Atavistic Decay - Immakulate Invokations

Labels: Self-Released/Night Terrors Records

Formats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: 16 August 2025

Tracklist:

1. Immakulate Invokations

2. Transcend The Flesh

It's gloomy this evening, making it perfect for some old-school US death/doom 7" nastiness, courtesy of Atavistic Decay. The US quartet first formed back in 2023 before releasing their 2024 Demo, via 18 Is 9 Records and Tapes and Night Terrors Records. That's where the bond formed between band and label, as after self-releasing their newest EP Immakulate Invokations digitally in August, Atavistic Decay and Night Terrors Records went on to commit it to 7" vinyl in October.

I love 7” vinyl singles/EPs. While 12” LPs have overrun my personal collection in recent years, I keep going back to the shorter format. That’s why it’s great to see both Atavistic Decay and Night Terrors Records doing it right. Starting with the title-track ‘Immakulate Invokations’, you’re hit clean in the face by some frenetic death metal that’s high in tempo. It soon slows down a subtle notch though, as Atavistic Decay drip feeds doom into the mix. As characterised by the song’s length, you can expect a slow bludgeoning as opposed to an instant assault. I’ve listened to my fair share of brutal/tech-death this year and while I am growing to really enjoy that side of the genre; the slower, murkier approach to death metal still tops it for me.

With absolutely no pause, you’re ushered slowly towards the unnerving ambient noise of second track ‘Transcend The Flesh’. It’s slow to build as you’d probably expect, given that it stretches for nearly eight minutes. The brooding loops of what sound like bass lines are joined by other forms of ambience, as well as  layers of noise that fade in and out through the song. Those textures are only joined by whispered vocals towards the end. It has its place artistically and it fits the overall atmosphere crafted by Atavistic Decay, but it also loses some of the momentum gained by the title-track.

This EP shows a genuine heap of promise and it captures a moment in time for a band who’re finding their feat. Maybe they’re taking some influence from Blood Incantation in the ambient department but the opener was the clincher for me. Can’t wait to hear what Atavistic Decay have up their sleeves next.

You can stream purchase the EP digitally from Atavistic Decay below:-

Make sure you check out their merch too!

7" vinyl copies, as well as additional merch is available from Night Terrors Records below:-

https://night-terrors-records.net/collections/atavistic-decay

Atavistic Decay Instagram - @atavisticdecay

Night Terrors Records - https://night-terrors-records.net/

Serrate - Even The Wind Sounds Dead

Labels: Bitter Melody Records/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: 08 Sep 2025

Tracklist:

1. Some Things Never Change

2. The Crushing Weight of Failure

3. Right Side of History

4. My Body Is a Weapon

5. Rise and Fall

6. What God Meant By Mercy

7. Kill For the Ones You Love

8. Devil

9. Not a Single Word Was Spoken

10. Salt and Stone

I'm not far off rounding out 2025 and I haven't yet started to plan 2026. I will set aside some time to think about it over the next couple of weeks though. I am thinking about a re-brand but I'm not so sure that's a great idea.

On with the current program though and the debut album from North Carolinan screamo-adjacent band Serrate. It was released on both vinyl and digital formats back in September (with help from Bitter Melody Records and Zegema Beach Records). I feel like next year is gonna be a year where we see less physical releases. I hope that's not the case though, so keep supporting DIY bands and labels. I'll talk more about this subject a little later on.

I’ve read a few lines about Serrate and their take on screamo-adjacent noises, so I’m excited to be able to finally sit down with their new album. Right off the bat, ‘Some Things Never Change’ strikes me as a melodic yet dark take on screamo, like if Alkaline Trio gave up their clean singing/pop-punk sound and unleashed something harsher instead.. That’s just my initial thoughts after hearing the opening riffs, as things soon move in a heavier direction, more akin to emoviolence and metalcore (if we’re splitting hairs). It’s already way more expansive than I expected. 

‘The Crushing Weight of Failure’ is a song-title that bluntly resonates with my younger self, yet I give less of a shit now. Its scuzzy, noise-rock intro signals the fact that Serrate are happy to throw in some sonic curve balls alongside their metallic chops. Every instrument from the drums, to the bass, guitars and the vocals (because they’re technically an instrument too!) seem to work in perfect harmony. I guess that’s no surprise though given the other bands these musicians have played in before.

I’m only up to track three and I’m already risking it with the length of this review. ‘Right Side of History’ seems like it’s been placed here to save me though, as it blasts it’s way through just over a minute of crazed hardcore with blackened/crust-like moments. ‘My Body Is a Weapon’ slows the atmosphere and momentum down a few notches at first, but after slightly subdued build-up, Serrate move up a gear or three with some of the most caustic yet musically enjoyable screamo you’ll hear this year.

I know that previous statement was bold, but when a band can whip out riffs that sound like they came from a Britpop band, then there’s no stopping them. I’m talking about ‘Rise and Fall’ here, which descend’s into controlled but sonic chaos as it progresses, leading to ‘What God Meant By Mercy’, with it’s immediate mix of anxious-noise and groove. If ever there was a rallying cry in an age where we’re more disconnected than ever, it would be ‘Kill For the Ones You Love’. Yes it’s abrasive at times but it’s also beautifully cathartic. I guess my point here is that we need to stick by each other and stick to what we think is right. Morals and direction don’t have to come from “god” or “religion”. We’re born with and develop both as we grow up.

Apt as it may be after that last sentence, ‘Devil’ throws itself into the mix as the album’s most urgent song. Barely sixty seconds go by as Serrate launch themselves towards the conclusion of the album in no uncertain terms. ‘Not a Single Word Was Spoken’ isn’t an instrumental, so don’t worry. Instead, Serrate take a slightly more stripped-back approach, without as much dissonance and with vocals that sit deeper in the mix. It has a lovely, warming feel to it.

Closer ‘Salt and Stone’ conjures both post-hardcore and art/math-rock images as Serrate lay into your speakers one final time on Even The Wind Sounds Dead. In one sense it is cleansing but in another, it reminds you of just how chaotic life is if you look beyond your comforting bubble. 

I may have gone off on one or more tangents this evening but thats just how it is. Serrate have a knack of writing/making heavy music that does that. This album is excellent all the way though and I know it’s been talked of highly already, but I’m here to sing it’s praises again. Check it out!

You can stream and purchase Even The Wind Sounds Dead digitally as a name-your-price download from Serrate below:-

Serrate Instagram - @serrate.nc

Earlier on I talked about how next year could see less physical releases, which would be devastating. This opinion isn't solely my own, as I've seen people behind DIY/Indie labels say the same over the last few months. That's why I'm hoping that you'll support those labels, especially Bitter Melody Records and Zegema Beach Records, by picking up vinyl copies (of this and other releases) from them via the below links:-

Bitter Melody Records - https://bittermelodyrecords.bigcartel.com

Zegema Beach Records CAN/INTL - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/zegema-beach-releases / USA - https://zbrusa.com/collections/zbr-releases

Bitter Melody Records - https://www.facebook.com/BitterMelodyRecords/

Zegema Beach Records - https://bsky.app/profile/zegemabeachrecords.bsky.social

Naked Whipper - Chapel Defilement

Labels: Iron Bonehead Productions/Messe Noire Productions

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 31 Jan 2025

Tracklist:

1. Intro

2. Depraved to the Bone

3. Bloodstained White Icon

4. Top Notch Slavedriver

5. (Pray Macabre) Chapel Defilement

6. Fucked on Cross

7. Intro

8. Celebrate Their Downfall

9. Nail or be Nailed

10. Out the Norm

11. The Swinepriest Bedlam

12. Flamethrow Messiah / The Purgatory Trial

13. Wow Wow Wholy Whore, Hot Wax Fat Candles

30 years on their debut album Painstreaks, which gained them a cult following in the extreme metal underground, German black metal/grind band Naked Whipper returned earlier this year with their newest full-length Chapel Defilement. Their story began in 1993 with the release of their debut self-titled EP. Following the release of their second EP Moloch: Acid Orgy (also in 1995), they fell silent.

Naked Whipper's sole constant Dominus A.S. gathered together musicians from Germany's truly blasphemous underbelly and together, the quartet found themselves working in partnership with compatriots Iron Bonehead Productions, committing these thirteen tracks to vinyl and CD. A tape variant was released via fellow German label Messe Noire Productions, featuring two additional live tracks.

For transparency, I’m reviewing the Iron Bonehead release tonight. Chapel Defilement begins with an Intro (it’s actually the first of two intros on this album). It’s an unnerving intro where gentle piano joins female cries that almost fit the melody it plays. Those cries no doubt caused by the seedy sounding perpetrator. It’s actually quite a fitting opener as ‘Depraved to the Bone’ kicks in with instant force. It’s fast and grinding but not without its groove, which is sometimes missed by black metal bands. The mix of black metal and grind makes complete sense, blowing new life into current underground “trends”. 

‘Bloodstained White Icon’ takes the grind influence even further, especially given Naked Whipper’s respect for Napalm Death. It’s definitely for the maniacs! If you had forgotten that they were from Germany, that’s understandable as their sound very much aligns with the barbarity of Brazilian war metal. ‘Top Notch Slavedriver’ only adds to that notion with frenetic percussion, razor-sharp bass/guitar and utterly disgusting vocals. Dare I say how enjoyable this album is so far?.

Given the ferocity of the songs so far, ‘(Pray Macabre) Chapel Defilement’s song length might have you thinking it’s going to be a slower murkier number, but you’re wrong, as Naked Whipper use it to push their extremes even further. Infusing their sound with death metal influences, they continue to find ways to reach greater tempos. ‘Fucked on Cross’ proves exactly that with yet more crazed musicianship and festering vocals. I know Germany’s known for it’s Teutonic thrash but it seems like easy listening compared to this!

That second ‘Intro’ I mentioned above is scary white noise that leads into ‘Celebrate Their Downfall’, which sees Naked Whipper continuing their aural onslaught. Whether that ‘Intro’ should have been called an interlude is another matter but the song that follows it grinds and rocks in all the right places. ‘Nail or be Nailed’ is as rabid as Naked Whipper’s songs get here. Fast, blasting and blackened. There’s no more adequate way of describing it really.

As song-titles go, ’Out the Norm’ reads as if it was thought of by an Englishman! Obviously, that wasn’t the case though and semantics aside, you’re presented with yet another raging heretical hymn that leaves no time for calm. That hymn is followed immediately by ‘The Swinepriest Bedlam’, which maintains the same intense approach. It’s mad to think that after 30 years, Naked Whipper still sound as fearsome as they did back then.

They combine what seems like two songs into one for their penultimate number ‘Flamethrow Messiah / The Purgatory Trial’. It’s four-minutes in length, so it’s nearly a symphony for them! Jokes aside, it gathers so many different influences from the Teutonic thrash of their homeland, to the barbarism of Brazilian war metal and countless other influences besides. Closing out with ‘Wow Wow Wholy Whore, Hot Wax Fat Candles’, I’m not sure what to think. It could have been written and performed by Japan’s Abigail given its sexual references, but it’s all Naked Whipper’s own creation.

I know that it seems odd to be reviewing an album from January in December but it is what it is. I’d love to have the time (and earnings) to be able to run this blog full-time. Sadly, that isn’t the case and I have to remain a corporate slave. Bands like Naked Whipper help me keep the faith though as they unapologetically deliver music that means so much to them. One day we’ll exist in utopia, maybe!

You can stream and purchase Chapel Defilement on all formats (except vinyl) below:-

Vinyl and CD copies are also available to purchase from Hells Headbangers below:-

https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/

Naked Whipper - @naked_whipper_

Hells Headbangers - https://www.facebook.com/hellsheadbangers

Messe Noire Productions - https://www.facebook.com/messenoireproductions

Greet - I Know How To Die

Labels: Dry Cough Records/Fiadh Productions

Formats: Vinyl/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 17 Oct 2025

Tracklist:

1. Keening

2. No More

3. Revelry

4. The Leather Knight

5. May

6. The Mire

7. The Seer

8. The Dig

9. The Battle

10. Eulogy

There's a part of me that felt like this blog had run its course over the last twelve months. It's grown bigger than I could've imagined over the last fifteen years, yet I've held back from allowing it to grow even more, which is my own failing I guess. With all that said though, I'm wanting to give it another proper push. Let's see...

October saw the release of the newest album I Know How To Die from Leeds, UK dark folk act Greet. Greet's sole-member and songwriter Matthew Broadley gathers together all manner of instruments from guitars and percussion, to flutes, synthesisers and a harmonium to create drone-laden folk music that befits the act's surroundings. It was released on tape via US label Fiadh Productions and on vinyl, also via Fiadh Prods and one of my favourite UK labels Dry Cough Records.

Beginning with the teasing opener ‘Keening’, Greet is joined by Steve Von Till, who provides spoken-word lyrics to a backdrop of choral vocals and droning synth/harmonium. It’s eerily soothing, especially when set against the swirling winds of Storm Bram outside. It’s also surprisingly full of volume, as ‘No More’ shows. There are so many elements at play here, so many different instruments, all led by the harmonium. I’ve never been drawn to folk music before but Greet’s association with Dry Cough/Fiadh and bands that shall remain nameless here drew me in.

The upbeat Celtic influence that flows through ‘Revelry’ could make it the perfect song to see in the New Year. Please excuse the tweeness of that last sentence but ‘Revelry’ reminds me of how the Scots celebrate Hogmanay, to name but one example. As the album progresses, you begin to notice that Greet’s other instrumental elements come to the fore over and above the harmonium. ‘The Leather Knight’ sees the vocals sitting in a more prevalent spot, alongside layered choir-like backing singing and the medieval tones added by a flute.

‘May’ is initially mournful in tone but it’s mood is lifted by vocal melodies that sound way jollier than they should. It’s not a lengthy song and it goes by fairly quickly. It is engrossing though and I’m really warming to this album. Folk is such a broad term when it comes to music and even dark folk seems to have a spectrum all of its own. ‘The Mire’ feels like an interlude at just over a minute in length, but it’s one that’s filled with the haunting voices of those who have walked the moors and valleys where Greet calls home.

As ‘The Mire’ fades and flows into ‘The Seer’, there’s a feeling of unease and tension as rhythmic percussion beats beneath the characteristic melody of Greet. It has its own persona amongst the more upbeat songs on this album, making it standout somewhat. The beautiful birdsong and almost rhythmically ambient sounds of ‘The Dig’ make up the album’s final interlude and lead to ‘The Battle’, which is ominous in its title.

Again, authoritative percussion joins the musical fray, helping to keep the rhythm alongside the harmonium. It’s solely instrumental and as it finishes with a trance-like passage, it leads into album closer ‘Eulogy’. A fitting title perhaps, as it’s where Greet delivers a more expansive sound with guitar melodies and glorious violin provided by Simon Barr. The vocals draw you in one last time, hypnotically so. 

As a music listener, I have often stuck to my own stubborn tastes; moving from the immediacy of hardcore and extreme metal, to post-rock/metal and experimental heaviness with the odd pop record infiltrating my listening habits as years have passed. I Know How To Die left me with such a sense of calm this evening that I think I might be moving into another phase of that musical journey. This album is fantastic and I’m so glad I took a chance on it.

You can stream and purchase the album digitally below, where it's also available on physical formats (albeit they're running low!):-

You can also buy the album on physical formats from the labels below:-

Dry Cough Records - https://www.drycoughrecords.com/product/greet-i-know-how-to-die

Fiadh Productions - https://fiadh.bandcamp.com/album/i-know-how-to-die

Dry Cough Records - https://www.facebook.com/DryCoughRecords

Fiadh Productions - https://www.facebook.com/fiadhproductions