This first record is from 2017, but Venenum’s “Trance of Death” is still amongst the best death metal albums to come out from Germany in recent years. This is a dark, occultist beast! Truly cursed music.

Gatefold LP.

Dense debut full of purulent old school death metal. Excellent and morbid production, perfect for this ode to corpses and rottenness. Dark and abyssal, this album is an eager attack against fake extreme metal.

Can you imagine Nile or Hour Of Penance joining forces with Fleshgod Apocalypse or Septicflesh? Mexico’s Shemhamforash’s second album is epic, symphonic, majestic, but also brutally fast and convoluted. A fucking tornado! Wow.

Ominous demonstration of black death power in the vein of bands like Belphegor, Azarath, or Angelcorpse. From Houston, Texas, a fast, sharp, deadly first opus. Insane riffs!! A dagger in your guts.