Misery - Revel In Blasphemy

Not the first time Misery have featured on this site, with the original pressing of their debut 'A Necessary Evil' being one of my favourite rarities in my collection. This is the bands 2nd album 'Revel in Blasphemy', featuring another dose of abrasive death metal which gets the fists clenching and the neck snapping. Original pressing on Warhead Records, one to track down for the death metal heads. One weird quirk this album has, after the final track ends, the album plays through backwards for its entirety. INVERTED ALBUM ATTACK!

Mysto Dysto - The Rules Have Been Disturbed / No AIDS in Hell

Another fine re-issue from the wonderful people at Dark Symphonies, this time from dutch speed/thrash crew Mysto Dysto (the band that went on to become Mandator). This compiles the bands only album 'The Rules Have Been Disturbed' and their later demo 'No Aids In Hell'. Truly great stuff here; music which captured the fire which burned in the 80s - a time when ears were free of all the clutter of 2017 and their purity shines through.

Magnus - Alcoholic Suicide

The fourth album from Polish death/thrash crew Magnus here, following 2 years after their magnum opus 'I Was Watching My Death'. This album didn't match the quality that came before, disappointing many (myself included) - but as is the way with a lot of bands unfortunately; many who strike gold only follow up with tin. This is not a bad album per se, but it just stands in heavy shade of what came before. Still, if you're wanting a gnarled earful of death/thrash, you can't go wrong with Magnus.

Memoriam - For The Fallen

Memoriam have shot onto the scene very quickly since forming in 2016, and it's not surprising there is such interest in them considering the CVs of the band members. Featuring Karl Willetts and Andrew Whale of the much missed Bolt Thrower, as well as Frank Healy and Scott Fairfax of Benediction, this is exactly how you imagine it would sound from the people involved - trundling, death metal fury with themes of war, death and destruction. I managed to get an autographed art card with my version too (pictured bottom left). Nuclear Blast digipak.

Morta Skuld - Surface

The 4th (and up until recently, final) album from Morta Skuld, 1997's 'Surface'. This didn't see the band at a particularly high point of their career, instead treading water in their meat and potatoes basic death metal formula - the sign of a band running low on ideas and vigour. Thankfully, their comeback album released 20 years later had the hunger again. Whilst 'Surface' isn't overtly terrible, it certainly wasn't their finest hour. Pavement/System Shock release.

My Dying Bride - The Thrash of Naked Limbs EP

This is the 2nd EP from My Dying Bride, released very early in their career - the year after their debut album in fact. It carries on with the sound they had at that time, as you'd probably expect. For me, this is the band pouring some of their grimiest, dankest, and hand-wringingly most sorrow-filled material. Original pressing on Peaceville.

Moévöt - Abgzvoryathre

'When this work of audio Darkness was out in August 1993, it was originally dedicated to Lord Meyna'ch; it still is, and forever will be...'. So says Vordb of Les Légions Noire's very own Brenoritvrezorkre (and many others). This is far from the black metal he might be known for, instead featuring crepuscular dark ambient which drifts over you like a cold fog. Haunting and original, this is a tough title to find on CD these days (it was issued only in small quantities on Vordb's own label).

Miscreant - Dreaming Ice

Swedish death metal crew Miscreant here, with their sole full length album from 1994 on Wrong Again Records. These guys took the early At The Gates sound (their Deaf Records era) and ran with it, so you should have a good idea what to expect from their sound. It's pretty good for what it is, like many of the bands who missed the boat in the early 90s amongst the outpouring of talent that took the limelight. These guys supposedly recorded a 2nd album, but it never saw the light of day - shame.

Mgla - Exercises In Futility

Mgla, one of the shining lights of not only the Polish black metal scene, but black metal as a whole at present. These guys have been churning out excellent black metal for well over 10 years now, and 'Exercises in Futility' is their latest full length addition. Definitely one to give some time to if you're in any way a fan of the subgenre.

Mithras - On Strange Loops

The long awaited new album from Mithras, ordered directly from the band so one of the first 100 hand numbered & autographed copies. I think these guys are still one of the most innovative and interesting forces to push the boundaries of death metal, whilst staying true to it's core and not being avant garde. Definitely one to check out, and one of my favourite albums of 2016 so far.

Meshuggah - The Violent Sleep of Reason

Meshuggah's latest album here, the creators (whether they like it or not) of 'djent', and all the bands that spawned in its name. I can't say I'm a huge fan of this onomatopoeic genre, but I do have a soft spot for Meshuggah themselves following them from their proggy, almost Metallica like beginnings. Twisted polyrhythms, bellowed growls and guitar's tuned so as to register on the Richter scale as is usual with these guys, with a killer production job that pushes it all in your face for a claustrophobic atmosphere.

Moonsorrow - Jumalten Aika

Moonsorrow's most recent album here, continuing their journey in metal to channel the ancient spirit of Bathory, and then some. These guys rarely put a foot wrong with their pagan/folk black metal, and this album is no different. Supreme atmospheres abound and music with true heart. Digibook pressing on Century Media, with free patch. If you're interested, the title translates to "The Age of Gods".

Mortification - Mortification / Scrolls of the Megilloth

This is an admittedly pretty disappointing package featuring the first couple of Mortification albums in one bare bones double set. Literally a slip inlay card, no lyrics or artwork - crap. No thought put into it at all, and certainly not fan oriented. The label did similar releases for Vengeance Rising, Deliverance and Tourniquet and they were all similar in their sparseness. The music is of course great (see my other posts for Mortification), but this was picked up cheap solely for the fact that I don't have a physical copy of their self titled album as yet. 1998 issue on KMG Records.

Misery - A Necessary Evil

Been a while hasn't it? Apologies for the lack of radio contact. Been pretty busy with that pesky thing they call 'life'. But now, it's time for an update, and what a way to kick things back off again. Misery - A Necessary Evil, original press on Velvet Urge Records. The debut full length from this Aussie death crew, and for me - their best release (that's usually the way, isn't it?). Really dark death metal, well worth a punt if you can find it.

Monstrosity - Imperial Doom / Millennium

A classic of the death metal genre right here, Monstrosity's debut album Imperial Doom as an original Nuclear Blast pressing from 1992 and their second album Millennium from 1996 (also on Nuclear Blast). Monstrosity's quality went downhill after the loss of vocalist George Fisher to Cannibal Corpse in my opinion, but these albums stand head and shoulders above a large portion of others in terms of ferocity, catchiness and downright enjoyment stakes. A rare couple of albums which are worth the price they go on eBay for in my opinion!

Mekong Delta - Dances of Death (And Other Walking Shadows)

Considered by many to be the finest release from these long running German tech/progressive thrashers, 'Dances of Death' kicks off with a near 20 minute long self titled track, giving you a good amalgamation of all the thing that make this band so popular in the underground. This is the original first pressing on Aaarrg Records, a label that released a ton of good stuff before going the way of the dodo.

Miasma - Love Songs E.P.

The final release of the brilliant Austrians Miasma here, with an all too short EP 'Love Songs'. These guys were of course best known for their only full length album 'Changes' (also features on this very site, albeit the Napalm Records re-issue), which was an early nineties slice of badassery. Too short to warrant a recommendation to seek out (especially when taking into consideration the price it generally goes for these days on the likes of eBay and Discogs), but still a nice collectors piece none the less. Lethal Records.

Master - Master / On the Seventh Day God Created... Master / Collection of Souls

Paul Speckmann's Master were (and still are) one of the very first death metal bands to crawl out of the US, yet in my opinion they don't get half the recognition they deserve. Here we have their first three albums, all in original pressings on Nuclear Blast. Their feral debut finally getting a release in 1990, years after it was written (label issues), then followed by the seminal 'On the Seventh Day..' and also the crushing 'Collection of Souls' to finish the unholy trinity of death metal purity. No frills, but plenty of bile - well worth seeking out if you haven't done so already.

Merciless - The Treasures Within / Unbound

Two albums from one of the very earliest blasts of extremity to make it out of Sweden. Merciless were renowned for their no nonsense deathly thrashing approach, with their debut album 'The Awakening' being the first to sign on Euronymous' Deathlike Silence label way back when. Both these albums are essential in my opinion, with their later self titled fourth album not quite recapturing the magic they had early on. These are original CD pressings on Active Records, and No Fashion Records respectively.

Mercyful Fate - The Beginning

This legendary compilation of Mercyful Fate is its early original Roadrunner pressing with the old artwork (later replaced on future pressings by a more explosive erupting volcano with much more in the way of red hues in comparison to this dark original. Featuring their great 'Nuns Have No Fun' EP, extra BBC studio sessions and a B side track, this contains one of my favourite Fate tracks - 'A Corpse Without Soul'. Gotta love the King!