Gorencephalic is a relatively new death metal band that formed in 2023 and hails from Brazil. As expected, the quartet – Krusius Barreto (vocals/bass), Fulvio Alsan (guitar), Andrey Braga (guitar) and Yuri Hamayano (drums) – delivers a truly brutal blend paired with an old-school vibe, and it's no wonder that their songs mostly fall somewhere between the early works of Suffocation and Sinister. The version, released by Nihilistic Holocaust, features the band's 2024 EP titled "Gore of the Forgotten", which includes five songs and three bonus tracks, totaling nearly 25 minutes of utterly relentless and brutal death metal. So these eight songs really give a good impression of them, not only of how they play and create in the studio, but also of what they're capable of live, at least as far as the last two songs are concerned. Furthermore, I believe that not only I, but also the most die-hard fans of brutal death metal will surely appreciate this sick stuff and eagerly await the band's future releases. As is customary, such a sick soundscape calls for an equally sick cover, which Emerson Maia created with great dedication. Well, I have the promotional CD-R edition, but the professional CD edition, which comes with an 8-page booklet, can be ordered directly from Nihilistic Holocaust; just keep in mind that only 200 copies were produced in total. So don't wait any longer, discover Gorencephalic's brutal riffs right now!!!

This latest Hellwitch compilation CD turned out really well, although in my opinion, "Final Approach" (2003) was also excellent. While the latter naturally included both the professional releases – such as the 1990 debut album "Syzygial Miscreancy" and the 1993 three-track EP "Terraasymmetry" – as well as three demos and two rehearsal tracks, this latest compilation focuses more on the lesser-known, let's say, obscure rehearsal recordings and demos, which also make for a hell of a great addition. The CD begins with the 1984 demo version of "Nosferatu", which is probably the band's best-known song ever. This is followed by four songs from the 1986 "Transgressive Sentience" demo. This demo sounds pretty good. Next come four songs from the 1987 demo titled "Mordirivial Disemanation", which has a slightly more chaotic sound but is definitely enjoyable. These are followed by a 1989 rehearsal demo, notable for including not only the songs "Mordirivial Disemination" and "Viral Exogence", but also a cover of Death's "Archangel". Next up is the 1994 "Anthropophagi" demo, which boasts a professional sound and features five incredibly great tracks, namely "Days of Nemesis", "At Rest", "Anthropophagi", "Torture Chamber" and "Fate at Pain's End". At the end of the CD, there are two bonus tracks: one is a rough, 1985 demo version of the song "Hellwitch" (which features only guitars and vocals), and the other is a mixed demo version of the song "Torture Chamber" from the 1986 "Thrash Metal Attack" LP. You can even tell that the latter was ripped directly from a vinyl record. All of this is paired with a running time of nearly 79 minutes and a nostalgic Hellwitch vibe. The extremely tastefully designed, 6-panel digipak comes with an informative, 6-page booklet that not only provides background on all the underground gems featured on the CD, but also includes plenty of rare photos and concert posters. Hellwitch fans around the world, you already know what to do, so don't waste any time – order this awesome compilation CD right now!!!

The undisputed masters of the death metal genre, who excel at creating an eerie atmosphere and terrifying darkness, have returned with their new album, laconically titled "Descent". The quartet have divided this dark, post-apocalyptic creation into 10 tracks, which, thanks to Zack Ohren, feature a sound that is even more mature than before, yet remains as devastating as ever. Just have a listen to the track "Adversary" – personally, I got goosebumps from the ominous guitar melodies that come in three-quarters of the way through; this track really sums up the obscure and abstract musical essence that Immolation is all about. They are the foremost heralds of sonic darkness, and this is perfectly reflected in their masterpiece, which runs to nearly 42 minutes. Their songs are full of dissonant guitar riffs, sophisticated yet explosive drumming, and, of course, a lethal dose of deep, rumbling growls. It all sounds absolutely fantastic; I particularly liked the way the drums and cymbals cut through the wall of guitar sound. Somewhere deep down, I think that composing an instrumental track like "Banished" was a completely new and different experience for them, so if they continue to experiment with pieces of this kind in the future, it could open up entirely new dimensions and horizons for them. But apart from that, this is simply good old Immolation, just as we all love and respect them, so need I say more: buy "Descent", or you'll be cursed for the rest of your lives. The CD booklet takes the form of a 12-page, folded poster which – just like the previous release, "Acts of God" – showcases the flawless work of three brilliant artists: Eliran Kantor (cover artwork), Santiago Jaramillo (interior artworks) and Rob Kimura (layout). This album is also easily among the five best death metal releases of 2026!!!

The members of Left to Die have come out with a truly unexpected album that will be of interest to all Mantas and Death fans, as they've compiled and recorded 10 songs from those prehistoric death metal demos – and we're talking about 1984 here. It's a well-known fact that back in those days, demos were recorded using a boombox, and they generally all had lo-fi sound quality. So now everyone has the opportunity to listen to these early classics in excellent sound quality and enjoy the foundations upon which the mighty Death was built. It's also worth mentioning that these songs – both musically and lyrically – were written back then by Chuck Schuldiner, Rick Rozz and Kam Lee. I assume everyone is familiar with the lineup of Left to Die, but I'll mention anyway that this aptly named album was recorded by none other than Matt Harvey (vocals/guitar), Rick "Rozz" De Lillo (guitar), Terry Butler (bass) & Gus Ríos (drums) – and they did so with great passion and attention to detail. The album itself was recorded in several different studios, but Matt Laplant did a fantastic job putting it together – that is, he mixed and mastered it. The cover art was created by Dan Goldsworthy. Needless to say, both the cover's theme and its execution are absolutely perfect. Now let's talk about which demo tracks made it onto this album. Well, they are the following: "Legion of Doom", "Archangel", "Power of Darkness", "Zombie", "Witch of Hell", "Rise of Satan", "Summoned to Die", "Mantas", "Slaughterhouse" and "Death by Metal". These 10 tracks have a total running time of 27:20, and as I mentioned earlier, the sound production is truly first-class. Personally, I really enjoyed listening to these historically significant songs. It really felt as if I had traveled back in time to 1984. So, thanks to Left to Die for this fantastic treasure! The CD comes with a well-designed, 4-page booklet that contains all the necessary information about the recording, as well as a photo of the band and five other photos from live performances. A must-have for fans of Mantas/Death's early era!!!

To be honest, this new band and their debut album caught me completely by surprise, but damn, what a brilliant release it is! I can already say that, for me, this is hands-down the heavy metal album of the year! If we add to that the fact that this "super" band features such renowned musicians as Andy LaRocque (guitars/keyboards), Pete Blakk (guitars/keyboards), Hal Patino (bass) and Mikkey Dee (drums), then I've already said everything there is to say about their musical style and the musicians' experience, which spans at least four decades. So yes, their music is very similar to what they did with King Diamond before, but it's still different in some ways – which is partly thanks to singer Nils K. Rue, since his vocal style takes them into entirely different dimensions; at least, that's what I felt in several places. For example, if you listen to the vocal parts on "(I Am) The Resurrected", you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. From a musical standpoint, this song is also a great example of the musicians' spirit of experimentation and the effort they put into creating fresh, unique musical ideas. It was also a captivating experience that the album keeps the listener in such a gripping mood from start to finish that, once it ends, you'll immediately want to listen to it again. I'd also like to add that this nearly 35-minute album, with all nine of its unforgettable songs and their lengths, is, to me, the embodiment of perfection. To put it briefly: Lex Legion has released such an impressive album that no other band in the genre will stand a chance of surpassing it in 2026! My personal favorites are "Sleep Eternally", "Gypsy Tears", "(I Am) The Resurrected" and "Life Eternal". The CD comes with an 18-page folded insert; one side features the cover, all the lyrics and recording credits, while the other side is a 9-page band poster that is – to put it mildly – incredibly cool. On top of that, it was recently announced that Lex Legion's second full-length album is already in the works. Well, that really is very appealing!!!

Malefic Throne's debut album from last year was undoubtedly one of the most significant releases in the death metal genre. Prior to that, they released a 4-song EP in 2022, which was also excellent, but this 8-song album is simply phenomenal, surpassing all expectations both musically and sonically. It's worth noting that the band consists of such renowned death metal musicians as Gene Palubicki (guitars), John Longstreth (drums) and Steve Tucker (bass/vocals), so it's no surprise that the end result is an extremely dark blend reminiscent of bands like Angelcorpse, Origin and Morbid Angel. Each musician's distinctive style comes through perfectly, and Colin Marston's involvement in the recording, mixing and mastering has further elevated the album's quality. As I mentioned earlier, "The Conquering Darkness" is divided into eight chapters, each steeped in the most relentless, complex and blasphemous death metal imaginable. But their death metal isn't just extremely fast, brutal and technical, it's also filled with menacing dynamics, both in the riffs and the drumming. Not to mention the solos, which flow into the listener's ears with an ethereal yet malevolent atmosphere. The entire album is extremely dark and utterly uncompromising, representing the most authentic and purest essence of death metal. The running time exceeds 44 minutes, and throughout it, stormy guitar riffs, tornado-like blast beats, and Steve's infamous deep growls dominate, though in the album's final track, "Forged in Stone", which is also the longest song at nearly 8 minutes – slower, drawn-out riffs take center stage. The trio's frenzied musical mayhem is complemented by Daniel Valeriani's fantastic cover artwork, making this the prefect death metal release of 2025 in every respect. The 12-page booklet includes all the lyrics, a list of contributors to the album, and Belial NecroArts' diabolical interior art, with Cygnus Creative Studio ensuring its perfect layout. So, if you haven't heard this album yet, I definitely recommend giving it a listen! It's death metal at its best, with a pretty obscure and sinister vibe!!!

This compilation album was first released by Iron Pegasus Records in 2006, but now, two decades later, Agonia Records has decided to release a remastered version of it, which is certainly great news. Of course, there are certain differences, such as the redesigned front cover and the layout of the booklet; in addition, the track order is different, and this reissue also includes a hidden bonus track. Thus, the CD begins with the three tracks from "Aggressive Tyrant", known as "Demo 1", followed by five songs from the "Chamber of Ages" sessions; of these, the first four are known as "Demo 2", while the fifth is an unfinished instrumental version of the song called "Cryptic Realms". These two undeniably iconic death metal demos, both from 1986, are followed by live recordings (7 songs in total) captured in 1986 at the renowned Rocky Point Beach Resort Metal Festival, and finally, the hidden track titled "Upon the Rack of Pain", an unfinished song recorded during a 1987 rehearsal session. The 16 songs total 62 and a half minutes, although – as is customary with Agonia Records – there are a few glitches, such as on track 15; so there's a 2-minute pause before "Corpse Grinder", which was, of course, also included on the 2006 Iron Pegasus Records release, but since the song appeared there as a hidden bonus track and wasn't even mentioned on the back cover, they really should have removed this annoying 2-minute silence from the current reissue. Well, they're a lazy bunch, that's for sure. On top of that, they misspelled the title of the song "Symbolic Immortality", because the back cover actually says "Symholic Immortality", ha-ha... Can you believe it, ha-ha-ha... Oh well, never mind. This CD release comes with an 8-page booklet featuring a great introduction by Kam Lee, two killer band photos, the covers of the two demos, and two concert posters. Needless to say, this is an essential addition to any death metal fan's collection, so if you don't have it yet, now's your chance to get it on CD, vinyl or cassette! In short: the classic Massacre for the masses!!!

It goes without saying that it's always worth waiting patiently for any new release from the death metal legends Monstrosity, because they consistently deliver flawless results, and their new album, titled "Screams from Beneath the Surface", is certainly no exception. The album, which runs for over 42 minutes, features 10 utterly captivating tracks and is superbly crafted from a technical perspective, allowing the listener to enjoy a crystal-clear and exceptionally detailed soundscape. The band members featured on this incredibly powerful album are: Ed Webb (vocals), Matt Barnes (guitars), Mark van Erp (bass) and Lee Harrison (drums). Mark van Erp's return to the band has undoubtedly made this album even more appealing, but Ed Webb's arrival has also proved to be a real coup; his voice suits the new songs and Monstrosity's musical world perfectly. The technical execution is exceptionally refined and maintains the very highest standard throughout – one need only listen to Matt Barnes's catchy riffs and stunning solos, for example. Added to this is Lee Harrison's distinctive drumming style, which – like fine wine – has become increasingly better and more sophisticated. There's no doubt that this album is one of the five best death metal releases of 2026, so don't hesitate to give it a listen or pick up a copy. The CD comes with a 16-page booklet containing all the lyrics, as well as a photo of the band and, of course, Timbul Cahyono's unmissable cover illustration. It's simply a must-have for all death metal fans worldwide!!!