Weekly Digest, Week 47 / 2025

This week's dominated by bands doing things slightly different than everyone else, with releases from Chairmaker, Lamp Of Murmuur, Stellar Circuits, Veilburner and Voidceremony.

The higher-ups play it slightly more safe, but you'll find some surprises here too.

1914 – Viribus Unitus

Avralize – liminal

Bell Witch & Aerial Ruin – Stygian Bough Vol. II

The Devil Wears Prada – Flowers

Of Mice & Men – Another Miracle

Rise Of The Northstar – Chapter 04: Red Falcon Super Battle! Neo Paris War!!

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TOP PICK OF THE WEEK

Veilburner – Longing For Triumph, Reeking Of Tragedy

Genre: Progressive death/black metal

Subjective rating: 4.5/5

Objective rating: 4/5

Country of origin: USA

Now on the 8th full-length release in 11 years, the maddened musical forges of Veilburner surely never run cold. Last year's "The Duality of Decapitation and Wisdom" was the one that finally caught my attention, and I was both taken aback and enamored with how it sounded so different from pretty much everything else in the blackened death metal sphere. The weirdness thankfully lives on with this one. Instead of a forbidden, underground ritual, we're now in the devil's laboratory/workshop, where all sorts of abominations are born, altered and grafted to each other and all manner of impractical objects. It's a riff-heavy release, with some solos and tasteful melodic work, which makes it extra fun, but it's also got a patient, doomy side that does introduce a bit of repetition and slight stagnation every now and then. Still, it very much stands on its own and keeps up the highly impressive quality of this hard-working band.    

Highlights: "Pestilent Niche" and "That Which Crypts Howls Grandeur"

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Chairmaker – Leviathan Carcass

Genre: Grindcore

Subjective rating: 3.5/5

Objective rating: 3.5/5

Country of origin: UK

If nothing but the fastest and most furious will do for you, forget the movies and put this one on. Maybe on repeat, 'cause it's over in less than 15 minutes. This is grindcore with death metal elements, that simply does not let up, yet calls attention to its technical riff- and drum work just enough for you to get half an appreciative nod in before it rages on. There's a bit of dissonance and a few breakdowns just to jar your brain even further. The vocal style is a bit one-dimensional, and it's not the most imaginative thing you'll hear this week. But it sure as hell rips.

Highlight: "Pigfucker"

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Lamp Of Murmuur – The Dreaming Prince In Ecstasy

Genre: Black/gothic metal

Subjective rating: 4.5/5

Objective rating: 4/5

Country of origin: USA

Following up 2023's excellent "Saturnian Bloodstorm" was never gonna be a walk in the park, but the L.A.-based solo project Lamp of Murmuur has risen to the task. It's not exactly more of the same, but the style will be very recognizable, and it brings the same level of unholy enthusiasm, sounding almost gleeful in its unreserved instrumental approach. The symphonic, gothic and prog elements that were present last time around have now been boosted, making for a more melodic and stylistically varied sound. Slightly less sharp and aggressive, but still dramatic, and still undeniably black metal. Some listeners will likely bemoan the slight departure from the "Immortal sound" into something a bit more rounded, but it still feels daring, committed and conceptually solid.  

Highlights: "Forest of Hallucinations" and "Reincarnation of a Witch"

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Stellar Circuits – Phantom :: Phoenix

Genre: Progressive/alternative metal

Subjective rating: 4/5

Objective rating: 4/5

Country of origin: USA

Here's some moody, silky-melodied and djent-riffed prog metal for those who like it melodic and moderately emotional. I hear Chevelle, some Deftones, a pinch of later era Linkin Park and a tiny drop of Gojira - ingredients that all play together quite nicely, for a coherent and particular kind of flavor rather than a wild, adventurous mishmash. It does sound like they're just coasting along in certain parts, but they certainly know how to pick it up and pour out some proper aggression and head-turning instrumentation. The vocals have great range, and overall the album feels highly mature and accomplished, while retaining a young and vital sound.

Highlights: "Bury The Ashes" and "The War Within"

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Voidceremony – Abditum

Genre: Experimental death metal

Subjective rating: 4/5

Objective rating: 4/5

Review: How about some death metal in the style of an experimental jazz jam, while being unpredictably pulled into a black hole? This is a dense sounding and fairly restless sort of listening experience, with any one approach rarely lasting more than 15 seconds. It's well produced, and they haven't drowned the instrumental performances in layers of atmosphere, which makes it surprisingly quick to get into if you're of the mind to pay proper attention. If you're not, then you might very well suffer a headache. Behind all the perceived randomness there's some razor sharp technicality, and you're definitely getting a well-measured and varied progression rather than just a wall of noise.  

Highlight: "Seventh Ephemeral Aura"

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HONOURABLE MENTIONS

Creatures – Creatures II

Genre: Heavy metal

Country of origin: Brazil

Demon King - Death Knell

Genre: Technical death metal

Country of origin: USA

Mezzrow – Embrace The Awakening

Genre: Thrash metal

Country of origin: Sweden

Wheel Of Time – Asymmetry

Genre: Melodic progressive metal

Country of origin: China