Review by Michael on August 10, 2026.

German Temple Of Dread is probably one of the most productive death metal bands in my home country. So I was quite disappointed when they announced that 2026 wouldn't be a release year for a new album. And the more pleased I was when vocalist Jens Finger told me in a Slaughterday interview that there would be something coming later this year. So here we go with their already sixth full-length album since 2019.

"Dreadspsawn Dominion" starts with an almost tender instrumental, like a newborn innocent sheep jumping around its mother. But…..with after 1:22 it is over with the idyllic atmosphere and the storm sets in with the title track, or to keep the sheepish metaphor alive, the slaughterer is coming to get the little lamb.

Were the Frisians on their previous release "God Of The Godless" a little bit more technical and dissonant they now found the right balance between thrash and death without too many experiments. To stay at the title track, this is instantly a good example for what is to be found on the album. A lot of traditional death metal vibes, still a lot like Death or Morgoth mixed with older Slayer stuff is what it all makes out. Also they found a cool balance between catchy and super brutal parts here. And again, the guitar work improves if you take care of the solos. I don't know how much influence their new guitarist Daniel Maurer, who is part of the band since 2025, has or if it was the idea by long-time member Marcus Bünnemeyer but the guitars really kick ass.

In some parts we can hear doom-laden riffs reminding of (if anybody still remembers these guys) Winter with their superb album "Into Darkness" such as in "Hybrid Horde Eternal" to make the album a little bit more diverse. But these creeping parts just have a small part on the album.

Another cool element is the almost blackish atmospheric part like the beginning of "Death March". Nihilistic lyrics crept in here ("At the end of my road I surrender / At the end of my road I give up") and they are both screamed out and whispered so that this song gets a really dark and oppressive atmosphere. Apart from this the song, a really cool mid-tempo stomper and one of the highlights on "Dreadspawn Dominion". Into the same direction with a very gloomy atmosphere tends the last track "Infernal Eternity". It's more creeping and paired with some blast beat outbreaks, this one appears like a threatening shadow on the wall and you are waiting the whole song for something evil to happen. And finally the most blackish song is "Scorched By Cosmic Fire" with a lot of keyboards and again very fatalistic lyrics.

I guess there isn't too much to complain about the new Temple Of Dread, altogether they have done a very good total package once again, with a very well-executed production and cover once more, done by the usual suspects (Jörg Uken and Paolo Girardi). Of course you could complain that not too much has changed in comparison to the previous releases but first of all I guess death metal doesn't have too many paths to change the style and second I remember how pissed I was when Unleashed released "Victory" in 1995 and the stylistic break they had with "Victims Of War" back then. No, honestly, progression in death metal is shit.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10