Frozen Wreath is a collaboration of two Hungarian musicians, namely Roland Neubauer (Vrag, WitcheR) and Zoltán Szele (De Profundis). They've formed it and debuted with the single "Õsz" in 2020. Their second single "Halott ígéret" came early 2021. The duo plays atmospheric black metal and lyrics-wise focuses on the finality of the human life. "Memento Mori" is their first full-length album, which consists of eight well-structured songs and lasts nearly 43 minutes. Zoltán (all instruments) did a really good job orchestrating the modest yet very epic keyboard passages along with the grim-sounding, but rather melodic guitar parts. The rhythm sections are decent as well. Musically their kind of black metal reminded me very much the early phases of Cradle of Filth and the Scandinavian hordes, although you have to imagine it with the involvement of lots of folklore elements. Moreover, the classics of the Hungarian literature have been also paired and transferred to the lyrics of Roland. A good example for that is the inclusion of the poem by József Attila in "Halott ígéret", spoken by Zoltán Latinovits. The vocalizing manner of Roland is pretty varied too, as you can hear there not just the typical harsh black metalish screams, but deep deathlike grunts and clean vocals too, which most of the time appear in dual mode. In the 6-page booklet there are lyrics in both Hungarian and English languages, which is a great idea. And to all this you have to add the apt cover artwork by Olga Kann and the cool band logo by Christophe Szpajdel. Kind of ace debut album, if you ask me, so let's keep our attention on Frozen Wreath in the future!!!

Slovakian gothic rockers' third full-length album "Awoken" consists of nine beautiful compositions. The playing time of the CD is over 44 minutes. Their stuff is purely based on the well-known canons of the genre. Soft music, spiced with female vocals, lyrics about love, pain, etc. The four members of Gloom – Martin Pazdera (vocals), Igor Tinák (guitars), Miroslav Malcovský (bass) & Radoslav Priputen (drums) – are maximally capable of writing nice gothic tunes, which production-wise sound decently as well. It's very relaxing to listen to their repertory, which reminded me a cross between the music of Type O Negative and Sentenced. From the latter one they even borrowed a song "Bleed in My Arms", of course, it was kindly adapted to the style of Gloom. If you're searcing for some good-sounding atmospheric gothic metal albums, feel free to check "Awoken" along with the band's other two releases, "Nostalgia" (2006) and "Catharsis" (2017). Preferred tracks are "Broken", "Hollow" and "Noose" (just listen to that great solo there).

Slovakian hardcore dudes of Godnoise are around us since 2004. "Hardgodnoisecore" is their fourth full-length record to date. The eleven-track CD was prepared in the best traditions of the so-called old-school HC veterans, so what you'll get is a straight into your face hardcore punch. It's fast, dynamic, groovy and ultra-banging! If you were growing up with Agnostic Front, Madball or Minor Threat, then you will love the over 25 minutes long stuff by Godnoise. The members behind this massive record are as follows: Duco (vocals), Adam (guitar), Šito (bass) & Iwiak (drums). Their lyrics are written in Slovakian, but content-wise they're about the same themes/problems as their veteran colleagues used to write about. Their sound rips hard and their stuff storms. Kind of dedicated material, which HC fans all over the world will going to praise at first listen. Their music will make you move, headbang and go crazy. The energy is just at the highest possible level there. It's Slovakian hardcore at its best!!! So better keep your eyes peeled on these fellas as their fifth album is around the corner!!!

Golgotha is a legendary Spanish doom metal band formed in 1992. They have a demo, 2 promos, 4 EPs, 4 full-length albums, a live album plus a split live release on their account. "Remembering the Past/Writing the Future" as the title suggests has both new and old songs. To be precise, there's only one new track "Don't Waste Your Life" included there. It reflects on the future of the band and the musical path they're going to pursue. The song itself has all the typical ingredients of the genre, even though the clean male vocals most of the time come in a gothic manner. Despite this little fact, it's a well-composed vibey tune. Then we have four old tracks re-recorded, re-arranged and kind of revamped. They are "Helpless" (taken from the "Arise" EP, originally released in 2008), "I Am Lost" (taken from the "New Life" album, originally released in 2005 by Electric Chair Music), "Elemental Changes" (from the same titled album, originally released in 1998 by Repulse Records) and "Lonely" (taken from the "Melancholy" album, originally released in 1995 by Repulse Records). The line-up on the EP is as follows: Amón López (vocals), Vicente Payá (guitars), Samuel Morales (guitars), Andrew Spinosa (bass) & Tomeu Crespí (drums). The five doomsters did an excellent job on these five cuts that last circa 34 minutes. By the way, there are 3 extra unlisted songs on the disc, they are the orchestral versions of "Don't Waste Your Life", "I Am Lost" and "Helpless". I am sure, the diehard fans of Golgotha will appreciate these special takes. Kind of collector's item is this in my sincere opinion, still anyone into doom metal can give a spin to this EP!!!

This South Moravian quartet from Brno is awesomely forging the American and Teutonic thrash metal arsenals along with their own. "Neuschwabenland" is their second album with 9 songs and 33 minutes of thrashing time. Let me tell you that Grinsen (vocals/bass), Brummbär (guitar), Teufel (guitar) and Wunderpepi (drums) are very good at what they do. The Slayer meets Sodom mix is just super killer there. And while you listening to their fubsy head-banging short cuts you will be unwittingly find yourself in a time machine, which will return you to the end of the eighties, kind of journey to the past, even if it's short enough, but who cares. Their lyrics are written in Czech and German languages and dealing with World War II. The sound production is perfect thanks to Davos studio. And if my infos are correct, the quartet already started to record their third album in the same studio. Until it gets finished you better have a few listens to the incredible songs of "Neuschwabenland" and order your physical copy from the band. It's a warmly recommended release to all the diehard thrash maniacs worldwide! By the way, the booklet design also turned out flawless! So buy or die!!!

This Austrian band's name is circulating quite a lot in the media lately. So let's see, why is it so. "Mære" is their fifth longplay. It has ten songs and it comes on two discs. The music they play is post black metal. The two main members of the band are M.S. (guitar, bass, songwriting) and J.J. (vocals, lyrics). On this record they've been joined by Kerim "Krimh" Lechner (Septicflesh) on drums, Neige from Alcest (additional vocals on "Sing for the Damage We've Done") and the anonymous voice of the Portuguese black metal band Gaerea on the song "Silver Needle // Golden Dawn". I am not an expert of this post black metal movement, but I have to note the music they've recorded for "Mære" is pretty depressing, melancholic and even surrealistic. The sound production is huge and atmospheric, there's really nothing to complain about. Their songs are rather lengthy as they like to make repeating cycles of their riffs very much. The first CD has 5 tracks with a 44-minute playing time, whilst the second CD with the same amount of songs indicates 40 and a half minutes. What I've found out that their stuff is quite good for background music, it's relaxed and at times even meditative. At this point, I really don't know how their songs work at a live show, but hopefully their fans are digging them live as well. It's without any doubts a professional release, but damn I still don't understand why the hype is so big around Harakiri for the Sky.

The new Hex material comes in the form of a 3-song EP with a circa 21 minutes length. The Basque quintet from the city of Bilbao continues to spread their well-crafted death/doom metal darkness upon the condemned humankind. Being around for ten years and having released two albums and a demo so far this Spanish unit is undoubtedly forging together their best songs on "Behold the Unlighted". The EP opens with the peaceful and relaxing piano tones of "As Darkness Descend Upon You" to bring forth afterwards the dynamic and ultra-heavy riffing in the vein of the mighty Bolt Thrower. This tune rips so hard, especially when the twin vocal assaults (the combination of clean voices and deep growls) enter and create the most epic part of the song. It is followed by the mid-paced and rather double-bass-oriented track called "Impending Doom Towards Darkness", where the Bolt Thrower worship is even more outlined. Solid song for sure. The EP ends with the lengthiest eight-minute hymn titled as "...and Thus Spoke Darkness". Another dose of melancholic epicness awaits you there with the appropriate inclusion of airy acoustic guitar parts and vocal parts shouting from the back. As a whole this stuff sounds perfect to me. I've really enjoyed the mix, the balance of the instruments and the way the panorama turned out there. This is quality music I would warmly recommend to check out for all the fans of Bolt Thrower, Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride! And by the way, "Behold the Unlighted" was created by the dark forces of J. (vocals), Adolfo WB (guitars, cover artwork), Jon Ander (guitars), M. Akerburu (bass) and Rober (drums).

"Walled" is the latest release by the Florida-based thrash metal trio called Intoxicated. The band was formed in 1992 and prior to this 6-song EP they've issued a demo in 1996 and a full-length album in 1997. The band members – Erik Payne (guitar/vocals), Gregg Roberts (bass/backing vocals) & Mike Radford (drums) – are rather skilled and their technical level is also notable. If I had to describe their songs by comparing them to other well-known bands in the business, then I would definitely pick Obituary and Sadus in the first place. Even the nature of the vocal parts is very reminiscent to John Tardy's style. Furthermore, I wouldn't say they play thrash metal of the purest form, because there's plenty of death metal ingredients in their repertory. But for a band coming from the mecca of death metal it is an obvious influence, isn't it? All in all, I've really enjoyed listening to their old-school cuts. The vibe is there plus the sound production is appropriate. Let's hope the continuation will be even more powerful and back to the roots. The tasty CD version of the "Walled" EP was released by Immortal Souls Productions from Slovakia, so hurry up to get your copy in time!!!

Czech Republic's progressive metal industrialists have finally returned with their second full-length album. The aptly titled "Divine Technology" contains seven incredibly crushing post-apocalyptic cuts in the vein of Fear Factory, Divine Heresy, Devin Townsend and Strapping Young Lad. Their kind of futuristic, mechanized and soundtrack-soaked mix has been masterfully composed and arranged. So you're going to listen to a meticulously polished or let's better say quantized material, which sounds really awesome and has that so-called massive punch in it as well. The involved members are Dan Friml (vocals/guitars), David Gabriel (bass) and Jirí Willander (drums). They did a great job with all the songs of "Divine Technology", but me especially liked "The Beast" with its storming double bass patterns and catchy guitar grooves plus "Thorn", due to its Divine Heresy manner in general. The circa 40-minute disc comes with a flawlessly-designed twelve-page booklet and a killer slipcase. Fans of the above mentioned bands should definitely check Mean Messiah!!! By the way, "Divine Technology" was recently pressed onto vinyls, so make your choice in time and enjoy your own copy afterwards!!!

Metator is a Spanish brutal death/grind trio formed in 2015, which existed between 1998-2015 under the name of Akocedakor. After two demos, "Metatron" in 2016 and "Philosophic Death Metal" in 2018, the band finally records its debut full-length and releases it on its own in 2019. "Akocedakor" collects 13 tracks of furious and brutally devastating death metal that besides Krisiun, Brodequin and Cryptopsy was also strongly influenced by 1349, Enthroned and Belphegor. Kind of strange musical mixtures for sure, but believe or not, in their case these combinations work really good and almost in a seamless way. As a perfect example, I would recommend you to listen to the atmospheric "I la foscor lil va cobrir els ulls". It has awesome guitar melodies, but also relentless drumming brutality and let's not forget the bloodthirsty growls, they are sick almost all the way. The bulldozing attitude of the trio, namely Ructator Kavernas (vocals/bass), Monkey Monolith (guitars) and Matraka (drums), is just brilliant. They crush throughout the forty-two minutes of the record and only stop by or let's say slow down for some short intros and interludes. The speed is insane and the sonic pressure is destructive. And the icing on the cake is the brutal cover version of Motörhead's classic "Bomber" song at the end of the disc. Enough said, buy or die!!!

Miea is an experimental rock band from Prague (Czech Republic). It was formed in 2017. "Chaos and Perfections" is their second album to date. The seven songs there are built of very soft and atmospheric musical patterns. And as the band emphasizes: "We play wide scale of music that contributes all emotions from our perspective". Indeed, they operate with lots of different musical elements, be it progressive, stoner or whatever else, you will be going to find them on their 37-minute CD. Miea has four members in its ranks, namely Miki Hank (vocals/guitar), Dominik Lenart (guitar), Kamil Oravec (bass) & Šimon Kdýr (drums). The lyrical side of "Chaos and Perfections" is personal, it deals with the self-isolation within their own thoughts, it is about the nature of mankind and the world around us. Music-wise we get a maximally emotional album from the quartet. Their music is so peaceful and airy that for example their longest, exactly 10 minutes, song "Comfort of Nothing" I could easily imagine for a soundtrack of a documentary film dealing with nature or some kind of wandering in nature. The CD comes with a nice 16-page booklet including all the lyrics, lots of photos and the awesome covert artwork by Lina Kusaite.

This grim and frostbitten Czech black metal horde was founded in 2018. Their debut album was recorded, mixed & mastered in the Davos studio during 2019 and thanks to Slovak Metal Army it was released in CD formats in the beginning of 2020. Nocturnal Obeisance on this record is: Erik "Thorn" (vocals), Marek "Grut" (guitar), Luboš "Darkriser" (guitar), Libor "King" (bass) and Martin "Jouzys" (drums). The black metal they play is totally plain and average. There's really nothing to remember or emphasize from the ten songs and nearly 37 minutes of "Temný Rituál Hnevu". Sometimes I just wondering how the hell such bands can still exist in the 21st century. Well, if you like effortless, narrow-minded, lame and 666% boring black metal music, then Nocturnal Obeisance won't disappoint you. They were created for your taste! At least, let me hope in the deepest depths of my subconsciousness, they are going to change their musical ideas for the next release in a way I would start respect them for what they do! Until then only the diehard Nocturnal Obeisance fans should buy this CD!