Stačí jenom málo, abys propadl temnotě. Touláš se světem a kolem tebe všechno hoří. Zbyly nám jen války, násilí, růžové reklamy s falešnými úsměvy, umělé ženy bez duše, bolest a utrpení. Nebo ne? Nejsem si jistý už vůbec s ničím a často přemýšlím o tom, jestli tohle není ten chaos, který je předzvěstí apokalypsy. Zatím ale jen čekám, kdo vezme do rukou první zbraň a kdo začne rabovat. Poslouchám druhé dlouhohrající album DITHEIST z Chicaga a užívám si nejen jejich surový death metal, ale také texty, které jsou plné sociálních témat i černého humoru.
Líbí se mi masivní, přesto dobře čitelný zvuk, ale hlavně nasazení kapely. Kývám se spokojeně do rytmu, když přijdu unavený z práce, když se potřebuji zavřít před současným divným světem do své bubliny. Sedávám u přehrávače, úplně stejně, jako kdysi dávno, když jsem s podobnou muzikou začínal. Vždycky jsem měl rád kapely, které v sobě měly sílu, touhu ničit hudbou, které mě dokázaly pohřbít zaživa. Tahle smečka prošla sítem mých požadavků a letošní album si opravdu užívám.
Někdy se dívám k nebi a přemýšlím, jestli existuje bůh nebo nějaká vyšší instance. Možná jsme ale jen pokusná zvířata pro vetřelce z vesmíru, kteří se smějí naší hlouposti. Do krve, pod kůži mi pronikají jednotlivé motivy, užívám si ryzost, opravdovost, syrovost a naprostou autenticitu. Zkrátka věci, na kterých mi u kapel záleží. Mraky jsou zase nízko a vypadá to, že bude bouřka. V těchto chvílích, když je ve vzduchu cítit napětí, vynikne síla této nahrávky nejvíce. DITHEIST jsou stylově old schooloví, staví na pevných základech stylu, které kdysi položily smečky typu DEICIDE, MORBID ANGEL, VADER, nebojí se ale ani modernějších prvků. Vše je zde podřízeno jedinému, skladby musí mít v sobě pověstný drive. Nakumulovaný vztek, posbíraný v současném divném světě. Chlad starých pohřebišť, ale i nahrubo nasekanou tmu, která se ukrývá v našich prokletých duších. Přiznám se, že je to moje první setkání s kapelou. Můžu vám potvrdit, že dopadlo na výbornou. "Cosmic Liar" působí jako album od kapely, která je velmi dobře seřízeným strojem na zabíjení. Útočí rovnou, bez kompromisů, na solar plexus, na samou podstatu. Mě tak nezbývá, než vám novou desku doporučit. Stačí jenom málo, abys propadl temnotě. Touláš se světem a kolem tebe všechno hoří. Zbyly nám je války, násilí, růžové reklamy s falešnými úsměvy, umělé ženy bez duše, bolest a utrpení. Nebo ne? Nejsem si jistý už s vůbec ničím a často přemýšlím o tom, jestli tohle není ten chaos, který je předzvěstí apokalypsy. Tahle nahrávka vás strhne do hlubiny, roztrhá na kusy a spálí. Povstanete z popela, silnější než kdy dřív a jako první vezmete do rukou kladivo. Půjdete zbourat první zeď. A hrát vám k tomu bude tohle album. Surový, masivní, ostrý, nekompromisní death metal, s temně podmanivou atmosférou! Nahrávka, která řeže do živého!
Asphyx says:
It doesn't take much to fall into darkness. You wander the world while everything around you burns. All we have left are wars, violence, glossy ads with fake smiles, soulless, artificial women, pain, and suffering. Or is that not the case? I’m not sure of anything anymore, and I often wonder if this isn’t the chaos that heralds the apocalypse. For now, though, I’m just waiting to see who will be the first to grab a weapon and who will start looting. I’m listening to DITHEIST’s second full-length album from Chicago and enjoying not only their raw death metal but also the lyrics, which are full of social themes and dark humor.
I like the massive yet clear sound, but above all, the band’s intensity. I nod contentedly to the beat when I come home tired from work, when I need to shut myself away from this strange world in my own bubble. I sit by the stereo, just like I used to long ago when I first got into this kind of music. I’ve always loved bands that had power and a desire to destroy through their music bands that could bury me alive. This pack has passed the test of my standards, and I’m really enjoying this year’s album.
Sometimes I look up at the sky and wonder if there’s a god or some higher power. But maybe we’re just lab rats for aliens from outer space who are laughing at our stupidity. Individual themes seep into my blood, under my skin; I enjoy their purity, sincerity, rawness, and absolute authenticity. In short, the things that matter to me in a band. The clouds are low again, and it looks like a storm is coming. It’s in moments like these, when you can feel the tension in the air, that the power of this recording really shines through. DITHEIST are old-school in style, building on the solid foundations of the genre once laid by bands like DEICIDE, MORBID ANGEL, and VADER, yet they aren’t afraid to incorporate more modern elements either. Everything here is subordinated to a single goal: the songs must possess that legendary drive. Accumulated rage, gathered from today’s strange world. The chill of ancient burial grounds, but also the brutally chopped-up darkness that lurks within our cursed souls. I’ll admit this is my first encounter with the band. I can confirm that it turned out great. “Cosmic Liar” comes across as an album by a band that’s a very well-oiled killing machine. It attacks head-on, without compromise, straight at the solar plexus, at the very core. So I have no choice but to recommend this new album to you. It doesn’t take much to fall into the darkness. You wander through the world while everything around you is burning. All we have left are wars, violence, glossy ads with fake smiles, soulless, artificial women, pain, and suffering. Or is that not the case? I’m not sure of anything anymore, and I often wonder if this isn’t the chaos that heralds the apocalypse. This album will drag you into the depths, tear you to pieces, and burn you. You’ll rise from the ashes, stronger than ever, and be the first to pick up a hammer. You’ll go and tear down the first wall. And this album will play in the background. Raw, massive, sharp, uncompromising death metal with a darkly captivating atmosphere! An album that cuts right to the bone!
Track Listing: 1. Cosmic Liar 2. Evil To Live 3. Kill The Priest 4. Nyarlathotep* 5. Apoplectic Delirium 6. Covenant Ov Torture 7. Mouth Of Hell 8. Singularity
band:
Matt 'Chesterfields' Wright - Vocals, Lyrics Konrad Lysak - Guitar, Lyrics Brian Frost - Guitar, Bass Narcyz Fortuna - Drums
Říká se, že lidem do hlavy nevidíte. Něco na tom bude. Potkáváte každý den usměvavé tváře s divným pohledem. Izolováni sami v sobě, s bolavými dušemi, spřádají plány na pomstu. Přemýšlel jsem o tom, když jsem se toulal ulicemi se sluchátky na uších a poslouchal jsem u toho nové, v pořadí již třetí dlouhohrající album amerických tmářů LAGO. Jakoby byli všichni kolem mě řízeni z jednoho místa. Nakupovali stejné věci, měli stejný názor, pochodovali na smrt s úsměvem na tváři.
Hudba mě řezala do uší, do podvědomí, drásala mě zevnitř a já jsem si po nějaké době říkal, že tohle je přesně death metal, který mám rád. Propracovaný, surový, prašivý a přesně zacílený. Kýval jsem se spokojeně do rytmu, křičel jsem do tmy, nasával jsem morbidně podmanivou atmosféru a užíval si mrtvolné nálady. Vracel jsem se potom domů, abych se konečně odstřihl od současného podivného světa a rval jsem si nové album pod tlakem do uší.
Pánové se volně inspirovali ve stejných špinavých vodách jako kapely typu IMMOLATION, MORBID ANGEL, DEATH CONGREGATION, DEMILICH. A dělají to velmi elegantně, zkušeně, s nadhledem, se svým vlastním výrazem a spoustou zajímavých nápadů. Nová nahrávka bolí, žhne a pálí, ale zároveň se také dobře poslouchá. Má velmi dobře ošetřený, masivní a divoký zvuk s takovou tou živočišnou patinou, kterou mám tolik rád u starých kapel. LAGO ale hlavně umí napsat dobrou skladbu, motiv, jsou neurvalí a zároveň přesní jako dobře seřízený stroj na zabíjení. Album se valí kupředu, nezná kompromisy, ani slitování a zůstává po něm hluboká krvavá stopa. Novinku vnímám celým svým tělem, rezonuje mnou a opravdu si ji užívám. Někdy na mě padá splín z toho co se kolem děje, ze vší té lži, přetvářky, falešných slibů. Z válek a utrpení. Mám pocit, že na mě padá obrovská tíha, i když moc dobře vím, že sám nikdy nic nezměním. Potřebuji si potom vždycky pustit desky, jako je "Vigil", abych si vyčistil hlavu, abych cítil sílu, tlak, energii, nahrubo nasekanou tmu, abych si užil jednotlivé motivy, riffy, údery bicích i řev vokalisty. Novinka v sobě obsahuje pradávný a velmi těžko definovatelný heavy efekt, prastarou sílu a tlak, načerpané hluboko v podzemí. Říká se, že lidem do hlavy nevidíte. Něco na tom bude. Potkáváte každý den usměvavé tváře s divným pohledem. Izolováni sami v sobě, s bolavými dušemi, spřádají plány na pomstu. Za sebe nemohu jinak, než vám nové album doporučit. Je totiž skvělé ve všech směrech. Zadře se vám pod kůži i do podvědomí a zůstane tam navěky. Amen! Surový, temný, propracovaný a zabijácký death metal, po kterém zůstává hluboká krvavé stopa!
Asphyx says:
They say you can’t see what’s inside a person’s head. There must be some truth to that. Every day you come across smiling faces with a strange look in their eyes. Isolated within themselves, with aching souls, they hatch plans for revenge. I was thinking about this as I wandered the streets with headphones on, listening to the new and third full-length album by the American dark metal band LAGO. It was as if everyone around me were being controlled from a single source. They were buying the same things, holding the same opinions, marching to their doom with smiles on their faces.
The music cut into my ears, into my subconscious, tearing at me from within, and after a while I told myself that this is exactly the kind of death metal I love. Sophisticated, raw, gritty, and precisely targeted. I nodded contentedly to the beat, screamed into the darkness, soaked up the morbidly captivating atmosphere, and reveled in the deathly mood. I then went home to finally cut myself off from the strange world around me and crammed the new album into my ears under pressure.
The guys drew loose inspiration from the same murky waters as bands like IMMOLATION, MORBID ANGEL, DEATH CONGREGATION, and DEMILICH. And they do it with great elegance, skill, and a sense of perspective, bringing their own unique style and plenty of interesting ideas to the table. The new record hurts, sizzles, and burns, but at the same time, it’s a pleasure to listen to. It has a very well-crafted, massive, and wild sound with that raw, organic patina I love so much in old-school bands. But above all, LAGO knows how to write a good song and a good riff; they’re brutal yet precise, like a well-oiled killing machine. The album rolls forward, knows no compromise or mercy, and leaves a deep, bloody trail in its wake. I feel this new release with my whole body; it resonates with me, and I’m really enjoying it. Sometimes I get the blues from what’s going on around me all the lies, the hypocrisy, the false promises. From wars and suffering. I feel like a huge weight is bearing down on me, even though I know full well that I can’t change anything on my own. Afterward, I always need to listen to albums like "Vigil" to clear my head, to feel the power, the pressure, the energy, the raw, choppy darkness, to savor the individual motifs, riffs, drum beats, and the singer’s roar. The new album contains an ancient and very hard-to-define heavy effect, an ancient power and pressure, drawn deep from the underground. They say you can’t see into people’s heads. There’s something to that. Every day you encounter smiling faces with a strange look in their eyes. Isolated within themselves, with aching souls, they weave plans for revenge. For my part, I can’t help but recommend this new album to you. It’s simply great in every way. It will get under your skin and into your subconscious, and stay there forever. Amen! Raw, dark, sophisticated, and killer death metal that leaves a deep, bloody trail in its wake!
Ruce sepnuté na prsou. Práchnivějící kosti, dávno rozložené maso. Červi, kroutící se mezi vybělenými žebry. Smrt se neptá, přichází z nenadání a někdy bývá hodně krutá. Jsou nahrávky, které mě, i když je slyším teprve poprvé, přenesou ihned do starých katakomb. Sedávám dlouhé hodiny v podsvětí, přehrabuji se v rozpadajících se rakvích a hledám kapely, které jsou věrné ryzímu, opravdovému death metalu. Když projdou mojí soukromou sítí kvality, tak o nich napíšu pár řádek. Ale hlavně, opravdu je poslouchám.
Jsem starý fanoušek pohřbů do země a jako takový si nové debutové EP italských TOMBAL neskutečně užívám. Jakoby kapela vytáhla z márnice pytel plný kostí a začala s ním chřestit. Pokud uctíváte HM-2 švédský smrtící kov, potom se pohodlně usaďte, otevřete si pivo a přidávejte postupně hlasitost. Do žil i do podvědomí se vám postupně dostane chlad a nekonečná temnota.
Alespoň tak vnímám novinku já. Užívám si morbidní melodie, nasávám nasládlý pach rozkládajícího se masa. Italové se sice inspirovali u klasiků žánru, ale dělají to velmi přesvědčivě, uvěřitelně, ryze, opravdově a autenticky. Přidávají i porci svých vlastních nápadů a invence. Kývám se spokojeně do rytmu, užívám si ostré nekompromisní riffy, chladné melodie, řev bestie i drtivé údery bicích. Ve skladbách je obsažena potřebná energie a tlak, jsou napsány s jediným účelem, přikovat vás na zeď. Budete strženi do hlubiny, spáleni, zničeni, abyste nakonec vstali z popela silnější než kdy dřív. TOMBAL na to jdou ostře a nekompromisně, ale nezapomínají ani na morbidní chvilky záhrobní poezie. Navíc, a to je můj soukromý dojem, se "Grave of the Damned" opravdu dobře poslouchá a rád se k němu vracím. V závěru je to vlastně jednoduché jako vždycky. Každý večer, když se setmí, tak sestupuji dolů do chladného sklepa. Zavírám se před současným divným světem a pouštím si kapely, které mě baví. Tuhle italskou smečku jsem si ihned zařadil do svého playlistu. Splňuje totiž veškeré mé soukromé požadavky pro to, abych si hudbu těchto tmářů narval pod tlakem do hlavy. Má v sobě drive, potřebnou sílu, tlak a energii. Smrt je při poslechu velmi blízko, čeká spolu se Satanem ve stínu a jakmile zapnu play, tak se ztratím v záhrobí. Budiž to nejen pro mě důkazem, že je EP je opravdu velmi dobré po všech stránkách. Nechybí mu masivní, zabijácký zvuk, stylový motiv na obalu, ale hlavně spousta zajímavých nápadů. Tohle EP je opředeno pevnými pavučinami sahajícími až do devadesátých let minulého století. Morbidní, zahnívající death metalová záležitost ze starých prokletých katakomb! EP ostré jako břitva a chladné jako ruka mrtvoly!
Asphyx says:
Hands clasped across the chest. Crumbling bones, flesh long since decomposed. Worms writhing between bleached ribs. Death asks no questions; it comes without warning and can sometimes be very cruel. There are recordings that, even when I hear them for the first time, immediately transport me to the ancient catacombs. I sit for hours on end in the underworld, rummaging through crumbling coffins in search of bands that remain true to pure, authentic death metal. When they pass through my personal filter of quality, I’ll write a few lines about them. But most importantly, I really listen to them.
I’m an old fan of earth burials, and as such, I’m thoroughly enjoying the new debut EP by the Italian band TOMBAL. It’s as if the band pulled a sack full of bones out of the morgue and started rattling it around. If you worship HM-2 Swedish death metal, then sit back comfortably, open a beer, and gradually turn up the volume. A chill and endless darkness will gradually seep into your veins and your subconscious.
At least that’s how I perceive this new release. I’m enjoying the morbid melodies, breathing in the sweetish scent of decaying flesh. While the Italians drew inspiration from the genre’s classics, they do so in a very convincing, believable, genuine, and authentic way. They also add a dose of their own ideas and creativity. I’m nodding contentedly to the beat, enjoying the sharp, uncompromising riffs, the cold melodies, the beast’s roar, and the crushing drum beats. The songs contain the necessary energy and intensity; they’re written with a single purpose: to pin you to the wall. You’ll be dragged into the depths, burned, destroyed only to rise from the ashes stronger than ever before. TOMBAL takes a sharp and uncompromising approach, but they don’t forget to include morbid moments of otherworldly poetry. Plus and this is just my personal impression "Grave of the Damned" is a real pleasure to listen to, and I love coming back to it. In the end, it’s actually as simple as it always is. Every evening, when it gets dark, I head down to the cool basement. I shut myself off from this strange world and listen to the bands I enjoy. I immediately added this Italian band to my playlist. It meets all my personal requirements for cramming the music of these dark forces into my head under pressure. It has drive, the necessary power, intensity, and energy. Death feels very close while listening; it waits alongside Satan in the shadows, and as soon as I hit play, I lose myself in the afterlife. Let this serve as proof not just for me that this EP is truly excellent in every respect. It has a massive, killer sound, a stylish cover design, but most importantly, plenty of interesting ideas. This EP is shrouded in thick webs stretching all the way back to the 1990s. A morbid, rotting death metal affair from the old, cursed catacombs! An EP as sharp as a razor and as cold as a corpse’s hand!
A few questions - interview with death metal band from Italy - TOMBAL.
Answered Luigi Cara (vocals, guitars), thank you!
Ave, can you introduce your band to our readers? – When was it founded and what style of music do you play etc.?
Hi! Tombal is a death metal band made up of four friends with a shared passion for extreme music, especially 90s Swedish death metal. In August 2025 I finally decided to form a band dedicated to that sound. I always loved the HM-2 tone and bands like Dismember, Entombed, Grave, Unleashed, and Interment. Years ago I had already spoken with Massimiliano (our bassist) after listening together to Scent of the Buried by Interment, about the almost dream-like idea of forming a swedeath band. After many years, I finally made it happen (hehehe). I then spoke with Luca, a very young and talented drummer and a brother to me, who immediately joined the project with enthusiasm. After that, I spoke with Massimiliano and he was fully on board as well, and that’s how TOMBAL was born. I chose this name because I don't think there's a better name to describe our style and the music we play. I composed our first single "Grave of the Damned" , which was released via Death Madness on YouTube and received a great response. We then recorded the EP of the same name. After that, I invited Mario to join the band as the second chainsaw guitar, and he accepted immediately. Now we are four, more united and motivated than ever.
Where and under what conditions were you recording the new album? Who was in charge of sound, production and mastering?
Two of us are based in Sardinia, while Luca lives in Basilicata and Massimiliano is in Dublin, so everything was done remotely. Luca recorded the drums, while the rest of us recorded everything in Sardinia. The material was then sent to Andy Mornar in London, who handled the mixing and mastering. We are extremely satisfied with the final result. We were aiming for a raw "in-your-face", violent and powerful sound, and he absolutely nailed it.
How many copies were released and which medium was used for this new edition (CD, digital, vinyl, cassette)?
So, the EP was released on tape by Unholy Domain, who pressed 100 copies, while Blood Harvest handled the CD edition with a limited run of 300 copies. With Blood Harvest we also signed a deal for our first full-length album, which is expected to be released either at the end of this year or in early 2027.
Who is the author of the lyrics and how were they created and about what do the lyrics deal with?
I compose the lyrics myself, which are entirely focused on death, decay, darkness, and are mostly set in cemetery environments, where the sun never shines and post-mortem existence takes over. I really want to stay connected to the lyrical style of the 90s bands I mentioned earlier and keep that same attitude and writing approach that defined the swedeath scene.
Who created the logo of the band, and who took care of the graphics and the website? What about you and social networks? Do you consider these things important?
The band logo was created by Blssnd, while the artwork was made by Valeria Foddanu, both very talented artists from Sardinia. I also handle the social media, and together as a band we decided on the colors and all the rest. I believe social media is very useful for promotion and helps spread the music quickly, even if we are quite old-school and prefer direct contact with fans at shows, sharing a conversation while having a good, fresh beer with our friends and/or fans.
Which label did you choose for releasing your album and why this label? Are you satisfied by how your label represents you and takés care about you?
As I was saying before, we chose Blood Harvest Records because they showed strong interest in the band from the very beginning and immediately offered us a record deal, especially for the full-length,and we have big plans for the future. They are also working with other great releases like Dishumane, who are absolutely crushing, and their level of promotion and merch quality is extremely high.
Which bands do you idolise and where do you get your inspiration?
The bands we admire the most are bands like Dismember, Entombed, Interment; we are also huge Carnage and Unleashed fans, and we like Lik too. Apart from these we follow also the Italian death metal scene a lot; I see that death metal is still alive and well. Our inspiration comes from that Swedish scene, but in reality we simply play what comes naturally from within, following our instinct rather than trying to imitate anyone.
Did you send your record to some Labels - which are the labels? How was the response?
Yes, After releasing the single, several labels reached out to us, but we ultimately decided to sign with Blood Harvest, both because of their history and because I had followed them for years and always appreciated their releases and attitude. We also had to decline other very interesting offers from labels we deeply respect.
How many gigs have you played? Which type of gigs do you prefer, whether it's (clubs or festivals) and which of your performances would you consider as the best?
The band was formed very recently, and we immediately focused on recording the EP and writing the full-length, which is practically ready. We already had a rehearsal, which went great, and we already have confirmed shows for this winter as well as for 2027. We are also working on a European tour with our management Occult Booking in order to support the full-lenght release, alongside appearances at major European festivals. We are very excited about this and can’t wait to play live. We enjoy both club shows and open-air festivals, so we hope to perform everywhere possible.
What about your plans for the future? What do you want to achieve with the band?
Our plans for the future are to record the full-length as soon as possible and release it around December or January 2027, and to play live as much as we can. We just want to play the music we love with full passion and meet death metal fanatics like us around the world. We have no limits, and we are extremely happy with how the band has started and how things are going.
How and where can your fans contact you? Can you provide some contact information?
Our fans can contact us directly through our social media, and we always reply to everyone with pleasure. They can also reach us via email at tombal.official@gmail.com, and for booking or shows, our management can be contacted at andreaoccult@gmail.com.
Thanx for the interview.
Thank you very much for the interview and for the support, it has been a real pleasure! Especially since we have followed Deadly Storm for a long time. DEATH METAL IS ALIVE.
Odložím pivo na víko od rakve a spokojeně se usmívám. Nejsem sám. Společnost mi dělají moji vlastní démoni a občas přijde na návštěvu i Satan. Scházíme se pravidelně dole v podzemí, několik pater pod povrchem, pod starým znesvěceným kostelem. Uctíváme staré pořádky, posloucháme hudbu z konce osmdesátých a počátku devadesátých let. Popíjíme pivo a pořádáme nekonečné diskuze o životě a smrti. Dnes jsem vám, moji milí ďábelští přátelé, přinesl jednu novinku. Jedná se o polské tmáře HEXENALTAR, o kapelu, která propadla peklu.
Kapela působí v podzemí od roku 2021 a má na svém kontě ještě dvě EP. Členové působili ve skupinách jako ABOMINATED, INCINERATOR. Máme tu co do činění s prašivým, surovým a temným black thrash death metalem, který vás navěky prokleje, přikove na zeď a nakonec spálí na popel. Doporučuji poslouchat hodně nahlas a nejlépe v nějaké staré studené kobce.
Jsem už starý pes, který zvedá hlavu opravdu už jenom v případech, kdy mě nějaká kapela zaujme. Když se mi jejich hudba dostane do podvědomí, pod kůži i do žil. U HEXENALTAR se mi tohle všechno stalo již při prvním poslechu. Seděli jsme uprostřed noci a kývali se spokojeně do rytmu. Řvali jsme do tmy. Věrni odkazu starých předků, stejně jako tahle smečka, která uctívá jako my kapely typu SODOM, MERCILESS, SARCÓFAGO, HELLHAMMER, APOCALYPTIC RAIDS, POWER FROM HELL, MIDNIGHT, jsme byli spokojení a nadšení. Tenhle temný rituál se opravdu povedl! Poláci jej provádějí s nadhledem, s upřímností, opravdovostí, ryzostí a naprostou autenticitou. Přidávají spoustu svých nápadů, invence, sekají ostře, útočí na přímo, trefují se do srdce i na solar plexus. Svět je při poslechu velmi temné místo k životu. Zavřeni ve svých ulitách, zahleděni sami do sebe, pochodujeme s hlavami skloněnými na smrt. Někdy je velmi příjemné roztrhnout řetězy a naplno se oddat záhrobním orgiím. Při poslechu "Descending Curse" se otvírají staré hroby a prokletí lezou z děr. Nahoře nad námi, v kostele plném lží a přetvářky, kněz opět přednáší o lásce a odpuštění. Jakmile skončí, začne znovu žít v hříchu. Nové album je pro mě velmi zdařilým výletem po časové ose zpět, do doby, kdy jsem byl mladý a sedával jsem s kamarády nekonečné hodiny u kazetového přehrávače a poslouchali jsme zásadní kapely žánru. Poláci by mezi naše oblíbence tenkrát určitě patřili a patří mezi ně i dnes, když je svět nasměřován podivným směrem sebedestrukce. Tohle album smrdí zkaženou krví a sírou! Black, thrash, death metal, který vás navěky prokleje!
Asphyx says:
I set my beer down on the coffin lid and smile contentedly. I’m not alone. My own demons keep me company, and sometimes even Satan stops by. We meet regularly down in the underground, several floors below the surface, beneath an old, desecrated church. We honor the old ways, listening to music from the late ’80s and early ’90s. We sip beer and engage in endless discussions about life and death. Today, my dear devilish friends, I’ve brought you some news. It’s about the Polish dark metal band HEXENALTAR, a band that has fallen into hell.
The band has been active in the underground since 2021 and has two EPs to their credit. The members have previously played in bands such as ABOMINATED and INCINERATOR. What we have here is filthy, raw, and dark black thrash death metal that will curse you for eternity, chain you to the wall, and ultimately burn you to ashes. I recommend listening to this at full volume, preferably in some old, cold dungeon.
I’m an old dog now, and I really only perk up when a band catches my attention when their music seeps into my subconscious, under my skin, and into my veins. With HEXENALTAR, all of that happened to me the very first time I listened to them. We sat there in the middle of the night, swaying contentedly to the beat. We roared into the darkness. True to the legacy of our ancestors just like this pack, which, like us, reveres bands such as SODOM, MERCILESS, SARCÓFAGO, HELLHAMMER, APOCALYPTIC RAIDS, POWER FROM HELL, and MIDNIGHT we were satisfied and thrilled. This dark ritual was a real success! The Poles perform it with poise, sincerity, authenticity, purity, and absolute authenticity. They add plenty of their own ideas and creativity; they strike sharply, attack head-on, and hit you right in the heart and the solar plexus. While listening, the world feels like a very dark place to live. Locked in our shells, lost in our own thoughts, we march with our heads bowed toward death. Sometimes it’s very satisfying to break free from the chains and fully surrender to otherworldly orgies. As you listen to “Descending Curse”, old graves open up and curses crawl out of the holes. High above us, in a church full of lies and hypocrisy, the priest once again preaches about love and forgiveness. As soon as he finishes, he returns to a life of sin. For me, this new album is a very successful journey back in time, to a time when I was young and would sit with my friends for endless hours by the cassette player, listening to the genre’s seminal bands. Poláci would certainly have been among our favorites back then, and they remain so today, as the world is heading in a strange direction toward self-destruction. This album reeks of rotten blood and sulfur! Black, thrash, and death metal that will curse you for eternity!
Ostré žiletky se pomalu zařezávají do masa. Kousky tkání odpadávají od kostí. Zahalen do krvavé mlhy kráčím dál. Těším se na smrt, toho utrpení bylo už moc. Jsem unavený životem. Dlouho přemýšlím nad tím, jak všechno skončím. Provaz a starý strom? Rozjetý vlak? Špinavá řeka? Pistole? Ne, dnes ještě ne, raději vyhledám ve svém přehrávači další hudbu a zapnu play. Do obličeje mě uhodí tlak, v kostech ucítím pradávné pnutí. Ano, poslouchám nové EP dánských maniaků CROWN THE BEAST.
Jedná se jenom o dvě nové skladby a jeden cover od SIX FEET UNDER, přesto jsem se k nahrávce rád a často vracel. Má v sobě totiž nakumulovanou energii, takový ten neklidný tlak a touhu ničit hudbou. Sune se kupředu jako tank, jako dobře seřízený stroj na zabíjení. Přiznávám, že jsem kapelu dosud neznal a tak jsem si poslechl celou diskografii. Doporučuji to i vám.
Pokud tedy máte rádi kapely typu TORTURE KILLER, DEBAUCHERY a již zmiňované SIX FEET UNDER, jste tu správně. Těmi se Dánové volně inspirovali, přidali své vlastní nápady a invenci a vy se můžete kývat do rytmu, trhat si vlasy z hlavy a mlátit obličejem do zdi. Novinka má v sobě sílu, opravdovost, ryzost, uvěřitelnost a je naprosto autentická. Proti zvuku, motivu na obalu, ani celkovému provedení nemám žádných námitek. Naopak, desku si opravdu užívám. Říká se, že spravedlnost je slepá. Pravdou je, že když si v dnešní době člověk pustí večerní zprávy, tak bývá mnohdy šokován, co se kolem nás děje. Jakoby se svět opravdu řítil do záhuby, tak jak to předpověděli staří vizionáři. Než se tak ale stane, budu si novinku těchto maniaků rvát pod tlakem do hlavy. Jasně, není to nic převratného, ani nic, co by otočilo kolem světové hudby, ale není to ani jenom poctivé řemeslo. Naopak, ze skladeb cítím, vnímám všemi póry svého těla, něco navíc, něco neuchopitelného, jakousi morbidní přitažlivost, která mě nutí se vracet. Zkrátka a dobře, novinka mě baví poslouchat a už teď se těším, s čím přijde tahle smečka příště. CROWN THE BEAST odvedli skvělou práci a přidali i něco navíc. Nové skladby se velmi dobře poslouchají, zmiňovaný cover je také skvěle zahraný a mě nezbývá nic jiného, než vám EP "Judgement" doporučit. Valí se kupředu jako lavina smíchaná z kamení, kostí a lidské nenávisti. Řeže se tu do živého, útočí se přímo na solar plexus. Ostré žiletky se pomalu zařezávají do masa. Kousky tkání odpadávají od kostí. Zahalen do krvavé mlhy kráčím dál. Těším se na smrt, toho utrpení bylo už moc. Jsem unavený životem. Dlouho přemýšlím nad tím, jak všechno skončím. Ne, budu bojovat dál, s hlavou vztyčenou. Valivý, melodický death metal, který vás roztrhá na kusy!
Asphyx says:
Sharp razor blades slowly cut into the flesh. Pieces of tissue fall away from the bones. Shrouded in a bloody mist, I keep walking. I look forward to death there’s been too much suffering already. I’m tired of life. I’ve been thinking for a long time about how I’ll end it all. A rope and an old tree? A runaway train? A dirty river? A gun? No, not today I’d rather find some more music on my player and hit play. A surge of pressure hits my face, and I feel an ancient tension in my bones. Yes, I’m listening to the new EP by the Danish maniacs CROWN THE BEAST.
It’s just two new tracks and one cover of SIX FEET UNDER, yet I’ve happily returned to this recording time and again. That’s because it’s packed with pent-up energy that restless pressure and the desire to destroy through music. It plows forward like a tank, like a well-oiled killing machine. I admit I hadn’t heard of the band before, so I listened to their entire discography. I recommend you do the same.
So if you like bands like TORTURE KILLER, DEBAUCHERY, and the aforementioned SIX FEET UNDER, you’ve come to the right place. The Danes drew loose inspiration from these bands, added their own ideas and creativity, and now you can headbang to the beat, rip your hair out, and slam your face against the wall. This new release has power, sincerity, purity, and credibility and it’s completely authentic. I have no complaints about the sound, the cover art, or the overall production. On the contrary, I’m really enjoying this album. They say justice is blind. The truth is that when you turn on the evening news these days, you’re often shocked by what’s happening around us. It’s as if the world were truly hurtling toward destruction, just as the ancient visionaries predicted. But before that happens, I’ll be cramming this new album by these maniacs into my head. Sure, it’s nothing groundbreaking, nor is it anything that would turn the world of music on its head, but it’s not just honest craftsmanship either. On the contrary, I feel I sense with every pore of my body something extra in these tracks, something intangible, a sort of morbid allure that compels me to keep coming back. Long story short, I’m really enjoying listening to this new release, and I’m already looking forward to what this band comes up with next. CROWN THE BEAST did a great job and even went the extra mile. The new songs are a real pleasure to listen to, the cover I mentioned is also brilliantly performed, and I have no choice but to recommend the EP “Judgement” to you. It rolls forward like an avalanche of rocks, bones, and human hatred. It cuts to the quick, striking straight at the solar plexus. Sharp razor blades slowly slice into the flesh. Pieces of tissue fall away from the bones. Shrouded in a bloody fog, I keep walking. I look forward to death there’s been too much suffering already. I’m tired of life. I’ve been thinking for a long time about how to end it all. No, I’ll keep fighting, with my head held high. Rolling, melodic death metal that will tear you to pieces!
Ave DGS! I haven’t been able to find any interviews with you in Czech anywhere. So first, I’d like to ask you to introduce the band to readers who aren’t familiar with you yet. Feel free to start from the very beginning and walk us through the entire bloody history of DGS.
Alpo: Well, to start, we are a deathgrind trio from Helsinki Finland! We are mellow guys with serious passion in playing music in its many forms. DGS was founded in 2021 from the ruins of our previous band with the idea of playing some uplifting and fun deathgrind. Quite soon the idea of playing something fun and uplifting changed into playing something melancholic, crushing and devastating. During the first couple of years we were just playing for the fun of it at the rehearsal space. But once the album started to take its form we wanted to start doing gigs and grow as a band. We started recording the album in 2024 and released the first single from it in 2025. We played our first gig after the release of the single in October 2025.
Juho: We never released any demos or anything before so our recently released debut album pretty much stands as our current histroy. After the album was mixed we were looking for potential labels and reached an agreement with Great Dane Records, so here we are.
This year you released your brand-new album, “Delusional Grasp of Sanity.” It’s dark, raw, and honest death grindcore metal. Did you approach the recording differently than in your home bands, or did you stick to tried-and-true methods?
Alpo: We approached the recording with a bit of a do-it-yourself kind of attitude. We wanted it to sound as authentic as possible. A sound engineer was used for the mixing of the album as well as the drum recordings to make it sound professional while still maintaining the raw and honest feel.
Juho: For me it was a must to have the guitars recorded with an actual amp instead of using plugins. Not that there's anything terribly wrong with plugins, but because I wanted the guitars to sound raw and have all that natural feedback happening whenever needed. Occasionally the guitars ended up feedbacking perhaps a bit too much and sometimes even whenever not needed, hahaha, but as a fan of Celtic Frost’s album Monotheist and that album’s feedback drenched sound, I’d say it ended up sounding nice and definitely raw.
Iain: In the end, everything went quite smoothly with the recording of the album, as we were able to use the skills, knowledge, and experience gained from playing in other bands to really focus on the kind of vision that we had for the album. This also allowed us to work more freely without outside distractions and opinions, as we knew what we wanted to achieve, and how to get there.
Juho: Yeah, but to be precise even we didn’t have everything completely planned out in advance. At one point after the instruments and the vocals were recorded Alpo suggested that a friend of his, Hannes Kaukoranta could play the french horn on the album. I figured that if the french horn worked for Celtic Frost, it would work for us too. So we went to the rehearsal space to record the horn sections without having even a single note composed beforehand. So we started experimenting and a few hours later we headed out for a few beers feeling very satisfied about how the horn parts ended up sounding.
At first, the new album strikes me as perhaps less accessible, rawer, yet at the same time incredibly dark and evil. Was that intentional? How did the album actually come together, and how did you compose the music?
Alpo: I think the dark and evil sound of it started to take its place the more we played together. All of us participate in composing the music. Most songs are (almost) fully composed by one member at home, while some songs get their first notes composed at the practice place. All songs are finalized together to make them sound like they fit our musical style.
Iain: It all came together instinctively , and the direction sort just kind of evolved to what it is now in a very natural way. We never really tried to pigeonhole ourselves into any one style of music, nor did we try to limit ourselves with the kinds of elements that should be included.
Juho: As Alpo said, we compose songs separately but the final arrangements are quite often polished and finalized together and everyone adds his personal touch playing his own instrument slightly different than originally written. Some songs came out pretty much the way as initially intended, but some songs went through a whole lot of re-arranging.
And talking about songwriting, I usually write stuff all the time: while on the bus or train, while driving the car, while I'm at work and so on. I have riffs going on inside my head, I think about how the drums should be played, maybe how vocal lines could go and then I try to memorize it until I get to sit down with my guitar and figure out if I imagined the riffs correctly. Sometimes I tend to forget stuff, which really sucks and pisses me off, so I also try to write some ideas on paper or on my phone if I don't have my guitar at hand.
Occasionally I come up with songs while playing the guitar too like the case was with ‘Obliterate’. I was just playing random stuff at rehearsals and Alpo asked “what was that?” and I said I just started jamming some notes by myself. He then suggested we should make it into a song. Then we added blastbeats and Iain's rumbling bass guitar on top of it. So we had the intro/verse riff ready and jammed through the beginning of the song. Then when we were approaching the point when the chorus riff would logically start, I came up with the chorus riff without thinking about it. So it took maybe 5 or 10 minutes to write the whole song starting from scratch, haha. We didn't want to prolong the song too much so the structure was kept very simple to have maximum effect.
Usually I bring my own riffs, ideas or complete songs to rehearsals and show them to the guys and then we collectively work on the arrangements. For some songs I prefer doing MIDI drums at home and recording demos, but usually I use this method for songs that have more details and are more difficult or feel like too time consuming to explain.
As musicians, you’ve played in bands like GOD DISEASE, NEUROSURGERY, PUTRID DEFECATION, ELEGEION, FRAGILE HOLLOW, DIABLERIE, RAPTURE, and STRANGLE CHAIN. Each of you is experienced and has your own style. The advantage is probably that you know what and how you want to play. But don’t you have trouble agreeing on things? You know, egos and such. By the way, how do you manage to keep up with concerts, for example?
Alpo: Haha, we don’t have very large egos, so it hasn’t been an issue to agree on things at all. All of us are experienced musicians and quite busy with our other bands, so scheduling is sometimes a bit difficult. However, DGS is still quite a new band with little experience in gigging, so scheduling hasn’t been a huge issue yet.
Iain: We also are in the fortunate position in that we all work very well together. I don’t believe that we’ve ever had any disagreements about the direction of the music (although Alpo and Juho may disagree). We went with the attitude that everyone brings something to the table, and that we can try any and all ideas that may be presented. As for concerts, as Alpo previously mentioned it hasn’t really been a problem yet. Let’s see what the future brings, but as long as we are all well organised, then I feel that there shouldn't be any major scheduling issues for shows.
Juho: Trouble with agreeing? Well just as Iain hinted, I just hate it when I have an awesome idea regarding some song's arrangement and Alpo disapproves of it and has another idea. Iain has suggestions too but he is generally more laid back and adaptive and usually doesn't try to start questionizing stuff I write, hahaha. But then if Alpo and I can't decide which way to go, we decide it by voting. And yeah, I think I should mention that Alpo is usually right but I only realise it afterwards, haha. But of course for us having three dudes discussing structures and arrangements will have a better outcome than someone of us just figuring out stuff on his own. I think that's what being in a band is all about: expressing yourself and your creative side and having a good time with your friends to make the best of it. And of course having more ideas to choose from might lead you to doing something you would never have thought about otherwise. But no, there's no ego bullshit going on and in my opinion occasionally disagreeing about something only shows that we have passion for what we are doing.
I have “Delusional Grasp of Sanity” on my MP3 player, and I have to say I’m literally absorbed by it. It’s not just great ideas, but also the sound, which is, in a word, devastating. I’ll be sitting on the tram, for example, and suddenly catch myself tapping my foot. I’m dying to start dancing. If I weren’t already a bit older, I probably would have. Where did you record the album, and who handled the mastering?
Alpo: Thank you for the kind words! Everything was recorded at our practice place. Atte Karm (from Fearmonger) took care of recording the drums and mixing while all the other instruments and vocals were recorded by ourselves. And I have to say, Atte did a fantastic job with the mixing! Mastering was done by our guitarist Juho.
Iain: Thank you so very much for the awesome feedback! We were discussing not so long ago that the response has been surprising and very humbling, as DGS started just by wanting to hang out and play together without any thoughts on where we wanted to take it. We are very pleased with the end result, and Atte and Juho did a fantastic job with mixing and mastering the album respectively.
Juho: I also want to highlight the mix Atte did. Anyways, after Atte had finished mixing the album, we were talking about the mastering and were supposed to have it done by a professional even though I had done some experimenting and was trying to learn more about mastering. Suddenly we were in a bit of a rush since we had our first gig coming up and needed at least one song published online. So we ended up using my mastering for it. Iain and Alpo liked the master so we decided to have the album released that way with slight adjustments. Then when we had handed out the master to our label Great Dane Records for the album to be pressed, I was on a vacation in London and the label was asking for the master in a fancy industry standard format which I hadn't unfortunately checked in advance. Luckily we got Peter from Putrid Defecation to help us out with that so thank you very much Peter!
Who wrote the lyrics for *Delusional Grasp of Sanity*? And what are they about? Where do you get your inspiration for the themes?
Alpo: All of us take part in writing the lyrics. The lyrics revolve around themes including alcoholism, depression, existentialism, society. The lyrics are often dark and gloomy, but so is our music! The inspiration for the lyrics come from our real life experiences and how we view the world around us.
Iain: As I said previously, we all work very well together, and so coming up with lyrical ideas happened quite easily and naturally. I guess that it’s quite fortunate that we feel the same way about people, society, and the world as a whole.
Who designed the cover art for *Delusional Grasp of Sanity*? I really like their work. How did you go about choosing the cover art in the first place?
Alpo: The cover art was designed by Niilas Nissilä (from Sepulchral Curse)! A talented artist and a friend of ours. Looking at his previous work we knew he would do a great job for our cover art!
Juho: Niilas first made a sketch according to how he felt the album sounded. Then we threw in a few additional ideas and he worked on them but eventually the cover art started taking a slightly different direction and I really love how it turned out. It pretty much looks as dark, desperate and grimy as the album sounds like. Really beautiful.
If we go back to the beginning… What was actually the initial impulse that led you to form the band? And why death/grindcore metal specifically? I’d guess some good pub, one thing leading to another… or am I wrong?
Alpo: I think the initial impulse was that we were practicing with our previous band, but only the three of us showed up at the practice place week after week. We decided to start making our own music just the three of us instead of continuing with the other band. The initial idea was to play uplifting grindcore, but it quite quickly evolved to something darker and gloomier. We are all fans of fast and heavy music, so having lots of blast beats was non-negotiable! A lot of ideas for the band and its musical style came up at a good pub, though.
Iain: On a personal level I really enjoyed playing with and hanging out with Alpo and Juho, and we were all quite frustrated with what in our previous band. I suggested to them that we just get together to hang out and play some grind, as grind is always fun to play and DGS just kind of started to evolve from there.
Juho: In the beginning after playing for some while as a three-piece we were thinking of getting a vocalist and had one rehearsal with a friend of Alpo’s auditioning for vocals. He eventually declined joining because he felt he was after all too busy at the moment. For me it felt like a total bummer because I really liked his vocals. After that Alpo suggested that he himself could try doing vocals and playing the drums simultaneously because he had been doing backing vocals in other bands. My jaw then pretty much dropped to the floor upon hearing him playing and singing at the same time without even having any lyrics at the moment, you know: just improvising with vocal patterns and singing random words. Iain then started doing backing vocals so the final touches of our sound started taking its shape.
Iain: We’ve never limited ourselves to what should be in our music. If there was something that we liked then we used it. It’s been a really refreshing process, as we don’t really write to a formula. We just play what we enjoy, and if other people like it, then that’s a bonus. However, as Alpo has already said: blast beats are mandatory!
You’re from Helsinki, Finland, and you play extreme death grindcore metal. Our readers would definitely be interested in how the death grind metal scene works in Finland. To tell you the truth, lately I’ve been hearing nothing but great bands from you guys (CONCRETE ICON are excellent!, INFERIA (I still love this band!)). Does that mean the scene is really strong over there right now? What about shows, how many people show up?
Alpo: The death metal scene in Helsinki (and generally in Finland) is alive and well! A good example of this is the great Helsinki Death Fest! There are also new death metal bands popping up in Finland frequently. The amount of people showing up to death metal shows varies a lot by the band, though.
Juho: I think the scene is currently vibrant but not only just death metal but also on a wider scale with bands from different kinds of underground subgenres playing in the same events and so on. And I like it that way because listening to different kinds of bands at the same event has a bit more to offer for everyone in the audience and also for those who are on stage. Like playing this year at the same venue with three bands, a doom metal band, a sludge band and a hardcore punk band. I think it was fun because we ourselves have at least some elements from each genre.
Your music clearly shows that you’re influenced by both the Finnish death/grindcore metal scene and older European bands. What about you as fans? Do you prefer the original death metal of the ’90s, or do you also draw inspiration from newer albums? If so, I’d be curious to know which bands have had the biggest influence on DGS.
Alpo: To me personally, the biggest influences to DGS music are Rotten Sound and Ulcerate. Rotten Sound due to the sheer brutality and the exceptionally good drumwork in the early albums, and Ulcerate due to the chaotic and gloomy atmosphere. I personally listen to anything that sounds good and am not that much limited to certain genres.
Iain: On a personal level I can say Napalm Death, Nasum, and Teethgrinder would be my biggest influences from the world of grindcore, but it was Portuguese grindcore band called Axia that really showed me that there’s no limit to the kinds of influences that can be used in this style of music. I highly recommend that you check them out! But generally speaking I tend to pick up musical ideas from all over the place, regardless of genre, and have been listening to a lot of dark industrial music lately for some reason.
Juho: Talking about death metal, I pretty much grew up with the 90's death metal stuff but I like newer stuff too and the same goes with grindcore. I’ve got many influences but instead of carbon-copying them it’s usually like some single riff might remind me of some band. For example: “this riff sounds like Rotten Sound or Nasum and the next one sounds like Anti Cimex”. Then I might be using a riff that reminds me of Bolt Thrower, Autopsy or whatever. Still I wouldn't say there's a single biggest influence for DGS because we get inspired by many bands and genres.
What about you and concerts in general? Are you a band that plays as many shows as possible, or are you pretty selective? Do you have any dreams, like a band you’d like to tour or play a festival with, or a city where you’d like to perform? The Obscene Extreme festival is a must for you!
Iain: I can’t speak on behalf of Alpo and Juho of course, but personally I absolutely love to play live, and will happily play anywhere anytime with anyone.
Alpo: We are quite a new band and haven’t had many shows yet, but we would like to do as many shows as possible. It would be amazing to tour or play festivals with bands like Rotten Sound. Any good metal festival would be a dream come true for us, though. In Czechia we would like to play for example in Obscene Extreme, Brutal Assault and Nice to Eat You deathfest!
Juho: The lineup of Obscene Extreme looks very enticing so I'd definitely be thrilled to play there. And what comes to bands, playing with bands like Napalm Death and Rotten Sound would be very awesome.
What does music mean to you? I’ve been listening to extreme metal since the ’90s, and I can’t imagine a day without playing something new or even something old. I love going to concerts, I enjoy the atmosphere, I like the people hanging around actually, you could say it’s my lifestyle, hobby, and addiction all at once. How about you? Feel free to get philosophical.
Alpo: Music is the air we breathe. Playing music, listening to music and going to concerts of various musical styles is a great passion for us. The atmosphere in metal concerts and festivals is amazing, and one of the best parts of it is hanging around with people who enjoy the same music and atmosphere. One of my favourite parts of gigging and touring in general is meeting the people who play in the other bands with us and to have a beer with them. It is a lifestyle generated by the love of music but also by the love of playing the instruments.
Iain: To me music is like the blood in my veins, in that I can’t live without it. Words cannot explain the joy that music gives to me, and I feel very fortunate in that I’ve found two very like-minded people to play with like Alpo and Juho.
What does DGS have planned for the near future? How about a tour for the new album? If you have a message for fans, labels, or promoters, this is the place…
Alpo: Our plans for the near future is to do gigs and work on our second album. We would love to tour with the debut album, but I think we still need to grow our fanbase to get more people coming up to our shows. The message we have to our fans is: thank you for listening to our album! Tell a friend and come to our shows! For promoters: if you are interested in booking DGS for an event, contact us via our email dgs.grind.official@gmail.com, instagram (dgsgrind) or facebook (DGSgrind)!
Juho: Currently we have a few shows coming up in Finland and possibly a few shows abroad. And we have some new songs already written and quite a lot of sketches to work on, so as soon as we get them finished, we’ll be heading to the studio to record our second album.
I’m going to listen to your new album, “Delusional Grasp of Sanity,” again. I have to say that, for me personally, it’s essentially a perfect death grind metal masterpiece. A total inferno. I hope the album does well and reaches as many fans as possible. It deserves it. I wish you all the best in your personal lives as well. Good luck, cheers!
Alpo: Thank you very much for the kind words! We really appreciate it!
Iain: Thank you for the interview! It was a pleasure to do!
Juho: Thank you very much and hopefully we’ll get to play in Czechia some time soon!
Recenze/review - DGS - Delusional Grasp of Sanity (2026):
