Brock’s 2 Cents – JUNE 2020

Quick Metal Reviews

“Brock’s 2 cents” – quick metal reviews!

Finally out of quarantine and semi-getting back to normal, so here’s the albums I got to this month. These are my reviews of recently released albums that I think you should know about. Forget about these in depth reviews, I’m bringing you quick reviews on multiple releases to help guide your way through the METAL world today!
BASICALLY THIS IS JUST MY OPINION, LIKE IT OR NOT…
Rating: [0 (sucks) to 5 (awesome)]
{Format: Band – album title = rating |label |genre of metal.

ABRAMELINNever Enough Snuff = 4.75/5 |Independent |Death Metal
I got the album Deadspeak about a year after it came out and loved it, then backtracked to their earlier material and was blown away! After 20 years since the last album, bringing back 4 members of the Deadspeak album & David Haley (PSYCROPTIC) on drums, a new album and they drop a f’n nuclear bomb!!! I’m completely blown away again! Never Enough Snuff is incredible, almost a flawless album! Plain and simple, THIS IS DEATH METAL. It’s the genre displayed in an album! Everything you’d want in DM is here. The more I listen to it, the more I love it! This is the best DM album this year, hell maybe the past decade! A must listen to! 10 tracks, 1 re-recorded, 5 killer and 4 good!
ffo: SINISTER, CANNIBAL CORPSE, BAPHOMET (US), MONSTROSITY, SCATTERED REMNANTS

SINISTERDeformation of the Holy Realm = 3/5 |Massacre |Death Metal
One of my all time favorite DM bands and I even stuck through “the lean years (2003-2011{IMO})”! I’m always excited to hear a new album especially since they’ve found the formula for creating killer albums starting with The Carnage Ending (2012). Their last two albums The Post-Apocalyptic Servant and Syncretism are f’n amazing and all fans (definitely the old ones who only listen to the first few albums) should check them out! This is another top quality album but not better than the last two. SINISTER has been firing on all cylinders this past decade so do yourself a favor and check out their past few albums! This is a must for fans and DM fans in general! 10 tracks, 2 instrumentals, 3 are killer and 3 are good!
ffo: MALEVOLENT CREATION, MONSTROSITY, BAPHOMET (US), ABRAMELIN, CANNIBAL CORPSE

PUTRID PILERevel In Lunacy = 3/5 |Sevared |Brutal Death Metal
Sole member Shaun LaCanne is an absolute beast and has molded PUTRID PILE into a DM band not to be reckoning with! The last 3 albums were monstrous behemoths of greatness. Revel In Lunacy though just didn’t match up but it is a decent album. It continues along the lines of the last album Paraphiliac Perversions by including more grind as well as aspects from other metal genres. The album starts off good, then falls flat in the middle but ends f’n killer with the last few songs! Definitely check it out and make your own opinion about it, it’s worth it! 11 tracks, 4 are killer and 5 are OK!
ffo: INSIDIOUS DECREPANCY, GORGASM, MISERY INDEX, DYING FETUS, MALICIOUS HATE

CENTINEX Death In Pieces = 2.5/5 |Agonia |Death Metal
I’ve always liked CENTINEX, they have a long history of putting out good solid releases throughout their career! With Death In Pieces there’s a whole new line-up besides the original member, bassist, Martin Schulman. Usually when that happens there is a shift in sound and it’s definitely present with this release. The new album has a more mid-paced, straight forward feel with some grooves here and there. This album is decent but not better than the last 2 they released since reforming in 2014. I think fans will enjoy it but if you’re new to the band, I would check out other albums first! 10 tracks, 3 are good and 4 are OK.
ffo: OBITUARY, GRAVE, DESULTORY, HAIL OF BULLETS, DEMONICAL

THE PROJECT HATE MCMXCIXPurgatory = 2/5 |Mouth of Belial Productions|Semi-Industrial Death Metal
Lord K. Philipson has crowdfunded another album, making this his fifth album that he has done so which is an amazing achievement! The new album Purgatory (their 13th album) follows right in line with what the band has been doing since the first album in 2000, crafting tunes with male growls(Jorgen Sandstrom), female vocals(Ellinor Asp) and touches of industrial vibes into epic DM songs! The last album Death Ritual Covenant was an incredible album but Purgatory didn’t follow suit. It’s a decent album but didn’t hit me like previous releases. It’s a must for fans but not for first timers. 6 tracks (each one over 12 minutes), 2 are killer and 2 are good.
ffo: SEPTICFLESH, PSYGNOSIS, GONE IN APRIL, V:28, IGORRR

KURNUGIAForlorn and Forsaken = 3/5 |Memento Mori |Old School Death Metal
Wow, this actually surprised me. I was expecting the same ole, same ole European/ENTOMBED/DISMEMBER OSDM sound but this reminds me of the AMERICAN bands of back in the day. The musicianship and songwriting is great, even though it’s OSDM it keeps me entertained and head-banging! This is an album that the more I listen to, I like it more and more! This is a must if you’re an OSDM fan! 10 tracks, 3 are killer and 4 are good.
ffo: INCANTATION, GOREAPHOBIA, MORPHEUS DESCENDS, DETERIOROT

GREEN CARNATIONLeaves of Yesteryear = 3.5/5 |Season of Mist |Progressive Rock/Metal
One of the biggest things I like about metal is that it varies from the far left to the far right on styles of music. This is one of the bands that I took too as soon as I heard them. Whenever I need something a little bit more chill this is a go to band for me! GREEN CARNATION plays progressive metal but more on the melodic rock side. This new album fits right along with their discography. Only bad thing: it’s only 4 new songs, I want more! If you’re a fan of the band it’s a must. 5 tracks, 1 cover of BLACK SABBATH, 2 killer and 2 OK.
ffo: IN THE WOODS…, NOVEMBRE, (newer) ANATHEMA, (newer) AMORPHIS, AGE OF SILENCE

DEVOURED ELYSIUM Extermination Policies = 3/5 |Coyote |Brutal Slam Death Metal
Alright, finally some good Slam again! The scene has been watered down with this cookie cutter/copy and paste bullshit in the past few years. Their debut, Extermination Policies, comes right out, wasting no time and punches you right in the face! This is what I like to hear from the Brutal Slam genre! This is a very strong debut that’s only little over 28 minutes, no time wasted just straight punishing hits to your ear drums! Definitely a must for fans of the genre! 8 tracks, 3 are killer and 4 are good!
ffo: DEHUMANIZED, KATALEPSY, ANALEPSY, CARNAL DECAY

INSTIGATEEchoes of a Dying World = 3.5/5 |Everlasting Spew |Death Metal
Crushing death metal from the guitarist Stefano Rossi Ciucci (BLOODTRUTH) and including bassist Riccardo Rogari (BLOODTRUTH), vocalist Stefano Borciani (DEMIURGON) and drummer extraordinaire Kevin Talley (DYING FETUS, SUFFOCATION, etc). This Italian band brings some intense DM with touches of that East Coast Groove sound. This is a damn good debut EP and I’m looking forward to more of this! This is a must for DM fans! 3 tracks, 2 are killer and 1 is good!
ffo: BLOODTRUTH, PYREXIA, MISERY INDEX, DYSCARNATE, SUFFOCATION

IZTHMI The Arrows of Our Ways = 3.5/5 |Within the Mind |Atmospheric/Progressive Black Metal
The debut album from this US BM band and it’s quite good! I’m not a big fan of BM bands from the USA (I’m very picky) so I’m surprised when I hear a good one! If you dig the atmospheric/prog BM this is a band to check out! It’s a great debut, imagine OPETH trying their hand at atmospheric BM but has a main influence of bands coming from the upper west coast (WASHINGTON/OREGON) states and that’s the main grasp of IZTHMI! It’s a mix of the bands listed in the ffo. The musicianship on this album is definitely in the forefront of this band! When I’m in the mood for this genre, this is a go to band! If you like this genre, this is a must! 8 tracks, 3 instrumentals, 3 killer and 2 good!
ffo: OPETH, AGALLOCH, WOODS OF YPRES, KATATONIA

BEHEMOTHA Forest EP = 2.5/5 |New Aeon Musick |Blackened Death Metal
New 4 track EP from BEHEMOTH with 2 cuts of a CURE cover (studio and live) featuring Niklas Kvarforth (SHINING) along with 2 left over tracks from I Loved You At Your Darkest recording session. The cover track is good. The 2 unreleased tracks, one is OK and the other is damn good! Definitely a must for serious fans.
ffo: HATE, SEPTICFLESH, ROTTING CHRIST, ULCERATE

EXHUMED / GRUESOMETwisted Horror (split) = 3/5 |Relapse |Death Metal
A new 10″ vinyl split with all new tracks; 3 from EXHUMED and 2 from GRUESOME. The EXHUMED tracks follow right long with the last album Horror and they are really good; 2 killer and 1 OK. GRUESOME is finally expanding into their own and getting away from copying DEATH; 1 is good and the other is OK. This is a must for fans of the bands!
ffo: GENERAL SURGERY, IMPETIGO, CARCASS, DEATH, REPULSION

FEROCITYThe Hegemon = 1.5/5 |Immigrant Species |Death Metal
The 3rd album from this Danish band brings a fine tuned late 90’s DM sound. No frills, just straight forward DM with a few grooves. This new album The Hegemon doesn’t topple their sophomore album The Sovereign. They’re a decent DM band but with a million of them out there, they really won’t be in my playlist rotation. 9 tracks, 2 are good and 5 are OK.
ffo: KONKHRA, DOMINUS, ILLDISPOSED, BENEDICTION, LAY DOWN ROTTEN

DRAGON KNIGHTRed Mountain = 2/5 |Independent | Death Metal
The second demo release which came from the quarantine lock-down. Red Mountain is a solid offering of raw sounding DM which doesn’t mess around, it comes straight out swinging an ax! DRAGON KNIGHT definitely shows potential for some killer future material! If you’re into filthy, raw DM, get on band-camp and check this out! Only bad thing – it’s too short. 7 tracks, 1 intro, 2 killer and 3 OK.
ffo: INCANTATION, ROTTREVORE, UNDERGANG

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