This week’s Heavy Music HQ reviews include releases from Clawfinger, Coscradh, Daidalos, Dissentience, Domhain, Dusk, Exhumed, Eye Of Melian, Leatherhead, Necronomicon Ex Mortis, Sylosis, Temple Balls, The Veer Union and W.E.B.
The ratings are on a 5-star scale.
Clawfinger – Before We All Die (Perception)
Alongside fellow rap/metal forebears such as Stuck Mojo, Swedish mob Clawfinger really didn’t receive their proper commercial due for helping pioneer a sub-genre. No one could dispute their credibility, but on Before We All Die, the group’s first album in nearly two decades, the quality can be questioned at times. From Trump-baiting opener “Scum,” the socio-political conviction and overall aggression of their sound remains intact, tackling topics from environmental collapse to societal breakdown and artificial fame.
Meanwhile, their melodic and groovy sound translates to memorable cuts like industrial-tinged “Tear You Down” and “Linked Together.” There are misses alongside the hits, though. Sometimes the execution feels over-wrought and the vocal delivery cheesy; note the awful mess that is “A Fucking Disgrace,, or hip-hop cut “A Perfect Day.” Other times the approach feels like a recycling of past glories. There was a time, post nu-metal era, when combining rap and heavy music was about as cool as your drunken uncle doing the Macarena at a family gathering. But all trends are cyclical, and despite some shortcomings here, Clawfinger seem well-positioned to enjoy a nostalgia kick.
Rating: 2.5
(Brendan Crabb)
Coscradh – Carving The Causeway To The Otherworld (20 Buck Spin)
Guitars wail in horror, two vocalists growl and hiss, drums are fueled by energy drinks and a lust for pain; that’s a small sampling of what Coscradh have in store on their second album, Carving The Causeway To The Otherworld. This is black/death metal in the style of Teitenblood, as songs are bended into obscene shapes of lengthy exploits.
A few synth/sample-driven ambient sections, like the extended outro to closer “Opening The Gates To Styx, Nix, Kerberos And Hydra” and brief interlude “The Calling,” only heightens the terror. For 45 minutes, Coscradh want to subject a listener to waves of discomfort with no hope for release.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Daidalos – Dante (Rockshots)
The Divine Comedy, the tale of Dante’s descent into the afterlife, is a great accompaniment to the bombastic lunge of symphonic black metal. That’s the basis behind Daidalos’ sophomore album, Dante, with principal band member Tobias Püschner showing great passion in telling this story. Though only clocking in around 36 minutes, there’s multiple intro and interlude tracks to cast a foreboding mood over the album.
Out of context, a 20-second track of a castle gate opening seems superfluous. When heard as part of the full experience of Dante, it is an enhancement to the setting created by Diadalos. The second half of the album goes a little heavy on these pauses in the action, taking away from the effective orchestral and piano swirls over the unstoppable riffs. Dante loses its cinematic effect when tracks are not played in the order envisioned by the band.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Dissentience – Kaiju (Self)
For their latest EP Kaiju, Dissentience regale listeners with an overarching concept involving a monster stories high wreaking havoc on a city and the aftermath of the attack. There’s plenty of ways to express such a destructive idea, and the band does this by mixing up their established thrash/death metal. Opener “Obsidian Tomb” utilizes acoustic guitars in its intro, while closer “Death Stroud” is an extended mid-tempo beatdown.
These may not seem like major steps, but they are for Dissentience, a group mainly known for rapid-fire tempos and technical guitar solos. That part of them is present in the crazed title track, but after spending the last decade in that mindset, hearing them actually take a breath is appreciated. Kaiju has the group adjusting their core sound for this EP to not just be a random collection of leftover ideas.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Domhain – In Perfect Stillness (These Hands Melt)
Domhain take the ethereal glow of shoegaze and put some sting on it with black metal on their debut album, In Perfect Stillness. There are many parts to this record that drift into the serene, whether that be the cello-led opener “Una Tarra Ci Hé” or the comforting melodies of “Footsteps II.” That one is a sequel to the folksy “Footsteps” single that was released last year; this second part likes to pick things up quicker.
The title track fully engages in black metal, though makes times for sublime vocal harmonies between bassist Andy Ennis and drummer/cellist Anaïs Chareyre-Méjan over its seven minutes. Their harmonies constantly stand out throughout In Perfect Stillness, pairing perfectly on the aforementioned “Footsteps II.”
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Dust – Bunker (Self)
Bunker, the sixth full-length from the Costa Rican band Dusk is a new industrial that is very unique and has a hollow feel to it. This is caustic music that is very raw and this makes it somewhat difficult to listen to, though the incorporation of electronic elements makes it a bit more interesting.
The musicianship on the album is merely adequate with nothing to highlight in terms of the musical performances, although there are some similarities to Nine Inch Nails mixed with some black metal influences. The tunes sound mechanical and have very little in them that has any sort of poignancy. This leads Bunker to being fairly generic.
Rating: 2.5
(Adam McAuley)
Exhumed – Red Asphalt (Relapse)
Seminal gore metallers Exhumed‘s ninth original album is Red Asphalt. Opening with “Unsafe At Any Speed,” the riffs swirl around the listener at breakneck speeds, surely setting the proper tone for what’s to come. The band reminds the listener that blood and guts are not limited to dark and brooding places, American roadways pose just as much corporeal chaos as anywhere else.
Matt Harvey and Ross Sewage’s bloody growls are as insane as ever, and the spectacular Sebastian Phillips ups the band’s ante for guitar pyrotechnics per the usual. The title track is a slow starter but by the song’s end you are treated to wonderful harmonic solos stuffed inside this rotting requiem. There are plenty other road related references on tracks like “The Iron Graveyard,” “Death On Four Wheels” and “The Fumes,” just to name a few. Exhumed are always at their best when pounding through your skull with grooves or fast and furious riffing. This is an Exhumed album meaning it is violent, gory and fun; so make a pit stop to Red Asphalt a true roadway rager that demands more blood each time you spin it.
Rating: 4
(Tom Campagna)
Eye Of Melian – Forest Of Forgetting (Napalm)
Formed by Delain’s Martijn Westerholt, Eye Of Melian are named after a singing spirit from the world of Tolkien, which inspires the concept for their sophomore album Forest Of Forgetting. Fronted by Auri’s Johanna Kurkela, Eye Of Melian’s compositions are very cinematic and dynamic with symphonic atmosphere front and center.
Songs like “Symphonia Arcana” and “Blackthorn Winter” have a lot of depth and are dramatic, and there’s variety in tempo and intensity with ballads such as “Elixir Of Night” providing contrast. And while the arrangements are impeccable, the songs could use more hooks and memorable melodies. Kurkela’s vocals are also sometimes buried by the symphonic bombast. Still, symphonic metal fans will find plenty of engaging moments on Forest Of Forgetting.
Rating: 3
(Chad Bowar)
Leatherhead – Violent Horror Stories (No Remorse)
In Violent Horror Stories, Leatherhead exhume some classic horror scenarios. The music is not as brutal as the themes might suggest, but it will still make you palpitate and sweat. This is a sort of mix between thrash and traditional heavy metal that’s lively but also catchy and I often found myself drawing comparisons with Crimson Glory and early Overkill.
The songwriting is great and the lead vocals are simply excellent. “Incubus,” for example, has some prog traits but it will get you playing air guitar and banging your head. With its barrage of heavy riffs and fast guitar solos, “V.H.S.” will have a similar effect. Violent Horror Stories is only the second album from Leatherhead and was released on Friday 13th (of course).
Rating: 4
(Chris Galea)
Necronomicon Ex Mortis – Zombie Blood Nightmare (Self)
On Necronomicon Ex Mortis’ Zombie Blood Nightmare, movies like The Evil Dead and Dawn Of The Dead are given new life from musicians obsessed with everything horror. The band’s strategy since they started putting out music in 2023 has been an abundance of EPs, singles and splits, eschewing any attempts at a full album.
Their love of the undead is only matched by their passion for guitar solos, as Zombie Blood Nightmare is loaded with them. Though their own guitarists have the skills to shred, they bring in guitarists like Jeff Young (ex-Megadeth) to bring it over the top. The seven-minute “Chopped Up And Burned” is excess done right with its array of soloing antics. This EP is no doubt their best release to date.
Rating: 4
(Dan Marsicano)
Sylosis – The New Flesh (Nuclear Blast)
UK crushers Sylosis are marking 20 years since they emerged with their debut EP Casting Shadows. The latest release from the multi-genre extreme metallers is The New Flesh. It’s the group’s first album with bassist Ben Thomas (Venom Prison), as Conor Marshall slides over to guitar.
They ramp up the heaviness this time around, with an even larger contrast between brutality and smooth melodies. That’s evident throughout the album on tracks like “Erased” and “Lacerations.” Frontman Josh Middleton has shown over the years that he is equally adept at intense hardcore vocals and accessible melodic singing, and that’s certainly the case here. The New Flesh doesn’t break a lot of new ground, but the band’s songwriting and musicianship is razor sharp, making it a potent addition to their discography.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Temple Balls – Temple Balls (Frontiers)
After the success of their 2023 album Avalanche and three years of honing their sound and a massive tour around Europe and the U.K, Finnish hard rockers Temple Balls have released their latest album, a self-titled release.
With a sound similar to that of Beast in Black (just without the synths), the album has your attention with the overwhelming ’80s feel from the opening lines of “Flashback Dynamite” until the energy fades out with “Living in a Nightmare.” Each track is full of emotion and energy that does not over do it and is a solid listen from start to end.
Rating: 3.5
(Dalton Husher)
The Veer Union – Reinvention (Arising Empire)
Vancouver’s The Veer Union deliver a powerful ten-track statement with Reinvention, showcasing the band’s signature blend of crushing alternative metal and emotional depth. Led by Crispin Earl’s commanding vocals and production, alongside guitarist Ryan Ramsdell, drummer Ricardo Viana, and bassist Glen Bridon, the album opens strong with “My Empire.” It maintains intensity throughout tracks like “Venom in My Veins” and “Sunk Your Teeth In.” The band explores themes of struggle and transformation across songs like “Caught in the Crossfire” and “Sea of Fear,” creating a cohesive journey through internal conflict.
What distinguishes Reinvention is the band’s refusal to sacrifice melody for aggression. Earl’s dual role as frontman and producer ensures a unified vision, while the tight musicianship creates a foundation that’s both technically impressive and viscerally powerful. Standout moments include the brief but impactful “Feel Again” and the atmospheric “Dying Light.” For fans of Breaking Benjamin or Shinedown, this album offers familiar territory with a fresh perspective, proving The Veer Union remains a vital force in modern alternative metal.
Rating: 4.5
(Jeanetta Briski)
W.E.B. – Darkness Alive (Metal Blade)
The Greek symphonic black metal troupe W.E.B. have been around for nearly a quarter-century. However, they don’t have an extensive discography with only five full-lengths under their belt. Their last studio album was 2021’s Colosseum, and as they continue work on their next album, they are issuing their first live release, Darkness Alive.
Recorded in 2024 in their hometown of Athens, the setlist is a relatively streamlined eight songs, plus an opening interlude. The songs are mostly from the latter part W.E.B.’s career, with no songs from their first two albums included. The live mix between the intense black metal and the symphonic sections is on point, and the band’s performance is strong with plenty of appreciation from the hometown crowd. While the setlist could have been more career encompassing, Darkness Alive does a good job capturing the intensity and variety of a W.E.B. live performance.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
