Pig’s Blood – Destroying the Spirit (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i3T Pig’s Blood wade into the carnage, axe held high, ramped up on combat drugs, and ready to kill. Destroying the Spirit is murderously brutal #metal #deathmetal #warmetal #metalsky

At the Gates – The Ghost of a Future Dead (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i5k The Ghost of a Future Dead is a killer album. It’s as simple as that #metal #deathmetal #metalsky

Blood Countess – Imperatrix Sanguinis (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i0f Old-school and vicious second wave ferocity, taking influence from the more aggressive and bloodthirsty aspects of the 90s scene. Blood Countess are here to rend flesh and devour souls #metal #blackmetal #metalsky

Night Vigil – The Hamlet (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i3f The Hamlet is chiefly an atmospheric black #metal album, but of a peculiar kind with a voice of its own. Additionally, it makes effective use of doom and ambient elements. The resulting style is immersive and mood-rich #blackmetal #metalsky

Foghazer – He Left The Temple (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i3D Blackened trip hop is not something that you encounter every day, (or at all), so Foghazer’s debut album is an unlooked for gem. It’s an intriguing concept, with an enjoyable execution #metal #blackenedtriphop #metalsky

Doodswens – Doodswens (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hZY Doodswens packs a punch, builds atmosphere, and overall delivers a hit of black #metal that’s worth spending time with #blackmetal #metalsky

Muerto – Eclipsed Realms (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i42 This is an album that focuses on malevolent atmosphere, but Muerto can be remarkably hooky when they want to be; sometimes a twisting melody or warped riff will wrap itself around you and it just won’t let go #metal #blackmetal #sludge #metalsky

Abrams – Loon (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i18 The darker, heavier side that Loon brings to the table was unlooked for, but now it’s here, it’s very welcome. Abrams have already shown themselves to be a very good, notable band in the past. Now, they’re even better #rock #posthardcore #metalsky

Crippled Black Phoenix – Sceaduhelm (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i2X Melancholic and dark, Sceaduhelm offers a compelling journey into Crippled Black Phoenix’s inner world. It is well-crafted, and focuses on creating music that balances atmosphere and hooks #rock #progressiverock #postrock #metalsky

Reeking Aura – On the Promise of the Moon (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i2N On the Promise of the Moon deals in punishing brutality, but where other bands might stop there, Reeking Aura go further. This new record is more expansive and wide-ranging than its predecessor #metal #deathmetal #metalsky

Non Est Deus – Blessings and Curses (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i3E Song-focused melodic black #metal designed for the live environment. The artist behind Non Est Deus knows how to pen a good tune #blackmetal #metalsky

Spirit Adrift – Infinite Illumination (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i4E Unexpectedly, at the last, this is one of Spirit Adrift’s strongest albums. It holds nothing back. It gets better and better with every listen, and is a potent reminder of how good Spirit Adrift can be #metal #doom #metalsky

Blackbraid/Winterfylleth/Noctem – Rebellion, Manchester – 10/04/26 (Live Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i4U #metal #blackmetal #metalsky

Cnoc an Tursa – A Cry for the Slain (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i36 Folk-enriched black #metal. The music is song-based, with memorable riffs, bright melody, and hook-filled songwriting. It’s atmospheric with this though, allowing the songs to benefit from both style and substance #blackmetal #metalsky

Exhumed/Gruesome/Acid Vat – Rebellion, Manchester – 07/04/26 (Live Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i4k With the singer of Exhumed pulling double duty in both main bands, it was a great night of death #metal fun #deathmetal #metalsky

Ultha – A Light so Dim (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i3p Ultha are shockingly good, and A Light so Dim is an amazing record. It’s as simple as that. You’ll be seeing this once more at the end of the year, mark my words #metal #blackmetal

Witch Ripper – Through the Hourglass (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i2j The songs blur by in a myriad of colours and feelings. Witch Ripper have put in the work, constructing songs that take the listener on a journey into the band's well-rounded world #metal #sludge #progressive #stoner #metalsky

Archspire – Too Fast to Die (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i1O Archspire are one of the best in the business. They dish out the required splashy, dazzling musicianship, but are also very capable songwriters. The latter makes all the difference #metal #deathmetal #techdeath #metalsky

Sugar Horse – Not a Sound in Heaven (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i1Y From the ethereal to the brutal, from the sugary to the sour, from the beautiful to the caustic, Not A Sound in Heaven is a journey that insists on being taken #metal #doom #doomgaze #postrock #industrial #metalsky

Immolation – Descent (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i2D The songs pulse and writhe as if alive, while still remaining brutal and punishing. This is an enviable display of songcraft that combines atmosphere, hostility, and catchiness like few others every achieve #metal #deathmetal #metalsky

Melvins with Napalm Death – Savage Imperial Death March (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i2s At turns catchy, eccentric, striking, and creative. It has an obvious experimental character, yet never loses sight of the fact that having the main parts of an actual song is important #metal #metalsky

Cult of Occult – I Have No Name (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i27 One giant foul hymn to malevolence, drenched in feedback and venom and delivered in the voice of endless madness #metal #doom #sludge #metalsky

Unearthly Rites – Tortural Symphony of the Flesh (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i1A Unearthly Rites have built on the gains made by their debut album, exceeding it easily, and showing the world they’re worth paying some attention to #metal #deathmetal #metalsky

Void of Light – Asymmetries (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i0O Mixing hostility and resplendence rarely sounds as good as this. Asymmetries is a feast of atmospheric heaviness for fans of substance-rich post-metal #postmetal #metalsky

Corrosion of Conformity – Good God / Baad Man (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i0V Good God / Baad Man boasts 70 minutes of music, and it’s a real feast of riff-hungry melodic Southern #rock and #metal #metalsky

Neurosis – An Undying Love for a Burning World (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i1h That this record will be featured heavily on many best of lists later on in the year seems inevitable. Until then, it’s time to feast on this immense musical opus. It is, hype aside, really that good #metal #metalsky

Shadowvale – Shadowvale (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i0E Nicely diverse #sludge #metal, with an array of well-written songs that readily hold the listener’s attention, and ultimately kicks out the jams in a very confident and convincing way #metalsky

Cryptworm – Infectious Pathological Waste (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hZn If the idea of old-school death #metal that’s been born in a slaughterhouse and then dragged through a sewer appeals to your delicate sensibilities, then pay close attention to Cryptworm #deathmetal #metalsky

Mordeo – Mordeo (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hZP For lovers of caustic heaviness and brutal intensity, shot with feeling and atmosphere, Mordeo is a winner #metal #sludge #metalsky

Wildernesses – Growth (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hZw A first-class exemplar of expressive, emotive, well-rounded #rock music #postrock #shoegaze #alternativerock #metalsky

Antrisch – Expedition III: Renitenzpfad (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hZc Detailed and well-drawn, with nuanced depth and emotive character, yet also absolutely rages with fiery hostility and furious aggression #metal #blackmetal #metalsky

Hanging Garden – Isle of Bliss (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i0u A feast of beauty and darkness, Isle of Bliss is a well-rounded success story #metal #melodicdoom #gothicmetal #melodicdeathmetal #metalsky

Winterfylleth – The Unyielding Season (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hZ2 The Unyielding Season is a force of nature. This record has almost everything a Winterfylleth fan could reasonably want from the band #metal #blackmetal #metalsky

Iron Firmament – In the Land of Pre-Human Kings (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-i07 Black #metal performed and executed extremely well. Iron Firmament have crafted a record that’s very enjoyable and richly rewarding #blackmetal #metalsky

Kal-El – Astral Voyager Vol. 2 (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hXN Kal-El don’t avoid the tropes of the style, so much as use them so well that you remember why they became tropes in the first place #metal #doom #stoner #metalsky

Egregore – It Echoes in the Wild (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hYQ It Echoes in the Wild is a strong piece of work, in all aspects – songwriting, performances, production values. There is a lot to explore across these ten tracks, and a wealth of great music to experience #metal #deathmetal #metalsky

Gaerea – Loss (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hY0 A good album, albeit a different one to what many people may have hoped #metal #metalsky

Poison the Well – Peace in Place (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hZD A success, and a big treat for the listener – new and existing alike. This is a band that have always understood the power of combining emotion, hooks, and meaty riffs #metal #hardcore #metalcore #metalsky

Vitamin X – Ride the Apocalypse (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hOa There’s hard rocking licks, classic #punk attitude, belligerent #hardcore anger, and thrash #metal teeth. Basically, Vitamin X kick out the jams with punky vigour, and you know you love it #metalsky

Wolfbastard – Satanic Scum Punks (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hYi The music brutalises with undisguised contempt and a sneering expression of hatred, while also downing stale beers and generally having a lovely old time of it #metal #blackmetal #blackenedpunk #metalsky

Monosphere – Amnesia (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hNR Despite the involved, intricate, and technical nature of the music, Monosphere aim to hit hard #metal #progressivemetal #postmetal #metalsky

Triumpher – Piercing the Heart of the World (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hV9 Triumpher are a revelation in steel, a colossal fist in the face of mediocrity, and an exemplar of metallic might ascendant #metal #heavymetal #epicheavymetal

Aldheorte – The Wild Divine (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hXG Aldheorte have impressed. It’s not actually that easy to play something so ancient and well-worn and have it sound as vital and as lethal as it does on The Wild Divine #metal #blackmetal #metalsky

Temple of Void – The Crawl (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-_iuu The Crawl takes Temple of Void’s strengths, discards their weaknesses, and leaves a colossal monster of surprisingly expressive death/doom #metal in its wake #deathmetal #doom #metalsky

Qwälen – Veri Virtaa Edelleen (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hYv In short, this is quality punk-infused black #metal, and Qwälen’s new record is an absolute rager #blackmetal #metalsky

Coscradh – Carving the Causeway to the Otherworld (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hXs A worthy dose of venomous black/death #metal #blackmetal #deathmetal #metalsky

The Callous Daoboys/Knives/Love Rarely – Rebellion, Manchester – 25/02/26 (Live Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hYj Roasting hot #hardcore #mathcore #metal #metalsky

Aufhebung – Luchtbegrafenis (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hPU A strong record. If you’re a fan of post-metal, (instrumental varieties in particular), this an album that must be high on your list of essential releases in 2026. You won’t want to miss out on this. #postmetal #metal #metalsky

Unverkalt – Héréditaire (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hNi Héréditaire is not the expected album from Unverkalt, but you won’t find a complaint here. Unverkalt have developed their sound, combining the delicate with the hostile, to great effect #metal #postmetal #blackenedpostmetal #metalsky

Matador – Above, Below, and So (Review) wp.me/p3zRmN-hUE It’s almost as if a doom #metal band has transformed into an expansive post-metal band. Matador bridge a gap between styles that most bands aren’t even interested in, let alone have the ability to connect #metalsky