GAWTHROP - Kuboa (Album Review)

Release Date: September 19th 2025. Record Label: Sentient Ruin Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl

Kuboa - Tracklisting

1.Bulbocapnine - 06:27 

2.Hogweed - 04:35 

3.Granfalloon - 07:11 

4.Nutria - 06:24 

5.Jumbo - 06:14 

6.Jimmy - 04:46 

7.In Heaven - 00:58

Members

Owen - Drums

Hyunwoong - Guitars

Sunggun - Guitars, Vocals

Minhwi - Bass

Review

South Korean Doom/Sludge Metallers GAWTHROP finally release their debut album Kuboa and it’s an extremely heavy, gloomy, nihilistic and filthy release which should appeal to fans of GRIEF, Corrupted, THOU, PRIMITIVE MAN, EYEHATEGOD and Noothgrush. There’s no uplifting passages to lighten the mood as GAWTHROP invites you kicking and screaming into the violent darkness that Kuboa ultimately holds. 

The levels of absolute fine delete to their "FUNERAL DOOM" aspect of their music just adds another level of EXTREME heaviness before the first song of Bulbocapnine completely ends just shows you how brutal this record is going to be.

The record has a menacing down-tuned and stripped back approach with lo-fi sludgy guitars with Sunggun’s violent vocals portraying a world of decaying death metal atmospherics. The music is constantly maneuvering around the violent distorted feedback instrumental mechanics that GAWTHROP fully sells their chaotic and horrifying sound that fully sells their DOOM & GLOOM outlook. 

There are only a handful of Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal bands from South Korea with the likes of The Holy Mountain, Varim and Leper Temple that I’ve experienced over the last few years. However, GAWTHROP are the most bleak, violent and brilliantly impressive band I’ve heard from South Korea to date. This album proves that with thrilling grooves, brutal soundclips and violent vocals make this quite a brilliantly punishing record to fully listen to.

The songs that make up Kuboa all contain the same sense of nihilistic and down-tuned approach with flashes of extended Drone Metal and Extreme Metal musical interplay between all the band members. There’s some subtle flashes of Psychedelic energy appearing but this is drowned out by that droned FUZZED METAL destructive appetite that sees GAWHTROP transform into full-on DEATH METAL storytellers on tracks such as Hogweed, Granfalloon, Jumbo and Jimmy.

Kuboa isn’t for the faint hearted as this record shocked me with how brutal the record actually becomes with the down-tuned and low & slow aggression that’s helped via the excellent DIY production values. This allows GAWHTROP to have a fearless attitude where the EXTREME METAL part of their creative persona easily wants you to stay around for more violent punishment long after the thirty six minutes run time has run its course.

GAWTHROP may not be everyone’s cup of tea but if you’re a long dedicated follower of Death Metal and Extreme Metal but laced with Doom/Sludge Metal attitude then this is the place to be. As Kuboa is a highly complex, challenging and unforgiving listen that ranks as one of the best “EXTREME” records this year. 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Sentient Ruin for the promo.

Kuboa is available to buy on the following formats the link below:

LP, CD, MC and digital formats worldwide via Sentient Ruin

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram 

Mathcore/Sludge Metallers OLD DEER Premiere New Song/Video For MAELSTROM From Upcoming New Album.

Following their crushing 2024 debut EP of sludge, noise, and mathcore “Something in the Water”, Colorado quartet Old Deer return with a vengeance, pushing their sound to new extremities with first full-length “Someone in the House”.As the title suggests, there is danger within Old Deer’s latest work. An unpredictability of what new sonic violence lurks around the corner, be it the piercing saxophone hidden with “The Hatch”, or the pit-inducing madness and crush of “Take it All”.

Drawing from a wide swath of heavy sounds, the corners of “Someone in the House” hold notes of sludge, doom, and post-metal, woven into foundations of blistering mathcore, noise rock, and post-hardcore.

Chameleon vocalist Matt Conlee delivers harrowing, ear-shredding screams, weaponizing his vocal cords for visceral impact one moment before laying down deep, melodic cleans the next.

In similarly shape-shifting fashion, the guitars and drums reel between brutal hardcore pummel and dizzying, spidery progressions owing as much to jazz as to math and noise.

Old Deer have concocted a heady, frightening brew of dangerous sonics and ill intent on “Someone in the House”, and dare listeners to take refuge within. The LP drops November 7th, and first single “Maelstrom” will storm the gates on September 19th.

To get you in the mood we have the exclusive premiere of their brutal new track MAELSTROM which you can listen to below thanks to the great folks over at Good Boy PR.

Old Deer - Someone in the House

Album out November 7th, 2025 Self-released (Digital, CD)
Denver, Colorado
FFO: Botch, Chat Pile, Kowloon Walled City, Zao

Tracklist:

1. 2eizure 2alad (0:19)
2. The Hatch (5:00)
3. Still so Still (2:35)
4. Take it All (2:40)
5. Astrid (0:49)
6. Someone in the House (8:10)
7. Maelstrom (3:36)
8. 4507 (12:40)

Old Deer is:

Matt - Guitar, Vocals
Josh - Bass
Tyler - Guitar

Adam - Drums

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Thanks to Good Boy PR for the details.

Optical Sun - Diabel (Album Review)

Release Date: September 07th 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD

Diabel - Tracklisting

1.Strach 04:07

2.X 05:52

3.Mój Bóg Nie Umarł 04:17

4.Z Głębi Ran 04:20

5.Morte 06:22

6.Do Krwi 04:17

7.Spowiedź Oszukanego 08:31

8.Diabeł 04:14

9.Gasnące Kolory 03:45

Members

Łukasz Piłasiewicz - guitar

Hubert Bzoma - vocals and bass

Przemek Bobrowicz - drums

Marcin Jerzyna - bass

Robert Zapała - guitar

Review

Diabel is the second album from Sludge/Stoner Metallers Optical Sun who operate with a “Post-Whatever” attitude with their music but what makes this more interesting is how the band rely on their Polish heritage to influence on how the whole story line of the record plays out. As the album contains speaking samples from the art horror movie "Diabeł" by A. Żuławski and poems by Kazimierz Ratoń and Zbigniew Jerzyna. Optical Sun also uses samples and visuals from old Polish films, including Jerzy Łukaszewicz's "Przyjaciel Wesołego Diabła" (Friend of the Merry Devil) and the 1936 "Pan Twardowski". Well, that’s the information that’s been provided for the album. Diabel means “DEVIL” in English and Optical Sun taps superbly well into the “OCCULT / HORROR” vibe that the album contains. They play a heavy stylish take on the Post-Doom/Sludge Metal sound with flashes of Psych Rock that you would expect from the infamous Polish underground metal scene. The vocals by Hubert Bzoma are sung in Polish so I can't really comment on what the lyrics are saying but the whole atmosphere and electric soundclips add a menacing vibe to the record with plenty of sludgy guitars whilst highly atmospheric isn’t leaning into Post-Metal surroundings. There’s a high reliance from Optical Sun playing down-tuned / low & slow instrumental passages with trippy noises coming across throughout the whole album.

Diabel is boosted by a raw sounding production values which adds a sense of griminess to the whole experience with the band playing similar vibes to their fellow Doomsters such as Spaceslug, Dopelord and Belzebong but with Optical Sun focusing primarily on that “Post-Sludge” environment which becomes more theatrical in places. Other standout tracks includes: Mój Bóg Nie Umarł, Morte, Spowiedź Oszukanego and Diabeł where Optical Sun play some of the most interesting and coolest sounds of the album. Perhaps not the heaviest but they conjure up grand ideas and the payoff is greater with some intense Psychedelic and Occult imagery being projected into your senses. Diabel is a mighty fine record if you like your Sludge/Stoner Metal a little “off-beat” and dares to be that little bit different with some horrifying themes to match. Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Exclusive Album Premiere Of Sludge/Stoner Metallers GODZILLA WAS TOO DRUNK TO DESTROY TOKYO New Album SIDERAL VOIVOD

Born in 2022 in the small Ligurian village of Calice Ligure, Godzilla Was Too Drunk To Destroy Tokyo are an Italian heavy psych trio blending raw stoner grooves, acid-drenched fuzz, and chaotic sci-fi storytelling into a sound that’s both unhinged and hypnotic.

Fronted by Sara de Luca – bass destroyer and sonic instigator known as The Evil Lord – alongside octopus-armed drum wizard Nicola Viola and riff-crafting guitar builder Alessandro “Camu” Camurati, the band channels the primal grit of L7, the sludge-soaked weight of Melvins, and a kaleidoscopic dose of cosmic weirdness all their own.

From the very start, Godzilla’s mission has been to push the boundaries of fuzz-driven rock, crafting songs that feel like a cross between a garage jam from another planet and the soundtrack to a lost 70s sci-fi cult film. Their high-voltage live shows – equal parts sonic assault and theatrical chaos – have already taken them across Europe and Japan, leaving a trail of crushed stages and blown minds.

Following the underground buzz of their 2023 releases Atomic Spitfire and Evil Lord, the band returns in 2025 with their most ambitious work to date: Sideral Voivod. Out September 19 via Octopus Rising / Argonauta Records, the album is a hallucinatory ride through doom, psych, sludge, and space rock, cementing Godzilla Was Too Drunk To Destroy Tokyo as one of the most distinctive forces in the European underground scene.

Whether they’re channeling swaggering desert grooves, monolithic riffs, or paranoid interstellar narratives, Godzilla Was Too Drunk To Destroy Tokyo remain unapologetically wild – a sonic beast best experienced loud, live, and unrestrained.

We're excited to premiere their absolutely brilliant new album thanks to the great folks over Grand Sounds Promotion and Argonauta Records.

Thanks to Grand Sounds Promotion for the details.

Sideral Voivod is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Octopus Rising (Argonauta Records Imprint).

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Old Animals - Old Animals (Album Review)

Release Date: August 29th 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Old Animals - Tracklisting

1.Blüd 07:42

2.Happy Drone 04:02

3.Until the Bitter End 06:24

4.Undeserving Favor 07:10

5.Waster 07:37

6.Monument 06:08

7.A Chance to Escape 07:38

8.Tongue of Snake 04:43

Members

Jonathan Portnoy – Bass & Moog Synth.

Jason Kowalski – Drums & Vox.

Zachary Stauber – Guitars & Leads.

Tanner Crace – Guitars, Vocals & Synths.

Review

Old Animals emerges from the Sludge/Post-Metal spectrum where they fully harness their primal sound with a multitude of different sounds and progressive passages. The record is composed of Shoegaze, Psych, Drone, Noise and is full of Blackened elements with a certain experimental quality to them.

Old Animals feels inspired by the likes of Mastodon, Neurosis, ISIS and TOOL. It’s quite an expansive album with Old Animals employing different styles of Sludge Metal. There is a level of aggression and psychedelic energy which sees the “LOUD vs QUIET” dynamic of the record screaming out for complete creative control at times.

The use of synths is a very cool touch with Old Animals adding a Trippy and Post-Rock quality to their music with flashes of Thrash and Classic Hard Rock along the way. With this being a very multi-layered and progressive album not everything lands as it should first time round but with each passing listen, you begin to understand what Old Animals are striving to achieve on songs such as Blüd, Happy Drone and Undeserving Favour within the first half. The record is highly technical with Old Animals excelling playing different styles of music.

With the vocals switching between Harsh Growls and Clean Vocals which adds a level of real ferocity to the mix but there’s a cool switch into Post-Doom and Psych Metal surroundings which showcases a level of maturity within the creative framework from Old Animals. There’s an Alt Metal vibe emerging with the switching of vocals that becomes part of the norm and should delight fans of Mastodon and Neurosis.

The second half of the album is where everything becomes clearer with Old Animals making the listener more comfortable with their surroundings as the music is more dynamic and showcasing a heavier and riff-centric energy. The extra added use of certain ambient noises and trippy effects adds a “COSMIC” vibe that makes the music even more mysterious especially on the standout tracks of Waster, Monument and A Chance To Escape.

Old Animals have the “big guns” helping behind the scenes with mixing duties handled by Matt Bayles and Brad Boatright on mastering duties. Two legendary folks who’ve been involved with a ton of classic records over the years and they allow Old Animals to do their thing and release an album of real quality that’s also quite grounded at the same time.

If you want a Sludge Metal/Post-Metal record that ventures into the classic era of the genres but one that fully expresses its modern day identity then Old Animals is the band for you. As this is a superbly realized and brutally heavy sonic assault on the senses.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

 

Links

LinkTree | BandCamp

SANDRIDER premiere video single of NINE INCH NAILS rendition 'March of the Pigs' from forthcoming tribute album "The Downward Spiral Redux"

Following a record breaking Redux Kickstarter campaign, the first single taken from the forthcoming MER Redux Series release "The Downward Spiral Redux" is ready to be unleashed: Seattle, WA grunge metal trio SANDRIDER present their hard-hitting take on the NINE INCH NAILS classic 'March of the Pigs'. This highly anticipated new Redux Series installment is scheduled for release on November 28, 2025. 

Available for pre-order here: https://spkr.store/collections/redux-classic-album-re-imagined

Parallel to "The Downward Spiral Redux", Magnetic Eye Records will release their customar companion album entitled "Best of Nine Inch Nails Redux" that contains 13 cover renditions of deep cuts and all-time classics from across NINE INCH NAILS' catalogue recorded by some of the heavy underground's most exciting artists.

Watch the video for 'March of the Pigs' below:

SANDRIDER comment: "Our choice for a tribute track, 'March of the Pigs', is a song that hits so hard", vocalist and guitarist Jon Weisnewski writes. "It did when it first came out, it still does now, and it'll be just as brutal in another 30 years. Trying to harness that beast and make sure that it still had the timeless impact, we all expect it to have, was a humbling challenge."

Credits

Video footage by Sandrider. Edited by Ritual Video (IG: @ritual_video)

SANRIDER hail from Seattle, Washington and, true to their place of origin, embraced grunge as the creative base to which they gave their own spin by adding a hard and sharp metal edge. The trio was formed in 2008 and currently consists of the two former AKIMBO members - vocalist and guitarist Jon Weisnewski and Nat Damm on drums - with bass player and vocalist Jesse Roberts from THE RUBY DOE as the third comrade-in-heaviness. SANRIDER have released four acclaimed albums with "Enveletration" (2023) being their latest.

Tracklist "The Downward Spiral Redux"

1. BLACK TUSK 'Mr. Self Destruct'
2. THIEF 'Piggy'
3. GRIN 'Heresy'
4. SANDRIDER 'March of the Pigs'
5. DAEVAR 'Closer'
6. HIGH TONE SON OF A BITCH 'Ruiner'
7. DREADNOUGHT 'The Becoming'
8. JOHN FRYER WITH STELLA SOLEIL 'I Do Not Want This'
9. JOHN CXNNOR FEAT. HEXA 'Big Man with a Gun'
10. IAH 'A Warm Place'
11. ABRAMS 'Eraser'
12. AUTHOR & PUNISHER 'Reptile'
13. PALEHORSE PALERIDER 'The Downward Spiral'
14. BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME 'Hurt'

At this moment, the world's reliance on machines, algorithms, and artificial intelligence has never been greater. This makes now the perfect time to reflect on the emergence of a musical force whose blend of mechanized instrumentation and raw emotion was singular and revolutionary.

NINE INCH NAILS were formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1988. They arrived around the same time as grunge when Generation X was developing an awareness of itself, but while there was cross-appeal, the sound they created was clearly and intentionally something very different.

The skepticism of that era came through in the music, with artists from RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE to NIRVANA pushing back against what were acceptable words and actions in our society, and everything from the ideals of what major musicians should do with their fame to what people and corporations stood for were fair targets.

NINE INCH NAILS were at least twice as cynical as everyone else and reflected the singular, driven musical expression of mastermind Trent Reznor. The music he made as NIN has always ranged from infectious, furious, delicate, and sexual to transgressive, uplifting, cautionary, and hopeless. While Reznor did not always make broad, blunt statements about politics, materialism or repression (though he definitely did at times), there was a consistently restless quality to his music. His frustration at the veneer of normalcy and acceptability that characterized modern popular music was palpable, and he seemed to search endlessly for seams to peel back and rip loose to expose what was underneath.

Of NINE INCH NAILS' seminal breakthrough album, Spin magazine respectfully had this to say in 2024: "As The Downward Spiral turns 30 this year, it still stands as an act of artistic transgression against the limits of popular music. Pushing the boundaries of creative censorship, it is still considered Nine Inch Nails' most daring and uncompromising album."

Join us in paying homage to one of rock's most ambitious innovators and angriest Gen X voices railing against the status quo, as we present our latest Redux Series installment "The Downward Spiral Redux", along with the traditional companion album "Best of Nine Inch Nails Redux". The two double album collections together comprise 27 re-imagined renditions by some of today's coolest and heaviest artists taking on NINE INCH NAILS classics and deep cuts.

The Magnetic Eye Redux Series features hand-picked classic albums from across the history of rock and metal re-imagined in their entirety from start to finish. Artists we love from within and outside the heavy rock landscape choose tracks to make their own, bringing these milestone records into the new millennium with crushing heaviness and searing energy. To date, we've produced Redux editions of PINK FLOYD's "The Wall", HELMET's "Meantime", BLACK SABBATH's "Vol. 4", JIMI HENDRIX's "Electric Ladyland", ALICE IN CHAINS' "Dirt", AC/DC's "Back in Black", SOUNDGARDEN's "Superunknown", JETHRO TULL's "Aqualung", and RAMONES' self-titled debut, which have included artists like RED FANG, THE SWORD, MATT PIKE, PALLBEARER, THE MELVINS, ALL THEM WITCHES, KHEMMIS, ASG, SUPERSUCKERS, ZAKK WYLDE, MARK LANEGAN, VOIVOD, and many more amazing artists.

Join us for our tenth foray into Redux territory as we pay proper respect to the US industrial rock legends NINE INCH NAILS!

Thanks to All Noir PR and Magnetic Eye Records for all of the details.

Stoned Jesus - Songs To Sun (Album Review)

Release Date: September 19th 2025. Record Label: Season Of Mist. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Songs To Sun - Tracklisting

1. New Dawn (8:53)

2. Shadowland (4:38) 

3. Lost in the Rain (7:49)

4. Low (4:09) 

5. See You on the Road (5:45)

6. Quicksand (9:52)

Members

Igor Sydorenko - Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards

Andrew Rodin - Bass, Backing Vocals

Yurii Ciel - Drums, Backing Vocals

Review.

Stoned Jesus creates a highly melodic blend of Psych, Doom, Stoner Rock, Prog Rock and Grunge on their new album Songs To Sun. The whole album sees Stoned Jesus travel across the whole Heavy Metal landscape where they re-invent and redefine their whole musical legacy with music that’s uplifting, bleak and superbly powerful. 

The record does feel like it’s been shaped by the real life events the band have gone through over the last few years or perhaps even longer. There is a sense of real struggle appearing within the lyrics especially within the closing moments. However, there’s a level of uplifting optimism which sees lead vocalist and creative mastermind Igor Sydorenko adapting his musical persona and performance to one of Post-Rock and Post-Metal surroundings.

 There are flashes of Post-Grunge attitude influenced by Alice In Chains on the excellent opening track New Dawn. The song is cautiously slow with Stoned Jesus biding their time to unleash a torrent of heavy Stoner Rock/Metal melodies which they achieve through determined grit with a sense of human warmth and emotion. Stoned Jesus keeps up with that level of Progressive storytelling within the sublime second track Shadowland which has a gritty slow-to-mid pace with classic Grunge guitars being quite daring especially when the song moves into areas of Prog Rock and Psych Rock sensibilities.

With an eerie level of Ambient Rock developing and slight orchestral movements, Stoned Jesus are absolutely on fire with the stunning backing vocals of Andrew Rodin and Yurii Ciel appearing at the most correct time that allows Songs To Sun become quite experimental. With a haunting Folk presence emerging from the stunning third track Lost In The Rain which has some heavy “OPETH” vibes whilst keeping within Stoned Jesus’s epic Post-Doom creative charge. Heavy instrumental passages and subtle Folk Rock energy pushes the record into the world of Orchestral Rock with a superb “LESS IS MORE” approach that brings another level of bleak heartbreak to the album.

The fourth track Low is full on Doom/Stoner Metal that is boosted by an epic Prog Metal style dictating the whole action which should make MASTODON fans quite happy indeed. The technical beats from Igor, Andrew and Yurii are outstanding with some of the heaviest and catchiest moments appearing on this song alone. This feels like STONED JESUS of yesteryear and the whole record becomes more rewarding and fulfilling for that alone.

The final two songs of See You On The Road and Quicksand are full of Doom/Stoner Metal madness with mighty throwbacks to the era of Nineties Grunge/Stoner Rock scene with Stoned Jesus still allowing themselves the time and freedom to experiment and play with their overall sound. 

Igor’s vocals remind me of Trent Reznor in his prime with a sense of maturity that makes you feel every pounding note being projected at you from all directions. The instrumental passages are heavy, thrilling and sometimes brilliantly unique with Songs To Sun proving why Stoned To Jesus can easily be considered “LEGENDS” of the whole Stoner Rock/Metal movement. 

This is an outstanding record from a band who are simply at THE TOP OF THEIR GAME and who deserve all the plaudits fully coming their way. 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Season Of Mist for the promo.

Songs To Sun is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Season Of Mist.

 

Links

LinkTree | BandCamp