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.
-Independent

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.

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

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