Greetings, Decibel readers!
Alas, Halloween is over. The gravestone and corpse decorations are disappearing, we’ve passed peak foliage in much of the US, and that most horrifying of seasons has begun… the holiday season. May the dark lord protect us. But fear not! As fans of dark and extreme music like the five albums below, you can keep the spirit alive all year round! To paraphrase Peter Steele, every day is Halloween … if you love metal.
Enjoy!
—
Atomic Witch – Crypt of Sleepless Malice
Death-laden thrash metal is a well-tread territory at this point, so it takes a special touch to make it feel fresh. In this case, vocalist Gorg The Impaler lends several inflections to his approach to differentiate the band’s sound. He doesn’t really sound like anyone else! It helps that the music rips as well.
Stream: Apple Music
—
Black Anvil – Regenesis
New York City’s local black metal heroes return after six years with their latest. According to our resident feather-bound commentator:
this is a meaner, more stripped down version of the New Yorkers’ distinctive brand of black metal. Sure, Regenisis doesn’t stray too far from the typical black metal formula, not dabbling in psychedelics, or other influences on the genre. Instead, this is a progression from past records. Moody intros, screeched vocals and blast beats abound here. This is a solid effort.
Stream: Apple Music
—
Casket Grinder – Sepulchral Trip
Straightforward, no-frills death metal. This is the Columbian band’s second album, a follow up to 2020’s Fall into Dementia.
—
Ingested – Ashes Lie Still
An energetic blend of contemporary styles of extreme metal from the last decade or so. Equivalent to your morning coffee, if your coffee started screaming at you.
Stream: Apple Music
—
VHS – Deep Gashes And Long Lashes
Oh, hell yes! This is like if KMFDM had extremely gutteral death metal vocals and were obsessed with Italian Giallo films. This would absolutely make a fitting soundtrack to All the Colors of the Dark or The Bird With the Crystal Plumage. One of the coolest records of the year, Deep Gashes And Long Lashes brings the right kind of innovation to create something really fresh.
Stream: Apple Music
