Welcome back to MetalBite's Top 10 Albums of the Month! Spring is upon us, and with that comes a deluge of new music that's nearly impossible to keep up with, as is evidenced by us getting almost a full month behind and putting this list out in June. We'll hope to get back on track with May 2025's list, but for now, enjoying the soothing sounds of extreme metal and give a bit of time to some landmark April albums you may have missed when they first dropped. Cheers!

-Nate

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Lik - Necro
Metal Blade Records

Groovy, BOSS HM-2 Heavy Metal distortion pedal riffs after riffs, with a touch of melody peeking out of the distortion from time to time, making this a quintessentially Swedish sounding record. They can go fast, throwing in tasteful, precise blast beats and fast double kick but can also sit on a riff mid-tempo, creating a thick and heavy atmosphere that will make you slowly headbang making that face, you know, the face when the riff hits and is disgustingly good! Far from being a technical death album, nevertheless, every musician is offering a technically impressive performance. With a runtime of 40 minutes, it's the perfect length and makes it a highly re-playable experience.
-Raphael

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Atrox Trauma - Where Death Hunts
WormHoleDeath

These four menacing dudes from Hungary have delivered their interesting, but really I should say intense, second album. Where Death Hunts is a concise explosion of death, thrash, and a sprinkle of groove that sets out to annihilate your ears whichever style they're using. Sort of a hypothetical middle ground between the hi-octane fury of The Haunted's recent endeavours and the more melodic tendencies of Allegaeon, albeit more devoted to frontal aggression, and propelled by a powerhouse of a drummer. Some songs certainly go by too fast for their own good, but make sure to reach the better back half of the album, either for the flat-out ferocious cuts like 'I Am The Master' and 'Raise The Level' or the slightly groovier 'Freedom Is the Life' and 'Emptiness'. Is this what people call a 'gym album'? Probably – I even felt like I was growing a decent full beard towards the end of it.
-Greg

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Hyena - About Rock And Roll
Dying Victims Production

Heavy metal from South America is always special, so when I saw that Hyena, a band from Peru, was releasing a new album and on Dying Victims, I instantly knew I would like it and boy oh boy was I right! Like a ceviche this album is bright, zesty, fresh and filling. Catchy riffs, fast and precise drumming, groovy bass and a solid vocal performance from El Sucio where he summons his inner Rob Halford (quite successfully I might add) with all the super high pitched "aaaaaaaah", you can want. The harmonizing dual guitar melodies here are full of emotions and sounding so crisp and organic. If you like pure heavy metal, this is 38 minutes that will pass so quickly you will hit replay instantly.
-Raphael

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Cytotoxin - Biographyte
Blood Blast Distribution

Although tech-death is my wheelhouse, I have admittedly not "gotten into" Cytotoxin, despite being familiar with them and knowing they're a household name in the subgenre. I don't have much of a reason for it. I know they're good, based on the people in my circles that recommend them, and the amount of praise they get from style aficionados, but I just haven't taken the time to sit down and really digest a full album. Chalk it up to the classic "too many bands, not enough time" dilemma I guess.

Anyways, consider this mini-review a personal vendetta for neglecting these German masters of zippy sweeps and Chernobyl-themed brutality. They've got a bit of everything that makes the style great and a frequent destination for my ears: Necrophagist's penchant for verse riffs and solos that are acrobatic and impossible to play, Gorod's affinity for off-kilter elegance, tastefully incorporated breakdowns that will make even the most stoic of listeners fight invisible ninjas in the mosh pit, and a roaring vocalist with stupidly low tones (think Disentomb). As I mentioned, I'm new to the band, so I don't know if this a drop in quality from their previous work, or their best release yet - but based on how much I'm enjoying this, I'm inclined to think it's closer to the latter than the former.
-Nate

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Dormant Ordeal - Tooth And Nail
Willowtip Records

Nothing dormant here, this is 47 minutes of tight riffs with a touch of dissonance, mesmerizing atmospheres, precise drumming and bestial angry vocals reminiscent of 2000 era Behemoth. Speaking of their Polish comrades, comparisons are inevitable of course, both playing in the same unholy blackened sandbox but Dormant Ordeal are bringing more technical aspects, making their songwriting more engaging in my humble opinion. The combination of furious sounding barks, relentless drumming and that touch of dissonance makes it sound extra evil. That being said, it's not just mindless brutality, the drumming is full of subtleties, with plenty of extra ghost notes on the cymbals and in the rare occasions where they slow down, the drums can take a back seat and enhance the atmosphere. Chason Westmoreland (known for his drumming in the Canadian deathcore band Brand of Sacrifice) truly outdid himself here. Speaking of atmosphere, while not as central as in bands like Ulcerate, you can clearly hear the similarities between the bands. The technicality doesn't overshadow the overall emotional aspect of this music. I feel a great sadness being expressed, it comes out in some of the riffs and solos, especially towards the end. Overall, it's a great experience and can I just add that the lack of cringe is much appreciated (not talking about anyone here… Nergal)
-Raphael

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Final Dose - Under The Eternal Shadow
Wolves Of Hades

Billed as a fusion of black metal and punk, due to the d-beat driven velocity of their exhilarating noise, realistically, the balance is heavily weighted in favour of the former, taking the listener back to a world in which the monochromatic aesthetic of Darkthrone and mid-90s Marduk had not yet been supplanted by shoegaze influences, and the only thing that mattered was which one of the first three Bathory albums was your personal favourite. Although Final Dose's sound may be (intentionally) primitive, the immediacy of their power-chord riffing, and the throat-shredding feral vocal delivery of Bruno Fusco, is totally compelling, the listener encouraged to emulate the band's obvious commitment to filth and depravity. Even across a suitably short run-time, Final Dose find some room for experimentation and variety, with the black-ambient interlude of 'Servant' adding layers of atmospheric mystique, and post-punk guitar leads liberally sprinkled across the excellent 'Wretched'. The British black metal scene only continues to grow, and Final Dose are the much-needed middle-finger to the atmospheric sophistication of many of the bands leading the charge, taking their own, more direct route, to hell.
-Benjamin

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METALBITE'S TOP 10 ALBUMS OF THE MONTH

 

10: Kardashev - Alunea
Metal Blade Records

Named after the Russian astrophysicist Nikolai Kardashev (which is famous for the Kardashev scale that defines type I, II and III civilizations), they mix soft atmospheres and melodies with the brutality of deathcore, creating a sound truly out of this world, that many call "deathgaze". Their music is all about layers, Mark Garrett's soft and vulnerable clean vocals layered with his powerful death growls, banshee shrieks and super varied instrumentation, going from crushing deathcore to lush and soothing post-metal. Coupled with a pristine production enabling these rich layers of sound to be perfectly audible, making you discover something new with each new listen. Kardashev creates such unique and powerful music, demonstrating yet again that they have carved and are sitting on top of their own niche subgenre.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.2/10

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9: Warfield - With The Old Breed
Napalm Records

German thrash that focuses its themes on what worship the old breed of teutonic legends that came before them but still bring in a ton of youthful energy? Yes please! The first thing that you'll notice is Johannes Clemens' vocals, piercing shrieks that explodes with a raw and savage energy, coupled with the occasional gang vocals, it will pump you up to thrash alone in your apartment! Musically as relentless as the vocals, it does not slow down, with a barrage of riffs, technical solos and a drummer that must be on speed! They do sometimes take their time, like on the 7 minutes "GASP (Gather At Suffering's Peak)" which is a song that describes a mustard gas attack (get it, gasp) and where they brilliantly take their time to establish a sinister atmosphere. The album ends with the song "With The Old Breed", which begins with a small, super-fast drum solo and then never takes their foot off the pedal. All in all, this is a superb sounding, old school teutonic thrash album, I honestly have no notes, it's thrash the way it's supposed to be, fast, aggressive and with virtuoso musicians.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.3/10

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8: Tomarum - Beyond Obsidian Euphoria
Prosthetic Records

After releasing one of the most bombastic, emotionally resonant, and ambitious offerings of 2022 with Ash In Realms Of Stone Icons, Tomarum had made their mark in the greater pantheon of modern extreme metal - but after an album like that, where do you go next?

After 3 years of deliberation, we finally have our answer. No longer is this band a spunky up-and-comer - they're here to prove they have the artistry and vision to comfortably hang among the big dogs. Touring with Inferi appears to have boosted their proclivity for acrobatic guitar lines - the opening of "Shed This Erroneous Skin" and many of the verses in "In Search Of The Triumph Beyond" have a tech-melodeath flavour in their acrobatics. There's still an undercurrent of modern black metal that permeates this, but it's been reduced in favour of more bombastic prog and ethereal diversions. They've taken significant steps to create a distinct, unique, but no less Tomarum-y album with Beyond Obsidian Euphoria. This could also be the byproduct of adding more cooks in the kitchen - Ash In Realms was mostly Kyle Walburn and Brandon Iacovella's work filled out with session musicians, whereas this album features second guitarist Matt Longerbeam and drummer Chris Stropoli, both of whom have dedicated their blood and sweat to this band on tour. You get less of a "uber-talented fanboy" vibe and more of a "seasoned veteran band" feeling.

All of that being said - is this a better album than its predecessor? Do I want to listen to it more? That's what really matters…and as of right now, I would say based on sheer surface appeal, I prefer Ash In Realms Of Stone Icons just a tad. That album had a way of forcing you to listen to 10-minute behemoth songs repeatedly like they were pop hits. However, it's worth noting that this is not the kind of music that you can make a thorough assessment on immediately. Beyond Obsidian Euphoria is a monster, 69-minute album that covers a ton of ground, and it's a more detailed, mature and multi-faceted piece of music - so it's entirely possible that time will have me gravitating to this album more. Whatever your assessment of one compared to the other, this album is a mandatory listen for fans of Warforged, Enslaved, Fallujah, Ne Obliviscaris and Inferi.
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 8.3/10

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7: The Riven - Visions Of Tomorrow
Dying Victims Productions

Pure melody and catchiness is the name of the game on Visions Of Tomorrow the latest album of rock heroes, The Riven, with pure rock'n'roll anthems that are scientifically designed to immediately take over your brain and stay there for a while. Totta Ekebergh's vocal performance is awe-inspiring, reminding me of the Canadian legend Geddy Lee but with even more range and a catchy quality that serves the abundance of infectious and at times, down right emotional chorus. Arnau Diaz and Joakim Sandegård dueling guitars are constantly harmonizing and offering us solos after solos of the highest technicality and musicality. Max Ternebring (bass) and Elias Jonsson (drums) provide the rhythmic backbone of the sound and do a particularly good job of setting a certain atmosphere when the band slows down and give us these short, more psychedelic breaks. Paired with an impeccable old school and organic production, this album will be on repeat in my home for a long time!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.4/10

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6: Pagan Altar - Never Quite Dead
Dying Victims Productions

Terry Jones's tragic passing in 2015 made many believe Pagan Altar would never get back up yet, here we are, proving the Altar is indeed not quite dead. First off, Brendan Radigan operates in a similar register, a kind of nasally, high pitch singing that is not only an attempted copy but brings something new. All of that being said, it is still undoubtably Pagan Altar, Alan Jones's guitar is still a huge part of the sound, his doomy and full of hooks riffs are still dominating the sound and trust me, you get a lot for your money on Never Quite Dead. "Saints And Sinners" begins on a strong note with a hell of a catchy riff and vocal chorus, proving on the get go Brendan was a superb choice to continue Pagan Altar's journey. Madame M'Rachel's Grave brings an infectious old school riff that will bury itself in your brain for days. Also, incredible drumming by Andy Green on this one in particular. The slow-paced riffs of "The Dead's Last March" bring delicious gloomy vibes to the song and is followed by a beautiful folky acoustic guitar interlude that transitions to "Kismet", the epic 9 minutes closer with a satisfying build up and impeccable solo. So, it's safe to say Pagan Altar are not dead and made a notable comeback. It is always a pleasure to see veterans thrive like this, late in their career, take a tragedy in their lives and make what they do best, creating art and sharing it with the world.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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5: Diabolizer - Murderous Revelations
Dark Descent / Me Saco Un Ojo

Mustafa Gürcalioğlu is a RIFF KING. I don't know how many more albums he has to release until you get the point, but love him or love him, between his half a dozen bands he maintains a steady output of about one blood-pumping masterpiece per year.

Diabolizer is perhaps the most straightforward and modern of his projects, and Murderous Revelations trims a bit of the midpaced groove work for a visceral, straight-for-the-throat attack, while still keeping enough dynamic variety to ensure it doesn't become a faceless blur. The magic of Mustafa is that a song starts up and you immediately know it's him, but where exactly he'll take you on his riff rollercoaster is a mystery that slowly unfolds, remaining a thrilling experience throughout. Where Engulfed opts for a bit more Swedeath-y melody, Hyperdontia takes the old-school route, and Decaying Purity (RIP) aims for maximum brutality, Diabolizer is…the most Mustafa-ish Mustafa project. Catchy without a reliance on melody, an unbelievably thick guitar tone that somehow makes room for the other instruments to shine as needed, and an unrelenting approach that simultaneously never allows you to get bored. Murderous Revelations has everything that makes this Turkish wonder one of my favorite modern metal guitarists.
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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4: Fractal Universe - The Great Filters
Napalm Records

This is…way too catchy for a prog-death album. There's a certain nasally quality to the vocalist but it helps to really staple the choruses into your brain, the hint of technicality provides the contrast that makes the more restrained moments hit harder. This is the first time I've fully dove into a Fractal Universe album - there's no reason why I avoided them for this long, I like Rivers of Nihil, Alluvial and Obscura as much as the next guy, and I hear a lot of that same strain of prog here. For a tech-head that occasionally wants something a little more relaxing where you don't have to think too much while it's on, this is perfect. I found myself reaching for this album on quick car trips more than anything else the past month, and now I just keep coming back to it because I can't get the choruses out of my head. This is as close to prog death is going to get to having pop hooks and I am HERE for it.

The lyrics and concept behind this album are great as well (something I rarely say), and it adds an extra memorable touch to the earworm sections.
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 8.6/10

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3: Ancient Death - Ego Dissolution
Profound Lore Records

Right at the beginning you can tell this album is going to be special, it sounds super old school but then the groove hits and already it sounds modern. Continuing the modern vibe is the bright sounding guitars of the technical solo and then everything slows down a bit and becomes quieter bringing a tranquil almost warm atmosphere before punching you in the face with a blast beat, turning the death metal back on 11. "Breathe - Transcend (Into the Glowing Streams of Forever)" is a song that takes its time to establish a thick gloomy atmosphere even adding the delicate clean singing of Jasmine Alexander. Cleans in death metal, especially OSDM, is an interesting choice but here it adds a lot of character. She once again uses her delicate cleans on "Echoing Chambers Within The Dismal Mind", contrasting beautifully with her truly savage growls. Other notable mentions is the rhythm section, tasty drum fills and groovy bass lines are everywhere, for a first album, this is quite the achievement. Creating death metal that sounds truly unique, mixing atmospheres and touches of melody in an otherwise raw package.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.8/10

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2: Allegaeon - The Ossuary Lens
Metal Blade Records

Allegaeon has constantly been one of my favorite bands since their 2010 debut Fragments Of Form And Function. Their signature blend of technical melodic death metal always hit the bullseye of my musical taste. In 2015, when Ezra Haynes decided to call it quits with the band, I was sad to see him go but the band quickly announced Riley McShane would take vocal duty and for the next three albums, Allegaeon continued evolving, adding more and more progressive elements in their overall sound, Riley adding more varied vocals to their sound, I really loved his cleans, it added a new melodic dimension to the music. So, in 2022, when he announced he was stepping down after the masterpiece that was Damnum, I was again really sad but then they announced Ezra Haynes was coming back and I was super intrigued, would they go back to the sound they had for their first three album or continue on their newest expansion of sounds and influences? The album begins with a short classical guitar introduction that quickly transitions to a classic Allegaeon banger, full of melodic hooks and technical solos. "Driftwood" begins with their traditional technical guitar wizardry and then, the glorious chorus hits, with Ezra's powerful and extremely catchy cleans, showing us that they are still embracing their newer sound. The rest of the album is classic Allegaeon bangers after bangers that shows that Ezra continued evolving as a vocalist and musically, they still give us little bonuses like classical guitars sprinkled in two other songs and the triumphant "Wake Circling Above", a song that begins with a notably slower tempo and features a clean vocal chorus sung by Michael Stancel, who's been playing guitars in the band since 2014 and holy hell, we need to continue hearing him sing, what a voice! I'm not sure I like it as much as Damnum, the Opeth influences are much less present but still, I would put it pretty high in their already pretty flawless discography.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 9/10

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1: Messa - The Spin
Metal Blade Records

I'm at a loss for words to accurately describe the rich musical and emotional experience that is The Spin by Italian psych doom band Messa. Starting with retro synths accelerating, with Sara's siren voice soon taking center stage, "Void Meridian" begins this album showcasing the band's ability to blend sounds and textures ranging from post-punk to bluesy doom with a chorus that gives me chills every time. The low rumble of a heavy doom riff is contrasted by the pure light that is Sara's angelic voice. Makes me feel things inside! Carrying on, "Fire On The Roof" reveals the pure musical genius of the band, using a buildup structure, it takes its time to establish a smooth atmosphere before a big musical release in the form of a catchy riff paired with the grandiose voice of Sara singing: fireeeeee ooon theeee roooooof in both an emotional and just incredibly catchy way. Speaking of emotions, "Immolation" begins with Sara softly signing with a piano culminating with an impressive guitar solo. "The Dress" uses a similar build up structure taking its time to establish that smooth atmosphere before releasing that tension with a heavy riff and that divine voice, I swear the notes this woman can reach will pierce your soul and touch your heart. Speaking of smooth atmospheres, they throw in a complete jazz break, with trumpets courtesy of Michele Tedesco, giving so much personality to the song before, yet again, a full release of tension with the final riff and guitar solo. "Thicker Blood" ends the album on the highest note possible, the longest song on the album, clocking in at 8 minutes and 45 seconds, it takes its time to slowly build up alternating slow and heavy doom riffs with minimalistic sections of Sara's voice and slowly becoming faster, even throwing in fast double kick drums in short bursts. Then, the final section begins, a mid-paced, repeating riff with such a mesmerizing groove. After a few minutes, out of nowhere, Sara lets out a few black metal screams before the music becomes slower and slower and comes to a complete halt thus ending this masterpiece. It's difficult to truly explain when an album just has "it", Messa has always been special, thinking outside the box and incorporating all sorts of influences but on The Spin, they refined their sound, making the album shorter, incorporating a good dose of gothic rock, making it more "accessible" and making each song on the album single worthy while still being a cohesive package, flowing seamlessly. Another noteworthy thing would be the massive boost in production, having signed to Metal Blade Records, they got a well-deserved boost in financial means and it shows. Although it's kind of early to be speaking of the AOTY contender, I know for a fact Messa is going to finish high on the list.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 9.8/10

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Thanks as always for stopping by. In case you missed it, check out our previous lists from this year so far:

March 2025
February 2025
January 2025

And, of course, Follow MetalBite on Facebook, Spotify and Instagram so you can be there right when the next Top 10 list drops!

Entered: 6/9/2025 9:11:59 AM

Previous Post Digging Through Past	Next Post The Vocal Realm Of Metal Has A New Emperor: Mikael Salo, The Human Symphony of Modern Metal

Welcome back to MetalBite's Top 10 Albums of the Month! We're a little late on the draw for this one, sorry to keep all you eager readers waiting. We'll be back more swiftly with April's list.

No time for a long preamble, let's dive right in.

-Nate

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Aversed - Erasure Of Color
M-Theory Audio

It can be tough to dial in the right mix of elements with a progressive/melodic death album - especially when Arch Enemy, The Agonist and At the Gates are listed as comparables on metal-archives. That shows some of the faults of the "similar artists" tab - this doesn't really have a lot of pop melodeath or metalcore tendencies, but it's also got a bit more modernity to its flavour than, say, Dawn of Ouroboros, who arrive at a similar endpoint with different building blocks. There's a lot of contrasting elements in this, and at times it feels like Erasure Of Color struggles to form a cohesive thread between them - but it's saved by the strength of the individual performances. Sarah Hartman's vocals (both clean and harsh) are excellent, with a certain tonal ferality to her mid-rasp and a resonant richness to her clean singing. The guitarwork and soloing is well-rounded and professional, and the drums of Jeff Saltzman (Allegaeon, Unflesh, Continuum) are top-notch and on par with some of the bigger names in the tech game right now. It's an amorphous album that isn't totally sure what it wants to be, but it'll keep you listening the whole time as you try to figure it out.
-Nate

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Pestifere - There Was Never Light
Ordovician Records

I don't think I've ever seen anyone hype up this Minnesotan black metal act - I can't even remember how I discovered them, but their previous album Hope Misery Death is packed full of awesome riffs once you get past the thin production job, and I've returned to it periodically over the years. This new album, which comes out nine long years after that one, was a pleasant surprise as I was perusing new releases in March.

They shelled out for a better mix this time around, and the riff style is still intact - lots of sharp tremolo riffs with catchy stutter grooves and a strong sense of melody. Perhaps the long wait was due to the members' other, more prominent projects taking priority - current and former members have ties to Sunless, Ritual Ascension, Aberration and Suffering Hour, so this perhaps comes with a higher quality standard than other bands of a similar caliber. There's touches of lush Americana in the acoustic sections, and the carefully crafted, smooth transitions shows that there was a reason a lot of time elapsed in between releases. If Pestifere had fallen off my radar for the past couple of years, this thrust them right back into my sights - There Was Never Light is well worth the wait.
-Nate

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Arch Enemy - Blood Dynasty
Century Media

Blood Dynasty balances aggression with melody in fine fashion. The music recalls the best of At the Gates at times, but done in a more mainstream fashion. This is one of the more accessible melodic death metal bands and they go to great lengths to make their songs as appealing as possible. "Paper Tiger" is particularly catchy and will have you singing along. This doesn't really push the genre forward in any way, but it's not like fans of the band were expecting that - it's a solid entry in a lengthy discography.
-Adam

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Everlore - Hope And Turmoil
Independent

A power metal band from Finland subverting all expectations? Indeed, far from being the umpteenth Stratovarius/Sonata Arctica knockoff to come out of Scandinavia, Everlore's sophomore Hope And Turmoil is possibly as diverse as an album from the genre can be. The listener can hear influences ranging from Blind Guardian to thrashier acts like Running Wild and even Persuader, with virtuoso lead guitar playing going hand in hand with the explosive drumming to truly give it that extra oomph. The 57-minute playing time can turn out to be a bit too much to stomach in one sitting, and I can't say I'm totally fond of the unimpressive vocals, but anyone who has even a passing interest in power metal is guaranteed to find at least something to like. At the very least, 'Kingdom Of One' and 'Inferno' are warmly recommended to anyone curious to check out the band.
-Greg

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Cryptosis - Celestial Death
Century Media Records

After a symphonic and atmospheric instrumental intro, "Faceless Matter" offers a technically dizzying performance, especially on the drumming side. For those who listened to their 2023 EP, The Silent Call, they already showed they were expanding their sound to venture into more extreme territories and already on this song, the riffs have a much colder feel. "The Silent Call" (Version 2024) is a rerecording of the EP's title track and after a few seconds of blackened chords with an atmospheric melody in the back, they hit you with an assault of blast beats. Ascending cranks up the technicality as well as the melody with a modern, Emperor sounding backtracks. The thrash metal is still there, but takes more of a backseat, letting the blackened influences fully take its place and adding a good dose of extremity. It's a big change but I think they succeeded in applying this stylistic turn seamlessly, taking their mechanical sci-fi world to the next logical level, exploring the cold and empty expanses of space.
-Raphael

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Disarmonia Mundi - The Dormant Stranger
Coroner Records

This is not something I was expecting to add to this list considering I gave this new album a whim purely out of nostalgia. Melodeath was a key part of my musical development in my early teens as I graduated from my "gateway bands" such as Alexisonfire, Underoath, Killswitch Engage and As I Lay Dying in the mid-to-late-00s and started to explore the wider world of metal. Scar Symmetry was a favorite from back then, Into Eternity, Soiilwork and In Flames were in heavy rotation. Disarmonia Mundi, in particular the Fragments Of D-Generation album, was a part of this transitory period in my life, but it's been at least over a decade since I gave them a proper listen - so when I saw they had a new album out I figured why the hell not give it a go.

But here's the thing…this actually slaps? It's as close as you can get to pop music within the realm of metal, but within that paradigm it's incredibly well done. Sure, it's got your stock verse/chorus x2, bridge, final chorus format, but the verse riffs are groovy and get the blood pumping, the choruses hook onto your brain like leeches, and the production on this is immaculate - thick, well-rounded and polished to perfection in a genre where it's okay to have such a glossy, modern sound. I did not expect to be this riveted by a modern pop melodeath album, but this was a pleasant surprise on all fronts. I really hope that artwork isn't AI generated (you never really know these days), but mediocre aesthetic aside, this is absolutely worth a listen even if the genre isn't normally your thing.
-Nate

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Trold - I Skovens Rige
Mighty Music

As you press play you step in a magical forest, along with the sounds of a stream of water and birds chirping, you get velkommen to a fun adventure with five Dannish trolls that will be your drinking buddies for the next 47 minutes of riffs, Nordic folk and infectious melodies. Trold do not reinvent the wheel, they perfected it, playing folk metal better than anyone in the world, let me tell you! (Sorry, I am writing this on April third, I have a certain orange psycho on my mind) So buckle up, open a cold beer and dive into a mysterious forest full of trolls, folk melodies and tight extreme metal.
-Raphael

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Dessiderium - Keys To The Palace
Willowtip Records

There's a small sub-sectrion of technical death metal that is very…joyous. Uplifting. I feel like we need a new name for it - "technical life metal" perhaps? This certainly doesn't make me dwell on the futility of my existence, nor pulverize my ears into oblivion. This is downright happy. This makes me want to walk in nature on a bright summer day, read a fantasy novel, and review my weekly goals.

This is by no means a bad thing - just don't expect to get what you usually do out of this style of music. Even Ophidian I, who have a similar level of upbeat melodiousness, are much more frenetic and zippy than Keys To The Palace. This covers a wide range of themes in a very storybook-like fashion - "A Dream That Wants Me Dead" is a gradual, deliberate ballad, the soulful clean singing is about as frequent as the harsh vocals, and there's endless layers of synth work and a wide array of guitar techniques all arranged by mastermind Alex Haddad (Arkaik, Atheist and a handful of others). This is very multifaceted for a solo project, and it'll take you on a gorgeous, enlightening journey. It's definitely the type of album that's going to appeal to prog fans as opposed to the brutal death enthusiasts, but hey, even extremophiles need a break every now and then.
-Nate

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Ade - Supplicium
Time To Kill Records

Someone should introduce Rome's death metal band Ade to Elon Musk, since he seems like a big fan of the roman empire and their "salute". Joking aside, Ade offers us a refreshing take on classic death metal from the underworld, infusing it with traditional Greek music (because just like their mythology, it wouldn't be a proper empire without them taking other people's shit). Anyhow, the fusion of brutal riffs, blast beats, super low growled vocals and various traditional lyres, aerophones and percussions, adding an extra layer of sounds, gives the album an impeccable epic atmosphere. Comparisons to Nile are inevitable and while totally apt, the themes and sounds are different enough to make it a completely unique listening experience.
-Raphael

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Lady Beast - The Inner Alchemist
Dying Victims Productions

Prepare to enter a magical and mysterious world, filled with melodies, heavy riffs and a commanding vocal performance courtesy of Deborah Levine's powerful mastery of her vocal cords. During these lean 36 minutes of pure heavy metal, you will headbang hard to the heavy riffs, tap your fingers along with the shredding solos and sing your heart out with Deborah. And has usual, impeccable sounding production from Dying Victims!
-Raphael

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Symbiotic Growth - Beyond The Sleepless Aether
Independent

Sudbury is a small town towards the north end of Ontario with a harsh climate - perfect qualities for an extreme metal incubator. There aren't a ton of bands that come out of this area, but the ones that do - Finnr's Cane, Beyond Within, Fractal Generator - are worth a listen. Symbiotic Growth is a healthy addition to this list, featuring Dan Favot of Fractal Generator on drums for an extra bit of quality assurance. Where Fractal creates an alien, cold and unfeeling atmosphere, this project feels warm and earthy, like the first signs of plant life peeking through the cracks of a post-apocalyptic world. The proggy take on black metal brings newer Enslaved to mind, particularly in the clean vocals, and there's a hint of more restrained Beyond Creation motifs in some of the guitar lines. Even with the occasional parallels to tech-death, Beyond The Sleepless Aether is an album that prioritizes songcraft over showmanship, with a lot of radiant, uplifting crescendos that create a powerful aura and a strong sense of satisfaction when the songs near completion. This album is over an hour, but it's time well spent, striking the balance between having long-form songwriting with enough garnishes sprinkled about to keep your attention.
-Nate

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Cradle Of Filth - The Screaming Of The Valkyries
Napalm Records

When Valkyries appear, it usually isn't the best sign. In line with these dark days Cradle Of Filth have chosen this title for their 16th (!) regular studio album. Although there isn't anything groundbreaking, the songs are really well composed. Highly melodic, paired with Dani's rapid-fire vocals and the typical Cradle Of Filth guitars and keyboards- it's vastly superior to their 00s material. They have been in a groove since Hammer Of The Witches which seemed to be a turning point in their discography. With "Non Omnis Moriar" they have a black metal semi-ballad on board, and the female vocals complement that song in a very emotional way. The Screaming Of The Valkyries isn't the best album in their career but it's a strong addition to their lengthy back catalogue.
-Michael

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METALBITE'S TOP 10 ALBUMS OF THE MONTH

 

10: Hexecutor - …Where Spirits Withers In Its Flesh Constraint
Dying Victims Productions

Wow, what a tricky title for such a tricky album. Compared to its predecessor Beyond Any Human Conception Of Its Knowledge… this is much bulkier and more difficult to explore. The trademarks that made the last album are still there, but more progressive and with a lot more technical finesse. The vocals arestill high-pitched and aggressive like a barking terrier, reminiscent of black thrash. But all the other stuff happening around that – the melodies, the guitar solos, the drumming – is much more traditional thrash metal than before. The overwhelming density makes it a bit of a grower but once you get into it, you won't be disappointed.
-Michael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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9: Nite - Cult Of The Serpent Sun
Season Of Mist

Let's have a fun Nite out (sorry) and party with the deliciously blackened heavy metal of Nite's new album Cult Of The Serpent Sun, filed with infectious grooves, melodic leads as far as the ear can hear and a perfect blackened atmosphere, brilliantly helmed by a ferocious vocal performance, adding just the right amount of extremity! Every song is a hit and has something unique to offer, making these 37 minutes pass so quickly you'll hit replay immediately!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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8: Shrine Of Denial - I, Moloch
Transcending Obscurity

Turkey has an underrated metal scene. Whether it's deathcore (Devoured Elysium), brutal death (Molested Divinity), Transcending Obscurity label-mates (Serpent Of Old), or just one of Mustafa Gürcalioğlu's eight jillion bands (Diabolizer, Engulfed, Hyperdontia), there's something in the water that gives the riffs that come out of there a very distinct flavor. Shrine Of Denial has all of those characteristics - there's a blackened edge that adds melody while being no less menacing, a level of intricacy to the riffs that never crosses the bridge into modern tech, but still requires an adept guitarist to execute, and a rich, meaty production with some lingering bite that drives every riff into your brain. The drummer is excellent, capable of playing at blazing speeds while retaining a solid groove, and the strained, ragged shouts are just the icing on an already delicious cake. There are some seasoned veterans playing on this, which makes sense - this is way too good to be a debut. And yet, it is!
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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7: Scalpture - Landkrieg
Testimony Records

Sadly, war being a constant in human history, it is always a relevant subject matter and what better genre than metal to convey these horrors beyond comprehension. The backbone of Landkrieg is a classic, Boss HM-2 enthusiast, death metal but with so many twists and turns that it sounds 100% new and unique. Throughout the heavy and often groovy riffs, melody often peaks out, making things really dynamic. Though, it is by no means a melodic death record, it is pure osdm, they only use melody and atmosphere sparingly making for a unique experience. Add to this the wonderful lyrics about Germany's 30 years' war (1618 – 1648) and you have a compelling narrative accompanied by incredible death metal plus it's not a mindless war worship, "Cannot the conflict end now?, With a Protestant defeat, A Catholic victory, And the Danish king's retreat, With a realm in ruins, In debts, in misery?, Yet this game became, A winning industry, Thus, conflict must proceed, And proceed" As their bandcamp page beautifully say "Although the Germans have chosen war as their main subject, Scalpture embrace modern values such as tolerance, peace, and reason." And to top all of this, the cover art is one of the best I've seen in a while!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.6/10

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6: Dawn Of Ouroboros - Bioluminescence
Prosthetic Records

From the first second of Bioluminescence, you are hit with a full blackened fury and after 30 seconds of pummeling, it abruptly becomes soft, with Chelsea Murphy's delicate voice enveloping you in a warm atmosphere. But just as you start to feel safe, she hits you with brutal growled vocals, straight from the underworld. For the next 48 minutes, Dawn Of Ouroboros takes us on a roller coaster of progressive technicality and songwriting, sheer black and death metal brutality and warm post-black atmospheres. Switching effortlessly between softness and pure brutality, Chelsea can summon the deepest guttural death growls, switch to a blackened screaming banshee and then hits you with soft jazz to soothe your ears. If you like extreme metal to be progressive, brutal and yet, who can also be soft and overflowing with warm atmospheres, Dawn Of Ouroboros is the band you need.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.7/10

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5: Teitanblood - From The Visceral Abyss
Norma Evangeluim Diaboli

One of those bands that always seems to find a way to place themselves on the cutting edge of extremity. Though they've opted for a cleaner production sound this time around, they have not sacrificed any amount of viciousness - if anything, it only sharpens the edge they use to carve up your skull. Even as Teitanblood refines, expands and broadens their approach, they maintain their status as one of the most thrilling and wild band you can experience in the bestial war metal realm - there aren't many other bands that can consistently create that boundless giddy feeling you have when you're first getting into extreme metal and feel like there's a whole new world at your fingertips. Picking apart the pieces of the cacophony spoils the surprise - if you've never heard this band, all I need to tell you is that they're the soundtrack to spiraling downward through all seven layers of hell. Are you brave enough to take the plunge?
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 8.7/10

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4: Warbringer - Wrath And Ruin
Napalm Records

Germany gave us teutonic thrash metal, putting the US in its place, being the clearly superior form of thrash! (I know, I know, Slayer exists) But in the mid 2000's, the US hit back with bands like Havok and today's subject, Warbringer. Wrath And Ruin continues their domination with flawless sounding, aggressive and technical thrash and John Kevill's equally powerful pen. First of all, one of the many ways this album shines is brutally honest lyrics, showing a perfect awareness of our dystopian time: "I don't think a change is something I'll live to see, I'm far more realistic, no longer I dreamI swallow my drugs to silence a scream, I keep myself sedated, no longer do I dream, of another world". I understand being pessimistic about the future, we all cope like we can but I will always believe a better world is possible, Warbringer certainly makes it better! The best way of dealing with this enormous feeling of doom is to organize in your community and what better community than all of the metalheads around the world! Back to Warbringer, Kevill also expresses the mental burden of being an American, clearly aware of what his nation does on the daily: "It's just how it is, Don't think about why, Another day goes by, a strike from the sky, The orders are made, The jets soar on high, Someone becomes a crater, On Earth's other side". Musically we get powerful, varied and often fast paced thrash. Filled with classic heavy thrash breakdowns, heavy riffs, crazy solos and a classic, "Angel Of Death", high pitch long scream on "Strike From The Sky"! One or the other notable high moments on the album is the epic "Cage Of Air". Soft classic guitar notes begin slowly and culminate in a fast, almost blackened, drum crescendo that leads to a fast paced and heavy thrash riff. It almost feels claustrophobic and you get a feeling of urgency in the music, it pairs perfectly with the lyrical content: "One second, one minute, one year, The future disappears, My value extracted, my blood is spent, I'm free to choose how I cough up the rent, I see no walls around me, But the bars are always there, Surrounding me, I'm trapped, I'm trapped, Inside a cage of air". This perfectly depicts the living situation of almost everybody, trapped in work and bills, seemingly free, but in the end, not really. Capitalism truly has a way of enslaving people, in ways not immediately apparent. Also, I love the cover art, as a big In Flames fan, it reminds me of the classic album "The Jester Race"!
-Raphael

2025 sees Warbringer finally, finally cement themselves as one of modern thrash's all-time best bands. Wrath And Ruin, the quintet's 7th full-length, is the culmination of everything they've done so far in a compact, yet deflagrating package. The last two albums were already their most diverse collections of songs to date – even if I'm likely the only one not truly impressed by Weapons Of Tomorrow – but this is easily their most mature, taking the best of both worlds and showing once again how far they've come in these two decades. Add John Kevill's most ferocious performance so far, and the obvious talents of the whole lineup, and you get the picture. 'A Better World' is a song for the ages, with its disillusioned message striking a chord as well, while 'Through A Glass, Darkly' and 'The Last Of My Kind' offer all the melodic detours you need without attempting another half-ballad, but song here ultimately ends up below excellence. A milestone in their career.
-Greg

MetalBite's Rating: 8.8/10

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3: Drudkh - Shadow Play
Season Of Mist Underground Activists

Once again, Drudkh tells us a sad story from their war-ridden home-country Ukraine. And just like on the 2022 album All Belong To The Night Roman Saenko has created some very unique and emotional music. Kicking off with a long acoustic intro, a furious thunderstorm breaks out with the first proper song ("April"). This is some really melodic but harsh black metal where you can hear both – the hatred but also the fragility – in the music. The use of an acoustic guitar gives that song a very emotional touch, and the other four tracks are similarly composed. A lot of keyboards are used to create a warm and pensive atmosphere and just when you get comfortable, black metal outbursts transform the song. Nothing is safe, nothing is reliable and like Fox Mulder once said: "trust no one"
-Michael

MetalBite's Rating: 9/10

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2: Imperial Triumphant - Goldstar
Century Media Records

I have to admit, I never got into Imperial Triumphant dissonant brand of black and death, maybe because their last three albums were almost an hour long and it was more than I could digest, or the masks were too gimmicky, either way, after listening to Goldstar I almost feel bad for having shunned this truly unique and amazing band all of these years. One of the major reasons this was the album that made me like them, I think, is the fact that it's their most "accessible" album to date. I put accessible in quotes because it is still very much a jazz infused avant garde black death metal album. What makes it accessible is that it is now an efficient 39 minutes and has plenty of little moments where melody peeks out of this dissonant whirlwind of highly controlled technical chaos. The bass is funky and groovy, the drums sound crisp, precise and extremely technical, the riffs are always super dissonant going from heavy and rhythmic chugs, to blackened, atmospheric tremolo pickings. New York is everywhere around this album, from the distant police sirens, the old New York jazz (the drum solos from none other than Dave Lombardo and Tomas Haake is mind-blowing), to the lyrics (the song Lexington Delirium is literally about the Chrysler building: "What brings posterity?, Throne of Bolts!, Ziggurats flooding the, Throne of Bolts!, Blessings upon thee, Throne of Bolts!, Inside the womb of, Ferrissian void"). I don't know who writes the lyrics but he sure does have a way with the pen! Just beautifully constructed phrases with a lot of social commentary. The aptly titled "Industry Of Misery" for example: "At the banks, Thou shall kneel!, Of the river, Thy soul be filled, Third world!, Now beg for it, I love you, Servitude, Debt be the gatekeeper", referencing the unequal exchange that has decimated the global South, truly profound stuff! I just can't get over how good Goldstar is, from the short 47 seconds grindcore blast of "NEWYORKCITY", featuring the howling screams of Yoshiko Ohara to the roaring 20s gramophone short interlude, that acts like a small pause before an increasingly fast drum crescendo leads to groovy, dissonant and heavy chugs, everything works to make this masterpiece so unique and memorable!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 9/10

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1: Deafheaven - Lonely People With Power
Roadrunner Records

Deafheaven's previous record was their "Shelter", all Alcest fans will understand, it was mainly a dream pop infused post rock album with a few rare moments of George Clarke's howling screams, hinting that the black part of their particular blackgaze style is still there, somewhere. Fast-forward to the present and Deafheaven are back with Lonely People with Power and after a quick, a bit unsettling intro, setting a certain vibe, Doberman begins and right there, Deafheaven makes a statement, we are back! Starting as a classic mid-tempo blackgaze emotional section, it's not long George Clarke starts to scream and the music gets more intense. Full intensity blackened blast beats that show Daniel Tracy's immense talent on the kit. For an hour and 2 minutes, Deafheaven takes you through their entire career, even their colder, more atmospheric black metal sound. Some of the tracks on here are straight headbangers, tracks like "Magnolia" and "Revelator" are some of the heaviest Deafheaven have sounded, period. But fear not, the warm melodies and atmospheres of shoegaze is everywhere on the album, with all of the emotional post rock buildups you can wish for. Musically and lyrically, this album is filled with a deep sense of vulnerability, sadness and questioning. Why me? Why all of this suffering: "Trembling weakness is what haunts us now,, Inside the windows, What once made us proud, I owned everything thought to be suicidal mania, I was everything taught to me, Drinking deeply, The truth of my grief, But what else could be?". Pain is such a deep well of inspiration, combined with beautiful melodies and impressive instrumental performance (Chris Johnson's bass complements the drums, for a dynamic rhythm section) and when George Clarke screams words like: "Drinking silver from a dim spring of, mercury, On the outskirts of a desert, The lifeless slither, Still we seek thirsting and wandering" it merges the raw emotions of the words with the equally emotive, warm melodies of the guitars. So, Lonely People With Power is a testament of Deafheaven's supremacy of the blackgaze subgenre, after fifteen years, they're still one of the best at it. When the album finishes, you feel a sense of catharsis, like right after a good cry. I can already tell it will be on my end of the year list!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 9.2/10

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Thanks as always for stopping by. In case you missed it, check out February 2025 and January 2025's top 10 list while it's still manageable and you don't fall too far behind.

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Entered: 5/4/2025 9:54:39 AM

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