Born In A Test Tube, Raised In A Cage: It's The 2025 Metal Thread

Let's open up this fuckin' pit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBfeAnef8RQ

Just got answers back from an email interview with the vocalist from Human Barbecue, a cannibalism-obsessed brutal/slam band from Belgium. The interview will run in Burning Ambulance in February. Gotta say, his first answer made me feel pretty fucking old...

How did you first get interested in this style of metal? Can you remember the first records that inspired you to want to make this kind of music yourself?
My dad has always been listening to music at home. He used to be a punk when he was a teenager. So I have been listening to all kind of music since a very early age. I remember that he was listening to bands like Guns N’ Roses, Suicidal Tendencies, Rollins Band... I guess it just grew on me. The older I got, the harder the bands were. I discovered death metal and hardcore music during my nu-metal phase when I was 12-13. I always loved the very brutal side of death metal. Even though I started being active in the hardcore scene (still am), death metal has been by my side since those days.

Here are some upcoming releases on my radar to check out:

10-Jan
Haunted Horses (Seattle industrial metal on Three One G)

24-Jan
Mogwai
Sunrot
Wardruna

25-Jan
Clamfight (Philly Prog-adjacent Stoner Metal)

31-Jan
The Hellacopters
Jaye Jayle
Pentagram
Spesimin (Philly thrash/death/punk goodness)

7-Feb
Dream Theater
Inborn Suffering (French Death/Doom)
Jinjer
Obscura
Thundermother

21-Feb
Killswitch Engage
Mean Mistreater (Austin Trad Metal)
Sacrifice (Canadian thrashers; first new album since 2009)
The Young Mothers (Austin jazz hepcats who like grindcore)

28-Feb
Cloakroom

4-Mar
Destruction

14-Mar
Coheed and Cambria

28-Mar
Arch Enemy
Dead Meadow
Savage Master

Gotta say, his first answer made me feel pretty fucking old...

I was talking with a younger acquaintance who told me she grew up listening to the proverbial "all kinds of music." Dad liked jazz, mom liked country, little brother liked "emo." "Emo" has kind of evolved in meaning over the years, so I asked her what she meant by emo, and she said, oh, you know, stuff like Slipknot.

Definitely looking forward to new Obscura, and Destruction can always be trusted. I've heard the Mean Mistreater; it's as good as the debut, which I loved. Wardruna are actually playing near me (well, 90 minutes away, which is "near" in Montana terms) this summer:

https://fitmfest.com/

One very interesting aspect of that festival:

In partnership with the community in the Blackfeet Nation, Fire in the Mountains 2025 at the Red Eagle Campground in the Blackfeet Nation, will be an event without alcohol. This decision was made with respect to the wishes of our hosts and is a decision we align with.

Our aims have always been to build an event that places value on music, nature, and connection above all else, and to have a positive impact in the community that has welcomed us. We stand behind the decision of our Blackfeet partners that all of these aims can be obtained without the presence of alcohol.

We have no interest in passing judgments or preaching any way of life over another. All walks of life are welcome at our festival. What we do stand strongly behind is respecting the land and the wishes of those whom it belongs to.

lots of good shows coming up in London i'm looking forward to; Napalm Death/Crowbar/Full Of Hell/Brat being one, another being King Diamond/Paradise Lost/Unto Others. Incineration Fest is the one i'm most hyped for though - bearing in mind as a one dayer the clashes will be torture.... lineup so far:

Triptykon Performing Celtic Frost (UK Exclusive)
Blood Incantation (UK Exclusive)
Decapitated (UK Festival Exclusive)
Batushka (UK Exclusive)
Cryptopsy
Warbringer
Blackbraid
Spectral Wound
Lamp Of Murmuur
Undergang (UK Exclusive)
Wormwitch
Bedsore (UK Debut)
Celestial Sanctuary
Carnation
Minami Deutsch
Underdark

What does "UK Exclusive" mean? That that is the only time/place they are playing the UK in 2025? I want to start seeing stuff like this more often. Oasis at Soldier Field: Chicago exclusive! Yo La Tengo Hanukkah Shows: NYC exclusive!

yeah, I guess maybe the UK is a small enough country that promoters can pay for that sort of exclusivity and use it in marketing knowing people will travel to the show rather than miss out... probably less likely to happen in bigger countries/USA?

Old Man's Child is playing their first US live show ever this summer at an outdoor festival 90 minutes from me. Why they'd choose to make their live debut in rural Montana rather than New York or San Francisco or Los Angeles, I don't know, but they have made that choice.

There's a new German band called Axetasy, and on a purely instrumental level, they live up to the name: the guitars are pretty goddamn axetatic. But the vocals are a hoarse shout, not nearly power metal enough for the music, and they're weirdly placed in the mix. I don't love it as much as I wanted to, but others may disagree.

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/withering-tides

This Lifeless Dark album from December is apparently stenchcore, which isn't a descriptor I'm familiar with but seems like it basically came to mean a thrashier kind of crust punk? Anyway, it's really awesome.

https://lifelessdark.bandcamp.com/album/forces-of-natures-transformation

lol at stenchcore

I'm old enough to remember when Obscura were a wild, jazz-prog-fusion-y tech-death band. Unfortunately, their new album A Sonication (out 2/7) is some Dark Tranquillity-ass melodeath bullshit, with the occasional fretless bass solo to remind you of what once was.

https://obscura.bandcamp.com/album/a-sonication

fwiw the term stenchcore is as old as crust (coming up for 40 years) but seems to be enjoying a resurgence given the number of times I've seen "wtf is stenchcore" posts recently

I've always liked the term stenchcore because of the "our band smells bad" implication.

New Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ1M2i-7gF4

Catchier than I might have thought. Album drops 4/4.

It's ridiculous power metal video time! Here's "Power Train" by Majestica, and yes, it's about a train.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBJ7L5LyAk4

Releases this Friday that I will be checking out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqiYgldW5nw

Pentagram

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww7iDotqQ0s

The Hellacopters

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEIPPQ-5UvE

Jaye Jayle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFABZr7WPkE

Spesimin

fuck sake - i hate how much i may spend on this though also know there is little to no chance of getting tickets

https://www.instagram.com/blacksabbath/p/DFsSHb-JK-O/

yeah that lineup is pretty undeniable, even with the dubious prospects of various supergroups and Pantera playing

although somewhere Dave Mustaine is crying and i want to give him a hug?

Wonder the last time Metallica supported someone.. Maybe those Rolling Stones shows in 2005?

Out of morbid curiosity I streamed a few songs of that new Obscura and, yeah, it's terrible.

The new Century album is the first real standout for me this year. Swedish melodic heavy metal... my favourite area.

The vocal performance took me a minute to warm up to, but I like it. He has a kind of dry, stone-faced quality, which works for me, especially on short punchy tracks like "No Time For Tomorrow".

Yeah, that is good. It's an unmemorable name which is why I keep forgetting to check them out, but I've just put both their albums in my Bandcamp cart.

New Phrenelith sounding pretty great on the first go through

I interviewed Belgian brutal death metallers Human Barbecue. Plus bonus "Robert Christgau is a shithead" content!

lol at calling yourself Human Barbecue.

NEW PISSGRAVE INCOMING (finally!)

https://pissgrave.bandcamp.com/album/malignant-worthlessness

Wow, I am loving the Mean Mistreater album.

I went to see Undergang and Mephitic Corpse a week ago, and even though I caught a brutal cold at the show, it scratched a metalhead itch that was in dire need of scratching. Absolute filth.

ooh, the new Christian Mistress is up on NWOTHM Full Albums on youtube.

Atmospheric black metal cover of a Jean-Michel Jarre piece is a very specific niche, and you probably know if you're in it.

https://open.spotify.com/album/0YUsJFg8fBDSaDxLGxKvZp?si=4VoFC1y0TxOaxMWk7ZTp5A

I love that cover, I was annoyed it wasn't included as a bonus track on the copy I got of that album.

Some other good metal covers this week:
- Al-Namrood doing a black'n'roll-ish version of the Exploited's "Beat the Bastards".
- Ultrviolence's blackgazey "there is a light that never goes out".
- UMC and Anna-Lena Derer Eurevisioning Lady Gaga's "Abracadabra".
- URNE doing a basically reverent rendition of Black Sabbath's "I" (from Dehumanizer).

(And for metal covered, last week there was Rosetta Stone doing Sabbath's "N.I.B.".)

This month's Stereogum metal column has a great piece on Ragne Wahlquist and Heavy Load, the first Swedish metal band.

had a fun time at the Life After Death 2 fest this weekend in London; which is heavily associated with the great Crypt Of The Wizard record store. very good sets from Vacuous (new LP on Relapse is killer) and Jaundice (death metal from Glasgow, all looked about 18). this Friday - Napalm Death / Crowbar / Full Of Hell / Brat in brixton :D

Yeah, I'm enjoying that Vacuous record.

Me too; downloaded the promo last night after reading that post and it rips.

I like how it kinda swims against a lot of the trends in death metal right now, a little Converge energy in it.

Heck yeah--only a few songs in so far, but that new Vacuous sounds great! Artfully meat-and-potatoes to these ears, and very well-produced.

Ha! "artfully meatandpotatoes" is well-put.

New Neptunian Maximalism 3CD set in April!

https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/le-sacre-du-soleil-invaincu

Brent Hinds has left Mastodon.

I still can't get used to the new name, but The Otolith (formerly SubRosa) has a new track, and it's good:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdNDoMP3XWk

xp - thanks for the heads up on the Neptunain Maximalism! Instant pre-order. FYI, as much as I am happy to support Bandcamp Friday (which I am with other things today), follow the link on their page to the US store for much more reasonable shipping costs.

Wonder what led to Hinds leaving, wouldn't have expected that.

I really dig the first Otolith album, excited for more!

The new Ghost single is disappointing me.

I hear a good song there, but the mixing and compression on the guitars I'm having trouble with.

Hmm, granted it was a headphone listen, but I thought it was really good and the most I've been excited about a Ghost lead single in awhile now. Reminded me more of the Opus Eponymous era than much has lately.

FYI, as much as I am happy to support Bandcamp Friday (which I am with other things today), follow the link on their page to the US store for much more reasonable shipping costs.

Yeah, I saw that myself. Still deciding whether to spring for a physical copy or not. The three discs are only about 35 minutes long each, just FTR. But I understand why they want to break them out so you listen to each raga separately.

I'm posting this here and in the jazz thread, for obvious reasons: I interviewed Ray Suhy, who's simultaneously an accomplished jazz guitarist and the lead guitarist in Six Feet Under. It was a really fun conversation, even if the transcription program I use couldn't tell our voices apart (two guys from Jersey yappin').

saw em a year or two ago and tried to buy the old amber gray/orphan disc on hydrahead. they told me they were just there as freebies to incentivize buying vinyl. merch guy said to just said to take it along with a hayaino daisuki disc. guessing they still have plenty of these things in boxes somewhere in new jersey.

not sure a new recording was necessary here but i’ll give it a listen.

Pardon me while I brag for a minute: the Ava Mendoza/gabby fluke-mogul/Carolina Pérez album Mama Killa is the top pick on Bandcamp's Best Metal column for July!

It feels like I’m getting away with something writing about Mama Killa, the first album from the trio of guitarist Ava Mendoza, violinist Gabby Fluke-Mogul, and drummer Carolina Pérez. It isn’t a metal album, not in any conventional sense. Its improvisational origins put it closer to jazz, but it’s not really a jazz album, either. Its closest relative might be the music Dave Lombardo has made with John Zorn over the years—just, you know, without any saxophone. Pérez is the anchor of Mama Killa, and the reason I’m bothering to recommend it to metalheads at all. She’s the drummer for death metal wrecking crew Castrator, and she was invited by Burning Ambulance Music curator Phil Freeman to improvise in the studio with Mendoza and Fluke-Mogul. You can hear the way Pérez’s presence warps the kinds of choices her collaborators make. Mendoza’s guitar parts often feel pointedly metallic, and when she occasionally flexes her virtuosity, she sounds more like a G3 Tour shredder than a heady jazznik. Meanwhile, Fluke-Mogul’s violin gives Pérez an unfamiliar texture to play off of, and the results of their two-person game frequently sound revelatory. For her part, Pérez sounds amazing, always in control of the music even as it pushes her to uncomfortable places. The Castrator album she has coming next month is great, but Pérez’s work on Mama Killa does even more to illustrate why she’s one of the best drummers in heavy music today.

Last night, Blood Incantation did the thing:

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:kqdyhnklmmv34nmml6btyqv6/bafkreicchzxds6crl2yjvarr74xjfsqvwn2yjzbqunq5sbtfjyq5ujoqsq@jpeg

Highlights beyond the excellent performance itself: Paul Riedl is a master of deep voiced mellow/wry between song banter, including being amused/bemused by a blue blow-up alien doll popping up from the crowd, the last song on their playlist before taking the stage was Kraftwerk’s “Pocket Calculator” and during final soundcheck they busted out the opening riff from “Symptom Of The Universe.”

Grr, this week there were dubious new songs credited to both The Dark Element and Diabulus in Musica that were plainly not by those bands, and sounded to me like they were probably from the same source (as each other).

https://blabbermouth.net/news/watch-dark-angel-performs-two-new-songs-extinction-level-event-and-circular-firing-squad-at-chiles-metal-beer-festival

Megadeth to release final album in 2026, tour for several years thereafter

Tomas Lindberg is apparently very ill; a statement from At The Gates was released this morning:

We want to take a moment to update you on what’s been happening with At the Gates, and to do so, we need to take you back about a year and a half.

Below, you’ll find a message from Tomas, written this past March 2025, where he reflects on the past 15 months and the reasons for the radio silence.

However, in early May, Tomas experienced a health setback. Since then, he has been hospitalised and has been receiving dedicated care in a specialized ward where he is being closely monitored around the clock.

While this is a challenging time, we’re staying positive but, even in a best-case-scenario we know the recovery will take a long time.

We kindly ask that you respect Tomas’ and his family’s privacy during this period.

We know how much the band and the music mean to him — Tomas is incredibly proud of the new At the Gates album we've been working on, and we will try to get you more details on this upcoming release very soon.

Thank you for your ongoing support, patience, and understanding.

At the Gates
August 15, 2025

Tomas:

“Hello everyone. I guess some of you may have been wondering why it has been so silent on the At the Gates front lately.

Well, in December 2023, I was diagnosed with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (a cancer in the mouth and pallet) and have since then gone through a lot, it has been a very tough year.

First there was a major surgery, where they took away a big part of the roof of the mouth. This was followed by radiation therapy for two months, and ever since it has been a long hard path towards recovery.

Now, in the beginning of 2025, they have found some remains of the cancer, and it is inaccessible by surgery or radiation.

So, we will see what the next step is, but probably some form of chemo therapy, to keep the cancer in check.

Luckily, we recorded vocals for the demos for the new album before all of this happened. The last version of the vocals, the ones that will end up on the album, were recorded in ONE day, mostly one takes, the DAY before the surgery, just to make sure we HAD the album, so to speak. So the vocals were actually recorded BEFORE the rest of the album.... a bit different, but it felt good to have it done.

We have now decided to not wait any longer to release this new album. We had first planned to wait with the release until we knew if/when I would be able to sing again, and we were able to support the release with shows.

Now when everything about the future is a bit more unsure it feels good to deliver this album.

It is an album that we all are very proud of, and it's the first time in 10 years that Jonas and I have worked together with Anders writing an albums’ worth of music.

It is a bit more of a return to the "roots", probably best described as a mix between the two last albums we did with Anders (Slaughter of the Soul and At War with Reality).

Hope you all will enjoy it!

Please respect that we don't want to make a big thing about all this, and that I won't be answering interviews concerning the cancer, the treatment or the recovery. We just wanted this to be out in the open, as we wanted to explain to our fans why we have been quiet for such a long time.

I hope you all are well. Take care of yourself, your loved ones and the time you have on this earth.

Tomas Lindberg / Gothenburg / March 2025”

Oh snit I love Drawn and Quartered! Didn't know there was a new one.

― Neanderthal, Friday, June 27, 2025 2:30 PM (one month ago) bookmarkflaglink

it’s out and it rips. it’s in that “avalanche of drums” like the last one.

*style

thinking of doing Desertfest Antwerp; anyone got recommendations aside from the obvious? mainly hyped for Yob / Orange Goblin / Oransi Pazuzu and drinking some excellent beers
https://www.desertfest.be/antwerp/lineup/

Bongripper, Bongripper, Bongripper.

RIP Brent Hinds

Yeah, shit. Wow. I just bumped the Mastodon thread. Sad ending for a troubled guy, for sure.

sad story, esp after they bucked the odds and got so huge. rip.

in better news, evoken is back!

https://evokenofficial.bandcamp.com/album/mendacium

German World War 1-themed band Kanonenfieber have a new single out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M355O3YomHM

keep going back to the new one from finnish death metal heads proscription

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/desolate-divine

at times i’m reminded of immolation, ulcerate, and other things that are good

Not really metal per se, but the new Arcadea (Brann Dailor's side project) is lots of fun! The lyrics are whatever, but the fun is hearing Brann go to town on the drums with some really great synths.

https://arcadea.bandcamp.com/album/the-exodus-of-gravity

A very interesting looking series is premiering on Hulu on 9/22:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRHrfcNirSg

I know things are awful now, and I feel really bad for my American buds, but if I may, on a lighter note I saw Castle Rat six nights ago and it was so incredibly fun. The new album is very strong, some tasty swords & sorcery doom produced by James Plotkin, but as a live band they're even better. But then there's the show itself. It reminds me so much of bands like W.A.S.P. and Lizzy Borden around '84-'85, who brought theatricality, choreography, psychodrama to small venues. Castle Rat go all in on the fantasy/horror stuff, and the approach is more burlesque and drag, every band member knowing their marks. An absolute blast, and Riley Pinkerton is the real deal, a total showman. Showperson. This tour has been selling out, and the Montreal show was packed to overflowing. Try to catch them!

I love their whole vibe and presentation. She's got a really good voice, and their total commitment to the bit is admirable. I can definitely see them being a blast live.

Conan and Mares of Thrace are playing about two hours' drive from me a week from tonight. I'm probably not gonna go, but I am seriously thinking about it.

Mares of Thrace just keep getting better and better. This tour has been selling super well, too.

It's kind of incredible how careerist the new Sanguisugabogg album is. Kurt Ballou production, a slew of guest vocalists, big-ass Cannibal Corpse riffs... we get it, guys, you want to be on the main stage. (It's a good album, mind you. But the only thing missing is a song with a clean chorus.)

I utterly love that a band who chose the name Sanguisugabogg has had a band meeting and decided "we're goin for it"

yes. altho im not a huge fan i am very much here for the glorious rise of the ‘bogg

yep - Feb UK tour is with Fulci, Gates to Hell, and Celestial Sanctuary so that'll be a fun night! on another filthy death note, the new Hedonist out on Southern Lord rules

I know things are awful now, and I feel really bad for my American buds, but if I may, on a lighter note I saw Castle Rat six nights ago and it was so incredibly fun. The new album is very strong, some tasty swords & sorcery doom produced by James Plotkin, but as a live band they're even better. But then there's the show itself. It reminds me so much of bands like W.A.S.P. and Lizzy Borden around '84-'85, who brought theatricality, choreography, psychodrama to small venues. Castle Rat go all in on the fantasy/horror stuff, and the approach is more burlesque and drag, every band member knowing their marks. An absolute blast, and Riley Pinkerton is the real deal, a total showman. Showperson. This tour has been selling out, and the Montreal show was packed to overflowing. Try to catch them!

― A. Begrand, Saturday, September 13, 2025 8:43 PM (two days ago) bookmarkflaglink

i just read this and then checked the date - they're here tonight! but it's a school night and i'm busy growing rust on the couch. i thought about seeing conan and mares of thrace but that's also on like a monday. my show quota will be filled by high on fire on a friday night in two weeks and then i won't go out again for another three months.

I skipped Agriculture last week (school night), Helms Alee and Torche on Saturday (illness) and I'm missing Portal and Impetuous Ritual this week (again, school night). Ah well.

RIP Tomas Lindberg. Turn Disfear's Live The Storm all the way up.

sad news RIP

tonight in London - i am a tired old boy with tired legs; which of these supports should I catch?

6:30 PM Infested Angel
7:15 PM Death Rattle
8:00 PM Gorgatron
8:45 PM Origin
9:45 PM Atheist

Athiest the headliner... so not a support... obviously

nice! Speaking of London gigs, Castle Rat are supporting High on Fire athe Electric Ballroom in November, should be a good night!

you missed out that the mighty NECROT are also on that bill, gonna be a great night despite how shitty that venue can be when its packed out

The new Castle Rat is really great

fav metally thing so far this year

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEmwu1jDYI0

Love some of the comments to that.

NEW ANAL STABWOUND

https://newstandardelite.bandcamp.com/album/anal-stabwound-enshrining-the-many-fingered-grasp

Great Suffocation set from Summer Breeze 2025. Worth it for the occasional pit shots of dudes walking around very quickly in circles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXHLFjbDc-o

caught beherit the other night on a little mini tour of the US they’re doing, and well, that was one of the most fun metal sets i’ve ever seen, probably. incredibly good and the crowd was so hyped that it made it even better.

So I've been increasingly interested in Castle Rat since seeing them earlier this month, and the new album is WAY better than I expected. They've found a cozy little niche between early Sabbath, NWOBHM, and Sleep, Riley has a much more versatile voice than I expected, and Randall Dunn is always so good at capturing the warm tones of classic heavy rock/metal. Kind of like the first Ghost album, this too has its own thing going on, its own weird little retro vibe. I have zero idea what my AOTY will be, but this is a dark horse for sure.

the new paradise lost is a masterpiece

have i said that about the last 4-5 paradise lost albums? probably. but this is the best one yet. so inspired

New Paradise Lost is terrific. I've not paid attention for the best part of 30 years. Amazed at how instantly recognisable Gregor Mackintosh's guitar tone* is. The production is spot on.

*From Gothic onwards, ofc. I was a big fan of the first album, which has its own gloriously diseased Peaceville thing going on. Saw them support Sepultura in 1993. Magnificent gig.

new voidceremony incoming:
https://20buckspin.bandcamp.com/album/abditum

in a crowded field, the last one was probably the one death metal record from the last few years that I've gone back to most - stoked!

A lot of new metal to ponder this week, but my first enthusiasms as I start listening are for the crashing new Elder EP, the new Juliet Ruin song, and the whole majestic new Amorphis album.

new elder gah this sounds so good

I caught the Dark Angel show in Reading, PA a couple days ago.

First of all, I had a great time! The openers Void had frilly shirts and white high-tops nd sounded like they just got done opening for Annihilator in 1987. Fun 'Frash!

I never caught Hirax and they were phenomenal! Katon is seriously one of the best thrash metal frontmen around and he can really belt them out!

Sacred Reich I have been seeing live since 1988 and they are always solid.

Now, Dark Angel put on a good show as well. It was great hearing "Merciless Death" and "Darkness Descends" live. I liked one of the new songs, the title track; the rest were just kind of there.

I know that a lot of people are slagging the album and the band made a big deal out of not streaming it. But they had no copies at the merch booth either!

There is a conspiracy theory going around that the band realizes the album is not so hot so they are burying it. I even heard that people who preordered it are still waiting.

Has anyone heard the album? Does anyone own it? Is it as bad as I have heard?

Apparently there's a new Kreator album coming out in January - no PR announcement yet, but it's up on Bandcamp:

https://kreator.bandcamp.com/album/krushers-of-the-world

yep Kreator UK tour just announced with Exodos, Carcass and Nails

And now there's a video, stuffed full of AI animation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPRvLYHKD-I

AI Producer: Hannah O’Malley
AI Artist: Timo Fritsche and Luthi Luan