Reviews written by: Colin McNamara

Reviews

Pronostic - Chaotic Upheaval

<p>It has been about 8 years but listeners finally have a new album from the relatively unknown Melo Tech Death group from Canada known as Pronostic. The group started in 2010 and since their debut album they’ve had a few lineup changes with only guitarists and vocalists Alexandre Lauzon and Charles Pilotte being the remaining original members. In...

29/11/2023

Catalyst - The Age Of Rocketeers

<p>I had the pleasure of reviewing this Prog Melodeath group back in 2022 with <a href="https://brutalism.com/review/Catalyst---II" target="_blank">their EP</a>, and it seems they’ve wasted no time with finally releasing a full length album for 2023. For those who don’t know, Catalyst is a 5 piece from Belgium and have been active since 2018. Relat...

28/11/2023

Grindpad - Finger Collector Crew

<p>One knows they are in for some fun when they see an album cover with a great white shark imitation from Kill Bill. Nevermind the tattooed bikini clad swordstress… check out the suits and chum! Netherlands’ Grindpad has always been known to be a bit aquatic focused with their artwork and also know how to sound aggressive while having fun at the s...

27/11/2023

The Project Hate MCMXCIX - Abominations Of The Ageless

<p><br>The Project Hate (or TPH as many know them) have graced 2023 with a new album, 2 years this time vs. 1 after their last album “Spewing…” Those that know me as a reviewer know I have a biased soft spot for this band as they blend a seamless mix of Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Metal, and in Industrial at Funeral Doom epic propor...

03/11/2023

Dead Twilight - Fall Of Humanity

<p>Sometimes one just needs to hear pummeling Death Metal, and that’s what one gets with the 3rd album from Italy’s duo Dead Twilight. The album is a little shorter than what they have done in the past and came quicker (3 year gap instead of 5 years), but the result is solid. The music is highly aggressive in the vein of Immolation meets Deicide wi...

23/10/2023

Distaste - Der Ertraeger Und Das Fleisch

<p>Austria’s Distaste is no stranger to extreme music, and on their fourth full length record “Der Ertraeger und das Fleisch” they show no signs of changing or slowing down with their usual approach to brutal Grind Death. Following along the lines of groups such as Leng Tch’e or Wormrot, Distaste delivers 29 minutes of short but uncompromising soni...

20/10/2023

Verloren Vertellingen - Hellevaerder/Duindwaler/Schavot/Asgrauw

<p>Splits are like samplers in metal, and it is rare that a split is done between more than 2 artists. But, Zwaertgevegt Records have unleashed a sort of sampler from various Netherland based Black Metal artists to showcase their talents with 2 tracks each, giving as much of a variety as they can. At their core, the music is more rooted in that old...

17/10/2023

Nox Aeterna - Subject 17

<p>Hailing from the Netherlands, Nox Aeterna is a five piece and “Subject 17” is their 4th full length album. No stranger to concept albums, listeners are presented with another story from this melodeath band that tells a story of a doctor who is infected with a mysterious sickness around the 20th century and the album chronicles his time to find a...

25/09/2023

Eternal Tragedy - Origin

Eternal Tragedy is a duo hailing from Greece and Italy and after almost 15 years since their debut, they are back, still spearheaded by guitarist Stefania Ponzilacqua. Over the years band has trimmed down a lot, leaving Stefania as one of the sole remaining members, but her guitarwork continues to shine through along with her songwriting in general...

16/08/2023

Asklepeion - I: Basilisk

<p>For those looking for a step back into the late 90s black metal in the vein of Emperor, Old Man’s Child, and even Dimmu Borgir, look no further than Netherland’s Asklepeion. Born in 2021 due to the pandemic, this three piece unleash some harsh yet crisp melodies in their debut album “I: Basilisk”. For those who feel that Dimmu Borgir has gone to...

07/08/2023

Delyria - III: Oracles And Tentacles

<p>Delyria hail from Italy and “Oracles And Tentacles” is their third full length album. Rooted in a mix of Death and Thrash Metal, one can expect a mix of Legion of the Damned meets Vader, with more lean towards the Death Metal side of things. Since their last album, the band has had quite an overhaul with new members, leaving Fabio Barbetti on gu...

27/07/2023

Beyond The Void - The Machinist

<p>France’s Beyond The Void are relatively new to the Death Metal scene having formed in 2018 but not really gaining any traction until their first EP in 2020. Now they have their first full length debut entitled “The Machinist” and it sounds strong, ferocious, and a mix of well produced Technical meets Modern Death Metal. With touches of Suffocati...

26/07/2023