Suffocation is an American death metal band formed in 1988 in Centereach, New York, currently consisting of lead guitarist Terrance Hobbs, bassist Derek Boyer, rhythm guitarist Charlie Errigo, drummer Eric Morotti, and vocalist Ricky Myers. The band rose to prominence with the 1991 debut album Effigy of the Forgotten, which became a blueprint for death metal in the 1990s. Since then, Suffocation has recorded a further seven albums. These feature growled vocals with downtuned guitars, fast and complex guitar riffs and drumming, open chord notes and occasional breakdowns.
Dying Fetus is an American death metal band originally from Greater Upper Marlboro, Maryland, which formed in 1991. Various line-up changes throughout the years have left John Gallagher as the sole remaining original member, as well as the band's driving force. According to Gallagher, the band name was chosen while the members were young and was intended to be offensive. To date, Dying Fetus has released eight studio albums.
Relapse Records is an American independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990. The label features many grindcore, death metal, metalcore and sludge metal artists.
Incantation is an American death metal band that was formed by John McEntee and Paul Ledney in 1989. They are one of the leaders in the New York City death-metal scene along with fellow bands Suffocation, Mortician and Immolation, even though the band is currently located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. To date, the band has released ten full-length records, two live records, four EPs, two singles, three splits, one DVD, and three demos. Their most recent album, Sect of Vile Divinities, was released through Relapse Records in August 2020. The band have maintained a significant cult following and underground popularity since the '90s, and are considered to be highly influential on a range of later death metal bands including Dead Congregation, Grave Miasma, and Portal, who are often described as "cavernous death metal". Incantation's music frequently draws on anti-Christian, Satanic, and occult themes, and the band is notable for mixing widely varied tempos into their music, often playing slow, down-tuned passages similar to those performed by death-doom bands like Autopsy.
Scream Bloody Gore is the debut studio album by American death metal band Death, released on May 25, 1987, by Combat Records. It is considered by many to be "the first true death metal record". Chuck Schuldiner, the band’s founder and leader, performed guitar, bass and vocals, and composed all tracks on the album.
Eliran Kantor is a Berlin-based award-winning artist and illustrator known mostly for creating album covers for metal bands such as Testament, Soulfly, Helloween and My Dying Bride. He created the artwork used on various releases issued via the likes of Universal Music, Nuclear Blast, Metal Blade Records, Relapse Records and Century Media Records among others.
Option Paralysis is the fourth studio album by American mathcore band The Dillinger Escape Plan, released on March 23, 2010. After having fulfilled their contract with Relapse Records, the band released the album through Party Smasher Inc., their own new imprint in collaboration with French record label Season of Mist. It marks The Dillinger Escape Plan's first release to feature Billy Rymer on drums, since Gil Sharone left the band in September 2008 due to the frequent touring schedule and to focus on his brother's band Stolen Babies.
Revocation is an American technical death metal band from Boston, Massachusetts, consisting of guitarist and vocalist Dave Davidson, bassist Brett Bamberger and drummer Ash Pearson. The band has released eight studio albums, two EPs, and ten music videos since their formation.
Dark Roots of Earth is the eleventh studio album by American thrash metal band Testament. It was released on July 27, 2012, in Europe, and four days later in North America by independent German record label Nuclear Blast Records. The album is available in three configurations, CD, CD/DVD and vinyl, with the latter two versions including four bonus tracks. The album was produced by Andy Sneap, who mixed and engineered the band's previous three studio releases, The Gathering (1999), First Strike Still Deadly (2001), and The Formation of Damnation (2008). The album artwork was created by Eliran Kantor. A music video was made for the track "Native Blood". Dark Roots of Earth entered the Billboard 200 at number 12, Testament's highest position ever.
Vanquish in Vengeance is the eighth studio album by the American death metal band Incantation. The album was released on November 27, 2012.
Dirges of Elysium is the ninth studio album by the American death metal band Incantation. It was released in the EU on June 10, 2014, and in the US on June 24.
The Anthropocene Extinction is the sixth studio album by American death metal band Cattle Decapitation. It was released on August 7, 2015, on Metal Blade Records. It became Cattle Decapitation's first album to chart on the Billboard 200, debuting at No. 100.
Slow Forever is the fourth studio album by American black metal duo Cobalt, released by Profound Lore Records in 2016. It is a double album and the band's first with vocalist Charlie Fell, who replaced founding member Phil McSorley. The album leans more heavily into blackened sludge metal, similar to acts like Anciients and Tombs.
Dear Desolation is the fourth studio album by Australian deathcore band Thy Art Is Murder. The album was released on 18 August 2017 by Nuclear Blast. The record is the band's last album with founding drummer Lee Stanton, as well as the first to feature Kevin Butler on bass.
Mareridt is the second studio album by Myrkur, the black metal project of Danish musician and singer-songwriter Amalie Bruun. The album was released on 15 September 2017 through Relapse Records. Mareridt was recorded between Seattle, United States and Copenhagen, Denmark, and was produced by Randall Dunn. The album's title is Danish for 'nightmare', in reference to the frequent occurrences of sleep paralysis and nightmares which provided the inspiration for much of the album. The album's release was promoted with the release of three singles: "Måneblôt", "Ulvinde", and "De tre piker". The album received widespread acclaim from music critics upon its release.
Our Raw Heart is the eighth studio album by American doom metal band YOB. It was released June 8, 2018, by Relapse Records.
Hidden History of the Human Race is the second studio album of Denver-based death metal group Blood Incantation, consisting of vocalist and guitarist Paul Riedl, guitarist Morris Kolontyrsky, drummer Isaac Faulk and bassist Jeff Barrett.
Titans of Creation is the thirteenth studio album by American thrash metal band Testament, released on April 3, 2020. This album marked the first time since The Ritual (1992) that the band had recorded more than one album with the same lineup, though it would turn out to be their last to feature drummer Gene Hoglan, who left Testament for the second time in January 2022. Titans of Creation is also the band's first album to be co-produced by Juan Urteaga, who previously worked with Testament's two studio albums Dark Roots of Earth (2012) and Brotherhood of the Snake (2016).
Sect of Vile Divinities is the eleventh full-length studio album by the American death metal band Incantation. The album was released on August 21, 2020, through Relapse Records.
Celestial Blues is the second studio album by Kristina Esfandiari-fronted American doom metal band King Woman, released on July 30, 2021 through Relapse Records. It follows King Woman's debut album, 2017's Created in the Image of Suffering. The album was produced by Jack Shirley in December 2019 at The Atomic Garden in Oakland, California. Like Created in the Image of Suffering, Celestial Blues is thematically-inspired by Esfandiari's childhood with her charismatic Christian parents.
