Castrator – Coronation of the Grotesque (2025) – Review

Castrator - Coronation of the Grotesque - Album Cover

Castrator. The Death Metal band that didn’t quite make it onto our roster back in 2022 with their dime-a-dozen Extreme Metal regurgitation, Defiled in Oblivion. ‘Lost in the boonies, way too far into the mainstream, not much to see here..’, the old geezers at the review desk screamed. And for cause. In the run-up to this here review, the RMR crew listened to their debut record all over again. Old opinions duly confirmed.

Bears the question: Will their newest concoction, Coronation of the Grotesque, move past the sophomore slump AND excel in extended abject brutality? Down-in-the-pit … [...] Click to raid more!

Ba’al – The Fine Line Between Heaven and Here (2025) – Review

Ba'al - The Fine Line between Heaven and Here - Album Cover

Ba’al‘s 2024 EP Soft Eyes already left quite an impression on the RMR crew here. Melancholy-ridden, harsh Post Black and Black Metal riding down our earphones like there’s no tomorrow. This wild and pretty unusual concoction rocked rapidly to the top of the list of our frugal offering of last year’s shorties and EPs.1 And this came with a promise of more to come soon.

So, sure enough, here they are with a new rough-hewn and doom-laden piece unwieldily called The Fine Line Between Heaven and Here. This is yet another band unconcerned with precise genres. And … [...] Click to raid more!

Lord Belial – Unholy Trinity (2025) – Review

Lord Belial - Unholy Trinity - Album Cover

The fiery pit has opened yet again. And by the sheer force of the album cover, you probably already guessed where this is heading. ‘Xactly! Deep down into the rotten flesh of Black Metal Central, brought to you by remnants of the original Black Metal crew of times long gone.

Lord Belial are a finicky band. Emerging in Sweden in the Unholy Year of the Dark Lord 1992, they had an on-and-off relationship with their fanbase. A career haunted by issues and hiatus after hiatus that nonetheless allowed them to produce some 10 full-length records. Rapture, their last confirmed … [...] Click to raid more!

Ghörnt – Bluetgraf (2025) – Review

Ghörnt - Bluetgraf - Album Cover

Weren’t we forgetting something? Ah, yes. The RMR crew navigated a lot in the prog / doom / NWoBHM1 sphere lately, filled with genres reaching us in many shades and nuances. But somehow, 2024’s dark streak full of excellent Extreme Metal appeared to be gone and lost for good.

That’s a pity in a year that already seems worse than the last one. It is thus good that another grimy Black Metal act just found our review pipe. Because – you know – it can always get worse. Murphy’s law on full display.


Ghörnt2 take no prisoners. Bluetgraf[...] Click to raid more!