Review by Felix on July 10, 2019.

Perhaps it is unfair, but the first thing that called to my mind when listening to Incoming Death for the first time was that the riff of "Division Brandenburg" lies in close proximity to that of Marduk's unsparing war elegy "Wartheland". Or is it just the very similar atmosphere of these two songs or the fact that the lyrics of both tracks deal with the most difficult chapter of the German history that makes me think of Marduk's fourth track of "Frontschwein"? However, two things can be taken for granted. Firstly, "Division Brandenburg" has everything that a fantastic piece needs in view of its stomping drums and the typical abysmal riffs of Asphyx that were established by songs such as "Scorbutics". Secondly, the Dutch army with the competent German mercenary Stefan Hüskens on drums does not need to adopt other people's songs. Already the rather unusual mix of (more or less) pure doom monsters and rapid death eruptions indicates the individuality of Asphyx (in sharp contrast to the genre typical and pretty banal artwork). Not to mention the fact that the ambassadors of apocalyptic fierceness have proven their song-writing skills on the predecessors of the here presented work. 

The band has not written the new climax of its discography, but there is no reason for concern as well. Frontman van Drunen and his henchmen have not misplaced their proven recipe. On the one hand, merciless neckbreakers like the opener and the title track connect primitiveness with violence and the effect is still amazing. On the other hand, viscous doom songs such as "Subterra Incognita" mirror the band's affinity for slow acting poisons and hold the heavyweight versions of Leif Edling riffs. Listen closely to the sinister "Wardroid"; the sequence that sets in at 2:08 invites the audience to celebrate a candle mass. The closer has to be mentioned in this context, because it stands in the tradition of "As the Magma Mammoth Rises". This means that "Death: The Only Immortal" combines grandeur with sluggish heaviness and the result is a monumental event. But due to my weakness for fast rhythms, I am of the opinion that especially each and every speedster works in a mind-blowing manner. Since the creation of extreme metal, brutality and velocity have always been a good team. Not to mention the efficient guitar work. The partially minimalist riffs appear as pinpoint stitches, while the full sound comes as a tank which leaves a trail of devastation. No doubt, the massive production sets the right frame for Asphyx' orgy of aggression. The sound of Incoming Death is not better nor worse than that of its two predecessors and this can be understood as a great compliment.

The small problem - and I would like to emphasize the word "small" (actually I wanted to capitalize this word, but there is nothing more incoherent than to write "small" in uppercase letters: "SMALL"... this looks so moronic, it pisses me off) - that I have with the album is based on the doom tracks. Some relatively tedious parts have crept in. While the fast pieces are the blazing flames of a conflagration - "Wildland Fire" delivers the fitting lyrics in this context -, "The Grand Denial" is only a smoldering fire. However, Asphyx have not forged lame fillers just to make the record complete. The vast majority of the riffs leaves a massive impact and the general aura of the album is the exact opposite of a plea for clemency. Guess it goes without saying that van Drunen plays his part in this respect. His voice sounds as inhuman as ever. From my point of view, he does not belong to the most charismatic singers, but he works authentically instead of intending to win a death metal beauty contest. However, the quintessence is that the deathhammer is still active. Asphyx do not enter new dimensions, but Incoming Death confirms the high compositional standard of the formation. Although the bonus section is pretty useless, the group retains its credibility and the regular tracks offer a high dose of metallic robustness. Highlights? With the exception of the rather pale "Forerunners of the Apocalypse", I recommend all tracks of the regular edition that do not surpass the four minutes mark.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Review by Felix on July 10, 2019.

Perhaps it is unfair, but the first thing that called to my mind when listening to Incoming Death for the first time was that the riff of "Division Brandenburg" lies in close proximity to that of Marduk's unsparing war elegy "Wartheland". Or is it just the very similar atmosphere of these two songs or the fact that the lyrics of both tracks deal with the most difficult chapter of the German history that makes me think of Marduk's fourth track of "Frontschwein"? However, two things can be taken for granted. Firstly, "Division Brandenburg" has everything that a fantastic piece needs in view of its stomping drums and the typical abysmal riffs of Asphyx that were established by songs such as "Scorbutics". Secondly, the Dutch army with the competent German mercenary Stefan Hüskens on drums does not need to adopt other people's songs. Already the rather unusual mix of (more or less) pure doom monsters and rapid death eruptions indicates the individuality of Asphyx (in sharp contrast to the genre typical and pretty banal artwork). Not to mention the fact that the ambassadors of apocalyptic fierceness have proven their song-writing skills on the predecessors of the here presented work. 

The band has not written the new climax of its discography, but there is no reason for concern as well. Frontman van Drunen and his henchmen have not misplaced their proven recipe. On the one hand, merciless neckbreakers like the opener and the title track connect primitiveness with violence and the effect is still amazing. On the other hand, viscous doom songs such as "Subterra Incognita" mirror the band's affinity for slow acting poisons and hold the heavyweight versions of Leif Edling riffs. Listen closely to the sinister "Wardroid"; the sequence that sets in at 2:08 invites the audience to celebrate a candle mass. The closer has to be mentioned in this context, because it stands in the tradition of "As the Magma Mammoth Rises". This means that "Death: The Only Immortal" combines grandeur with sluggish heaviness and the result is a monumental event. But due to my weakness for fast rhythms, I am of the opinion that especially each and every speedster works in a mind-blowing manner. Since the creation of extreme metal, brutality and velocity have always been a good team. Not to mention the efficient guitar work. The partially minimalist riffs appear as pinpoint stitches, while the full sound comes as a tank which leaves a trail of devastation. No doubt, the massive production sets the right frame for Asphyx' orgy of aggression. The sound of Incoming Death is not better nor worse than that of its two predecessors and this can be understood as a great compliment.

The small problem - and I would like to emphasize the word "small" (actually I wanted to capitalize this word, but there is nothing more incoherent than to write "small" in uppercase letters: "SMALL"... this looks so moronic, it pisses me off) - that I have with the album is based on the doom tracks. Some relatively tedious parts have crept in. While the fast pieces are the blazing flames of a conflagration - "Wildland Fire" delivers the fitting lyrics in this context -, "The Grand Denial" is only a smoldering fire. However, Asphyx have not forged lame fillers just to make the record complete. The vast majority of the riffs leaves a massive impact and the general aura of the album is the exact opposite of a plea for clemency. Guess it goes without saying that van Drunen plays his part in this respect. His voice sounds as inhuman as ever. From my point of view, he does not belong to the most charismatic singers, but he works authentically instead of intending to win a death metal beauty contest. However, the quintessence is that the deathhammer is still active. Asphyx do not enter new dimensions, but Incoming Death confirms the high compositional standard of the formation. Although the bonus section is pretty useless, the group retains its credibility and the regular tracks offer a high dose of metallic robustness. Highlights? With the exception of the rather pale "Forerunners of the Apocalypse", I recommend all tracks of the regular edition that do not surpass the four minutes mark.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Review by Yener on May 9, 2019.

I remember very clearly when Wormed first exploded onto the scene in 2003 with Planisphærium. Here we had a completely unknown band from Madrid which released a devastating album seemingly completely out of the blue. 

Then they pretty much disappeared. 

They reemerged exactly 10 years later with their follow up, Exodromos. While a solid album, it went under the radar for most people, even though Wormed’s brand of ultra-technical brutal death metal was obviously different and unique in a sea of death metal bands regurgitating the same riffs and same slams over and over again. I think by that time, people just had enough of the sub-genre as a whole. Thankfully it would only be a mere 3 years for Wormed to strap their guitars back on again. And holy shit. Did they ever strap them on tight? 

Krighsu certainly didn’t fly under anyone’s radar. Not this time around. Even people completely fed up with slams sat up and took note. Because with Krighsu, Wormed are not fucking around.

So what makes it so good? There are plenty of factors, though the first that comes to mind would be the overall state of maturity and growth the band has shown over the years. While they were never an immature slam band like for instance, I don’t know, a million other slam bands (Wormed actually has pretty good lyrics, and a solid theme to back them) with this effort it seems like all the stars finally aligned for them. Like they have finally figured out how to incorporate the slam sections with well thought out, tasty riffing. And this album is jam packed with them. Guitarists J. Oliver and Migueloud display and intense and often times extremely abstract form of riffage that is not usual in this genre. Extremely creative guitar playing throughout, and at times, just downright fucking strange. But that’s what makes this so incredible - the amount of creativity that went into these songs is staggering. 

The album kicks off with “Pseudo-Horizon” and it’s pretty safe to say that this is one of the best openers for a death metal album - in any sub-genre - PERIOD. The guitars give you a first taste of the dissonance, and the drums follow along perfectly, and the whole thing just downright explodes in your face with Earth shattering brutality - so perfect that it’s quite hard to believe the first time you hear it. When the intro is over and the song transitions into the first verse, it’s game over. There’s no way anyone is recovering from that breakdown which is what I imagine what a fucking galaxy were to sound like if it were to explode inside your head. And it all comes at you at once - no warning, no nothing. Bam, it’s just there. Deal with it.

Wormed continue to punish your senses throughout the album with a dizzying variety of guitars, vocals and drums. The musicianship on display here is stunning, each member a master, slicing and grinding through their parts with the precision of surgical steel. The drumming of G-Calero (who tragically died at just age 27) puts in a jaw dropping performance where he utilizes almost every trick in the book. If for nothing else, it’s worth listening to Krigshu because of the intense display of ass kicking G-Calero provides. 

The production and sound on the album is exactly as it should be. Yes, the drums are triggered, but they sound great -anything else would just not do for this album. The drums are clear, punchy and sound organic enough that they don’t bother me in the slightest. The guitars have what seems like truckloads of gain on them, but again, they are perfect, and support the overall vibe and mood of the album perfectly. The vocals are simply amazing - you get everything you could ever ask for from a brutal death metal vocalist in Phlegeton, and they are not buried in the mix or too up front, either. They are exactly where they need to be.

Overall, what makes this album special is that the band obviously thought about this one long and hard. They give the listener some breathing space, so it’s just not pure ass kicking for the entire duration of the album. And trust me, this album is so dense, so full of material that it’s amazing that they managed to pack it all into just under 35 minutes. It can be exhausting to listen to, but it’s paced masterfully and beautifully. One might be fooled to think that it all sounds the same, but trust me, there is so much to discover here, and it doesn’t just require, but demands your attention. New things are to be discovered with each and every listen. I honestly don’t think I’ve listened to such a dense death metal album before. What Wormed managed to pull off here is nothing short of amazing, and I can’t wait for the new one.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

Review by Adam M on January 3, 2017.

Wormed go for a fast and visceral approach with Krighsu. There is a sense that the band wants to be as chaotic as possible and that is audible throughout the entirety of this disc. The speed of the music makes for an up and down recording. There are moments that are exciting and those that seem like they are simply excessive in nature.

The music is somewhat unfocused and performed with a dial on the speed at all times. This makes for an all over the place sort of approach to song-writing. While it’s not as messy as early Origin, the style is not as cohesive as other death metal albums this year. One needs to look no further to the likes of Mithras’ On Strange Loops or even Obscura’s Akroasis for tighter sounding recordings. Even though those records seem tight enough, there are even more focused death metal recordings around, so this music here needs to converge to a more cohesive whole. There are still a number of good ideas, but they seem to be scattered all over the place and not consistent. The result is an album that has plenty of potential, but mostly sticks to an all the place approach that is very mediocre overall. Compared to the best death metal of the likes of Death, Carcass and others, it just doesn’t measure up. Still, with the death metal offerings being slightly haphazard this year, there is room for this album to be placed among the others. It does have enough strong ideas and riffs on occasion to have a mild impact.

The music is generally played at a very frenzied level and when these moments connect, they run past at a very fast pace. Krighsu is a mildly enjoyable death metal recording that could easily use more focus.

Rating: 6.4 out of 10

Review by JD on April 4, 2016.

Speed metal is not dead and it seems that it is living in Europe at the moment and wanting to be strong again. It comes tagged in with a few other genres that mix in so effortlessly, but it is there and it does not want to be ever lost again.

Lithuania has been quietly becoming a new bastion for older styles of metal and Pekla is one of those bands. Bringing back the neck breaking attack of speed metal circa mid 80’s, infused with some other styles like thrash, traditional and even some hard rock elements to create their own sound.

Sung completely in Lithuanian but there is no need for translation of any sorts. It is simple, brutal and simply fun. With rhythms that makes your head bang away like crazy, to dizzying solos that burst forth and create that wonderful vortex of notes – can’t help but love these guys for it all. None of the songs do stand out on it’s own, but as a whole, the music deserves to be heard in its entirety.

Even though the band is sounding somewhat dated, Pekla has delivered a remarkably solid record. These guys were not trying to reinvent the wheel or discover a previously unknown element, they were just trying to make music that is good, heavy and fun. I think they have done just that.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Review by Jack on April 2, 2003.

Out of all the bands in and around the huge plethora of metal scenes, I truly believe The Defaced is one of metal's brightest stars. Here we have a band that is gifted, (and I mean really gifted) with a knack for nutting out a catchy, yet precise and interesting brand of metal for the masses.

"Karma in Black" is effort number two from these five lads, and to cut straight to the point, it is a record that you -want- and -need- to pickup. Each of these lads play their material with such authority and mastery that it makes other records that I listen to week in and week out feel so hollow. It is an almost a clinical art of playing metal listening to "Karma in Black," not in the way that the record might feel sterile and/or forced, but that these guys have given their all into "Karma in Black" making it sound as though it is the peak of metal playing perfection. Nary a note or chord is out of place.

Musically The Defaced play an explosive sound of thrash mixed with some contemporary metal from their nu-metal peers. By nu-metal, I mean the crispness and great sounding production that these guys from the USA are blessed with on a record-by-record basis, not necessarily the ultra fat chugging guitar riffs. Vocalist Henrik Sjiowall has one of the more distinguishable voices in the metal fields; a strong and commanding harsh voice, and then he often switches with an equally commanding, but more subdued clean voice for choruses and the like.

The Defaced, along with bands such as Construcdead are possibly the future talent of the metal scene. Both acts combine rich, crisp and fluid guitar solos, with an incredible knack of knowing what their audiences want in a song. Along with ultra-catchy vocals and intense songwriting they come up with two killer albums in "Repent" and the aforementioned "Karma in Black." Acts like these need to be heard, they are yet to receive half the attention they deserve.

Bottom Line: "Karma in Black" is possibly one of the most exciting releases of 2003 for me thus far. There is not a bug or scratch to be had with this record. The Defaced combine years of experience along with an intensity yet to be heard since Soilwork exploded onto the scene some years ago. If you miss, then well it will be a shame.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 9
Originality: 8.5
Overall: 9

Rating: 8.7 out of 10

Review by Krys on February 27, 2003.

During my last year interview with Sentenced's Ville Laihiala we found out that Ville hates to sing and loves playing guitar in what eventually translated into his new project PoisonBlack where he handles lead & rhythm axe duties and J.P Leppaluto (Charon) takes over the vocals. "Escapexstacy" being advertised as mix of Ozzy Osborne, Paradise Lost and Type O Negative brings elements of all aforementioned bands but it also fails to escape from the domains of the member's original bands.

By saying that I feel a little disappointed cause even though I'm a big fan of those two acts (Sentenced and Charon) I was looking for something more distinct and creative. "Escapexstacy" is a solid gothic rock album with very accessible melodies, emotional, sorrowful vocals (one of the best points of this release) and lyrics about lust, desire and sex. As you can see not much of a difference from their main projects except lyrics, and even though Ville's guitar is heavily influenced by Zake Wilde ("No More Tears" era), being a member of Sentenced since '96 lives the mark on the structure of compositions and overall atmosphere of the album. I'm not necessarily pointing it as a terribly bad thing because gothic rock fans will most probably find it very appealing and put that argument in pros rather than cons.

After taking the "bad" points out of my system I have to mention the excellent guitar/composition skills of the main man Ville Laihiala. While one might argue the point of not seeing anything masterful or extraordinary, I can't stop and not commend his understanding of the music and its translation to the guitar. It's not always the speed or complexity of the arpeggios that makes a guitar master but the way in which all elements create perfect harmony and atmosphere of the album (so often lost in today's releases). Ville knows when to crank it up in bass driven 'Love Infernal', crunchy 'All Else Is Hollow' or when to tone it down to secondary role like in 'With Her I Die'. Instead of showing off he preserves the balance between the melody and power to fit lyrical concept and to keep songs melancholic tone.

Bottom Line: Definitely too light for death/black metal fans but if you’re rooming for solid gothic-rock PoisonBlack is the end of your journey.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 9
Originality: 5
Overall: 8

Rating: 7.6 out of 10

Review by Jack on April 2, 2003.

Out of all the bands in and around the huge plethora of metal scenes, I truly believe The Defaced is one of metal's brightest stars. Here we have a band that is gifted, (and I mean really gifted) with a knack for nutting out a catchy, yet precise and interesting brand of metal for the masses.

"Karma in Black" is effort number two from these five lads, and to cut straight to the point, it is a record that you -want- and -need- to pickup. Each of these lads play their material with such authority and mastery that it makes other records that I listen to week in and week out feel so hollow. It is an almost a clinical art of playing metal listening to "Karma in Black," not in the way that the record might feel sterile and/or forced, but that these guys have given their all into "Karma in Black" making it sound as though it is the peak of metal playing perfection. Nary a note or chord is out of place.

Musically The Defaced play an explosive sound of thrash mixed with some contemporary metal from their nu-metal peers. By nu-metal, I mean the crispness and great sounding production that these guys from the USA are blessed with on a record-by-record basis, not necessarily the ultra fat chugging guitar riffs. Vocalist Henrik Sjiowall has one of the more distinguishable voices in the metal fields; a strong and commanding harsh voice, and then he often switches with an equally commanding, but more subdued clean voice for choruses and the like.

The Defaced, along with bands such as Construcdead are possibly the future talent of the metal scene. Both acts combine rich, crisp and fluid guitar solos, with an incredible knack of knowing what their audiences want in a song. Along with ultra-catchy vocals and intense songwriting they come up with two killer albums in "Repent" and the aforementioned "Karma in Black." Acts like these need to be heard, they are yet to receive half the attention they deserve.

Bottom Line: "Karma in Black" is possibly one of the most exciting releases of 2003 for me thus far. There is not a bug or scratch to be had with this record. The Defaced combine years of experience along with an intensity yet to be heard since Soilwork exploded onto the scene some years ago. If you miss, then well it will be a shame.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 9
Originality: 8.5
Overall: 9

Rating: 8.7 out of 10

Review by Jack on April 2, 2003.

Out of all the bands in and around the huge plethora of metal scenes, I truly believe The Defaced is one of metal's brightest stars. Here we have a band that is gifted, (and I mean really gifted) with a knack for nutting out a catchy, yet precise and interesting brand of metal for the masses.

"Karma in Black" is effort number two from these five lads, and to cut straight to the point, it is a record that you -want- and -need- to pickup. Each of these lads play their material with such authority and mastery that it makes other records that I listen to week in and week out feel so hollow. It is an almost a clinical art of playing metal listening to "Karma in Black," not in the way that the record might feel sterile and/or forced, but that these guys have given their all into "Karma in Black" making it sound as though it is the peak of metal playing perfection. Nary a note or chord is out of place.

Musically The Defaced play an explosive sound of thrash mixed with some contemporary metal from their nu-metal peers. By nu-metal, I mean the crispness and great sounding production that these guys from the USA are blessed with on a record-by-record basis, not necessarily the ultra fat chugging guitar riffs. Vocalist Henrik Sjiowall has one of the more distinguishable voices in the metal fields; a strong and commanding harsh voice, and then he often switches with an equally commanding, but more subdued clean voice for choruses and the like.

The Defaced, along with bands such as Construcdead are possibly the future talent of the metal scene. Both acts combine rich, crisp and fluid guitar solos, with an incredible knack of knowing what their audiences want in a song. Along with ultra-catchy vocals and intense songwriting they come up with two killer albums in "Repent" and the aforementioned "Karma in Black." Acts like these need to be heard, they are yet to receive half the attention they deserve.

Bottom Line: "Karma in Black" is possibly one of the most exciting releases of 2003 for me thus far. There is not a bug or scratch to be had with this record. The Defaced combine years of experience along with an intensity yet to be heard since Soilwork exploded onto the scene some years ago. If you miss, then well it will be a shame.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 9
Originality: 8.5
Overall: 9

Rating: 8.7 out of 10

Review by Jack on April 2, 2003.

Out of all the bands in and around the huge plethora of metal scenes, I truly believe The Defaced is one of metal's brightest stars. Here we have a band that is gifted, (and I mean really gifted) with a knack for nutting out a catchy, yet precise and interesting brand of metal for the masses.

"Karma in Black" is effort number two from these five lads, and to cut straight to the point, it is a record that you -want- and -need- to pickup. Each of these lads play their material with such authority and mastery that it makes other records that I listen to week in and week out feel so hollow. It is an almost a clinical art of playing metal listening to "Karma in Black," not in the way that the record might feel sterile and/or forced, but that these guys have given their all into "Karma in Black" making it sound as though it is the peak of metal playing perfection. Nary a note or chord is out of place.

Musically The Defaced play an explosive sound of thrash mixed with some contemporary metal from their nu-metal peers. By nu-metal, I mean the crispness and great sounding production that these guys from the USA are blessed with on a record-by-record basis, not necessarily the ultra fat chugging guitar riffs. Vocalist Henrik Sjiowall has one of the more distinguishable voices in the metal fields; a strong and commanding harsh voice, and then he often switches with an equally commanding, but more subdued clean voice for choruses and the like.

The Defaced, along with bands such as Construcdead are possibly the future talent of the metal scene. Both acts combine rich, crisp and fluid guitar solos, with an incredible knack of knowing what their audiences want in a song. Along with ultra-catchy vocals and intense songwriting they come up with two killer albums in "Repent" and the aforementioned "Karma in Black." Acts like these need to be heard, they are yet to receive half the attention they deserve.

Bottom Line: "Karma in Black" is possibly one of the most exciting releases of 2003 for me thus far. There is not a bug or scratch to be had with this record. The Defaced combine years of experience along with an intensity yet to be heard since Soilwork exploded onto the scene some years ago. If you miss, then well it will be a shame.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 9
Originality: 8.5
Overall: 9

Rating: 8.7 out of 10

Review by Jack on April 2, 2003.

Out of all the bands in and around the huge plethora of metal scenes, I truly believe The Defaced is one of metal's brightest stars. Here we have a band that is gifted, (and I mean really gifted) with a knack for nutting out a catchy, yet precise and interesting brand of metal for the masses.

"Karma in Black" is effort number two from these five lads, and to cut straight to the point, it is a record that you -want- and -need- to pickup. Each of these lads play their material with such authority and mastery that it makes other records that I listen to week in and week out feel so hollow. It is an almost a clinical art of playing metal listening to "Karma in Black," not in the way that the record might feel sterile and/or forced, but that these guys have given their all into "Karma in Black" making it sound as though it is the peak of metal playing perfection. Nary a note or chord is out of place.

Musically The Defaced play an explosive sound of thrash mixed with some contemporary metal from their nu-metal peers. By nu-metal, I mean the crispness and great sounding production that these guys from the USA are blessed with on a record-by-record basis, not necessarily the ultra fat chugging guitar riffs. Vocalist Henrik Sjiowall has one of the more distinguishable voices in the metal fields; a strong and commanding harsh voice, and then he often switches with an equally commanding, but more subdued clean voice for choruses and the like.

The Defaced, along with bands such as Construcdead are possibly the future talent of the metal scene. Both acts combine rich, crisp and fluid guitar solos, with an incredible knack of knowing what their audiences want in a song. Along with ultra-catchy vocals and intense songwriting they come up with two killer albums in "Repent" and the aforementioned "Karma in Black." Acts like these need to be heard, they are yet to receive half the attention they deserve.

Bottom Line: "Karma in Black" is possibly one of the most exciting releases of 2003 for me thus far. There is not a bug or scratch to be had with this record. The Defaced combine years of experience along with an intensity yet to be heard since Soilwork exploded onto the scene some years ago. If you miss, then well it will be a shame.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 9
Originality: 8.5
Overall: 9

Rating: 8.7 out of 10

Review by JD on April 4, 2016.

Speed metal is not dead and it seems that it is living in Europe at the moment and wanting to be strong again. It comes tagged in with a few other genres that mix in so effortlessly, but it is there and it does not want to be ever lost again.

Lithuania has been quietly becoming a new bastion for older styles of metal and Pekla is one of those bands. Bringing back the neck breaking attack of speed metal circa mid 80’s, infused with some other styles like thrash, traditional and even some hard rock elements to create their own sound.

Sung completely in Lithuanian but there is no need for translation of any sorts. It is simple, brutal and simply fun. With rhythms that makes your head bang away like crazy, to dizzying solos that burst forth and create that wonderful vortex of notes – can’t help but love these guys for it all. None of the songs do stand out on it’s own, but as a whole, the music deserves to be heard in its entirety.

Even though the band is sounding somewhat dated, Pekla has delivered a remarkably solid record. These guys were not trying to reinvent the wheel or discover a previously unknown element, they were just trying to make music that is good, heavy and fun. I think they have done just that.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Review by Yener on May 9, 2019.

I remember very clearly when Wormed first exploded onto the scene in 2003 with Planisphærium. Here we had a completely unknown band from Madrid which released a devastating album seemingly completely out of the blue. 

Then they pretty much disappeared. 

They reemerged exactly 10 years later with their follow up, Exodromos. While a solid album, it went under the radar for most people, even though Wormed’s brand of ultra-technical brutal death metal was obviously different and unique in a sea of death metal bands regurgitating the same riffs and same slams over and over again. I think by that time, people just had enough of the sub-genre as a whole. Thankfully it would only be a mere 3 years for Wormed to strap their guitars back on again. And holy shit. Did they ever strap them on tight? 

Krighsu certainly didn’t fly under anyone’s radar. Not this time around. Even people completely fed up with slams sat up and took note. Because with Krighsu, Wormed are not fucking around.

So what makes it so good? There are plenty of factors, though the first that comes to mind would be the overall state of maturity and growth the band has shown over the years. While they were never an immature slam band like for instance, I don’t know, a million other slam bands (Wormed actually has pretty good lyrics, and a solid theme to back them) with this effort it seems like all the stars finally aligned for them. Like they have finally figured out how to incorporate the slam sections with well thought out, tasty riffing. And this album is jam packed with them. Guitarists J. Oliver and Migueloud display and intense and often times extremely abstract form of riffage that is not usual in this genre. Extremely creative guitar playing throughout, and at times, just downright fucking strange. But that’s what makes this so incredible - the amount of creativity that went into these songs is staggering. 

The album kicks off with “Pseudo-Horizon” and it’s pretty safe to say that this is one of the best openers for a death metal album - in any sub-genre - PERIOD. The guitars give you a first taste of the dissonance, and the drums follow along perfectly, and the whole thing just downright explodes in your face with Earth shattering brutality - so perfect that it’s quite hard to believe the first time you hear it. When the intro is over and the song transitions into the first verse, it’s game over. There’s no way anyone is recovering from that breakdown which is what I imagine what a fucking galaxy were to sound like if it were to explode inside your head. And it all comes at you at once - no warning, no nothing. Bam, it’s just there. Deal with it.

Wormed continue to punish your senses throughout the album with a dizzying variety of guitars, vocals and drums. The musicianship on display here is stunning, each member a master, slicing and grinding through their parts with the precision of surgical steel. The drumming of G-Calero (who tragically died at just age 27) puts in a jaw dropping performance where he utilizes almost every trick in the book. If for nothing else, it’s worth listening to Krigshu because of the intense display of ass kicking G-Calero provides. 

The production and sound on the album is exactly as it should be. Yes, the drums are triggered, but they sound great -anything else would just not do for this album. The drums are clear, punchy and sound organic enough that they don’t bother me in the slightest. The guitars have what seems like truckloads of gain on them, but again, they are perfect, and support the overall vibe and mood of the album perfectly. The vocals are simply amazing - you get everything you could ever ask for from a brutal death metal vocalist in Phlegeton, and they are not buried in the mix or too up front, either. They are exactly where they need to be.

Overall, what makes this album special is that the band obviously thought about this one long and hard. They give the listener some breathing space, so it’s just not pure ass kicking for the entire duration of the album. And trust me, this album is so dense, so full of material that it’s amazing that they managed to pack it all into just under 35 minutes. It can be exhausting to listen to, but it’s paced masterfully and beautifully. One might be fooled to think that it all sounds the same, but trust me, there is so much to discover here, and it doesn’t just require, but demands your attention. New things are to be discovered with each and every listen. I honestly don’t think I’ve listened to such a dense death metal album before. What Wormed managed to pull off here is nothing short of amazing, and I can’t wait for the new one.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

Review by Adam M on January 3, 2017.

Wormed go for a fast and visceral approach with Krighsu. There is a sense that the band wants to be as chaotic as possible and that is audible throughout the entirety of this disc. The speed of the music makes for an up and down recording. There are moments that are exciting and those that seem like they are simply excessive in nature.

The music is somewhat unfocused and performed with a dial on the speed at all times. This makes for an all over the place sort of approach to song-writing. While it’s not as messy as early Origin, the style is not as cohesive as other death metal albums this year. One needs to look no further to the likes of Mithras’ On Strange Loops or even Obscura’s Akroasis for tighter sounding recordings. Even though those records seem tight enough, there are even more focused death metal recordings around, so this music here needs to converge to a more cohesive whole. There are still a number of good ideas, but they seem to be scattered all over the place and not consistent. The result is an album that has plenty of potential, but mostly sticks to an all the place approach that is very mediocre overall. Compared to the best death metal of the likes of Death, Carcass and others, it just doesn’t measure up. Still, with the death metal offerings being slightly haphazard this year, there is room for this album to be placed among the others. It does have enough strong ideas and riffs on occasion to have a mild impact.

The music is generally played at a very frenzied level and when these moments connect, they run past at a very fast pace. Krighsu is a mildly enjoyable death metal recording that could easily use more focus.

Rating: 6.4 out of 10

Review by Felix on March 2, 2021.

A frostbitten guitar line kicks off the first track of Behexen and captures my interest in a matter of seconds. Forgive me for using the slightly nonsensical term "frostbitten" in this context. Yet it is true. It seems as if Behexen did not record their tracks in a studio, but in a fridge. The ice-cold leads generate a feeling of discomfort which cannot be suppressed. The 'Mouth of Leviathan' is opened widely and its abysmal throat seems to be unfathomable.

But Behexen does not only focus on coldness. Their music conveys a mouldy smell as well. Apart from this, it is part of the fascination of 'Mouth of Leviathan' that occasionally flaring guitar lines show up, because they stand in sharp contrast with the negative, moribund aura of the track. No doubt, this track marks a generic black metal piece of the finest art. But Behexen's second track does not pale beside the first number. More aggressive and equipped with goose drums, 'Where the Devil Spoke' spreads the satanic message. The agonized lead vocals complete the picture successfully. 90% for the homogeneous contribution of Behexen, not least because of the more or less perfect production which enables us to listen to black metal in its purest form.

Homogeneity is not the suitable word to describe the overall impression of Satanic Warmaster's pieces which are pretty well produced during different recording sessions. The first track provides fast, straight and devastating black metal the way it should be. Too bad that the second number fails to make a similar impact. I am listening to a crude kind of campfire black metal. A thin acoustic guitar meets rattling drums. In this context, the nagging vocals are rather goofy. One may call this track an experiment, but one may call it a disappointment as well. I prefer the metallic version of the song which was released on "Strength & Honour", the debut from 2001. Anyway, due to the first strong track, I think that 72% for Satanic Warmaster are justified. That's okay but not enough in order to win this Finnish competition. Behexen emerge victorious, not least due to the fact that their music evokes more emotions.

The formidable artwork expresses the atmosphere of this underground release very well. Although the aforementioned experiment appears slightly strange, the music transmits the violent, ominous and unholy spirit of black metal in a very intact way. Purists will love the first three tracks of this 10" and I do it as well. Do not hesitate, if you have the possibility to buy one of the 1000 copies of this vinyl. I am sure you will not regret it.

Rating: 8.1 out of 10

Review by JD on April 4, 2016.

Speed metal is not dead and it seems that it is living in Europe at the moment and wanting to be strong again. It comes tagged in with a few other genres that mix in so effortlessly, but it is there and it does not want to be ever lost again.

Lithuania has been quietly becoming a new bastion for older styles of metal and Pekla is one of those bands. Bringing back the neck breaking attack of speed metal circa mid 80’s, infused with some other styles like thrash, traditional and even some hard rock elements to create their own sound.

Sung completely in Lithuanian but there is no need for translation of any sorts. It is simple, brutal and simply fun. With rhythms that makes your head bang away like crazy, to dizzying solos that burst forth and create that wonderful vortex of notes – can’t help but love these guys for it all. None of the songs do stand out on it’s own, but as a whole, the music deserves to be heard in its entirety.

Even though the band is sounding somewhat dated, Pekla has delivered a remarkably solid record. These guys were not trying to reinvent the wheel or discover a previously unknown element, they were just trying to make music that is good, heavy and fun. I think they have done just that.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Review by Felix on March 2, 2021.

A frostbitten guitar line kicks off the first track of Behexen and captures my interest in a matter of seconds. Forgive me for using the slightly nonsensical term "frostbitten" in this context. Yet it is true. It seems as if Behexen did not record their tracks in a studio, but in a fridge. The ice-cold leads generate a feeling of discomfort which cannot be suppressed. The 'Mouth of Leviathan' is opened widely and its abysmal throat seems to be unfathomable.

But Behexen does not only focus on coldness. Their music conveys a mouldy smell as well. Apart from this, it is part of the fascination of 'Mouth of Leviathan' that occasionally flaring guitar lines show up, because they stand in sharp contrast with the negative, moribund aura of the track. No doubt, this track marks a generic black metal piece of the finest art. But Behexen's second track does not pale beside the first number. More aggressive and equipped with goose drums, 'Where the Devil Spoke' spreads the satanic message. The agonized lead vocals complete the picture successfully. 90% for the homogeneous contribution of Behexen, not least because of the more or less perfect production which enables us to listen to black metal in its purest form.

Homogeneity is not the suitable word to describe the overall impression of Satanic Warmaster's pieces which are pretty well produced during different recording sessions. The first track provides fast, straight and devastating black metal the way it should be. Too bad that the second number fails to make a similar impact. I am listening to a crude kind of campfire black metal. A thin acoustic guitar meets rattling drums. In this context, the nagging vocals are rather goofy. One may call this track an experiment, but one may call it a disappointment as well. I prefer the metallic version of the song which was released on "Strength & Honour", the debut from 2001. Anyway, due to the first strong track, I think that 72% for Satanic Warmaster are justified. That's okay but not enough in order to win this Finnish competition. Behexen emerge victorious, not least due to the fact that their music evokes more emotions.

The formidable artwork expresses the atmosphere of this underground release very well. Although the aforementioned experiment appears slightly strange, the music transmits the violent, ominous and unholy spirit of black metal in a very intact way. Purists will love the first three tracks of this 10" and I do it as well. Do not hesitate, if you have the possibility to buy one of the 1000 copies of this vinyl. I am sure you will not regret it.

Rating: 8.1 out of 10

Review by Arek on November 16, 2016.

Deformeathing Productions stable finally comes alive and Straight Hate is a good example of it. Eastern Poland's quartet in collaboration with D. Productions gave us their debut album - Every Scum Is A Straight Arrow. Seventeen tracks of dense grindcore in a Swedish death-metal style will take less than 26 minutes and no more is needed to begin this review.

Although "Every Scum ..." is a debut album of Straight Hate, you have to know that half of the line-up also powers up death-grind commando Parricide. Even though both bands operate in similar genres, stylistically they are moving in two different worlds. Experience in musical and publishing fields resulted in an excellent production of the album. Each instrument is clearly heard in the mix, guitars purr as in golden 90’s Stockholm’s Sunlight Studio times, bass destructively growls, and drums and cymbals bang grind rhythms. Vocal is a completely separate story altogether though. Kuba expresses his hatred in three ways: low-sounding screams, tweeters and pig squeals. Straight Hate's music bears imprinted mark of bands such as Nasum, Rotten Sound, or early Napalm Death which can be perfectly heard and punk rock roots can be found in virtually every song.

The album "Every Scum ..." is…quite all right. It doesn’t strike over the framework of the genre, but while moving in those narrow musty corridors it uses the whole spectrum of their available resources. It can pummel hard and bury you under a meaty grind (e.g. Beautiful Slut), or when a respite is needed, it happens (e.g. Fuck It, This Is Grindcore). Deformeathing Prod chose Self-Deception and Disagreement for promo material, but in addition to the above mentioned pieces I would also like to point out The King Of Everything. The album passes the test as a whole - zero boredom, and however wild you go while listening is up to you.

"Every Scum ..." is a thing for fans of real grind pounding, and when live, the band stands tall for their trade… I know what I write because I have seen and heard them in the pub, where music so condensed does not necessarily sound good. They played in such a way that after a few seconds, I was by the stage banging my head - pure and sincere energy. No point to look for originality on this album, simply follow the advice of title of the sixth song - Fuck It, This Is Grindcore. This is not an album that will top musical charts or annual summaries, but it is so good to listen to - check it out for yourselves.

Rating: 8 out of 10