MOTHMAN & THE THUNDERBIRDS / WORLD EATERS – Split EP

In terms of heavy split releases, this shared venture between Philadelphia’s Mothman & The Thunderbirds and Ontario’s World Eaters will take some beating. Each band shares a very different kind of riff-based anger, but at the same time, their uncompromising sounds share a vision that, together, makes them a great fit. With just two songs apiece, it’s enough to make the listener aware of two underground bands that stand a chance of either thrilling or scaring the unwary. Either way, they’ve gained a reaction, so it’s all good.

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CROWN OF MADNESS – Elemental Binding EP

Canadian duo Crown of Madness released their debut EP in March 2022, and for those paying close attention to the metal underground, it introduced a band with an interesting approach to an extreme sound. Their harsh combination of old school death metal and a sheet of black metal coldness would be enough to please a lot of genre fans, but occasional nods to goth and doom lent their more brutal aspects a little balance via some strangely mournful riffs.

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THROAT LOCUST – Dragged Through Glass EP

This debut from American death metal band Throat Locust might only present three tracks, but in terms of being an effective CV, ‘Dragged Through Glass’ suggests immediate greatness. Taking elements of a classic death metal sound derived from Entombed, Bolt Thrower and Death, and fusing that with some of the heaviest groove metal touches ever, they have the subtlety of a truck, but in extreme metal terms, they could be the best band to emerge since Eaten By Sharks released their debut in a pre-pandemic 2019. Considering the release claims to be only a demo recording, that says a lot about how strong they already sound.

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Check out the current single from Carrion Vael

On August 12th, American tech/death metal band released their second album ‘Abhorrent Obsessions’, which quickly became a hit with their cult fanbase.  As part of the promotion for the album, they’ve released ‘Tithes of Forbearance’ as a digital single, along with an animated lyric video clip, which can be seen below.

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DEATHCOLLECTOR – Times Up EP

Despite changing fashions within the rock and metal community, there’s always been plenty of room for bands who like to keep things traditional. DeathCollector – a band bringing together English/Irish musicians and featuring an ex-member of Bolt Thrower – brazenly fly the flag for no nonsense trad death metal on their debut EP. There are moments where the death is peppered by other equally angry subgenres, but in the main, its three tracks bring together some massive riffs and a sense of force that calls back to many of death’s forefathers. The bulk of the material may be hugely retro, but between some impeccably played riffs and tautly wound, relentless rhythms, the band’s desire to draw heavily from the past sounds anything but stale.

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