MORK: “MONOLITT”

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Jun 182026
 

(This is Daniel Barkasi’s review of a new album by the Norwegian black metal band Mork, which will be released by Peaceville Records on June 19th.)

If you don’t evolve, you can get left behind. As humans, we learn and grow as we traverse this wild journey called life. It can be similar for music, especially for bands who have been around for quite a bit of time. Norway’s Mork is a poignant example of this principle. The solo endeavor of one Thomas Eriksen, Mork has been an active project since 2004, coming forward with a debut full-length in 2013 with Isebakke. An album that was born from the influence of early ’90s second wave black metal, with classic Darkthrone being the most obvious of reflections.

Since then, Eriksen has been consistent with his productivity, releasing a total of seven albums to date under the Mork banner, while also dropping a record with his newer side quest, the blunt and direct Udåd. The progression of Mork has been a fascinating one, leaning into experimentation and spreading his proverbial wings in later efforts, beginning with Det svarte juv and taking off from that point in 2019. Retaining the tried-and-true black metal elements, but also expanding the amount of sonic directions, the distinctly personal and memorable Dypet was a true tentpole moment, taking Mork into even fresher waters. Further risks within follow-up Syv also paid off, with it being as equally distinct as Dypet, leaning much deeper into the folk characteristics than the aforementioned predecessor.

Now with Monolitt, as with all of Mork’s releases at this point, we expect the undertone of the early second wave to be present to some degree, but also don’t know what ideas will pour out of Eriksen this time around. As it turns out, the abrasiveness has been turned up more than a few ticks, and the guitars are increasingly riff-oriented, giving a bushel of earworms that perhaps make this the most balanced and irate effort to date. Continue reading »

AN NCS ALBUM PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): WARTHRASH — “NO LIGHT SHALL REMAIN”

 Album Reviews, Premieres  No Responses »
Jun 172026
 

(written by Islander)

Metal fans who aren’t familiar with the Colombian band Warthrash should be forgiven for assuming their music is straight thrash. The pointer is right there in their name, shining like a beacon on an ocean cliff. But although this band from Medellín did sink their early roots in the traditions of thrash when they started more than 20 years ago, their music has evolved in more diverse directions. Newcomers might even get a powerful sense of that by gazing upon the dark and daunting artwork by Felipe Mora that shrouds their latest album.

That album, aptly titled No Light Shall Remain, will be released on June 19th by the band’s new label, the respected Awakening Records. It’s a great display of how varied the songwriting of Warthrash has become over time, and how powerfully their performances translate those varied interests into cohesive songs.

We’re very happy to bring you a full stream of the album today, preceded (of course!) by some of our own thoughts about what they’ve accomplished. Continue reading »

BEST OF BRITISH: SCORDATURA / TEMPLE GUARD / URZAH

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Jun 172026
 

(Andy Synn has three more prime cuts of British beef to share with you today)

Look, I know I’ve titled this series of columns the “Best of British”, but I’ll admit that that’s not always the case… sometimes the artists/albums I feature here are just “good”, rather than “great”, and it’s more about me just wanting to write about them, and get you to listen to them, rather than literally claiming they’re the “best”.

Today, however, I really do have three excellent example of the “Best of British” for you, courtesy of Scordatura (Death Metal), Temple Guard (Metallic Hardcore), and Urzah (Post-Metal).

Continue reading »

OBSCURITIES – VOLUME XXVIII: FLYING HIGH

 Album Reviews  1 Response »
Jun 172026
 

(Today we present another monthly collection of reviews by Daniel Barkasi, who focuses his attention this time on albums released during May 2026.)

I began writing this reflecting on what was another incredible edition of Maryland Deathfest and preparing for my flight over the pond to attend and cover the mighty Fortress Festival. Well, with the time needed to complete my extensive overview, we’re finally getting back to this column. Apologies for the delay, but between that and getting my general existence sorted post-Fortress mayhem, this unfortunately got pushed to the back burner. But hey, better late than never, and we’ve got some records you won’t want to sleep on.

I also have to give a shout out to the wife, as Monday, May 25th, was our tenth wedding anniversary. Thanks for being the best and dealing with my oddball self. Time flies far too quickly, and each moment is a cherished one.

To add to personal instances, we mentioned our pregnant horse Naru was due any day. Well, during the Maryland Deathfest weekend, she gave birth to her first foal, a wonderful grulla filly who we just named Ezri. Mom and the little one are healthy as can be, doing great, and thriving at home. Life can be pretty awe-inspiring sometimes, and this is one of those moments. Excited to see this little one grow up. Continue reading »

YOU’RE NOT HARDCORE (UNLESS YOU LIVE HARDCORE)

 Album Reviews  3 Responses »
Jun 152026
 

(Andy Synn highlights his history with Hardcore, along with three recently-released gems)

I’ve mentioned it in passing before, I’m sure, but I don’t think I’ve ever really gone into how important Hardcore was as part of my formative years as a music fan (and still is to this day).

Like most of us, I’d imagine, my early forays into forming my own music taste were somewhat scattered and inconsistent, and it wasn’t until a friend of mine at the time (whose name I’ve long since forgotten) lent me a CD of various Metal and Hardcore acts, introducing me to bands like Earth Crisis, Zao, and Vision of Disorder – then a little later the likes of Shai Hulud, Ringworm, All Out War (all three of which I was lucky enough to get to see live again last year) – that I truly began to develop a sense of what I really liked (and didn’t).

It wasn’t just that these bands were loud, aggressive, and filled with the sort of energy that I needed back then (and still do now) it was the way they weren’t afraid to wear their ideals and beliefs loudly and proudly… standing for something as part of an actual counter-culture that prioritised things like collective resistance and communal action, rather than simply being against whatever the current “thing” was… that made me feel like this was music with more substance, more meaning, than what the mainstream charts at the time were full of.

And while my personal experiences with the wider “scene” weren’t quite so positive – the increasing presence of insular cliques and “crews” (with their mean-girls style “you’re not tough/cool enough to sit with us” vibes) and the growing emphasis on “conformity” over “community” (especially when it came to judging the worthiness of someone’s “mosh style”) meant I once again found myself as an outsider amongst outsiders – I’m happy to see that there are still bands (and fans) out there fighting the good fight and standing up for what they believe in (and making some kick-ass music at the same time).

The reason I’m saying all this is because while I still love Hardcore, I don’t necessarily live Hardcore (and if you don’t know what that’s a reference to feel free to ask your parents)… but that’s not going to stop me from highlighting as many bands as possible from across the ‘core spectrum (whether that’s Hardcore, Metalcore, Post-Hardcore, Screamo, Mathcore, etc) that I think our readers should hear.

Continue reading »

SHADES OF BLACK: EMPTINESS, FÖGBÖTLER, CAGED BASTARD, MILLIONS OF THEM, WOLFZAHN, MERRIMACK

 Album Reviews, SHADES OF BLACK, SHORT BUT SWEET  3 Responses »
Jun 142026
 

(written by Islander)

After yesterday’s big trough of music for gluttonous souls, I wasn’t sure what to do with this column today. I easily could have rewarded gluttony again. The platter of new black(ish) metal songs and complete releases that’s in front of me is so loaded it makes the trenchers groan. Given the obsessive nature of my mind, I felt compelled to put as much of it before you as I could manage.

But I didn’t. After nearly a week away, my spouse has returned home, and although she’s still sleeping as I write this, I’d like to be “present” whenever she wakes up. So I’ve cut this collection short (or at least shorter than what my obsessive mental gremlins were clamoring for), although this group includes a pair of EPs in addition to “singles”, so that might make the total duration of the music here longer than yesterday’s collection.

I’ve also again resorted to some of the short-cuts I used yesterday (almost no cover art, release info that looks like an inventory list, not quite as many of my own words). I don’t really want to resort to those short-cuts every weekend, but this weekend it had some relaxing benefits.

Enough introductory babble, here’s what I picked to recommend today. Continue reading »

AN NCS EP PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): CRIPPLE BASTARDS — “LA TUA FOTO SUL MARMO”

 Album Reviews, Premieres, SHORT BUT SWEET  No Responses »
Jun 112026
 

(written by Islander)

It’s not valid to summarize the attractions of extreme metal in a word or two. The experiences are too varied. At one end, it can feel like the oppressive pressure of the ocean in the deepest trenches. It can also be mysterious and mesmerizing, or profoundly spiritual. But perhaps the greatest attraction derives from its explosive intensity, its raging nature, the furious violence it’s capable of channeling. And in those aspects it’s probably true that no sub-genre captures the heat or provides that kind of catharsis better than grindcore.

I have friends for whom grind is their meat and potatoes, the rushing red blood of what they listen to. I have other friends that barely have any use for it. Not enough hooks, not enough changes, not enough atmosphere, not enough groove to propel the banging of heads, the songs not long enough to sink in. I’m still going to urge those friends (and you) to hear what we’re premiering today, for reasons I’m about to explain.

What you have in front of you is La tua foto sul marmo, a new EP from Cripple Bastards that’s set for release on June 12th – tomorrow! – by F.O.A.D. Records. Continue reading »

ASYLUM TX: “CULTUS INOXIA”

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Jun 112026
 

(This is DGR’s review of the latest album from a Fort Worth band who now call themselves Asylum TX.)

Texas-based tech-death group Asylum – now operating under the name Asylum TX – are a band we’ve been following for some time now, iInitially as a group that showed a surprising amount of promise from seemingly out of nowhere in the death metal world, but then afterward because the group’s music kept making strange twists and turns.

Where Asylum TX were looking to take their music was not something we would have expected or guessed. 2021’s Sharpen, for instance, is a lengthy album that treads the line between tech-death and something more amateurishly explorative of various forms of hallucinogens. It was an hour-plus worth of music that felt like a group of stellar musicians who had fallen into a weird Alex Grey by way of Tool rabbit hole and then taking the wildest swing at making a death metal album about it. Prior EPs and their 2017 album Psalms Of Paralysis had been more straightforward in that regard, as Asylum bore the marks of more than one Cattle Decapitation-influenced twist on their sound.

Five years removed from Sharpen, however, and Asylum – again, wearing a new visage as Asylum TX – once again sound as if they’re a completely different band who’ve come up with something far more angular in its approach than a traditional tech-death release for their newest album Cultus Inoxia. Continue reading »

KHEMMIS – KHEMMIS

 Album Reviews  1 Response »
Jun 102026
 

(Andy Synn girds himself to take on the epic new album from Khemmis, set for release this Friday)

Self-titling an album is always a bold move.

After all, what it says to an audience… for better or worse… is “this is the definitive version of who we are“.

It stands to reason, then, that self-titling an album when you’re already more than a decade into your career, with four other incredibly successful records already under your collective belt, is an even bolder move.

Because it doesnt’t just say “this is who we are“, it also says “this is what we’ve been building to all this time“.

So let’s see exactly what Khemmis have been building, shall we?

Continue reading »

ARÜSPEX: “THE DEATH INSTINCT”

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Jun 092026
 

(Here’s a review by DGR of an album by the northern California crust band Arüspex, which was released in January by the band and later in the year on tape by Fiadh Productions.)

Crust-punk group Arüspex have had one of the longer tenures on the “to review” list that we are slowly working our way through now. While I can’t claim that I was there on the ground floor with the Sierra Nevada punks, for what little it is worth at the very least I’ve been digging into their newest release The Death Instinct since the end of March. Small potatoes when you consider that The Death Instinct came out in the middle of January, but what would we be if we didn’t have releases in our queue that we’ve missed the bus on so bad that the local municipalities have had time to defund the public transit system and replace the bus stops with lame “scenic” pottery and more lanes for cars?

Arüspex, like many groups, lie in an in-between realm within a couple of different genres lines, making them semi-difficult to define and an exciting listen because they’re equally somewhat hard to predict. Genre definitions themselves being for fools like us who build mood-playlists. Why do that when the whole album is a proverbial mood? The group’s core is very much that of a crust punk band, and the low-end-driven riff work and equally voracious thud on the drumkit no doubt fortifies that, but again, like many bands, a handful of other influences are also comfortably seated on the fringe of The Death Instinct that politely move it beyond mere sub-genrefication and into something vicious on its own terms. Continue reading »

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