{"id":48602,"date":"2025-08-06T19:42:07","date_gmt":"2025-08-06T19:42:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/48602\/"},"modified":"2025-08-06T19:42:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T19:42:07","slug":"stuck-in-the-filter-may-2025s-angry-misses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/48602\/","title":{"rendered":"Stuck in the Filter: May 2025’s Angry Misses"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
Every day we toil, rain or shine, to find you the semi-finest ore of the month. Lately, though, it\u2019s been mostly rain. Leaks abound, uniforms are soaked to the bone, the chutes are slick and slippery. We must continue, however, to provide for the masses!<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, we don\u2019t have any resources to keep anything dry in this godforsaken place. I hope you like your Filter nuggets soggy!<\/p>\n

Kenstrosity\u2019s Meanest Meanies
\nDeath Whore<\/a> \/\/ Blood Washes Everything Away [May 16th, 2025 \u2013 Self-Release]<\/p>\n

\"\"Hailing from Nancy, France, crust\/death newcomers Death Whore unleashed what is surely one of the meanest records of the year so far. A debut capable of humbling some of the better releases by far more seasoned acts, Blood Washes Everything Away is a nonstop cavalcade of stank-face, bone-shattering riffs. From the onset of vicious onslaught \u201cInhaling the Dead,\u201d to the stomp and swerve that is the massive \u201cInfernal Terror Machine\u201d and \u201cNone Are Forgotten,\u201d to the blistering and evil \u201c12 Worm Wounds,\u201d Death Whore crafted 11 brutally addictive, but smart and lean cuts guaranteed to snap necks. They allow only the sharpest hooks to imbue accessibility to this killer material, but make no sacrifice to the filthy, crust-laden tones and textures determined to pummel and paste (\u201cNoy\u00e9 dans le sang,\u201d \u201cMotorthroat \u201979,\u201d \u201cSavage Aesthetic Revenge\u201d). Throw in a refreshing message criticizing late-stage capitalistic trends, worldwide misappropriation of wealth by the elite class, and the futility of hard work in the modern era for those struggling to meet their basic needs (\u201cYou Owe Me a Living\u201d), and you\u2019ve got a record after my heart. I can already tell that I\u2019m going to regret not saving Blood Washes Everything Away from Filter relegation by the time this publishes, but don\u2019t let my transgression in this matter stop you from enjoying of deep Death Whore.<\/p>\n

\ufeffBlood Washes Everything Away by Death Whore<\/a><\/p>\n

Executionist<\/a> \/\/ Sacrament of the Sick [May 16th, 2025 \u2013 Self-Release]<\/p>\n

\"\"West Virginian death thrashers Executionist were not on my radar. First off, I am, historically, very picky when it comes to thrash. It slaps when it slaps and leaves me cold when it doesn\u2019t. Lately, though, I\u2019ve been digging the style more and more, and Executionist\u2019s particularly meaty take on Kreator<\/a> WIOLENCE has my attention thoroughly affixed. With debut LP Sacrament of the Sick, Executionist bring on the riffs, but elevate them with blackened tremolos, rabid barks, and an immense bass tone. Opener proper \u201cEdge of Annihilation\u201d pulls no punches, but only hints at the quality held beyond. There\u2019s an almost At the Gates<\/a>-like sense of melody here, one which works in tandem with deadly riffs and blackened char instead of as a mere surface-level decoration (\u201cWheels of War,\u201d \u201cDivided We Stand\u2026 United We Fall\u201d). While Sacrament of the Sick relies heavily on the long form for its song structures, creating a spot of bloat, there\u2019s usually something memorable and interesting to keep me invested in the story from beginning to end (\u201cThy Kingdom Come,\u201d \u201cSacrament of the Sick\u201d). With just a little tightening of the screws, Executionist could easily become the next big name in thrash. Until then, rest easy knowing Sacrament of the Sick is a worthy contender on its own merits.<\/p>\n

\ufeffSacrament of the Sick by Executionist<\/a><\/p>\n

Thus Spoke\u2019s Shiny Scraps
\nGhost Bath<\/a> \/\/ Rose Thorn Necklace<\/a> [May 9th, 2025 \u2013 Nuclear Blast<\/a>]<\/p>\n

\"\"DSBM is a genre of necessity tied to a particular mood, and it\u2019s not a happy one. In spite\u2014or perhaps because\u2014of this, it\u2019s one I usually enjoy. Ghost Bath\u2019s take on this particular type of misery music has fluctuated between more black metal and more post, and I personally found it never quite stuck. Rose Thorn Necklace, however, has kept me coming back for repeated mope sessions for weeks. It\u2019s still recognisably Ghost Bath thanks to those same echoing howls that lurch into voiceless high-pitched wails (\u201cWell, I Tried Drowning\u201d), and a familiarity about the bitter refrains. But synths now play a prominent role in driving melody both dreamy (\u201cGrotesque Display,\u201d \u201cThroat Cancer\u201d) and uncomfortably upbeat (\u201cVodka Butterfly\u201d), as things swing back in the direction of post-leaning DSBM. Layered strums lace into pessimistic chord swings and scream-resonant atmoblack (title, track, \u201cDandelion Tea,\u201d \u201cStamen and Pistil\u201d), sometimes recalling Harakiri for the Sky<\/a>. It manages to be pretty, in that characteristically depressing way, as minor melodies bleed into blackened tantrums (\u201cWell, I Tried Drowning\u201d) or ride on synths as harrowing screams narrate (\u201cThroat Cancer\u201d). The snippets of coughing (\u201cDandelion Tea\u201d), sobbing (\u201cVodka Butterfly\u201d), and sirens (\u201cThroat Cancer\u201d) are par for the course, but still very effective, and the ending duo \u201cNeedles\u201d and the horribly\u2014but brilliantly\u2014named \u201cThroat Cancer\u201d is kind of\u2026genuinely lovely in a really gross, demoralising sense. I\u2019m converted.<\/p>\n

Rose Thorn Necklace by Ghost Bath<\/a><\/p>\n

ClarkKent\u2019s Bestial Beats
\nAnimalize<\/a> \/\/ Verminateur [May 23, 2025 \u2013 Dying Victims Productions]<\/p>\n

\"\"While the album cover might not inspire confidence, make no mistake, Animalize is worthy of your attention. On their sophomore album, Verminateur, these Frenchmen bring youth and energy to the old school speed and traditional metal scene. They mix up mid-tempo tunes with high-octane thrash, and even throw in a lovely piano ballad for good measure (\u201cPriere de Remords\u201d). On tracks like \u201cChevel Astral\u201d and \u201cAu Jugement de Soi\u201d you can hear influences ranging from Accept<\/a> to Def Leppard<\/a>, while the lightning-fast \u201cVerminateur\u201d sounds like a blast from Judas Priest<\/a>\u2019s Painkiller. Front man Coyote brings plenty of charm, ranging from excitedly shrill to cool-headed, all while executing some well-timed \u201coohs\u201d and infectious laughter here and there. Fortunately, he doesn\u2019t carry all of the weight. Jessman and RattleGab keep the riffs spicy throughout, ensuring Animalize never phones it in, while Lynx\u2019s drumming adds some much-needed heft. The songwriting is nice and tight, allowing the album to clock in at a tidy 36 minutes. As good as each song is, the icing on the cake is \u201cEnvahisseurs,\u201d which will end up as a strong candidate for song of the year. It brings a killer riff and thrilling energy that\u2019s sure to get the Statue of Liberty to drop her torch and make some devil horns.<\/p>\n

VERMINATEUR by ANIMALIZE<\/a><\/p>\n

Owlswald\u2019s Feathered Echoes
\nPandemia<\/a> \/\/ Darkened Devotion [May 16th, 2025 \u2013 Hammerheart Records]<\/p>\n

\"\"After a decade between releases, Czech death metal veterans Pandemia burst back onto the scene with their sixth full-length, Darkened Devotion. Still channeling the menacing souls of legends like Vader<\/a> and Immolation<\/a>, Darkened Devotion marks a significant yet successful pivot towards a more accessible sound for Pandemia. Delivering bone-crushingly heavy and succinct songs that are both memorable and easily palatable, Pandemia haven\u2019t lost their edge\u2014they\u2019ve simply refined it. From \u201cNightmare Paradox\u2019s\u201d gut-punching, wicked riffing to \u201cCatalepsy\u2019s\u201d gratifying, atmospheric thrash-inspired arpeggiations, every part of Darkened Devotion feels focused and tastefully executed. New drummer Jake Bayer (Cutterred Flesh<\/a>) is an absolute beast, shaping Darkened Devotion\u2019s mammoth backbone with thunderous rapid-fire double bass runs (\u201cBlessed, Blessed Oblivion,\u201d \u201cDepths\u201d), intricate tom fills (\u201cThe Pallor of Detest,\u201d \u201cThe Wretched Dance\u201d) and precision blasts (\u201cNighttime Paradox,\u201d \u201cA Sea to Breathe In\u201d). Returning guitarist Alex Marek\u2014last heard on 2005\u2019s Riven\u2014unleashes a barrage of infectious shredding that makes headbanging involuntary. Jaroslav \u201cJarda\u201d Friedrich\u2019s bass and Jikra Kr\u0161\u2019s vocals complement Bayer and Marek\u2019s authority with angry drawls and guttural, gravely growls. The album\u2019s overall tone is immense, effortlessly engulfing listeners into its nocturnal anxieties with ease. With Darkened Devotion, Pandemia have forged a refined and brutal auditory feast that genuinely took me by surprise. Embrace the darkness.<\/p>\n

Darkened Devotion by Pandemia<\/a><\/p>\n

Killjoy\u2019s Dreamy Delights
\nAsth\u00e9nie<\/a> \/\/ Iridescence [May 5th, 2025 \u2013 Self-Release]<\/p>\n

\"\"Iridescence is literally a colorful piece of music. Named after the naturally occurring phenomenon of an object appearing to change colors, Asth\u00e9nie assigned a different color to each of these five songs. The guitars are the main focus here\u2014whether with a glimmer (\u201cM\u00e9l\u00e8ze\u201d) or a shimmer (\u201cIndigo\u201d), they brilliantly showcase the prettier side of post metal. Hardcore-tinged screams boldly accentuate the guitars\u2019 vibrant hues, providing heft and urgency. Somewhat ironically, \u201cGris\u201d (meaning grey) takes up the most time at 11 minutes and is the most developed contrast between the calm and furious. At only 35 minutes in total, Iridescence passes like a beautiful breeze with little fluff or filler. While by no means necessary, some clean vocals could potentially add even more color to a future release. Though this is not the first instance this year<\/a> of a post-black record patterned after various wavelengths in the visible light spectrum, Iridescence is resplendent in its own right.<\/p>\n

Iridescence by Asth\u00e9nie<\/a><\/p>\n

Au Clair de Lune<\/a> \/\/ In the Wake of Dusk [May 16th, 2025 \u2013 Self-Release]<\/p>\n

\"\"Moonlight and bodies of water share an intrinsic artistic bond. There\u2019s something deeply enchanting about a celestial, ghostly source of illumination amidst a dark, murky setting. Leonard Sinaguglia\u2019s blackgaze project Au Clair de Lune aurally combines these two aesthetics via dreamy, floaty guitars and synths akin to Autumn Nostalgie and, of course, Alcest\u2019s \u00c9cailles de Lune. At times, the melodies are smooth and glassy like the surface of a lake (\u201cEchoing Silhouettes,\u201d \u201cNeon Dusk\u201d). Other times, they\u2019re upbeat and catchy as a rip current (\u201cAnaemoia,\u201d \u201cDistant Glow\u201d). The principal vocal style is a mild rasp, more for flavor than heaviness, though Falyriae adds her airy singing voice on occasion. Although the track order and overall pacing usually find a good balance between the atmospheric parts and the punchy parts, the longer track lengths make In the Wake of Dusk feel a bit fluffy in places. But even so, Au Clair de Lune provides a satisfying and transportative experience to an unearthly realm.<\/p>\n

In The Wake of Dusk by Au Clair de Lune<\/a><\/p>\n

Dolphin Whisperer\u2019s Dusky Deposition
\nSlumbering Sun<\/a> \/\/ Starmony<\/a> [May 9th, 2025 \u2013 Self Release]<\/p>\n

\"\"Music is the closest thing we have to magic in this world. When a great song or a great album graces your ears, it\u2019s a clean sweep to any combo of the head, heart, and gyrating body. Such was the case with Lone Star Doomsters Slumbering Sun and their debut release The Ever-Living Fire<\/a> back in 2023. With a fragile heart in one hand and a fat riff in the other, their take on the kind of sadboi doom you\u2019d hear in bands like Warning or early Pallbearer<\/a> struck me deep. On Starmony, much of the same elements return: growling bass underpinning stadium-sized riffs, Ozzy-like vocals that bustle with a modern emotion and charisma, and a posty playfulness that allows long-form compositions to swell and soar. The only trouble is that it takes a couple songs for Starmony to settle into that same form of riffed-out hypnosis, with the one-two intro of \u201cTogether Forever\u201d and \u201cKeep It a Secret\u201d sounding like the middle drive of a live set rather than the start of an introspective journey. But with the violin-assisted weeping catharsis of \u201cMidsommar Night\u2019s Dream\u201d and \u201cWanderlust,\u201d the waltzing melody of \u201cDanse Macabre,\u201d and the Thin Lizzy-styled dueling leads of \u201cThe Tower,\u201d Slumbering Sun again finds a monstrous groove in hopeful and hammering songcraft. And, of course, if you get a chance to catch this act live like I did, just a few days before The Dolphlet emerged, you\u2019ll fall extra prey to the kinds of doomy incantations that Slumbering Sun conjures with their mystic-minded compositions. In fat riffs we trust, and in sorrowful hearts we linger.<\/p>\n

Starmony by Slumbering Sun<\/a><\/p>\n

Tyme\u2019s Tragic Tones
\nEnterr\u00e9 Vivant<\/a> \/\/ \u60aa\u7f6a (Akuza\u00ef) [May 26th, 2025 \u2013 Antiq]<\/p>\n

\"\"Comprised of French multi-instrumentalist Erroiak and vocalist Sakrifiss\u2014whose 25-year residency in Japan heavily influences the music\u2014depressive black metallers Enterr\u00e9 Vivant\u2019s third album, Akuza\u00ef, blew me away. My DSBM bar was set long ago by Shining<\/a>\u2018s unfuckwithable V: Halmstad, and yet Akuza\u00ef has come along to give it a run for its money. Centered around 10 Buddhist sins, Akuza\u00ef relates the experiences of Japanese civilians and victims during the Second World War. From the emotionally charged cover photo depicting a mother breastfeeding her newborn shortly after the bombing of Nagasaki, to the haunting interludes and shimmering, melancholic melodies within, Akuza\u00ef melds traditional, tremolo-picked guitars and icy vocals ala Summoning and Emperor<\/a> (\u201cSessh\u00f4,\u201d \u201cShin\u2019i\u201d) with Moonsorrow<\/a>-esque keys, Japanese-influenced flutes and violins, along with ghostly moaning howls to create its depressive atmospheres. Transitioning from the twisted croaks of interlude \u201cWaraguchi,\u201d album highlight \u201cJain\u201d begins with mournful pianos and a pensive, tremolo-picked lead before crashing forth in waves of crushingly cascading chords and Sakrifiss\u2019 tortured screams, its eight and a half minutes awash in black metal sadness. By the time the wails of a suffering child floated in around the seven-and-a-half-minute mark, my arms had broken out in goosebumps, and my heart was fucking broken. Offering yet another lens through which to view the torturous horrors of war, Akuza\u00ef is harrowing, relentless, and not to be missed.<\/p>\n

\u60aa\u7f6a (Akuza\u00ef) by Enterr\u00e9 Vivant<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tGive in to Your Anger:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Every day we toil, rain or shine, to find you the semi-finest ore of the month. Lately, though,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":48603,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[4891,41314,41315,10613,41316,41317,41318,41319,64,41320,63,41321,41322,41323,41324,41325,41326,41327,11492,41328,41329,10614,41330,41331,41332,41333,134,41334,41335,41336,41337,41338,41339,3087,20177,25481,41340,41341,41342,41343,41344,41345,41346,41347,41348,136,41349,41350,41351,41352,41353,228,229,41354,41355,20183,41356,41357,41358,41359,41360,41361,41362,41363,41364,41365,1634,41366],"class_list":["post-48602","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-4891","tag-accept","tag-alcest","tag-american-metal","tag-animalize","tag-asthenie","tag-at-the-gates","tag-atmospheric-black-metal","tag-au","tag-au-claire-de-lune","tag-australia","tag-autumn-nostalgie","tag-blackgaze","tag-blood-washes-everything-away","tag-crust","tag-cutterred-flesh","tag-czech-metal","tag-darkened-devotion","tag-death-metal","tag-death-whore","tag-def-leppard","tag-doom-metal","tag-dsbm","tag-dying-victims-productions","tag-emperor","tag-enterre-vivant","tag-entertainment","tag-executionist","tag-falyriae","tag-french-metal","tag-ghost-bath","tag-hammerheart-records","tag-harakiri-for-the-sky","tag-hardcore","tag-heavy-metal","tag-immolation","tag-in-the-wake-of-dusk","tag-iridescence","tag-italian-metal","tag-judas-priest","tag-kreator","tag-may25","tag-melodic-black-metal","tag-melodic-death-metal","tag-moonsorrow","tag-music","tag-nuclear-blast","tag-pallbearer","tag-pandemia","tag-post-black-metal","tag-post-metal","tag-review","tag-reviews","tag-rose-thorn-necklace","tag-sacrament-of-the-sick","tag-self-release","tag-shining","tag-slumbering-sun","tag-starmony","tag-stuck-in-the-filter","tag-stuck-in-the-filter-2025","tag-summoning","tag-thin-lizzy","tag-thrash-metal","tag-vader","tag-verminateur","tag-warning","tag--akuzai"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48602","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48602"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48602\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48603"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48602"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48602"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48602"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}