This week’s Heavy Music HQ reviews include releases from Agnostic Front, Beastwars, Black Sabbitch, Centinex, Cold Steel, Denial Of Life, The Gloomy Radiance Of The Moon, Glorious Depravity, Kostnateni, Mourniaty, N.Y.C., Omnium Gatherum, Oromet, Primordial and Spriggan Mist.
The ratings are on a 5-star scale.
Agnostic Front – Echoes In Eternity (Reigning Phoenix)
It has been 45 since New York hardcore legends Agnostic Front formed. They were founding members of the NYC scene, influencing countless bands over the decades. Since their last album, 2019’s Get Loud!, drummer Danny Lamagna (Sworn Enemy, Suicide City) has joined the lineup. Their latest studio effort is Echoes In Eternity.
It delivers exactly what Agnostic Front fans expect: short bursts of heavy yet catchy hardcore delivered with power and attitude. Roger Miret delivers the vocals with passion. There’s a guest appearance from Run DMC’s Darryl McDaniels on the groovy “Matter Of Life & Death.” The band changes things up when it comes to tempo, with tracks like “Divided” and “Eyes Open Wide” moving at a moderate pace, while songs such as “Way Of War” and “Art Of Silence” crank up the BPMs. Few have been doing it longer or better than Agnostic Front, with Echoes In Eternity another solid entry in their lengthy discography.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Beastwars – The Ship // The Sea (Destroy)
Over the past few years, New Zealand sludgesters Beastwars have been revisiting their early material in live shows. That has impacted their new album The Ship // The Sea, which eschews some of the prog influences of recent records and goes back to basics. It’s their first album of originals since 2019, following 2023’s covers record Tyranny Of Distance.
The album is heavy and direct, with water the lyrical basis of the songs. The ship represents the body and the sea, life. Beastwars expertly balance intensity and passion with groove and melody. The balance tilts toward the latter on “Levitate” and “Guardian Of Fire” while the tempo slows to a doom pace and the heaviness ratchets up on “Rust.” Beastwars have long been underrated, but with each new quality album like The Ship // The Sea, more fans will discover them.
Rating: 4
(Chad Bowar)
Black Sabbitch – Unrest In The West (Ripple)
After over a decade together as a Black Sabbath tribute band, Black Sabbitch have released their first live album, Unrest In The West. Eight songs from a show in Los Angeles, California, are included, with a mix of well-known anthems and deep cuts. For every “Into The Void,” there’s a “Wheels Of Confusion.” Even “A Hard Road” (an underrated gem in this writer’s opinion) gets recognized.
It’s great not to hear the same hits that have been trotted out a million times before, while recognizing that “Children Of The Grave” is too good of a song not to include. Black Sabbitch have gotten acclaim from all walks of the music world, from Dave Grohl to Paul Stanley to Ozzy Osbourne himself, and Unrest In The West makes it apparent why. They invoke the spirit of Sabbath, reviving songs that have been lost to time as well as classics still well-regarded today.
Rating: 4
(Dan Marsicano)
Centinex – With Guts And Glory (Black Lion)
Legendary death metal band Centinex have been dominating the Swedish scene and influencing generations of bands for over three decades. Their first album in five years, With Guts And Glory, takes a slightly different direction from their critically acclaimed Death In Pieces and their earlier works.
What Centinex deliver on With Guts And Glory is a fierce, passionate half-hour of death metal infused with d-beat/punk energy, catchy melodic hooks, and a nod to death ‘n’ roll. It’s a powerful and spirited effort, even if it doesn’t quite rank among the band’s finest releases. Centinex attack mercilessly, groove confidently through infectious riffs, and captivate their listeners with sheer guts and glory amid an apocalyptic battlefield, with an album packed with enough fire and ferocity to please every kind of death metal fan.
Rating: 3.5
(Arash Khosronejad)
Cold Steel – Discipline & Punish (Spinefarm)
Tampa tough guys Cold Steel drop their debut Discipline & Punish, bringing with them a hardcore and metal assault that begins on album opener “No Escape.” The bass playing is fat and heavy while the shouted vocals recall the late, great Riley Gale of Power Trip, making for a very in-your face introduction to the band.
The crushing stomp of “Blacksmith of Damnation” makes for a heavy start to the track that gives way to a traditional hardcore meets crossover feeling, one that pummels the listener with riffs that feel heavier each time they enter the album’s consciousness. Cold Steel do an excellent job of making their “aggressive metal” feel overwhelming, whether it’s soaring at high speeds or played slower on “Return To Agony,” which is intentionally emotional. Even feelings can be metal. Cold Steel present themselves to be the next metal/hardcore hybrid to hit the scene and on Discipline & Punish they more than make their presence felt.
Rating: 3.5
(Tom Campagna)
Denial Of Life – Witness The Power (Creator-Destructor)
No matter how much thrash metal one can listen to, there’s something intoxicating about a breakdown that’ll get heads going in perpetual motion. Denial Of Life does just that on the opening title cut to Witness The Power, as the band goes Slayer circa South Of Heaven with demonic guitar harmonies and crunchy double bass drumming. It’s a great lead-in to an EP that values crossover thrash while staying agile with new techniques.
“Love Sting,” with its uncharacteristically subdued riffs, is a big reach for the group. It’s the closest they will probably ever come to a power ballad, though they make sure to get going by the time the “Not The One” closer rolls in. Witness The Power isn’t a bold reimagination for Denial Of Life, but they take a sidestep or two into the unknown.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
The Gloomy Radiance Of The Moon – As The Stars Shatter In Agony (Dusktone)
Dutch black metallers The Gloomy Radiance Of The Moon have returned and with them they bring As The Stars Shatter In Agony, their anticipated follow up two years after their previous release Hidden In The Darkness Of Fallen Mastery.
Though light on the symphonic elements, As The Stars Shatter In Agony has plenty to offer for enjoyers of the genre from the shrieking vocals to hellishly fast blast beats. No one track stands out among the rest due to the similarities each of the eight tracks have. Despite the overall solid production quality, the tracks did sound a bit similar in the end. The Gloomy Radiance Of The Moon have a solid thing going for them, though it feels like they are missing a certain element that would help them stand out, they are on the track to find it.
Rating: 3.5
(Dalton Husher)
Glorious Depravity – Death Never Sleeps (Transcending Obscurity)
New York City based death metal collective Glorious Depravity‘s sophomore release is Death Never Sleeps, which features the same lineup as their debut, Ageless Violence. Vocalist Doug Moore is familiar to most as the vocalist of Pyrrhon, but since this is a different band, Moore takes on a more direct and violent approach to his vocals here. “Freshkills Poltergeist” starts slowly and builds its barrage with pounding drums and changing tempos as the guitars continue to hit hard and even throw in some violent pinch harmonics as the song reaches its end.
“Scourged By The Wings Of The Fell Destroyer” makes the band appear as directly death/thrash as they have on the entire album, properly marrying the two styles to a significant extent. The band feels very machine-like and calculated in their aggressive attack. Glorious Depravity have released a 2025 album with a 1991 ethos complete with audio samples that add a layer of authenticity to their assault. Death Never Sleeps is the next step in their evolution helping to make them more than your average death metal band upping the ante along the way.
Rating: 4
(Tom Campagna)
Kostnateni – Přílišnost (Excess) (Willowtip)
There’s always been an esoteric spirit to musician D.L’s work under the Kostnateni banner, but Přílišnost (Excess) is their most surreal album to date. How else to describe using trip-hop beats in the very first song, “Dokonalé křišťálové město (Perfect Crystal City)”? Or the peculiar synths that hover over “Znal jsem tě (I Knew You)”? There are parts on here that have that same sort of unrestraint that Mayhem had with the divisive Grand Declaration Of War.
However, unlike that avant-garde nightmare, Přílišnost (Excess) does keep its hold on snarling black metal. At 34 minutes in length, the album is precise and uncluttered. Kostnateni have never kept to conventional logic, which is how Přílišnost (Excess) is able to make sense in a way that other bands could never pull off.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Mourniaty – Musta Maa (Inverse)
Mourniaty occupy the space of reserved black metal on their debut album, Musta Maa. Formed in 2014, it has taken a while for the group to find its footing and gather up enough songs for a record. Their brand is less about maintaining inhuman tempos, but using orchestration and moderately paced riffs to get their paganistic themes across.
They do pick up steam every so often, but it’s definitely the weakest part of their arsenal. It’s not a coincidence that the best song that does it, “Sodomia,” is an instrumental. When they do it with vocals on “All Your Lies,” it’s like the band is out of focus. Musta Maa is at its right spot when Mournaity doesn’t rush into action, taking a sneaky stance behind a listener.
Rating: 3
(Dan Marsicano)
N.Y.C. – Built To Destroy (Adrenalizing)
N.Y.C. were founded by vocalist/guitarist Tommy Bolan (Warlock/Doro). He recruited bassist Steve Unger (Metal Church) and drummer Stet Howland (Metal Church, W.A.S.P.) for their debut album Built To Destroy.
They play traditional metal with maximum groove and plenty of guitar wizardry. There are old school influences at play, but N.Y.C. inject some modern influences as well to avoid being a nostalgia act. Bolan sings melodically, but his voice is fairly gruff, which provides an edge alongside the accessible melodies. The songs are hit and miss, with some catchy numbers and others that don’t really move the needle. Built To Destroy does have excellent musicianship throughout.
Rating: 3
(Chad Bowar)
Omnium Gatherum – May The Bridges We Burn Light The Way (Century Media)
Omnium Gatherum‘s new album May The Bridges We Burn Light The Way presents a more straightforward and aggressive take on their melodic death metal sound. Moving away from brooding experimentation, the record prioritizes speed, sharp execution, and high-energy riffing, aligning more with classic 90s influences than melancholic peers.
The production is immaculate, featuring soaring guitar solos and biting growled vocals for an immediately satisfying impact. While this focused approach makes the album highly replayable and fun, it lacks some of the philosophical depth and atmospheric nuance found in their earlier, genre-defining work. Consequently, the album stands as a solid, well-crafted release that reaffirms the band’s core strengths, even if it doesn’t seek to expand their artistic legacy.
Rating: 3
(Carlos Tirado)
Oromet – The Sinking Isle (Hypaethral)
Oromet sway under the weight of funeral doom metal on their sophomore album, The Sinking Isle. This duo from Sacramento, California formats this record as an exact replica of their self-titled debut album: an opener over 20 minutes and two songs around 11 minutes each. If they are trying to recreate the album title sonically, this sinking happens at an excruciating pace.
The band never strays from melody, such as the acoustic guitars in the first few minutes of “Hollow Dominion” or the ethereal synths that cascade over each song. Music like this has a particular audience, one that revels in the unhurried position they are put in, and Oromet have become experts on sublime dourness.
Rating: 4
(Dan Marsicano)
Primordial – Live In New York City (Metal Blade)
As the end of the year approaches, it seems the number of compilation and live releases increases. Our second review of a live album this week is the venerable Irish band Primordial‘s Live In New York City that was recorded earlier this year.
The nearly two-hour set spans a wide swath of the band’s history. There are a couple of songs from their latest album, How It Ends, and they go back to the early 2000s with “Gods To The Godless.” They close the show with the rousing “Heathen Tribes” from 2007’s To The Nameless Dead. Primordial are in fine form, and frontman A.A. Nemtheanga knows how to engage the audience. Primordial have released a few live albums over the years, and Live In New York City captures the 2025 version of the band very well.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Spriggan Mist – The Glare (Essentials)
Spriggan Mist are an England-based prog folk band steadily gaining traction on the music scene. If you’d think of Renaissance and Kate Bush while turning up the rock levels a notch, you might have a rough idea what to expect. The lyrics are based on pagan folk themes with characters occasionally reappearing in multiple Spriggan Mist albums. The Glare is the band’s first result of their collaboration with Essentials, a prog rock label. But, more importantly, is the album worth your attention?
The songwriting is excellent and the album has no shortage of catchy tunes. Also the use of a wide range of instruments ensure a musically-rich experience. For example, “Crystal Cave” contains a captivating harmony between flute and electric guitar. “When Stars Collide” is a joyful song with a dreamy saxophone solo. I felt that a fuller, more rounded sound would have given the songs a stronger impact but to answer my previous question, yes, I dare say it’s worth checking this one out.
Rating: 3.5
(Chris Galea)
