Chat Pile - Who Love sThe Sun (2026)

After a collab album with Hayden Pedigo that was good, but a lot more quiet/ambient, Chat Pile is back to its usual self, that is sounding somewhere between Unsane and Korn, maybe slightly more melodic on this new album called Who Loves The Sun. In any case another strong Chat Pile album. 

 

The BC page. 

 

Rahaty - Bestial Lustmord (2026)

From the Bandcamp page : "Rahaty is the alter ego of Belarusian raw black metal tomb-walker Pa Vesh En, here wielding the unholy hellfires of death metal's most deranged and enigmatic dominion." Bestial Lustmord is indeed a strongly blackened piece of death metal, cavernous, at times dissonant, and with also a feel of chaos/war metal at times. My only complain is that the album is too short for its immersive potential to really catch. Good stuff anyway.

 

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. 

 

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 

 

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. 

 

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 

 

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. 

 

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. 

 

Haunted Horses - Dweller (2025)

Haunted Horses is a trio from Seattle, and their fourth album, Dweller, is confirming the excellency of their post-punk (reminding a bit Iceage, especially the vocals) mixed with some noise rock heavy enough to border doom, with a sinister industrial feel. Haunted indeed, and recommended!

 

The BC page. 

 

Archagthus - Cold Universe (EP 2017)

Actually this post isn't really about this specific release from Archagthus (but all their more recent stuff is splits, and also it's a good one in any case), I saw them play the other day and wanted to say how awesome they are. They played at Les Passagers du zinc in Besançon (France) with Tension, Fake Dust and local band Apoptose, and it was truly a memorable gig, all bands delivering a great show (I'll post about the others later, they also deserve it). Archagatus is an experienced old-school grind /mincore band, and are excelling at being at the same time totally wild but also groovy and catchy. Why we don't hear people sing Archagathus songs in the bus, in shopping malls or restaurants is beyond me. Why? Any idea? In any case, you got it, I really enjoy Archagathus and recommend you try it. 

 

The BC page. 

 

Immolation - Descent (2026)

Bands able to consistently release excellent music without a single failure for nearly 40 years aren't so many. Immolation is one of them. They don't release albums so often, but when they do they make sur it doesn't disappoint. Descent is their twelth one, and another masterpice in mid-tempo death-metal, with a strong feel of dark majesty and inexorable evil. Nothing new for them, but they found their own unmistakable sound long ago and they stick to it. And the results are there to show they are right.

 

The BC page. 

 

Sortilège - Le poids de l'âme (2025)

Sortilège is a French traditionnal heavy metal that had some sucess in the eighties, then split up, then reformed a few years ago. Le poids de l'âme is their third album since they reformed and is another excellent piece of Iron Maiden flavoured heavy metal, but with singing in French. I really enjoy it and I think anyone into old school heavy metal will do as well.

Their website. 

 

The Scalar Process - Agnomysticism (2026)

The Scalar Process is a young French band and after an already excellent first album they confirm their quality with a second one (released by Transcending Obscurity) called Agnomysticism, which also is a fine piece in progressive and technical death metal. Recommended!

 

The BC page.