Nameless Grave Records is proud to announce the signing and upcoming release of Apocryphal Verse, the highly anticipated new album from death metal powerhouse ADUANTEN. Featuring members of acclaimed acts Obsequiae, Vex, Panopticon, and Horrendous, ADUANTEN delivers a blistering yet sorrowful masterpiece that pushes the boundaries of the genre. Apocryphal Verse is set for release on October 24th.
Born from a desire to explore the darker, more aggressive side of melodic death metal, ADUANTEN‘s music is a relentless storm of punishing riffs and intricate melodies. While the band’s sonic foundation is built on ferocity, their sound is imbued with a profound sense of melancholic beauty, creating a unique and captivating atmosphere. The band’s lineage, including drummer Eoghan McCloskey of Obsequiae, ensures a level of musicianship and compositional depth that will immediately resonate with fans of sophisticated extreme metal.
On Apocryphal Verse, ADUANTEN masterfully blends the searing aggression of classic death metal with the atmospheric introspection of melodic black metal. Tracks on the album weave a narrative of decay and despair, driven by a maelstrom of intricate guitar work and a pummeling rhythm section. The album’s lyrical themes of destruction, sorrow, and hopelessness are perfectly mirrored in its dynamic and emotionally charged soundscapes.
Apocryphal Verse will be available on all major streaming platforms, as well as physical formats, on October 24th.
Fans of Dissection, Sacramentum, and Obsequiae will find ADUANTEN‘s new offering to be an essential addition to their collection.
Eastern Pennsylvania-based brutal death metal faction PILE OF KNIVES presents their second EP, Driven By The Blade, confirming the record for release on Halloween and dropping the first single, “Stabbed.”
Based in the Pocono Mountains, PILE OF KNIVES may be a new name to many, but the band’s origins stretch back more than a decade to when guitarist Chett Kolakoski, Lee Messerschmidt, and drummer Dylan “Pickle” Jaludi played together in their prior band, Existence. Following nearly a decade-long hiatus, the band began jamming together again in late 2022.
It didn’t take long for them to realize they wanted to take it a step further and get a new band going. Within a few months, Messerschmidt’s friend Jay Stromeyer was recruited to play bass. Shortly thereafter, Bryan Martinez, formerly of Grimus, was enlisted as the band’s vocalist, and PILE OF KNIVES was born.
Infusing influences from their favorite bands from across the spectrum of death metal, slam, beatdown hardcore, and deathcore. PILE OF KNIVES found their footing and began laying down new demos, and recorded their debut EP, No Light, which was released in the Summer of 2024.
Their relentless groove-laden attack reflects the works of brutal death metal acts Skinless, Dying Fetus, Internal Bleeding, Origin, and Through The Eyes Of The Dead, with the more metallic hardcore-adjacent death/beatdown acts like Crawlspace, Final Resting Place, Shattered Realm, and No Zodiac. Lyrically, Martinez infuses his love of horror films and real-life experiences, reflecting themes centered around regret, self-loathing, and grappling with one’s own flaws.
photo by Tia X Slaughter
Upon the release of No Light, PILE OF KNIVES was already cultivating new material, some of which now arrives on the band’s second EP, Driven By The Blade. The EP takes the band’s calculated yet unhinged viciousness to further levels of intensity, delivering four new tracks of simply merciless, slamming death.
Driven By The Blade was recorded, mixed, mastered, and produced by Shaun Werle, with the drums recorded at Soundmine Recording Studio. The cover art and photography are by Giancarlo Bruno and the lyric videos are by Jon Lievano of Malevolent Media Videos. Additionally, the song “Kukri” features guests Anthony Bacola on acoustic guitar and Ben Karas on violin.
With the lead single from the EP, “Stabbed,” Martinez writes, “It’s tough sometimes having to deal with vulnerability, and that’s mostly where I had gained influence from when writing this song. I had to look at myself and accept that I have flaws like the rest of us, and that’s okay. This, mixed with my love for brutal horror films, inspired the single and the remaining songs on the EP.”
Watch PILE OF KNIVES’ “Stabbed” lyric video on YouTube HERE and stream the track on Bandcamp HERE and other digital services HERE.
Driven By The Blade – Track Listing:
Laceration
Shank
Kukri
Stabbed
Driven By The Blade will be released on October 31st. Digital preorders are live HERE. A CD version will be available for preorder shortly through Been There Scene That Records.
Additional lyric videos and an official video from the EP will be playing shortly.
PILE OF KNIVES plays shows throughout the East Coast scene and continues to write music, with their next release already under construction.
PILE OF KNIVES: Bryan Martinez – vocals Lee Messerschmidt – guitar Chett Kolakoski – guitar Dylan “Pickle” Jaludi – drums Jay Stromeyer – bass
Maggot Stomp is proud to announce the debut full-length album from death metal upstarts Dying Remains. Merciless Suffering is set for release on Friday, September 19th. The band has also unleashed a chilling new music video for the track “Hung and Drawn,” which can be viewed HERE.
Merciless Suffering is a masterclass in songwriting, delivering an uncompromising blend of crushing brutality and catchy, well-crafted moments that mold together into a monolithic force. This is death metal for those who appreciate the genre’s time-tested foundation. Dying Remains brings together seminal sounds reminiscent of acts like Morta Skuld, Jungle Rot, and Obituary while still keeping things fresh and exciting for a new generation of death metal to take root.
The video for “Hung and Drawn” was directed by Aron Diaz and serves as a visual companion to the album’s core lyrical themes. Drawing heavily from ’70s and ’80s B-grade gore films, the video is a short horror film that depicts one gruesome segment from the album’s over-arching story of a sprawling torture chamber. The band, all avid fans of the horror genre, wanted to bring this macabre vision to life, and the result is a truly unsettling and memorable piece of art.
DYING REMAINS TOUR DATES – Headline: 9/12 | Edmonton, AB | 99ten 9/13 | Calgary, AB | The Rock Shop 9/14 | Vancouver, BC | The Cobalt 9/15 | Seattle, WA | Belltown Yacht Club 9/16 | Olympia, WA | The Crypt 9/17 | Portland, OR | Twilight Cafe 9/19 | Sacramento, CA | The Starlet Room
w/ Gored Embrace: 9/20 | San Fernando, CA | Midnight Hour 9/21 | San Diego, CA | The Che Cafe 9/22 | Phoenix, AZ | Palo Verde Lounge 9/23 | Tuscon, AZ | 951 Calle Castile 9/25 | Houston, TX | Eighteen Ten Ojeman 9/26 | San Antonio, TX | O’Death 9/27 | Dallas, TX | Double Wide 9/28 | Kansas City, MO | Howdy 9/30 | Denver, CO | Seventh Circle 10/2 | Salt Lake City, UT | Black Lung Society 10/3 | Boise, ID | TBA 10/4 | Spokane, WA | The Big Dipper
w/ Mutilation Barbecue: 10/6 | Fargo, ND | The Aquarium 10/7 | Minneapolis, MN | Pillar Forum 10/8 | Milwaukee, WI | Cactus Club 10/9 | Chicago, IL | Reggies 10/10 | Cleveland, OH | No Class 10/11 | Fort Wayne, IN | Legion Post 241 10/12 | Louisville, KY | Magnolia Bar 10/13 | Springfield, MO | Lindbergs Tavern
Cascading Misery, the suffocating and ominous debut album from Pittsburgh-based death metal quartet RITUAL MASS, is now streaming ahead of its release this Friday on 20 Buck Spin.
The debut full-length album from RITUAL MASS is more than a collection of songs, it’s a series of calculated assaults on the virtue of the holy. Evolving beyond earlier EP and demo releases, Cascading Misery encapsulates the bludgeoning infliction of pain and the slow peel of skin by flame, rife with both sonic chaos and extinguished hope.
From the outset of album opener “Obsidian Mirror,” the atmosphere is oppressive, thick with a suffocating malaise. There is a sense of something ceremonial at work but not in a way that seeks communion. Rather it’s ordeal as sacrament. Riffs strangle and churn into convulsive submission, oscillating from slow agony to psychotic break, over which a guttural lament so savage it freezes the blood is wrenched through dungeon stone.
Each track unfolds like time spent in isolation, bound by chains, the mind slowly unraveling and surrounded by memories of torment both real and imagined. By the time the epic 14-minute album closer “Disquiet” dissipates into a mass of formless static, RITUAL MASS has dragged you into a world where suffering is not an end but a condition of existence. Cascading Misery is music for the dissolution of hope, the terror of being, and the long march toward death.
Cascading Misery was engineered by Greg Wilkinson at Mr. Smalls Recording Studio in Pittsburgh, with vocal tracking engineered by John Kerr, and mixed/mastered by Wilkinson at his Earhammer Studios in Oakland (Ulthar, Autopsy, Undergang, Vastum). The cover painting, logo, and layout were done by RITUAL MASS’s P. Trona with additional artwork by Bo Orr and Erik Von Bartholomaus and 35mm photography by J. Adams.
Stream RITUAL MASS’ Cascading Misery in its consuming entirety early on YouTube RIGHT HERE.
The signing of RITUAL MASS to the 20 Buck Spin roster marks the first band from the label’s current base in Pittsburgh. For fans of Vastum, Krypts, Phrenelith, Master, Incantation, Abhorrence, Funebrarum, and Disembowelment, RITUAL MASS must be heard.
photos by J. Adams
Cascading Misery will be released on LP, CD, MC, and digitally this Friday, September 5th. Find preorder options at the 20 Buck Spin webshop HERE and Bandcamp HERE.
RITUAL MASS Live:
10/02/2025 Brillobox – Pittsburgh, PA *Cascading Misery record release show
RITUAL MASS is booking new dates in support of Cascading Misery, including a hometown release show for the album on October 2nd. Watch for further details and dates to be posted.
Time To Kill Records is proud to announce the signing of SEASON OF THE DEAD, the visceral, horror-obsessed death metal project featuring an all-star cast from across the underground.
The band promise a debut release that will feel like a lost VHS nightmare brought to life. More details on the upcoming record will be revealed soon.
SEASON OF THE DEAD is a visceral, cinematic extreme metal project born from the twisted minds of Titta Tani (former drummer of Necrophagia and Goblin), Giacomo Anselmi (former Goblin guitarist and current member of Goblin Legacy) and Enrico Giannone, founder and owner of Time To Kill Records, acting as producer and visionary behind the entire concept.
The idea is as brutal as it is clear: to resurrect the blood-soaked legacy of horror-infused death metal, channeling the rotten spirit of bands like Necrophagia, Mortician, and Fulci; while paying tribute to the grotesque imagery and raw energy of cult underground horror films. Influences range from Killjoy to City of the Living Dead, The Beyond, and Cannibal Holocaust, creating a soundscape that feels like a soundtrack to a lost VHS splatter nightmare.
The project boasts an all-star lineup from the international extreme music scene:
John McEntee (Incantation) – Vocals
Fiore Stravino (Fulci) – Vocals
Dave Neabore (Dog Eat Dog) – Bass
Chuck Sherwood (Incantation) – Bass
Giacomo Anselmi (Goblin Legacy) – Guitars
Titta Tani (ex Goblin, ex Necrophagia) – Drums
SEASON OF THE DEAD is more than just music – it’s a blood-drenched ritual, a sonic horror film where every track unfolds like a scene filled with gore, possession, necromancy, and decay. It’s a love letter to the most disturbing, iconic side of horror and death metal, one meant to be played loud… with the lights off.
The celebration still continues and the next tour is arriving soon! Who is excited to see Testament, Obituary, Destruction and Nervosa? Grab your ticket now, because they are selling fast.
04.10. DE BERLIN Astra *Only w/ Destructiin 05.10. DE HANNOVER Capitol 07.10. UK BRISTOL Beacon 08.10. UK BIRMINGHAM O₂ Academy 09.10. IR DUBLIN Olympia Theatre 10.10. UK MANCHESTER Academy 11.10. UK LONDON O₂ Forum Kentish Town 12.10. BE ANTWERP Trix 13.10. DE STUTTGART LKA Longhorn 14.10. DE HAMBURG Grosse Freiheit 36 16.10. CH PRATTELN Z7 17.10. DE WIESBADEN Schlachthof 18.10. IT MILAN Live Club 19.10. DE SAARBRÜCKEN Garage 21.10. SL LJUBLJANA Media Center 22.10. AT VIENNA Arena 23.10. PL WROCLAW A2 24.10. DE MUNICH Tonhalle 25.10. DE OBERHAUSEN Turbinenhalle 26.10. NL UTRECHT Tivoli Vredenburg
Canadian death metal ensemble SCORCHING TOMB bring a crushing onslaught in the new album Ossuary. The brutal first single“Skullcrush” feat. Devin Swank (SANGUISUGABOGG), brings bloodthirsty, punishing riffs. Ossuary is set to land on October 24, via Time To Kill Records.
The band comments on “Skullcrush”:
“Slow, catchy and insanely effective, ‘Skullcrush’ is the perfect dummy-death anthem. Featuring Devin Swank of SANGUISUGABOGG, this song won’t make you bang your head, it will get you to punch your way through the fucking walls!”
Line Up: Vincent Patrick Lajeunesse: Vocals Philippe Leblanc: Guitars, Back vocals Miguel Lepage: Bass Émile Savard: Drums
Ossuary– Track Listing: 1. Stalagmite Impalement 2. Skullcrush (feat. Devin Swank of Sanguisugabogg) 3. Diminished to Ashes 4. Sanctum of Bones (Ossuary) 5. Sentenced to Rot 6. Feel the Blade feat. Primal Horde 7. Bloodlust Sacrifice 8. Expired Existence
About SCORCHING TOMB: Born in the sewers of Montreal, Canada, in 2018, SCORCHING TOMB began with the aim of blending old fashioned death metal and modern hardcore together in a city where technical death metal reigns supreme. It didn’t take long for the band to make a name in the underground. Fast old school riffs, pummeling mosh parts, and an energetic stage presence quickly saw SCORCHING TOMB gain attention, especially in the hardcore scene.
Initially formed by tattoo artist Vincent PL on vocals and axeman Philippe Leblanc, ST has now its hardest lineup to date by adding Miguel Lepage (ex- BLIND WITNESS, ex- OBEY THE BRAVE) on bass and Émile Savard (PROFANE ORDER, ex- MALEBRANCHE) on drums.
Striving to follow in the footsteps of CRYPTOPSY, QUO VADIS and DESPISED ICON, SCORCHING TOMB seek to show the world that Montreal is still to this day an unrelenting force of death metal.
This past week, frontman Vincent Crowley required an unexpected emergency surgery. While the procedure was successful and Vincent is expected to make a full recovery, his doctors have advised that he take the necessary time to heal and avoid air travel during his recovery period.
Vincent shares: “This was not an easy decision to make, but my health must come first. I want to thank all of our fans for their understanding, patience, and unwavering support. I fully intend to return stronger than ever once I am cleared to perform again.”
“We deeply regret any disappointment this causes to fans, promoters, and venues, but Vincent’s long-term health is our top priority. All commitments will be revisited when he has completed his recovery, and we look forward to bringing the music back to the stage.”
“Acheron and the Vincent Crowley Band sincerely thank the global fanbase for their loyalty and support during this time.”
CRYPTOPSY ALL SO VILE EUROPEAN TOUR 2026 Celebrating 30 years of None So Vile
With Special Guests: 200 STAB WOUNDS INFERI CORPSE PILE
15.01.26 Germany Hannover @ Béi Chéz Heinz 16.01.26 Germany Dortmund @ Junkyard 17.01.26 Belgium Antwerp @ Zappa 18.01.26 UK Southampton @ Engine Rooms 19.01.26 UK Bristol @ The Fleece 20.01.26 UK Glasgow @ Slay 21.01.26 UK Nottingham @ Rescue Rooms 22.01.26 UK Manchester @ Club Academy 23.01.26 UK Plymouth @ The Quad Theatre 24.01.26 UK London @ O2 Academy Islington 25.01.26 The Netherlands Nijmegen @ Doornroosje 26.01.26 Germany Hamburg @ Logo 28.01.26 Sweden Stockholm @ Kollektivet Livet 29.01.26 Norway Oslo @ Goldie 30.01.26 Denmark Copenhagen @ Pumpehuset 31.01.26 Germany Leipzig @ Hellraiser 01.02.26 Germany Berlin @ Hole44 02.02.26 Poland Warsaw @ Proxima 03.02.26 Czech Republic Prague @ Rock Cafe 04.02.26 Austria Vienna @ Szene 05.02.26 Hungary Budapest @ Barba Negra 06.02.26 Germany Munich @ Backstage 07.02.26 Italy Milan @ Legend Club 08.02.26 Switzerland Aarau @ KiFF 09.02.26 France Lyon @ Club Transbo 10.02.26 Spain Barcelona @ Wolf 11.02.26 Spain Madrid @ Revi Live 12.02.26 Spain Portugalete @ Groove 13.02.26 France Toulouse @ Metronum 14.02.26 France Nantes @ Le Ferrailleur 15.02.26 France Paris @ Petit Bain
Indianapolis death metal entity ATAVISTIC DECAY return with their new EP, ImmakulateInvokations, following the release of their 2024 demo. Spanning just over 14 minutes, the two-track work delves into multiple facets of the band’s sound – one half steeped in mephitic, suffocating death metal, the other immersed in murky, unsettling dark ambient.
Balancing oppressive weight with an almost cinematic sense of atmosphere, the release expands the band’s sonic identity and showcases their ability to evoke both physical and psychological unease. The result is a stark, immersive journey that confirms ATAVISTIC DECAY as one of the underground’s most promising new forces, with more range and depth than initially expected.
The band commented:
“Mother of abominations, dominator of beast, fermenter of filth! ‘Immakulate Invokations’ begins in the dionysion ecstasy of maniacal speed, engulfing you in bestial pleasure. A sonic invocation to the sacred whore, ecstasy devolves into slow, painful reflection. As your past ’self’ lies decimated, we invite the listener to transcend the flesh of what once was, and enter a profane and iconoclastic state of transformation, of self-creation and self-pleasure.”
Immakulate Invokations is now streaming exclusively via Mystification Zine, with the 7” vinyl edition set for release on October 3rd through Night Terrors Records.
01. Immaculate Invokations 02. Transcend the Flesh
ATAVISTIC DECAY is the deterioration of being into a state of atavistic nothingness, that which precedes the self. Birthed in 2023, the band serves as an organ of this process. Dense textures dirge into oscillating moments of mania, inducing fog-filled visions of autoerotic asphyxiation of being. ATAVISTIC DECAY seeks to drag you into these putrid depths, to experience a state of total self-suffocation.
Thrash metal powerhouse CLAUSTROFOBIA aren’t slowing down in 2025. After hitting the road last year with Sepultura, Obituary & Agnostic Front for a brutal run, the Brazilian legends are keeping their foot on the gas. CLAUSTROFOBIA has just announced a handful of brand new tour dates for the rest of 2025 with CRYPTA.
“It will be an honor to hit the road with our friends from Crypta. They’re enjoying tremendous success around the world, and it’s a joy to see Brazilian metal growing stronger. Our journey here in the United States has been very positive, and I can’t wait to start the shows. It’s going to be a lot of fun, and metal will reign supreme as always,” states singer/guitarist Marcus D’Angelo.
“We’re super excited because our brother Garrett Davis, from Unidad Trauma, will be playing bass with us on this tour. This tour will pave the way for the release of our new album, which will be recorded soon after, and then we’ll start planning a trip to Brazil. Thank you all for your support, and the march continues.“
CLAUSTROFOBIA’s latest album, Unleeched, hit stores last fall, or CD/limited-edition cassette can be ordered online https://lnk.to/claustrofobiaUnleeched was produced, mixed and mastered by Adair Daufembach (Angra, Cadaver, Tony MacAlpine) with cover artwork by Alcides Burn and the domestic release contains two bonus tracks.
CLAUSTROFOBIA’s history dates back to Marcus founding the band 30 years ago in Brazil and releasing a couple demos in the mid-‘90s. By 2000 with his brother, Caio D’Angelo on drums, the then-quartet released a self-titled album kicking off a run of six albums over the next 16 years with S. American and European distribution and live shows with Slayer, Soulfly and Napalm Death and festival appearances at Portugal’s Barrocelas and the famous Rock in Rio.
Relocating to Las Vegas six years ago in an attempt to break the US market, CLAUSTROFOBIA began playing local shows, and touring around the western US with Exciter, Lich King, Vader, Krisiun, Warbringer and Heathen, in addition to festivals like Charged Noise Fest, Devastation in the Desert, and the Art of Music Fest.
In 2024 CLAUSTROFOBIA did two US tours opening for Exmortus, Generation Kill and Hatriot, as well as one of the biggest metal tours last fall – Sepultura’s final US run including support from such genre heavyweights as Obituary and Agnostic Front. In the meantime, writing is complete for the next album and the band will hit the studio to record it immediately following the Crypta run.
TOUR DATES Supporting CRYPTA: 09/10/25 USA – Covington, KY / Madison Live 09/11/25 USA – Spartanburg, SC / Ground Zero 09/12/25 USA – Atlanta, GA / The Garden Club (at Wild Heaven West End) 09/13/25 USA – Tampa, FL / The Orpheum 09/14/25 USA – Orlando, FL / Conduit 09/17/25 USA – Dallas, TX / Trees 09/18/25 USA – Houston, TX / Scout Bar 09/20/25 USA – Austin, TX / Come and Take It Live 09/22/25 USA – Phoenix, AZ / The Nile 09/23/25 USA – San Diego, CA / Brick by Brick 09/24/25 USA – Los Angeles, CA / Whisky a Go Go 09/25/25 USA – Las Vegas, NV / Fremont Country Club 09/26/25 USA – Sacramento, CA / Harlow’s 09/27/25 USA – Portland, OR / Star Theater 09/28/25 USA – Seattle, WA / El Corazon 09/30/25 USA – Salt Lake City, UT / Metro Music Hall 10/01/25 USA – Denver, CO / The Oriental Theater 10/03/25 USA – Madison, WI / The Annex 10/04/25 USA – Joliet, IL / The Forge 10/05/25 USA – FT Wayne, IN / Piere’s Entertainment Center 10/07/25 USA – Columbus, OH / The King of Clubs
Please welcome Texan hateful death metal outfit CALCRAFT to the Lifeforce Records roster!
Named after England’s infamous executioner William Calcraft, the band delivers gore-drenched riffs and horror-fueled lyrics inspired by Giallo, French, and American slasher films. Every song is a tale of madness, execution, and cinematic slaughter.
Debut single out Mid-September! Album to be released late November via Lifeforce Records!
Iron Fortress Records presents the inaugural IRON FORTRESS DEATH FEST 2025, a full day of death metal depravity featuring a sample of the Iron Fortress label roster that is taking place in October.
The IRON FORTRESS DEATH FEST is a label showcase that highlights the supreme debauchery of what Iron Fortress Records has to offer and includes sets by Decedent, Chorus Of Demons, Hamarr, Swampgrave, Dysmorphia, 1 Body 6 Graves, Scab Hag, Ripped Open, Pissrot, Cell Intruder, Ectospire, and Cryptual.
IRON FORTRESS DEATH FEST will take place Saturday, October 18th at The Black Circle in Indianapolis, Indiana, beginning at 2:00pm. Tickets will be $30 day-of the event, but can be acquired for $20 in advance.
Ben DePaoli, sole owner and operator of Iron Fortress Records and this event, states, “It’s time to gather into the inner sanctum of the Iron Fortress and explore its stench ridden corridors! IRON FORTRESS DEATH FEST was put together to showcase the Iron Fortress Records label roster, which is chock full of young and underground death metal bands eager for bloodshed. I can’t wait to gather all these incredible bands into one cavernous day of death metal. Come hang out, watch some brutality, mingle with the bands and I, throw back some demon juice, and headbang until you need a pain pill for your newly formed spinal injury!”
View the full IRON FORTRESS DEATH FEST lineup below. Tickets are available now at THIS LOCATION.
IRON FORTRESS DEATH FEST Lineup: October 18th, 2025: Decedent Chorus Of Demons Hamarr Swampgrave Dysmorphia 1 Body 6 Graves Scab Hag Ripped Open Pissrot Cell Intruder Ectospire Cryptual
Ireland’s MALTHUSIAN unearths their deathly opus, The Summoning Bell, today via Relapse Records!
On The Summoning Bell, MALTHUSIAN‘s fetid hallmarks are ever present: truly unforgiving, unrelenting death metal. Swirling chords and ominous cymbal swells give way to the band’s opener “Red, Waiting.” What follows is a flurry of murk and madness – blastbeats pummel against churns of distortion. The sonic atmosphere cultivated by MALTHUSIAN‘s palpable fury is suffocating; each riff carefully crafted to push and pull on the momentum behind their music. The Summoning Bell is undeniably a pitch-black take on the genre.
The Summoning Bell is a lighting of the pyre – each of the album’s tracks explore themes of true nothingness, condemnations of superstition, and a profound descent into darkness and time. The end result is a record that seemingly reconciles with a dimming internal and external, a true end of everything.
CEMETERY • 2025 Photo credit: Matthias Heilmeier [ All visual copyrights belong to the respective owners ] Logo credit: Cemetery
Great album by the 1990 founded band
Tragic abysmal, brute charismatic songs
A timeless old school gem of the genre
LINE-UP: Dani Zizek • Guitars, Vocals Markus Heilmeier • Guitars Stefan Hendel • Bass Tobias Kasper • Drums
“Thoughts On Life… And Death” by German OLD SCHOOL DEATH METAL grail keepers CEMETERY is a 50-minute concept album about the rise of a totalitarian regime and the downfall of the individual.
Front manDani Zizekreveals: “‘Grief, Anger And Despair‘ is probably the most aggressive track on the album. I wrote it during a time when I was reflecting on state power, injustice, and the loss of control. What happens when justice no longer serves the truth, but political interests? When people who resist simply disappear? I wanted to put that helplessness into sound. Musically, it’s four and a half minutes of pure rage – frantic drumming, razor-sharp riffs, no breathing space. The video, created by Matthias Heilmeier, captures that exact atmosphere. He managed to translate the bleak and oppressive mood of the song into raw and powerful images, intense, dark, and absolutely uncompromising.”
The band says: “We have put everything we have into it. Our whole heart, our experience, our knowledge and our skills. But it’s not just about us. From the stunning artwork by Silvio Fiorese (acrylic on canvas… no AI!) to the lush, heavy but transparent production created by Sergej Dukart at Walzwerk recording studio. This is our ‘opus magnum’! The biggest and best of CEMETERY you’ve ever heard!”
It begins with “Thoughts On Life”. A no-frills, short and fast opener in which Jim briefly shares his thoughts and fears with us.
“Among The Dead”, a classic old school Death Metal tune in which Jim perceives a creeping change in society.
“Grief, Anger and Despair”: The judicial system judges according to political guidelines. Despair spreads. Accompanied by crazy drumming and string work at the highest level. In the band’s opinion, the most aggressive song on the album.
“Physical Fear”. Do you know the feeling of feeling fear as “materialized”? Jim finds out when he is arrested with many others in a deadly street revolt. Musically packed in a sluggish stomper at the beginning, with a sprawling instrumental part in the middle.
“Nothingness” introduces the second part of the album as a short, classically tinged intermezzo. From here it becomes “different”. More willing to experiment.
“Lock The Doors To Your Mind”: Jim, now imprisoned, doubts his sanity and what has happened. This song contains all the styles that distinguish CEMETERY and is considered the band’s new calling card, so to speak.
It continues with “Believe”. Here, Jim is kindly but firmly told in an interrogation that it is time for him to give up his individualism and subordinate himself to the official “truth”. Musically ultra fast at the beginning, the piece transitions into a very quiet part to take a breath for what follows.
This is followed by “Truth A”. The official, only valid truth. Jim sits alone in a bare, cold interrogation room. A voice from a croaking loudspeaker mounted to the wall announces the verdict on him. The later court hearing is to take place only as a show trial. The number is mainly an instrumental which becomes more and more oppressive towards the end, leaving the paths of classic Death Metal far behind.
Now we reach the “grande finale” of the album. You have maybe 11 minutes to give yourself oppressive, psyche-gnawing Doom Death? The song never gets fast and explodes in desperate beauty in the second part. Jim has now undergone several brutal torture interrogations and is left to die in a dark, windowless dungeon. He escapes into his thoughts and longs for a little human warmth, but knows that he will die alone. What remains for him is his dignity, which he desperately clings to until his last breath. The song is called “Thoughts On Death”.
Artwork by Silvio Fiorese | CD + Digital Release: Aug. 08, 2025
TRACKS: 01. Thoughts On Life 02:54 02. Among The Dead 04:24 03. Grief, Anger And Despair 04:23 04. Physical Fear 06:01 05. Nothingness 02:16 06. Lock The Doors To Your Mind 06:00 07. Believe 05:56 08. Truth “A” 06:34 09. Thoughts On Death 11:13
total: 49:41 min.
DISCOGRAPHY: 1991 • Cemetery • Demo 1993 • Enter The Gate • Demo 2014 • Enter The Gate (Discography 1991-1993) • Compilation 2019 • The Last Day On Earth • Full-length 2019 • Enter The Gate (Re-release) • Full-length 🆕 2025 • Thoughts On Life… And Death • Full-length
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions are set to unleash the new release from Philadelphia’s disgusting Death Metal devastators Caesarean. Wretched Decrepitude is up now for pre-order and will be released September 12th on CD and Digital formats, along with merch.
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions proudly welcomes Caesarean to the roster with their debut EP Wretched Decrepitude! Formed in Philadelphia in 2024, Caesarean plays Death Metal with influences ranging from 80’s Teutonic Thrash to 90’s Deathgrind. Wretched Decrepitude projectile vomits 6 tracks of brutal riffs, technical drums, thunderous bass, and a disgusting tri-vocal attack. Mastering for Wretched Decrepitude handled by Impaled’s Leon Del Muerte.
Stream TITHE’s “The Fruits Of Spiritual Apartheid” HERE.
Portland, Oregon-based TITHE will deliver their demoralizing third LP, Communion In Anguish, this September through Profound Lore Records, today unveiling the album’s details including its lead single, “The Fruits Of Spiritual Apartheid.”
TITHE draws influence from many dimensions of ominous, extreme music and themes to manifest their distinctive, hypnotic, grinding, death metal. Comprised of vocalist/guitarist Matt Eiseman, vocalist/bassist Alex Huddleston, and drummer Kevin Swartz, the trio converges to create an arrangement even larger than the sum of its parts.
photo by Christy Cather
Expanding upon their acclaimed 2023 released Inverse Rapture LP, with Communion In Anguish, TITHE amps up the aggression and doubles down on the unrelenting atmosphere of its predecessor. The new addition of Alex Huddleston’s lower register growls combines with Eiseman’s distressed wails and Swartz’ driving rhythms to push the band into new sonic territory. Featuring artwork by Mitchell Nolte and produced/engineered by Keith Merrow at Merrowsound Studios, Communion In Anguish is the culmination of TITHE’s previous work, and it delivers with a honed and lethal sound.
With the harrowing first preview of Communion In Anguish, “The Fruits Of Spiritual Apartheid,” the band states, “‘The Fruits Of Spiritual Apartheid’ tells the timeless story of mankind embracing idealistic beliefs to justify genocide and endless wars. Religious dogma and blatant racism conveniently dehumanize perceived enemies and diminish their suffering. Murder them all and steal their land. Build your temples and homes on the blood-soaked shallow graves of the innocent.”
TITHE’s harrowing “The Fruits Of Spiritual Apartheid” can now be streamed on all platforms found HERE.
Communion In Anguish will be released on LP, CD, MC, and digitally on September 19th. Find links to all preorders and presaves via Profound Lore Records HERE.
Additional previews of the album are to be expected shortly.
Communion In Anguish – Track Listing:
Nostrum
At The Altar Of Starving Children
Ostiary
The Fruits Of Spiritual Apartheid
Infected Blood
Shallow Grave Of Karmic Retribution
Burn The Throne Of God
TITHE is busy booking West Coast tour dates in support of the album, including a hometown show on September 18th with Conan and Mares Of Thrace, with much more to be announced shortly.
With the release of their new album on the horizon, CASTRATOR has launched a stream of “Fragments of Defiance,” the second single off of Coronation of the Grotesque.
Three years after their crushing debut Defiled in Oblivion, CASTRATOR returns with Coronation of the Grotesque, an album that not only exceeds all expectations but leaves them shattered in its wake, firmly cementing the band among the North American death metal elite.
Lyrically, Coronation of the Grotesque explores a range of historical and societal themes that reflect on injustice, victimization, and human suffering. Among the topics confronted are the tragic killing of Mahsa Amini, the ancient Sumerian practice of eunuchization, and seething condemnation of predator Naasón Joaquín García. Clarissa Badini’s exceptional vocals elevate the lyrics, delivering a powerful and precise expression of the album’s themes.
Dark Descent Records will release Coronation of the Grotesque August 15 on CD, vinyl, cassette, and digital formats. Pre-orders are now live at:
Watch the official music video for the album’s first single, “Covenant of Deciept,” (filmed by Immolation’s Bob Vigna) at youtu.be/dfih-aAsgVs?si=qoDDubtMnIaBE3Po
Photos credit: Ashley Taylor
CASTRATOR: Robin Mazen – Bass Carolina Perez – Drums Clarissa Badini – Vocals Sara Loerlein – Guitars
In December, the band will join the likes of Acid Bath, Blood Incantation, and more at the Decibel Magazine Metaland Beer Fest. The fest runs December 5 – 6 at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, CO, with the pre-fest set for December 4 at Ratio Beerworks. CASTRATOR will perform on December 5. Get the full lineup and tickets at this location.
Coronation of the Grotesque was recorded across multiple studios with key figures in the US death metal scene. Bass recording was engineered by John Tardy (Obituary) at Redneck Studios, guitars and vocals by Jordan Milner at Obsidian Audio, additional guitars by Taylor Nordberg (Deicide) at Smoke and Mirrors Productions, and drums by Noah Buchanan (Nunslaughter) at Mercinary Studios, where Buchanan also handled mixing and mastering. Cover art by John Zig.
Touring with the likes of Immolation, Exhumed, and Cattle Decapitation has cemented CASTRATOR’s reputation as a commanding live force, and concert announcements in support of Coronation of the Grotesque are imminent.
UK death metal architects INGESTED are pleased to welcome deathcore behemoths Distant and Crucifiction to their previously announced North American headlining tour this Fall! Evisceratour 2025 runs from November 6th in Fresno, California through December 6th in Pomona, California. Additional support will be provided by Ov Sulfur and Cell.
Drummer Lyn Jeffs comments,“Bringing Distant and Crucifiction on board rounds out a lineup we’re genuinely excited about. Alongside Ov Sulfur and Cell, this tour represents some of the most crushing and forward-thinking heavy bands out there right now. We can’t wait to get back out to North America and deliver these shows.”
Tickets are on sale now at ingested.co.uk. See all confirmed dates below.
INGESTED w/ Distant, Ov Sulfur, Cell, Crucifiction: 11/06/2025 Full Circle Brewing Co. – Fresno, CA 11/07/2025 Goldfield – Roseville, CA 11/08/2025 Dante’s – Portland, OR 11/09/2025 El Corazon – Seattle, WA 11/11/2025 Rickshaw Theatre – Vancouver, BC 11/13/2025 Dickens – Calgary, AB 11/14/2025 Starlite Room – Edmonton, AB 11/15/2025 Black Cat – Saskatoon, SK 11/16/2025 Park Theatre – Winnipeg, MB 11/18/2025 Skyway Theatre (Studio B) – Minneapolis, MN 11/19/2025 X-Ray Arcade – Cudahy, WI 11/20/2025 The Stache – Grand Rapids, MI 11/21/2025 The Hub – Kitchener, ON 11/22/2025 27 Club – Ottawa, ON 11/23/2025 La Source de la Martinière – Quebec City, QC 11/25/2025 The King of Clubs – Columbus, OH 11/26/2025 Preserving Underground – Pittsburgh, PA * No Ov Sulfur 11/28/2025 Black Circle – Indianapolis, IN 11/29/2025 The End – Nashville, TN 11/30/2025 Red Flag – St. Louis, MO 12/02/2025 Wave – Wichita, KS 12/03/2025 Beer City Music Hall – Oklahoma City, OK 12/04/2025 Launchpad – Albuquerque, NM 12/05/2025 The Rosetta Room – Mesa, AZ 12/06/2025 The Glass House – Pomona, CA
Earlier this year, INGESTED introduced their reinvigorated lineup with a savage standalone single, “Altar Of Flesh.” Watch the video HERE.
Additionally, the band recently released a live studio session playthrough. Filmed in December 2024 at The Arch Recording Studio in Southport, UK, the session features two crushing tracks from the INGESTED back catalog — “Impending Dominance” (from Where Only Gods May Tread, 2020) and “Invidious” (from The Level Above Human, 2018). Watch the video HERE.
A longer live session will be available soon via the Metal Blade Records YouTube channel. Stay tuned.
INGESTED: Josh Davies – vocals Sean Hynes – guitars, backing vocals Lyn Jeffs – drums Andrew Virrueta – guitars, backing vocals Thomas O’Malley – bass
Death metal juggernauts CASKET ROBBERY and GORGATRON have officially kicked off their co-headlining Northern Destruction tour. To mark the occasion, they’ve teamed up with metal-friendly eateries in select cities to unleash exclusive culinary creations that match the intensity of their live shows.
Toronto, ON – “The Northern Destruction Sandwich” at Slayer Burger
A beast of a bite: BBQ brisket, black and white sesame bun, pickled hot peppers, beet chutney, crispy shallots, and a fierce house-made destruction sauce. Available at Slayer Burger.
Denver, CO – “Casket Ro-Birria” at Brutal Poodle
This birria grilled cheese is a molten tribute to the pit: rich, spicy, and unapologetically heavy. Grab it while it lasts before CASKET ROBBERY and GORGATRON annihilate the stage at HQ.
These exclusive eats are part of the Northern Destruction experience, bringing brutal flavor to an already crushing lineup featuring special guests FRONTAL ASSAULT.
The full list of tour dates is as follows:
7/24 Minneapolis, MN @ Zhora Darling
7/25 Milwaukee, WI @ X Ray Arcade
7/26 Menomonie, WI @ Zymurgy Brewing
7/27 West Chicago, IL @ WC Social Club
7/28 Toronto, ON @ The Cave
7/30 Thunder Bay, ON @ Black Pirates Pub
7/31 Winnipeg, MB @ Sidestage
8/1 Saskatoon, SK @ Black Cat Tavern
8/2 Drumheller, AB @ Loud As Hell Fest
8/4 Missoula, MT @ The Show Room at the ZACC
8/5 Salt Lake City, UT @ Aces High Saloon
8/6 Denver, CO @ HQ
8/7 Rapid City, SD @ Abys
8/8 Sioux Falls, SD @ Downtown Sioux Falls @ Four Winds Music and Art Fest
8/9 Cedar Rapids, IA @ Iowa Metal Underground Fest
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