Wiggavisceration - Sinista Slam (2025)

Read the album name, look at the cover art? You probably guessed what the music could be. This cover art is ugly and vulgar (I suppose it's deliberate), but totally succeeds in illustrating the music. Yes, the concept here is combining slamming death metal with some hip-hop elements. Sophistication would have been misleading, indeed. Now let's get to the most important point : is the music good? Yes it is, hip-hop and slam definitely mix well since both are all about the groove, and Wiggavisceration are great at doing that, both the death metal and hip-hop parts (death metal being the prevalent part) are mastered and Sinista Slam is a nice and catchy album. Vulgar, yes, but really enjoyable nevertheless (and, let's admit it, also because of it!).

 

The BC page. 

 

Intensive Care and The Body - Was I good Enough? (2025)

Two major forces in the industrial/noise metal scene, Intensive Care (Andrew Nolan) and The Body are used to releasing collaborative albums, so this one, called Was I good Enough? was bound to happen. The result isn't really surprising either. The good thing is that the quality is as high as expected. I just regret it lacks maybe a dose of craziness/unpredictability to make it really stand out among both band discographies. That been said, they've done another excellent album and I enjoy listening to it, as will anyone into dark industrial sounds.

 

The Body BC page. 

Intensive Care/Andrew Nolan BC page. 

 

Rwake - The Return of Magik (2025)

The Return of Magik is the Fifth Rwake album, and we could also say it's a magical return, since Fourteen years after their previous album Rawke are back with their best one, a masterpiece in southern progressive doom (with some aggressive sludge vocals). I love the atmosphere they manage to create with these songs. Their music, somewhere between Crowbar, Mastodon and Neurosis combines nicely heaviness, epicness and melodic subtleties (including the use of acoustic and pedal steel guitars). Warmly recommended!

 

The BC page.

 

Rise of The Northstar - Chapter 4 : Red Falcon Super Battle! Neo Paris War!! (2025)

As you can guess, Chapter 4 : Red Falcon Super Battle! Neo Paris War!! is the fourth album from the most ambitious French hardcore band, Rise of The Northstar. Is the music backing the attitude? I think it is, this fourth one is another convincing one, maybe not better than the two previous ones, but adding some more diversity to a music already very "crossover", mostly reminding Biohazard, with its mix of old school hardcore, metallic hardcore, nu-metal, hip-hop, and for ROTN a bit of deathcore and now some bits of melodic hardcore as well. Cool stuff!

 

Ophiolatry - Serpent's Verdict (2025)

Serpent's Verdict is a new album from Brazilian band Ophiolatry, seventeen years after their previous one! They combine modern brutal death with old school US influences, especially Morbid Angel, with also a touch of Nile, and they do it well. Good stuff.

Their Website. 

 

Dead Neanderthals - Ordo Dracul Demo (2023)

Ordo Dracul Demo is not the latest Dead Neanderthals release, but my favourite among their recent stuff (but I haven't checked the new one they just released this month). With Ordo Dracul they kept on exploring the possibilities opening by using synths, and this time they tried something in a dungeon synth vein. Otto Kokke playing the synth, Marlon Welterink playing bass, and Rene aquarius on the drums, as usual. The second track is nice trippy and low-fi dungeon synth, but I think the most memorable of the two tracks is the first one with his awesome drum beat. Simple and repetitive but heavy as hell. Very special and more "catchy" than what they usually do. I recommend everything they did, but I especially enjoy this one!

 

The BC page. 

 

Wytch Hazel - V: Lamentations (2025)

Wytch Hazel managed to create their own space in heavy metal, being at the same time very traditional (highly reminiscent of heavy metal from the 80' and even also proto-heavy metal / heavy blues bands from the 70', with echoes of Cream, Mountain, etc.), but also very personal, developing their own sound and otherworldly atmosphere. Their new album V: Lamentations is another masterpiece in old school epic and melodic heavy metal. Highly recommended!

 

The BC page.