December is the best time to browse through the October Filter flotsam, as they’re now heavily discounted like Valentine’s Day candy in August. They’re probably still fresh though. Maybe.
Testament
Testament – Para Bellum Review
“The greats of the original American thrash scene have fallen on hard times of late. Metallica dropped a predictably disappointing platter that critics still hailed as genius, Megadeth is Megadeth, Anthrax is MIA, and Slayer is in assisted living. These days, it seems like only Overkill still stands strong and defiant, defending the old guard. But let us not forget about Testament.” New and olde Testaments.
Electrocutioner – Harbinger Review
“Two years ago, I grabbed Electrocutioner’s False Idols solely because their one-pager told me not to. And I enjoyed every minute of its straightforward approach to old-school thrash. Even scoring it higher than one would ever dare for something that’s been done countless times over. But there was just something about its riff-machine qualities that hooked me so deeply. Fast forward, and I’ve got my grubby sausage fingers on their sophomore outing, Harbinger. And, once again, you’ll find no gimmicks here. Just beer-swilling thrash in the realm of Slayer, Testament, and Whiplash.” Strong Island strong.
Firstborne – Lucky Review
“Comprised of ex-Lamb of God drummer Chris Adler, Girish and The Chronicles singer Girish Pradhan, and guitar journeyman Myrone, Firstborne’s sophomore album, Lucky, is the product of decades’ worth of collective experience and professional toil. They have the know-how. They have the chops. They have an awful name. But do they have the songs?” Family troubles.
Stuck in the Filter: April 2025’s Angry Misses
The April Filters are now fully de-scuzzified. You can approach and examine the scuzz flotsam.
Byzantine – Harbingers Review
“Defiantly resilient and deeply underappreciated, West Virginia’s Byzantine bring oodles of class and credibility to the often-maligned groove metal game. Their brand of accessible, slick modern metal has seen the Byz lads cultivate a consistently solid career, kicking twenty twenty-plus years ago. Enduring line-up shuffles, break-ups, record label shenanigans, and health concerns, it’s remarkable the 2025 version of Byzantine remains alive and well. Harbingers signals the fourth Byzantine LP since their second coming over a decade back, seventh overall, and first full-length offering since 2017’s solid The Cicada Tree release.” Ornamental progumentus.
Hirax – Faster than Death Review
“When Hirax’s newest record dropped, I thought, ‘These guys are still around?’ That’s not me being a dick. They haven’t released a new album since 2014. I suppose that’s on par with the band considering they’ve been on and off since 1984—this year’s Faster than Death only being their sixth full-length release. With vocalist Katon W. de Pena being the only remaining original member of the band, it appears that once a record is complete, that lineup leaves, and the wait begins for a new one to pen another release.” Kult acts, speed, and death.
Hazzerd – The 3rd Dimension Review
“Then, 2020 arrived with Covid and Hazzerd’s sophomore release, Delirium. It’s not a bad record, but as the band continues to flex their songwriting and technical skills, Delirium was too much of everything. Be it the fifty-minute runtime, the exaggerated drum fills, or the focus on solo placement instead of song structure, it lacked direction. What it did reveal was these boys can shred, and their desire to create interesting leads and harmonizing guitar work can work with the proper structure. Four years later, The 3rd Dimension sets out to prove the band can pull it off.” Viceroys of Hazzerd.
Black Sites – The Promised Land? Review
“Though not a household name, Mark Sugar and his projects Trials and Black Sites hold a special seat at casa AMG and Dolph alike—underground gems that would not have had the same presence without the right ears and voice. Over the past seven years, Black Sites has been the main vehicle for Sugar’s vision, an amalgamation of loved sounds that maintains a niche curb appeal despite its familiar face. Whether by the maligned chug of 90s groove thrash, the 80s snap of stadium torchers, or the melodic wail of distant radio memory that you can’t quite place, Black Sites has successively reinvigorated well-traveled musical routes.” Sugar and spice and everything metal.
Mother of All – Global Parasitic Leviathan Review
“Have you ever wondered what modern melodic death metal might sound like if these up-and-coming bands would take a moment to find a sound that isn’t pure pastiche? Now, I know that might seem critical—and it is. But with so many bands out there that are variations on At the Gates, In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, and whatever other big name you can think of, pure worship of these bands, who wield extended discographies and active tour schedules, just isn’t enough. That kind of retread with a tinge of mix-up can be good, of course. Just look at our latest rodeö for the proudly olde-reaching Veriteras. So do we need a Global Parasitic Leviathan to save us?” I Dismember Momma.
