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. 

 

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. 

 

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. 

 

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. 

 

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. 

 

Innumerable Forms - Pain Effulgence (2025)

Pain Effulgence is the third album from Innumerable Forms, and I think their best since their first EP. Slow and old-school death metal, with a cavernous feel, an epic heaviness that can remind Immolation at times, but their main influence is early UK death/doom. And they are great at doing that. Recommended!

 

The BC page. 

 

Archspire - Too Fast To Die (2026)

I have mixed feelings with Archspire new album, Too Fast To Die, I just feel the songs are a bit less memorable and jaw-dropping, but I remember I was disapointed when Bleed The Future came out, and found it great when I listened to it the other day, so... I guess Archspire music is so dense you need time to "digest" it and get all its intricacies. Anyway I already enjoy Toos Fast To Die, no time needed to hear that Archspire intensity and musicianship is still really hard to match. At the same time brutal, technical and melodic (neoclassical style) death metal at its most over the top.

 

The BC page. 

 

Kanine - Khaos (2026)

See that huge monster on the cover? See what's coming? Yes, definitely gonna be brutal. Absurdly over the top brutal. Kanine first album four years ago was already an excellent piece of slamming deathcore, Khaos is pushing it even more to the extreme. Bestial super angry vocals, massive bass drop, machine gun drumming, and of course slam and breakdowns at every corner. But they don't just do more of everything, they also are good at making it heavier and at the same time "catchy and fun", well, kind of :) you get the idea. I'm far from being a slamming deathcore specialist, but I think this album will be hard to beat for other bands doing that.

 

The BC page. 

 

Cryptworm - Infectious Pathological Waste (2026)

Do you love sweet melodies and pretty flowers? Would you kill for it? Do you love brutal death metal, goregrind, and Suffocation? If you do, The third Cryptoworm album Infectious Pathological Waste is exactly what you need. So sweet, groovy and putrid!

 

The BC page. 

 

Uulliata Digir - Uulliata Digir (2025)

First and self-titled album from Polish band Uulliata Digir. And what a strong debut it is! Could be described as death/black progressive death metal, with sax and male/female vocals sometimes screamed, sometimes more melodic, great and special in any case. The use of the sax is also especially good. And their music has a dissonant and weird feel that make them definitely closer to Imperial Triumphant or Oranssi Pazuzu than to Opeth. But they managed to craft a distinctive style from the start. If I had made an AOTY list last year, it should have been included. Highly recommended!

 

The BC page. 

 

Labyrinth of Stars - Spectrum Xenomorph (2022)

Spectrum Xenomorph, released in 2002, was the first album from German band Labyrinth of Stars (with guys from Lantlos and Valborg / Owl). I really recommend it if you're into both death-metal and more industrial and dissonant sound, with also a spacey element. They create atmospheres that could remind bands like The Amenta, Meshuggah and Godflesh. And, except the long ambient track closing the album, which isn't so bad, but not really memorable either, not really a problem but more like a lost opportunity, the songs are all very solid. I really wish they will release another one.

 

The BC page. 

 

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. 

 

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. 

 

Malefic Throne - The Conquering Darkness (2025)

Malefic Throne is a trio comprising Gene Palubicki (Angelcorpse, Perdition Temple), vocalist & bassist Steve Tucker (Morbid Angel) and drummer John Longstreth (Origin, Hate Eternal, ex-Angelcorpse). The Conquering Darkness is their first album (following an EP). As you can expect, we're talking about old-school US Death metal, rooted in traditions (some moments not only reminds, Angelcorpse and Morbid Angel, but also early Slayer!), but with an intensity that always has characterized the musicians past and present bands and that totally can look modern death metal in the eyes. Good stuff!

 

The BC page. 

 

Grave Infestation - Carnage Gathers (2025)

Carnage Gathers (a joint release by Invictus Productions and Dark Descent Records) is the second album Canadian Grave Infestation and will be a feast for anyone into old school death metal. Think a mix of old shool US DM, bits from early Slayer (circa Hell Awaits / Reign in Blood), and a touch of war metal for the additional chaos and aggression. Good stuff!

 

The BC page. 

 

Sanguisugabogg - Hideous Aftermath (2025)

See the cover art? Yes, that's it, more serious and darker. With Hideous Aftermath, Sanguisugabogg goes one step further in the direction already undertaken with Homicidal Ecstasy. Slower, darker, less crazy slam (although the goregrind/slam element is still there and still nice). But while Homicidal Ecstasy sounded a bit too uniform to me, in Hideous Aftermath this evolution is more convincing, maybe because of the greater diversity making the songs more catchy and impactful. They even introduced some bit of sick melodies, some nearly djent like atmosphere, and a song evoking a lot Godflesh. With all this on top of the death/slam they do so well, they manage to keep your attention through all the album, from first note to last one. And I enjoy going back to it every day. Maybe it's even better than Tortured Whole was. And I wish they will keep on experimenting new things in the next one, they just proved they're good at that. But for now, I really recommend Hideous Aftermath!

 

The BC page. 

 

Fathomless Ritual - Hymns For The Lesser Gods (2024)

Fathomless Ritual is a Canadian one-man band (B. Dean) whose first album Hymns For The Lesser Gods has been released by the excellent Transcending Obscurity Records. People mention the similarity with Demilich, but, to be honest, I don't know Demilich enough to be able to confirm. I think at times it also evokes Suffocation, and, like them, it is bridging the gap between old school and modern technical death metal. But it sounds more dirty and cavernous, and has a weird kind of winding groove through finely crafted riffs. I struggle to describe it actually, just try it, you won't regret!

 

The BC page. 

 

Emulsified - Apocalypse (2022)

Released three years ago, Apocalyse, from US band Emulsified concentrates nearly every side of modern death metal (except pure slam). It definitely is brutal, but also quite technical, and there are even a few more progressive moments. It's very intense but not at the expense of diversity and the band is mastering everything they do. Maybe they would need something a bit different to distinguish themselves to be among the very best, but they sure know how to craft a strong death metal album, Apocalypse won't stay as the most memorable from these years, but it's a really a good enjoyable album, I recommend it.

 

The BC page.