Welcome back to MetalBite's Top 10 Albums of the Month! Feels a bit top-heavy, but there's still some monumental stuff that will certainly be scattered among many an AOTY list by December. Let's give it a look.

-Nate

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Converge - Love Is Not Enough
Epitaph

Converge is a band I've always liked but don't have extensive knowledge about. I, of course, love Jane Doe, a monumental mathcore milestone that changed metalcore. I haven't kept up with them lately, although I liked 2017 The Dusk In Us. Since 1994 Converge have been there, pushing hardcore and metalcore to new heights and 32 years later they still have a lot to say and are still has angry and energetic as ever! Musically to the point, they strip back their sound to the pure essence of what Converge is, the first half is all short hardcore bangers, fast, angry and with that subtle sludge metal weight. Lyrically always pertinent, some lyrics on the song "Love Is Not Enough" are direct in their assessment of the human experience, even if a bit pessimistic to my taste but hey, have you seen the world right now, can't say they're wrong! "Don't trust a soul if it does not fall, We learn nothing without gaping wounds, We must grow to stomach the taste of our own blood, We have to accept that love is not enough". In the second half, they experiment more with generally longer songs, and they explore a wide range of influences, a more confidently sludge sound, an ambient interlude, a very punk and post-hardcore sounding song and an infectious melodic riffing on "We Were Never the Same". It's cool to see old bands still with a fire burning inside, making music that's still relevant and of incredible quality. Respect!
-Raphael

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Necrofier - Transcend Into Oblivion
Metal Blade Records

First I'm hearing of this group, although they seem to have taken the short track to being an established band - the members are clearly scene veterans, they've been on a bigger-name label (Season of Mist) since their debut, and that doesn't happen if you don't already have some in roads. The band is riff-focused, aggressive meloblack - Watain and Necrophobic are good immediate comparables, with perhaps a bit of a thrashy edge as well - Goatwhore without any of the NOLA sludge. I mostly know Texas for being home to a lot of brutal death metal, so it's good to know that it's a fertile region for other styles of extreme metal as well.
-Nate

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Mors Verum - Canvas
Transcending Obscurity Records

Dissonant progressive death metal band from Canada/India Mors Verum offers a clearly Gorguts inspire death metal but with a bit more focus on groove and maybe a bit less chaotic, with a lot of pauses on the chaos to focus on lush atmospheres, which makes the dissonance stand out and makes it even more satisfying. They aren't scared to throw in a little melody here and there also, whether it be with a solo or in a riff. This makes for a perfect entry in the disso death genre and will hopefully be the gateway for more!
-Raphael

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Die Like Gentlemen - Die Like Gentlemen
Independent

Do you like weed? Do you like excellent musicianship and creative songwriting? This Portland, Oregon crew can help you with that (weed sold separately). Their love for Black Sabbath is obvious, though they incorporate many other influences, progressive rock being an obvious one but with a sludgy edge. I think vocally is where it will make or break for people, it wouldn't be out of place in a folk metal outfit, I get old sea shanty vibes sometimes, but the guy still can sing, it's a powerful performance! They can write memorable songs, listen to "Because I Said So", right from the beginning they hook you with an unconventional riff and the solos are great, they pop out of the low rumble and are impactful. There are bluesy influences seeping in in every song and offers a nice change of pace from the harder hitting moments. Very fun album with an impeccable sounding production!
-Raphael

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Ashbringer - Subglacial
Bolverk Collective

Following this band's transition from a prodigious atmo-black band beyond their years with the albums Vacant and Yūgen - both released when the core members were still teenagers - to expanding into lush, vibrant post-metal with Absolution, to adding more gritty post-hardcore with We Came Here To Grieve, and now Subglacial - an that, as a more matured outfit, sprinkles in elements from each era of their career, presenting them in a raw and authentic light. There isn't much in the way of effects being used, forcing the musical ideas to carry the song almost entirely on their own. That would be an issue if any of that was lacking, but Ashbringer has an impeccable sense of melody and an uncommon ability to demonstrate weighty, soulful emotions - they can do a lot with a little, and the intentionally barebones delivery only serves to highlight that. Every note of a simple solo, each strummed acoustic chord, each reverb-absent vocal line, somehow resonates more because of how thin everything sounds. I haven't quite heard much like it, and it's a bit of a gamble, but it pays off. I've always been a fan of this group, but I've always had qualms with the production job (perhaps a side effect of head honcho Nick Stanger doing most of the engineering and mixing, the endowment effect is a real thing) - but now they've finally got the right balance.
-Nate

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Olhava - Memorial
Avantgarde Music

In contrast to Ashbringer, who use a very raw, thin skeleton to unmask potent emotions, Olhava takes the opposite route to complete immersion by layering repetitive elements atop one other and stretching them out to the point where you lose yourself in a single riff. It'll be on in the background, but suddenly this feeling of being immersed in a winter storm envelops you. Paysage D'Hiver with a more modern sheen to the production is a fair comparison.
-Nate

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METALBITE'S TOP 10 ALBUMS OF THE MONTH

 

10: Winter Eternal - Unveiled Nightsky
Hells Headbangers

There is something reassuring about the continued existence of orthodox melodic black metal bands that have developed over time to become masters of their craft. While the sub-genre finds its tendrils reaching into ever more distant territories, it is equally important that some act as a backstop against the total transformation of black metal, reinstating and reinforcing its core sounds and values. Winter Eternal are one such band, ostensibly the work of a single individual (Soulreaper), reaching their fifth album after 15 years of existence. Although the band hail from Greece, a nation that boasts a very singular take on black metal, there is very little trace of classic Hellenic melody here, Winter Eternal instead taking as their starting point the combination of majesty and fury that one would typically find in Scandinavia, with Sacramentum and Taake being obvious touchpoints. While the tempo rarely drops below a raging blast, Winter Eternal fully understand the value of restraint. There is nothing cluttered about the song arrangements, and the way in which the sublime melodies are given the space to wrap themselves around the listener's consciousness greatly enhances their power. 'Nurtured By The Night' and 'The Deceiver's Tale' are wonderful highlights, the bittersweet guitar lines creating the kind of sonic alchemy that elevates Unveiled Nightsky above the mediocre Norsecore that still abounds in the underground. And at thirty minutes, Winter Eternal have created a perfectly balanced record that never threatens to tip over into tedium, and leaving the enraptured listener wanting more.
-Benjamin

MetalBite's Rating: 8.1/10

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9: Exhumed - Red Asphalt
Relapse Records

According to Statistics Canada, on average 1887 people die each year on the roads and 137 000 get injured. California's deathgrind giants, Exhumed, used this grim and gory but universal fact of our car dependent, dystopian capitalistic hellhole, to give us their latest album Red Asphalt. With a perfect, gore cover art by vocalist and bassist Ross Sewage, you know this is going to sound good and boy does it! If you like Carcass you will feel right at home. The dueling vocals of Matt Harvey and Ross Sewage, one a high scream and the other a low death growl gives great dynamics, and I absolutely love it when they both sing at the same time! The songs are usually short and to the point, no fat anywhere and the soloing is absolutely epic! Sebastian Phillips and Matt Harvey are the stars on this, the heroic solos that pop up everywhere are a great contrast to the dirty grind infused death metal. Honestly, I can't find anything bad about this album, it's heavy, fast, very guitar forward and it just sounds perfect. Mixed by Scott Evans and mastered by Leon del Muerte, it's a top-quality sounding album. For fans of Carcass and honestly, just metal in general.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.3/10

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8: D.D.T. - In The Name Of God
Productions TSO

I'm so happy to be doing a review for this legendary Québécois band, legendary not for their discography, they only made a few demos and an EP, they automatically have this status because they are the first metal band of la belle province! And except for a few live performances on youtube, I never really had the chance to hear them properly. They now have a proper release for these songs they wrote in 1986-1987 and we finally can experience them, and let me tell you, it's a pure heavy metal delight! First let's talk about the band, originally formed of Pierre "Pete" Tougas on bass and backing vocals, François "Frank" Tougas on vocals, Paul "Moko" Tougas, on guitars and backing vocals, Sylvain "Syd" D'Arcy on drums and Denis Côté on guitars and backing vocals. The line up changed a bit when Syd and Denis left and Richard "PePe" Perusse joined on drums. If the name Tougas seems familiar (spoiler alert for the #1 of this top ten), it's because Pierre's son is the one and only, Phil Tougas of Worm, Chthe'ilist and so much more. I don't know what is going on in this family, everyone is a talented musician! Anyway, on to what matters, the music! The album is comprised of 8 tracks, 28 minutes, it's a short one but not a single second is wasted. The riffs are king, with that classic 80s heavy metal sound, songs are built around it, to emphasize it, the almighty riff. With excellent creative soloing, a fat bass sound and a great drumming performance, comfortable with fast double kick and slower groovier tempos. Frank's able to let out powerful falsetto screams that pair super well with the melodic, bright guitars. They also use gang vocals, pairing well with Frank's lower register. This album was such a joy to listen to, it automatically puts you in a good mood and I truly hope the band will continue and release new music!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.4/10

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7: Burning Path - Burning Path
Dying Victims Productions

You're in a convertible, wind in the hair, on the seaside and Burning Path is playing at max volume. That is the feeling you will have during this nostalgia filled 40 minutes of just pure heavy metal fun. Born from the ashes of Chile's Lucifer's Hammer, Burning Path is a phoenix made of pure good vibes, classic metal with plenty of heroic solos and infectious riffs, I guarantee many will be stuck on a loop in your head but for me it's the song "Chasing The Future", omg I'm obsessed by that riff! Those 2 boys, Hypnos on bass, guitars, keyboards and Titán on vocals, guitars, drums just know how to write a good song, balancing catchiness and great musicianship. The guitars are king, bright and melodic, the shredding solos are always the highlight. Vocally, Titán summons his inner Geddy Lee, which is particularly fitting with those bright guitars and on the last song, "The Darkness That Will Last", they channel a bit of prog rock influences, making a longer song and using a bit more complex drum patterns. Listening to this record makes me think, can summer just fucking arrive already!!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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6: Incandescence - Hors Temps
Profound Lore Records

Incandescence is Philippe Boucher's black metal project, you might know Philippe from his other bands, Beyond Creation, Dissimulator and his project with another legendary Phil, Chthe'ilist! Also, get hyped because Phil teased that Chthe'ilist will be releasing something soon and according to him and I quote "it's more sickening, eerie and HEAVIER."

Anyway, back to the other Philippe, with Incandescence he plays everything, drums, guitars, bass and Louis-Paul Gauvreau (famous for signing a Necrophagist song on Québec's version of The Voice) takes vocal duties. Black metal is not a genre that really focuses on drums so the fact a tech death drummer has a black metal project makes this pretty unique. It's a melodic kind of black metal but always sounding so evil! Louis-Paul's reverb filled vocals gives this a raw quality that adds to the atmosphere. He has a pretty dynamic vocal style, whaling, shrieking screams and lower grunts mixes seamlessly, think of Grutle Kjellson's approach. Instrumentally Philippe is such an impressive musician, has comfortable on guitar, bass and drums, there's some earworm riffs on here, particularly on the last song, "Inexorable deterioration". I again am in the impossibility of finding anything bad on here, it's a perfect black metal album, if you like the Immortal brand of black, you will love this very much.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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5: Fossilization - Advent Of Wounds
Everlasting Spew

It's hard to quantify the atmosphere a piece of music has. Yes, that is ironic to say in a review of music where that is precisely what you're supposed to do, but it's inherently faulty to measure emotion in numbers, and how one person experiences something is going to be different than others. But at the same time, there are bands that have better luck embedding themselves in the memory of avid listeners. Dead Congregation is revered by many, but pound for pound they're equal to the hordes of other modern atmospheric death/doom bands that get a fraction of the attention. Void Rot and Escarnium are a couple of others that have that elusive essence that conjures imagery in your brain. Everlasting Spew has a particular ear for it, and Fossilization is one of their premier exports, a band who they have worked with over multiple releases dating back to their initial EP in 2020.

Over these years, the band, fitting to their moniker, has solidified their core sound, deepening the indentations and refining their formula to maximum impact. While they have always shown a strong ability to stack layers to create a chasmic, vacuous density, they have grown increasingly adept at using subtle nuances to maximize the force of impact. They can start off with a faster, more aggressive section, yet the immediate chaos that ensues does not reveal their hand - they use clever trickery to slow things to a middling pace, maybe even a crawl for a moment, before jolting you back to attention with more pummeling death metal. All good music is the product of push and pull, building tension and releasing it, and this is well understood on this album - but the pathway to it is more jagged, taking you by surprise and leaving you eager to hear where it takes you next, even if you're well versed in the style. As I alluded to in the first paragraph, the difference between a great band and a mediocre one is all in the songwriting - and Fossilization is a great band. They create something that feels novel using the exact same building blocks a a thousand others.
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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4: Phendrana - Cathexis
Independent

Phendrana is one of the best maps of the cult GameCube game Metroid Prime but that's not what I'll be talking about today, no it's the one-man musical project of Anuar Salum from Mexico. Anuar (Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Piano, Orchestration, Songwriting, Lyrics) is one hell of a talented musician and this album is filled with atmosphere, progressive song structures and that warmness associated with the blackgaze genre. When the second song begins you are immediately hit with a nostalgic feeling, Opeth clearly being an influence, and he plays with different eras, in the same song you go from Damnation to Orchid. The song "Cathexis" features varied vocals and instrumentation, beautiful female vocals are accompanied by a flute and later a saxophone, which is one of my favorite nontraditional instruments to add in metal! The third song is a straight progressive black metal banger with powerful dynamics and with so much beauty. For the fourth and last song of this incredible work, we have an 18-minute progressive epic journey through sheer heaviness, subtle atmospheres, warm and emotive melodies and tight musicianship. All in all this is a fantastic and creative work from a talented musician. In this dystopian hellhole we live in, it's moments like this that is important to hold on to, I am able to connect deeply with the work from a guy in Mexico, of half Syrian and half Lebanese descent, and feel that I understand the emotions he was trying to convey, which is a such beautiful thing and something we need to remember, we are all connected and borders are a made up concept.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.6/10

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3: Slaughterday - Dread Emperor
Testimony Records

This powerhouse of German death metal delivers another satisying riff feast to add to their very consistent discography. Full review by Michael here.
-Michael

MetalBite's Rating: 9/10

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2: Cryptic Shift - Overspace & Supertime
Metal Blade Records

British progressive death metallers Cryptic Shift have certainly taken their time to follow-up their excellent debut Visitations From Enceladus, a sci-fi inspired debut that propelled them to the pinnacle of the UK death metal pile, creating a level of expectation around the band that has hung heavy for the last six years. The move to US giant Metal Blade has done nothing to reduce the anticipation, with Cryptic Shift potentially on the brink of the kind of breakthrough that has always proven a step too far for many of their compatriots. Impressively, the band have chosen not to dilute the complexity of their assault, and have instead crafted a work of dizzying ambition. Where the previous album was built around the lengthy opener, 'Moonbelt Immolator', Cryptic Shift have gone one better this time, with twin centrepieces 'Stratocumulus Evergaol' and the title track clocking in at 29 and 20 minutes respectively. This album requires and rewards extreme concentration. While there is no shortage of absolutely stunning riffs to be found here, the arrangements rarely gratify the listener with a return visit. Cryptic Shift favour a linear approach to songwriting, forever rushing through infinite space in search of the edge of the universe, never looking back to Earth. Across the five tracks that comprise the album, the band cycle through a mind-boggling array of ideas, from the kind of clean, jazzy dissonance that Pestilence experimented with on Spheres, to Voivod / Vektor-style thrash, and angular Morbid Angel-style grinding death. The mind-melting lead guitars twist and spiral like Allen Holdsworth guesting on a late-period Death record, and the way in which the band explore a range of textures and tones ensures that on a purely sonic level, the album is always intriguing. It is possible that Overspace & Supertime could make the same impact as Blood Incantation's Absolute Elsewhere in 2024, reinforcing the incursion of avant-garde death metal into the mainstream. Cryptic Shift don't quite pull from as wide a spectrum of non-metal influences as the Americans, but nevertheless, the ability to execute such an expansive vision is the same. Whether Cryptic Shift enjoy the same level of crossover success is yet to be determined, but this album may come to be regarded as a landmark for many years to come, irrespective of any commercial success.
-Benjamin

Nothing is bigger than the vast expanse of space, although Cryptic Shift's Overspace & Supertime certainly comes close! Clocking in at a whopping 79 minutes, I must admit I went in with certain apprehensions. But, after sitting through the entire thing, I can honestly say that this is such well composed music that time just flies by, keeping you captivated through the end.

There is so much going on, all the time, every part is played with a near superhuman level of technicality, weaving in unsettling atmospheres, smooth jazzy parts, interesting melodic textures, technical brutality and weird alien noises, all that sounding both mechanical and incredibly organic at the same time. "Cryogenically Frozen" opens this epic journey, sounding like every technical riff waking up, unfrozen one at a time. You know a band means business when a few seconds after the beginning, you get a solo! Then, "Stratocumulus Evergaol" a 29-minute monster, that could have been a standalone EP, throws you in a whirlwind of technical riffing, fast thrash, a la Voivod, with all that dissonant goodness, influences also ranging from Atheist, Cynic and of course, Death. This song feels like a voyage through space, it's at moments fast, with a hundred notes flying everywhere, like you are traversing an asteroid belt, at times it becomes slow and quiet, making you feel like you are alone in the vastness of space and then everything kicks back on overdrive! The end of the song feels like entering a planet's atmosphere and when you think it's safe, everything becomes quiet, suddenly, crazy fast drums, a bass solo, technical riffs and then, unsettling silence. And we are only two songs in. The level of care for details, the humongous lore, the musicianship, all weaved in each other, is astonishing. One example of this is that every solo, guitar or bass, has its own title, all linked to the lore. On "Hyperspace Topography" for example, a solo is named "Anxietous Voyage In The Seas Of Jollity" and it has many dissonant notes, combined with short bursts of blast beats, emulating the feeling of anxiety perfectly. This is but one example of how music, lyrics and lore are all interconnected and the album is so massive that there is an overwhelming number of them.

A 79-minute album is not usually one you come back for the full experience, but Overspace & Supertime demands that you do and each time, you will discover so many new things. This is an impressive prog, tech, death, thrash odyssey that will leave a mark in your mind and in the big and expansive world of metal!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 9.2/10

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1: Worm - Necropalace
Century Media Records

Picture this, two sexy vampires, waltzing in the dark halls of a great castle. Now, if I asked you what music was playing in the background, well, Necropalace is exactly that soundtrack; dark, melodic, grandiose and crushing. Worm has been around for a few years already, perfecting their brand of cinematic death/doom with blackened edges and in 2021, after the excellent Foreverglade the band would become a duo when the one and only, the musical prodigy and pride of Québec, Phil Tougas joined forces with Phantom Slaughter under the name Wroth Septentrion. Phil brought his distinct style to the sound of Worm, and it created something truly unique and epic, a milestone in all of metal.

On this album, Worm embraces the symphonic black metal sound, which was always there, but never fully out in the open like this and it complements Phil's neoclassical guitar prowess so well. These rich layers of melodies are mixed with some truly heavy moments. Evil tremolos and blast beats are used, intertwined with these symphonic elements, for a truly vampiric sounding result. Then, everything slows down, Phantom Slaughter lets out a deep, cavernous guttural growl that is felt deep in the guts with the drums slowing to a near funeral doom level. These tempo changes contrast the faster blackened parts to perfection and are some of the most satisfying sections of this album. And then there's Phil. The writing was done by him and Phantom Slaughter, sometimes even in the back of a van during the decibel tour. The recording was apparently a challenge, he had to play his solos while suffering acute tendonitis in his hand. Like the true legend he is, he played through the pain and the result is monumental. There is so many memorable moments and truly infectious melodies everywhere on this masterpiece that the hour and three minutes runtime feels like 20 minutes max. I swear, Einstein was so right, time is truly relative. From the first notes of "Gates To The Shadowzone", with the sound of thunder in the background, the orchestration coming in, with Phil's Timpani and then the neoclassical soloing, it's a great little sample of what is to come. "Neropalace" begins right after and this part will be engraved in your brain to the level of obsession, one of the many instances of the melodies that will replay in your mind, over and over again. You then blink and the last song begins and you're like; what!? Already? But you went through so many scrumptious solos, delectable death/doom heavy moments, nostalgia filled sounds and instrumentation, taking you back to the best of 90s Dimmu Borgir or Cradle of Filth, and despite this you still feel hungry for more! And then, "Witchmoon - The Infernal Masquerade", a 14-minute juggernaut, containing dangerous numbers of the best soloing your ears will have the privilege of hearing. The over 3 minutes of Phil and Marty Friedman soloing together is probably the most metal experience you'll ever have.

What to say more (a lot, stay tuned for a more in-depth review), this album demonstrates what metal can be, with so many genres and influences, all packaged and flowing seamlessly together, it's an impressive achievement that will be talked about in the history books of metal for sure. There is now a before and after Necropalace.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 10/10

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Thanks for stopping by! Check out our list for January 2026 while you still have the time and space to get caught up on sick riffs from this year.

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

Entered: 3/18/2026 9:08:00 AM

Previous Post MB Premiere: BARBARIAN - 'Mercy Swallower'	Next Post MetalBite's Top 10 Albums of the Month - August 2025

Welcome back to MetalBite's Top 10 Albums of the Month! We're oh so very close to being caught up. Only one month behind, right on time for the deluge of albums that are certain to be out in the next few months as album-of-the-year season approaches…will it ever end? Probably not. We hope not. As long as we have working brains and fingers, we'll continue to champion and platform real music created by real artists to combat the encroaching wave of AI-generated nonsense…anyways, I'm about to trail off into a tangential rant, so let's just get to the reviews!

-Nate

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Demiurgon - Miasmatic Deathless Chamber
Transcending Obscurity

Ferocious yet precise and calculated death metal that doesn't lean exclusively to one specific subset of the genre. It's technical, groovy, old-school, new-school, even atmospheric at times - a soup of all the things that make this music something I'll never get tired of. They waste no time in getting straight to the point, and know how to make it effectively - not that I expected any less from seasoned veterans of the Italian extreme metal scene.
-Nate

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Last Retch - Abject Cruelty
Time To Kill Records

Hailing from the mysterious, decaying and faraway lands of Hamilton and St Catharines, Ontario, Canada, Last Retch plays a delicious kind of old school, caveman death metal where the riff is king. I would advise you to stay away if you have any kind of stiff neck because your head will move, this is a guarantee. So, whenever you feel tired, crushed by the weight of modern life under late-stage capitalism, put this short but extremely well composed death metal album to soothe your alienation and just headbang your anxiety away and reconnect with real life.
-Raphael

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Ancient Thrones - Melancholia
Independent

A cohesive, but still multifaceted mishmash of black/death metal with some symphonic garnishes. The meat of the album is melodic while maintaining aggression, and the extra frills provide additional contrast and roundedness without coming off as hokey or overblown - this isn't anywhere near Dimmu Borgir / Carach Angren stylistically, though you may be able to hear occasional references to them. Another good comparison would be the underrated Vimur - Melancholia is riff-focused, meaty and technically proficient without being overblown. Very much "meat and potatoes" black metal if you get my drift. Also, bonus points for having a drummer/lead vocalist, one of the most impressive double-duty combinations - especially because these fellas play live. Would love the chance to see them come down to my neck of the woods in Ontario!
-Nate

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Green Carnation - A Dark Poem Part 1: The Shores Of Melancholia
Season Of Mist

As much as I love this band - Leaves Of Yesteryear was my favorite album of 2020, and I could listen to Kjetil Nordhus's voice for years on end - A Dark Poem simply did not resonate with me as much. It's a solid album by a talented band, and I would absolutely dive into their back catalog if you haven't already - but these songs just aren't compelling me to listen on repeat the same way their predecessor did. Maybe it's just a matter of time.
-Nate

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Fauna - Ochre & Ash
Prophecy Productions

Fauna are an ambient-leaning Cascadian black metal band from Washington State, affiliated with Wolves In The Throne Room, releasing their fourth full-length on Prophecy and, to be honest, that is probably enough information for the average black metal fan to determine whether they need to buy this record with the change left from their Fire In The Mountains ticket, or whether they should hold fire and blow their salary on another Blasphemy live album from the Nuclear War Now! webstore instead. For those who may be sitting on the (sturdy Pacific Northwestern timber) fence though, Ochre & Ash is a challenging and punishing slab of bleak, discordant black metal, not unlike the much-missed Altar Of Plagues, shot through with an industrial bleakness and creeping horror, enhanced by the ambient interludes that are so crucial to the structure of the album. Much of the record is a downbeat dirge, orthodox black metal transposed into a post-metal setting, which creates an unbearable tension that is nevertheless captivating in its desolate beauty. It is as if the band have deconstructed Weakling's Dead As Dreams, and rebuilt it from scrapyard debris. Perhaps Fauna is an ironic name, as nothing living emerges from this suffocating, but compelling and hypnotic record.
-Benjamin

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Unaligned - A Form Beyond
Transcending Obscurity

Tasty tech in that Inferi/Demon King/Eschaton realm, with a handful of more established names sprinkled about - couple guys from Demon King and Fleshbore, one of the more prolific machinegun-for-hire drummers in Jack Blackburn, and the core of the project also being the main drivers behind Withered Throne. It's hard to tell if this is a supergroup side-project or if Unaligned has now become the main band, but it doesn't really matter much. If you dig songs with fifty acrobatic finger-twisting riffs, a proficient speed broken up by quasi-jazzy interludes, and you're the type that will gladly eat up anything The Artisan Era puts out (this was even mastered by Mike Low!), you're not going to be disappointed here. I do find myself waiting for that moment where they really set themselves apart from the pack and establish a distinct, unique identity - but for a debut, Unaligned has certainly proven they can hang, and I'm looking forward to seeing how they evolve and develop in the future.
-Nate

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Firmament - For Centuries Alive
Dying Victims Productions

Firmament is a classic heavy metal band from Germany that truly stands out by their absolute mastery of melody. They write gorgeous melodies that are deeply catchy and sound absolutely magical. The harmonizing twin guitars of Philipp Meyer and Tom Michalik paired with the powerful and melodic voice of Marco Herrmann creates the kind of magic every heavy metal band only wishes they could create. And to top this already perfect sundae, this rhythm section man, holy hell, just listen to the intro of "An Anthem For The Spotless Mind", the delicate drums, the subtle bass lines, it's so tasty! Once again, Dying Victims Productions showing the world how music should sound!
-Raphael

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Siege Column - Sulphur Omega
Nuclear War Now!

If you follow this AOTM column and pay attention to who is writing the entries (bold of me to think we have fans/regulars, but I've been wrong before!), you may have noticed my proclivity for modern, maximalist styles of metal - tech death, grandiose, atmospheric black metal, dense dissonant/avant-garde stuff. That is where the majority of my listening time generally lies - especially when it comes to new releases - but that doesn't mean I don't also dabble in stripped down, grimy metalpunk. I'm actually on a big Motorhead kick right now, and fundamentally believe that metal is about the power of the riff first, and everything else comes second. Bands like Bolt Thrower, Bathory and Venom are mandatory listening for anyone getting into metal (even though I'm personally not a huge fan of the latter). I appreciate the more primitive, old-school roots of this style as much as anyone, but as someone who listens to a LOT of new music, it becomes increasingly difficult to hear something that hits me in a novel and unique way within the confines of a style I've heard countless times. I get that black/thrash/speed/old school styled metalpunk is all about keeping it true and not reinventing the wheel, and there's a reason bands continue to play in this style - it works. But you've got to wade through significantly more mediocrity to get to the gems, and I simply just don't have the time to sift through the rubble these days.

The point of this probably-too-long preamble is that when I do stumble across a band that stands out like Siege Column, you should definitely pay more attention because I am much more picky with this stuff. At first, I wasn't sure what makes this better - it's fast, straight-and-to-the-point black/speed/death/thrash/whatever - raw and oldschool and reminiscent of a time when subgenres weren't clearly defined and everyone was just trying to write the nastiest, most evil music possible within more restrictive confines. But something about them hooks you in - there's enough variety that you don't know exactly what angle the riff will hit you from next, and it's always groovy, blistering and most importantly, engaging. The drums are organic, fit the riffs well, and show just enough technical prowess to elevate the guitarwork. It's rough and nasty on the surface, and you can just bang your head to it like a brainless maniac - but it rewards the more you peek under its layers, there's a surprising amount of elegance and compositional depth to be found.

I had to see who was behind this album and when I saw that it was a Joe Aversario project, everything made sense. He fronted Death Fortress, one of my favorite black metal bands of the 2010s, and has also been involved with a long list of bands including Abazagorath and Altar of Gore, both worth checking out. Simply put - this is a guy who knows what he's doing. No wonder Siege Column stands head and shoulders above the riffraff.
-Nate

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METALBITE'S TOP 10 ALBUMS OF THE MONTH

 

T-10: Novembers Doom - Major Arcana
Prophecy Productions

I'd say I have an on/off relationship with Novembers Doom, I fell in love with 2007, The Novella Reservoir, and more or less forgot about them until 2017 Hamartia! Their distinctive use of minor chords and heavy down tuned guitars with Paul Kuhr wonderfully savage growled vocals is such an effective mix. Throughout their long career they always managed to blend the dark, heavy and sad with expertly crafted melodies. And on Major Arcana they revisit all their strengths. With the sad, but hell of catchy, "Major Arcana" or the dark and brutal "Ravenous", they show they haven't lost any fuel throughout the years. This is the perfect record for the beginning of the cold and dark season.
-Raphael

You'd think this band would release more of their albums in November (fun fact: they've only done that 3 times in their career, and this is their 12th full-length album) But Major Arcana also works well to signal the unavoidable arrival of the fall. Sad, gloomy melodies and desperate and sonorous vocals (both sung and growled) invite a melancholic journey. Once again Novembers Doom manages to create this atmosphere where sadness and hope goes hand in hand because you never get the feeling to retreat into a dark corner to cry out shamelessly. There is always a riff or vocal line that picks you back up. A strong doom record by a very consistent band.
-Michael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.4/10

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T-10: Faetooth - Labyrinthine
The Flenser

Self labeled as "fairy doom", this L.A. band is known for blending soft vocals, airy textures, contrasted with heavy down tuned chugs with the occasional screamed vocals. Think of the dynamics of bands like Alcest, but extremely slow and contemplative. It is the perfect autumn record with standout tracks like the eerie "Iron Gate", mixing ethereal and soft clean vocals with a slow and heavy riff, the super atmospheric and cathartic "Hole", the sludgy and shoegazy "White Noise" or the beautiful and moody doom of "October". Truly an outstanding doom record!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.4/10

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9: Igorrr - Amen
Metal Blade Records

Gautier Serre, the mastermind behind the eclectic musical project Igorrr is back with it's 5th album Amen and how I've never given proper attention to this band before is beyond me. By now, after listening to Amen a couple of times, I see it! I am now a massive fan. If you somehow never listened to Igorrr, let me try to explain. They blend black and death metal with distinct breakcore elements and a multitude of sounds and influences, notably, classical, with piano, violins, a choir, classical guitar and Lili Refrain providing her magnificent operatic vocals. The album opens with "Daemoni", a crazy mix of metal with an industrial feel, injected with a live choir (recorded in a church for maximal impact), classical guitars and towards the end, savage blackened death vocals. Next is "Headbutt", with classical piano playing with a blastbeat over it. The breakcore elements are like little glitches spread here and there (think of Code Orange's Underneath) and the choir is heavily present throughout, making everything so epic. To end the song, he recorded an excavator crushing a piano. There is so many memorable moments, the baglama and violins of "Blastbeat Falafel", the freaking recorder on "Mustard Mucous", or the added snare hitting on a blacksmith's anvil with a giant hammer on "Pure Disproportionate Black And White Nihilism". The amount of care this guy puts in his music is inspiring, everything is live recordings, and he works with so many people, making real art. In a world plagued with AI slop, Igorrr shows us that real art will never go away, there will always be an audience craving it, demanding it!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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8: Christ Agony - Anthems
Deformeathing Productions

Almost 10 years after their latest album "Legacy", this Polish blackened death group is back with six super heavy, forward-moving songs. Kicking off quite slowly with the opener "Empire Of Twilight", this captures the listener with building tension, sinister vocals, catchy, brutal riffing and pummeling drums. "Anthems" is diverse and interesting because it connects traditional death-black stuff with more innovative sounds (like a didgeridoo introducing "Throne Of Eternal Silence") and it makes the 46 minute runtime fly by. Not that this blasts with inhuman warp 10 speed the entire time - it's more like a finely tuned steamroller grinding everything in sight.
-Michael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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7: Castle Rat - The Bestiary
King Volume Records

Let's get this out of the way now, yes, Riley Pinkerton is an incredibly attractive woman but is that the only appeal for the band? First of all, sexist question, she plays rhythm guitar, she sings, writes songs, makes her own jewelry and costumes. She's the whole package but also, Madeline Wright, the fifth member of the band, plays the role of The Rat Reaperess and only does on stage performances. I say only, but it's an important role that adds to the whole experience. So, I guess, sorry for being a misogynist pig. Anyhow, yes, the themes of sorcery and medieval fantasy is a bit gimmicky but it's metal, so it's kind of all a gimmick and I'm here for it! Musically they pick up where Into The Realm left off with their fuzzy doom metal/rock but everything is bigger, literally, clocking in at a whopping 49 minutes, it means more riffs, more infectious chorus, more solos and just, more Riley! Let's be clear, more Riley is never too much. She has such a powerful voice, and she even tries something new, on the song "Siren: The Pull Of Promise" in the break before the epic solo, she lets out a powerful "HUGH" for a devastating effect! Speaking of solos, The Count (Franco Vittore) goes crazy on this album, even more than on Into The Realm. I swear, everything is bigger and better, Riley can come up with the biggest earworms, like the song "Wizard: Crystal Heart", you merely think about it and voilà, it'll play on loop in your head for days! Expect a few surprises, like the strings on "Crystal Cave: Enshrined" and the crazy crescendo at the end of "Sun Song: Behold The Flame". All in all this is a superb album and just pure fun, if you like doom, don't skip this one.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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6: Paradise Lost - Ascension
Nuclear Blast Records

This one is a bit bittersweet, after the absolute masterpiece that was Obsidian, I had high hopes for the new Paradise Lost. After they open the album with what is objectively one of their best songs ever, "Serpent On The Cross", and the supremely catchy "Tyrants Serenade" the album has such a good opening, but unfortunately at around halfway through, the album takes a weird, almost commercial turn with Nick Holmes using a weird kind of vocals. Now that I've heard some critics referring to them as "James Hetfield" vocals, I can't unhear it and it spoils the experience a bit. But the good parts are so good, it makes this album absolutely worth it!

Hopefully this isn't a farewell album, as much as the title might suggest it…
-Raphael

Ascension sounds like a retrospective of Paradise Lost's entire discography. "Serpent On The Cross" is a straight-up death-doom track in line with their early years. "Salvation" continues in the same direction with its heaviness and ugly vocals. Guest vocalist Alan Averill (Primordial) also does a great job to enhance the atmosphere. "Lay A Wreath Upon The World" sounds like a forgotten track from Symbol Of Life. Occasional synths, female vocals and some high-pitched vocal lines make for a smooth and easy listen. With "Sirens" we have a continuation of Shades Of God - That one has the cool vibes from "Mortals Watch The Day". Ascension is like a box of Quality Street: a lot of different stuff and quite tasty (and unlike Quality Street there's no fucking gross orange chocolates).
-Michael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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5: Der Weg Einer Freiheit - Inner
Season Of Mist

One of the best and most consistent modern European black metal bands - there are shades of the post-black style, but it's closer to Wolves In The Throne Room or Gaerea than it is Krallice and Deafheaven. The only reason I would consider applying the "post" tag is because the cathartic and uplifting guitar work is simply too far removed from the Scandinavian second-wave sound. There's no direct influences from post-rock or post-hardcore.

DWEF's previous album Noktvrn leaned more towards a bleak, brooding and ominous approach, and Innern releases the tension that album built. The melodic essence of this album is pure, delicate yet piercing, and almost spiritual in nature - like feeling a warm embrace as you ascend into the stars, slowly becoming one with the cosmos. Tobias Schuler continues to absolutely kill it on drums - legitimately one of the most underrated drummers in black metal. He's not the fastest you've ever heard (although he can certainly keep up with most) but his beat selection is always exactly what it needs to be, emphasizing the riffs in a way that makes them stick into your brain, with delicious cymbal placement and excellent dynamics.

Even though I've been following this band since Finisterre - still one of my favorite albums of that year - I have a tendency to underrate them. They don't typically come to mind when I'm thinking of the best newer black metal bands. They're not particularly flashy or original, they're just really, really good at what they do, and they never miss. It's about time we start considering Der Weg Einer Freiheit among the heavy hitters - myself included.
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 8.7/10

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4: Violator - Unholy Retribution
Kill Again Records

Since its beginning, thrash metal has always been connected in some ways to the political landscape, it's a vehicle used to speak truth to power and express frustrations with the way the world works, or rather, doesn't work. When combined with rich, complex, crazy fast and aggressive music and voilà, you have a recipe for a timeless form of art. It is now 2025 and for the last two years, the barbarism continues to reach new heights. Gaza has become worse than hell, with estimates reaching 600 000 deaths and the west bank is being carved out and leaving smaller Bantustans for the Palestinians to live in, constantly attacked by psychopathic settlers or the Israeli Occupying Force. It's these conditions that awakened Brasília's thrashing warriors, Violator, after 12 years of slumber. Good thrash can look at the world and correctly point out that, shit is fucked up, great thrash tells you why. Violator is of the great variety: "Obliterate the dissident, Persecute to destroy, Fascism is a capitalism paranoid, Tyrants of behaviors of pure insecurity". This album is 41 minutes of pure thrash riffs, with hyperactive drums, a fat bass tone and aggressive, shouted/singing vocals that are perfectly audible, think of James Heidfield but… good. Which is perfect because every word is so impactful: "Born in chains, Colonized!, See your land, Occupied!, Time to retrieve, Time to regain, Time to resist, Time for revenge!, Generations, Hummiliated!, Pacification, Devastated!, Apartheid by religion, Integration as a sin". This perfectly summarized explainer of what is happening in Palestine comes from the song "Chapel Of The Sick", one of the highlights of this record. The more I listen to Unholy Retribution the more I'm impressed and find small details I like, this is thrash the way it's supposed to be; riff worship, crazy fast with deep lyrics, and a raw organic sounding production!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.8/10

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3: Achathras - A Darkness Of The Ancient Past
Cult Never Dies

Achathras may be a new name in black metal, but the release of their debut album on the selective Cult Never Dies, together with clandestine whispers about the identity of their members, mean that expectations are higher than one might reasonably expect. As the dreamy synth intro gives way to the furious explosion of tremolo guitars and rolling double-bass rhythms that propel the majestic "Anointed With Moonfire" inexorably forward, Achathras prove themselves more than capable of surpassing this listener's lofty hopes. Although the trio are capable of impressive velocity when required, A Darkness Of The Ancient Past is at its best when the band luxuriate in mid-tempo grandiosity, recalling the best of early Dimmu Borgir, Satyricon, and Gehenna, with neo-classical guitar figures adding opulent layers of sophistication. Through the Iron Maiden-meets-Dissection of "Emanation Of Chaos", to the inspirational climax of album highlight "The Despiser Triumphant", Achathras capture the feel of a lost classic, unearthed, allowing the listener to relive the feeling of sheer awe and wonder that symphonic black metal once-evoked, before its early-2000s saturation point. For all of its thrills, and there are many, some might argue that Achathras do little more than evoke nostalgia in those desperate to feel it, and this is undeniably part of the band's appeal. However, like Stormkeep before them, when the band are capable of executing to such a monstrously high standard as they do here, such overly self-conscious criticisms inevitably fall away, leaving just the music itself, indestructible and eternal.
-Benjamin

MetalBite's Rating: 8.9/10

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2: Revocation - New Gods, New Masters
Metal Blade Records

Man, what an album! First, the magnificent Paolo Girardi cover alone makes this album worth it! But it would not be Revocation without David Davidson and he keeps getting better with years, like an extreme metal fine wine. On New Gods, New Masters they went in a decisively more prog territory, and it suits them perfectly. On the title track for example, it's filled with tempo changes and a special attention to atmosphere, but, in a true David fashion, the solo still shreds. "Sarcophagi Of The Soul" has a super fun and catchy but technical riff, showing the delicate balance between technicality and musicality Revocation are the masters of. "Confines Of Infinity" features the demonic growls of Travis Ryan and has slow and original "caveman chugs", plus all the traditional tech wizardry. "Dystopian Vermin" and "Despiritualized" are more traditional tech death and thrash offerings with outstanding guitar, bass and drum playing. I'm not usually the biggest instrumental track fan, but holy hell, "The All Seeing" (feat. Gilad Hekselman) is such a great piece, with its syncopated drum beats and the incredible solo, I don't miss the vocals at all! The album closes with the prog and tech masterpiece "Buried Epoch" (featuring the legend of Sherbrooke, Luc Lemay). The track goes through many tempo changes, technical riffs and impressive soloing and has an end of the world atmosphere, which closes the album perfectly. Revocation does no wrong, hail David Davidson and every member of the band, Revocation, forever the best.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 9/10

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1: Between The Buried And Me - The Blue Nowhere
InsideOut Music

Between The Buried And Me have a special place in my heart, as a fan of anything prog, it doesn't get any better than this band. With their new offering The Blue Nowhere, they once again push their experimentation to the limits. The album opens with one of their catchiest songs to date, "Things We Tell Ourselves In The Dark". The song is brilliantly constructed, it begins with a truly funky and 80s pop style song that quickly goes into the incredibly catchy chorus and when it ends, the middle part is a testament to the musical genius of every member of the band, you go through a multitude of musical journeys, technical riffing, short blastbeat bursts, funky bass lines, a heavy breakdown, slower grooves, all culminating in the infectious chorus playing for a second time and ending the song. For the next 50 minutes, it's pure BTBAM insanity. "God Terror" has a kind of electro intro, building up in a crazy crescendo. This track is pure avant garde craziness, with odd melodies, odd percussion, an absolutely crazy heavy breakdowns and ends with weird atmospheric synths. "Slow Paranoia" is a grandiose avant garde masterpiece with that circus feeling intertwined with loud and aggressive metal. The track features a long list of guest musicians and instruments. Are you ready? Susan Mandel on the cello, Adam Kramer on the viola, Taya Ricker on violin, Carmen Granger on violin, Baron Thor Young on the bassoon, Kate Serbinowski on clarinet, Isabel Aviles on flute, Ger Vang on the oboe, and Ray Hearne on tuba. Then, when you're feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything, enters "The Blue Nowhere" a relatively shorter song (by BTBAM standards) opening with a soft symphonic arrangement, the wailing electric guitars soon joins and finally the drums and bass, all leading to the emotional main riff, with Tommy Rogers's soft and vulnerable vocals. The song follows a pretty straight forward verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure and boy, that chorus is so touching, it makes me emotional each time. And finally, the album ends with "Beautifully Human", following their tradition of ending the albums on an emotionally charged and grandiose note, with songs like "Human Is Hell (Another One With Love)" or "White Walls". So, it might not be my favorite BTBAM album, but they once again showed the world that they have an endless well of creativity and every album they make ends up being a masterpiece, this one is no different!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 9/10

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Thanks as always for stopping by. Check out the previous lists for this year here:

August 2025
July 2025
June 2025
May 2025
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: 11/12/2025 11:17:26 AM

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