Author: Dillon Collins

Formed in 2021, Acid Throne has only gone from strength to strength, winning Metal to the Masses in the summer of 2022, before winning over a rapturous crowd at Bloodstock Open Air Festival. Discontent with taking their foot off the pedal, the trio has become a fixture of the UK underground doom live circuit in support of their inaugural release, The Demo (Spectral Hound Records), sharing the stage with the likes of Mondo Generator, Employed to Serve, Inhuman Nature, Burner, Necronautical, Witchsorrow and Wallowing in the process.

“Since day one, Acid Throne has drawn from a wide pool of influences & while our demo included a small handful of songs with a distinctly doom-oriented sound, we always wanted to push things further with our debut full-length,” the band shared in a joint statement on the record. 

“As a band with arguably misanthropic and anti-establishment views, we wanted to make a record that conveyed the often overwhelming feelings of anger and despair that result from living in the 21st century. In order to do this and pay homage to our roots in the underground punk & heavy metal scenes, we took elements of doom, black metal, death metal, and hardcore, and used them to create Kingdom’s Death, our soundtrack to the coming apocalypse.”

The post Track Premiere: Acid Throne – “War Torn” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

Portland deathgrind practitioners Rank and Vile will unleash their punishing second full-length, Worship, on November 17th via Modern Grievance Records.

After a four-year term since their debut album Redistribution of Flesh, the band elected to seek the recording council of Hallowed Halls (Poison Idea, Pallbearer) and Leon del Muerte of Beastman Audio (ex-Nails, Terrorizer AD) to draft a twelve-song bill of piss and vinegar titled Worship. As if powered by chainsaws, Worship cuts through any political red tape to inspire frenzied rage in the general public and pearl-clutching fear in the outnumbered oppressors.

Decibel proudly drops their latest video, “Destitution.”

“The houselessness crisis is the result of a systemic issue that is unlikely to be solved in a system that only rewards profit. It causes suffering to so many and instills a casual disregard of that suffering in so many others,” the band shared in a statement.

“Destitution” expresses our disgust with the attitudes of city, state and federal governments and with those who think people living on the street suffering from untreated opiate addiction and mental health issues are an inconvenience to be eradicated so as not to interfere with their pub crawls and Sunday brunches.”

The post Video Premiere: Rank and Vile – “Destitution” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

Vicious Colorado-based quintet Mouth for War unleashes brutal therapy on their new album Bleed Yourself, available on October 27th through MNRK Heavy.

The combined forces of Trae Roberts [vocals], Mason Sego [drums], Gabe Moya [guitar], Jonah Starbuck [guitar], and Michael Guglielmi [bass]—rally listeners together around unflinchingly honest and uncontainable bursts of aggression and emotion.

Decibel is proud to unveil their latest single and music video “Captivated” alongside an in-depth Q&A with frontman Trae Roberts.

The post Mouth For War Drop New Video “Captivated,” Breakdown Album Bleed Yourself With Decibel’s Q&A appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

Portland death metal trio Thanamagus will unleash their Lie In Wait debut EP on October 27th via Carbonized Records in the US and Seed of Doom Records in Europe.

Decibel is pleased to premiere the EP in its entirety.

Lie in Wait by Thanamagus

Comprised of Jonatan Quintana (Ritual Necromancy, Decrepisy), Nick Alosio, and Charlie Koryn (Ascended Dead, Funebrarum), Thanamagus was forged in 2019, inspired by the likes of Kreator, Dark Angel, Insanity, and Immolation.

Their mission is simple: to push their musical limits toward faster, darker, and more brutal directions.

Following their brutal two-track Incorporeal Passage demo, Lie In Wait brandishes a vicious, schizophrenic brand of death metal punctuated by lyrical themes centered around death worship, disembodiment, and the afterlife.

Recorded at The Underworld Studios by Charlie Koryn and mixed and mastered at Subterranean Watchtower Studio by Damian Herring, the release features the band at its most savage and inhuman.

Lie In Wait, which includes bass guitar performed by Vince Blank, cover art by Yuri Kahan, and additional art by Kim Jakobsson, will be released on CD, LP, cassette, and digital formats.

Find US preorders via the Carbonized webshop HERE and Bandcamp HERE. For European preorders, visit the Seed Of Doom webshop HERE and Bandcamp HERE.  

The post EP Stream: Thanamagus – “Lie In Wait” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

Shane Embury has been through the grinder (pun intended) of the music business and come out on the other side as a grizzled veteran of the highest order.  The Godfather of Grindcore has punched tickets across multiple decades and an untold amount of bands and projects, from Venomous Concept, Brujeria, and Lock Up, to legendary British outfit Napalm Death. Embury documents his entire journey – from humble beginnings to the life of a road warrior -– in his debut biography Life…? And Napalm Death, available this fall through Rocket 88.

“I don’t know whether I’ve been subconsciously preparing for something like this,” Embury shared during a sit-down with Decibel. “I always used to joke with my friends. You know, you have a few beers and you go, ‘Oh yeah, this is one for the book!’ You never really think you’re going to do a book, and when it was suggested to me, I was like, let’s go for it!”

The project documents Embury’s life from childhood to joining Napalm Death following the release of their landmark album Scum, all the way to the present day, with a series of guest testimonials from friends, family, and collaborators along the way. 

“Yeah, I think there’s a great list I had,” he said of his contributors to the book. “You like to think you’re a well-rounded person, hopefully. It’s always interesting to see other people’s take on you, a warts-and-all kind of vibe. They were reasonably pleasant towards me, so it was all right I guess. Hopefully, the book has a little bit of some roughness to it and some down-to-earthness. We all have our ups and downs. Some things I was surprised about in a good way.”

From biggest regrets to behind-the-music reveals and a gritty slap in the face reality of life on the road, Embury pulls no punches in his literary debut. It’s a grindcore fan’s dream that pulls the reader head-on into a rarely chronicled world. 

“Napalm Death has been a big part of my life and was my favorite band before I joined them. I knew the guys before, and spent time with them at rehearsals, just sitting in rehearsals and watching them. But prior to that, of course, it was a starting point. And it really is a cliche thing, but it was watching early rock bands on TV going, I want to do that. That was my thing, I like these lead guitars and these strange shapes that I’m seeing,” he shared. 

“I wanted that. That’s for me. My grandma’s buckets took a beating every week and it was just like that was just what it was. A really small village, where I came from. And it’s steeped in history, of course. When you’re growing up feeling a little bit of an outcast, it was escapism, I suppose. That’s where it started.”

A tireless gun for hire across the heavy music space with dozens of albums to his credit, Embury admits that, on the Napalm Death front, new music could be on the horizon in the not-too-distant future.

“There is and there has been,” he shared of potential new material. “We started in August of 2017 actually recording that record and it didn’t come out until 2020. I’ve got loads of ideas and riffs and pieces and stuff that’s ready to go. I really hope that we can start going for it in April, is what I’m hoping.”

Coming full circle with this artifact of his life and legacy, Embury reflects on the journey of where he’s been, and perhaps most importantly, where he’s going. 

“It’s a nice step in the evolutionary process of where I’m supposed to be going, I suppose, the destiny vibe and what I’m hoping to finally achieve. I’ve done so many records and of course, they’re all important to do as many records as I can, but also my family’s important. I’m still working on that in some ways, really,” he shares candidly.

“And so this is kind of like a point where this is where I’ve been, what I’ve done, where do I go now? And just the chance to, if I’ve got any wisdom share it, I hope, the best I can. Again, the cliche thing is I managed to follow my heart and do what I wanted to do, and I think other people can. You’ve just got to put one foot in front of the other, I think.”

Order Life…? And Napalm Death here. 

The post Life…? And Napalm Death: The Godfather of Grindcore, Shane Embury, on His New Biography appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

British death/thrash overlords Overthrow will haunt the metalverse ahead of Halloween with their new EP Ascension of the Entombed, available, conveniently enough, this Friday the 13th through Redefining Darkness Records.

Formed in 2011 as a gritty thrash band in the London underground scene, Overthrow has evolved into an edgy, brutal, and merciless blackened death metal attraction made up of Jay White  (guitar/vocals), Scott Lindsay (drums), Grant McCallum (guitar – live) and Jamie Scougall (bass -live).

Decibel proudly debuts their new EP in full.

Ascension Of The Entombed by OVERTHROW

“The inspiration behind the new EP is our love of black and death metal bands such as Morbid Angel, Dissection, Dead Congregation, and Spectral Voice, to name but a few. We’ve been around for a dozen years now and this EP represents a stylistic and lyrical approach that ventures into more brutal, sinister, and macabre realms,” the band shared in a statement.

“I think most people will hear the evolution of our sound, certainly from the debut album which was more thrash-oriented, but still be able to recognize that it is us exploring new territories in terms of extreme metal. We feel the songwriting and execution are more refined and the production on this EP (handled by Harris Zourelidis) is definitely a step forward. This material is definitely our best work to date and we can’t wait for everyone to hear it!”

The post Full Album Stream: Overthrow – “Ascension of the Entombed” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

Tommy Victor has earned his status as one of metal’s most tireless ironmen.

Founder, vocalist, and guitarist for groove metal luminaries Prong and guitarist for the legendary Danzig, Victor has the battle scars from decades of pounding the pavement and navigating trip-wires of the ever-turbulent music landscape.

He returns with Prong’s thirteenth studio effort, and first in six years, the aptly titled State of Emergency, one which he shares was inspired by his return to his native east coast.

“Everything was written in New York, all the lyrics, all the riffs, all the songs, and then recorded locally. That was part of the whole plan of it,” he shared during a sitdown with Decibel.

“I was trying to investigate the differences between the coasts. And the fact that when you’re back home where you’re born. I started feeling the same feelings because where I live now isn’t that far from where I grew up.”

Juggling the rigors of the pandemic with the birth of his children and moving across the country, State of Emergency is classic Prong. No frills, no filler, all gutt-busting ruffs and thick, chugging groove.

“I tried doing that (reinventing the band) in 1995. That was the last time I really tried to do that. And that didn’t seem to go too well,” he shares with a laugh. “I’m enjoying being a legacy band because of that, where I could say I don’t have to worry about how djent-y I am right now.

“Guitar players today are under a lot of pressure to do as much as they can in order to impress people. And I’m not bagging or anything, but they wind up impressing nobody because it becomes this barrage of technicalities that are like, does anybody really care anymore? I guess some people do. I know there’s a whole underground of crazy guitar players who are just trying to outsweep themselves. I don’t have to compete with that.”

The album is capped off with a rousing cover of Rush classic “Working Man”, a band that served as a massive inspiration for Victor in his formative years.

“The thing is, when I was a kid, I didn’t play guitar, so I was a bass player in bands when I was in high school and shit. So of course, Geddy Lee was the guy. He was one of the top dudes, right? I saw Rush so many times.”

“There was no way of not having them influence you. It was impossible because they were so popular. They weren’t on the big scale, but like guys that are playing in garage bands, it’s like we were doing Zeppelin covers and Bad Company and then Rush songs and that’s the way it was back in the day. And “Working Man” was like the standard one. I know it’s not with Neil, but the riff is so easy and it’s so basic that it’s a killer track. I mean, I love the lyric and everything. So that’s one of the reasons why that one stood out to me. The lyrics fit into the whole State of Emergency too. It fit in for some reason, so I really wanted to do it.”

Reflecting on his time as a guitarist in Danzig, Victor admits that the gig comes with its share of pressure.

Danzig marks the 35th anniversary of their seminal self-titled album this year, with the band toasting the album on tour. Stepping into the shoes of the shredders who came before him, particularly original guitarist John Christ, is an unenviable position, he shares.

“Glenn, he trusts me in a lot of ways,” he explains. “It was hard for me because there’s a lot of solos on that record (Danzig I). There’s a lot of John Christ solos on that record and he’s impossible to emulate. I still am scared. The Danzig fans are very harsh on me anyhow, but it was scary going out and playing these,” he admits candidly. “It’s always a high-pressure gig for me because I’m playing other guy’s parts. I’m on the later records, but those aren’t the significant as the early ones, so it’s a tough gig.”

Prong’s State of Emergency is available worldwide on October 6th. Pre-order the album here. 

The post Tommy Victor Breaks Down Prong’s ‘State of Emergency’ and the Stress of Performing Danzig Classics appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

Hallucinatory prog-infested bestial black/death metal cohort Ch’ahom is set to burst into the metal consciousness with their dynamic tome on sonic wizardry in the form of their debut full-length album Knots of Abhorrence.

“Having started as far back as 2015 and existed for many years as a raw, bestial obscure war cult following in the steps of bands like Sadogoat, Blasphemy, Beherit and Proclamation, in recent times Ch’ahom has been undergoing an expansive metamorphosis of their sound and songwriting, now juxtaposing a crisp and dense production quality to their primeval terrorscape, that exalts new elements incorporated from early ’90s technical death metal in the vein of Timeghoul and Demilich, as well as from ’70s U.K. prog influences derived from the band’s peculiar interest in acts like Yes, Camel and Genesis,” representatives of the band shared ahead of the much-hyped release.

Decibel proudly premieres the dense, layered, and completely off-the-wall cut “Chavín de Huántar”.

“Ch’ahom’s long-running Mesoamerican concept about pre-columbian rituals and death cults has also conversely benefitted from this recent sonic transfiguration, with their staple tribal contaminations and ornamental interludes (written and performed by the members themselves with traditional instruments) now assuming a whole new presence against the backdrop of the album’s devastating scope and vision.

“Across its sprawling forty-plus minutes and five dismal tracks, Knots of Abhorrence unfolds a pure masterclass of rare violence, atmosphere, and intensity, carrying the listener across a gruesome wormhole and into another dimension of history’s past where violence, carnage, bloodshed, magic, and ritualism incarnate the sum of mankind’s biggest and most ancestral fears. Those lurking in our subconscious and within the hidden cracks of our ego have often transmuted into madness and ravaged and derailed human society, culture, and sanity and created some of the darkest and most chaotic eras of our history.”

The post Track Premiere: CH’AHOM – “Chavín de Huántar” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

Post-metal guitar virtuoso Mike Gallagher (Isis, Cast Iron Hike), has unearthed long-buried sessions for his emotive project Mustard Gas and Roses (MGR).

The tracks, now in the form of a three-song EP Awakenings, stem from a near-decade-old recording session in 2014.

Decibel is proud to premiere the end result of those creative meetings of the minds between Gallagher, Josh Graham, Josh Holt, and BJ Graves.

Awakenings by MGR

“During the spring of 2014, Josh Graham asked me if MGR would open for A Storm of Light on a tour that was going through the EU, UK, and Russia. At that point, I had been making more of an effort to play shows with MGR so I jumped at the chance. When I started to work out a set for the tour, I felt I was missing the connection and intimacy that comes from playing with other musicians. At that point Isis had been broken up for almost four years and I had only been playing shows with MGR as a one-man band, so it was feeling a little lonely,” Gallagher shared of the EP’s origins.

“I asked Josh if I could “borrow” three of his band members so we could re-sculpt MGR into something that involved more than just me. Josh Graham, BJ Graves, and Josh Holt – all from A Storm of Light – agreed to help out with guitar, drums, and bass, respectively. While on the tour, I felt very proud of what we had accomplished in a very short time. I became aware we had a day off in London and wanted to document our experience by recording it in a studio guerrilla-style.

“A few days before our time in London I reached out to Isis’ booking agent Jodie Cox for recommendations for someone who could help out with this last-minute request. He put me in touch with Tim Cedar from Part Chimp who also ran Dropout Studios in Camberwell London. He graciously accommodated us, and on May 1, 2014, we rolled into Dropout Studios around 4 p.m., set up, and were done tracking three songs within a few hours.

“This session was very important to me for two reasons; one, it marks a very large shift with the sound of MGR, and two, working so quickly in the studio to get the recording finished was counter to anything I had done before. With both Isis and previous MGR recordings all of the writing and recording was very methodical and carefully done. This experience was different because two of the songs were written a week before we left, we only practiced twice before heading to Europe and we finished recording in a few hours with people we had not previously met. It was a very liberating experience and I’m thankful to all involved.”

The post Full Album Stream: MGR – “Awakenings” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

Powerhouse South African thrashers Truth Decayed burst onto the scene during the pandemic era with their vicious and timeless brand of take-no-prisoners metal.

The ensemble of Daniel Philogene (drums), Ryno Theron (vocals and guitar), Renz Kruger (bass) & Warren Jones (guitar), hail from Durban, South Africa, and united in metal during lockdown in early 2020.

Decibel proudly debuts their latest music video “Vicious Circles” off their new EP Faded Visions II, featuring Theatre Runs Red vocalist Lilitu Caprine.

“It was really such an amazing experience to work with Lilitu Caprinae from Theatre Runs Red, both on the song, as well as the music video,” shared Theron in a statement to Decibel. “She is so talented, experienced, and professional, and added huge value to this song. And of course, to have our drummer Daniel Philogene, who put together such a strong music video, with an amazing vision of the concept just really tied this collaboration together so well! “Vicious Circles” is all about going round and round, the same excuses, same situations, always everyone else’s fault! We have all experienced people and situations like these!”

Adds Caprinae, “I always jump at the opportunity to collaborate with amazing musicians within our scene, so when Ryno Theron presented the idea to me, I was in! What an awesome experience! The song hits me straight in the soul! So beautifully written, and full of meaning. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with these incredible musicians! And thank you to Decibel nagazine for sharing this to the world first!”

Order Faded Visions II here.

The post Video Premiere: Truth Decayed ft. Lilitu Caprinae – “Vicious Circles” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.