Martin Harris

Nov 17, 2024 | avenoctum.com | Martin Harris

Since forming in 2021 this US death metal act has released a demo, split and EP in quick succession as this marks the band’s first, and hopefully not the last, full length. You rarely get to hear a straight up death metal album these days due to many of the acts adding technical or progressive touches and even adding cleaner vocals much to chagrin of old school death fans.

Nov 13, 2024 | avenoctum.com | Martin Harris

This is the fifth album by Germany’s Chaos Invocation who I was introduced to on their second album ‘Black Mirror Hours’ and reviewed for the site back in 2013. I have kept up with the band since as each subsequent album has been a textbook demonstration in blackened death metal and this latest album is no different.

Nov 6, 2024 | avenoctum.com | Martin Harris

With a sense of relief the drive to Sheffield was probably the least fraught trip I’ve had venturing to gigs in quite some time arriving in time for doors at seven. Now, for some reasons, and this applies to the Manchester Academy venues too, tonight’s doors were indeed seven and where I expected a little bit of time to mooch about checking merch, get a drink etc, the first band Hellgrimm, was due on at 7.05.

Nov 5, 2024 | avenoctum.com | Martin Harris

I doubt there are many death metal bands that have the release rate and quality of Sweden’s Paganizer. Indeed this is the bands 13th full length and like previous albums the adage of if it isn’t broken then don’t fix it applies here without doubt. When I listen to Paganizer stuff I expect a total and utter battering from start to finish which is what you always get and this album is no different though there are some subtleties, which I’ll expand on later.

Nov 4, 2024 | avenoctum.com | Martin Harris

I quite enjoyed this Norwegian band’s previous album, ‘Temple Of The Adversarial Fire’ which I reviewed for the site back in 2017. I suspect the reason behind the inconsistent release rate is down to a couple of members being in multiple other acts but it could be down to just releasing material when it suits the band. Either way this third full length follows on from the foundations and groundwork laid down on the sophomore I’ve mentioned but adds considerably more tribalism to the song writing.