Misery loves company, so October’s Decibel lays out the welcome mat for some big name first-time cover stars: legendary U.K. death/doom powerhouse My Dying Bride.

The intro is long. Nearly 50 seconds without tipping its hand. A new band should be terrified to open a record like this, worried that potential listeners will get bored with a lone ride cymbal and high, jangly guitar chord. And it’s certainly not something a discerning producer is going to throw on the radio. But then comes that growl—Are you reeeeeaaaady?!—and you hear a musical revolution being born… Which then died, less than a decade later.

The best part about organized religion is how it inspires horrifying violence. Up-and-coming slam-friendly death metal outfit From the Hellmouth get it, and they give it just as good on “God Told Us To.”

Disciples of the deep, rejoice: German funeral doom legends Ahab are mere weeks away from dropping their fourth LP, the monstrous and expansive The Boats of the Glen Carrig. Based on William Hope Hodgson’s 1907 horror novel of the same name, it’s another impressive collection of face-compressing riffs, churning psychedelia and hymns to all that dwells beneath the waves.

Time to break the champagne bottle on Argento Records with Italo-sludge up-and-comers Grime, who will be executing eight-song sophomore effort Circle of Molesters on September 1..

In the latest issue, Autopsy joins our revered two-time Hall Of Fame Club, which includes metal stalwarts like Celtic Frost, Carcass and At The Gates. To commemorate the Severed Survival HOF we’re printing our exclusive “Illustrated History” of Autopsy with Eric Cutler and Chris Reifert from late 2013.  

L.A. stoner-doom outfit Behold! the Monolith survive a tragedy.

For “Pestilence By Beemahr” — my short story detailing the grotesque comeuppance a mad perfumer-cum-exterminator receives at the tiny, multitudinous feet of a surprisingly sentient army of flesh-eating gypsy moth caterpillars amidst an egg-web festooned apocalypse, which is available today in the Grey Matter Press rock n’ roll-themed horror anthology Savage Beasts — I drew inspiration from the human-body-as-insect-incubator track “Out of the Body” from Pestilence’s towering sophomore album Consuming Impulse:

Every so often, we take a little time on Mondays to pay tribute to the Muthas! That is, reprinting the adorable metal/maternal Q&As that run in the magazine. Today, enjoy Justin Norton’s chat with Colleen Letchford, mutha of Scale the Summit’s Chris Letchford.

Fresh meats from members of ASG and Thunderlips!