Weekly Digest, Week 33 / 2025

Not the biggest week in the underground, still, there's some tasty darkness to ingest from Sinsaenum, Malthusian and Theurgion.

These are the big attention hoarders this week:

Attack Attack! – Attack Attack! II

Babymetal – Metal Forth

Blackbraid – Blackbraid III

Dreamwake – The Lost years

Lord Of The Lost – Opvs Noir Vol. 1

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Sinsaenum – In Devastation

Genre: Melodic/blackened death metal

Subjective rating: 4/5

Objective rating: 3.5/5

Country of origin: International

This is definitely not an album where you can go in expecting a genre-bound experience. The supergroup is at its core a blackened death metal band, and tonally this doesn't stray too far away from these roots. But its riff- and rhythm energy seems to come from groove metal, and the solo affinity from thrash. It's also fairly melodic, sometimes in a grounded way, and sometimes in a more sprinkle-on-top symphonic way, which can feel like a bit of a disconnect. Being a tribute to the late Joey Jordison, there are also clear nods to Slipknot, particularly on "Last Goodbye". Despite being a bit uneven, there are so many tasty treats to sink your teeth into. It's hyperactive riffs and all out instrumental aggression all the way, showcasing an infectious appetite for sonic devastation. Highlights: “Spiritual Lies” and “In Devastation”

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Malthusian – The Summoning Bell

Genre: Blackened death metal

Subjective rating: 3.5/5

Objective rating: 3.5/5

Country of origin: Ireland

Forget about comfort, forget about restraint, and say goodbye to convention. Malthusian play fiendishly free-structured, yet technically sharp blackened death metal that sounds like the hungry, anguished gurgle-sighs of hell itself. Whenever it pleases the dark forces, they slow it down into death doom, showing off their horrifyingly convincing atmospheric sensibilities, as well as retaining an iron grip on their rhythmic precision. Then, when the volcano erupts, it's back to chugging death metal full of guitar squeals, and it's all buried under a moderate layer of dead earth, This is not one you come to headbang your way through, it's to enter a state of chaotic, unholy euphoria.  

Highlight: "The Summoning Bell"

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Theurgion – All Under Heaven

Genre: Doom metal

Subjective rating: 3/5

Objective rating: 3.5/5

Country of origin: USA

This is a bleak, almost gothic doom album with half a foot into death metal, which brings a nice crunch to the guitars and some snarling vocals. But mainly it's a darkly grand, atmospheric experience that doesn't float away into the ether, but stays grounded in sad, folk-gothic melodies. The clean vocals are done in this off-key howling sort of fashion that really isn't for me, but fit in with the overall mood.  At its best it feels epic in a mourning-the-past sort of way, and pulls you into a world of moonlight piercing dramatic, black cloud formations over the gargoyle-adorned graveyard.  

Highlight: "Thrice-named"