Cryptworm spreads the plague, Hellripper rips a bit, and Cruel Force found the speed again

Friday is my favorite day of the week, not only because it is the end of the work week, but mainly because new music is being released. And last Friday was a massive one. At least in terms of quantity.

People all around the metal universe have hyped different releases, and some did deliver, while some were just ok (or not for me at all). Since my listening time is limited, and my patience even more so, I tend to skip albums which don’t captivate me enough. Let’s call these “DNFs” and I won’t give them any score. I only mention this, because my scoring system is very practical for me, but very confusing for others. And I shall explain it, in some other post, some other time.

Cryptworm - - Infectious Pathological Waste (Death Metal) | Me Saco Un Ojo Records | BC

I have been always a big fan of these English cavemen. Death metal with a proper putrid stench, massive and groovy riffs, and gurgling vocals will always have a high chance of clicking with me. Cryptworm’s latest release dialed all they have done prior to the max. There is a bit of Demilich again (seems to be a common occurrence lately), but generally the album is somewhere between very filthy death metal bordering goregrind. It is crazy infectious (album title warned me about it) and provides enough entertainment for such genre. It is worth noting, that the band features members of Cryptic Shift and Rothadás, so instrumental prowess and death metal roots are strong here. This is definitely the winner of this release day, and it is not even close.
+++ Rating: 3/5 +++

Hellripper - Coronach (Black/Speed Metal) | Century Media Records | BC

Hellripper is one of those acts who seemingly can’t do no wrong. At least according to his fans. And I am one of them. Naturally, I was hyped for the new release, and boy, was I a bit depressed after I heard it for the first time. It is still Hellripper, no major sound change here, but it seems to lack the punch of black/speed I usually require from such bands. Coronach is not a bad or mid album, but it is probably his weakest. Songwriting shifted from “stupid” to “clever” (except “Blakk Satanik Fvkkstorm”), which gained a lot of new fans who previously didn’t like Hellripper for exactly the same reason I loved it. Being stupid and fun. And fast. There is still some speed left, but generally, the album feels a lot less emotional and much more calculated. Which shows that he grew as a musician. Unfortunately, he grew into a more sophisticated thrash musician, and while it is not bad, it is also not what I want. Coronach remains just ok.
+++ Rating: 1/5 +++

Growth - Under the Under (Progressive Metal) | Wild Thing Records | BC

Avant-Garde whatever is a tricky genre. I have been promised a Gorguts-like experience, but instead I received an uneven mixture of whatever. I know a lot of people are going to enjoy this, and praise it as the best thing since sliced bread. I tried to accept it with an open mind, but alas, I think my mind is just too narrow. It lacks the urgency and brutality of death metal, and it serves a diluted progressive angle. There is a ton of ideas, however they are all just loosely connected and often strike the “annoying” nerve with me. I tried, I couldn’t.
+++ Rating: DNF +++

Cruel Force - Haneda (Black/Speed/Thrash Metal) | Shadow Kingdom Records | BC

Now this is what I call speed obsession. Cruel Force are back with a vengeance. The album is fast and dumb (positive). It is also fun. Haneda does all the things right. Non-stop kick-drum attack, drums straight out of 80s, guitar solos that just ask for an air guitar session, barking vocals that fit the music perfectly. This is the blash album we all deserve.
+++ Rating: 2/5 +++

Foetorem - Incongruous Forms of Evergrowing Rot (Death/Doom Metal) | Everlasting Spew | BC

I was supposed to like this album! Something felt off. It lacked that disgust, that hedonistic vibe my favorite death/doom acts possess. Another album, that was promising, but in the end just ended up on the DNF pile.
+++ Rating: DNF +++

Barbaric Oath - Sword, Sorcery, Vengeance (Black/Death Metal) | Caligari Records | BC

War metal is 100% a hit or miss with me. 50% of the time it works all the time. Or something like that. Barbaric Oath works quite well. It is a more punk coded take on war metal and it works very well. Themes are centered more around epic sword swinging than nuclear holocaust, but in the end - war is war. This is a splendid short album that will see much rotation in the future.
+++ Rating: 2/5 +++

OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES I HEARD

Aggressive Perfector - Come Creeping Fiends (Thrash Metal) | Dying Victims Productions | BC

Great, fun thrash album with a subtle black metal hints. Nothing groundbreaking here, just good old fun!
+++ Rating: 1/5 +++

Melting Rot - Infatuation with Premeditation (Death Metal) | Hells Headbangers Records | BC

In theory I should have liked this more. It was kinda same-y and just noisy. Also, it never hurts me NOT to like a release by Hells Headbangers, that label can get fucked.
+++ Rating: DNF +++

Dionysiaque - La tourbe des rêves (Doom/Metal) | I, Voidhanger Records | BC

I really liked Dionysiaque’s previous album and was pleasantly surprised when I learned that there is a new one being released. The weirdo vocals with the old-school doom work very well. I admit, I have to spend more time with this album, but after the initial listen it is already good. For all fans of the weird and doomy.
+++ Rating: 1/5 +++