Flamebearer - Bow Down To Me (Single Review)

Release Date: February 27th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Bow Down To Me - Tracklisting

Bow Down To Me

Members

Andy Valiant

Alastair Riddell

Dom Bailey

Thiago Pinho

Misha Hering

Review

Bow Down To Me is the latest single from Doom/Stoner Rockers Flamebearer and is from their forthcoming new album due out later this year. The song is quite a fast-paced affair with a HEAVY PUNK aesthetic fully coming at you from the very start which has shades of KVELERTAK in places. The sound is pure HEAVY METAL escapism in the best possible way with flashes of Doom Metal and Stoner Metal holding everything together.

The vocals are PUNK ROCK and NWOBHM obsessive which gives Flamebearer a gritty approach to their music with flashes of Old School Rock & Roll FURY adding to the overall charm of the song. You can hear traces of MOTORHEAD and TURBONEGRO in the band’s music which was a major part of their last record. The music is lean, mean, aggressive and also so damn catchy with the splendid rhythms, grooves and hooks that Flamebearer include within a concise four and a half minutes timeframe.

Bow Down To Me is a great track and shows great promise for their forthcoming new album. Check this out and you’ll be shouting out at the top of your lungs and rocking out like a bastard in no time at all.

Words by Steve Howe

Links 

https://www.facebook.com/flamebearerband
https://www.instagram.com/flamebearerband/?hl=en
https://flamebearer.bandcamp.com/

Hibernaut / Face Pulp Split (Album Review)

Release Date: February 27th 2026. Record Label: What’s Left Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl/Tape

Hibernaut / Face Pulp - Tracklisting

Hibernaut - Mark of Shame 

Hibernaut - Intermundium

Hibernaut - Tongueless

Hibernaut - Bastardized Cultivation

Face Pulp - Ups and Downs and Crap

Face Pulp - Dicks, Pins, and Needles

Face Pulp - The One You Forgot 

Face Pulp - I'll Need Proof of Humanity

Face Pulp - Stereotypical Paths

Face Pulp Members

Steve - Vocals

MT - Guitar

Landyn - Bass

Randy - Drums

Hibernaut Members

Dave Jones - Guitar, Vocals

Zach Hatsis - Drums

Josh Dupree - Bass

Matt Miller - Lead Guitar

Review

This split album featuring Doom/Stoner/Sludge Metallers HIBERNAUT and Grindcore/Punk/Sludge Metallers FACE PULP is an interesting record with both bands coming from different musical backgrounds though they compliment each other very well. I consider myself a fan of Hibernaut but Face Pulp are an entirely new band for me as I’m not really into the whole Grindcore scene now.

Hibernaut offer the “SLUDGE METAL / STONER METAL” side of the record taking influence from the likes of SLEEP, HIGH ON FIRE, MASTODON and NEUROSIS. Their side of the album is spread across four tracks running around twenty three minutes of great music. The band play to their strengths with stripped back production values that gives a raw sludgy atmosphere developing from the opening track Mark Of Shame which does have an early “NEUROSIS” influence especially with the vocals and how the music is aggressively played.

This style of sound is the dominant style of music that Hibernaut superbly delivers throughout their entire set with mighty slabs of Prog Metal forming within the standout tracks of Interundium and Bastardized Civilization. The band have written some pretty hard-hitting lyrics for this record especially when compared to their previous albums. Hibernaut take creative cues from HIGH ON FIRE and MASTODON especially when the music changes into a heavier THRASH style with echoes of THUGGISH Stoner Metal grooves finally showing up. 

The band do experiment with their music by adding some cool sounding organs into the mix within Interunidum. The record changes into a Occult Doom Metal record for one of the best parts of Hibernaut’s set. Hibernaut once again prove what a great band they truly are with a highly unapologetic performance that leaves you wanting more. 

As I stated previously, I haven’t listened to Face Pulp before and this is my first experience with them but truth be told, these guys are FUCKING AWESOME. I loved their side of the record so much. Face Pulp provides five tracks and within true Grind/Death/Hardcore Punk fashion, their side only lasts thirteen minutes. 

Their style of Grind, Death. Sludge, and Hardcore Punk equals PURE FUCKING CARNAGE and VIOLENT BRUTALITY. There’s also some great rhythms and rocking melodies along the way especially on their tracks “Ups And Downs And Craps”, The One You Forgot and I’ll Need Proof Of Humanity.

Face Pulp live upto their “GRIND” and “DEATH METAL” influences in a huge way with big and brutal slamming riffs from the very start. Their music is the very definition of “MOSH PIT MUSIC”. As you can feel the intensity of their music being played at a very fast pace. It left me breathless at times. However, Face Pulp does slow the mood right down for a wicked Sludge Metal sound to fully emerge and take control in small doses.

Once Face Pulp’s set had finished, I needed a brief rest to collect my thoughts and question what I just listened to. I mean that as a huge complement. The production values are solid with Face Pulp having a raw aesthetic and violent energy that perfectly matches Hibernaut’s side of the split.

This is a great album featuring two amazing bands from different sides of the musical spectrum that should expand their fan base even more. And what’s most important for me is that I’ve become a fan of Face Pulp because of this outstanding album. 

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Good Boy PR for the promo.

Hibernaut / Face Pulp Split Album is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl/Tape via What's Left Records via the links below:

Face Pulp BandCamp Page / Hibernaut BandCamp Page

Hibernaut Links:

Bandcamp | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Spotify | Linktree

Face Pulp Links:

Bandcamp | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Spotify

Psych/Grunge/Alt Rockers We Kill Cowboys Unveil “Cowboys of Doom” Featuring Doomtrigger’s Jay Smith

Cape Town outfit We Kill Cowboys are back with a fierce new single, “Cowboys of Doom”, featuring Jay Smith, vocalist of Cape Town metal band Doomtrigger. The track is the first taste of their upcoming album and showcases the band’s heavier, high-octane direction.

Known for their raw, high-energy fusion of punk rock, grunge, and post-hardcore, We Kill Cowboys have evolved into a powerful five-piece that thrives on storytelling and defiant themes. Frontwoman Alex Muller, formerly balancing vocals and guitar, now delivers her gritty, compelling voice unrestrained, while producer and long-time friend Floris Le Roux joins on second guitar, adding fresh intensity alongside Mornay’s aggressive riffs, Andrew’s thunderous drumming, and Miggs’ resonant basslines.

“Cowboys of Doom” dives headfirst into the tense friction between society’s marginalized and the ruling elite. The track’s narrative explores frantic survival, psychological strain, and the defiance of authority, creating a visceral anthem for those confronting systemic imbalance. Jay Smith’s guest vocals heighten the track’s intensity, bringing an extra layer of raw power to the band’s sonic assault.

Buy/ Stream Cowboys Of Doom

With their electrifying live shows and unrelenting sound, We Kill Cowboys continue to push boundaries in the Cape Town music scene, delivering music that’s as thought-provoking as it is adrenaline-fueled. “Cowboys of Doom” sets the stage for what promises to be a thrilling, uncompromising album.

Follow We Kill Cowboys

Instagram | Facebook | TikTok

Thanks to Plug Music Agency for the details.

Doom/Stoner Metallers Mad God unveil crushing new single “Left To Rot” from upcoming concept album An Age Of Ash

South African traditional/stoner doom metal trio Mad God return with the release of their harrowing new single, Left To Rot, the first glimpse into their forthcoming concept album, An Age Of Ash. The track marks a bold new chapter for the band, expanding their sonic and narrative scope while retaining the crushing weight and atmosphere that have defined their sound since their formation in 2014.

Formed by Tim Harbour (vocals and guitar), Patrick Stephansen (drums), and Tim Harrison (bass), Mad God have built a reputation for bridging the gap between classic and psychedelic doom. Their earlier releases, A Tale of A Sightless City (2017) and Grotesque and Inexorable (2018), explored themes of cosmic horror and true crime. With An Age Of Ash, the band venture into darker, more expansive territory, delivering their first full concept album rooted in dark fantasy.

Musically, the album introduces progressive influences while maintaining the band’s heavy, hypnotic core. The record was captured live at Helsing Studios, a deliberate choice that allowed the songs to breathe and unfold organically. Recorded without a click track, each track was performed in full, in a single take, capturing a powerful and kinetic energy not previously heard in the band’s work. The album was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Danny Helsing, whose dynamic approach to production complements the band’s raw intensity. Helsing also joined Mad God in 2021 as their bassist, further shaping the band’s evolving sound.

The band explain that the driving force behind An Age Of Ash was a desire to create a cohesive and immersive listening experience. “We wanted something more natural and unified than our previous releases,” they say. “Recording live in one take allowed the songs to feel alive and unpredictable. It became about capturing emotion and atmosphere rather than perfection.”

The album’s narrative unfolds in a world where evil has long been forgotten, allowing a new darkness to rise unchecked. Humanity, blind to the primal forces that once threatened its survival, turns inward and fractures. A war-torn kingdom descends into chaos under the rule of an incompetent king manipulated by shadowy powers. At the heart of the story is a young woman on a journey toward absolution, and a father whose desperate actions set him on a twisted path toward vindication. As ancient archfiends known as the Ynyes awaken to reclaim their dominion, a new Chosen rises to challenge a corrupt and collapsing world, while the fate of humanity hangs in the balance.

Left To Rot forms the second chapter of this unfolding saga. The single follows Fadden, a farmer and father who, in a moment of despair, is tricked into a pact that transforms him into a demonic entity. In his quest to save his family, he discovers the devastating consequences of his choices. Believing both his wife Melisa and daughter Lillia are captive, he sets out to rescue them, unaware that only his wife has been taken while his daughter has escaped and joined a rebel force resisting the tyrannical regime.

Buy / Stream Left To Rot

When Fadden finally finds Melisa, he is confronted with a horrific reality. She has been trapped in a state of endless torment, her decaying body sustained by sorcerous means to feed the life force of the Ynyes. Hoping for forgiveness and redemption, he instead faces the weight of his betrayal as she curses his name before dying in his arms. The song captures the crushing inevitability of consequence, weaving sorrow, rage, and despair into a towering doom soundscape.

With Left To Rot, Mad God deliver one of their most emotionally intense and musically expansive compositions to date. The track stands as a powerful introduction to An Age Of Ash, setting the tone for a record that promises to be their most ambitious and immersive work yet.

Left To Rot is available on all major digital platforms, with An Age Of Ash set for release later this year. For fans of traditional doom, progressive metal, and dark fantasy storytelling, Mad God’s new era has only just begun.

Follow Mad God

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | BandCamp

Thanks to Plug Music Agency for the details.

Exclusive Album Premiere Of Psych/Stoner Visionaries WEEDPECKER's Spellbinding New Album "V"

Psych Stoner Rock visionaries WEEDPECKER return with their magnificent and soon-to-be classic new album "V"

Forged in a crucible of personal change and existential reflection, Weedpecker’s fifth album "V" is the sound of stability crumbling and beauty rising from the fragments. An intoxicating blend of sprawling, shimmering psychedelia, crushing heaviness and soaring prog-meets-psych-pop melody, this new album showcases Weedpecker's multi-layered craft in its most lush and refined form. 

Fans of everything from Elder, early Tame Impala to Somali Yacht Club or Pond should love t

this.

Piotr Dobry (Guitars / Vocals / Synths) from the band says this about the album:

"Everything we take for granted is, in reality, incredibly fragile. Nothing lasts forever, and the sense of things slipping away can hit much sooner than we expect. I tried to translate those feelings into sound." 

We're excited to premiere this brilliant album thanks to the amazing folks over at Purple Sage PR.

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the all of the details. 

V is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl from Heavy Psych Sounds.

Links 

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Lord Centipede - Centipede II: Electric Boogaloo (EP Review)

Release Date: March 13th 2026. Record Label: Morbid And Miserable Records / Wyrd Byrd. Formats: CD/DD/Tape/Vinyl

Centipede II: Electric Boogaloo - Tracklisting

1.Dumb As Fuck 03:10

2.Shitstorm of Stupidity

3.Wolf Witch

4.Dawn of the Troglodytes

5.Sword of Conan

Members

Samir Asfahani

Justin O'Neill

Ian Harris

Review

Lord Centipede returns with their latest EP - Centipede II: Electric Boogaloo which is another gleefully violent mix of Doom, Sludge, Stoner, Thrash, Crust Punk and Crossover Metal. This is their first release in over twelve years with the band not losing sight of what made their 2014 debut album such a fantastic release.

The EP never waivers from its pissed off Sludge/Stoner Metal energy calling upon sounds first laid down by the likes of HIGH ON FIRE, METALLICA, MOTORHEAD and FISTULA. Vocals are mostly screamed at you from a very close distance with that pissed off classic style of HEAVY GROWLS but at least they’re clean based and quite easy to understand.

Centipede II: Electric Boogaloo lasts under twenty minutes with Lord Centipede playing through a wide range of FILTHY grooves that sees the band play a stripped back style of music with a classic Eighties Heavy Metal aesthetic holding everything together. The lyrics are fuelled by slightly anarchic THRASH METAL and CRUST PUNK environments which only adds to the delicious and violent fun the record contains throughout. 

Lord Centipede slows things down here and there within the EP which gives the listener a small rest before they return to their dominant turbo charged sounds. It’s not the best sounding EP I’ve heard but it gives the record a more quintessential underground feel which should impress OLD SCHOOL METALHEADS the most  especially on tracks such as Dumb As Fuck, Shitstorm Of Stupidity and Sword Of Conan.

It’s perhaps best not to overthink or over-analyze this record as it’s mostly built on filthy HEAVY METAL dynamics with LORD CENTIPEDE’s sole intent is to ENTERTAIN and ROCK THE FUCK OUT. Though, there’s some classic Blackened Stoner Metal energy that Lord Centipede demonstrates on the later stages which made me “LOSE MY SHIT” in genuine excitement. 

Centipede II: Electric Boogaloo is an absolute blast from start to finish with Lord Centipede in great form throughout. If you want a record that gets straight down to the business of bringing pure HEAVY METAL carnage and chaos then this is the record for you.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Morbid And Miserable Records for the promo.

Centipede II: Electric Boogaloo is available to buy now on Digital, CD and Cassette via Morbid And Miserable Records.

Vinyl Record will be released by Wyrd Byrd.

Links 

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Blunt Knife Castration - Blood & Oil (Album Review)

Release Date: February 27th 2026. Record Label: Remorseless Records. Formats: CD/DDl

Blood & Oil. - Tracklisting

1.Miasma

2.Gunshot Selfie

3.Degeneration

4.Lone

5.Guilt Pig 

6.Swallow

7.Play Victim 

8.Blood & Oil

9.Menial Mutt

10.Coward

11.Skinny Fingers

Review

Blood & Oil is the devastating and brutal second album from Sludge Metal collective Blunt Knife Castration where you can tell by both the band name and album title that this is going to be a brutal time. As the band focus upon playing violent Sludge Metal sounds that’s paired up with traces of Doom, Noise, Grind, Crust Punk and Experimental beats. Influenced by the legendary Eighties Video Nasties Scene from the UK and other violent extreme acts of the same time, this record is not for the faint hearted but Blunt Knife Castration know hows to play a punishing blend of Sludge Metal with a lot of heavy grooves and soundclips into the mix.

Coming across a heavier, filthier and more intense version of fellow UK Doom/Sludge Metal collective TORSO, but this time round Blunt Knife Castration causes more devastation and musical carnage with extreme blasts of Sludge Metal running amok. The Crust Punk vibe comes into play very early on within the tracks of Miasma, Gunshot Selfie and Degeneration.

From that moment the record never lets up with the music being quite unsettling and extremely uncomfortable especially with the harsh vocals and screams leading the way. However, there’s a sense of twisted melody and aggressive vision that fully begins to sell the dark creative vision of the whole album. You start to experience strands of Thrash, Groove and Blackened Stoner Metal starting to form which reminds me of acts like WHORES, EYEHATEGOD and CHAT PILE along the way. 

There’s a lot to break down on the album with Blunt Knife Castration playing at a thousand miles per hour which gives a highly dangerous and violent intensity that left my hearing exposed at the best of times so maybe I’m showing my age with this record. Though, it’s still a highly intoxicating mix of Crust Punk, Doom, Thrash and Sludge Metal that puts a refreshing spin on such a highly volatile time if you grew up in Eighties Britain when the Video Nasties scene was in full flight. 

Other great tracks to check out are Lone, Guilt Pig, Swallow, Play Victim, Coward and Skinny Fingers which is where the heaviest, thickest and sickest grooves appear. There’s also a lot of great humour and tough real life scenarios to experience with the bands lyrics within these tracks with Blunt Knife Castration being quite subversive with the whole storyline that they’ve created for Blood & Oil.

The record is a punishing experience and won’t be for everyone but if you’re into this particular style of Sludge Metal then you’re going to be in your element as Blood & Oil fully delivers in the riffs department and more so with its breathtaking style of Extreme Metal. The added layers of GRIME and FILTH is the icing on the cake with Blunt Knife Castration perhaps setting themselves as a FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH in the next few years for the UK Sludge Metal scene if they keep making great records such as this in the near future.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Good Boy PR for the promo.

Blood & Oil is available to buy now on CD/DD via Remorseless Records.

Links 

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram