Gorepot – Asian Stoned Effect (Brutal Mind, 2018)

Slam is one of the most over-the-top subgenres of metal and they don’t come any more absurdly OTT than Taipei City, Taiwan’s Gorepot.  The brainchild of ubiquitous slam god Larry Wang (Facelift Deformation, Fatuous Rump, Guttural Corpora Cavernosa, Maggot Colony, Umbilical Asphyxia, Coprocephalic, Fat Tub of Lard Records), Asian Stoned Effect is the band’s seventh album and it’s also one of the most ri-goddamn-diculous slamming death metal albums you’re ever going to hear.

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Butcher ABC – North of Hell (Selfmadegod, 2018) and Butchery Workshop 2002 – 2009 (Bizarre Leprous Production, 2018)

North of Hell has been a long time coming for Japanese goregrinders Butcher ABC.  Formed in 1994 and leaving a bloody trail of demos, EPs and splits in their wake, it took the band over twenty years to finally release a full length.  But was it worth the wait?  Thankfully, it only takes a few listens to North of Hell to determine that the answer is a resounding “yes.”

Madball – For the Cause (Nuclear Blast, 2018)

I recently had the opportunity to check out The Godfathers of Hardcore, a documentary about NYHC legends Agnostic Front focusing on the lives of vocalist Roger Miret and guitarist Vinnie Stigma.  Of course, you can’t talk about Agnostic Front without also talking about Madball, the band fronted by Miret’s younger half-brother Freddie Cricien, which began back in 1988 with a then twelve-year-old Cricien being backed by the members of Agnostic Front.

Fetor / Crepitation – Onset of Horrendosity (Deformeathing Production, 2019)

Split releases can be difficult to review due to the competitive vibe they give off.  Although it’s likely not the intention, it always feels like a battle between the bands involved.  Indeed, Onset of Horrendosity is a slamming brutal death metal death match between two up-and-coming acts, Fetor and Crepitation, and both are young, hungry contenders.  Which band will put the slam smackdown on the other and come out on top?

Whiskey & Funeral – Jesus is Guilty (Tribulacion Productions / Sevared Records, 2018)

From Hour of Penance to Devangelic and beyond, Italy is one of those countries that’s just ridiculously good at brutal death metal.  Perhaps it has something to do with having the Vatican skulking around in their collective backyard, but whatever the case, the country shaped like a boot continues to kill it year in and year out.

25 Years of Merzbow’s Venereology Micro Documentary

WARNING: This is not one of my usual videos of me sitting in front of the camera and talking. This is a 5 minute “micro documentary” celebrating twenty-five years of Merzbow’s harsh noise masterpiece, Venereology.

Listen and purchase: https://merzbow.bandcamp.com/

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Gorevent – In the Face of… (Abnormal Exaggeration Records, 2018)

In just under fifteen years, Niigata City, Japan’s Gorevent have become the country’s preeminent purveyors of slamming brutal death metal. Their mission to distill the subgenre down to its purest form continues on their fourth album, In the Face of… and the result is one of their finest releases to date.