ENDTYMER is the semi-weekly recap, occasional blogspace, and new release round-up column. It hits at the end of (most) every week with the intent of covering notable new releases, sharing news, and musing over various personal listening habits. It is largely informal, might contain opinions, etc. so chill out a bit. I do my best to cover as much of everything I receive in some form regardless of genre or representation, don’t hesitate to send anything and everything my way: grizzlybutts@hotmail.com

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BEST OF THIS WEEK

[#1] ACHERONTAS (‘NEKYIA – The Necromantic Patterns‘, Zazen Sounds)
[#2] SKYFORGER (‘Teikas‘, Self-Released)
[#3] SOLFATARE (‘Asservis par l’espoir‘, Signal Rex)
[#4] AMALEKIM (‘Shir Hashirim‘, Avantgarde Music)
[#5] DEMONIC DEATH JUDGE (‘Absolutely Launched‘, Suicide Records)

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UPCOMING RELEASES

Catch up with the latest new release announcements for albums I am likely to cover.

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Transcending Obscurity Records have announced the sophomore full-length album from Jacksonville, Florida-based death metal quartet HAXPROCESS will release this coming July 25th on all relevant formats. You might recall the band’s debut LP was way up there near the top of by Best of 2023 list and from the sound of this new record they’ll be up there again this year. Call it progressive or just “epic” this stuff should appeal to fans of everything from earlier Blood Incantation to The Chasm‘s run in the later 2000’s as well as the progressive highs and thrashed spiritus of label mates Atvm. Check out one of two singles available now, “The Confines of the Flesh”:

Italian brutal death metal band PUTRIDITY are reborn from sickening womb for an intense fourth full-length album, once again via Willowtip Records. ‘Morbid Ataraxia‘ arrives June 27th on CD, vinyl, and digital formats. The band suggest the theme is “the oxymoronic nature of humanity.” and we can expect wrathful brutal death metal as they’ve always provided. Huge fan of these guys and can’t wait for this one. For now check out the preview song “Mors Mater Nostra”:

Dark Essence Records have announced the twelfth album from Norwegian legendry HELHEIM will be something a bit different. ‘HrabnaR / Ad vesa‘ is a quasi-split album which will release this coming June 20th. The idea here is that the album is split into two halves and the band’s two main songwriters have split their duties in half. V’gandr‘s side will be ‘Ad vesa‘ and H’grimnir‘s half will be ‘Hrabnar‘. The latter will be something most familiar to longtime fans of the band and the second half will be a conceptual treatment of the four components of the human soul via pre-Christian beliefs. I’ve always appreciated the band’s willingness to transform and evolve and in this case it seems like this idea is well founded. The band comment on the first single “Fylgja”: “Fylgja is a special track on “Hrabnar / Ad vesa”, where V’gandr has put all his weirdness into one piece of music. It takes you through heavy metalish riffs, through black metal and into the fields of majestic prog rock.” and these are all great things. Check out the visualizer that comes with:

Chilean death-doom group DEVS MORTVORVM have announced they will release their latest EP this coming June 6th, 2025 by way of Apocalyptic Productions. They call their style “graveyard doom death” and take inspiration from the darker locus of death and doom citing early Cathedral, Autopsy, Derketa and Goatlord (whom they cover on the EP via “Acid Orgy”). Check out the first preview song over on Bandcamp:

Italian melodic/gothic doom metal band LA CERVA have announced their self-titled debut EP, ‘La Cerva‘ will release via via Masked Dead Records/Sulphur Music this coming May 30th. It sounds like the three song EP will serve as a teaser for the full-length album they’re working on for 2025. I’m not the biggest fan of this style but I figured I’d give this one a shot based on their suggested blend of ancient and modern influences. Check out their Bandcamp:

Hell’s Headbangers Records have announced they will release the upcoming debut full-length album from black n’ roll/metalpunk act HEXELLA. ‘The Ancient Gaping Mouth‘ will release on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape this coming June 27th. This is a studio project from Noelia Garza (vocals, lyrics, and songwriter) who’d formed the band around 2019. So far this album sounds somewhat different from some of the earlier demo material, check out “Ophitic Revelation”:

Dominance of Darkness Records have announced July 1st as the release date for the third full-length album from Finnish black metal act SARASTUS. ‘Agony Eternal‘ will release on CD and vinyl formats. Now past the ten year mark in their history and now accompanied by drummer Anzillu (Order of Nosferat, Curse Upon a Prayer, et al.) as well as Wrang vocalist Galgenvot there is no question these folks sound empowered, cold and sinister on this record. Check out the first preview song “Towards Eternity”:

Wild stuff here as progressive death metal band AZURE EMOTE have released a video for “Feast of Leeches” the first single taken from their upcoming fourth full-length album ‘Cryptic Aura‘. The album will release this coming July 25th by way of Testimony Records. The band commend on the single: “The first single ‘Feast of Leeches’ is a frantic release of anger and madness. For far too long have we suffered the pressure of outside vultures feeding off our personal energies. It’s fitting that this video was created by ‘Drain Hope’, because it visually expresses the frustration of being surrounded by leeches and parasites that are sucking on our lifeblood, while leaving us ultimately drained and lethargic. It’s like suffocating under dirt but still crawling through the mud in hopes of getting out. We are all waiting to breathe, but always holding our breath, and continually striving to be, while awaiting our death.” Never felt like I gave their previous album its due so I’m stoked on checking this one out:

“Folk metal brutal death” kinda works in practicum, so, keep your wits about you in approach of this piratey cum-chugging music video (which you’ll never unsee) from Finnish brutal death metal band CUMBEAST. ‘Fairytales Of Filth‘ is the seventh full-length album from the band and it is set for release on May 12th by way of Morbid Generation Records. The video in question is uh, “Captain Cock” a song which features guest appearances from Sami Perttula (Korpiklaani) and John Puig (Phrymerial). Eh, no comment.

Agonia Records have announced the return of ABIGAIL WILLIAMS with a sixth full-length album, ‘A Void Within Existence‘, is set to be released this coming July 18th. All signs point to this album being personal as a point of purpose via maestro Ken Sorceron who comments: “This record was born in the quiet hours, when everything felt hollow. A Void Within Existence isn’t just a title – it’s a feeling I couldn’t shake while writing. There’s a loneliness threaded through these songs that came from somewhere deeper than I expected. The world outside was falling apart, and in a way, so was the one inside. I wanted to push beyond the limits we explored on Walk Beyond the Dark. Sonically, emotionally, spiritually – nothing was off-limits. I produced the album to stay close to that vision, and with Dave Otero on the mix and Mike Heller behind the kit, everything came to life exactly how I heard it in my head – raw, vast, and crushing. This is a record about absence. About peeling away what isn’t real – examining the void left behind. If there’s anything left after that – maybe it’s the truth. Maybe it’s just the void. Either way, this is the most honest I’ve ever been. A Void Within Existence is more than an album; it’s a crucible – a journey through the fire where only shadow and silence remain.” I believe it is the first self-produced album from the band. They’ll have a single and more info to follow soon but for now go follow the band on social media:

https://www.facebook.com/AbigailWilliamsBand/

Transcending Obscurity Records have announced July 25th this year as the release date for the latest full-length album from death metal group THORN. ‘Nebulous Womb of Eternity‘ definitely sounds like an improvement over their past releases judging by the riffs on “Quartersawn Remains” and I like the album art, will probably give this one a roll at some point. Drumming still doesn’t quite do it for me, enjoy the lead run toward the end of the song, but no broad judgements made just yet. See what you think, check out the visualizer for the song:

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YOUTUBE / VIDEO REVIEWS

Follow and subscribe to my YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@terraasymmetry

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NEXT WEEK’s REVIEWS:

Here are the six longform reviews I have been working on for next week, these are subject to change or rescheduling to a later date.

BLOOD MONOLITH – The Calling of Fire [May 16th, Profound Lore Records]
ELEVENTH RAY – Reviving Tehom [May 16th, Dark Descent Records]
DESEKRYPTOR – Sarcophagal Corridors [May 16th, Nuclear Winter Records]
BELL OF MIMIR – Nocturne [May 16th, Octopus Rising]
BALMOG – Laio [May 23rd, War Anthem Records]
ESCARNIUM – Inexorable Entropy [May 9th, Everlasting Spew Records]

SHORT REVIEWS

Here are the seven short reviews I have been working on for next week, these are subject to change or rescheduling to a later date.

ELUSIVE GOD – Ambis [May 9th, Personal Records]
OMINOUS RUIN – Requiem [May 9th, Willowtip Records]
DROUTH – The Teeth of Time [May 16th, Eternal Warfare Records]
BEHEMOTH – The Shit ov God [May 9th, Nuclear Blast]
SKAPHOS – Cult of Uzura [May 9th, Transcending Obscurity]
AN TORAMH – Echoes of Eternal Night [May 9th, Black Lion Records]

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