This week’s Heavy Music HQ reviews include releases from Asenblut, Barbarian Hermit, Blacklist, Gravemind, Lord Of The Lost, Manic Abraxas, Moiii, Mourners Lament, Sulfuris and Svartelder.
The ratings are on a 5 star scale.
Asenblut – Entfesselt (Massacre)
The German melodic death/pagan metal quintet Asenblut are unleashing their fifth album, Entfesselt, which translates, appropriately enough to “unleashed.” They’ve had some lineup changes since 2020’s Die Wilde Jagd, adding guitarists Chris Beck and Alexander Seher.
The songs are direct and to-the-point, with Tetzel’s harsh vocals contrasted by the melodic guitars. There are numerous catchy moments throughout the album, especially the title track, the anthemic “Wie ein Berserker” and “Blut und Sand.” Groovy riffs, potent drums and a streamlined running time of just over 40 minutes makes Entfesselt‘s blend of brutality and melody really hit the spot.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Barbarian Hermit – Mean Sugar (APF)
Barbarian Hermit emerged from Manchester just over a decade ago. 2018 saw the release of their debut full-length album Solitude And Savagery. Six years later the stoner/sludge troupe are back with Mean Sugar, about growing up in the north of England. It features the return of vocalist Simon Scarlett, who departed after their 2016 EP.
Heavy riffs propel the album, with Scarlett’s vocals providing grit and edge. The songs are dynamic, with tracks like “Battle Of Kompromat” injecting mellower, proggy moments alongside thick grooves. They also shift tempos, from the brisk “Who Put 50P In You” to the more deliberate “Deadbolt.” Mean Sugar is a weighty album that still glides smoothly through the sludge.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Blacklist – With Murderous Intent (Self)
With Murderous Intent is explosive. Blacklist‘s second album shows the band harnessing their inner monster with each thrash of their guitar and every wicked drum beat. It’s electric from start to finish, a classic thrash sound perfect for fans of Slayer that paints a gruesome picture torn straight from a Stephen King novel.
Their energy is infectious, their sound rapid and tense. Fans of thrash will flock toward this record for the epic, relentless breakdowns and stay for the deadly imagery that is put before them through sound. The tracks are long, but by no means drawn out. The lyrics are guttural, screamed out with deadly passion, and it all adds up to one perfectly vile concoction. Horror fans, meet your new favorite band.
Rating: 4
(Ethan Wylan)
Gravemind – Introsphere (Greyscale)
The Australian band Gravemind have gone through some changes since their 2019 debut. Bailey Schembri has been the frontman for a couple years now, and keeps the momentum going on their second album Introsphere.
Their brand of deathcore includes dense, pummeling sections along with modern, groovier parts. Shembri’s harsh vocals are potent, whether it be low growls or higher pitched screams. There are several guests on the album, including Polaris frontman Jamie Hails on the crushing “F.E.A.R.,” Code Orange’s Reba Meyers on the deliberate “Anhedonia” and Mick Gordon on the industrial flavored “Failstate.” Introsphere has some unique moments that really stand out, but those are diluted by more generic passages.
Rating: 3
(Chad Bowar)
Lord Of The Lost – Live At W:O:A (Napalm)
Countless live albums have been recorded at the legendary Wacken festival. You can add German rockers Lord Of The Lost, who commemorate their first performance on the festival’s main stage with Live At W:O:A.
The band sounds energized by the home crowd as they power through an 18 song set. LOTL play a varied set list, reaching back to their 2010 debut album Fears for “Dry The Rain.” They also play tracks from recent albums such as 2022’s Blood & Glitter including the title track and the Roxette cover “The Look.” They have released several previous live albums, but Live At W:O:A will appeal to fans with its strong performance and lengthy set.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Manic Abraxas – Skinformation (Self)
The Maine doom/stoner trio Manic Abraxas look into the future on their fourth album Skinformation. The lyrics explore what’s described as a dystopian sonic manifesto that delves into the dark underbelly of a bleak cyberpunk hive world.
While the lyrics may focus on the future, the music is good old fashioned stoner/doom metal. The riffs fly a mile a minute, with brisk tempos on songs like “TransendX” and “Dark Builder.” They slow down the proceedings with the title track, though it picks up the pace as the song progresses before pulling back again. The songs are groovy, but Steve Austin’s (Today Is The Day) production is not overly polished. That and the harsh vocals giving the album an edge contrasted by moments of melody such as clean singing on the closer “Neurogenic Magician.”
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Moiii – Moiii (Someoddpilot)
“Dark-light, sunny-stormy,” a dynamic description of Chicago industrialists Moiii about the opposing force that is their self titled debut album. It’s almost impossible to pin down one exact style Moiii are going for, and that is what makes it all the more appealing.
The album is not technically metal, but there are elements of it like with “Tangled Chords” and “Shhhhhhhhhhhhh.” Then on the flip side there are elements of a more dark industrial techno in tracks like “Scarab Of Ra.” Moiii have come out the gate strong with a debut album that makes one stand back and wonder what they exactly listen to, but ultimately in the end this is what the genre needs, more people like this taking risks and experimenting.
Rating: 4
(Dalton Husher)
Mourners Lament – A Grey Farewell (Personal)
With the band name Mourners Lament and the album title A Grey Farewell, you know you’re not in for a shiny, happy listening experience. The Chilean doom/death metal band’s sophomore release comes eight years after their full-length debut.
There’s no doubt Mourners Lament are inspired by bands like Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride, but they put their own melancholy spin on the genre. They prefer lengthy compositions, with four of the six songs stretching into double digit lengths. They have no trouble maintaining interest throughout ten plus minute songs, with plenty of ebbs and flows, some catchy riffs and ample atmosphere. “Changes” is a bit more sparse arrangement-wise, while “The Clear Distance” is denser with greater complexity. A Grey Farewell is a dynamic album that should resonate with doom/death fans.
Rating: 4
(Chad Bowar)
Sulfuris – Corpus//Animus (Inverse)
Corpus//Animus is the debut album from Finnish group Sulfuris, as melodic death metal and groove metal lock forces for a wildly uneven experience. The first half of the record is the strongest, with the band making the most out of their shared sonic styles. The songs bounce and clash, supplemented by ambitious guitar solos, including one at the end of “Parasite And Eye.”
The back half of Corpus//Animus is more daring, but at a price. The compositions get longer, the ratio of singing to throaty growls starts to tip towards the former and there’s more padding stuffed in. There are also strange production flaws, like singing in “Malleus Maleficarum” that sounds like it was copied and pasted in from a demo track. Though not entirely a failure, Sulfuris are at their most engaging in the early parts of Corpus//Animus.
Rating: 3
(Dan Marsicano)
Svartelder – Trenches (Soulseller)
Formed and fronted by Doedsadmiral (Doedsvangr, Nattverd, Nordjevel,…) in 2005, Svartelder delved into the roots of old-school Norwegian black metal. They released two albums in 2016 and 2019, the second of which, Pits, played an essential role in the band’s recognition. Now, their third album, Trenches, is upon us.
Trenches manages to keep the core of Norwegian black metal, between modern and old-school borders. At the same time, the underlying layers of songs meet with subtle traces of avant-garde/progressive black metal reminiscent of Arcturus and Borknagar. But in the end, it is the evil face of true Norwegian black metal that boldly stands out. However, Trenches lacks any distinctive features in its songwriting. It is enough for its audience to see black metal and Norway in the same sentence. So it can keep them highly delighted if they can endure Doedsadmiral’s gargling voice that in many moments on this album is not evil at all, which is even annoying.
Rating: 3
(Arash Khosronejad)
