The current single from The Zenith Passage, ‘Fleshbound Reliquary’, isn’t big on accessible melodies, but approached from a purely technical perspective, it’s hard to beat. From the outset, the track comes with absolutely brutal rhythmic work, both from a pneumatic drum part and from some insanely heavy muted guitar chords which come together in such a way, they make the sharp prog metal of peak Symphony X seem half-arsed. Add a little hard edged slap bass and a deeper chug and you already have something that’s absolutely brutal before the death metal influenced vocal arrives.
Tag Archives: metal
DECIMATOR – Downfallen EP
Since their formation in 2021, Aussie thrash metal band Decimator have gone through a variety of line-up changes, but this potential instability only seems to have made frontman (and only original member) Lance even more determined to make his band a success. Decimator’s 2025 release ‘Downfallen’ features material that, prior to its release, had been pitched as having “more fire and ferocity” but also “a more refined approach to songwriting”.
PALE HORSE RITUAL – Diabolical Formation
In October 2024, Pale Horse Ritual released the ‘Enchantress’ EP, a brilliant four song slab of metal that blended doom, stoner and deep psych to create something that sounded like the missing link between ‘Volume 4’ era Sabbath, the heavier moments of Monster Magnet’s best jams and Goat Ritual. It may have only been short, but for lovers of a fuzzy stoner riff, it proved to be an essential listen, and one that stoked up excitement for a follow up.
Watch: Mourning Wood share new video for ‘A Grave Vacation’
By opening with an absolutely thunderous drum part, ‘The Grave Vacation’ by Mourning Wood instantly grabs the attention. Then, with the addition of a jagged rhythm guitar, the band powers forth with a huge sound that places the best aspects of 80s metal into a slightly more contemporary arrangement that shows off their sense of force with some instantly classic riffs.
Watch: Ophelia’s Eye share a new video for ‘Severance’
In August 2025, Ophelia’s Eye made a grand statement with ‘Enter The Arena’. The track presented the ultimate in heaviness, without moving into extreme territory. The opening riffs blended top notch metalcore with a pinch of groove, which made the band sound like Lamb of God with sharper edges. The body of the track blended pneumatic rhythms with a heavy downtune, taking a metalcore sound into even heavier and darker realms, and while the vocals appeared abrasive, they were never impenetrable.