Welcome back to MetalBite's Top 10 Albums of the Month! No sense wasting time here, the summer is in full swing and we've got another monolith of riffs to sort through to wrap up the midterm report for 2026. What have you enjoyed the most from the year so far? Is there anything we missed? Let us know in the comments.

-Nate

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Scordatura - Led Into Oblivion
Everlasting Spew

I wouldn't call this grindcore, but it's definitely one of those death metal bands that crusties and grindheads are allowed to like. Similar to Misery Index, it's fast, no-frills and hits you with a meaty slap in the face, but the underlying musicianship is strong and the production is crisp. "Led Into Oblivion" sits in a nice little spot where it balances a focus of brutality, catchiness and chaotic speed. The vocalist stands out as well - he's got a nice toolbox of different styles and all of them feel full and thick, while still having a bit of that tonal desperation. No surprise that Party Cannon recently added him to their ranks - dude rips.
-Nate

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Inscribed - Upon The Twisted Throne
Awakening Records

Inscribed is an Atheist style technical death/thrash band from Florida. What makes them quite special is not only that it's their first full length and they have an eclectic songwriting style, bringing a strong early progressive era Death influence but it's the fact these three musician ages range from 18 to 21 years old, which makes me feel that much more conscientious of my old soon to be 36 years of age… Evie Austin is a super star here, her playing is technical and inventive and at every turn, time and time again, you'll go: "wow, that was fun", and who doesn't like fun? This is three incredibly talented young musicians to keep an eye on what will hopefully be an extensive career!
-Raphael

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WMD - Against All Warnings
Independent

Frenzied, technical thrash metal that sits somewhere between Nuclear Assault and Vektor. With former members of Heathen and Aggression, and the entire band being full of individuals that have been associated with Hyperia in one form or another, there is a healthy amount of established pedigree, but still enough youthful spirit to keep the piss n' vinegar.
-Nate

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Moontowers - Lethal Messiah
Independent

This the doomy equivalent to Desaster, which tracks when you realize both bands share a guitarist. You can clearly hear the songwriting similarities, and this makes the album very interesting. Paired with the sonorous vocals, "Lethal Messiah" has an epic flair like bands such as Candlemass, Black Sabbath or even Manilla Road. If you like catchy doom melodies paired with some quirky atmosphere, the second Moontowers album is a good one for you!
-Michael

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Xenosis - Hermetic Transmutation
Transcending Obscurity

While the song structuring and presentation here is in line with Obscura, the cosmic aura that this exudes is very cold, sleek and amelodic a la The Faceless or Rings of Saturn. There's also some shades of Spawn of Possesion, albeit with the stupefying fretwork turned down a hair. Labyrinthine riffwork with shapeshifting pulses is the order of the day - the atmosphere is like your spacecraft has malfunctioned and you're desperately trying to change course while your oxygen is rapidly depleting. Though the drums are more than capable, This doesn't feel obscenely fast, preferring to operate at a busy, convulsing midpace - the musicianship is focused more on keeping you on your toes and never quite knowing what to expect with the next riff, at times verging on mathcore levels of unpredictability. If you are just looking for something to mosh to, look elsewhere, but if you prefer to contemplate your music via record player over a beverage with a furrowed brow, "Hermetic Transmutation" offers a cornucopia of minutiae to dig into.
-Nate

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Goreworm - Miasmic Solitude
Transcending Obscurity

Ontario's Goreworm brings a well-balanced blend of technicality, melodicism and brutality that makes for a fun technical death experience. Full of neoclassical soloing and blast beats (shout out to Kyle Sharpe, also the new drummer of famous Sentiment Dissolve) with a polished modern production, it is an either love it or hate it type of death metal. The occasional brutal breakdown cuts through the insane level of technicality and pleases the reptilian part of the brain. The fact they manage to weave in melody through this technical chaos is a testament to their songwriting skills. For fans of Obscura, Suffocation or The Black Dahlia Murder.
-Raphael

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Phantom - Not Midnight Yet
High Roller Records

Speedy Mexican youngsters Phantom are back with their third full-length studio album (already!). Kicking off with a sacral piano intro, "Not Midnight Yet" soon turns into a fast speed metal whirlwind. The trademarks the band used on the previous records are here: groovy yet hectic drums, melodic riffs and some brisk vocals banished with high pitched screams. The big change in comparison to "Tyrants Of Wrath" is that some slower songs creep in ("The Pale Remains Of Time") which points to a more defined NWOBHM influence. In some parts of other songs you can clearly hear strong nods to Iron Maiden or Judas Priest, but most of the time the band is blasting through the songs at Mach 5. Really solid speed metal.
-Michael

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Dissentient - Black Galactic
Independent

Progressive death metal feels like a narrow categorization with this. There's vaguely industrial, symphonic overtones, some dry, modern djenty chugging and a sprinkling of quasi-conceptual themes to supplement a modern death metal base. It's kind of like Zenith Passage minus the insane stutter-groove riffs - and while those are admittedly the best part of their music, that doesn't mean Black Galactic isn't worth your time - especially if you really vibe with modern melodic death metal a la Scar Symmetry and Disarmonia Mundi.
-Nate

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Shroud - Pax Nocturna
Independent

Shroud is a brand new Québécois blackened thrash band that came out swinging, out of nowhere, with their first album "Pax Nocturna", a mature offering that is sure to make a mark in the metal scene. This album sounds like the work of veteran musicians, with creative songwriting, an impeccable production and top musical performances by Matteo Conti on vocals and guitars, Jordan Barillaro on guitars, Zack Osiris on drums and Justin Cournoyer on bass. The vocals sound savage and evoke pure rage, the drums are fast and energetic, rarely slowing down, the bass is perfectly there in the background, always supporting the riffs and the guitars are going from evil tremolos to thrashing riffs made to headbang and solos that are both technically proficient and melodic. This is the perfect album to cool you off, or at least make you forget about the summer heat! Also, shout out to Justin Cournoyer for that magnificent cover.
-Raphael

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Soulburn - Quantifying Cosmic Doom
Testimony Records

This is the current project of Eric Daniels, the guitarist for Asphyx's first two albums, which is a solid indicator of pedigree on its own. There's an immediate catchiness to the riffwork and a brevity to the songwriting that is a hallmark of seasoned veterans - this is a prime example of when staying in your musical comfort zone and playing to your strengths results in something even more memorable and unique. If Asphyx decided to lean into more melodic tendencies, this is a good example of the end result. Though this is extreme metal, obviously, this almost feels…gentle? Uplifting? I'm not sure the proper terminology, but the guitars have a hazy airiness and there's an ethereal aura to the note choices. The drums are similarly straightforward and efficient. They don't do anything they don't have to, but the simplicity helps to drive things forward effectively. I wasn't extensively familiar with this band beyond recognizing their name and connection to Asphyx, but this is enticing me to do more of a deep dive into their back catalogue.
-Nate

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METALBITE'S TOP 10 ALBUMS OF THE MONTH

 

10: Fires In The Distance - Circadian Promise
Prosthetic Records

As a documented Insomnium fanboy in the early 2010s, I can confirm it is rare to find bands that can get the same lightning in a bottle of striking, elegant and well-rounded melodic death metal. Usually when clean vocals are inserted into otherwise extreme metal based music it causes my loins to shrivel in disgust, but the gentler melodies on this snap me back to attention and are one of my favorite parts of the record. The mixture of variety and restraint is really effective, with a diverse compositional palette that negates any shallowness. This band is criminally underrated, and it's in a genre where it's hard to stand out and not be corny in the process.
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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9: Iron Kobra - Eternal Dagger
Dying Victims Productions

German speedy heavy metal, with melodies that can only be described as feel good and epic. With songs like "Shibuya Nights" that makes you feel like diving into Tokyo's neon-lit, energetic core or "Eternal Dagger" depicting an attack by powerful alien forces but with an infectious chorus. You'll be humming "woooaaah, eternal dagger" guaranteed! With a superb organic sounding DVP production, it's a great summer record, for fans of true heavy metal.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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8: Forsman - Brenndar Rústir & Fuðrandi Fjörur
Vesperian

Icelandic black metal has been quiet recently. I seem to recall around the 2010s there was an explosion of it to the point where it was being heralded as a third/fourth wave of sorts. It had a sonic identity forged by an incestuous collective in bands with a ton of member overlap. Svartidaudi, Misthyrming, Sinmara and Wormlust are a few that immediately come to mind.

Forsman appears to be the new torchbearer, they have that Icelandic sound - chaotic and jarring, but with an undercurrent of cathartic melody - and the growth from their previous full-length to this one is immediately noticeable. A combination of a harder-hitting production style, an expanded songwriting palette and more dextrous riffwork has this sticking around in my head long after it finishes playing. The connection with a sub-label of Metal Blade suggests a breakout is on the horizon, resurrecting a niche in black metal that still has many untapped pockets of potential.
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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7: Thaetas - The Irredeemable Age
Profound Lore

This is a pioneering album in a new genre I'm going to call "eldritch slam" - you heard it here first. It's like Artificial Brain covering Suffocation (even more fitting when you consider all three are New York based). Though there are massive tempo drops and off-kilter chugging meant to activate your caveman brain, the production is raw and scratchy, the musicianship is structured amidst its maddening chaos. Guitarist Terrell Grannum is also a fixture in Reeking Aura and Buckshot Facelift, and his project have a sense of artistry mixed with in-your-face brutality that is only to be appreciated by the most erudite and cultured meatheads.
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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6: Nuclear Tomb - Epoch Inhumane
Rotted Life Records

Nuclear Tomb answers the question: what if Voivod played death/thrash metal? This is a good year for weird and techy death/thrash, after the monumental "Overspace & Supertime" by UK boys of Cryptic Shift, these Baltimore guys and gal offers a more concise experience, with a lean 37-minute runtime, it's a shorter but continuously relentless attack and when it ends, you immediately feel the need to hit replay! As a testament to their songwriting skills, there is so much happening, all the time, one minute it's a odd time breakdown, a classic start n stop section followed by a fast-thrashing riff and fast drums that makes you want to mosh, a weird and dissonant atmospheric pause and plenty of crazy fast solos. Even the instrumental "Butcher's Lament" tells a compelling story with just instruments. They do also have a great pen: "Cowards Cowards, curse them all Shield your eyes from the truth The horror, the violence, the stolen youth The coward's curse will haunt your grave A worthless life, wasted away You've always looked the other way Silence: the choice that you've made" They are not afraid to get political, exposing how alienation and indifference can have deadly consequences, but never in your face and annoying (like I can get sometimes). They end with "Epoch Inhumane", a true Voivod style song with sci-fi vibes. It's fast, technical and psychedelic with great lyricism, describing where we are as a society: "Desolate The old world's order isn't meant to stay, In the end Our only choice is our own mercy End this inhumanity. The whole album's themes made me think of this terribly relevant quote: "The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters» With a great cover, that perfectly describes the weird apocalyptic sci fi vibes of the music, I cannot recommend this enough!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.7/10

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5: Goetia - Mortuary Cult
Carbonized Records

After three Eps in 2023-24-25, Goetia was ready to release their first full length, an impressive, genre defying album that feels incredibly fresh while at the same time paying homage to old school death metal giants. They sound completely unique, building on a solid foundation of death metal, they incorporate elements of black and grindcore, all mixed in a homogenous blend of savage aggression. Anaal Nathrakh could be a comparison but replace the industrial elements with a solid OSDM base. With plenty of punky beats, furious blast beats and an overall technical performance that somehow feels relax, Nadia Tydings-Lynch is a definitive highlight on the album. The mix of old school death riffs contrasted by the blackened shrieks of singer and bassist Matt Scott is an addictive combination! Goetia is a band to follow closely in the coming years, I can't wait to see where they go from here!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.8/10

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4: Grabunhold - Frostheim
Iron Bonehead Productions

Grabunhold are back with their second full-length "Frostheim". Once more the Germans from my home town are telling Lord Of The Rings-inspired tales paired with some harsh, frosty black metal. Though the intro signals some warmth, all will be blown away from an icy blizzard. Although the band always retains a sense of melody, there is always a certain restlessness in the compositions and you alre never fully able to relax. No keyboards, no balderdash - just sheer black metal. If Summoning is more about opulent meals with the Hobbits, Grabunhold is about the battle between Orcs and men: ugly, hateful, merciless and deadly.
-Michael

MetalBite's Rating: 9/10

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3: Astriferous - Atavistic Unraveling
Me Saco Un Ojo Records / Pulverised Records

Spiraling infernal riffs, reverb filled cavernous growls and a superb drumming performance are some of the things awaiting you on here. Just by the cover artwork by Mexican illustrator Necrodevoure, you know what to expect; top quality death metal that takes influence from a wide array of death metal currents. These Costa Rica boys offer us the best of death metal, sometimes a bit dissonant, other times technical, it can be slow and creeping, à la Autopsy but can also crank it up for a faster and thrashier section. The suffocating atmosphere is part of what makes this album stand out and the production alone deserves so much praise, recorded at 3/4 Estudios by Andrés Corrales with mixing duties by Andrew Oswald at Paradise Recorders. Mastered by Dan Lowndes at Resonance Sound Studio, this is how death metal is supposed to sound, like you are in a dark cave with crawling creatures everywhere. This is honestly some of the best death metal of the year, do not skip for any reason!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 9/10

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2: Loneshore - Nothing Left To Deconstruct
Willowtip Records

Evoking emotions of deep sadness and beautiful sorrow, you'll immediately be transported in a dark Finnish forest, on a cold and rainy day. I was surprised to learn these four boys come from hot and tropical Brazil! They are perfecting the melancholic and doomy melodic death, à la Insomnium but with a progressive twist, Opeth being a clear influence. Add a lush and warm post-metal atmosphere and you check a lot of elements I love. Vocalist Luiz Felipe Netto, who's also in the excellent progressive death band Piah Mater, offers a masterful performance with deep and aggressive growled vocals but frequently sings with beautiful cleans that are emotional and feel vulnerable but powerful at the same time. Together with the emotional progressive melodies, you will be touched deep in the heart. With its 52 minutes runtime that flies by in an instant, it's music that connects deeply to a wide array of emotions and that's also complex and highly cerebral, for fans of Opeth, Insomnium and Alcest.
-Raphael

If Katatonia kept their "Brave Murder Day"-era heaviness intact, but still ventured into the proggy flirtations that define their later work, Loneshore is a good estimation of what would have came out of that. The wandering, nuanced drumwork pairs well with the ebb and flow of the gentle guitars - it's expansive post-metal that feels warm and airy…the best way I can put is is that it's like Agalloch in the desert, especially when you add the snarling, mid-range rasp. I get some Dvne vibes as well.
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 9/10

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1: Warning - Rituals Of Shame
Relapse Records

Given I've been obsessively listening to metal for about 20 years now and typically consume about 10-20 new releases per month in preparation for this column, I like to think I'm pretty well versed in the style and very little that I hear is unexpected. When I went to go check out the new album by this cult English doom band, I was not in any way predicting that I was going to be awestruck, swimming in the cascading layers of guitars and vocals, just completely immersed in this album and in a world where nothing else mattered. Especially because I'm not huge on "Watching From A Distance", despite a lot of people adoring that album with fervent intensity.

I think what makes this band so polarizing is that they don't use heaviness, in a traditional sense, to sell their music. Doom purists aren't very fond of their comparatively gentle and delicate approach. If I can put it one way, a band like Reverend Bizarre feels like you're shooting straight whiskey in a dilapidated cabin, Electric Wizard is taking a massive bong rip in some sketchy guy's basement, and Warning is drinking a fine wine next to a fire in somber solitude. Add in Patrick Walker's uniquely warbling, nasally tone and you get a band that gets their point across in a very unusual way - one that might feel alienating to genre diehards because of its relative accessibility. I've heard this band referred to as "doom for people who don't like doom" and on some level, that's a fair assessment. Before this album, I agreed with it.

"Rituals Of Shame" clicks in a way none of their previous material did. The production helps - those clean, resonant chords (can't really call them riffs) pierce your skull, and the funeral doom pace stretches them out just long enough that you forget where a section begins and ends, and you end up riding the waves of guitar to the point where every note change feels surprising and cathartic. If you hated Walker's voice before, he's not going to win you over, but I will say he feels more…passionate? He's adding an extra bit of oomph to his delivery, and his voice has aged well in the process - 20 years has somehow given him a more distinguished aura. Maybe I just "get it" when I didn't before? All I know for sure is that at the halfway point of the year, this is hands down my AOTY front-runner.
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 9.1/10

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As always, thanks for stopping by. Here's our previous AOTM lists from 2026:

May 2026
April 2026
March 2026
February 2026
January 2026

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

Entered: 7/31/2026 8:04:53 AM

Previous Post South Of Heaven	Next Post Digging Through Past

Welcome back to MetalBite's top 10 Albums of the Month! Now is prime release season, where it's not uncommon for multiple big names to all drop albums on the same day. But which of them will make our list, and which will be dethroned by the underground gems? Find out below.

-Nate

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Spirit Adrift - Infinite Illumination
20 Buck Spin

Though this band was always a media darling, initially spawning as a Gatecreeper side-project and getting endless coverage from Decibel since day 1, I always simultaneously found them underrated in a way. Maybe I just didn't know a lot of people that talked about them. Very much a band greater than the sum of their parts - they're hooky without relying on pop tropes, accessible with exploratory songwriting, and a dash of mysticism accents their atmosphere.

"Infinite Illumation" is a more reserved, pensive, but no less powerful addition to a very strong back catalogue - a worthy swansong for a band that made a big mark in a short time.
-Nate

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Creme Flesh - For Your Ass Only
Comatose Music

The chunkiness of the slams is only matched by the hilarity of the song titles. Maybe it's the dirty movie puns going to my head but the operative word I would use to describe this album is "creamy".
-Nate

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Angine De Poitrine - Vol. II
Independent

First of all, no this is not metal, but this is weird proggy math rock that I'm sure many metalheads will absolutely love and since they went super mega viral in the past weeks, I feel a sense of pride, watching these two Québécois boys conquer the world! Ew, my nationalist side is peaking its head, I feel weird! Anyhow, the juxtaposition between their goofy appearance and their super complex music is mesmerizing! Guitarist Khn de Poitrine and drummer Klek de Poitrine create a fantastical microtonal sonic universe that sounds unlike anything out there. With an incredibly tight drumming performance, filled with odd time signatures and Klek's bass and guitar, juggling with his feet, putting one bass riff on loop and then doing something else on his guitar, with many additional frets that gives those rich quarter tones. They create an endlessly replayable experience, fun for everyone from 5 to 95 years old!
-Raphael

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Vomitory - In Death Throes
Metal Blade Records

Wow, I was stunned when I heard this. Vomitory decided to reinvent themselves with duelling polyrhythms, sprawling, multi-genre song structures with influences ranging from jazz to trip-hop and even dark ambient mixed in…

...lol just kidding this is more Swedish death metal, exactly like everything else they've done for 40 years.
-Nate

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Green Carnation - A Dark Poem, Part II: Sanguis
Season Of Mist

"Leaves Of Yesteryear" was my 2020 AOTY (a significant feat considering I was listening to a ton of music then because of the COVID lockdowns), and though Green Carnation has been fairly active since then, nothing has quite scratched the itch in the same way. The hooks don't quite hook as much, and the sprawling prog epics need to feel more grounded, even without the same level of multi-genre ambition as their "Light Of Day, Day Of Darkness" era. Nonetheless, Kjetil Nordhus is a seriously underrated singer and they've refined their sound into something glossy and easy for prog fans to get into. Hard band to dislike.
-Nate

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Muerto - Eclipsed Realms
Transcending Obscurity Records

Staying in Mexico for a raw, dark and atmospheric experience, this time using black metal as a template to talk about death (the band moniker literally translates into 'dead'.) Penny Smitten (Penelope Matamoros) offers a savage performance, with a reverb filled raspy scream, she also does ethereal soft cleans that offers a nice vibe shift and keeps the album dynamic. The resulting atmosphere created by the slow and sometimes faster music, tremolo picking and slow blast beats included, is thick and embracing, like a fog of darkness, for fans of doomy atmospheric black.
-Raphael

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Pure Wrath - Bleak Days Ahead
Debemur Morti

This has a different flavour to it - this ornate, gilded touch that is no less emotionally resonant, but adds a certain air of triumphant antiquity. Perhaps it's the regional dialect, given the mastermind behind this band is Indonesian? I'm not familiar with any other bands with the same style from the same location, so I have no frame of reference.

Nonetheless, this is a satisfying album that will stand out if you're well acquainted with the style, and should satiate fans of atmo-folk-black such as Saor and Harakiri Of The Sky all the same.
-Nate

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Demon Spell - Blessed Be The Dark
Dying Victims Productions

Italy produces such quality metal it's crazy, it must be the amazing food that inspires people. On a more serious note, if you're a fan of the occult, catchy riffs and King Diamond-esque theatrical falsetto signing, Demon Spell concocted a hell of a fun album for you! With that organic sounding, perfect Dying Victims production, it sounds like a warm and soft blanket of sounds, for fans of true traditional heavy metal.
-Raphael

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Volcandra - Beyond The Will Of Mortals
Prosthetic Records

You know who I miss? Skeletonwitch. They had a clunky, but incredibly effective mixture of blackened-melo-death-thrash that was just fun enough to be easy on the ears but just intense and intricate enough to keep you coming back over multiple listens. I'm not saying Volcandra is going to scratch that itch, but they'll at least get your mind off the fact that it's been eight years since their last full-length.

"Beyond The Will Of Mortals" dials back the thrash influence and adds more Dissection-esque meloblack, but there's still enough interplay between the influences to give the "riff soup" vibe that makes Beyond the Permafrost so enduring. Dave Palenske opts for a more mid-range vocal tone which is a bit jarring at first because you're expecting a higher rasp, but his control and enunciation is excellent and it helps to give a recognizable flavour. Volcandra carefully toes the line between atmospheric elegance and banging your head against the stage, and the diversity between songs makes it so that every possible iteration of the genre mosaic is explored. Feels like this band is slept on a bit, and with this being their fourth release in six years, they're clearly working their asses off to try and change that.
-Nate

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Necroccultus - The Afterdeath Blackness
Terror From Hell Records

Is there something more comforting than cavernous death metal? The heavy riffs, the reverb filled demonic growls and fast dynamic drums. The answer is no. Early Blood Incantation and Tomb Mold are obvious comparisons you can make but these Mexican boys are such good musicians, they make every song stand out with them even slowing down to doomy territories, making the 33 minutes just go by so fast you'll want to hit replay as soon as it ends. Impeccable death metal to help you traverse this darkest timeline.
-Raphael

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Pig's Blood - Destroying The Spirit
Dark Descent Records

I don't usually gravitate to a lot of war metal because it all blurs together in a mass of indistinguishable noise after a while. Occasionally there will be a band that separates themselves from the mass, and Pig's Blood do this via tasteful restraint (the drums in particular use stops/cymbal chokes really effectively), clear production (you can still sound bestial with it - who knew?) and a versatile songwriting toolbox. Not every band in this style can be Teitanblood, and the sooner bands in this style understand that, the sooner I'll listen to them.
-Nate

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METALBITE'S TOP 10 ALBUMS OF THE MONTH

 

10: Non Est Deus - Blessings And Curses
Noisebringer Records

I'm a huge Noise fan, whether it be with his main project Kanonenfieber, or Leiþa and the subject of this review; Non Est Deus. He's the kind of artist I just vibe with, I see something done by Noise, I know I'll love it! For this album, his 5th release for the Non Est Deus project, you only have to look at the superb artwork by Tuomas Koivurinne to know what you're in for. The clear demarcation between heaven and hell and the demons dragging the angel down below is a striking visual that illustrates perfectly what Noise has to say, heaven and hell are not that separate from each other… Musically, Noise creates this mix between heaven and hell, it's extremely melodic but with a touch of blasphemous energy in the form of aggressive black metal. There's nothing new on "Blessings And Curses", but then again, I'm here for Noise and that's what I'm getting!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.4/10

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9: Vargrav - Dimension: Daemonium
Werwolf Records

Vagrav for me was always the logical evolution of Emperor's opus magnum "In The Nightside Eclipse". A lot of keyboards and atmosphere makes the songs stand out, and rhe result surrounds the listener in ghoulish mystery. The vocals add an extra touch of grim evilness, with occasional chants similar to what Emperor did in "Ablaze Upon The Nocturnal Realms". It's fine as a progressive intermezzo, but hopefully it's not a focal point on future songs. But tracks like "Moonfrost Storms" or "Bleeding Galaxies", pull me right back in and keep the spirit of symphonic black metal alive, showing there is potential in the genre past Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir. The last track "Unveil The Enslavement Of Lunar Prophecies" is powerful, epic, almost cinematic song - in spirit of the early 90s. The production sounds quite dynamic and powerful, maybe the drums could sound a little bit more thunderous but that is me nitpicking.
-Michael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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8: Inferi - Heaven Wept
The Artisan Era

Aside from being a long-time fan and follower, I was also curious to see how the introduction of guitarist Sanjay Kumar was going to augment Inferi's sound. While Malcolm Pugh is almost certainly the mastermind behind this band, one shouldn't dismiss the contributions of Mike Low, who was in the band for more than a decade since the "Path Of Apotheosis" era.

"Heaven Wept" trades grandiosity for ominous discordance. Something about Low's riffwork felt more upbeat, like a colorful, intricate fight scene, whereas Kumar's playing is that same scene, but gorier and at night. I swapped back and forth between "Heaven Wept" and "Vile Genesis" a few times to make sure my ears weren't deceiving me. "Heaven Wept" uses more unusual, dissonant chord shapes and the symphonics give more of a Carach Angren symph-black undertone. It's still Inferi, but I sense a subtle shift in the same direction Vale Of Pnath went in with their new album. Certainly not to the same extent, this is still tech-death, they didn't dive headfirst into a new genre change - but I still need more time to tell if I'm fully on board. Perhaps Inferi felt they said everything they could with the specific niche of epic-melo-tech-death they had cultivated for themselves, but they did it better than anyone else, so the change is a bit jarring.

Nonetheless, this is still an incredibly intricate, layered work from one of the forerunners of their genre. Every musician paces their contemporaries. Stevie Boiser's range, tone and lyricism is as good as it's ever been, Spencer Moore's drumming is both technical and tasty and a great swansong before he moved over to Archspire, the solo tradeoffs between Pugh and Kumar are immaculate. There's a reason I knew I was going to be writing about this before I heard a note, but when you set the bar high, the unfortunate side effect is it opens you up to more possibilities for nitpicking. I'm not saying don't check this album out, but I wouldn't say it's my favorite Inferi album and I'm giving a justification of sorts for that.
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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7: Reeking Aura - On The Promise Of The Moon
Profound Lore

I was having a hard time pinning this down, and then it hit me - it sounds like 90s melodeath. Early At the Gates (pre-Terminal Spirit Disease) feels like a fair comparison, and I would be very surprised if Edge of Sanity wasn't a frequent reference point. Compared to "Blood & Bonemeal", the quasi-blackened tremolo has been amped up. Despite Big Will's iconic low gurgles adding a streak of brutality, there's a certain etheric calmness to this album that makes it unique. Melodic brutal blackened death metal with atmospheric and progressive tinges? Sure, let's go with that.
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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6: Bewitched - Diabolical Death Mass
Osmose Productions

Fuck yeah!!! Forget the half-baked "Rise Of The Antichrist" (still had some cool riffs) and REALLY forget the not even luke-warm "Spiritual Warfare" (one of the biggest disappointments in the history of black-thrash metal) - "Diabolical Death Mass" is totally different. This is a direct continuation of the first two albums "Diabolical Desecration" and "Pentagram Prayer". Fast aggressive riffing, cool Celtic Frost ugh-screams and thunderous drums plus the mandatory "a baby is screaming, let's sacrifice it to Lucifer"-intro. Each track kicks ass and there is no filler. All the songs breathe the spirit of the first two albums (sometimes too closely, if you are being critical) and out comes a furious black-thrash inferno. "(Fear The) Revenge Of The Ripper" continues the story of "Blade Of The Ripper", and you can clearly hear that Bewitched wanted to go back to their roots. Fantastic. To say this has no evolution is a slight exaggeration though. Sometimes you hear some classic heavy metal riffs here and there, making this album even more enjoyable.
-Michael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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5: Cnoc An Tursa – A Cry For The Slain
Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings

Another month, another superior UK black metal release. Nearly a full decade after it's predecessor, Cnoc An Tursa's third album is surely the record of the band's career, an album that draws all elements of their sound into a majestic and coherent whole. As the intro gives way to the unfeasibly addictive and unpronounceable for non-Gaelic speakers 'The Caoineag', the dazzling melodies conjure a kind of magic that has rarely been heard since the Wintersun debut, complex but not technical, weaving winsome Scottish folk sounds into their ultra-melodic tapestry, but without diluting their thunderously heavy attack. Saor and Fuath (both of whom boast extensive connections to Cnoc An Tursa, hardly surprising considering the bijou size of the Scottish black metal scene) are obvious comparisons, but a more apposite reference point is actually Fen's Monuments To Absence, which harnessed similarly glorious guitar lines to overwhelming effect, despite drawing on folk traditions from a different part of the UK. "A Cry For The Slain" also recalls the glory days of the heavier end of the Scandinavian folk-metal explosion of the 2000s, evoking a constant feeling of awe and wonder that cannot but fill one's heart with strength and resolve. Highlights abound, not least the spectacular 'Alba In My Heart', but most impressively, the quality simply does not drop below outstanding at any point during what is nothing less than the best British album released thus far in 2026.
-Benjamin

MetalBite's Rating: 8.8/10

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4: VoidChaser - Interstellar I
Independent

Heartwarming melodies, heavy groovy riffs, a touch of extremity and impressively tight musicianship, all things to expect on Montréal's VoidChaser first full-length album. It's a refreshing take on progressive metal, taking influences from every corner of what is arguably the most diverse metal genre out there. From Dream Theater to Opeth and TesseracT, progressive metal is much more of a way of writing, playing and thinking about music, then it is a cohesive sound. In true progressive fashion, VoidChaser does not bother with staying in a well-defined box. High pitched soaring clean vocals are sometimes cut by harsh screams. Melodic choruses (that will touch your soul) are a regular occurrence and so are the djent, groovy polymeters and syncopated power chord chugs, with that distinct palm muted technique. They can take off with a shredding solo but it's not an unending flow of technical prowess just for the sake of showing off, rather, they are placed sparingly throughout the 49 minutes journey through space. I'm a simple man, you give me solos and I'm happy (even if I would've taken more!) If you like prog, of every variety, VoidChaser is here for you.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 9/10

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3: At The Gates - The Ghost Of A Future Dead
Century Media Records

Everything ends eventually. Way too early this time with the heartbreaking death of the charismatic Tomas Lindberg. But the band (especially him) wanted to leave a swansong, already knowing that it might be the last effort.

Tompa's vocals sound as raspy and desperate as ever, and musically not too much has changed. The song writing became a little bit more accessible and there is more influence from their back catalogue. "In Dark Distortion" is a mid-tempo stomper with a brutal refrain and some fantastic guitar solos. With "The Unfathomable" is a callback to their early works. The instrumentals are quite similar to what they did in the early 90s on "The Red In The Sky Is Ours" or "With Fear I Kiss The Burning Darkness". With "The Phantom Gospel" and the aforementioned "Interstellar Death" they move forward to "Terminal Spirit Disease" and it is quite welcoming that they go back to the roots.

With "Förgängligheten" they have composed a very sad instrumental that you might grab you in a very emotional moment but this is just the intermezzo for "Black Hole Emission" with "Slaughter Of The Soul"-vibes - it works like "Nausea" from that album. Great melancholic riffwork.

When I heard "The Ghost of a Future Dead" for the first time I had a very bad day. For these days it might not be the right choice. This album eats you, this album leaves you breathless and reveals our mortality. I wish it were only the lyrics and not the circumstances surrounding this album. There are way too many people who should have died much earlier and a lot who should be alive instead. Tompa was one of them. You and the band will always be in my heart, thank you for many memories. Rest in peace, At The Gates!!
-Michael

Last September, we lost one of metal's most influential voices, Tomas Lindberg, so when I learned he had recorded vocals for the next At The Gates album, it was a small dose of healing balm for the giant wound that the grief left. The fact that Tomas chose the name, "The Ghost Of A Future Dead" while undergoing cancer treatment, likely knowing his ultimate fate, gives so much more weight and a deeper meaning to his final work. At The Gates went back to the classics, after exploring their progressive side on "The Nightmare Of Being", they went back to their roots, shorter songs, thrash drumming and those riffs, truly no band had more impact on modern metal and no one writes riffs like them, the whole album is "Blinded By Fear" levels of songwriting. Tomas looked like such an amazing person, he worked as a social studies teacher for middle school and high school, teaching the next generation, he also had a darker side and writing while sick made his words even more powerful: "And our celestial slumber In feverish, aeons blind Through our cold and formless death Crawling with blasphemous life". I think it's a fitting farewell for a truly great artist and I don't know if the band will continue without his unique voice but for now, Rest In Power Tomas, we will continue to cherish all of your work, forever!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 9/10

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2: Ordh - Blind In Abyssal Realms
Pulverised Records

Ordh is what resulted when four guys primarily playing sludge and stoner doom, decided to play death metal. As they decided to pull the plug (get it? They play death metal now… sorry, no jokes!) on their previous band Barishi, Graham Brooks and Dylan Blake had already the idea for a new progressive death metal project. They now felt they could explore these new influences, being older and wiser has its perks! Having a good idea of what they wanted to do, they pitched their ideas to the mythical artist Paolo Girardi, "something vaguely cave-ish" they said, explaining their vision to Paolo. The result is a pure Paolo masterpiece, an infernal spiral of demons inside a cave full of the undead, and with that, the rest of the album was composed with that painting as inspiration. I swear some of the swirling complex riffs are exactly that painting but in sonic form! The level of musicianship and songwriting is awe-inspiring! Think of albums like "Blackwater Park" or Blood Incantation's 2024 "Absolute Elsewhere". Pacing wise, the entire album is a buildup of longer songs, culminating with the song "Blind In Abyssal Realms" a 12-minute epic that starts slowly, building tension during the first four minutes and then releasing a whirlwind of blast beats, riffs and solos, to then again going almost quiet. And then unleashing many solos from the depths of hell. Small detail, I would've put the last song in the beginning and just end the album with the 12 minutes epic but hey, what do I know, I'm just a dumb guy on the internet!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 9/10

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1: Archspire - Too Fast To Die
Independent

Archspire have attained immortality with their new album. They add incredibly catchy melodies to their signature insanely fast and technical wall of sound, making it almost accessible. Emphasis on the word almost, creating their own unique brand of highly addictive and fun technical death metal. Full review at https://metalbite.com/album/63368/archspire-too-fast-to-die
-Raphael

The most noticeable change from "Bleed The Future" is the new drummer. Spencer Moore is certainly a capable replacement in a genre where that's exceptionally hard to find, but I'd be lying if I didn't miss Prewett's feel a little bit. Something about his cymbal grooves and how he mixed up his feet and gravity blasting to create memorable patterns is impossible to recreate, as much as you can tell Moore is trying to.

That being said, I can't get too hung up on the lack of Prewett because he's not coming back, and when I hold this up side to side, I think I prefer it to "Bleed The Future" by a hair. Oli's leveled up yet again with his vocal speed and dexterity - he went from going stupid fast with occasional moments of "how the hell does he do that" to frequently sounding inhuman. Just when you think he doesn't have another gear, he unlocks it. The riff style and songwriting sounds the most…Archspire-y - they have their signature flavour and they keep hammering on it. Where a band like Defeated Sanity uses convulsing drum patterns and constantly shifting textures to create head-spinning technicality, Archspire packs a ton of notes in, but there's not much grooving outside 4/4 - they stay firmly put in the fast lane, with an occasional breakdown/slam for the pit kids. The side effect of this is that the music is catchy enough that it nearly warps back around to pop levels of hookiness.

I don't have as much to say about this as I thought I would. Keep in mind Archspire is arguably my favorite active band, and Relentless Mutation is in my top 3 albums of all time. I thought this would inspire a self-indulgent brick of text, but I guess there are only so many times a band can blow your mind with speed and intensity. We know what Archspire is at this point, so the band has shifted their attention to writing memorable songs that will become live staples.
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 9.1/10

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As always, thanks for stopping by. View all the past lists for this year here:

March 2026
February 2026
January 2026

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Entered: 6/1/2026 1:19:46 PM

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