During the night of April 26th in 1986, a world-changing accident occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Inspired by this catastrophe and its consequences, a highly radiated German band called CYTOTOXIN pulverized the death metal world in 2010. In 2011, the band released their self produced full-length album PLUTONIUM HEAVEN. Only one year later they entered KOHLEKELLER STUDIOS (Aborted, Benighted) to forge their highly appreciated second record. Since the release of RADIOPHOBIA via UNIQUE LEADER RECORDS in 2012, CYTOTOXIN played Europe-wide club and festival shows. In January 2017, the band recorded their extremely anticipated third album GAMMAGEDDON. After several European tours, the nuclear quintet strikes back with their most versatile yet straight and brutal fourth album NUKLEARTH. Better keep your gasmask at hand as the radiation finds its way over planet earth.

Technical death metal troupe Cognitive are back with Abhorrence, their fifth full length album and a tremendously worthy successor to 2021’s Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened Extinction. This is the New Jersey powerhouse quintet at its brutal best – unrelenting riffs leave the listener stunned, while a wave of thoughtful, devastating lyrics washes over. The album is a turbulent, draining but ultimately fulfilling experience. Cognitive started work on Abhorrence while touring Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened Extinction, sending tracks back and forth to each other while trekking from one intense gig to another. 2024 promises to be a big year for Cognitive, as they take Abhorrence on the road and bring more people into their vile new world. 13 years after the release of their debut EP, the band’s fifth full-lengther sees them continue to make giant strides forward while retaining the elements of their past efforts that got them this far. Abhorrence may provide therapeutic commentary about how messed up the world currently is, but also, ironically, provides a breath of fresh air. We’re all in this together, so catch Cognitive on the road this year.

Alien Caveman Shit

NecroticGoreBeast’s self titled debut album erupted from the cankerous crust of the brutal death metal scene in 2019 and immediately established the band as one of the very heaviest around. Combining fearsome technical ability with intimidating brute force they pushed the limits further with second album, Human Deviance Galore and now they have bulldozed through the boundaries of sonic extremity once again. Repugnant is a relentless attack of world shattering violence, its bludgeoning blows entwined in cruel complexity and warped imagination. Each strike is deadly, from the panic inducing opening of the title track to the final, fatal blow of ‘Frozen Feces Evisceration’. Along the corpse strewn way you’ll find throat shredding guest vocal appearances from Cryptopsy’s Matt McGachy and Bludgeoned’s Jonathan Huber and some of the most incredible brutal death metal you will ever hear. NecroticGoreBeast have the strength to take on anyone in their field and leave them bleeding. In the badlands of brutality there is no match for the ‘GoreBeast. On November 3rd the number one label for the most savage and unforgiving death metal, Comatose Music, will unleash Repugnant upon an unsuspecting world.

The tech death band Wounds is an amalgamation of influences coming together to form a bone crushing and intricate sound. Wounds originally formed as “Wounds of Ruin’ on the outskirts of Chicago in 2006 when friends Rick Mora and Nate Burgard started writing material that would eventually evolve into the iteration of what Wounds is today. Full length coming out early 2024 on Everlasting Spew Rec