In the interest of exercising platform variety, we will begin using this specific medium to talk about albums that we have found enjoyable and worth sharing in more of a long form than one would find in an Instagram story, TikTok (*ugh*), or facebook post (*yawn*). No rules, no format, some of these may be longer than others, but there’s value in talking about GOOD music, nonetheless.

TLDR/Rollup:

Protrusion - The Last Suppuration (Iron Fortress Records) - death metal a-la Gorguts/Demilich

Decipher - θελημα (Transcending Obscurity Records) - black metal (Hellenic + Icelandic vibes)

Fermented Mess/Harvester - Split (Independent) - Grindcore (duh…it’s Jesi)

Staff Pick 1 (X & RK) - Protrusion - The Last Suppuration

Fine Details at Metal Archives

(X) - Great. Another new death metal band. Just what the world needed.

*sigh….sips coffee….*

Alright, I’ll give it a shot.

*starts album from beginning*

Oh boy…

Though I can comfortably say that this album, like many modern death metal or adjacent bands, certainly wears its influences on its shoulders, it operates in a different creative space than most of its peers that have come out in the last 5 years. Rather than fly at the same low cruising altitude that most slam, Incantation/Entombed/(dare I say it….yes, I do) Eternal Suffering clones that have flooded the death metal market do, the Lafeyette, Indiana 4-piece expands their horizons and gives themselves MUCH more room to operate by leveraging the same set of “sharp-yet-primitive” death metal weapons that forefathers in Gorguts, Pestilence and others of the like do. Elements of demo-era Mortal Decay and Demilich also creep their way into the band’s sound. Protrusion may be a newer name on the block, but features current and ex members of names like Gorgasm, Horrific Demise and Human Filleted. This is a real-deal, corn-fed midwest USA death metal band through and through.

The real beauty of this whole release is the dual guitar work and the exchange that it and the vocals have. While I am admittedly NOT a “frog vocal” fan, when the burps start, the guitars take a back seat and rely on big chords and rung out notes to let lead-frog Colin Foster gurgle away. When Colin finishes spewing his swampy sermon, the guitars often gracefully jump into reverb & delay-laden guitar solos that would certainly make any of the early death metal greats proud, or into a crushing palm muted riff that slowly crawls up and down the lower portion of the guitar neck.

There’s plenty to chew into here - whether it be the bouncier grooves that connect atmospheric solos and vocal passages, the double time skip beats or the full and rich Morrisound-leaning production (courtesy of Tony Tipton, ex-Regurgitation), The Last Suppuration is surely going to top many “TRVE” death metal fans’ year-end lists for its sheer sonic strength, catchiness and length to keep coming back to.

This is a band to watch….and a death metal Unc nod to the Sevared Records team for once again delivering another crushing release.

(RK) - Hailing from Indiana, Protrusion has put out a debut full length that hits hard. Coming off their debut demo in 2023, it contains the three tracks from the self titled demo along with 7 new tracks that blend their old school sound with vastly improved production. The bass punches through, and the lead guitar work it gives a little bit of a classic Obituary vibe in parts, not flashy but fits the songs. The vocals remind me of Antti Boman/Johnny Paoline If you dig bands like Demilich, Suffocation, Mortal Decay, Barnes-era Cannibal Corpse, and a little bit of Lord Worm Cryptopsy, Protrusion won’t disappoint. The album nearly an hour-long but doesn’t feel Iike it as it flows great together.

Staff Pick 2 (H) - Decipher - θελημα

Fine Details at Metal Archives

(H) - brutal death meatheads (oops, did I say that?) who have enjoyed the content thus far, move along and skip to the bottom for the Grindcore stuff from Jesi. This is for the black metal folks. (or stay and complain, like I know you will).

Now more so than ever, black metal truly has no borders. The power of modern technology alongside the sheer over-saturation of bands & labels has made it both easier but also exhausting to find new music. That said, there are a few labels that I objectively listen to everything they put out, simply for the fact I don’t know what to expect.

Transcending Obscurity is one of those labels. The Indian label has arguably one of the most diverse catalogs as far as the genres they release, ranging from off-kilter death metal like Replicant or Atrae Bilis, to my good friends in Dissect…I mean, Imperialist (love you Sergio!), to something more modern sounding such as Depravity or Italy’s Demiurgon. The label has no shortage of fresh material to keep a listener coming back, so when I saw this very slick looking black and white album cover with “black metal” and “Greece” tied to it, I was immediately intrigued.

Decipher’s “θελημα” (“Thelema”, for the English-speaking) utilizes a modern and crisp production to outwardly expand the space in which it’s dark and icy black metal breath blows through. Certainly for fans of Mgła or Misþyrming, the band’s guitar work is crisp, clean and proficient, utilizing many strings all at once to create a challenging and dark atmosphere with many different textures to digest from listen to listen. The drumming and the guitars work cohesively as one unit to push and pull the attention of the listener, much like a cold arctic tide. Sonically, “cold yet organic” is how I think of this record. The “cold” descriptor comes from not the production, but the songwriting (seems to be the antithesis of what most black metal acts rely on). “Organic” is the word that accompanies the very human, honest approach to how all of these instruments are played and the production that accentuates them. Everything is thoughtfully put together as one cohesive piece and does not ever feel disjointed or lost in its mission to consume the listener in Hellenic black metal darkness.

Clocking in at a tick under 43 minutes, θελημα is a shining example of how to utilize a crisp and modern production and flexed musical muscle to give black metal new dimension. I’m sure black metal purists will without a doubt show me a far superior (boring) album but that’s music, kids.

Best listened to in full, front to back, to fully understand the flow and impact of this release.

Staff Pick 3 (Jesi Eternal) - Fermented Mess/Harvester - Split

Fine Details at Metal Archives

(Jesi Eternal) - My morning ritual is easy, brew coffee, crack open the laptop, and throw the latest GoreGrinder upload on the TV. These tracks were so hot it completely derailed my routine. The Fermented Mess / Harvester split released this March on cassette via Baby Chico Records and End Meaningless Noise Records, absolutely rips.

Fermented Mess kicks things off and wastes no time, comes in big dick swinging.  From the opening track, Arms Ripped Off, they lock tf in, pure snare driven insanity that hits your brain in all the right places. The songs hit hard but flow seamlessly into one another, creating momentum that won’t let up. The production is raw, but intentional, everything sounds deliberate, and fully in the mc fuckin pocket.

On the flip side, Harvester brings a different but equally punishing energy. Their intro leans into an unexpected, eerie synth moment that quickly gives way into grooves and filthy riffs. Tracks like “Slaughter’n All Night” stand out, balancing heaviness by taking you to riff city, while simultaneously making you think “This is probably what it sounds like to be eaten alive by pigs, Right?”.  What makes this split work so well is how cohesive it feels. Neither side comes off as filler, they absolutely complement each other, shit hits front to back. OW OW OW

Notable mention to Phantom Lung their final release Target Rich Environment is an absolute beater and a perfect way to close the chapter. No soft exit, just a last statement that hits as hard as anything they’ve put out. Couldn’t have asked for a better send off. RIP to some real rippers.

Hit our instagram messages or email with new bands, the crew is always looking for something new to tear into.

-X