Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Originally released in 1982 via Earache Records (who're also handling this long overdue reissue), The Ultimate Incantation marked the debut full-length from Polish death metal pioneers Vader. Originally recorded at Sunlight Studio in Stockholm, Sweden with Thomas Skogsberg, both the band and label were ultimately unhappy with the final mixes due to their admitted lack of studio equipment, especially the studio's in-house electronic drumkit which simply could not handle the barrage of blastbeats, leading them to relocate and re-record the album in its entirety at London's Rhythm Studios with producer Paul Johnson. Whilst commended upon release for the band's technical proficiency that helped guide the extreme metal movement, some critics found the desired raw recording quality as too abrasive to truly enjoy, but those critiques have become somewhat redundant over the decades with any extreme metal act worthy of the term and the scene as a whole prioritising raw intensity over studio gloss.

Review: Just in time for the spooky season, the wonderful Numero has put together another of their famously good compilations. This one, Haunted Presence (which comes on lovely 'ghost power' silver vinyl) is packed with Halloween treats from across the label's vast span. It takes in ghoulish garage rock like Slim Martin's 'Haunted After Midnight', skeleton-rattling soul like Bambi Fodera's 'The Moon Turned To Blood' and some proto-metal mutations like Medusa's 'Unknown Fear' as well as haunting 60s rock like Angela Alexander & JD. Saddler's 'Don't Make Me Kill You' across 20 tracks that will enliven any seasonal get-together.

Review: The follow up to Newcastle metal icons' stellar debut, Welcome To Hell, is often regarded as one of the quintessential extreme metal contributions, even to this day. Venom would meticulously craft their sophomore effort, with vocalist/bassist Conrad Lent working overtime to mix the tracks, utilising his engineering experience in an attempt to keep costs low while also maintaining full creative control. The end result was Black Metal, a ferocious onslaught of unprecedented technicality, satanic imagery and malevolent atmosphere. It's no small secret that the project is all but directly linked, cited and blamed for the resulting Norwegian black metal genre that would slowly take decrepit shape in the late eighties before plaguing the nineties with as many controversial news articles as it did seminal albums. Even the infamous artwork has become synonymous with the genre as an entity, while the hyper-aggressive, unsettling form of speed-thrash the tracks exude, still stands tall and bold as the intrinsic signifier of the metal scene as a whole, on a deathmarch into uncharted, undiscovered realms of extremity in 1982. Four decades on, this anniversary edition serves as credence to the birth of all modern forms of extreme metal.

Review: Originally released in 1986 during their formative Noise Records era, Rrroooaaarrr would serve as the sophomore follow up to Canadian progressive metal legends Voivod's debut album War & Pain, whilst offering the first true glimpses into the more spacy cosmic compositional approach that would ultimately become their new sonic bedrock. While perhaps not at the level of prog wonder that has elevated 1987's Killing Technology to a much-adored fan favourite, the material on their second effort works as almost a bridge between their speed-thrash origins and the more fully realised vision their later material would harbour. While flashy and intricate, this early work is a testament to how formidable of a straight up thrash metal beast the band originally were before they would opt to distance themselves from their burgeoning peers in Metallica or Megadeth; marking the true beginning of their journey into the great unknown (also referred to as "space-prog").

Review: Canadian sci-fi-tinged prog metal auteurs Voivod originally unveiled The End Of Dormancy EP in 2020, with this "ocean blue" reissue from Brutal Panda sprinkling extra aesthetic weight to the title-track's nautical tale of a mysterious entity leagues beneath the sea. Originally a cut from 2018's critically acclaimed The Wake, this EP version offers a unique "Metal Section" take, almost a full minute longer with added trumpets, saxophone and trombones, whilst the B-side features a live rendition of the epic piece as well as the iconic opening track from the band's seminal 1989 prog-thrash masterpiece Nothingface - 'The Unknown Knows', both performed at the Live Montreal Jazz Fest 2019.

Review: Originally released in 2015, Inmazes marked the debut full-length from Danish progressive metal outfit VOLA. Taking sonic influence from the Djent scene pioneered by Meshuggah and further popularised by acts such as Periphery, yet eschewing much of the metalcore aspects prevalent within the subgenre, the material draws as much from Scandinavian prog metal acts such as Opeth and Katatonia, only fitted with seven string guitar low-end grooves and chunky riffage, making for a curious combination of progressive artistry and Djentcore heft, all unified under the saccharine, almost shoegaze lilt of primary songwriter Asger Mygind's understated vocal delivery. While the band would stray further into melodic, synth-laden prog soundscapes on 2018's sophomore follow up Applause Of A Distant Crowd, this debut where is they let their Djent flag fly as high as the influences worn on their sleeves.