Weekly Digest, Week 09 / 2026

This week's for those who don't like playing by the rules, just like Cemetery Reign, Cryptic Shift, Ennui, Necrosexual and Unverkalt.

The big names are playing it fairly off-kilter as well: 

Carpenter Brut – Leather Temple (synthwave/electronic metal)

The Gloom In The Corner – Royal Discordance (metalcore)

Ruoska – Kade (industrial metal)

Varials – Where The Light Leaves (hardcore/nu metal)

Rob Zombie – The Great Satan (shock rock/industrial metal)

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TOP PICK OF THE WEEK

Cryptic Shift – Overspace & Supertime

Genre: Progressive death/thrash metal

Subjective rating: 4.5/5

Objective rating: 4.5/5

Country of origin: England

Get ready to leave the mundanity of earth so far behind that you'll struggle to recollect what it's like living here. Cryptic Shift speed boldly into the pure chaos of the still-forming cosmos and do their best to interpret through means of technical death- and thrash metal music what it feels like to be subjected to the forces and impressions they're experiencing there. This is truly progressive music, as they enthusiastically tear apart formulas and employ the tools of the core subgenres to define feelings and sensations, as well as the journey itself into this realm of rule-unbound wonder. Far from whacky for whacky's sake, and refraining from the extremes of dissonant hostility, you get massive, controlled shifts in intensity, completely eschewing traditional structures but allowing for a progression that's not totally overwhelming, and continues to pull new tricks out of its space suit pockets until the very end. Takes a while to get into, but so very well worth sticking with.  

Highlights: "Overspace & Supertime" and "Stratocumulus Evergaol"

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Cemetery Reign – Confined To Time

Genre: Death metal

Subjective rating: 3.5/5

Objective rating: 3.5/5

Country of origin: USA

Black metal gets more than its fair share of punk crossover, but it also quite suits the mustier branch of death metal quite well, as evidenced by New Mexico band Cemetery Reign's debut full-length. If someone decided to build a mausoleum in a dark, filthy back alley, and its occupants subsequently got possessed by flesh eating spirits, then this is probably the sound that would emanate. There's a dark, doomsday-hailing tone to it, but the upbeat tempos and chasing riffs provide enough of a pull for it not to sag into death doom. There are a handful of highlights that make me wish there were more of them, but nothing's really boring or weak either.

Highlight: "Spiral Eyes"

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Ennui – Qroba

Genre: Doom metal

Subjective rating: 4/5

Objective rating: 4/5

Country of origin: Georgia

Despite the name, funeral doom shouldn't all have to be hopelessly bleak and slower than wind erosion of a rock. Georgian band Ennui allow for a generous portion of majesty on their fifth full-length, and it's quite captivating. It builds, not just in intensity, but in melodic gravity, and feels like witnessing a slowly morphing series of dramatic weather phenomena. It has that Finnish natural connection and two-sided melancholy that can feel both crushing and comforting. Take care you don't sink too deep into this one, or you might never resurface.

Highlight: "Becoming Void" and "Decima"

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Necrosexual – Road To Rubble

Genre: Black/heavy metal/punk

Subjective rating: 3.5/5

Objective rating: 3.5/5

Country of origin: USA

Sleazily alluring, chain-whipping and as scruffy as a cat that's been through a sandstorm. Take one look at the album cover and you know more or less exactly what you're getting. This is blackened punk injected with a decent dose of heavy- and thrash metal riffs, strutting with attitude and demanding your attention. This album is all fun, with clownery meeting highly competent musicianship. The main thing I'm missing is more speed, particularly in the second half, as the thing feels like it comes in for landing at least a couple of tracks before it's actually finished.

Highlight: "The Brimstone Brothel"

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Unverkalt – Héréditaire

Genre: Atmospheric sludge/black metal

Subjective rating: 4/5

Objective rating: 4/5

Country of origin: Greece

Joining beauty and ugliness, particularly in the blast-beating world of black metal, takes a particular kind of affinity, and this is something Greek band Unverkalt evidently possess. This album feels in many ways like an intricately written lament, that allows in more emotions than just sorrow. There's consolation, anger, persuasion and begging. Sometimes it feels like being commanded, and sometimes it feels like they're reaching out for support. The use of traditional instruments and a wide variety of vocal and rhythm techniques makes for a bleakly rich listening experience that goes nowhere good, but also refrains from diving headlong into misery.

Highlights: Penumbrian Lament" and "Die Auslöschung"

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HONOURABLE MENTIONS

Necrofier – Transcend Into Oblivion

Genre: Black metal

Country of origin: USA

Slagmaur – Hulders Ritual

Genre: Black metal

Country of origin: Norway