Rebel Extravaganza

Heavy Metal And Other Occasional Musics And Cultures

Bludgeoned By Deformity – Epoch Of Immorality [EP]

Comprising members of TOMB SENTINEL and PIG DESTROYER among others, you already get an idea of where BLUDGEONED BY DEFORMITY heading. ‘Invocation Of Suffering’ rains down sonic abuse from the start, vocalist Devin Swank a mixture of burled and gnarled GADGET-styled grind and guttural death, while ‘Immortality’ leans more toward MALEVOLENT CREATION / MONSTROSITY at times, an interesting and terrifying combination. ‘Intestinal Suspension’ is perfectly situated as the centerpiece, careening wildly between pinch harmonic-driven acceleration and a churning visceral ground ‘n’ pound. That the tone of the stringed instruments, nay, every element within the whole of the EP is malevolence […]

Stoner/Doom Metal Powerhouse, THORNDALE, Announce New Album, Spiritual Chains

THORNDALE, the Netherlands-based stoner/doom metal powerhouse, is thrilled to announce the September 12 release of their sophomore album, Spiritual Chains. A music video for the album’s first single, ‘Veins Of The Phoenix’, is available HERE This highly anticipated follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2024 debut, Lightning Spawn, promises a darker and more mature sound, showcasing the band’s evolving artistry and the addition of a second guitar player to their lineup. Comprised of seasoned musicians from notable acts such as Adarrak, Killing Darlings, Embers Of Oblivion, Epinikion, and Primal Charge, their unique blend of heavy, stoner, and doom metal has resonated […]

Album Review: Mugshot – All The Devils Are Here

Much like any genre, the glut experienced in what called itself metalcore during the NWOAHM in the mid-‘00s was fit to burst straight through the stomach lining of heavy music, and it seemed like every new band wanted to be JOB FOR AN AUTOPSY IN THE WHITECHAPEL. Arriving as they did a decade after, MUGSHOT had the chance to make something fresh and took it on 2016’s Dull Boy. And now, nearly ten years later, the Texans return with All The Devils Are Here. ‘Die In Fear’ suffices, pinch harmonics and bulldog barking vocals, but seems to never put much […]

MARGARITA WITCH CULT: watch ‘Witches’ Candle’ video

Birmingham, UK’s heavy metal and doom rock torchbearers MARGARITA WITCH CULT present an electric second excerpt off their upcoming sophomore album, Strung Out In Hell, out July 18th on Heavy Psych Sounds Records. About the song, they say: “‘Witches’ Candle’ takes no prisoners – a relentless, thrashing beast of a track that is as merciless as the mythical, soul-harvesting coven of its inspiration. More vocal harmonies than you could shake a broomstick at, absolutely ripping guitar and bass solo-showdown, all reeled off at breakneck speed with surgical precision. The perfect soundtrack to a descent into the lower world.” Gaze into […]

Album Review: King Parrot – A Young Person’s Guide To King Parrot

The PARROT squawks again! I thought this bird had almost ceased to exist (there’s a comedy sketch in here somewhere!) but it’s just too mean to die! Not only that, but A Young Person’s Guide To King Parrot shows that they are angrier, louder and more vitriolic than ever. If there was ever such a thing as a bird that could get rabies, KING PARROT would be that bird! The band has always been manic and violent, but this new one pushes them further than ever. I would still call them grindcore, but there’s no band that sounds quite like […]

NEFAS Bring Psycosmic Death-Grind on Debut EP, Oblation Ov Obliteration

Prepare for an onslaught of psycosmic deathgrind! NEFAS, an American cross-country collaboration, bring exactly that on debut EP, Oblation Ov Obliteration. Featuring members of Cryptic Gallbladder Splatter, Bedlam of Cacophony, Teeth, and Wax People, the band is primed and ready to release the EP on June 27. The EP’s first single, ‘Spiral Degradation’, is available now. Click HERE to stream on your platform of choice. With seasoned experience across the technical, dissonant, and mathematical landscapes of metal, the band’s sonic statement of malicious intent, Oblation Ov Obliteration, is a unique offering composed of churning death metal inspired riffs; ever shifting […]

Album Review: King Witch – III

‘Cross the misted moors and moonlit eventides cometh Scotland’s KING WITCH, now trimmed to a trio and releasing its third album – aptly titled III – like hound’s breath at thine heels. Eventually I’ll get around to sharing in detail my Third Album Hypothesis, which has served me well since the late ‘80s, and will hopefully prove true here. 2025 also marks the ten-year anniversary of the band, making III doubly (triply?) important. With a natural, anticipatory build to the song itself, ‘Suffer In Life’ moves from a regal entrance to a self-assured, mid-paced stride, vocalist Laura Donnelly shrugging off […]

VIOGRESSION To Release Thaumaturgic Veil On July 11 / New Song Streaming

U.S. Death Metal veterans VIOGRESSION, will self release new album, Thaumaturgic Veil, on July 11. The album’s first single, ‘Renumeration’, is out now and available at THIS LOCATION Thaumaturgic Veil is a metaphysical sonic construct, weaving intricate threads of human consciousness, vibrational frequency, and esoteric intent into a tapestry that transcends the boundaries of death metal. This work explores the interplay of awareness, magic, and the latent potential encoded within humanity’s neurocognitive framework. Thaumaturgic Veil explores the interplay of consciousness, subconsciousness, and materiality, viewing existence as a binary system shaped by vibrational frequencies—the core medium molded by individual intent. These […]

Album Review: Walking Bombs – Blessings Bestrewn Part 1

While being extremely new to shapeshifter(s) WALKING BOMBS, courtesy of the January 2025 mixtape Bong Hits For The Death Of Imperialism, I quickly realized there was something possibly fantastic to be discovered. I mined the Brave Hours record of 2017, surprised to find more of a “true” band setup (whatever that is anymore), and found the indie-folk of ‘Loveislove’ childlike that best way, simple and strong enough to be. ‘Flower Punx 4ever’ became a memory trip through my own days of coming up in that glorious era of skaters/BMXers who jammed RUN DMC, CIRCLE JERKS and HUSKER DU on the […]

WHEN THE DEADBOLT BREAKS: Lovecraftian Sludge Metal Trio Marks Twentieth Anniversary With Tenth LP, In The Glow Of The Vatican Fire, Out June 27th On Argonauta Records; Track Posted

When the soul dies, the animated meat is left behind to walk the earth in blind circles, mechanical life awaiting decay, feathered beings in the dark eating clay. In this space, WHEN THE DEADBOLT BREAKS lurks, a paper-thin sheet of ice covering a blackwater lake, salivating for the weight of the unsuspecting. With a doom style both psychedelic and unsettling – in a word, Lovecraftian – WHEN THE DEADBOLT BREAKS is singer and guitarist Aaron Lewis’ nightmarish vision, the current lineup fleshed out with experimental vocalist Amber Leigh and bassist Steve Wieda. Since 2005, the band has resisted classification, having […]