Vermin Womb - Retaliation (2022)

Vermin Womb is a trio from Denver with Ethan Lee McCarthy (guitar & vocals ex Clinging To the Tree of a Forest Fire, Primitive Man). Retaliation is their second album and a nice piece of blackened grindcore. Abrasive. Punishing. Feral.

The BC page.

 

Savage Master - Those Who Hunt at Night (2022)

Fourth album from Savage Master (check their back catalogue as well!), and with Those Who Hunt at Night we get the same addictive speed/heavy metal recipe, very traditionnal but catchy and freash anyway, memorable riffing, cool vocals, groovy rhythmic parts. No bullshit fun and enjoyable. Perfect for partying through the end of the year!

The BC page.

 

 

Dead Cross - II (2022)

What to say... Mike Patton holding the mic, in his most in your face agressive project, but of course bringing all his twists, Dave Lombardo on drums, and Justin Pearson and Michael Crain on guitars. Dead Cross is good. And don't miss a chance to see them live, saw them once and it was as awesome as expected. 

The BC page.

 

JK Flesh - New Religions Old Rules (2022)

Justin K Broderick isn't just Godflesh and Jesu (well, that already would be a lot... but...) his also an active producer in industrial techno music. New Religions Old Rules is his foruth release of the yaer as JK Flesh and my favorite one with the split with Gnod (reviewed that one HERE). Abrasive and dark pulsating indus tech. Recommended stuff.

The BC page.

Incinerated - Portraits of Serial Killers (2022)

 

Incinerated is a death/grind band from melbourne, australia (I rewied their excellent split with Intensive Care). But it's also a one-man (Cristian Farias) project from Chile. Also in death/grind waters, this short release called Portraits of Serial Killers, mix grindcore, goregrind and Mortician. And do it well.

The BC page.

 

Chat Pile - God's Country (2022)

After some shorter releases that were deservedly acclaimed, God's Country is Chat Pile first album and it doesn't disappoint, placing the band among the best current noise rock bands. The sick grooves, the riffs, the vocals, all is outstanding. Highly recommended.

the BC page

 

The Bug - Absent Riddim (2022)

This new The Bug (Kevin Martin) album called Absent Riddim is 17 different versions of a beat/riddim thta at the origin was for a Absent in Body remix. With a different vocalists on each tracks. Usual Kevin Martin collaborators and others. Impressive crew (J.K. Broderick, Dälek, Roger Robinson,Dis Fig, Ethan Lee MacCarthy, Nicholas Bullen, Moor Mother, and Nazamba and Jaimie Brach who sadly both passed away during the making of the album). The album is also paying tribute to one riddim Jamaican dancehall albums. Convincing exercise from the great master of industrial dub, and from his guest vocalists as well.

The BC page.

 

Show Me The Body - Trouble The Water (2022)

Trouble The Water is another masterpiece from Show Me The Body, another genuine mix of hardcore, noise rock and post-punk, Good enough to compare to their awesome Dog Whistle, and the additional dose of post-punk and somewhat new wave in some tracks works really fine and combines well with the noisecore base. Probably best hardcore album of the year in my opinion (and among best albums overalls). Strongly addictive album, you've been warned...

The BC page.

Beaten to Death - Laat maar, ik verhuis naar het bos (2022)

There ain't a lot of bands that could be described as technical and progressive grindcore. Beaten is Death is among them, and likely the best active one. They use to toy (with talent and mastery) with a lot of different styles in their albums, but their new one Laat maar, ik verhuis naar het bos is more cohesive and would kinda be their "emoviolence album", and like anything they tried they do it sucessfully and it is a very solid and enjoyable album. Clearly one of the recent grind albums you need to listen to.

The BC page.

 

Riddle - Shadow (2022)

Don't know much about this one, producer is Riddle, album is Shadow and it's another good release from Zodiac Music. But what's important is that it's finely crafted quiet jungle beats over dark ambient and it's good if you'r into that kind of stuff. Personnally I enjoy it. I hope you'll enjoy it tto!

The BC page.

Autopsy - Morbidity Triumphant (2022)

Morbidity Triumphant is the ninth album from Autopsy, seven years after the previous one (and like 35 years after the bands beginnings!). Still their usual mix of old-school death metal (which of course was new when they started), Slayer and Black Sabbath. And Chris Reifert is still an instantly recognisable and awesome death metal vocalist. 

They're not reinveinting the scalpel but sure are still slicing sharp and deep.

The Bandcamp page.

 

Snakes Don't Belong in Alaska - Interstellic Psychedelic (2022)

In a better world I would have reviewed some Snakes Don't Belong in Alaska a long time ago, but a least their new album Interstellic Pysychedelic will be an excellent one to start with... Definitely influenced by the space rock of Hawkwind (especially the epic feel, the vocals...), krautrock, drone/doom, and probably what runs in the water in Newcastle-upon-Tyne (also inhabited by Mike Vest, also in a similar musical universe). Epic and trippy to say the least. Interstellic Pysychedelic confirms Snakes Don't Belong in Alaska is one of the best psych bands around.

The Bandcamp page.

 

Bowelfuck - Appetite Comes with Killing (2022)

Bowelfuck, from Prague, keeps on releasing good grind albums. Maybe their music is a tad too generic, but they take the best of the old-school (Napalm Death. OK, I know ND keeps on trying new things, but still...), the best of the new school (Nasum, Rotten Sound), and mix it well. So I'd say when you need your dose of good grind they never disapoint. Probably Appetite Comes With Killing won't be the most memorable grindcore album of the year, but it is excellent and I always enjoy listening to Bowelfuck.

The BC page.

 

Code 906 - Fade to Viral (2022)

Fade to Viral is the new album from Russian producer Code 906. More than an hour of finely crafted jungle loops over dark ambient. Not very far from Christoph de Babalon, could also remind Mick Harris works. An excellent album. Recommended! 

The BC page.

 

Cloud Rat - Threshold (2022)

In the past Cloud Rat has been brilliant when it came to inject some diversity (like post-punk elements, melodies) in their hardcore, and I regret that Threshold (like Pollinator, but this one was released with a very experimental EP) is just Cloud Rat at their most aggressive straight forward. That been said their metallic hardcore bordering powerviolence is once again super tight, super sharp and the fierce female vocals are awesome and as usual it is easily one of the best hardcore albums of the year. I expect even better from them, but this one's obviously recommended anyway.

The BC page.

 

Bob Vylan - Bob Vylan presents The Price of Life (2022)

Bob Vylan presents The Price of Life is the first album from English duo Bob Vylan, UK Hip-hop with guitars, with some trap metal, some grime, some ragga, elements reminding The Prodigy, or maybe The Beastie Boys as well. A bit like City Morgue / ZillahKami, but more grime and less grim, and very UK. Cool stuff!

The BC page.

Bifid Corpse - REAL RAW DEATH (2022)

After a few demo or EPs that left me wanting for more here's at last a longer (20 min) Bifid Corpse release! And REAL RAW DEATH don't disapoint, the death/grind of the Chicagoan duo alterning nicely bursts of pure savagey and dirty heavy grooves. Filthy, Brutal, Groovy. Highly recommended!

The BC page.

Ooezpus - Your Limit (2017)

You guys really should test Your Limit, latest release from Oozepus, a band with members from death/doom Coffins and the industrial Linekraft. Is it so surprising that they play some evil and sludgy Godflesh worship. Nope. Is it surprising that they do it so well? Nope (if you don't know Coffins and Linekraft, well, check them!). On a similar note, is it surprising that it has been released by Malignant Records? Nope. My only complain is that it's only fouur tracks, an album would be welcome!

The BC page.

 

Sammal - Aika laulaa (2022)

Aika laulaa is the fouth album from Finnish progressive rockers Sammal, this time as a quartet after one member left. The arrangements and songwriting feel less polished than it used to and I wouldn't say it's my favourite Sammal album. But it's also the most rocking, with maybe even a somewhat proto-heavy metal feel. Why not. At least it's a bit different and they kept their identity with a typical Finnish melodic touch in the vocals and guitars and keys parts. All in all it's another very nice and enjoyable album from Sammal. Still a great band.

The BC page.

 

KEN Mode - NULL (2022)

I listened to, and liked, all KEN Mode albums since Venerable more than ten years ago, so it was due time I review one of them. Why not before? Probably because I felt their metallic hardcore / noise rock was a tad too generic. But the level of quality has been consistently high all the time, and I like the direction they took since the previous album Loved and continue on the new one NULL, with the inclusion of new member Katryn Kerr, the sax parts, the more dissonnant twisted feel. Recommended!

The BC page.

Intensive Care - Antibodies (2022) + That We Be Made Worthy (2022)

Couldn't decide which one of these new Intensive Care releases review, so I'm doing both... Antibodies is release by the excellent Iron Lungs Records, and I think That We Be Made Worthy is self-released. Intensive Care is a Canadian duo with Andrew Nolan, ex Column of Heaven and Endless Blockade. What they do can be described as an industrial mix of noise rock and power electronics, and if you're into these kinds of sound I guarantee you'll dig it. Also recommended are the recents Andrew Nolan solo / split releases (he's been very active this year and I sure won't complain about it). 

Iron Lungs  BC page for Antobodies

Intensive Care / Andrew Nolan BC page for That We Be Made Worthy

Kill Division - Peace Through Tyranny (2022)

 

Kill Division is the grind project of two ex-Malevolent Creation, Gus Rios (guitar) and Kyle Simons (vocals), with also Dirk Verbeuren (ex-Aborted, Megadeth) on drums. Their first album called Peace Through Tyranny delivers some grind with a strong old-school death metal flavour (Do these guys also death metal in their sleep? probably). Everything is in place and groove hard and fast. Really a nice piece of old school death/grind.

The BC page.

 

Exordium Mors - As Legends Fade and Gods Dies (2022)

As Legends Fade and Gods Dies, the second album from Exordium Mors may be not as awesome as their first one (I urge you to listen to The Apotheosis of Death), but it's another excellent one anyway, among the best recent metal releases. They polished a bit their sound, and I'm not sure it really makes it better, but it's ok, I suppose some will prefer it this way. Othersiwe they are back with another assault of epic black/death/thrash/speed, with high level songwriting skills, and old school in spirit but modern and quite technical in execution. Highly recommended!

The BC page.

 

Traître Câlin - De la Ruine (2022)

Traître Câlin are not so easy to label, but I'd go for industrial rap madness, De la Ruine is their third and best yet album. Vocals are screamed, rapped or spoken in French, with smart lyrics somewhere between Baudelaire and Anorexia Nervosa, over beats that are boom-bap or trap, with also various elements of power electronics, free jazz samples, etc. in general various industrial noises and sound in a way or another. It could evokes Sadistik, Dalek, Kabal, Picore, The Bug, that kind of stuff. This new album is maybe less French rap rooted than the previous ones (which I recommend as well), going further in a noise rap / trap / power electronics directions. Disturbing, different and finely crafted. Recommended!

The Bandcamp page.

 

Wormrot - Hiss (2022)

 New album from Asian grinders Wormrot, returning six years after the previous one, and for a last time with their vocalist. Hiss delivers modern grind, fast and tight, and also like they use to do it provides many surprising elements along the way, like a bit of clean vocals, guitar solos, crossover parts, a bit of neocrust riffing, violins, etc. Sticking to grind basics but bringing in more diversity. Another good album from Wormrot.

The BC page.

 

 

Reverend Beat-Man and The New Wave - Blues Trash (2018)

Blues Trash is probably the best album from Reverend Beat-Man and in my opinion among the best garage rock albums of the XXIth century. Mastering totally the basics of garage rock with it's stipped to the bone blues based raw riffing drooling with honky tonk boogie, and having one of the best demented maniac psychobilly style vocalist with Reverend Beat Man, its also totally pushing further the boundaries of a style that is too often too standardised. They succeed as well with some accordion tango, organ and sax additions, noisy guitar playing bordering dark psychedelia. Now wave experimentation coupled with primitive roots garage rock, and with excellent songwriting and inspired playing it works awesome. Highly recommended.

The BC page.

Spiritual Voices - Scream (2022)

From excellent UK label Zodiac Music, specialized in dark electronic music, this five track called Scream by Spiritual Voices delivers some nice old school jungle beats (and even a bit of ragga vocals) over dark ambient sounds (reminds a bit the sonic universe of Christoph de Babalon). Good stuff.

The BC page.

 

Eggs of Gomorrh - Wombspreader (2022)

Wombspreader is the second album from Switzerland's Eggs of Gomorrh, another frantic assult of black/death/war metal, barbaric and viciously evil, in a vein reminding Arkhon Infaustus. Good stuff.

The Bandcamp page.

 

Mienakunaru - Strato Arcology (2022)

Mienakunaru is a trio with two leading musician of the psych underground, from Japan the guitarist Suzuki Junzo (who sadly is recovering from a very serious accident), and from England the bassist Mike Vest, joined by David Sneddon on drums. If you're familiar with Mike Vest other bands you'll find yourself at home listening to Mienakunaru third albumm Strato Arcology (released by the excellent Riot Seanson Records), otherwise expect two long tracks of heavy psychelic rock, where trippy space rock combine with punk savagery. Powerful stuff! 

The Bandcamp page.

 

Trauma Bond - Winter's Light (2022)

Trauma Bond is a Londonian duo composed of Eloise Chong-Gargette  doing the vocals & lyrics and Tom Mitchell doing the music. Winter's Light is their second release (after an already excellent The Violence of Spring last year), it delivers twenty minutes of high quality noisegrind/powerviolence. Recommended! 

 

The BC page. 

 

 

Fret - Because of the Weak (2022)

Because of the Weak is the new Fret album from Mick Harris, and weak it is definitely not! It delivers ten tracks of super heavy, dark and abrasive industrial techno, with trademark Mick Harris bass heavy dubs, a touch of jungle and some noise textures. If or when you feel Scorn is too peaceful, the more aggressive Fret will satisfy you. Another awesome release from Mick Harris.

The BC page.

 

Xenotheory - Dawn of an Eyeless Realm (2022)

Slamming deathcore with synths is not what I would listen to usualy, but this first self-released album (but well produced and done by experienced musicians) on cassette from Xenotheory (from Paris) and called Dawn of an Eyeless Realm is one of the very few deathcore album I really enjoy. Been attracted at first by the name and cover art (done by Kax), and then came back to it because I like the music and especially the dark futuristic/industrial atmosphere the guitars, synth layers and modern sounding drumming are creating (reminding me a bit The Amenta). Good brutal groove as well, even for someone like me that is definitely not a slam/deathcore fiend. Sometimes, giving its chance to a modern death metal, or even deathcore, album is worth it. Recommended!

The BC page

 

Nobody aka Willis Earl Beal - Nobody Knows (2012)

Nobody Knows, released in 2012 is not the most recent album from Nobody aka Willis Earl Beal, but I think it's still his masterpiece (the rest is good as well). He's crafting his on mix of every Afro-Amercian music from the chain-gang worksongs to hip-hop through blues and soul, for a result that sound at the same time familiar and unique. Both he songwriting and the singing are excellent and special and this album should be considered a classic.

The Bandcamp page.

Triac - Pure Joy - Numb Grief​-​stricken Animals (2022)

After many (good) splits or EPs this is a at last a first album, called Pure Joy - Numb Grief​-​stricken Animals  from Triac, a powerwiolence/grind trio from Baltimore. Most of the time they play especially fast, and they're damn good at it, but when they slow down for some sludge/noise rock moments it is also excellent. This first album totally confirms that they are among the best.

The BC page.

 

Binker & Moses - Feeding The Machine (2022)

Feeding The Machine is the third album from young but prominent members of the Londonian jazz scene Binker Golding and Moses Boyd. The first one is saxophonist and on a more melodic side of jazz in his solo albums (and good at it bringing a fresh twist) while the second is drummer and going in a more avant-garde and darker direction. The collaboration of the two sound closer to the drummer solo albums, with an atmosphere that at times reminds John Zorn's Painkiller. Recommended!

The BC page.

 

Black Magnet - Body Prophecy (2022)

Black Magnet released an excellent first album two years ago (Hallucination Scene), with strong NIN and Godflesh influences. Now James Hammontree (the man behind Black Magnet) is back with a second album called Body Prophecy, also excellent, also influenced by NIN and Godflesh (there's even a  good Justin K. Broderick remix of one of the song). What's new is that there's also definitely a Marilyn Manson influence (think Antichrist Superstar and Holy Wood) in a few songs, and why not?  Black Magnet doesn't score much on the originality, but as long as the albums are this good, that's fine for me...

The BC page.

 

Mammoth Volume - The Cursed Who Perform The Larvagod Rites (2022)

Mammoth Volume is a Swedish band that has been active between 1998 to 2008, and reunited in 2020. An that's great because the progressive stoner you can hear on their new album The Cursed Who Perform The Larvagod Rites will pleasure anyone into Black Sabbath, Alice in Chains, QOTSA or Mastodon. Heavy, catchy and creative. Maybe they have the potential to become huge (Mammoth Volume indeed!), I don't know if they will, but anyway, so far I just enjoy this nice album, and suggest you do the same. 

The Bandcamp page.

 

Antigama - Witheout (2022)

Witheout, the eight album from Antigama delivers another excellent piece of forward-thinking math-grind. Feeling a bit more straightforward and slower than The Insolent was, with a less catchy songwriting it will maybe stay as less memorable, even if I also like how they managed to develop this time a different atmosphere, less frenetic, more deliberate (but still super fast and angry!), dark and dystopic. Without confirms their place as the best technical and modern grind band. A strong contender for best grind album of 2022 !

The BC page.

 

Weever - Jour de Lamentation (EP 2021)

Released last year by French producer Weever on his label Vives, this EP called Jour de Lamentation is an excellent piece of industrial techno, with dark ambient / death industrial atmosphere complementing the techno beats and industrial sound. Fine for headphone listening, probably even better in a live / warehouse / abandonned factory context (especially the powerful final track). Recommended !

The BC page.

 

Imperial Triumphant - Spirit of Ecstasy (2022)

Let's start with what I feel is wrong in this new Imperial Triumphant album. The first two tracks (and they are long ones) are not especially memorable and could have been B sides tracks. fortunately the rest is better, even if I think Spirit of Ecstasy is not as good as were Vile Luxury and Alphaville. OK, that been said the black metal infused with free/jazz-rock (reminding John Zorn maybe even more than previously) of Imperial Triumphant is still among the best and most interesting music around and the best songs on Spirit of Ecstasy are enough to make the album totally worthy of your time. Even if Spirit of Ecstasy isn't the best Imperial Triumphant album, it's still an excellent one.

Their website

 

Ambush - Infidel (2020)

Infidel, released two years ago, is the third album of Ambush. It sees the Swedish band going a bit more personnal, keeping the very strong Judas Priest influence (Accept as well) but less permanently blatant. The result is a solid and enjoyable traditionnal heavy/speed metal album, with good songs, musicianship and excellent vocals. And they maintains the cheesiness inherent to the style at the right level (enough for the fun, but not too much).

 

Their website.

 

Father Befouled - Crowned in Veneficum (2022)

Crowned in Veneficum is the fifth album from Father Befouled, and, while they were already good, with this new album they elevated their dark art to a higher level. They mix US old school death metal with death-doom and cavernous murky death metal, somewhere between Incantation, Immolation and Impetuous Ritual. And this is done with excellent riffing and nice maniacal leads. Recommended!

The Bandcamp page.

Viagra Boys - Cave World (2022)

Welfare Jazz, the previous Viagra Boys album, has probably been one of the three albums I listened the most to during the last two years. The new one, Cave World, is on its way to follow the same path... They seem to be dropping awesome albums like others go fishing. I mean, they make it look like it's easy. And they don't just follow a formula, many songs in Cave World will surprise you even if you know their music. It's another delivery of sharp guitars, sarcasms, groove, howling sax and Suicide beats, but  with a different twist. And as addictive. You've been warned.

Their website.

 

Ancient Methods - The Jericho Records (2018)

Ancient Methods (from Berlin) is one of the most reliable dealer of industrial techno. The Jericho Records is their latest LP (released in 2018), and an immersive listening experience, the beat-driven hard-hitting element going hand in hand with the dark futuristic atmosphere. And featurings like producers Orphx, Regis and Prurient and vocalist King Dude cannot harm for sure. Excellent stuff, and a good entry point if you want to discover industrial techno.

 

The BC page. 

 

Whoresnation - Dearth (2022)

Dearth, the third album from French grinders Whoresnation continues the evolution already heard on Mephitism, their grindcore keep on getting more brutal and heavier, evolving from old-school grindpunk to a more modern sounding deathgrind. And why not, since the result is really convincing, confirming their move from being among the best in the French grind scene to being a band that count on the international scene. Highly recommended!

The BC page.

 

Xaoc - Proxime Mortis (2022)

Xaoc was a band with Tony Petrocelly (the one who did Pain Tank which I reviewed HERE), it existed in 2006-2008, but a few members (Davis Mullen on vocals, J.Alexander on guitars and Giulio Galati , from Hideous Divinity, on drums) have been recruited to record an album, Proxime Mortis, that has been released in 2022. And we can be grateful for that because it's an awesome album! Rooted in old-school US death metal, it is brutal and technical enough, with a slight modern touch as well, but not too much. But the main strength of the album is the songwriting that works really well, with catchy and memorable songs and dynamism throughout the album. The only thing wrong is that the band doesn't exist any more...  

Recommended stuff.

 

The BC page.

 

Lament Cityscape - A Darker Discharge (2022)

This new album from Lament Cityscape, is called A Darker Discharge, but don't expect neo/blackened crust, their music has a lot more to do with Godflesh than Discharge!  On this release, they deliver around twenty minutes of godfleshian industrial metal. At time quite melancholic, at time more aggressive, always finely crafted and good.

The Bandcamp page.

 

Candy - Heaven is Here (2022)

On their first album (Good to Feel) Candy was more or less a good metallic hardcore band, with Heaven is Here they positively turned into a monster. A bit like Full of Hell, but in a different way, they added more modern and extreme elements to their already dirty metallic hardcore, with bits of death-doom, industrial / noise, and a large dose of beatdown. The result is cohesive and nightmarishly brutal. Signing them was definitely a good move from Relapse Records, this is the best and hardest hardcore album this year so far.

The BC page.

 

Suffering Mind - Lifeless (2022)

 

New LP from Suffering Mind called Lifeless (released by grind powerhouse Psychocontrol Records). Side A delivers your daily dose of grindpunk, mercilessly executed, tight and with a modern sound. Side B is noise, movie samples punctuated by bursts of grind, little bits, but gaining additional impact by being hidden in the noise/samples. Another good release from Suffering Mind.

The BC page.