Brock’s 2 Cents – AUGUST 2022

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It’s a busy summer for me, luckily, I got these reviews done. Here 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 you guide your way through the METAL world today!
BASICALLY, THIS IS JUST MY OPINION, LIKE IT OR NOT…
Ratings: [0(sucks) to 5(awesome)]
{Format: Band – album title = rating |label |style of metal. review}

PSYCROPTICDivine Council = 3.25/5 |EVP |TECHNICAL DEATH METAL
I first heard PSYCROPTIC when I got a promo copy of The Scepter of the Ancients album during my college radio show days and (in my book) one of the greatest DM albums of all time. One of my favorite bands but I thought The Inherited Repression and Psycroptic albums were not up to snuff, but As the Kingdom Drowns was a major comeback! So, I was excited about Divine Council. First off, you can definitely hear some experimentation going on with some of these songs similar to GOJIRA and newer DECAPITATED. Like all their albums Divine Council is a bludgeoning riff assault with intense technical song writing, catchy grooves and some new surprising melodic vibes thrown in there to expand their sound. I initially loved half the album but the more I jam to this the other songs are growing on me. This album along with the last is a reason that PSYCROPTIC are one of the best in the Tech DM genre! A must for their fans and tech DM heads alike! 9 tracks, 4 are killer and 3 are good.
ffo: NECROPHAGIST, DECAPITATED, GOJIRA, CRYPTOPSY, DECREPIT BIRTH, SOREPTION

KRISIUNMortem Solis = 3.75/5 |Century Media |DEATH METAL
KRISIUN is back with their tried-and-true blasting blasphemous brand of DM! Their last album Scourge of the Enthroned was f’n killer and one of their better albums in the past decade plus. Mortem Solis is KRISIUN’s twelfth studio record in their 30-year career and if not so already should be mentioned in the same breath as legends of the genre like CANNIBAL CORPSE, SUFFOCATION, MORBID ANGEL, BOLT THROWER, UNLEASHED, etc., etc., etc… KRISIUN have proven they’re always top notch and a powerhouse with every album and live performance. Basically, they’re the second-best metal export out of Brazil right behind SEPULTURA and that’s a huge statement! Mortem Solis does have a bit of change as the songs are catchier and the songs have more feel than just straight blasting mayhem as this seems to add to their music rather than changing their sound completely. Also add on a killer production that just pushes this album into the stratosphere of best albums they’ve ever done! It took a few listens, but Mortem Solis is f’n killer! This is a beast and will probably be in my top albums of this year! 10 tracks, 1 instrumental, 5 are killer and 3 are good.
ffo: REBAELLIUN, ANGELCORPSE, HATE ETERNAL, AZARTH, NEPHASTH

AMON AMARTH The Great Heathen Army = 2/5 |Metal Blade |DEATH METAL
I am a fan of AMON AMARTH, a lot of people hate the band for whatever reason… I got The Avenger while I was DJing college Metal radio and loved the band ever since! My favorite albums are The Avenger, Fate of Norns and With Oden on Our Side but after that AMON AMARTH started to slip into mediocrity with the next few albums …but their last album Berserker was a comeback album in my opinion, not recreating the wheel but just a well written, kick ass album! Well, The Great Heathen Army is not a step in right direction since Berserker but more predictability and simplicity. Half of this album is good, and the other half is too blah for such a veteran band. If this is a back-to-basics album, then they needed to write some better hooks to make this more memorable. In my opinion, only one killer album in the last 14 years, their next album needs some major experimenting because it’s starting to be the same ole same ole with AMON AMARTH. 9 tracks, 3 are killer and 3 OK.
ffo: UNLEASHED, HYPOCRISY, KALMAH, SEANCE, KATAKLYSM

SAOR Origins = 3/5 |Seasons of Mist |ATMOSPHERIC/FOLK BLACK METAL
When it comes to BM, I’m very picky but I do enjoy lots of bands in this atmospheric genre. I’ll be honest, I’ve slept on this band. I heard a track off the first album and didn’t care for it, but I heard the Forgotten Paths a year after it came out and really dug it, so I went back and jammed to the whole discography. If you’re new to SAOR, the main man Andy Marshall, has created a unique take on metal, blending furious black metal with majestic melodies and Scottish folk instrumentation. First thing I liked about Origins is the track times, its more accessible. The previous albums all the tracks are 10 to 15 to 20 minutes long are hard to pull out for everyday listening. The Aura album is my favorite and yet Origins is not up to the level it is a strong step forward for SAOR. Origins delivers a strong sense of 90s BM as this is probably the fastest and heaviest album so far. Even with that said it’s still melodic and contains the beautiful atmospheric vibes that only SAOR can do. Origins is a strong album that fits nicely in their discography! 6 tracks, 2 are killer and 3 are good.
ffo: AGALLOCH, SOJOUNER, PRIMORDIAL, GALLOWBRAID, DRUDKH, MOONSORROW

BELPHEGOR The Devils = 2/5 |Nuclear Blast |BLACKENED DEATH METAL
I’ve always liked BELPHEGOR‘s version of BLACKENED DM throughout their career, some albums stronger than others but I was shocked when I heard this one. The Devils overall is too slow for me. I don’t need all the tracks to be a blasting assault of utter destruction but the slower songs on here are really boring and very simplistic for such a great band. Now, if they would’ve given me a full album similar to track 2 ‘Totentanz-Dance Macabre’ it’ll have been their best ever as that’s one of the best songs they ever written. I’m not sure if BELPHEGOR is trying to reinvent themselves or are just getting old with these slower songs but it’s not my cup of tea! Hopefully the next album is more on the aggressive speed side. I’ve seen a lot of good reviews for this album so maybe it’s just me or no one has the balls to say it’s not that good… Either way, if you’re a fan check it out and make your own opinion. 8 tracks, 2 are killer and 3 are good.
ffo: BEHEMOTH, HATE, AZARATH, MYRKSKOG, NILE

THE HALO EFFECTDays of the Lost = 1.5/5 |Nuclear Blast |MELODIC DEATH METAL
Basically, a supergroup of the Gothenburg sound scene featuring all ex-members of IN FLAMES. The HALO EFFECT delivers a top-quality musicianship sounding album very reminiscence of albums from late 2000s to mid 2010s from the bands listed in the ffo section. The diehard melodic DM fans will thoroughly enjoy this but honestly its nothing special, its nothing new and you’ve heard this all before. Even though these veterans basically help to create this genre, the song writing kind of sounds like rehashed material from the past three decades of the Gothenburg sound! I mean, it’s not a bad album but this has all been done before. I was expecting a lot more from this release. Days of the Lost sounds very mainstream where there was a major opportunity to do something special here. 10 tracks, 2 are good and 4 are OK.
ffo: DARK TRANQUILLITY, IN FLAMES, SOILWORK, ARCH ENEMY, OMNIUM GATHERUM

KILL EVERYTHING, NECROTICGOREBEAST, VIRULENT EXCISION, GOREPOTActs of Sadistic Cruelty = 3.5/5 |Comatose |BRUTAL DEATH METAL
HOLY SHIT! I MEAN HOLY FUCKING SHIT! MEAN MUGG UP because this split is a f’n monster banger! Better stretch your neck! KILL EVERYTHING and NECROTICGOREBEAST just raised the bar for what slam DM should be! The first half of this split is unbelievably ungodly!!! Seriously, you can charge KILL EVERYTHING and NECROTICGOREBEAST with murder for these tracks because people are going to die in the pit! All slam bands need to take heed and step your game up! KILL EVERYTHING features Brian Wynn who was on DEVOURMENT‘s first album, take that and add more grooves! NECROTICGOREBEAST are the new boys from Canada with two killer albums out already, displaying that the cold frigid north can f’n slam! VIRULENT EXCISION is a newer band from Chicago bringing some top-notch brutal DM with some mean grooves! Definitely worth checking out. Rounding out the split is GOREPOT from Taiwan with their goregrind groove. I’m not really a fan of GOREPOT but the tracks are alright. Overall, this 4 way split is a f’n banger! A must get! 12 tracks, 6 are killer and 4 are good!
ffo: DEVOURMENT, ANALEPSY, INTERNAL BLEEDING, VULVECTOMY, MAGGOT COLONY

INSTIGATEUnheeded Warnings of Decay = 3.75/5 |Everlasting Spew |DEATH METAL
Featuring Italian DM veterans from BLOODTRUTH, FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE and DEMIURGON, INSTIGATE is an incarnation of grinding and moshing brutality! I really liked their debut EP Echoes of a Dying World, now, two years later we get the debut album and does not disappoint! INSTIGATE offer up a riff-heavy DM attack with a pinch of grind. Unheeded Warnings of Decay is pummeling blast beats, groovy grind, and beatdown-ish slams that will get any pit moving! This album is very memorable and will get stuck in your head for days after! A hell of a debut album that’s a great listening from start to finish. A very good chance this will make my top of albums of the year list! 9 tracks, 5 are killer and 3 are good.
ffo: MISERY INDEX, PYREXIA, DYSCARNATE, SUFFOCATION, NAPALM DEATH

ORDER OV RIVEN CATHEDRALS Absolute = 3.25/5 |Ultimate Massacre |TECHNICAL DEATH METAL
There are 2 bands that have blown me away that were formed in this last decade, one being The ORDER OF APOLLYON from the UK and this mysterious band ORDER OV RIVEN CATHEDRALS from Italy featuring 2 members who won’t reveal their identities. ORDER OV RIVEN CATHEDRALS is a studio band but if you like blasting tech DM this band is for you! First thing to note, this is their 4th album in 5 years, and they haven’t missed a step on this monster! Compared to previous releases they have stripped back the ‘epic’ vibe along with synth work to put more focus on the over-the-top blasting technicality. Absolute is just jammed packed with blazing song writing that will make you have to listen to over and over to catch everything that’s going on in these songs! I really love all their albums with Gobekli Tepe being my least favorite but Absolute is probably a tie with the last album Thermonuclear Sculptures Blackness as my favorite! A must for tech DM fans! 7 tracks, 1 intro, 3 are killer and 2 are good!
ffo: NILE, WORMED, BEHEMOTH, HOUR OF PENANCE, MONOLITH DEATHCULT

ECHELON Open Wide the Adamantine Gates = 3.5/5 |Iron, Blood and Death Corporation |DEATH METAL
Started as a side-project, ECHELON brings forth their third album. Once again, Rogga Johansson unleashes another album this year and with the one and only Dave Ingram (BENEDICTION) on vocals, Open Wide the Adamantine Gates continues the greatness that the first two albums delivered! Not sure what it is about this band but in my opinion, this is everything great about OSDM! Hard hitting, groovy, melodic, up-tempo-ed OSDM with well written songs that will have you head-banging from start to finish! Their sophomore album The Brimestone Aggrandizement was f’n incredible. This new album continues the very strong influence of Swedish and England types of DM mixed perfectly. At times this album has solid Death’n’Roll vibes but still maintains head-banging grooves. I’d rank this as their second-best album. Yet again, I’m amazed Rogga Johansson is able to create such top notch OSDM on this level and frequency this past few years! Another album that might make it into my top albums of the year list! 10 tracks, 1 instrumental, 4 are killer and 3 are good.
ffo: BENEDICTION, PAGANIZER, RIBSPREADER, UNLEASHED, BLOODBATH, DESULTORY

INTROTYL Adfectus = 3/5 |Emanzipation |DEATH METAL
With the popularity of metal music growing, I’m all for females in metal whether it’s in bands or in the scene/concerts! The only bad thing is when it comes to an all-female band, there’s only a very small amount that I accurately like. Usually most all female band’s sound like ARCH ENEMY or doing something melodic/gothic but here is an all-female DM band that actually kicks ass! Their debut album Creation of Insanity was solid quality DM! These ladies from Mexico have delivered their sophomore album Adfectus that takes it up a notch in the brutal department! Not a recreating the wheel type album but just solid catchy DM that’s a treat to listen too. This album can stand toe to toe with any other in the genre and hold their own! Definitely worth checking out for DM heads. 8 tracks, 3 are killer and 4 are good.
ffo: SUFFOCATION, MONSTROSITY, ABNORMALITY, CASTRATOR, SKINLESS

CASTRATOR Defiled in Oblivion = 3/5 |Dark Descent |DEATH METAL
Another all-female DM band that’s putting out some worthy material that you need to check out! Their debut EP from 2015 was really solid and we finally get a full length! Since the EP, 2 new members have joined the band, one being a new guitar player so I wonder how this would change the sound from the EP. With a strong Florida style DM ranging from mid 90s to mid 00s, this is solid quality no frills, straightforward DM that doesn’t let up from start to finish. The production on the album could’ve been better but it’s a minor detail in this good debut. Just like INTROTYL from Mexico, this all-female band is leading the way for the future generation of females to step up and be a prominent figure in the extreme metal community! Defiled in Oblivion is a statement that CASTRATOR is a here and a future force to be reckoned with! A must for DM fans to check out! 10 tracks, BATHORY cover, 4 are killer and 3 are good.
ffo: SKINLESS, BRUTALITY, MALEVOLENT CREATION, CANNIBAL CORPSE, BROKEN HOPE

RIBSPREADER Mountain Fleshriders = 1/5 |Xtreem |DEATH METAL
I’m confused about this one!?! RIBSPREADER just released a damn good album a month or so ago and now here’s another new album. Usually RIBSPREADER albums are hit, then miss, repeat type scenario and true to form, last album was very good, this album is a miss. Mountain Fleshriders is very slow, not saying death doom but a very simple approach to OSDM. Rogga Johansson is literally in like 20+ active bands and I don’t see why he needed to drop another RIBSPREADER album so quickly! This is a prime example of ‘you might be doing too much’. We didn’t need another album this fast. Overall, this album is bland and boring. 12 tracks, 2 are good and 5 are so-so.
ffo: PAGANIZER, BOLT THROWER, MASSACRE, MEMORIAM, UNLEASHED

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