a Death in Our Hands

As weird as the “atmospheric/symphonic death metal” moniker might be, the genre constantly graces us with top-tier acts that can kick ass and sound sophisticated at the same time, like Fleshgod Apocalypse, Ex Deo, Horrified, and, of course, our case in point here, Septicflesh…

After more than 30 years in the business and 12 years after their last album "Killing Music", BENEDICTION are now back with one of their best releases and play once again in the Death Metal Champions League.The new album "Scriptures" sounds 100% like BENEDICTION: they blend death metal with a "fuck-off punk rock attitude", heavy metal riffing and a groove that hardly any other band can perform like this. Dave Ingram's "signature-growls" and powerful lyrics enhance the tonal framework so that you can hear after a few notes that you are listening to BENEDICTION. As usual the tracks vary from slow and heavy to fast and intense, from shorter "in your face" numbers to epic masterpieces.

Hailing from Trondheim in Norway, Arabs in Aspic has been mid-Norway’s flagship of 70s inspired progressive rock and proto-hardrock for the past 15 years. They’ve been described as a sweet mixture of loud, heavy guitars and drums, 12 string acoustics, funky bass and percussion, screaming Hammond organs, soft Rhodes, Mellotrons and 70s Synths, topped with plentiful vocal harmonies - and this is also what they give us on their seventh album. “Madness and Magic” builds on where they left on “Syndenes Magi”, showcasing the acoustic side of the band more without losing any of their heaviness. This is evident in the fact that “Madness and Magic” is their first album written and recorded with two unique drummers.