Ivan Tibos.

Since Unique Leader Records are known as one of the most important labels when it comes to ultra-brutal Death Metal releases, fans of this genre really need to check out the debut by Los Angeles-based act Euphoric Defilement!

Sweden’s Dead Awaken were formed in early 2002 as a quartet. Throughout the years, the band recorded and self-released a handful of demonstrational stuff (Death Before Dishonour, 2002; Instrument Of War, 2003; ..Tomorrow We Die.., 2004; Scar Graced Earth, 2006; and The Noble Art Of Agitation, 2008) and they were able to play at interesting local gigs, but the band’s popularity remained limited to their home country.

This is one of those bands with its lows and its heights. I am glad that the lows were situated in the band’s past, while the positive evolution, once initiated at the beginning of this century, did not shrink away.

Formed in 2008 in Denmark, Cerekloth recorded two fantastic EP’s, Pandemonium Prayers and Halo Of Syringes, respectively in 2008 and 2011, both of them released through Hells Headbangers. And like most Hells Headbangers stuff, I did really like this material.

After the recording of a demo and an EP (released via Detest Records), Olympia, WA-based Bone Sickness entered the studio to record seven new songs, to be released on vinyl and digital download.

Arroganz are a pretty young German band (trio) with two highly respected releases before (Burning Souls, EP 2010, and Dark And Deathless, 2011). Besides, the band performed on different festivals with bands like Demonical and Dark Funeral, and especially in their (chauvinistic) home country, they reached a status of high-acceptance.

Veneror are a project from Italy that debuts with Percussimus Foedus Cum Morte via Dutch label New Era Productions. The trio brings, with this studio release, a personal and timeless form of melodic Underground Black Metal with a grim, occult atmosphere and an eerie, freezing sound. An Italian band indeed… (I cannot, and will not, ignore my passion for the Italian scene). First the artwork: what a great cover design!

As you might know, it wasn’t only Germany, Sweden and the U.S. that were ‘big’ during the earliest era of the Death Metal scene. Without any doubt, the Netherlands were of undeniable importance back then, and without the Dutch scene, the current Death Metal scene wouldn’t have developed the way it finally did.

Italian five-piece Nude were formed by two Metal artists, former Undertakers bass player Antonio Pucciarelli and guitarist Fabio Calluori (of Electrocution / From Depths and Heimdall-fame), and (unknown to me) vocalist Tom Capuano (aka Tommy Box) in order to express their passion for something completely different from Rock or Metal: Electro / Goth Rock / New Wave stuff.

Necrocurse were originally formed in 2004, but it took until 2009 before they really became a serious entity, when the line-up was sort of perfected. One might call Necrocurse a super-band for the members are or were active in a couple of highly acclaimed bands: vocalist Per ‘Hellbutcher’ Gustavsson of Nifelheim-fame, drummer Nicklas ‘Terror’ Rudolfsson, the guy behind Runemagick and The Funeral Orchestra (and formerly involved with e.g.