, sort of) that’s incredibly addictive, and a few other surprises. You know you have to read on.
Hudoba – Priče iz crnine
Release Date: August 1, 2026
Debutant Hudoba is up first, and they are that in every sense of the word. Priče iz crnine (loosely translating to English as ‘Stories from the Dark’) is their first-ever release, and the Croatian foursome are cooking up some black/death whose theme references, from the band, “local folklore and historic events from Republic of Ragusa.” Beyond that, their music packs a hefty punch while being altogether seasoned beyond their active years, of which we’ve kept going back to all month long.
These fellows infuse just the right dosage of melody amongst the punishing rhythms of guitarist M.G., and the powerful roars of vocalist and lead axeman I.K. Hudoba waste not a second via the blitz that is “Krvav Kamen” to show the honed foundational attributes that the collective group have at their disposal.
Moving quickly with entries such as “Vječna Opsada” keeps engagement high, boasting a wicked combination of aggression and melodic black metal seasoning, with the vocals adding an unhinged, untamable edge. “Bilo Jednom u Grobu” stands as one of the more dynamic songs on the album, diving and weaving all over while blasting away with a slick, melodious aesthetic by way of varied lead guitar work that’s technically sound, and most importantly, serves the song incredibly well.
“U Palači Plača” modifies the pace, embracing a mid-tempo bludgeoning to show off another side of Hudoba. Closer “Lazaret” leaves a satisfying taste in the listener’s palate, dishing out sturdy riffs and swirling guitars that blend seamlessly. Again, emphasis must be given in that all is written with the song’s benefit in mind throughout, and it’s especially apparent in this closing stretch.
Hudoba has assembled quite the potent first foray that has quite a bit to offer for seekers of nuanced, strong black metal. For their next effort, doubling down on their nastier side would suit them, as that would drive the point home ever further. That said, Priče iz crnine is a hell of an introduction that went under even the most sophisticated of radars.
Spectr3 – A Procession of the Dead
Release Date: August 7, 2026
Black metal that effectively transports to a bygone era yet isn’t replicating or relying on nostalgia can be a difficult needle to thread, but Barcelona’s Spectr3 are a rare breed that do so exceptionally well. A Grim Menace from Beyond was a fine first full-length, and it’s been around eight years since, and truth be told, hearing of their imminent next album A Procession of the Dead was quite the pleasant surprise. The fact that they’re coming out on the resurgent Solistitium Records sets the bar even higher, and to their credit, they met and exceeded all preconceived notions.
What’s especially attractive about Spectr3’s music not only lies in their writing and production definitively existing within black metal’s second wave, but also a hair of a punk spirit. Add in a keen sense of invoking a creepy, horror-soundtrack-worthy atmosphere, and you have a multitude of layers to unearth.
From the get-go, “Torax” sets an eerie tone with the rattling of chains and chiming of ominous bells preceding a flurry of icy tremolos and shredding screams. The aura is as spellbinding as it is aggressively forward, cohesive and intentionally minimalistic, letting the strong songwriting and electric performances do the talking.
A robust, catchy groove presents itself prominently on pieces such as “Phantom Drummer of Tedworth” and “Blood Rituals in the House of the Dead” that sticks in one’s brain. Guitarist Gangreal knows how to lay down a punchy rhythm, whereas vocalist Lilith’s wails are the perfect complement to the consistently haunting vibe that presides over the album. Conversely, “A Forest in Hell” blazes by with a flash, choosing a rapid pace without frills that never once holds back, offering a slyly differing perspective.
Tracks like “A Procession of the Dead” cultivate a fear-inducing trance between imposing guitar passages, with subtle keyboards and hypnotic female clean voicings (assuming these are also performed by Lilith) that add an unpredictability which goes a distance toward Spectr3 sharply standing out amongst their peers, aiming to walk their own dark path, much to the delight of these ears.
“Saducismus Triumphatus” uses the background keys to a similar effect, itself being equally catchy but a wholly distinctive lurking beast, and finale “Goddesses of Vengeance” leaves in a visceral, nightmarish fashion that’s difficult to purge from the subconscious.
It’s true that A Procession of the Dead offers plenty of individual cuts that stand tall on their own merit, but as the best albums do, they all work on a higher plane as parts of the whole to form a confounding combined entity.
As an aside, Barcelona’s underground scene has a special place in this fellow’s brain, as we caught a show there on a whim in 2023 when visiting that ironically involved Spectr3 vocalist Liltih’s other band Körgull the Exterminator, along with Condenados (whose vocalist we spoke with at a local record shop when we saw the poster for the show – great dude), Ered, and a few others. It’s a small metal world after all, and this record brought back that really cool memory.
Coming back to the subject, Spectr3 is a band who get it, having crafted a frightful, infectious slab of black metal that reveals more details with repeat listens, and we’ve listened plenty. A Procession of the Dead should get plenty of ears, and hopefully a further well-earned standing in the overall black metal lexicon.
Horrifier – Revelations of Gore
Release Date: August 7, 2026
Note that the release date for this is debatable (some have digital on July 31), but Personal Records put this out on August 7, so we’re going to go with that. Regardless, if you dig the raw tenacity and endless riffs of Necrophagia (RIP Killjoy) with a blackened twist like Nunslaughter, Horrifier is a band for you. The Norwegians are out to maim all who come near with their second album Revelations of Gore – an album that is indeed bound to be a revelation to the familiar and the uninitiated.
Horrifier sling unabashedly direct, ’80s era gory death metal with chunky riffs to spare. While true that there’s plenty of death metal out there in the saturated market that attempts this sound and is completely forgettable at best, there are thankfully bands like Horrifier who possess the ability to pen interesting songs within a dreadful, dank atmosphere that fits the music like a bloody knife (according to the fitting cover art). As soon as the depravity that is “Compelled to Slaughter” takes hold, the listener knows exactly what they’re in for, and there’s no turning around.
Raunchy slices with titles such as “Human Butchery” and “Body Hoarder” tear and rend with merciless savagery, but beyond that aesthetic, there’s a precision present that’s certainly no accident. Horrifier’s music is well-calculated and finely executed, elevating them beyond the troves of unoriginal copycats. We defy you to not nod your head to the captivating gallop of “The Ingestion” and the ripping, pacy “Morbid Lust.” The grip is inescapable, isn’t it?
Utilizing those technical chops almost feel second nature – those leads on “The Final Oblation” will tear through granite – and they harness them in the best way; to beat the ever loving hell out of your hapless eardrums. Guitarists Sander Halvorsen and Adrian Risøy make a formidable tandem, while Risøy also does double-duty by also knocking the vocals out of the park. Disgusting and coarse, his growl is a tried-and-true tone without being stale or too referential to death metal’s originators. The bass isn’t buried, either, and Erik Thomassen’s low end is a joy to behold throughout, pairing well with the pace-setting drumming of Andreas Langås.
There are many times when one simply wants a great burger that gets all of the important aspects exactly right. Horrifier does this in the death metal realm better than most, delivering on all of the meaty bits with Revelations of Gore, an album that you’ll want seconds, thirds, and even fourths of, if you have the capacity for it. Consider our cravings satiated.
Gleichmacher – Exil
Release Date: August 14, 2026
On to our other black metal addition that’s absurdly sneaking by without enough fanfare in Gleichmacher, a German outfit who are out to provide seething black metal with a smidgeon of flair and a whole lot of rampaging hostility. We recently stumbled upon their first album, 2022’s Kränkung, Fall, Verderben, and noticed that the follow-up was due a few weeks later. Impeccable timing, or perhaps a hefty dose of luck ultimately led us to Exil, and we’ll gladly share in that good fortune.
Gleichmacher go for the jugular with relentless pursuit from the outset; “Opfer Ains” reduces all in the vicinity to rubble via a wall of guitars that’ll overwhelm while also offering the exact right measurement of morose melodicism to keep their music impressively balanced. The title track follows and drives the momentum to a fever pitch – cutting and uncontrollably violent. A smidgeon of Aversio Humanitatis exists in their general approach, but also less of a bulldozer and not as dense of a soundscape.
The sort of muscular and crushing tone that Gleichmacher establishes can be difficult to maintain as an album moves forward, but we’re in luck with Exil, as a microcosm of easing the accelerator isn’t in the blueprint during the 36 minutes and change runtime. Some albums of this breed can be a challenging experience, but the right amount of air is present so as to not wear one down early.
The two-part “Epopteia” represents the most creative and altogether fulfilling work on offer, with “Die Eingeweihten” giving off the feeling of unavoidable doom as the track twists and brutalizes, whereas “Knochenmonument” flattens whatever is left with gusto by way of vicious guitar work and an explosive percussive display from L.P. Every piece of their unyielding sonic expression exists in vicious harmony, pounding one into fine particulate in a fashion that will always appeal to this observer.
To put it in layman’s terms, Gleichmacher provides the sort of black metal that leaves the listener beaten into a pulp, yet left smirking back at their audible tormentor with whatever teeth remain. Exil takes no prisoners, as evidenced by the mangled remnants of destruction laid all around them. Enjoy your annihilation, as Gleichmacher is more than happy to oblige.
Atomic Aggressor – The Occult Forces
Release Date: August 28, 2026
We spoke of a newer band in Horrifier who play old school death metal the right way, and now the next album to dive into is a similar ilk from an act who formed in the mid-’80s in Atomic Aggressor. The Chileans dropped a few influential demos in the late ’80s/early ’90s and then dissolved, only to re-form in 2008 and drop their first album six years later in Sights of Suffering. It took another twelve years, but they’ve arrived with their next chapter in The Occult Forces.
It’s quite a shame we haven’t gotten more output from Atomic Aggressor, who come across as the result of Morbid Angel meeting Possessed for a bender and churning out gritty, vigorous death metal with a blackened edge that scratches a festering itch. They double down on those fundamentals on The Occult Forces, showing they’ve got plenty in the tank, and while it’s taken some time, the wait has indeed been worthwhile.
“Souls Degradation” sums it up well – moving at speeds of fast, faster, and ludicrously fast, foaming at the mouth with fiery angst and riffs splattered all over the place. The top aspect with this song and album is how much fun it is. This is the sort of middle-finger-extended, thick, abrasive music that brings you back to the off-the-rails pits and bloody faces of the infamously rowdy Tampa scene that holds a special spot in yours truly’s memory.
There’s plenty of thrashiness embedded in their affront – “Forms from the Occult” mixes blistering thrash guitar work and trajectory with thumping mid-tempo death metal goodness, where “Dwellers of the Unknown” overflows with enough moxie and brutality to leave quite an aching case of wrecked neck.
Long-standing guitarist Enrique Zúñiga brings these elements all to life; a phenomenal player and a factory of endless frenzied guitar riffs, licks, and solos that stand as the band’s hallmark. Not to sell short his partner-in-strings Julio Bórquez, who compliments Zúñiga to complete Atomic Aggressor’s hefty attack. This chemistry makes every track flow decisively, with all constructed to provide maximum impact and destruction.
Vocalist/bassist Alejandro Díaz utilizes a bark that reminds of Gateways to Annihilation–era David Vincent, which is about the highest praise we can bestow, though of course with his own natural inflections. “The Chalice of Despair” and “As I Descend” stick out as notable examples of his range and guttural power. Lest we forget the octopus behind the kit, A. Arkmar emits so much energy and weight behind his movements that there’s almost a sliver of pity for his drumheads.
The result of all this is a record that’s tighter than anything they’ve created before, with enough creative juices and ingrained sense of how to write thrashy death metal to make a profound statement of intent. If you want an injection of that aforementioned historical time and place while severing every proverbial limb, you’d be a fool to pass on The Occult Forces. That’s what’s needed out of this style, and after taking in this comprehensive drubbing a few times, a body cast may be in order. Atomic Aggressor isn’t splitting atoms, but they’re sure as hell splitting skulls.
Ninth Realm – Damnation’s Veil
Release Date: August 28, 2026
Truth be told, Transcending Obscurity doesn’t typically dabble in thrash, but if Ninth Realm is any indication of what they’ve been able to find, maybe they should more often. The viewpoint of thrash’s struggles to captivate as much as it should is one this guy has harped on plenty. Damnation’s Veil shreds a different tune and shows that the good stuff is out there, and these Maryland natives know how to throw down.
Ninth Realm play a melding of crossover thrash with buckets full of fire in their bellies, with a helping of death metal for the right mixture of heaviness and attitude. This isn’t by-the-numbers death/thrash, however, as they definitely lean into some Power Trip sort of influences as much or more than the obvious crunchy, Bolt Thrower-esque notions.
According to the press materials, the band was started by drummer Joey Burke and guitarist Liam McMahon while attending the University of Maryland (my wife’s alma mater), and they’ve exploded onto the scene since. Damnation’s Veil is undoubtedly their most explosive and dialed-in release thus far, and they don’t take long to unsheath their sharpened sword and hack one to pieces. After an intro for ambience, the title track builds from a nifty lead to build the tension, all before busting out of the gate with purpose. Ninth Realm are blindingly quick and just as hard-hitting, all encompassed with that edge that makes them all the more alluring.
“Cohorts of the Abyss” wails away with swagger, oozing confidence as vocalist Ben Hageage emits his singular bark as the breakneck guitar segments rattle with emphatic bombast. The death metal side peeks its rotting head more dominantly on entries such as “Imbued in Hellfire” and “Vengeance Unto Rot”; both focus on thicker rhythms to unleash their fury as contrasted with adrenaline-filled songs like “Rituals in Thar’amath.” There’s even a bit of a British heavy metal feel on “Wyrd of Strideborne” that offers a slightly differing purview, though still beating with a thrash heart.
When thinking collectively about this month’s picks, there’s a whole lot of lively music that graced our ears, and we have to say that Ninth Realm ranks so far as one of the most entertaining, satisfyingly biting albums to hold our attention in 2026. This is the kind of music that (almost) would convince me to come out of mosh retirement. While these aging bones aren’t up for that sort of physical barbarity these days, songs that can conjure that kind of feeling are to be treasured for the pulsating burst of rage that they are. Ninth Realm is onto something with Damnation’s Veil, harnessing expert fidelity for raucous thrash resolve and an obvious passion that’s quite the intoxicating elixir.
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