death metal

Was Morbid Angel’s minor change in direction in 1995 just “too extreme” for old-school death metallers to accept? Our Neill Jameson defends Domination’s place in metal history.

French soul-threateners Aum will release their highly destructive (and equally esoteric) force, debut record Om Ah Hum Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hum, this Friday on Iron Bonehead.  We asked the band some questions, and we got some enthusiastic and thoughtful responses.  Read up on Aum’s focus and vision right here.

Dutch blackened doom-death amalgamators Swampcult have written a concept album around H.P. Lovecraft’s story “The Festival” and the thing somehow manages to aurally channel the dread and terror of its inspiration. Today Decibel haunts your imagination with this exclusive stream of “Chapter VI – The Procession” as well as one of the corresponding “story cards” designed to accompany it.

We’ve got an exclusive stream of the first song from Beasts of Faith, the long-awaited debut album by Zürich’s Deathcult.

Lord have Mercyless! Hear the French cult thrashers new album before its October release.   

Fatalist isn’t just back from the grave — they blew up the whole goddamn field on their way out the cemetery gates. Decibel is honored to present an exclusive stream of a insanely blistering track from the Ventura, California death-grinders mind-blowing upcoming album The Bitter End, out 9/23 via FDA Rekotz. (Preorder packages here.)  

The Slithering Bog is a suffocating death/doom album that will trip you out as it crushes you.

Auroch show no signs of slowing down on the first single from their upcoming third album. 

Autopsy madman Chris Reifert’s Violation Wound project has our vote. 

Two nerds enter. Two nerds leave. Choosing Death: The Improbable History of Death Metal & Grindcore author Albert Mudrian and Black Metal: The Cult Never Dies Vol 1. author Dayal Patterson talk creative process, Lords of Chaos, Swedish Death Metal and more. 

Unless you’ve got a sensory deprivation chamber, Voidspawn’s debut EP Pyrrhic is the closest you’ll get to the dark interstices between the dimensions.

Terence Hannum of Locrian talked to Decibel about his new novella Beneath The Remains.

The Curling Flame of Blasphemy
Beats the Hockey Flame of Blasphemy
dB rating: 8/10

Are the noble intensions of an old-school punk really helping anyone? 

Belgian death-grind outfit Aborted just celebrated their 20th Anniversary. Well, last year they did. But think of it. 20 years of death, grind, and chopping up listeners into little sanguine bits. The group’s new album, Retrogore, isn’t too far removed from its predecessors, but where it stands on its own, is in the songwriting.

Dungeon Bastards
10-Sided DIEDIEKILLKILL
dB rating: 8/10

Denver’s Blood Incantation have crafted an epic slab of death metal that demands your immediate attention. No bullshit.

Decibel caught up with death metal legend Stevo do Caixao and Howling/Wooden Stake mainwoman Vanessa Nocera for a chat about the Surgikill origin story and its reworking/resurrection of the lost/last Impetigo song “Planet of the Vampires.”

Pre-orders for the vinyl re-issue of Anata‘s classic debut begin today. Turn back the clock with a full stream of this tech death gem right here. 

“Deride the Wretch” is the first single from Dawn of Demise‘s new album, The Suffering. The album will be out in late August on Unique Leader Records. 

The Curling Flame of Blasphemy from Northeast legends Profanatica is our new favorite fist in the face of god.  

Stream Defeated Sanity‘s new split EP with… Defeated Sanity!

Destroying the Devoid — featuring Deeds of Flesh’s Craig Peters — are your new favorite atmospheric, progressive, melodic, technical death metal one-man side-project. 

We sit down with the Wretched End‘s Samoth to discuss In These Woods, From These Mountains and why it’s different from its applauded predecessors.

Hear “Of Hollow Judgement” from Colosso‘s forthcoming death metal steamroller Obnoxious.  (That’s the album title, not commentary on releasing new death metal steamrollers.)

Read on as we interrogate Convulse leader Rami Jämsä.

Cleveland, you have yet another reason to celebrate this week. Shed the Skin debut LP is out today!

On this week’s Demo:listen, we roll up our sleeves and get right down to it with Athens’ Pile Of Excrements.

Since 1990, Sweden’s Centinex, despite a brief breakup, have ruled underground death metal with an iron fist. With stints on labels like Underground Records, Emanzipation Productions, Repulse Records, Candlelight Records, and now Agonia Records, the merchants of death have kept their profile six feet under while continuing to wave the maggot-infested flag of true death metal.

Unortheta
Nothing’s zhocking
dB rating: 8/10