Weekly Spotlight, Week 19 / 2025
- Thomas
- May 5
- 4 min read
Blackened and aggressive metal reigns this week, with releases from Kalaveraztekah, A Flock Named Murder, Your Spirit Dies, Khôra, Leper Colony and Misfire.
A few bigger releases to note:
Crematory – Destination
Hate – Bellum Regiis
Labyrinthus Stellarum – Rift In Reality
Nightfall – Children Of Eve
Kalaveraztekah – Nikan Axkan
Genre: Progressive/melodic death metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5
Country of origin: Mexico
Whoa, where did this come from? Kalaveraztekah is a Mexican band playing progressive death metal that's absolutely dripping with Mesoamerican instrumental folk elements, and is deeply steeped in folklore and ancient cosmology. The metal-centric elements are mostly brutal-style, modern-ish melodeath that snakes its way through explosive aggression, melodic triumph, technical showmanship and atmospheric breaks. What mainly separates it from pure excellence is the slightly uneven production that doesn't allow the full force of the music to come through, and a fairly messy mix that just piles heaps of instrumental elements on top of each other. That being said, it makes for a saturated and highly distinct sound not quite like anything else I've ever heard. It hits damn hard, is highly varied, and just oozes potential.
Highlights: "Tonalli Nawalli (La Esencia y el Espíritu)" and "Xolotl Axolotl (La Negación del Sacrificio)"
A Flock Named Murder – Incendiary Sanctum
Genre: Progressive black/doom/death metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5
Country of origin: Canada
As suggested by its album art, this is a thing of massive scope, destruction and violent creation all at once. It takes the magnitude of atmospheric death doom and combines it with some of the nihilism of black metal, meaning it's both sinister and crushingly heavy, but also has sections where the intensity sits back to simply observe the tranquil, gradual proceedings that take place in its absence. There's melancholy and tragic, natural beauty under the turbulent storm cover that is the rumbling bass, charging drums and headstrong tremolo. It transitions organically into different iterations of itself like the weather on a particularly tempestuous day, and you get the feeling that it's an elemental force that decides the fates of many. Despite this, it's level-headed enough never to break out of its stride and shift into unexpected styles, so keeps you securely immersed in the same kind of soundscape throughout.
Highlights: "To Drown in Obsidian Tides" and "The Eulogy Fields"
Your Spirit Dies – My Gnawing Pains Will Never Rest
Genre: Metalcore/hardcore
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5
Country of origin: USA
This is apparently what you get when you blend the melodeath-derived melodic metalcore of the early 2000s with modern, dissonant harshness and hardcore directness, and adding on a small dash of death metal brutality. It's a potent mix for sure, giving you traces of As I Lay Dying and Hatebreed, but eschewing most of the soft, clean parts and the gang vocal-led crowd-chant-lyrics. It's heavy and highly aggressive, with a ever so slightly blackened edge, but also not letting completely go of melodic tenderness, which ensures a dynamic soundscape. Considering that this is the band's debut full-length makes it all the more impressive, as they not only manage to showcase quality performances and a hungry energy, but a welcome distinctiveness that avoids most of the big tropes and clichés of the subgenre.
Highlights: "Born Forsaken" and "Unjust God"
Khôra – Ananke
Genre: Atmospheric/progressive black metal
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Country of origin: Germany
Khôra is an atmospheric black metal band that wants a bit more than just the standard, traditional sound. The song structures go in moderately progressive directions that allow for good variation in rhythms and level of intensity, reminiscent of the work of Ihsahn to a certain degree. There's also a bit of orchestral grandeur and some death metal heft to go with it, making for a layered experience. The production is full and rich, not low-fi in any way, but also not squeaky clean. It doesn't have the same level of convincing darkness and misanthropy as some of the best of the genre, and doesn't defy expectations in the same way as, let's say Enslaved. But it's solidly performed and really well thought out, making for a rewarding listening experience.
Highlight: "Wrestling With The Gods"
Leper Colony – Those of the Morbid
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Country of origin: Germany
Flesh-tearing old school death metal not too unlike that of Obituary, but with a slightly leaner and crisper sound, a little more set on choppy rhythms, alternating with thunderous double bass onslaughts. The vast majority of it is not all that distinguishable from a lot of other OSDM bands, but it's satisfyingly riff-focused and style-confident. It's got a lot of cool moments, and gets the tone and production just right.
Highlight: "Those of The Morbid Inclination"
Misfire – Product Of The Environment
Genre: Thrash metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Country of origin: USA
This Chicago-based band plays in-your-face, mid-tempo, old-school-leaning thrash metal that's at its best when fully embracing the groove. You get extended, badass riff lines that will keep you headbanging till your brain gets bruised, accompanied by purposeful drum work and perfectly coarse vocals. The tone is definitely up to no good, landing on the outraged, malicious side rather than the mischievous-fun-loving one. There are a few songs that don't really go anywhere interesting, but also a good handful of bangers.
Highlight: "Living the Dream"
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