Τρίτη 11 Αυγούστου 2026

ABYSSAL DECAY Announce New Album Call of the Abyss



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.


Lugubre Cenacle Releases New Single “Sealed Shell of Existence”

 


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.


REVIEW: VENOM, Metal Black

 


VENOM, Metal Black (2006)


Sanctuary Records


Ανίερη ιεροσυλία


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.


Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης


REVIEW: SOUL KILLING FEMALE - Landmines

 


SOUL KILLING FEMALE - Landmines


Independent


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!


Christine  Parastatidou

Δευτέρα 10 Αυγούστου 2026

REVIEW: PIEL DE SERPIENTE – Inevitable

 


PIEL DE SERPIENTE – Inevitable (2011)


Pure Rock Records


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.


Nick Parastatidis


REVIEW: ACCEPT, Death Row

 


ACCEPT, Death Row (1994)


RCA


Το κεφάλι στην ακτινογραφία είναι ο Udo.


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.


Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης


REVIEW: LAST CRACK – Sinister Funkhouse #17

 


LAST CRACK – Sinister Funkhouse #17 (1989)


Roadracer Records / Roadrunner Records


A €2 Discovery of a Cult-Level Oddity


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.


Nick Parastatidis