This week’s Heavy Music HQ reviews include releases from Accvsed, Amphisbaena, Ancient Malice, Barbarous, Hammer, Harvested, Kayo Dot, Moths, Sea Mosquito, Silk Spinster and Victim Of Fire.
The ratings are on a 5-star scale.
Accvsed – Dealers Of Doom (Arising Empire)
The German metalcore group Accvsed emerged with the EP House Of Doubt in 2023. Now they are issuing their full-length debut Dealers Of Doom. The album follows the genre template closely, with plenty of breakdowns and a combination of harsh vocals and melodic singing.
The songs have a good balance of aggressiveness and catchiness, most notably on opener “Day Of The Locust” and the title track. They flip the script on “Avoider,” starting melodically and then incorporating harsh vocals. The pendulum shifts more toward the mainstream on “Make Sure It Hurts” as well. Though they tread a well-worn path and there is some filler, Accvsed show promise on Dealers Of Doom with some quality songs.
Rating: 3
(Chad Bowar)
Amphisbaena – Rift (I, Voidhanger)
It has been almost ten years since Amphisbaena released their self-titled debut EP, a long lead up to what would become Rift. The decade-long break between releases has gone in the way of atmospheric storytelling, with multiple instrumentals meant to set a cosmic tone.
The three-part opener “Rift I-III” spans the spectrum of death/black metal, from the horrific lunge of the third part to the sparse guitar work in the second part. It’s not easy to pick up where Amphisbaena are going to go next on Rift, as the only clarity to obtain is that the band are in some other dimension far beyond our limited sight.
Rating: 4
(Dan Marsicano)
Ancient Malice – Accept The Vile Gifts Of The Dead (Self)
Featuring former members of the legendary bands Abaddon Incarnate and Coldwar, Ancient Malice channel the raw energy of the late 1980s — a pivotal era in metal history when death metal surged and grindcore emerged, shaking the underground scene to its core. Accept The Vile Gifts Of The Dead, the band’s debut studio album, celebrates this ferocious uprising.
But what makes it stand out? The album was recorded live in the band’s rehearsal space, without any overdubs, studio polish, or post-production effects. This bold choice infuses the album with a raw, unrelenting, and chaotic sonic atmosphere. Delivering crusty, old-school death metal at its impressive form, Ancient Malice immerse listeners in a filthy, destructive soundscape that harkens back to the genre’s roots — a primal intensity often overlooked in modern death metal and grindcore.
Rating: 3.5
(Arash Khosronejad)
Barbarous – Initium Mors (Creator-Destructor)
Barbarous show they are more than just another up-and-coming death metal group with Initium Mors, a confident debut album concerned with ripping riffs and cracking heads. They’ve already learned the important lesson that it’s not a bad thing to be catchy every once in a while, as evident by the unruly gang chants on “By Lead Or Steel” and the springy grooves in the title track.
Their music matches their moniker on Initium Mors, as there’s no respite given by Barbarous. The guitar solos could’ve been a way to do so, yet these ones shred and break through with screeching ferocity. There’s a heck of an upside to Barbarous with Initium Mors.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Hammer – Trapped (Self)
The addition of vocalist Jim Andrews has ignited an uncontrollable fire under Hammer for their sophomore album, Trapped. His brooding growls and contemptuous demeanor puts the album in a death metal state more often than the groove metal of old, which can be felt in the re-recorded versions of “Gorehound” and “Golem.” These two were originally on their 2020 self-titled debut; and while musically aligned, the harsher vocals put a rancid spin on the original take.
An argument can be had for having to add re-recorded tracks to an album that’s already barely 30 minutes. The new material is strong too, especially the seven-minute closer “Alive” that has them in a mid-tempo stomp. It makes Trapped feel more like an EP that had a few B-sides thrown in to get it to that LP spot.
Rating: 3
(Dan Marsicano)
Harvested – Dysthymia (Self)
Harvested channel the struggles of mental illness within the seedy confines of death metal on their debut album, Dysthymia. The group doesn’t skimp on the gorier details, like the depictions of torture on opener “Harvested,” but much of the lyrical prose isn’t that graphic. It takes the views of mental illness from not only a personal perspective, but globally as well.
Their death metal has nods to the classics like Cannibal Corpse and Suffocation, while adding a bit of technical bounce as they do on “Designed Dilemma.” Harvested does well with capturing the genre from every corner. Speed freaks will love “Gathered And Deluded,” those with some head banging in their hearts will get down to “Unending Madness” and “The Infestation” ends Dysthymia with a stark message.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Kayo Dot – Every Rock, Every Half-Truth Under Reason (Prophecy)
Kayo Dot’s Every Rock, Every Half-Truth Under Reason leans hard into abstraction, offering a dense, shape-shifting experience that barely resembles metal in any conventional sense. It trades riffs and structure for atmosphere and uneasy contrasts—bar lounge calm colliding with moments of unnerving dread. There’s no question the band is committed to this experimental path, and the execution is intentional, even if it’s cryptic.
The issue is less about ambition and more about engagement. With songs stretching past the 20-minute mark and little progression or release, the album risks fading into background noise. It feels more like a sound installation than something built to be revisited. For some, this might be the appeal. For others, it’s a difficult listen with limited reward.
Rating: 2
(Carlos Tirado)
Moths – Septem (Self)
Moths went up to space on their last album Space Force, and now head back down into the underworld for Septem. Each song revolves around one of the seven deadly sins of Catholicism, as the group latches onto a sinister mantra both lyrically and musically. “Guttony” and “Wrath” go full-on death/black metal in spots, a far cry from their usual jazzy progressive metal. It’s a turn that matches the concept, tied together by new vocalist Mariel Viruet.
Viruet gets to take on many forms with her voice, roaring like a demon and singing with operatic composure. “Pride” and “Lust” give the rest of the band the chance to take over with some extended solos, a surprise considering the shorter lengths of these songs compared to previous releases. Septem doesn’t quite reach the exuberant highs of Space Force, but gets close with its elastic genre flipping.
Rating: 4
(Dan Marsicano)
Sea Mosquito – Majestas (I, Voidhanger)
After drawing a fair bit of attraction with their 2023 release Igitur, the London based Sea Mosquito have brought their mystical infused black metal style back with their latest release Majestas.
The album jumps right into the thick of it out the gate in “Organs Dissolved In Lacquer” with black metal staple screaming vocals and blast beat drums. The ebb and flow of energy each track has would normally feel out of place and clunky, but it is pulled off nicely and keeps the listener on their toes. When compared to their previous release, there is more of a small symphonic element with this release than previously, which stylistically would be an interesting direction to see Sea Mosquito take.
Rating: 3.5
(Dalton Husher)
Silk Spinster – Silk Spinster (Self)
The UK band Silk Spinster have been paying their dues, playing shows and building a fan base over the past few years. The group from Kingston Upon Hull has been working on their self-titled debut EP for a bit, which is now seeing the light of day.
They are influenced by classic metal bands, with a Maiden vibe evident on the title track. The five songs explore a few different styles, with “White Lines” a heavy and catchy traditional metal number and “Home” starting much mellower, though it gets heavier toward the end. Silk Spinster brings some arena rock, a bit of metal and a lot of love for those genres’ glory days.
Rating: 3
(Chad Bowar)
Victim Of Fire – The Old Lie (Human Future/Return Trip)
The Denver blackened crust outfit Victim Of Fire have been around for nearly a decade, with The Old Lie their third full-length. The lyrics for the album are based on a poem by Wilfred Owens about the soldiers of World War I.
Guitar harmonies are a staple of Victim Of Fire’s songwriting, with those melodies contrasting the harsh vocals. They really ramp up the intensity on tracks like “Wayward Light” and “Discordance” with the vocals deep in the mix while acoustic guitars during the intro of “Nightmares Of Ceasefire” provide a brief respite before the brutality resumes. With Victim Of Fire’s love of guitar harmonies, it’s only appropriate they close The Old Lie with a cover of Iron Maiden’s “Aces High,” with harsh vocals giving it a different twist.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
