SMALL MERCIES

THE NEW BLOOD

Haunt

LUMINOUS EYES

SHADOW KINGDOM

A painfully short teaser of 70s proto-metal murk and groove with plenty of punchy NWOBHM gallop from Beastmaker mainman Trevor Church. A sterling preview that will leave any selfrespecting Time Lord eagerly awaiting more. [8]

LIAM YATES

Sartegos/Balmog

SPLIT

CAVERNA ABISMAL

A glowing advertisement for Spain’s black metal scene, both Sartegos and Balmog dealing in skewed, abyssal extremity that hails the limitless dark. Balmog’s aptly named Venomous edges this seveninch nightmare by being marginally more terrifying. [7]

DOM LAWSON

Vhorthax

NETHER DARKNESS

IRON BONEHEAD

Spearheaded by one member of Sickrites, these Russian misfits’ debut EP is black metal played by death metal guys (or is it vice versa?), where ritualistic vibes dissonance and foul riffing prevail over tight musicianship and potent melodies. [7]

OLIVIER BADIN