Tech Level 2 - Indifferent (EP 2025)

Blasting Days readers should already know that Justin Broadrick isn't only an ex Napalm Death and doing Godflesh, he's mostly active nowadays as electronic/industrial music producer, and have done that sicne the nineties. As Tech Level 2 he's doing old school jungle, withe some eerie atmsospheres and an abrasive sound. the Indifferent EP is four track of raw jungle excellency.

 

The BC page. 

 

Xenosis - Hermetic Transmutaiton (2026)

With this fifth album, Hermtic Transmutation, released with Transcending Obscurity, a label that keeps growing and excelling, the US death-metal band Xenosis are making a big impression. Very technical and progressive while keeping brutality on a high level. What the songs may lack in clear direction they more than compensate with the awesome musicianship and the many very inspired moments. Highly recomended!

 

The BC page. 

 

Sex Dwarf - Påhittad Värld (2025)

Starting an album with a six-minute-long instrumental track isn't something crust punks usually do. But Sex Dwarf isn't your usual crust punk band, and they know better. Starting Påhittad Värld like this was an excellent move. The track is as ferocious as can be, no less than the shorter songs that follow. Super aggro noise punk from beginning to end. Highly recommended!

 

The BC page. 

 

Combat Astronomy - Method and Trap (2024)

Combat Astronomy is a one man band, releasing music since 1999 (I wish I had discovered it earlier!). Method and Trap isn't its latest album, but it's my favourite among its recent stuff. What about the music, Expect high quality instrumental noise/post/math rock, always based on the drums and bass rhythm, but with something different in each release. In Method and Trap I'd say it's the synth soundscapes building an atmosphere in the songs. Subtle and very nicely done. Recommended!

 

The BC page. 

Triage - In the Trenches (2026)

On this second Triage album, while the drums are definitely grindcore (Bryan Fajardo!), the vocals and riffs bring some kind of black/thrash/war metal feel, and it works fine. In the Trenches is perfect for your daily dose of audio aggression! Go for it!

 

The BC page. 

 

Dome Runner - World Panopticon (2025)

Dome Runner is a Finnish trio, and their third (and double) album,World Panopticon, is a nice piece of old school industrial metal. The overall sound and the more ambient moments remind Godflesh, while the most aggressive parts can bring to mind Nailbomb. In any case, a very solid album that will please anyone into industrial metal.

 

The BC page. 

 

Show Me The Body - Alone Together (2026)

Logically less diversity in this album than on their Corpus I and II EPs (which I recommend), but still a lot more diverse, surprising and personal than your usual hardcore album. Like in their previous albums Show Me The Body blend some noise-rock, post-punk and nu-metal (mostly some hip-hop rhythms and grooves) in their hardcore, but in Alone Together they also bring some marching band style music, along with bits of acoustic guitars and spoken words, with good results, managing again to renew themselves while keeping quality on top. I think it's time these guys get more recognition!

 

The BC page. 

 

Somium de Lycoris - In The Failing Hour (2023)

Somium de Lycoris is a solo project from Japan (here with a few guests, like Christian Muenzner, rings a bell?), In The Failing Hour is a nice piece of technical death metal, with many neoclassical elements, piano included, at turn very melodic or frankly brutal, combining excellent musicianship and songwriting. Spectacular and entertaining stuff!

 

The BC page. 

 

 

Xaoc - Repulsive Summoning (2025)

For some reason I thought previous Xaoc album Proxime Mortis would be the last one, but I've been happy to discover that Tony Petrocelli (Xaoc guitarist and leader) gathered new musicians and released Repulsive Summoning in 2025. To be frank, I prefer Proxime Mortis, but Repulsive Summing is still a solid album, good brutal death songs with finely executed melodic leads.

 

The BC page. 

 

AxCxMxE - NECROPATÍA SISTÉMICA (2026)

 

Necropatia Sistemica is AxCxMxE second album. The Columbian grinders play some traditionnal grind, but with goregrind style vocals and a quite clean sounding bass forward in the mix, a bit like in modern tech death. This mix of old school basics and modern elements works fine, nothing groundbreaking, it's still quite basic, but it's an enjoyable album.

 

The BC page 

 

Iceage - For Love of Grace & The Hereafter (2026)

For the previous Iceage album I wrote that they included some pop/indie rock in their post-punk, in their new one, For Love of Grace & The Hereafter, we can hear some post-punk elements left in their indie rock. And despite getting sometimes dangeresously close to cheesy pop punk at times it's still a good and enjoyable album thanks to their always excellent singer and their songwriting skills, their capacity to transmit feelings. Recommended when you'r in the mood for something that isn't heavy.

 

The BC page. 

Haunt - Ignite (2025)

Haunt is a Californian band that is relentlessly keeping alive and relevant the spirit of traditionnal heavy speed metal. On their latest one Ignite, the mood is quite melodic, but I think anyone into traditionnal metal will enjoy it. Recommended!

 

The BC page. 

 

Tricky - Different When It's Silent (2026)

One of the pleasure of discovering a new Tricky album is finding wich new interesting singers he's introducing. This time it's mostly a young singer, also from Bristol, called Mitch Sanders (a few others featuring are also on the album). he's doing a good job. Tricky, after the disapointing previous album (first one after he lost his daughter so I won't be too hard on him) is back with a strong album. Maybe not on the level of his best ones, but still with many excellent songs, and even the less memorable ones contrinutes to the nice overall feel and atmosphere of the album, so I wouldn't say they're fillers. And speaking about the atmosphere, Different When it's Silent is another proof Tricky is the absolute master of these laid back but subtly menacing feel. Recommended!

 

The BC page. 

 

No Cure - It Is Going To Get Dark (2026)

It Is Going To Get Dark is the first album from young band No Cure is a new band from Alabama, and a nicely done exercice in beatdown hardcore. With elements of deathcore, but staying definitely more brutal hardcore than death metal. In any case it has the groove and smashing power.

 

Cripple Bastards - La tua foto sul marmo (2026)

Cripple Bastards return with 13 min EP La tua foto sul marmo, and as usual (they formed in 1988!) they deliver high quality grind, with both a powerful sound and a lot of hardcore punk elements, and this time also some melodic guitar parts bits (never lasting for long!), bringing an element of surprise. Good stuff!

 

Their website 

 

Radikal Guru - Beyond The Borders (2020)

Radikal Guru is a Polish producer, Beyond The Borders isn't his mots recent release, but its most recent album. It's all about top quality dub featuring excellent vocalists with a variety of styles. Recommended.

 

The BC page. 

Verdun - Abyssal Womb (2026)

I support Verdun since their beginnings, so I'm not surprised seeing them sign with the Excellent Transcending Obscurity records and releasing what will no doubt stays as one of the best doom/sludge album of the year. But with Abyssal Womb they exceeded my expectations, with even better songwriting skills with a great attention to details and dynamics. I just regret that this time the melodic element is less psychedelic (still is in the first track Funeral of the Cosmic Knight) and more traditionnal doom (can reminds Pallbearer or Hangman's Chair or even Paradise Lost at times), but that's not really a problem since they show they're also great at that. As a nice bonus, the singing in French in two songs is a success. Overall, I'm very pleased by this album that see Verdun reaching new heights. Keep going!

 

The BC page. 

 

Elizabeth Bane - Tenerife Sur (2026)

Can't tell you much about Elizabeth Bane, but this Tenerife Sur album is an excellent piece of noise/industrial/dark ambient, reminding a bit what Dominic Fernow (Prurient/Vatican Shadow) is doing. I hope we'll be hearing more from this new producer int he future!

 

The BC page. 

 

GROND - The Temple (2026)

Ten years passing between this new album and the previous one probably didn't help (that and maybe also being Russian), but I feel GROND don't get the recognition they deserve. I think they are among the best old school death metal bands around and The Temple is another proof. They kept their cool concept of mixing monstrous sea creatures, old warships and Lovecraft for the lyrics and art. The music is still grounded in mid tempo old school death, but I'd say it's now a bit more polished, with more attention to details, melodic elements and atmosphere, losing a bit the primitive rawness and moving slightly towards death doom. They still reminds Obituary, but now maybe Incantation and Immolation even more. But that being said I think they really managed to craft their own style. Anyone into more old-school and slower death metal should worship (or warship maybe!) The Themple.. Highly recommended!

 

The BC page. 

 

Black Label Society - Engines of Demolition (2026)

Engines of Demolition is the best Black Label Society since Mafia, the best in twenty years. There still are a couple of mellow piano driven songs we didn't really need, but here it's taking less space than on their others recent albums, and the heavy songs are better, and of course Zakk Wylde's leads are still worth your time. Not as good as their first albums, but better than what they did in between, overall it's an nice album that I enjoy (old school heavy metal with a Black Sab' influence if you didn't know).

 

The BC page.