Bellingham, WA — July 24, 2026 — Underground thrash
metal force Abyssal Decay have announced their forthcoming full-length album,
Call of the Abyss, due for release on October 30, 2026.
Drawing inspiration from cosmic horror and the
terrifying mythology of Nihilash, the Faceless Sovereign, the album promises a
relentless assault of razor-sharp riffs, crushing thrash rhythms, and dark
atmospheric elements. Its concept explores themes of corrupted power, mass
madness, decay, and the bleak nature of existence, presenting the Abyss as an
endless ocean of living rot beyond the boundaries of time.
The first single, “On The Desolate Plain,” was
released on August 7, 2026, offering the first glimpse into the album’s bleak
and disturbing world. The track serves as an ominous introduction to the
desolate landscapes shaped by Nihilash and the cosmic darkness at the heart of
Call of the Abyss.
“Where Nihilash walks, death is not the end. It is
merely the first layer of decay,” the band states, describing their music as an
uncompromising assault inspired by serial killers, corrupted power, and the
darkest horrors of the world.
Call of the Abyss is set to arrive on October 30,
2026, promising a dark and uncompromising journey into the depths of cosmic
horror and extreme thrash metal.
Canadian progressive black metal/dark ambient project
Lugubre Cenacle has released a new single, “Sealed Shell of Existence.” The
track was recorded by Mickael Goyec and mixed and mastered by Mobo at Conkrete
Studio.
Founded in 2006 by French musician Mickael Goyec,
Lugubre Cenacle is a solo project now based in Quebec, Canada. Following the
release of its debut full-length Désillusion in 2011, the project has entered a
more refined era, combining intricate songwriting, atmospheric textures,
haunting melodies, and emotional depth.
With recent material such as “Flesh Disguise” and
“Sealed Shell of Existence,” Lugubre Cenacle explores themes of existence,
perception, and human complexity, favoring evolving structures and immersive
atmospheres over pure aggression.
The new single offers another glimpse into the
project's evolving sound, as Lugubre Cenacle continues its journey toward an
upcoming full-length album.
Πλέον
έχει διαχωριστεί οριστικά το στάχυ απ’ την ήρα. Αν το ένα ή το άλλο είναι οι
κύριοι Cronos, Mykνs, Antton, που είναι εδώ η σύνθεση, ή τα άλλα δύο ιστορικά
στελέχη, Mantas και Abandon, αυτό δεν το ξέρω, αλλά και να το ήξερα, δεν θα
εμπλακώ σε οικογένειες και μουσικά διαζύγια!
Ένα
είναι το σίγουρο: αυτοί οι Venom έχουν μόνο ένα ιστορικό μέλος, που δεν είναι
κι αρχικό κιόλας, όντας ο τελευταίος που μπήκε στο σχήμα, στην αρχική τετράδα
των Guoltine, τότε, κι ύστερα στην τριάδα, πλέον ως Venom. Γνωστά αυτά για τον
Conrad Lant (Cronos), αλλά, όπως και να έχει, αυτό εδώ το άλμπουμ είναι έργο
αυτής της εποχής.
Το
ότι αντιστρέφεται ο τίτλος και, από πάνω, παραλλάσσεται το εξώφυλλο του
δεύτερου ιστορικού άλμπουμ τους, από το 1982, τόσα χρόνια μετά, μάλλον για
λόγους σύνδεσης με το παρελθόν γίνεται, όσο για τίποτα άλλο.
Καμία
σχέση με το ύφος εκείνου του δίσκου, που βάφτισε ένα ολόκληρο υποείδος.
Εκμοντερνισμός στον ήχο και τσαμπουκάς υπό την επήρεια των δήθεν άγριων
Pantera, ως και Machine Head (αμφότεροι η επιτομή του fake attitude), αν και με
σχεδόν δέκα χρόνια καθυστέρηση. Υπάρχουν, βέβαια, και σημεία που, ναι, είναι
μια χαρά.
Ένα
άλμπουμ μισό-μισό, που το 6 στα 10 το πιάνει, αλλά με μεγάλη προσπάθεια και
κόπο. Melficarvm, Antichrist (καμία πρωτοτυπία πια;), Rege Satanas, House of
Pain, Darkest Realm, Lucifer Rising, Metal Black κάτι προσπαθούν να μας πούνε,
εν τέλει.
English:
Unholy Sacrilege
By now, the wheat has been definitively separated from
the chaff. Whether one side or the other is represented by the gentlemen
Cronos, Mykνs and Antton, who make up the lineup here, or by the other two
historical members, Mantas and Abaddon, I don’t know—and even if I did, I
wouldn’t get involved in family affairs and musical divorces!
One thing is certain: these Venom have only one
historical member, and he isn’t even an original one, having been the last to
join the band, back when they were the original four-piece known as Guoltine,
and later the three-piece that became Venom. We all know the story concerning
Conrad Lant (Cronos), but, regardless, this album is a product of that
particular era.
The fact that the title is reversed and, on top of
that, the cover of their second historic album, from 1982, has been altered so
many years later is probably meant as some sort of link to the past, and
nothing more.
There is absolutely no connection with the style of
that record, the one that gave an entire subgenre its name. Here we get a
modernized sound and plenty of swagger, under the influence of the supposedly
wild Pantera, even Machine Head (both the epitome of fake attitude), albeit
almost a decade late. There are, of course, moments that, yes, are perfectly
fine.
A half-and-half album, one that just about scrapes a 6
out of 10, and only with considerable effort and hard work. Melficarvm,
Antichrist (no originality left?), Rege Satanas, House of Pain, Darkest Realm,
Lucifer Rising and Metal Black are ultimately trying to tell us something.
SOUL KILLING FEMALE may be a one-man band, with
Michael being literally responsible for everything, but that certainly doesn’t
prevent him from being highly productive and full of inspiration. So, instead
of offering us an EP, or at least a debut album like most newcomers, he
delivers two full-length albums! Last month, I had the pleasure of presenting
to you his chronological debut, Utopia Mine, and now I’m here to talk about his
second work, which was actually recorded and produced more or less during the
same period as the first one.
I’m sure the first thought of the sceptics will be:
“What’s the point? All the songs must sound identical, or at least very
similar…” My answer to that is an absolute no. It’s true that there wasn’t
enough time between the two albums for the band to digest the sound of the
debut, but Michael has nevertheless managed to deliver something entirely
different here!
Landmines is once again an impressive atmospheric
sludge metal album, and it remains intense to the core. However, this time its
intensity lies mainly in the emotions and thoughts it creates in the listener
rather than in the sheer force of the compositions themselves. The rhythms are
creeping, slow and extremely imposing, while the atmosphere is so gloomy and
eerie that it immediately gets under your skin and refuses to let go until long
after the album has finished.
SOUL KILLING FEMALE write original and unique music,
and they take things one step further on this album. Each instrument was
recorded in a single complete pass, with no editing or fixing whatsoever, as
the intention was to preserve the right mood and, above all, give the
recordings a genuine live feeling. This approach works remarkably well and adds
an organic, almost raw character to the entire album.
Another impressive and rather pioneering element of
Landmines is its almost complete lack of guitars. Most of the guitar parts have
actually been played on bass, an unusual choice that makes the songs sound more
primitive and harsh, while simultaneously adding considerable weight and volume
to the overall sound.
Landmines is another excellent album from SOUL KILLING
FEMALE and further proof that Michael has plenty of ideas to explore. This is
not music for those looking for the familiar or the predictable, but for
open-minded listeners who consider experimentation an essential part of metal. Highly
recommended!
I knew the band’s name, as I had heard people in the
underground scene mentioning PIEL DE SERPIENTE and comparing them to TIERRA
SANTA. Until now, however, I had never actually listened to them, and
Inevitable is their third album. Having finally given it a listen, I have to
say that, apart from the use of the Spanish language, I don’t find that the
band has that much in common with TIERRA SANTA.
PIEL DE SERPIENTE’s sound balances somewhere between
’80s hard rock and traditional heavy metal — the kind of style we usually
describe as hard ’n’ heavy. So, if names like PRETTY MAIDS and PINK CREAM 69
come to mind, along with more metal-oriented influences such as ACCEPT and IRON
MAIDEN, then you are on the right track. This is the musical territory in which
PIEL DE SERPIENTE operate.
Overall, Inevitable is a very enjoyable album,
although there are a few exceptions. “El Umbral,” for example, is simply too
happy, cheesy and predictable for my taste. It sounds like the kind of song
that was written with radio airplay in mind. Fortunately, the album has enough
strong material to compensate for moments like this.
Among the highlights, I would definitely mention
“Rabia,” “Sangre” — which does, indeed, bring TIERRA SANTA to mind —
“Inevitable,” the excellent “Ronnie James,” and “Sueños Perdidos.” These are
the songs that really show what PIEL DE SERPIENTE are capable of when they
combine their melodic side with their heavier influences.
If you don’t have a problem with a band singing
entirely in Spanish, then Inevitable is certainly worth checking out. It is a
good, passionate and fresh hard ’n’ heavy album, and another interesting
example of how the classic ’80s sound can still find a place in today’s
underground scene.
Θα
ακούσουμε «Σόδομα και Γόμορρα» (Sodom and Gomorrah), όπως λέει και το δεύτερο
κομμάτι του CD! Όχι, τουλάχιστον όχι ακόμα. Μετά όμως το Objection Overruled
και τη σχετική επιτυχία που έφερε αυτό το άλμπουμ της επιστροφής τους, πλέον ως
τετράδα, ακριβώς μετά μας έσκασαν στα αυτιά και αυτό.
Δεν
είναι τρομερά καλό, αλλά ούτε και πολύ κακό ως σύνολο. Περνάει οριακά τη βάση
για μένα, παίρνοντας ένα 6/10, και έτσι καταλήγει να είναι ένα ανεκτό, ή έστω
οριακά ενδιαφέρον, άλμπουμ των Γερμανών classic Heavy Metal ηρώων των ’80s.
Η
τετράδα, όπως είπαμε, των δημιουργών του κινείται εδώ σε τότε θεωρούμενα ως
«μοντέρνα» ηχητικά μονοπάτια, από Groove — μη πω και Industrial — κατευθύνσεις,
όπως συμβαίνει ήδη με το ομότιτλο κομμάτι που ανοίγει το άλμπουμ και έρχεται
πρώτο για να μας προβληματίσει. Υπάρχουν, βέβαια, και στιγμές που πατούν σε πιο
σίγουρα και γνώριμα μονοπάτια, σε εκείνα τα στεγανά που μια μπάντα του δικού
τους διαμετρήματος μπορεί να έχει.
Εδώ
έχουμε και την επανεκτέλεση του Generation Clash, από το Eat the Heat του 1989,
το άλμπουμ τους στο οποίο τότε ο Udo Dirkschneider δεν ήταν μέλος της μπάντας,
καθώς τη θέση του στα φωνητικά είχε ο David Reece.
Έχουμε,
βέβαια, και χαρακτηριστικά κομμάτια όπως τα The Beast Inside, Guns ’R’ Us, Bad
Habits Die Hard, Like a Loaded Gun, What Else και Stone Evil, που καταφέρνουν
να αρέσουν αρκετά μέσα σε ένα σύνολο 15 κομματιών.
Δυστυχώς,
όμως, υπάρχουν και χειρότερα, που ακόμα δεν τα έχουμε ακούσει.
English:
The head in the X-ray is Udo.
Are we going to hear “Sodom and Gomorrah,” as the
second track on the CD puts it? Not quite—not yet, at least. But after
Objection Overruled and the relative success that came with that comeback
album, which saw them return as a four-piece, this was what they threw at our
ears next.
It’s not a particularly great album, but neither is it
a particularly bad one as a whole. It just about scrapes a passing grade for
me, earning a 6/10, and therefore ends up being a tolerable, or at least
marginally interesting, release from the German classic Heavy Metal heroes of
the ’80s.
The four-piece behind it, as mentioned, ventures into
what were considered “modern” sonic territories at the time, flirting with
Groove—and, dare I say, even Industrial—directions. The title track, which
opens the album, is a good example, immediately raising a few eyebrows and
making us wonder where exactly they are heading. There are, of course, also
moments when they return to safer and more familiar ground, to those stylistic
boundaries that a band of their stature can comfortably operate within.
We also get a re-recording of Generation Clash,
originally from their 1989 album Eat the Heat. Udo Dirkschneider was not a
member of the band at the time, with David Reece handling the vocals instead.
There are, naturally, some standout tracks here as
well, including The Beast Inside, Guns ’R’ Us, Bad Habits Die Hard, Like a
Loaded Gun, What Else, and Stone Evil, all of which manage to make a fairly
good impression within the album’s 15-track running order.
Unfortunately, though, there are worse things waiting
for us—and we haven’t heard them yet.
There is a particular thrill in crate digging that no
amount of online searching can quite reproduce: the dusty bargain bin, the
forgotten corner of a record shop, and that unexpected moment when a couple of
euros suddenly open the door to an obscure chapter of metal history.
That was exactly my experience with Sinister Funkhouse
#17. I stumbled upon an original 1989 pressing for just €2—a ridiculously good
price for a record that represents one of the strangest, most individualistic
and genuinely unpredictable debuts to emerge from the American underground
during the late ’80s.
Formed in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1987, Last Crack were
hardly a conventional proposition from the beginning. Their early reputation
was built not only around their music but also around volatile, emotionally
charged live performances, which eventually brought them to the attention of
Roadrunner A&R man Monte Conner. The label signed them and sent the band to
Minneapolis to record their debut at Prince’s legendary Paisley Park Studios.
Released in the United States on June 19, 1989,
through Roadracer Records, Sinister Funkhouse #17 is a fascinating snapshot of
a band that clearly had no intention of fitting comfortably into any
established category.
And despite what its title might suggest, this is not
some misguided attempt at funk-metal. The word “funk” here is considerably more
important to the band's mythology than to any straightforward description of
their sound.
A
Tale of Two Sides
One of the most fascinating aspects of the original
vinyl edition is how naturally it divides into two contrasting halves.
Side A – Progressive Chaos and Acid-Drenched
Imagination
The first side is where Last Crack's eccentricity
really comes alive.
Opening with the brief and unsettling Good Mourning
From The Funkhouse, the album quickly launches into Gush Volcano Crush
(G.V.C.), before moving through Blood Brothers of the Big Black Bear, Concrete
Slaughterdogs, Slicing Steel and Saraboyscage.
The songwriting is restless, unpredictable and
frequently disorientating. Riffs appear, mutate and disappear; rhythms change
direction without warning; and the band seems perfectly comfortable allowing a
song to become strange rather than forcing it back into a conventional
structure.
Concrete Slaughterdogs is one of the clearest
demonstrations of their ability to combine muscular riffing with an almost
manic sense of movement, while Slicing Steel introduces a darker, more
atmospheric quality.
There is a psychedelic quality to this material, but
it never becomes lightweight. Last Crack were far too heavy for that. Their
music sounds as though progressive rock, traditional heavy metal, alternative
rock and a particularly unhealthy imagination have been thrown into the same
basement and told to work things out among themselves.
The result is messy—but deliberately so.
Side B – More Direct, But Still Unpredictable
Flip the record over and the band suddenly seems a
little more disciplined.
The Last Crack, Shelter, Terse and the
seven-and-a-half-minute Thee Abyss retain the band's eccentric personality, but
the riffs become more immediately recognizable and the structures somewhat more
grounded.
The Last Crack has a swaggering, riff-driven quality
that makes it one of the album's more immediate moments, while Terse delivers a
compact dose of muscular heavy metal. The real centerpiece, however, is Thee
Abyss, an extended closer that allows the band to stretch out and explore the
darker side of their sound.
Calling Side B “classic heavy metal” would perhaps be
too simplistic—the band's personality remains far too strange for that—but
there is certainly a stronger traditional metal backbone here.
And that contrast between the two sides is part of
what makes the original vinyl such an interesting listen.
The
Musicianship Is No Joke
Behind all the bizarre titles, surreal lyrics and
Buddo's theatrical persona, there is a seriously accomplished band.
The twin-guitar attack of Paul Schluter and Don Bakken
provides much of the album's identity, moving effortlessly between chunky
riffs, atmospheric passages and surprisingly sophisticated lead work. Todd
Winger gives the material a solid low-end foundation, while drummer Phil
“Philo” Buerstatte plays with both precision and aggression.
Buerstatte's subsequent career makes his presence here
even more interesting: after his years with Last Crack, he joined White Zombie,
touring with the band from 1992 to 1994 and appearing on several recordings,
including Feed the Gods, I Am Hell and White Zombie's version of Children of
the Grave. He died in 2013, aged 46.
At the front of this peculiar machine stands Buddo
Xavier Rank, whose vocal approach is almost impossible to separate from Last
Crack's identity. He doesn't simply sing these songs—he performs them.
His delivery can be aggressive, theatrical, sarcastic
and downright unhinged, often sounding closer to an actor inhabiting a deranged
character than a conventional metal vocalist. It is not polished in the
traditional sense, but it is unmistakably his own.
What
Exactly Is the “Sinister Funkhouse”?
The title becomes considerably more entertaining once
you know where it came from.
The Sinister Funkhouse was reportedly the band's
rented practice/storage space outside Madison, where the musicians spent long
hours rehearsing in hot and cramped conditions. Buddo would apparently write
poetry, phrases and potential lyrics directly onto the walls with a marker.
In other words, the album title was not some
calculated record-company attempt to manufacture an eccentric image. The
eccentricity was already there.
That detail also explains something about the record's
atmosphere. Sinister Funkhouse #17 sounds less like a carefully designed
commercial product and more like a document smuggled out of a strange creative
bunker.
“Blood Brothers of the Big Black Bear” – A Trip into
the Madison Underground
One of the album's most memorable and bizarre tracks
is Blood Brothers of the Big Black Bear.
The song is connected to The Black Bear, a basement
bar that functioned as a hangout for members of Madison's metal scene during
the late ’80s and early ’90s. The track turns that real-world environment into
something much more surreal, with Buddo's lyrics constructing an almost
hallucinatory barroom mythology.
It is a perfect example of what makes Last Crack so
difficult to classify. There is genuine heavy metal muscle underneath it, but
the lyrical imagery is bizarre enough to make the whole thing feel like an
underground theatre piece performed by people who have spent far too much time
in the same basement.
And perhaps that is precisely the point.
Recorded
at Prince's Paisley Park
Another detail that adds considerably to the album's
historical appeal is its recording location.
Sinister Funkhouse #17 was recorded at Paisley Park
Studios in Minneapolis, the studio complex owned by Prince. The album was
engineered by Jim Rondinelli, produced by Randy Green, and mixed by Genya
Ravan, with David Cook and Deanna Hewitt also credited in the mixing process.
The unlikely combination of a Madison underground
metal band and Prince's studio is almost as strange as the music itself.
Yet the recording doesn't sound excessively polished
or sterilized. It retains a raw, slightly unruly character that suits Last
Crack perfectly. The musicianship is strong, but the production never
completely removes the feeling that something dangerous and unpredictable is
happening inside the room.
And
Then There Was That Cover...
Of course, no discussion of Sinister Funkhouse #17
would be complete without mentioning its infamous artwork.
The original cover features Buddo naked, posed in an
archer-like stance against a blood-splattered background. It was provocative
enough to attract considerable attention when the album appeared, and the
imagery became one of the band's most recognizable calling cards.
In retrospect, it is almost impossible to imagine a
better visual representation of the album's personality.
Strange? Absolutely.
Subtle? Not remotely.
Forgettable? Certainly not.
A
Cult Classic That Never Quite Found Its Audience
Last Crack followed Sinister Funkhouse #17 with
Burning Time in 1991, a considerably more focused but still highly distinctive
album produced by Dave Jerden. The band appeared to be heading toward something
bigger, but internal problems and mismanagement contributed to their eventual
collapse.
Their story, however, did not completely end there.
The original members reunited for a performance in
Madison in 2002, documented on Burning Funkhouse Live, and later returned for
further performances, including a 2009 reunion celebrating the twentieth
anniversary of their debut. Last Crack eventually became an active band again
and released The Up Rising in 2019.
There was also an unexpected European chapter: Last
Crack toured Europe in 2005 and appeared at the Headway Festival in Amstelveen,
Netherlands, on the same bill as Fates Warning.
That history only reinforces the strange trajectory of
the band. They were never quite mainstream enough to become household names,
yet they possessed enough talent and individuality to keep resurfacing among
people who had discovered them years earlier.
The
Verdict
Sinister Funkhouse #17 is not a flawless masterpiece,
nor does it need to be.
Its value lies elsewhere.
This is an album made by musicians who were clearly
capable of playing technically demanding metal but were unwilling to let
technical ability dictate their artistic boundaries. Progressive passages
collide with traditional heavy metal, psychedelic ideas rub shoulders with
hard-rock swagger, and Buddo's bizarre theatricality ties the whole thing
together.
It is eccentric without being pretentious, heavy
without becoming predictable, and experimental without losing its physical
impact.
Most importantly, it sounds like Last Crack.
And that is probably the greatest compliment one can
give an obscure late-’80s metal album.
Finding an original copy for €2 makes the story even
better. For that price, I didn't just buy a record—I bought a small,
beautifully strange piece of American underground metal history.
Final Score: 70/100
A fiercely original, unpredictable debut from a band
that refused to belong to any particular scene—and became all the more
interesting because of it.
