Welcome back to MetalBite's top 10 albums of the month! February was a quick month but nonetheless there was an array of extremely good releases in what can sometimes be a down month in terms of volume. But that just gives you more time to get familiar with the gems on this list. Enjoy!

-Nate

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Sepulchral Curse - Crimson Moon Evocations
Dark Descent Records

Atmosphere? Brutality? Melody even? Finland's Sepulchral Curse is a yes on all of it. Add fun and headbang worthy riffs, musical and technical solos and deep, guttural growls with occasional high-pitched shrieks (well, too rare in my opinion, that's my only criticism really, the lack of variety in the vocals) and you have the perfect blackened death metal album, summoning darkness and brutality, it's a complete work of extreme metal. For fans of Behemoth, Necrophobic, Kataklysm and for my Québécois underground enjoyers, Morgue and Korpius.
-Raphael

---

 

Sinner Rage - Powerstrike
Dying Victims Productions

What do you get when you put fun riffs, a powerful voice, à la Geddy Lee and an incredible production courtesy of Dying Victims? You get Spain's Sinner Rage's incredible debut album Powerstrike, a masterwork of pure, old school heavy metal, filled with fun riffs, fun solos, fun vocals, fun drumming and have I mentioned it's fun?
-Raphael

---

 

Grave Infestation - Carnage Gathers
Dark Descent Records / Invictus Productions

On the surface, this is ragged, primitive war metal, but there's a certain amount of care and control put into the compositions, an innate sense of melody and catchiness in the riffwork and wailing guitar solos, and overall this is a lot more accessible and inviting than you might initially think. That's not to say that this is comparatively less extreme or savage - Grave Infestation just knows their way around a memorable lick.
-Nate

---

 

Warlung - The Poison Touch
Heavy Psych Sounds

This is fuzzy classic heavy metal, as if you took Iron Maiden and put them in bong water and took a big puff. The musical performance is impressive, from the heroic guitars playing meaty riffs and shredding solos, that fat stoner rock bass sound, the incredible drum performance and the powerful heavy metal vocals, this is one hell of a good time, stoned or not. The melodies they craft are both catchy and emotional. An absolute must listen for everyone who loves anything heavy psych.
-Raphael

---

 

Ofnus - Valediction
Naturmacht

We have recently observed the ever-increasing quality and depth of the UK black metal scene, with excellent recent releases from Abduction, Cistvaen and Fen all demonstrating that the British Isles are now as reliable a source of the black stuff as anywhere else in the world. On the basis of the magnificent Valediction, Wales's Ofnus can safely be added to that list. No longer can we discern any trace of the in-built sense of inferiority to Scandinavia that once afflicted output from the UK – across an expansive seven tracks, Ofnus set their ambitions high and effortlessly meet them, with complex and labyrinthine arrangements and densely layered symphonic elements combining to hugely compelling effect, but without diminishing the ferocity of their atmospheric black metal attack. There are no poor tracks on Valediction, but things really take flight on the majestic 'Proteus', on which guitarist Alyn Hunter's classical and soundtrack influences really come to the fore, with bittersweet string melodies supporting the rampant guitars, across numerous tempo and textural changes, evoking the kind of fertile, mountainous landscapes of the band's native Wales throughout a cinematic epic. The title track is similarly stirring, adopting a triumphant tone somewhere between Borknagar and ex-labelmates Havukruunu, with some adept guitar leads that adorn the track like fallen autumn leaves blanketing the forest floor. Despite the album's huge scope, Valediction is strangely concise and accessible, a testament to the immediacy of the band's melodic nous, and as a result, Ofnus have set a high bar for 2025.
-Benjamin

---

 

Metaphobic - Deranged Excruciations
Everlasting Spew

Despite the cryptic emanations that often spew forth from bands in the "death/doom" category, the genre is one that can be a bit samey, or at the very least you need to be in a particular mood and have a stronger attention span to appreciate its subtleties. That is not the case with Metaphobic. Their take on the style is eclectic and varied, more of a "death metal with a good amount of slow parts" like Incantation or Asphyx instead of the crawling pace of Spectral Voice or Encoffination - but there's certainly enough moments that bring those bands to mind as well. There's Immolation influence in the discordancies of songs like 'Execration', but what gets me is how flawlessly this band moves between different modalities while building towards a greater, more ominous atmosphere. Everything works in tandem to conjure sickly, decrepit imagery, while the intricate riffwork vies for your admiration (and succeeds in obtaining it). Another solid output in the genre from one of the most reputable labels for this kind of stuff.
-Nate

---

 

Norilsk - Antipole
Hypnotic Dirge Records

I think I just discovered a little gem of an album here and it's from fellow québécois from the band Norilsk. Death/doom is an incredibly diverse subgenre, it's usually slow and heavy but you can add melody, atmosphere, more or less of doom and/or death, make it sound murky and evil or polished and catchy. Antipole is on the more atmospheric and more doom side of the genre, provided by a strong post-metal presence everywhere, that gives rich layers of beauty on top of the heavier side. So, if you like your death/doom disgusting and purely heavy, this might throw you off a bit. But if you like "clean" and atmospheric death/doom, Norilsk created something special.
-Raphael

---

 

Light Dweller - The Subjugate
Unorthodox Emanations

2022's Lucid Offering, the previous effort by this harrowing one-man project, was a pleasant surprise amidst a busy year. As a reviewer with a proclivity for dissonance, I get inundated with moderately impressive, but ultimately forgettable bands, but Light Dweller has enough technical proficiency and explorative guitarwork to help them stand out from the horde. Hints of quasi-melodic, eerie moments bring Artificial Brain to mind, helping to provide contrast to the generally spastic, suffocating nature of the music. Though there's a clear style and identity present in Cameron Boesch's ideas, Light Dweller is constantly mutating and venturing into differing themes, so you never really know what you're going to get.

The programmed drums don't hinder the music in any way - if anything, they open the door to some new modes of expression, even incorporating hints of electronica and breakcore, things which would be nigh-impossible to pull off with a human behind the kit. It stings a bit that I may never get the chance to witness a Light Dweller live performance, but fortunately, Boesch has a few other vessels to perform in front of an audience, including Dessiderium and Nullingroots.
-Nate

---

 

METALBITE'S TOP 10 ALBUMS OF THE MONTH

 

10: Crown Of Madness - Memories Fragmented
Transcending Obscurity Records

Crown Of Madness are a death metal group/duo from British Columbia, consisting of Sunshine Schneider on guitars and vocals and Connor Gordon on drums. As a huge fan of the last two Ulcerate albums, this hits the bullseye of my taste. It's the dissonance and technicality of Gorguts meets the atmospheres and the beauty of post-metal. The drums are somehow "soft" and technical, while still having power. With an incredible vocal performance by Schneider, she blends deep guttural growls, raging shrieks, and even soft aethereal cleans. It's dissonant but beautiful at the same time!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

---

 

9: Gràb - Kremess
Prophecy Records

Black metal with Bavarian lyrics isn't the trendiest. Although there were a few releases with this very special dialect of the German language, it's not too prevalent, but now Gràb is going to give it another try with Kremess. The result is quite remarkable, just don't try to decipher the lyrics. even for me - a German - it's almost impossible.

The album offers melodic black metal with a lot of keyboard sounds reminiscent of old Emperor. Operating mostly at mid-tempo, Gràb creates a very dense, sinister and vaguely epic atmosphere. All eight songs are unique, diverse and entertaining. Arguably one of the best German black metal releases in some time.
-Michael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

---

 

8: Mantar - Post Apocalyptic Depression
Metal Blade Records

With their new album, Mantar continues to offer a rough, unpleasant, noisy mixture of grunge, sludge and (black) metal. The vocals are harsh as always and the production gives the album a certain grimy flair. The songs are groovy but never get too pretty due to this. Sometimes the songs really test the listener's nerve because of the noisy mixture (like in "Principle Of Command"). But that is what they intended to provoke and I would say that their mission is accomplished. Post Apocalyptic Depression probably isn't the best album for a stressful day - it will just make you feel more uneasy.
-Michael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

---

 

7: Saor - Amidst The Ruins
Season Of Mist

Something of a spiritual sister of Wales's Ofnus, Scotland's Saor also release their latest record during the same month as that band's Valediction. Having been around for rather longer, Amidst The Ruins is Saor's sixth full-length, and it's difficult to argue that mainman Andy Marshall hasn't absolutely perfected his craft by this point, delivering another heart-wrenching set of folk-inflected black metal. More than ever, the non-metal instrumentation dominates the mix, with delicate pipe melodies, and rich strings (played by instrumental star Jo Quail on the fantastic 'The Sylvan Embrace') bringing a timeless quality to Saor's lush and epic noise. There is a melodramatic tinge to Saor's blend of fragility and iron-clad strength that recalls Alcest in feel, even if melodically the bands are not closely related, and the surging guitar lines of the standout 'Echoes Of The Ancient Land' are full of the same yearning power as Neige's crew, as if Marshall is forever reaching for something that remains just out of his grasp, a restless spirit that cannot be sated. A truly superb album ends on a huge high, 'Rebirth' building to a series of peaks, before unfurling an utterly blissful and unmistakeably Scottish melody via some exquisite female vocals, layers of strings augmenting this with euphoric harmonies to leave the listener happily and emotionally exhausted at the conclusion of a spectacular piece of work.
-Benjamin

Amidst The Ruins is grandiose and epic. It is a very atmospheric listen that really stimulates the senses. There is an emotional, moving aspect to the music that makes it appealing. Similarities to Agalloch allow for a rich, dynamic sound. Guitars are both abrasive and folky at the same time, creating an intriguing mixture. The drums are pounding and form a nice background. The vocals are harsh, and further contribute to the ethereality.
-Adam

Saor (pronounced "Seur") is a Scottish atmospheric black metal band that heavily features traditional instruments such as tin whistles, low whistles, uilleann pipes and violins, creating rich and magnificent melodies, that produce the same feelings that you get on a mountain summit, looking at vast natural landscape, that pure feeling of aw in front of nature's grandeur. Tho, if you just feel like banging your head, Saor got you covered, with endless blast beats, furies of tremolo pickings, powerful kick drums and on top of all that delicious extreme metal, a pristine production, making the impact of the music even more powerful. The 'Sylvan Embrace' is a beautiful acoustic piece, full of atmospheres, featuring soft whispers and angelic cleans. It's a nice intermede before the grandiose, 14 minutes black folk epic that closes this record with angelic Celtic folk melodies, plenty of harsh vocals and aethereal cleans, blast beats for days and rich atmospheres.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

---

 

6: Jinjer - Duél
Napalm Records

Wasting absolutely zero time with full speed riffs, blast beats and Tatiana's divinely savage growled vocals, Jinger begins their new full length making a statement, you haven't seen us at our heaviest yet! Usually when bands get older, they tend to soften up a bit, well, this is definitely not Jinger's case. For longtime fans, do not worry, there are still plenty of softer jazz moments to give that great contrast, à la Pisces, showing the immense range of Tatiana's voice. I swear, she's only rivaled by Mikael Åkerfeldt. But she's not the only prodigy in the crew, the rhythm section is also something else, Eugene's bass lines and Vladislav's syncopated drum beats truly come together to create magic! They end the album with 'Duél', a progressive masterpiece, condensing everything that makes Jinger best with an extra layer of complexity, for all the fans of their prog side. Another album that cements Jinger as one of the greatest bands of my generation.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.6/10

---

 

5: Retromorphosis - Psalmus Mortis
Season Of Mist

After the disappointing new Obscura record (it's not bad but it's missing a certain tech death je ne sais quoi), you must crave a more old-school sound. Well, what if I told you guys from Spawn of Possession joined forces with other tech death titans? Jonas Bryssling on guitars reunited with Dennis Röndum on vocals went to get help from bassist extraordinaire Erlend Caspersen and ex Decrepit Birth drummer KC Howard. Christian Münzner is also back, whose work includes, other than Spawn of Possession's Incurso, Obscura's Cosmogenesis and Necrophagist's Epitaph. This unholy alliance of tech death prodigies spawned Retromorphosis, a fierce tech death super group that is basically the mutated offspring of Spawn of Possession, that filled me with nostalgia, crazy solos, complex riffs and reignited my love for this subgenre.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.6/10

---

 

4: Dream Theater - Parasomnia
InsideOut Music

Dream Theater is my comfort music of choice, you get the same feelings from when watching Olympic level athletes excelling in their sports, the "holy shit how can a human being do that" moments are everywhere. But what I like about DT is they do not forget the emotional component of music, yes, they're flashy with technicality, but they always weave beautiful melodies in between the showing off of technical prowess. So, what's new on Parasomnia? Well, as everybody knows, it's the return of Mike Portnoy on drums and holy hell, what a performance! Mike is a human metronome, his playing is powerful when it needs to be, subtle and softer to let other instruments shine when appropriate and always technically insane! Speaking of technically insane, John Petrucci, the riff and shredding machine is on a different level of musicianship. Sometimes I wonder if he can stretch his fingers to any lengths he desires. After 52 minutes of the heaviest material DT put out, almost ever, the album ends with the 19 minutes and 30 seconds long epic, 'The Shadow Man Incident'. First you hear someone crank up a music box, followed by a great prog riff and then goes into a section that sounds like Mars, from Gustav Holst's Planet Suite and then throws a bluesy solo. All of that takes about 5 minutes and then James LaBrie's soft voice embarks and from now on, it's 15 minutes of nonstop virtuosity that never gets boring. Dream Theater is truly, la crème de la crème of progressive metal!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.7/10

---

 

3: Celestial Scourge - Observers Of The Inevitable
Time to Kill Records

This reminds me of Carnosus - not sound-wise, more that it's a group of younger (20-something) musicians that are starting to break out and make their mark on the wider tech-death scene. Granted, these Norwegians are already well-connected: 3 of them have been a part of Blood Red Throne in some capacity, and there are also ties to longer-running groups that include Gehenna and Skeletal Remains, so seasoned musicians already know these dudes have chops.

Despite only being in existence for about four years, Celestial Scourge's sound is developed and realized. Influences are evident: there's clear nods to Soreption and Origin, and a couple of Suffocation comparisons are unavoidable in this style, but Observers Of The Inevitable takes these sonic cues and makes them their own. The choppy tremolo grooves pass through your like butter combined with the steady, rolling double-kick work, and there's a more slammy undercurrent (check out "Exterminated") that pushes this right on the line between brutal and technical. This is a lean, meaty record and doesn't wander or diverge from its goal of domination via riffs at any point, but despite the lack of garnish, there's plenty of natural push-and-pull in the songcraft and enough dexterity in the lead melodies to maintain your attention, and at just over half an hour it doesn't overstay its welcome. Much like their "parent band" Blood Red Throne, this is no-frills extreme metal that never forgets its purpose and executes well.

I haven't heard many albums in 2025 that keep me coming back for repeated listens (yet - I know it's early and things typically pick up in the spring/summer) - but this is a noted exception and a pleasant surprise. Observers Of The Inevitable is one of the best things I've heard in the year, an early AOTY contender, and an album that should establish Celestial Scourge among the upper ranks of young tech-death bands. Get familiar with them before they inevitably blow up!
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 9/10

---

 

2: Havukruunu - Tavastland
Svart Records

I somehow feel the need to wear a coniferous crown, go out at night in the glow of a winter moon and purge my land of the catholic scum. And if that sounds like fun to you, let me talk to you about Tavastland from the Finnish black metal band Havukruunu. First of all, this is a pagan black metal record, so expect folk songs melodies weaved in the harsh black metal song structures, clean choirs that elevates the epic feel and creates incredible atmospheres and that black metal aggressiveness that pairs so well with anything pagan themed. Tavastland tells the story of the uprising of the Tavastians, an ancient Finnish tribe, that rose up against the catholic church in the winter of 1236 - 1237. This album speaks of "him, who has become a prisoner of his home, alienated from the land of the forest and is now afraid of the dark". Terribly relevant subject matter. Free Palestine!
-Raphael

Finland's Havukruunu have been bubbling away in the underground for some time now, releasing three albums and the same number of EPs over nigh on twenty years, long threatening to make the leap into mainstream consciousness. While their crossover potential isn't immediately obvious, the fact that they operate at the confluence of several related sub-genres, harnessing black metal fury, folk-metal melody, and classic metal majesty, creates the kind of pan-genre appeal that doesn't come along very often. Now signed to Svart Records, Tavastland might just be the album that propels Havukruunu (and what a ridiculously satisfying word that is to roll off the tongue) out of the metal clubs, and onto the bigger stages that their epic sound is built for. Longstanding fans will be pleased to note that Havukruunu have in no way diluted their potent brew, but their sword blades have been sharpened further, trimming any remaining fat from their sound, each track remorselessly finding its target. Every scything riff is an ice-storm assailing the listener, played with a fearsome do-or-die intensity, and when Havukruunu ease back a little, a series of triumphant lead guitar melodies, both new and somehow familiar, take up the slack, before the stirring choral swell of the band's instantly recognisable clean vocals somehow drives the songs to ever more ecstatic heights, as on the frankly incredible 'Havukruunu Ja Talvenvarjo'. Havukruunu can re-awaken the dormant spirit in the jaded metalhead, supplying the kind of thrill that one might once have felt when first discovering Iron Maiden, Bathory, or Candlemass, so all-consuming is their mighty magic. Tavastland is a towering release, the best of 2025 thus far, and perhaps even a future classic.
-Benjamin

MetalBite's Rating: 9.3/10

---

 

1: Pissgrave - Malignant Worthlessness
Profound Lore Productions

Pissgrave belong to the genre of underrated and undesired bands (at least in my living room when my wife is present). First of all the disgusting cover artwork (hundreds of maggots eating something unknown…not that I want to know) makes this album (and band) a polarizing affair. But if you dare to listen, you get an audial dose of urine, and festering feces into your ears. In comparison to the predecessors, nothing has changed in their style, only the production has become a little bit clearer. It is still fast, barbarian death metal without much repetition, only here and there you get some grindcore grooves in their songs (like early Napalm Death did), for example on the title track. The vocals are heavily distorted and sound absolutely terrible, just like the music - and I mean that in a good way. This is a feast for everybody who loves Revenge, first Carcass or Incantation.
-Michael

MetalBite's Rating: 9.5/10

---

Thanks as always for stopping by. In case you missed it, check out January 2025's top 10 list while it's still manageable and you don't fall too far behind.

And, of course, Follow MetalBite on Facebook, Spotify and Instagram so you can be there right when the next Top 10 list drops!

Entered: 3/22/2025 1:22:46 PM

Previous Post Digging Through Past	Next Post Digging Through Past

Welcome back to MetalBite's Top 10 Albums of the Month. No lengthy preamble for this one, we've got too many albums to get through and we're desperately trying to get kinda-sorta back on track for May. Help! We're drowning in sick riffs!

-Nate

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Hellcrash - Inferno Crematörio
Dying Victims Productions

From the instant you press play you get blasted with a relentless and crazy fast solo drum beat and honestly, I want all of my speed metal albums to start like this! Hellcrash is Italy's answer to the question, what if Midnight was faster and tighter? The result is 38 minutes of an relentless assault of pure old school speed invocating all sorts of demons from the fiery depths of hell. I swear, drummer A.R. Evilbringer almost never slows down and is absolutely flawless. n.1) he must drink like 10 redbulls before playing and n.2) he's only 21 fucking years old!?! Being this young and this good on your instrument is phenomenal! And with that Dying Victims perfect sounding production, it sounds organic and crisp, making his performance sound even better! Every little detail, every subtle cymbal note or crazy drum roll makes my ears have a little orgasm. The bass is meaty and gives weight to the speedy riffs and the vocals are pretty traditional for blackened speed but still, they have that great "demon shouting at you" quality. I really love that the last song is 10 minutes, it gives them time to stuff even more riffs and a speedy drum but also to occasionally slow down a bit to let you breathe a bit. All in all, excellent speed metal!
-Raphael

---

 

Ominous Ruin - Requiem
Willowtip Records

This puts the "tech" back into technical death metal. The mix of a dry, clinical production, surgically precise guitarwork and a rare few moments of respite before being thrown back into a riff blender gives a foreboding and inhuman vibe. At risk of sounding like some AI-generated schlock, the raspy, tonal growls of new vocalist Crystal Rose give the music some form and feeling, adding an extra dose of venom when you can make out what she's saying (ex: the "it's all a fucking joke" line in Fractal Abhorrence).

Whereas the previous album, Amidst Voices That Echo In Stone, was a shameless tribute to classic Cali tech death of the early 2000s, Requiem uses that as a building block for forging a new path, one that shows Ominous Ruin taking steps towards Zenith Passage levels of surgical precision with an extra dose of alien basslines and a foreboding (ominous?) cosmic vibe. Time will tell if I end up preferring this to Amidst Voices, but it's another healthy helping of riffs for all the tech nerds.
-Nate

---

 

Eschaton - Techtalitarian
Transcending Obscurit

This lineup reads like a tech fanboy's fantasy supergroup. Mac Smith? Darren Cesca? Christian fuckin' Muenzner??? I can't imagine how much it cost to get these guys for session jobs.

That said, there's a reason these fellas are household names…they deliver the goods. It helps having a singular ringleader at the helm - this sounds cohesive and like the songwriting is predominantly coming from one person, and the musicians are seasoned enough to know how to feed off each other and serve the song. Muenzner's trademark neoclassical-tinged, slightly augmented melodies that have his immediately recognizable signature are abundant. I think it has to do with the scales he uses? I'm not a theory guy. Cesca's performance is tactful and restrained (by his standards), and it helps to elevate the songs while still having enough spastic blasting to satiate.

Between the clinical performances, melodies that always seem to segue to the next riff before they resolve, and Mac Smith's dry, roaring base growl, I get a mix of Obscura and Beneath the Massacre from Techtalitarian. Far from the worst pair of bands to be compared to if you ask me.
-Nate

---

 

Witchrot - Soul Cellar
Fuzzed And Buzzed Records

Soul Cellar, from the Toronto based psych doom band Wichrot, is a journey through sheer heaviness, fuzzy textures, all helmed by the commanding voice of Lea Alyssandra Reto. Her performance is exemplary, she can be so soft, harmonizing perfectly with the low rumble and the fuzzy atmospheres. Her powerful and crystal-clear screams pierce through the thick and sludgy instrumentation. The slow, groovy and downright oppressive riffs are contrasted by powerful, wailing screams. It all makes for a kind of soothing experience (to my ears at least). With a perfect 40 minutes run time, there is a big replayability quality so you can just throw it in the background, on loop and it will accompany you through any task you accomplish.
-Raphael

---

 

Unmerciful - Devouring Darkness
Willowtip Records

No-frills brutal death metal? Blastbeats until your ears fall off? A focused, rounded and tight performance from a band that's been around when this genre was just rising to prominence, but never fully got the appreciation they deserve? Unmerciful's got you covered.

For whatever reason I thought this was their comeback album after the criminally underrated 2006 masterwork "Unmercifully Beaten", but they've actually put out two albums in between and I knew nothing about them? Shit, I have some catching up to do…
-Nate

---

 

A Flock Named Murder - Incendiary Sanctum
Hypaethral Records

This album feels HUGE. It's over an hour long, and each song is a series of 2-3 dramatic buildups that cascade into cathartic, vibrant euphoria. Early Wolves In The Throne Room is a good comparable structurally, but where black metal typically has a certain frigidity to it, Incendiary Sanctum feels very warm. A lot of the cleaner melodies have an aura of southern Americana (perhaps owing to Agalloch influences, as I know this band is Canadian), and the uplifting qualities mixed with the rounded, almost comforting guitar tone makes this an album that soothes the soul as opposed to dragging it down. The busy, fill-laden drumwork of Cam Mueller, and the spirited solo work of Ryan Mueller only add to this. Staunch believers in the true black metal ethos would be better off looking elsewhere, but fans of post-rock, post-metal, modern black metal and well-made atmospheric music will find that this band, and album, will serve them well during a summer hike or a night under the stars.
-Nate

---

 

Svarta Havet - Månen Ska Lysa Din Väg
Prosthetic Records

I'll begin with a quote from Charlotta Green aka Lotta, the band's vocalist: "The record is a desperate attempt to pull a nearly non-existent emergency brake and shout: Our lifestyle is not sustainable! Our legacy of western colonialism has encased us in an imaginary bubble of convenience and comfort that does not exist. We are heading to hell even if we are travelling in first class." And with that the band won me over! Now, the lyrics being in Finnish, I cannot speak on each song and their themes but that's where the music comes in. That feeling of urgency is translated with frantic riffs, fast and precise drumming and a superb vocal performance, conveying pure and raw aggression but there's a certain vulnerability underlining in all this rage! Plus, the post black and post hardcore means a lot of beauty seeps in this wall of aggression. Songs are really dynamic and highlight every instrument while having a real DIY feel. The album ends on a strong note, showcasing their songwriting ability to write furious black metal while incorporating a touch of melody and atmosphere. Also, I once again wish I could understand Finnish for those spoken word sections! This is the kind of work of art that makes me feel like across borders and cultures, I am not alone and we are all part of the same team, humanity!
-Raphael

---

 

Executionist - Sacrament Of The Sick
Independent

West Virginia Death/Thrash crew Executionist offers us their debut album which is a true love letter to the old school masters of metal. Fast and aggressive death/thrash, riff after riff, a vocal performance that would make Chuck Schuldiner proud, plenty of melodic hooks, balancing all of this break neck speed is pure thrash breakdowns that will finish off your neck! It's jam packed with creative and technically impressive solos and for an independent release, it sounds incredibly good, the guitars are crisp, the drums sound huge but sit perfectly in the mix not taking the place from other instruments, the bass is always there, rumbling away and giving a thick heaviness to everything and Brett Ash's piercing screams cut through and expresses pure rage. Plus, the band already have a mascot, present on the cover of their E.P. and now on their first full length, a winged plague doctor that fits with the band's apocalyptic death/thrash perfectly!
-Raphael

---

 

Nightfall - Children Of Eve
Season Of Mist

The Greek extreme metal legends Nightfall are back with their 11th full length and I have to admit, my Greek metal knowledge is extremely limited and thus, I had never heard of Nightfall before! Anyone familiar with the Greek scene will immediately feel a sense of comfort, it's a melodic blend of black, death/doom and gothic metal, polished to perfection, for a truly cinematic experience! With choruses larger than life, they bring infectious melodies, paired with demonic growls and furious assaults of blackened tremolo pickings and blast beats. For fans of Septicflesh, Rotting Christ and Insomnium.
-Raphael

---

 

Animalize - Verminateur
Dying Victims Productions

French heavy metal masters Animalize are back on dying victims to give us a pure treat. Already with the first two songs, "Armées De La Nuit" and "Damné" the catchiness is out of control, the chorus will be stuck instantly in your head, even if you don't speak French, you will hum "Damnéééé" all day long. The title track "Verminateur" demonstrate they can be fast and heavy, "Prière De Remords" is a beautiful piano and strings piece accompanied by Coyote's high pitched melodic voice and act as a pause before the last two songs of the album, "Bons Baisers D'outre-tombe" and "Reviens", both songs have a distinct sadness and melancholy, contrasting the more up beat rest of the album. Finishing with a sad ending is a cool move, it illustrates the fragility of life and reminds us that not every story has a happy ending.
-Raphael

---

 

METALBITE'S TOP 10 ALBUMS OF THE MONTH

 

10: Escarnium - Inexorable Entropy
Everlasting Spew

Escarnium has an ineffable essence that makes them so alluring and keeps you coming back - it's partially because of the putrid, old-school atmosphere, partially because they still sound punishingly heavy in a way that can keep up with modern brutality, and partially because the precise mix of inspirations is a tough one to replicate. It's not just "steal a few riffs fromband x and a few slow parts from bands y" - it's the sense of flow, the underlying dread that creeps further into your peripherals as the album goes on. Dead Congregation, Cruciamentum and Phobocosm are a few of the rare breeds that can sufficiently recreate this sound.

Forget trying to identify the strain like a musical chemist - it ruins the magic. This is pure death fucking metal the way it should be. Play it loud and let it take over.
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 8.4/10

---

 

9: Eleventh Ray - Reviving Tehom
Dark Descent Records

If you asked me where this band is from on first listen, my answer would have been way off. The guys hail from Greece but sound about as Greek as my local pizza guy is Italian. "Reviving Tehom" is death-black worship more in the vein of "Lepaca Kilffoth" era Therion, back when they were infiltrated by Norwegian black metal, and mixed with some Celtic Frost vibes. Mid-tempo blackened deathis the name of the game, with a very dirty and raw production, snarling bass lines and deep growls- all refreshing and super old-school. It's been a while since an album gave me feelings of nostalgia like this.
-Michael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

---

 

8: The Haunted - Songs Of Last Resort
Century Media Records

The underrated Swedish groovy melodeath and thrash masters The Haunted are making a statement on their 10th studio album, we might be old but we can still melt your face with speed and meaty riffs (well, mid 50s is not THAT old, but you know what I mean). Born from the ashes of At The Gates, they continued the magic that was Slaughter Of The Soul and with a few line-up changes throughout their career, they managed to consistently remain one of the absolute top masters of the thrashy Gothenburg sound. Beginning the album with "Warhead" they immediately make a statement, the riff, omg the riffs, frantically fast, dense yet beautifully melodic and giving you the urge to thrash around with no care if you destroy the room around you. Patrik Jensen is all over this song, from the songwriting to the lyrics to his phenomenal playing, it begins the album on the highest note possible. And just listen/read these lyrics: "Cities fall silent under burning skies, smoldering concrete dust, Nations stirred and torn apart, the tensions never cease, Bound by fear and greed alone, denying any peace… A future shaped by an iron fist, Frontlines move in their endless safe to s drift, No end in sight, just war sustained, Profits rise as the blood remains" I think, in 2025, it's safe to say that the "liberal world order" is but a façade. The world is driven by the search for endlessz profit and the only law is might is right. It's painfully evident by the genocide perpetrated by the apartheid state that we have been watching live on our phones for the past 19 months. Back to the music, they pretty much never take their feet off the pedal, that said, they're also masters when they do slow down a bit to sit on a groovy riff, like on "Collateral Carnage". Paired with the lyrics of Ola Englund and the masterful vocal performance by Marco Aro, you feel the rage and the despair when he screams: "Cogs in the machine, no faces to see Casualties of war, just numbers to be… Collateral carnage, blood on their hands Lives turned to ashes, blown across the lands In the name of peace, we've lost our way, Empires rise but at what cost" Honestly these guys are unmatched in the realm of thrashy melodeath, I know this album will be on repeat for the rest of the year, it's terribly relevant while we continue to watch the world burn… Hey, at least the riffs are fire!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

---

 

7: Drudensang - Geysterzvvang (EP)
Folter Records

So here we have the new EP by the Bavarian black metal occultists Drudensang who have a penchant for old German and spooky ghost stories. It is a very atmospheric and ghastly piece of music with creepy melodies and vocals. They are more roughly whispered than sung and so the lyrics come across as even more sinister. You get the feeling that vocalist Krámpn is trying to evoke some dark creature to do their evil work in the realm of the living flesh.

The keyboards make a large contribution to this atmosphere. Sometimes it feels reminiscent of Emperor ("In The Nightside Eclipse", not the crap that came after) or the first three Satyricon albums. The band focuses more on mid-tempo songs which are quite catchy and groovy, even with the keyboard laid overtop. Sometimes acoustic guitars (like at the beginning of the title track) are used to strengthen this very special atmosphere.
-Michael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

---

 

6: Puteraeon - Mountains Of Madness
Emanzipation Productions

The warm blanket that is the oh so legendary buzzsaw tone of the HM-2 pedal, creating the wonder that is Swedish death metal but it is only one of the defining characteristics of Puteraeon. Thematically inspired and closely following H.P. Lovecraft's book "At the Mountains of Madness", the album is a sonic descent into the frozen hell of Antarctica. Even the cover resembles a book cover much more than a death metal album. This just shows the level of attention to details they bring to the experience. Speaking of attention to details, the mixing and mastering was done by the legendary Dan Swanö, so you know it sounds pretty near perfection. If all of this did not convince you, what about the actual music? Well, let me tell you, this album is expertly crafted death metal that worships the greats such as Entombed and Grave but add so much depth and dimension, with groovy and meaty riffs, melodic and catchy licks, a drum performance that is both impactful and full of finesse. To conclude, I think Swanö said it best: "the quality of this new album completely took me by surprise. It is just so damn good it's hard to fathom! It's like they thought about every little detail on how to make the album brutal as hell, yet memorable and extremely epic. I dare to say this one will go down in the history books as one of the best Swe-Death releases ever".
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.6/10

---

 

5: Skaphos - Cult Of Uzura
Transcending Obscurity

This drummer fucking rules. It's hard to have a memorable flavour when you're just blasting constantly, but through restraint, tasty cymbal placement, and mostly just a lot of tight, varied, propulsive SPEED, Nathan Faure is making a name for himself. The faster parts are intense and overwhelming, and the way they introduce them gradually - like starting with a slow build and solo vocal line in "One Eyed Terror", or making it seem like it's going to be a ballad-style curveball with "Mad Man And The Sea" - make the inevitable face-shredding a lot more powerful.

The guitars are emotive and expressive, using dissonant bends and thick, driving chords with an occasional melodic hook. It pulls from a few sub-styles of extreme metal and weaves it into a flowing narrative. Sulphur Aeon is a good comparable, although Cult Of Uzura is a little less "story-driven". The death/black mixture and tasty blasting makes Belphegor a fair comparison, but with more esotericism and fewer goat titties. Even while staying within extreme metal's rigid confines, Skaphos have found a niche with this album that allows them to stand out among their contemporaries. That old adage of "a band is only as strong as their drummer" really rings true here.
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 8.6/10

---

 

4: Jade - Mysteries Of A Flowery Dream
Pulverised Records

Jade is a special band, operating in the realm of atmospheric, blackened and doomy death metal, they forged a truly unique sound that will transport you in a dream like trans. The music drips with a thick and sinister atmosphere enhanced by the deep and cavernous growls. A sort of clean vocal, that is more like a desperate shooting into the dark, is used in between the growls and adds a certain urgency and gloomy feeling to the already extremely dark and murky music they create. They do sometimes use melody, that offer a bit of relief, like a crack in the ceiling, it illuminates a part of the dark cave and highlights how much you are in total obscurity. The track "A Flowery Dream" is the epitome of this dynamic, with a super melodic main riff but with a ferocious and relentless drum performance, all with that dark and sinister atmosphere. Prepare to get lost in this hellish yet captivating dream world!
-Raphael

Spanish death masters Jade have created another very dense and horrifying experience on the follow-up to "The Pacification Of Death". Terrifying screams and deep growls come together with nightmarish death metal soaked in reverb. Like Sulphur Aeon or Teitanblood, they mix a clever combination of death metal from the deepest bowels of the Earth with some more dissonant black metal. The result is very gloomy and impressive, a monolithic second full-length album which needs to be heard in the right mood – not the best piece of music at the pool party, but maybe for the hang-over the next morning.
-Michael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.6/10

---

 

3: Obsidian Tongue - Eclipsing Worlds Of Scorn
Profound Lore Records

The Stone Heart was one of my favorite releases of last year, so upon realization that it was just a teaser for new music coming out this year - on the mighty Profound Lore, no less - means this is an automatic listen/purchase. Obsidian Tongue the introspection of modern black metal such as Agalloch, Wolves in the Throne Room and Woods of Ypres with a mosaic of other adjacent genres - hints of doom, old-school black metal and even prog pop up in fits and starts. It's woven together in a manner that feels smooth, lush and radiant, while still having plenty of moments that take you by surprise. In a world where I get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of dime-a-dozen black metal that I have to sift through in my promo inbox, to the point where I debate ignoring the genre entirely on a regular basis - hearing an album like this reminds me what the genre can, and should be in 2025, and pulls me back into trawling for the diamonds in a dense and vast rough.
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 9/10

---

 

2: Trivax - The Great Satan
Osmose Productions

The Great Satan is unleashed! This is super catchy black metal with a lot of Arabic influences (which is not a big surprise if you know that bandleader Shayan was born in Iran). Lyrically, it (metaphorically) deals with the political situation in his home country, musically it's a superb mixture between fast black metal, neckbreaking death metal and catchy thrash metal. On some occasions, such as "Here Comes The Flood" it gives off a punk vibe. Put it all together and it's one of the best surprises of this year. Always stays super interesting, with many cool melodies and innovative ideas.
-Michael

MetalBite's Rating: 9/10

---

 

1: Rivers Of Nihil - Rivers Of Nihil
Metal Blade Records

It has now been four years since Rivers released their previous album, the experimental and deeply philosophical work, no pun intended, The Work. Since then, they parted ways with their lead vocalist, Jake Dieffenbach, welcomed as a full-time member Andy Thomas (from Black Crown Initiate) and released a few singles showing their new direction. I say new but it's more like refining their sound and taking the best from The Work and Where Owls Know My Name and distilling it to its purest form. Actually, with Andy Thomas now a permanent member, they kind of made an entire album of the song "Where Owls Know My Name" and the result is pure magic!

The album begins with "The Sub-Orbital Blues", the first single they dropped in 2023. The main riff is a simple rhythmic chug, reminiscent of the main riff in Sorceress from Opeth and right at the beginning we get a taste of what Andy Thomas now brings to the band, his soaring clean vocals bring a melodic dimension that is both emotional and epic as hell! The notes this guy reaches give me chills every time! Then, the harsh vocals come in. Adam Biggs took the role of harsh vocalist, so it still feels familiar but now, he demonstrates his range, going from his familiar higher pitch screams to his beautiful cleans to his absolutely savage death growls. Drummer Jared Klein also provides backing vocals and when the three guys sing together in harmony, it creates something wonderful. "Dustman" is a more traditional tech death banger with a flurry of blast beats and a groovy, modern prog riff. Weaving in this heavy madness is a strong focus on atmosphere making it sound rich with different textures. "Criminals" begin with funky bass lines and an atmosphere that gives a feeling of urgency! The song is extremely dynamic alternating between minimalistic sections, full of atmosphere and pure raging death metal. The chorus is Adam bringing a good dose of melody, singing: "There's no forgiveness Pray to the western sunrise Show me the man an I'll show you what he's done You're a criminal Just look at what you've done", essentially expressing that we, in the west, are all culpable in a way for the crimes of our governments: "Let's stop pretending, There's still a western sunrise, At the end of a gun, Just look what we've become". "Despair Church" is the longest song on the album at 6 minutes and 30 seconds and showcases the bands incredible dynamics, it's heavy, atmospheric, epic and full of surprises. Some you expect, like the circusy saxophone break and some will be a pleasant surprise, like the magnificent ending, a piano, cello and sax instrumental. "Water & Time" is the "ballad" of the album. Starting with a slow electronic beat, reminding me of "Terrestria III" from Owls, it quickly changes to an emotional and grandiose slower piece, again with a magistral performance by Andy but also, Adam and Jared. Their three voices harmonizing and combined with smooth saxophone makes me feel things inside! "American Death" is a straight banger with its Meshuggah-esque heavy riff, incredible drum performance and infectious chorus. You truly feel like you're descending into madness when the dissonant first solo hits and it fits the lyrical theme so perfectly: "Death: American as apple pie, Another tragedy I forgot, A Bridge to sell you, While we dance in the total system rot, I can't believe anything you say, Since the last revolution that you tried to fake, Who's right? What's left? American death". The numbness to violence that Americans display is in itself the symptom of living in a dying empire and facing that reality, what can they do but dance in the rot. Rivers end their eponymous album with the track "Rivers Of Nihil", as if to say, "here, this is the new us going forward" and I have to say, I am floored with the result, it's a heavenly sublime work of art!

Since Owls, Rivers Of Nihil has consistently been one of my favorite bands and with this album, they establish themselves as prog death royalty. Every song on here is worthy of a single, Brody and Andy's guitar performances are awe-inspiring, Adam's bass is funky, subtitle and heavy, and the drums, oh my god, Jared is a master on the kit with a technically impressive act that puts him on top with other legends like Mario Duplantier and Brann Dailor. Speaking of Mastodon, the three vocalists, Adam, Andy and Jared on the back, create such an interesting dynamic when the three harmonize. Adam is so comfortable in his lead harsh vocalist role, it's like he did this all of his life and what to say about Andy's voice, a spectacular performance, his voice is melodic, pure and so so epic! I can already predict this will end extremely high in my AOTY list!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 9.8/10

---

As always, thank you for stopping by. Get your fill of quality music from earlier this year via all the Album of the Month entries for 2025 so far:

April 2025
March 2025
February 2025
January 2025

And, of course, Follow MetalBite on Facebook, Spotify and Instagram so you can be there right when the next Top 10 list drops!

Entered: 7/6/2025 5:11:16 AM

Previous Post Digging Through Past	Next Post Digging Through Past