Revocation have released a new album and it is heavy, brutal, and deathly. The new album is called New Gods, New Masters, it is absolutely enticing and begs to be played on repeat. The forty-five-minute record still carries Revocation's signature style and godsend riffs. Now I absolutely love Revocation, and this new album is another metal masterpiece and reminds me why they are so great. It is definitely the technical death metal album of the year, with the brutal vocals and aggressive, speedy, virtuoso riffs.
We have some features from Johnny Davy (JFACB), Travis Ryan (Cattle Decapitation), Luc Lemay (Gorguts) and jazz guitarist Gilad Hekselman. The album only has 9 songs, yet it already grabs you in by the first second, of the first song New Gods, New Masters and it is so well done. It has that chemistry to it, definitely a head banger, I do love the slight melodic mix into it, it ensures that no song is the same as they are all got a different vibe to it.
David Davidson is just pure talent as he gives us the best riffs and vocals along side Harry Lannin and Ash Pearsons amazing drumming, the pace is so fast and distinctive, there is melody to it rather than just noise. Dystopian Vermin are definitely my second favourite song, the bass given to us by Alex Webber is phenomenal really makes you want to dance in the pit. The vocals are slightly different to the earlier track, but it makes it a whole lot better. I love how the instrumentals are far more melodic in this and has that cyber punk vibe to it.
Now I cannot pick between Cronenberged which has the Johnny Davy feature or Data Corpse. Both heavy but Cronenberged leans more towards deathcore while Data Corpse goes more towards the progressive technical death metal. Both songs nonetheless are amazing from the sci-fi theme lyrics or the mind-blowing vocals I cannot choose what I love the most. Throughout this album Revocation have once again proved why they are so good at what they are doing, and this album has a lot of differences to what they usually do, and I am here for it. 10/10
Paradox – Mysterium (High Roller Record) [Spike]
Paradox’s ninth studio album, Mysterium, is a remarkable achievement, not only as a milestone in the band’s 44-year history, but as a testament to Charly Steinhauer’s singular vision. On this record, he takes on an almost unimaginable workload: performing all stringed instruments, programming the drums, handling vocals, and managing production. The only external touch is Patrick W. Engels’ mastering, which polishes the final result without compromising its raw power.
Musically, Mysterium is unmistakably Paradox: tight, precise thrash riffing delivered with a sense of urgency that has been honed over decades. Yet there’s also an added depth here, a weight to the compositions that comes from the personal significance imbued into each song. From the opening assault of Abyss Of Pain And Fear, inspired by Midnight Express, the listener is pulled into a world where speed, aggression, and melody collide seamlessly. Steinhauer’s guitar work and vocals drive each track with clarity and purpose, while the programmed drums which are remarkably lifelike, push the momentum forward without ever feeling mechanical.
Tracks like Grief, a tribute to late co-founder Axel Blaha, showcase a more reflective side of the album. As an instrumental, it balances melancholy with subtle power, creating space for the listener to absorb its emotional resonance. Meanwhile, the title track, Mysterium, explores dream interpretation with a combination of fluid riffing, melodic hooks, and rhythmic tension that keeps the thrash energy high while giving the music room to breathe.
The album’s lyrical themes, penned by Achim “Dax” Hömerlein, weave a tapestry of mystical stories and impactful world events. Steinhauer’s personal connection to these narratives elevates the music beyond technical proficiency, infusing it with a lived-in authenticity that makes even the heaviest passages feel grounded and deliberate. Songs like Abyss Of Pain And Fear and the instrumental Grief reveal a band comfortable blending aggression with subtlety, showing that thrash can carry both emotional depth and relentless energy.
Mysterium stands out in Paradox’s discography not just for the achievement of its creation, but for how it balances personal storytelling with unyielding thrash metal precision. It’s a record that moves effortlessly between blistering speed, intricate riffing, and moments of introspection, all while maintaining a coherent thematic thread that ties the album together. Ambitious, personal, and meticulously crafted, Mysterium confirms Paradox as thrash metal veterans still capable of surprise, depth, and intensity after more than four decades. 9/10
Musically, Mysterium is unmistakably Paradox: tight, precise thrash riffing delivered with a sense of urgency that has been honed over decades. Yet there’s also an added depth here, a weight to the compositions that comes from the personal significance imbued into each song. From the opening assault of Abyss Of Pain And Fear, inspired by Midnight Express, the listener is pulled into a world where speed, aggression, and melody collide seamlessly. Steinhauer’s guitar work and vocals drive each track with clarity and purpose, while the programmed drums which are remarkably lifelike, push the momentum forward without ever feeling mechanical.
Tracks like Grief, a tribute to late co-founder Axel Blaha, showcase a more reflective side of the album. As an instrumental, it balances melancholy with subtle power, creating space for the listener to absorb its emotional resonance. Meanwhile, the title track, Mysterium, explores dream interpretation with a combination of fluid riffing, melodic hooks, and rhythmic tension that keeps the thrash energy high while giving the music room to breathe.
The album’s lyrical themes, penned by Achim “Dax” Hömerlein, weave a tapestry of mystical stories and impactful world events. Steinhauer’s personal connection to these narratives elevates the music beyond technical proficiency, infusing it with a lived-in authenticity that makes even the heaviest passages feel grounded and deliberate. Songs like Abyss Of Pain And Fear and the instrumental Grief reveal a band comfortable blending aggression with subtlety, showing that thrash can carry both emotional depth and relentless energy.
Mysterium stands out in Paradox’s discography not just for the achievement of its creation, but for how it balances personal storytelling with unyielding thrash metal precision. It’s a record that moves effortlessly between blistering speed, intricate riffing, and moments of introspection, all while maintaining a coherent thematic thread that ties the album together. Ambitious, personal, and meticulously crafted, Mysterium confirms Paradox as thrash metal veterans still capable of surprise, depth, and intensity after more than four decades. 9/10
Peeling Flesh - PF Radio 2 (Unique Leader Records) [Sasa]
PF Radio 2, a new release from the brutal slam death metal that formed in 2021 who are alike to bands like Esophagus or Vulvodinya and are actually touring with them as well as All Shall Perish. This album gives us a wide spectrum of different music genre and elements of them with a mixture of hip hop, slam, deathcore, and death.
From its silly sampling to the aggressive sounds and deathly breakdowns. To be fair we are better of calling it an ep as it is only 21 minutes long but is incredibly entertaining with the short 10 songs. It follows the usual slam death vibe. My favourite song here is Holdin’ It has features from corpse pile and algor mortis who I also love. It has samples from hip hop sing Sailin Da South by DJ Screw it is the perfect combination of things that usually do not work that somehow end up working.
Peeling Flesh has a really good ear to making samples work no matter how far fetched they may seem. Another track I love from this album is Flesh Cathedral, it opens up with a choir sample and then glows into the most brutal riff to then some slamming vocals and the end with what I’m assuming is a anime laugh sample, it just all works well with the other songs.
It is short, experimental, and hilarious only thing I wish was that it was different and had more of a variety and hopefully we will see that with any more new stuffs from Peeling Flesh. Would not say anything is different or diverse as they follow the same style throughout. Peeling Flesh have kept up the silly samples with the gory vocals and the slam/deathcore instruments.
There is an interlude and outro in this ep it is definitely worth listening to as it gives you that break and probably a giggle to. I can easily say that once again Peeling Flesh have released another work of art. 7/10
Desecrator – Invoking Thy Eternal Reign Of Torment [Spike]
Desecrator aren’t here to make friends, and they certainly aren’t here to make things easy. Invoking Thy Eternal Reign Of Torment is a five-track eruption of violence and precision that refuses to let go once it starts. For all its brevity, this record doesn’t feel slight. It feels like being locked in a room with a band intent on showing just how much damage they can deal out in a short span of time.
From the moment Thy Kingdom Will Crumble hits, you know exactly what Desecrator are about. There’s no preamble, no wasted movement, just a vicious torrent of riffs and vocals that cut straight through the mix like serrated steel. It’s a declaration of intent: everything is going to be ugly, sharp, and relentless.
Scourge Of The Green Tide follows with a kind of martial authority, driven by riffs that feel less like notes and more like blunt weapons swung with precision. It’s almost mechanical in its discipline, but never sterile. There’s a feral energy underneath that makes the whole track breathe menace.
Then comes Repent Lament Detest Defect, arguably the centrepiece of the release. Here, Desecrator push their sound into something even more venomous, twisting between tightly wound precision and sheer chaos. The shifts in pace and tone keep it unpredictable, the sort of track where you’re braced for the floor to drop out at any moment.
Within This Shadow Bleak slows the assault just enough to let atmosphere crawl into the corners. It’s not respite, not really, it’s a different kind of punishment. The riffs feel heavier, more suffocating, as though the band are deliberately drawing you deeper into their world before snapping the jaws shut again.
The closing From Ashes We Rise ties everything together in a finale that’s both destructive and defiant. It doesn’t just end the record; it feels like Desecrator forcing one last swing of the hammer, making sure nothing is left standing. It’s the kind of closer that doesn’t tidy things up, it smears the edges and leaves the wounds raw.
I ran this EP through both headphones and speakers, and the difference was striking. On headphones, every layer stood out: the scrape of strings, the raw edges of the vocal delivery, the way the drums feel like they’re right on top of you. On speakers, especially loud in the car, it morphed into something else entirely: a rolling wall of fury, a soundtrack to momentum and release, the sort of thing that makes the road ahead feel like it’s being eaten alive.
What makes Invoking Thy Eternal Reign Of Torment so effective isn’t just its aggression, it’s the clarity of intent. Desecrator don’t waste a note, don’t indulge in filler, and don’t give you space to breathe unless it’s to make the next impact feel worse.
Five tracks, each carrying weight, each serving its place in the structure. It’s not about scale, it’s about impact. This record doesn’t just leave an impression; it leaves scars. It’s the sound of a band fully confident in their ability to hurt, and fully committed to doing so. 9/10
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