Review by Jeger on June 17, 2025.

Paganizer? Shit, man, if you don't know then it's time to get on board the flesh train… Since 1998, these guys have been unshackling some of the most abominable, the most true and the most refined DM albums the Swedish scene has ever produced. Having taken influence from the heavyweights of Swedish Death Metal: Dismember, Entombed and Grave, Paganizer has been a proud institution; serving up like human innards on a silver platter the kind of DM that makes us proud to be enthusiasts of the genre. A masterful balance between true Death Metal style and contemporary dynamics has made Paganizer, in many ways, a perfect Death Metal band. Band visionary and vocalist/guitarist, Rogga Johansson, over the course of the past 27 years has proven to be the most prolific artist within the genre. No bullshit! This dude has played in about a thousand other bands, and Paganizer's sister project, Wombbath, is yet another prideful institution. Hands down, Paganizer is the most underrated band to have ever butchered, flayed or sliced. In 2019, Paganizer unleashed what is in my opinion their greatest record - one of the greatest in history - a monstrosity of an album named "The Tower Of The Morbid" via the modern day Extreme Metal powerhouse known as Transcending Obscurity.

This is the kind of shit that will make you completely forget about American Death Metal. A savage beast of a recording; one that just shits on the competition. Open wide, bitches… Just that fucking good. A violent vortex of brutality to behold in the opening track, "Flesh Tornado". Standing in awe of its destructive power and repulsed by its repugnance. So much rhythm and so many fucking grooves. Solos that aren't the product of one attempting to wow the listener. We're taking leads that are form-fitted to the cut, that simply enrich the experience. The album's quality in engineering is of a masterclass, and its jaw-dropping cover art was illustrated by none other than the legendary Dan Seagrave who is most notorious for his early work with Suffocation. I've always been of the mind that cover art is extremely important, particularly within the realm of Death Metal. Dan surely does not disappoint here.

"Drowning In Sand" kicks off with a wailer of a lead just before more of those obliterating riffs ensue. The majesty of Death Metal in its most dynamic form to take in; stock full of heavy bass and atrocious cadences that batter and bruise without a shred of mercy to spare… Closing out with some tasty melodies; savory and as succulent as fresh blood straight from the jugular. The following track, "Redemptionless" - a Death-Doom-reveling juggernaut of a track that brings to mind bands like Asphyx and early Pestilence. A true fucking banger akin to tracks off of Deicide's "Once Upon the Cross", only more refined and more compositionally nuanced.

What I love most about Paganizer is their unabashed affinity with melody. Shamelessly divvying out melodious progression after melodious progression during "They Came To Die" - an almost Gothenburg type of track that hits in some ways like early At the Gates or Dark Tranquillity. A most proud Swedish DM tradition in action, and it couldn't be sweeter. Perfection… So many bands overreach for it, but Paganizer just makes it look easy; easy as slitting someone's tender neck flesh with a fresh razor. A rotten Death & Roll-heralding cut in "Beneath The Gauze", as I'm reminded of Wolverine Blues era Entombed, but not for too long, for it's back to the task at hand! And that is unbridled brutality, unadulterated swagger and perpetual mayhem.

Eleven tracks spanning over the course of just 38 minutes. Perfect for those of you who suffer from ADHD like yours truly. However, "The Tower Of The Morbid", due to its many shifts in tempo and alternating progressions make it seem like it's much more lengthy. Fat, happy and satisfied shall you be after this one. Someone must have told these dudes that they don't know how to riff out! Because these riffs are as tasty as they come.

Paganizer just has the Death Metal game down pat. There's no other band quite like them and there is arguably no other Death Metal album that's as fundamentally sound and as engaging as "The Tower Of The Morbid". Like a Jim Beam drinker who discovers Maker's Mark for the first time or the slice of butter atop a juicy ribeye. From top to bottom and from inside out, a flawless record. Paganizer are on their way to becoming legends themselves. And don't forget to check out their latest album, "Flesh Requiem". Another specimen of a Swedish Death Metal outing. "The Tower Of The Morbid" - dig it like a grave!

Rating: 10 out of 10

Review by Krys on September 9, 2019.

Is it possible that an old chainsaw peaks at its performance after 20 years of use? Swedish death maniacs Paganizer prove that age is just a number and well-oiled HM-2 machine can stand toe to toe with the latest trends or innovations.

The Tower of the Morbid doesn't hold anything back, giving us just 8 seconds warning from air raid siren before bombarding our senses with 38 minutes of hefty guitar chugging over devastating guttural burps from Rogga Johansson. While this Swedish grove attack wasn't unexpected, the fluid use of the variety of elements caught me a little of guard (in a good way). Seemingly same old formula of Scandinavian melody with American brute force, but this time it was used with surgical precision spanning all spectrums of death metal and performed by seasoned musicians at the peak of their craft. From opening, smashing 'Flesh Tornado', galloping through 'Apocalypse Writings' or definition of Swedish death metal 'Drowning in Sand', Paganizer rips without wasting time on intros or fillers. And that's just first quarter of the record. 'Redemptionless' adds slower Bolt Thrower like barbarity while 'They Came To Die' can stand tall to the best of what Amon Amarth has ever had to offer. Countless head-banging moments are deliciously spread out across the record with catchy hooks and melodic leads that not only score high in repeatability department but also get better with every listen. I'll be honest, I didn't love this record after the first spin but now it's the most often replayed albums in past 2 weeks!

Production wise, The Tower of the Morbid is filthy heavy, yet with clearly audible punishing blows from gurgling like a boiling blood bass and punchy drums, that set the backbone to ferocious guitar attack and crushing vocals. And Dan Seagrave cover art is not too shabby either.

Who knew that over 20 years old Paganizer can inject fresh blood to good, old Swedish death metal and lead the charge with extreme assault that will challenge year's end best top lists. Well done gentlemen, well done!

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by Felix on August 26, 2019.

Sacred Reich are back? Cool - and the artwork looks like the picture they did not use for Ignorance! So, my expectations are clear. I will surely be blown away by another ignorant assault. Rind and Arnett go back to the roots. That’s okay, let's forget all these meandering albums that diluted their sound steadily. We are generous, not resentful and let those of us throw the first stone who are free from sin.

Now let the thrash metal feast begin. "Awakening", the track, kicks off the album with staccato sounds that invite a drilling lead guitar to give pretty harsh impulses. The sound, crystal clear and full of pressure, supports the composition in an excellent way. I decide to forget 30 flavors in a matter of seconds. Thrash metal is the only law, albeit this song does not belong to the wildest orgies of all times. Hordes of adolescent thrashers in South America who just have discovered the magic of "Pleasure to Kill" or "Obsessed by Cruelty" will call this track lame and useless, but come on, you know nothing, you snotty brats. It gets even better with the next track; Sacred Reich accelerate the tempo. They are playing almost fast now! I have to pause for a moment... ...the moment still lasts... ...here I am again. This is so goddamn heavy, fast and thrashy...

No, it's not. It's one of these NOTs that Scott Not Ian once showed on stage, more or less at that time when Sacred Reich still were a promising, rebellious combo. Must have been shortly after World War II. Awakening is no - and please underline no - thrash metal album, it's a thrash metal EP at best. A playtime of 31 minutes is ridiculous and a slap in the face. I wait for the comeback of a so-called legend after 31 years that offers a release which clocks in at 23 minutes. But that's not the only reason why I call this offering a thrash metal EP. The greater problem is that songs like "Salvation" pass by like a slightly harsher version of an ordinary rock song. Not to mention the jingling called "Death Valley". People who call this kind of music thrash metal are also of the opinion that it makes sense to demonstrate the misanthropic essence of black metal by an "Abrahadabra" listening session. Given these lukewarm, anti-aggressive stinkers, we can hardly speak of a thrash metal album, but of a thrash metal EP (at best, as mentioned above). This finding hurt. Thank God, the closer "Something to Believe" does not add flavour no. 32. But beware, this does not mean that you can expect a formidable thrasher. The number rather sounds like a jam session that has accidentally become a song...

...with pacifist lyrics. Phil Rind might be a clever guy, but his politically correct opinions are maybe mostly comprehensible, but always boring. He is the opposite of the young Sodomic, the Brazilian mastermind of Power from Hell who always wrote about raping women and comparable bullshit. (The hordes of adolescent thrashers in South America blame me for being a poser right now.) Well, in case of Sodomic's poetic art, I prefer the lyrics of Rind, nevertheless, they are less important than he thinks.

The album is not immune against self-quotation. The beginning of "Salvation" reminds me of the drum intro of "Crimes Against Humanity" and the first section of "Manifest Reality" revitalizes the spirit of "One Nation". By the way, this would be a really good track, but its chorus completely sucks. A sonic catastrophe without dynamic, melody or any aspects of tension. It's annoying to see that Rind's powerful vocal performance has its weakest moment exactly during this chorus, because there is actually not much to complain. So, what remains? "Killing Machine" and "Revolution" are great, the first one with an acceptable degree of Anthrax-harshness and a titanic chorus, the other one has, in alignment with its title, a tendency to punk, maybe it's their new "I Don't Know"? I don't know.

My personal problem is that I never was able to hate the band from the bottom of my heart, because its good songs are truly fantastic. I still love the title track of The American Way, albeit the album celebrates a triumph of predictable mediocrity. The same applies, for example, for "The Power of the Written Word" and "Heal". Anyhow, it seems as if Sacred Reich want to polarize, but this time they have gone a step too far, because they animate both aversion and affection in me. Thus, the result is neither black nor white, but an average rating. That's my respond to their strategy. And now I forget the bloodless songs of this album and celebrate a thrashing party with the remaining EP.

Rating: 6.7 out of 10

Review by Krys on September 2, 2019.

What we have here is a brand-new project by the name The Ember, The Ash from Canadian multi-instrumentalist 鬼, whose signature is the kanji for 'ghost'. Some of you might be familiar with this gentleman's work from blackgaze/post-black metal band Unreqvited but with The Ember, The Ash he reveals his darker side and offers the perfect outlet to the pain and personal struggles. 

"Consciousness Torn From The Void" is a depressive, atmospheric black metal that is laid on solid foundations that came from years of experience composing post-black soundscapes for his main project (Unreqvited). Every band in this genre characterizes by piercing screams and cutting riffs but what sets this opus apart are layers of emotional grandiosity represented by lush cinematic-like soundscapes. This man knows how to weave the somber and depressive layers and yet by the end of the record generate sense of hope and relief. Starting with ambient intro to the title track 'Consciousness Torn From The Void' and ending with clean guitar strumming on 'From Marrow To Essence', ghost uses all instruments at his disposal to build the atmospheric landscape that immerses listener on his musical journey. For example, 'He Who Wove the Stars and Moons' that starts with mid pace, head-banging, melodic riff goes into an overdrive with blasts and double-bass interlaced with keyboard lines composed so well into the track that reminds me of best days of old, symphonic black metal. But after the storm, last 2 minutes of the song close with clean tone of classic guitar that calms the rough sea and brings hope. 

There's something about the delicate melodies throughout the whole album that on one hand are very pleasant-sounding, at times even catchy, but at the end still build the somber nature of the record and keep depressive mood at the forefront of the music. Not everything is perfect though; maybe because I'm not much of an ambient style fan, but 'Restoration' didn't have any effect on me as well as ending to 'Creature of No Mass'. I guess kudos for trying different elements but for my taste it didn't work out in the grand scheme of things. Thankfully 'From Marrow To Essence' brings back the rollercoaster of emotions with all music elements previously described to close this impressive record. 

"Consciousness Torn From The Void" is more than a solid debut from this one-man project, with blends of emotions and comprehensive musical maturity fans of atmospheric black metal will devour this record with passion and yearn for this void to never end. 

Rating: 8 out of 10

Review by Death8699 on August 22, 2019.

I liked this one from the first time I heard it. I knew that after the release of Clayman, In Flames was rearing towards these different styles/genres being that of melodic death/groove metal if you will. So, what's to be expected here is just different, it has its moments musically, it features heavy songs with screaming, but the style is more laid back, less aggressive than prior releases even though their guitars are still tuned down a lot to I think B or C, guitarists (current) would know what they tune to on here. It is definitely more aggressive than their latest.

Since the aggression is still somewhat there in the music, I'm not going to knock it down or off because it's not like they've been completely transformed (yet). The music is not too fast it's more keyed into this sort of concept they're trying to achieve with their nowadays tunes. But I wholly disagree with critics yet again because I think that the music is what made me like the album because IT IS different yet still heavy just not as intense as their earlier works such as The Jester Race, Whoracle, Colony and Clayman. The past is borrowed from and differentiated.

I enjoyed the guest female clean vocals, I think that it was right to do, to show this change as their music just transgresses into a thicker sound with melodic/groove laden styles which fits nicely into their discography, just not as well as I think Jesper would've agreed with. But he was on the album, so it wasn't like they totally gave up their established genre, they still come forth through to make good compositions and just diversify. I'm not justifying their wanting to change it up, I'm saying that it's just a sort of transgression to "happier" forms of metal.

This one is one I can listen to repeatedly and not get sick of because of its unique vibe. It's less dark as I pointed out, there are more clean vocals, slower musical tempos, not too many guitar solos, just good overall music to me at least. Other people can bash the album all they want and say they've totally sold out, but I don't think so. I think that they've just mellowed out and said basically that "we want to change things up as we're an older band and don't want to keep releasing the same stuff over and over". So yeah, they're into a whole different concept now.

Don't be swayed by naysayers spouting out things like "they're sell-outs", "their music sucks now", etc. Form your own conclusion because most of what they play on this album is a lot different than what they started with. A musical transformation. So, they really want to hold this concept and I think play what they want, even though Jesper their founding guitarist is no longer with the band. Their style is different, but the music on here is still good and quality. I'd think twice about what the common rating is overall and say try it on YouTube and then go with that. To me, they're still awesome and the music still is too!

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Fernando on September 2, 2019.

From the ashes of Vorum comes Concrete Winds, and members P.J. and Mikko continue where that band left off into a much more chaotic direction with them unleashing the unrelenting and unapologetic Primitive Force.

This album is a master class of pure and raw death metal that near crosses into war metal but make no mistake this is a death metal album, through and through. The aggressive riffs and shredding from Vorum's last EP "Current Mouth" has been dialed up exponentially, the music here is very abrasive and the focus is on speed. The album opens with an explosion and it never lets off the intensity for a second; all the songs are very short and follow the mindset of less is more, making the most out of a short length all the while maintaining a lo-fi “no bullshit” approach that is very punkish in a good way. They manage in keeping a simplicity that also leaves room for innovation in this very aggressive style of death metal. This album’s main ambition is to push forward the extremity of death metal without the need of incorporating blackened elements and the band succeeds in spades.

The lion share of the music is handled by P.J. who handles vocals, guitars and bass. His guitar work is devilishly impressive, showing relentless shredding and tremolo picking, howling and screeching guitar solos which he compliments with a thunderous and pulsating bass; his vocals are also excellent and are a natural evolution from Vorum, his death growls are much more intense and vicious and are much more present than his echoing approach of his past band, and the added layers of echoes succeed in making the vocal work sound much more demonic and wrathful. Mikko’s drumming is no slouch either, he perfectly complements P.J.’s compositions with unswerving force and brutality, while also adding a layer of complexity, giving this album more variety. The songs Tyrant Pulse, Volcanic Turmoil and Transmission is where Mikko truly flexes his talents and as a whole both members give excellent performances that make this album a quick but satisfying trip to hell.

However the album is not without some issues. While this album does succeed in pushing death metal’s extremity to its logical conclusion on repeated listens it can get a bit repetitive; a common trapping of the genre and while the band does make good use of the short time lengths, the album as a whole ends abruptly. The main flaw however is the production. The band purposefully went with a lo-fi approach that does give the music that underground and dissonant vibe that this type of music benefits from but the downside of this is that the music sounds extremely loud and succumbed to the dreaded loudness war, which whether intentional or not makes the album very inaccessible and hard to listen, especially on headphones. All these issues while not a deal breaker to versed metalheads are a major hurdle to overcome if you’re uninitiated on death metal or if you’re accustomed to the cleaner and slicker production on bands like Death or Morbid Anger, if you’re either of those, this album would require multiple listens with the volume lowered.

Overall Concrete Winds have made a killer debut album, continuing their ambitions from where Vorum left off and being its own unique and distinct project with a lot of promise.

Best tracks: 'Sulphuric Upheaval', 'Tyrant Pulse', 'Volcanic Turmoil', 'Death Transmission'

Rating: 8.6 out of 10

Review by Felix on August 14, 2019.

Black metal from Finland is usually a good choice, even if it is disgraced with a childish artwork. Malum, another formation that intends to reach "purity through fire", has already recorded its third full-length and the opener illustrates blatantly that these guys are not able to present just one new tone. Everything has already been showcased a thousand times before. Or ten thousand times before, who am I to know the exact number? But there is one thing I know very precisely. I don't give a f**k about the aforementioned fact. Black metal has an exciting core which is immune against any kind of wear marks. Given this situation, there is no need to combine it with folk, ambient, suicidal or symphonic elements, even though a few bands have produced acceptable results while doing so. And no, Striborg is not among them.

However, Malum have only learned the basic rules of the sub-genre. This means they connect clanking guitars with clattering snare beats, or they bring lugubrious lines and slow drum rhythms together. They are not overly interested in creating atmosphere during the first two pieces, but the third, slightly Darkwoods My Betrothed-influenced track "Days of Slaughter and Destruction" finds a remedy. I freely admit that I did not expect it to do so in view of its pretty direct name... My misjudgment aside, Malum confirm the old rule that even black metal songs profit from a minimum of melody. It's not the first time and it won't be the last time that hoarse screaming and a poorly produced drum do everything in order to make it hard to find these melodic ornaments, but believe me, they exist. Sometimes I wish that there would be more bands that left the black metal university after having understood the basic rules and nothing else.

Perhaps with the exception of the third track, the songs do not differ very much, to express it mildly. Malum know the paths their more prominent compatriots like Horna or Behexen have already taken and they follow dutifully. Anyway, I only can say it once again: that's neither a shame nor a crime, because the quintet is good in what it is doing. The songs do not lack dynamic and they know for what they stand for. Pure, generic black metal is the name of the game and those who do not like this agenda - please f**k off (sorry for my vulgar language, but some things want to be expressed clearly). I am pretty sure that Malum do not disappoint any fan of the music Satan loves so much, even if a few parts sound like black metal by numbers. The devilish gang also does not add a new dimension to the sub-genre, but how many legions of Lucifer have been successful in doing so? Mayhem and Burzum, maybe two or three formations more, have defined the cornerstones and this has happened almost 30 years ago. Okay, I should not forget the heroes of the first wave, anyway, you can count the really innovative bands on amputated fingers as long as we speak about pristine black metal.

The closer cannot keep up with the remaining tracks, but all in all, this album delivers another tesserae to the overwhelming monument of the demonic style. A less sticky production would have been helpful, but the here presented mix does not ruin the compositions and maybe it is all just a question of the budget. Therefore, I have no serious problems with Legion, an album whose compositions constantly circle around the fiery core of the sub-genre. It's just Finnish or even very Finnish black metal, no more, no less - and that's a good thing.

Rating: 7.7 out of 10

Review by Maciek on August 11, 2019.

Quite recently I've developed a taste for some bands that skillfully mix calm, peaceful music with some more extreme elements. That's how I discovered Numenorean, Rivers of Nihil and been listening to In Mourning or October Tide for a while. Wrvth seems to be in a similar category with some elements that are typical only to this particular band. 

So, to describe their style it's good to browse few bands I mentioned above to get the idea of those more peaceful passages. It's similar in riffs but also in sound that guitars have during them. The livelier riffs remind me mostly of VI because of chords used as well as that kind of dirty sound, unpolished. Also, the vocalist sounds almost always as if he was behind some wall or as if he was screaming in some large room. And that's definitely unique to Wrvth - vocalist is always screaming. And he's screaming his lungs out. No matter how peaceful and calm the music might be, he's giving all he's got. The drumwork is perfectly adjusted to all of these changes in atmosphere, the rhythms are inventive and definitely not boring. The dirty sound makes it on one hand a cacophony of sounds, but on the other it's not that big challenge to hear each instrument. So, in my opinion, the production is carried out by someone really skilled. 

The material is fairly balanced between aggressive, fast-paced, quite often tremolo-picking riffs and calm, peaceful, rock elements. Compared to previous album the calm passages are more frequent. Most often if you think that the track will be whole just peaceful, easy-listening song, you will be surprised. Sooner or later blast-beats wake you up and the eerie screams of the vocalist make sure you remain in quite uneasy mood and stay alert. 

The only downside of this album to me is that all song constructions are a bit repetitive to me. As soon as you discover the "key" used for composing songs for No Rising Sun, you start listening to the song and just wait for another sudden switch in tempo. It definitely has that kind of mantric repetition of certain melody lines, almost putting you in a trance, frequently interrupted by some fast riffing. The album also has quite a few disharmonies that are quite interesting and are breaking that feeling of monotony. The tracks are quite long and the whole album listened in one go is the option to go for in my opinion.

Album definitely for fans of incorporating psychedelic and progressive elements in the music, but with only extreme vocals. Well, there are some female clean vocals, but most of the time it's just Thomas and his lungs. Good position this year, worth checking out, helps you expand your musical horizons. Although I still prefer their self-titled album from 2015, reason being that I still prefer the balance of the music to tip mostly towards those extreme elements. 

Rating: 7 out of 10

Review by Alex on September 2, 2019.

If you don’t mind mixing punk rock influences into your black metal then Byyrth’s 2019 EP Cold Autumn Shadows might be the record for you. Birthed in the United States, well...., Byyrth, emerged in 2016 with a demo which was then followed by 2 full length releases. The first being Saviors of Armageddon and Echoes from the Seven Cave of Blood; both of which received favorable reception upon availability. Their music on those 2 releases could be generally classed as a blend of raw, first and second wave back metal that leaned more toward the latter. A certain level of grooviness could be heard in their music along with heavy metal and rock influences. These elements gave Byyrth their own sound and painted an image that allowed them to stand out amongst the humongous raw black metal niche. Cold Autumn Shadows offers more of the same but more conspicuously done; in addition, you could say the production is also clearer on this lap. 

These bats generally sing about occultism, death and vampirism among other topics generally represented in the black metal scene, but their delivery is not quite the typical. Yes, the rawish production can be pointed out along with the loud screeching vocals that sound like they’re being fed through a television displaying static, but it's the way in which Byyrth puts together their compositions that makes each song stand on its own. What would usually begin on one note, whether it be 1st or 2nd wave black metal or even punk rock/doom, usually at some point along the line begins to open its arms welcomingly to incorporate a multitude of other elements. You can hear this on ‘Infernal Abomination’, ‘Cold Autumn Shades’ ‘Parasitic Twin’ and ‘Archaic Triumviate’ that either begin leaning on the side of punk rock or black metal then does a sort of magnetic blend as the tunes progress. 

Amidst the healthy variation is an overtone of melancholy that stretches throughout the playtime of Cold Autumn Shadows. Sort of menacing sometimes as it changes the shade or tone, especially given how much punk rock is utilized on most songs; hence the sorrow comes off as being ominous as if a bright blue sky slowly begins to turn grey and gather dark clouds like Summer making way for Autumn. Think that's a truly notable aspect about Byyrth’s music on Cold Autumn Shadows, their ability to fluently weave through their compositions and modify the character each exudes without sounding in-cohesive or rushed. After listening to Cold Autumn Shadows I can say that's what I admire the most about Byyrth, is that just when you get too comfortable with whatever direction the music is heading, without warning, they pull you off that path and onto another that is just as good or better. 

In comparison to Byyrth’s previous efforts, I think Cold Autumn Shadows is a greater representation of the band and how they truly intended to sound in my opinion; they're still raw to some degree hence the toned down "noise", but more detail is made available in their music with this production that I would imagine was used in regards to the punk rock mannerism. Supporters of Byyrth’s older material need not worry, Cold Autumn Shadows is just as strong if not stronger and is worth standing beside Echoes from the Seven Cave of Blood and Saviors of Armageddon. Thus said, I think going forward we will get more of this sort of production and musical approach for future installments into their blood drenched catalogue, or maybe we won't; perhaps Byrrth does something entirely unpredictable and still manages to gain approval; such remains to be seen. For now, enjoy the sounds of the darkness set in as the night season gains dominance over the earth. 

Rating: 7.6 out of 10

Review by Felix on August 22, 2019.

Don't ask me why, but I always ignored Dew-Scented, even though I knew that they make music that I like. I just did not have enough time. Roughly 1865 great bands, but only one Felix. This mismatch could not remain without consequences. So now it's time for active repentance. Inwards, the full-length from 2002, is a mind-blowing demonstration of permanent power, well-controlled brutality and violent euphoria. The music does not only illustrate the strength of the combination of thrash and death metal. It also makes clear that a seemingly one-dimensional approach does not exclude dynamic and liveliness. The Germans avoid monotony, and this alone separates them from many competitors who are seeking salvation in pure or somehow combined death metal.

Who should lend an ear to an album that was released 17 years ago, in particular in view of the fact that its creators are no longer active under the then used name? Well, first things first, Inwards has a timeless production. Producer Andy Classen, formerly known as the husband of Holy Moses' Sabina, has forged this wall of sound that overcomes any form of resistance. The album sounds voluminous, tight, aggressive, direct and dense. Honestly, this is exactly the sound this kind of music needs - and I forgot to mention that the vocals on the one hand and the instrumentation on the other hand are well-balanced. In terms of the musical content, this album leads Dismember and Slayer to the altar in order to marry and give birth to many ugly children that hail this kind of music. Dew-Scented are no typical Teutonic band, they sound very international without losing their identity. Due to the technical competences and the effectiveness of the riffs, the band is not at risk to fail in terms of individuality. The guys also understand to present their mostly very fast-paced songs with a homogeneous flow and so there are enough features that shape the specific characters of their music, even though the raw and slightly inflexible voice of the lead singer does not add a special note. 

It's hardly possible to identify highlights. Imagine that ten cannons fire at ten houses, you see the ruins and then you are forced to say which house has the biggest damage. In other words, jagged and sharp-edged riffs show up constantly during the entire playtime, the drummer sees no sense in stopping his violent activities - blast beats not excluded - and the whole unit enjoys its remarkable compactness. Maybe this abruptly starting massacre is five minutes too long, but maybe it is rather true that I become too old for this kind of merciless murder. Both is possible - even at the same time. However, if I try to make a difference between the single cannon shots, it might be that "Bitter Conflict", the title track and "Terminal Mindstrip" stand out. Yet it also can be that tomorrow I prefer three different tracks, because there are absolutely no fillers. Anyway, one thing cannot be denied: Dew-Scented avoid melodies without any kind of negative consequences, because the riffs do the talking and they do it nearly always in a brilliant manner. Bottom line, young metalheads should look out for this and further albums of the band. Too bad that the guys, who always chose a title beginning with the letter I, never dedicated an album to me. "Ignoramus" would have been a suitable name.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Tobias on December 31, 2001.

Whether or not it was an obscure allusion to the writing of Edgar Allen Poe, I was a little tentative and perhaps suspicious of a band that would don a moniker that sounds like a new line of perfume by Lysol. But this album doesn’t deliver visions of pretty girls on piers or a fresh clean smell on your kitchen floor. This is total destruction.

Inwards is a powerhouse of an album, shredding the bloody hell out of everything in earshot. Floryan Muller’s riffing sets up an audio phalanx of rolling thrash energy that simply devours. Unfortunately, the guitars do falter a little when it comes to the solos and even then the problem is mostly the mixing. The occasional squeal comes through fine, but when it comes to laying down a second guitar track to add in a solo, that could use a little growth, the mixing promotes it so much that it all feels unnatural. But this doesn’t occur too often and is heavily overshadowed by the speed-riffing onslaught.

The vocals of Leffe Jensen are rooted in both the world of thrash-metal and that of death. Overall it is a very intense performance and not one track seems to out do another in this area. Whether that’s a good thing depends strongly on the listener’s need (or lack thereof) for eclecticism in metal performances.

The rhythm section is strong and fancy-free, which leaves a little to be desired, but is nonetheless a fierce and potent engine behind this weapon of devastation.

I feel that the worst enemy of this album is the production, primarily the sound mixing. Dew-Scented has the strength and potential to be the biggest and baddest of the thrash arena and they deserve a talented and meticulous production.

Bottom Line: It would be healthy for Slayer to start getting paranoid about the smell of grass in the morning.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 7
Atmosphere: 9
Production: 5
Originality: 7
Overall: 8

Rating: 7.2 of 10

Review by Adam M on August 12, 2019.

Falls of Rauros have a unique sound that traverses the likes of post-black metal and folk to good degree.  They have a number of dynamic changes that makes them a constantly interesting act to follow.  Beyond the second track on the disc there are not many outright harsh segments and this is a huge plus for those of us that don’t like the rawest of black metal. 

The band aren’t afraid to be stylistically different and this will attract fans from a number of different sub-genres.  The feel good element of the disc will bring post metal fans to the disc, but then the authentic acoustic portions will bring folk fans to the fold.  The constant change in direction made this a fun and unpredictable album.  Yet, things are not perfect.  Some bands like Alcest that emphasize post or shoegaze elements do so more convincingly than the band tries to accomplish here.  The sum of the parts is greater than the individual portions, however, and that’s what makes Falls of Rauros so fun to listen to.  Their music has a majestic flavour, but also a very distinct black metal one and it’s this contrast that is so compelling.  They aren’t sure of their whole identity, however, and the fragmentation prevents this from being an outstanding disc. 

If the band came out a bit more focused, they would be even stronger than they already are.  There is no doubt in my mind that this is one of the strongest releases from the month of July, however and it needs to be heard by a variety of listeners.  The feeling of being unsure of what will happen next is strong and makes this release such an enchanting one.  Patterns in Mythology gets a fairly strong recommendation to post-black metal fans along with folk ones. 

Rating: 7.4 out of 10

Review by Alex on September 2, 2019.

If you don’t mind mixing punk rock influences into your black metal then Byyrth’s 2019 EP Cold Autumn Shadows might be the record for you. Birthed in the United States, well...., Byyrth, emerged in 2016 with a demo which was then followed by 2 full length releases. The first being Saviors of Armageddon and Echoes from the Seven Cave of Blood; both of which received favorable reception upon availability. Their music on those 2 releases could be generally classed as a blend of raw, first and second wave back metal that leaned more toward the latter. A certain level of grooviness could be heard in their music along with heavy metal and rock influences. These elements gave Byyrth their own sound and painted an image that allowed them to stand out amongst the humongous raw black metal niche. Cold Autumn Shadows offers more of the same but more conspicuously done; in addition, you could say the production is also clearer on this lap. 

These bats generally sing about occultism, death and vampirism among other topics generally represented in the black metal scene, but their delivery is not quite the typical. Yes, the rawish production can be pointed out along with the loud screeching vocals that sound like they’re being fed through a television displaying static, but it's the way in which Byyrth puts together their compositions that makes each song stand on its own. What would usually begin on one note, whether it be 1st or 2nd wave black metal or even punk rock/doom, usually at some point along the line begins to open its arms welcomingly to incorporate a multitude of other elements. You can hear this on ‘Infernal Abomination’, ‘Cold Autumn Shades’ ‘Parasitic Twin’ and ‘Archaic Triumviate’ that either begin leaning on the side of punk rock or black metal then does a sort of magnetic blend as the tunes progress. 

Amidst the healthy variation is an overtone of melancholy that stretches throughout the playtime of Cold Autumn Shadows. Sort of menacing sometimes as it changes the shade or tone, especially given how much punk rock is utilized on most songs; hence the sorrow comes off as being ominous as if a bright blue sky slowly begins to turn grey and gather dark clouds like Summer making way for Autumn. Think that's a truly notable aspect about Byyrth’s music on Cold Autumn Shadows, their ability to fluently weave through their compositions and modify the character each exudes without sounding in-cohesive or rushed. After listening to Cold Autumn Shadows I can say that's what I admire the most about Byyrth, is that just when you get too comfortable with whatever direction the music is heading, without warning, they pull you off that path and onto another that is just as good or better. 

In comparison to Byyrth’s previous efforts, I think Cold Autumn Shadows is a greater representation of the band and how they truly intended to sound in my opinion; they're still raw to some degree hence the toned down "noise", but more detail is made available in their music with this production that I would imagine was used in regards to the punk rock mannerism. Supporters of Byyrth’s older material need not worry, Cold Autumn Shadows is just as strong if not stronger and is worth standing beside Echoes from the Seven Cave of Blood and Saviors of Armageddon. Thus said, I think going forward we will get more of this sort of production and musical approach for future installments into their blood drenched catalogue, or maybe we won't; perhaps Byrrth does something entirely unpredictable and still manages to gain approval; such remains to be seen. For now, enjoy the sounds of the darkness set in as the night season gains dominance over the earth. 

Rating: 7.6 out of 10

Review by Death8699 on August 22, 2019.

I liked this one from the first time I heard it. I knew that after the release of Clayman, In Flames was rearing towards these different styles/genres being that of melodic death/groove metal if you will. So, what's to be expected here is just different, it has its moments musically, it features heavy songs with screaming, but the style is more laid back, less aggressive than prior releases even though their guitars are still tuned down a lot to I think B or C, guitarists (current) would know what they tune to on here. It is definitely more aggressive than their latest.

Since the aggression is still somewhat there in the music, I'm not going to knock it down or off because it's not like they've been completely transformed (yet). The music is not too fast it's more keyed into this sort of concept they're trying to achieve with their nowadays tunes. But I wholly disagree with critics yet again because I think that the music is what made me like the album because IT IS different yet still heavy just not as intense as their earlier works such as The Jester Race, Whoracle, Colony and Clayman. The past is borrowed from and differentiated.

I enjoyed the guest female clean vocals, I think that it was right to do, to show this change as their music just transgresses into a thicker sound with melodic/groove laden styles which fits nicely into their discography, just not as well as I think Jesper would've agreed with. But he was on the album, so it wasn't like they totally gave up their established genre, they still come forth through to make good compositions and just diversify. I'm not justifying their wanting to change it up, I'm saying that it's just a sort of transgression to "happier" forms of metal.

This one is one I can listen to repeatedly and not get sick of because of its unique vibe. It's less dark as I pointed out, there are more clean vocals, slower musical tempos, not too many guitar solos, just good overall music to me at least. Other people can bash the album all they want and say they've totally sold out, but I don't think so. I think that they've just mellowed out and said basically that "we want to change things up as we're an older band and don't want to keep releasing the same stuff over and over". So yeah, they're into a whole different concept now.

Don't be swayed by naysayers spouting out things like "they're sell-outs", "their music sucks now", etc. Form your own conclusion because most of what they play on this album is a lot different than what they started with. A musical transformation. So, they really want to hold this concept and I think play what they want, even though Jesper their founding guitarist is no longer with the band. Their style is different, but the music on here is still good and quality. I'd think twice about what the common rating is overall and say try it on YouTube and then go with that. To me, they're still awesome and the music still is too!

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Alex on September 2, 2019.

If you don’t mind mixing punk rock influences into your black metal then Byyrth’s 2019 EP Cold Autumn Shadows might be the record for you. Birthed in the United States, well...., Byyrth, emerged in 2016 with a demo which was then followed by 2 full length releases. The first being Saviors of Armageddon and Echoes from the Seven Cave of Blood; both of which received favorable reception upon availability. Their music on those 2 releases could be generally classed as a blend of raw, first and second wave back metal that leaned more toward the latter. A certain level of grooviness could be heard in their music along with heavy metal and rock influences. These elements gave Byyrth their own sound and painted an image that allowed them to stand out amongst the humongous raw black metal niche. Cold Autumn Shadows offers more of the same but more conspicuously done; in addition, you could say the production is also clearer on this lap. 

These bats generally sing about occultism, death and vampirism among other topics generally represented in the black metal scene, but their delivery is not quite the typical. Yes, the rawish production can be pointed out along with the loud screeching vocals that sound like they’re being fed through a television displaying static, but it's the way in which Byyrth puts together their compositions that makes each song stand on its own. What would usually begin on one note, whether it be 1st or 2nd wave black metal or even punk rock/doom, usually at some point along the line begins to open its arms welcomingly to incorporate a multitude of other elements. You can hear this on ‘Infernal Abomination’, ‘Cold Autumn Shades’ ‘Parasitic Twin’ and ‘Archaic Triumviate’ that either begin leaning on the side of punk rock or black metal then does a sort of magnetic blend as the tunes progress. 

Amidst the healthy variation is an overtone of melancholy that stretches throughout the playtime of Cold Autumn Shadows. Sort of menacing sometimes as it changes the shade or tone, especially given how much punk rock is utilized on most songs; hence the sorrow comes off as being ominous as if a bright blue sky slowly begins to turn grey and gather dark clouds like Summer making way for Autumn. Think that's a truly notable aspect about Byyrth’s music on Cold Autumn Shadows, their ability to fluently weave through their compositions and modify the character each exudes without sounding in-cohesive or rushed. After listening to Cold Autumn Shadows I can say that's what I admire the most about Byyrth, is that just when you get too comfortable with whatever direction the music is heading, without warning, they pull you off that path and onto another that is just as good or better. 

In comparison to Byyrth’s previous efforts, I think Cold Autumn Shadows is a greater representation of the band and how they truly intended to sound in my opinion; they're still raw to some degree hence the toned down "noise", but more detail is made available in their music with this production that I would imagine was used in regards to the punk rock mannerism. Supporters of Byyrth’s older material need not worry, Cold Autumn Shadows is just as strong if not stronger and is worth standing beside Echoes from the Seven Cave of Blood and Saviors of Armageddon. Thus said, I think going forward we will get more of this sort of production and musical approach for future installments into their blood drenched catalogue, or maybe we won't; perhaps Byrrth does something entirely unpredictable and still manages to gain approval; such remains to be seen. For now, enjoy the sounds of the darkness set in as the night season gains dominance over the earth. 

Rating: 7.6 out of 10