BLACK METALDEATH METALEXTREME METAL INFERNAL

Since 2001, when Easter weekend falls across Norway’s capital Oslo, what should be a celebration of new life becomes a weekend of darkness for metal aficionados; Inferno Metal Festival. For over two decades, a cohort of extreme metal’s finest heavyweights and venomous underground filth descend to the spiritual home of where black metal revolutionised the world. 2025’s event is no different with a staggeringly impressive lineup across four days this April. However, with the news that festival founder and organiser, Jan-Martin Jensen, sadly passed away in February, 2025’s festival will be more than a weekend of extreme metal; it will be a fitting tribute to a man who gave his life to heavy fucking metal.



Ahead of Inferno Metal Festival 2025, we digest the lineup to give you the top 10 bands we are most anticipated for at this year’s event. If you’re making the pilgrimage to Oslo, or want to discover some extreme metal treats, read on!

GAEREA – Friday, April 18 – Rockefeller

Portugal’s GAEREA have the metal world in a stranglehold. Capitalising on the lull and isolation of the pandemic, 2020’s Limbo announced the band to the world and their stock has risen dramatically ever since with 2022’s Mirage continuing their upwards trajectory. Their fusion of black and death as they explore the swirl of the vortex is encapsulating, especially on the live front, with the band’s anonymous frontman twisting and contorting in perfect synergy with their aural chaos. Last year’s Coma and their astonishing performance at Fortress Festival here in the UK cemented GAEREA as a genuine heavyweight in black metal. We cannot wait to see what they conjure at Inferno.


ROTTING CHRIST – Saturday, April 19 – Rockefeller

For over 35 years, Greece’s ROTTING CHRIST have been on an endless campaign to remain at the forefront of the extreme metal scene. Their storied career has seen the band undergo numerous stylistic changes but retain a commanding respect. Their recent run over the past decade has been immaculate with 2016’s Rituals, 2019’s The Heretics, and last year’s Pro Xristoy being lapped up with sheer glee. The way in which the band can create an enormous earthly tone whilst being accessible enough to make a connection is incredibly impressive and it will be on full show at this year’s Inferno. Expect a victory lap from one of black metal’s hardest working bands.


SCHAMMASCH – Sunday, April 20 – Rockefeller

Switzerland’s occult collective SCHAMMASCH have conjured intrigue and fellowship over the past 16 years. Since forming at the tail-end of the noughties, the band have forged a truly impressive sound and their ambitious approach to crafting extreme metal is genuinely exhilarating. Take 2016’s staggering triple album Triangle. A hugely ambitious effort that put the SCHAMMASCH on the map. Subsequent releases (2019’s Hearts Of No Light and last year’s The Maldoror Chants: Old Ocean) only have reinforced their impressive reputation. It’s somewhat fitting the band grace Inferno on Easter Sunday itself, albeit the forthcoming ritual will be quite different!


BLOOD INCANTATION – Friday, April 18 – Rockefeller

Denver’s BLOOD INCANTATION have an approach to death metal that conjures desire to explore the unknown. Themes of ancient alien civilisations, mysticism, the terrifying inner works of existence, nothing is off limits and these concepts sit at the heart of the BLOOD INCANTATION template. Live, the band are a force to be reckoned with and this year’s Inferno Metal Festival sees the band proudly represent the death metal arm of the festival. Marking their debut at the festival no less, expect a cosmic, weird and utterly mesmerising performance at Inferno where material from the likes of 2019’s Hidden History Of The Human Race will have you question your very existence. Plus, we’ll have the added treat of hearing material from last year’s stunning Absolute Elsewhere. Strap yourself in, it’s going to get cosmic and weird.


SETH – Saturday, April 19 – John Dee

French black metal horde SETH have enjoyed somewhat of a renaissance in their second coming. Since reforming in 2011, the band have carved their own space in the black metal scene with their vicious approach to the genre. Romanticising their country’s rich history, spanning from 2019’s Notre-Dame fire that is strikingly represented on 2021’s La Morsure Du Christ or the turmoil of the French revolution in last years’ La France des maudits. The band’s national identity bleeds into every book and cranny of their DNA, with last year’s album being entirely written in French Alexandrine by vocalist Saint Vincent. It’s this authenticity that helps set SETH apart in a crowded market and we are confident they will be a standout at this year’s Inferno Metal Festival!


BEHEMOTH – Sunday, April 20 – Rockefeller

Polish juggernauts BEHEMOTH have risen to a level that defies logic, especially for an extreme metal band. Their storied career and 21st Century boom has seen the Poles catapult to one of the biggest names in metal and at this year’s Inferno, the band look to close the festival in thunderous fashion. A BEHEMOTH live show in 2025 is a spectacle with enough tricks and sinister visual cues to conjure a devilish atmosphere. Just look at the band’s staggering show during the pandemic, 2020’s In Absentia Dei, a performance that pushed the boundaries of what extreme metal live can do. At Inferno, we can expect a memorable and explosive live show from one of our leading theatrical heavyweights. Whether it’s the likes of the alluring Bartzabel, the bombastic Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel or the sheer aural firepower of Ov Fire And The Void, BEHEMOTH have the arsenal of songs to accompany the visual flare. And with their performance coming ahead of album number 13, The Shit Ov God, we can’t wait to hear how their new material stacks up.


KYLESA – Friday, April 18 – Rockefeller

Holy shit, this is going to be good. Georgia’s finest sludge metallers KYLESA have sorely been missed since going on hiatus in 2016, but 2025 marks a special year. The band have awoken from hibernation. Performing at just a select few festivals through out the year – including ArcTanGent here on UK soil and Roadburn in the Netherlands, those at Inferno will be blessed with a rare chance to see one of the coolest bands in heavy music. Expect a bucketload of wicked sludgy riffs with the likes of Scapegoat and Unspoken set to become highlights of the weekend. Although there’s no confirmation that we will see a follow-up to 2015’s Exhausting Fire, for now, we have an opportunity to bask in the finest American sludge. We cannot wait.


TSJUDER – Sunday, April 20 – Rockefeller

Although they may not boast the same notoriety against some of their fellow countrymen, Norwegian black metallers TSJUDER have enjoyed a long and sustained career. Since the release of their first demo in 1995, the band have remained a consistent presence in the scene and at this year’s Inferno Metal Festival, fans will have the opportunity to see the band ignite on home soil. Plus, this year’s performance is bolstered by the fact its split into two performances; the first being a set of their own material and the second being a BATHORY tribute set, in which they will be joined by co-founding BATHORY bassist Frederick Melander.


BATUSHKA – Thursday, April 17 – Rockefeller

Pre-2017, BATUSHKA were the poster child of the black metal scene. 2015’s Litourgiya – a record that effortlessly fuses black metal ferocity with intense atmospheric Eastern Orthodox mysticism – was critically acclaimed and their live performances, such as 2017’s astonishing set at Scotland’s North Of The Wall, cemented BATUSHKA as a genuine established force within modern black metal. Although very public and ugly legal disputes over ownership rights marred the BATUSHKA name, the subsequent schism finally resolved last year with band founder Krzysztof Drabikowski retaining the BATUSHKA rights whilst Bartłomiej Krysiuk engages with his new endeavour PATRIARKH. At Inferno, Easter gives the gift of the rebirth of BATUSHKA under Krysiuk‘s name with enough theatrics and black metal flare to make their festival debut a memorable one.


SIBIIR – Thursday, April 17 – Goldie

Although Inferno‘s big draws is often the international heavyweights of extreme metal, the festival plays an important part in curating homegrown talent and each year, the festival welcomes a host of Norwegian bands and this year, SIBIIR are flying the flag. The Oslo-based band have been crafting a wicked blend of black metal and hardcore for over a decade now and 2019’s Ropes was a firm favourite of ours here at Distorted Sound. On the back of last year’s Undergang, the band arrive at Inferno on day one with momentum on their side. We are bracing ourselves for one of the nastiest sets of the weekend!




And that wraps up our top picks for this year’s Inferno Metal Festival! If you’re making the pilgrimage to Norway, who are you most excited to see? The Distorted Sound team will be on the ground in Oslo at this year’s festival bringing you all the latest!

Inferno Metal Festival takes place in Oslo, Norway from April 17th-20th 2025. Tickets are available now and can be purchased here.

LIVE REVIEW: Lambrini Girls @ Rescue Rooms, Nottingham

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LIVE REVIEW: Lambrini Girls @ Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
April 15, 2025Elliot Leaver


What a rise it’s been for LAMBRINI GIRLS. The feminist punk duo have seen their profile explode over the past few months, both in the build up to and since the release of debut album Who Let The Dogs Out in January – as a point of argument, their show tonight at Nottingham’s Rescue Rooms was initially scheduled for the much smaller Bodega, was upgraded due to a fast sell out, then sold out again. In the autumn, they’ll headline the Kentish Town Forum, a stunning achievement for a band with just eighteen songs available on Spotify as it stands right now. There’s no question – for all that’s going on in the East Midlands tonight, this is easily the hottest ticket in town.

Loose Articles live @ Rescue Rooms, Nottingham. Photo Credit: Izzy Sheldon

Those who wished to catch opening band LOOSE ARTICLES, but took the stage times from the venue’s social media pages, will have reason to be aggrieved; the Manchester quartet start half an hour earlier than advertised. They then immediately run into technical issues as bassist Natalie Wardle has a couple of gremlins within her setup, but recovers quickly enough for them to resume normal service. Despite a bit of movement during the second song, there’s a distinct lack of energy onstage, with their grunge-tinged, sampled-smattered punk is one-dimensional and played at a turgid pace. Perhaps it’s just an off day, but there isn’t a hint during their half hour on stage where they show why they were handpicked to open for the mighty FOO FIGHTERS last summer at Old Trafford. Perhaps what sums up their set most is when they ask if there are any welders in the room; it’s an interesting line of stage banter, and goes down as well as you might expect – the silence is both deafening and awkward.

Rating: 5/10Lambrini Girls live @ Rescue Rooms, Nottingham. Photo Credit: Izzy Sheldon

Right now, more than ever, punk music seems vital, perhaps even more so than nearly fifty years ago when THE RAMONES and the SEX PISTOLS were ushering in a fledgling genre that captivated a frustrated youth and rallied against the establishment. It’s never gone away, of course, but in this day and age, where the world seems to be going as backwards as it is forwards, when the threat of the far-right looms large, where misogyny, racism and homophobia are given free reign to escape punishment. And not to mention even the original frontman of the band who swore on live TV and sang ‘God Save the Queen/It’s a fascist regime’ is openly supporting the area of politics he once lambasted. To be inclusive, accepting of everyone and, you know, not a dick, is arguably one of the most punk things you can do, even though, at its very core that’s what the movement was always about. This is indeed a strange world that we inhabit.

Tonight, LAMBRINI GIRLS show why they are THE punk band to follow. Confrontational, abrasive and unashamedly themselves, this is part gig, part rally where members of the LGBTQIA+ community are announced as “queer legends” before Help Me I’m Gay, God’s Country is preceded by chants of “Free Palestine” and Bad Apple receives an ACAB call and response. Phoebe Lunny spends just as much time in the audience as she does onstage, leading raucous renditions of Big Dick Energy and Filthy Rich Nepo Baby along with an audience who are eating out of the palm of her hand all night. The absolute highlight of the set is an explosive Company Culture which, by a mile and a half, has mosh call of the year sewn up with “Michael, I don’t want to suck you off on my lunch break!”Lambrini Girls live @ Rescue Rooms, Nottingham. Photo Credit: Izzy Sheldon

But more than the music, this is what all gigs should be – a haven away from the trials and tribulations of the outside world, where people can leave their troubles at the venue door, mix with like-minded individuals and, even for the smallest amount of time, feel what everyone aspires to experience: complete liberation. LAMBRINI GIRLS play for less than an hour and yet they produce a euphoria that will be cherished for months, maybe even years to come. This is a band destined for superstardom, and there’s very little that will stop them achieving that.

Rating: 9/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Nottingham from Izzy Sheldon here:







































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ALBUM REVIEW: March Of The Gods – King Kraken

It’s been a busy couple of years for Cardiff’s KING KRAKEN. Following the release of debut album MCLXXX, the quintet spent their time on the road raising their profile considerably, supporting big names like GEOFF TATE and CROWBAR, pulling the largest ever headline crowd at Station 18 Festival in May of last year and topping it off by playing at the same time as CLUTCH at Bloodstock that summer and holding their own. Not wanting to lose any momentum, the band immediately went back to the studio for the latter half of 2024 and now their sophomore album is ready; out on Friday April 18th, March Of The Gods is released independently.



There’s only one thing you need to like to get on board with KING KRAKEN, and it’s riffs – lots and lot of riffs. They might originate from a country closely associated with rainclouds, windswept hills and cool temperatures, but March Of The Gods takes you a few thousands miles away from Wales to sunset-dripped deserts, barren plains dotted with rock formations and the open road; this is an album for driving trips and its forty minutes are drenched in character. Opening track Scream is a stomping, southern rocker, with elements of BLACK STONE CHERRY mixing with a hint of the New Orleans sludge scene in the guitar tones. Berzerker contains BLACK LABEL SOCIETY vibes along with some Great Southern Trendkill-era PANTERA seeping through for good measure; it builds extremely well, particularly in the chorus. The title track sees a touch of MASTODON creep into the riffs, while PREACHER brings the sound a bit closer to home, reminiscent of BLACK SPIDERS in their pomp.


However, by far the biggest influence on KING KRAKEN is the band they were up against at Bloodstock. From the guitar licks to the powerful drumming to the gravelly delivery of vocalist Mark Donaghue, there is no question that without CLUTCH, KING KRAKEN do not exist. Whether it’s the rich textures of El Giganto or the more deliberate, methodical pacing of closing duo Chainsaw Saviour and Under the Sun, the mind instantly connects to messrs Fallon, Sult, Maine and Gaster. Of course, that doesn’t always work in a band’s favour, and KING KRAKEN are guilty on this record of wearing their inspirations a little too much on their sleeves; as a result, they lost a bit of their own identity in the process.

There’s also an issue with Hero, although not the song itself – on the contrary, it’s in contention for being the best song on the record and Donaghue‘s best performance to date. Where it stumbles is its placement: after the first four songs, March Of The Gods has built up a nice head of steam which then evaporates due to Hero‘s more vulnerable, ballad-like feel. If the track had been at the very end, it could have been far more potent by bringing a reflective coda to the body of work; as it is, one cannot shake the notion that KING KRAKEN put the brakes on too soon.



There is a really bright future ahead of KING KRAKEN – they boast serious musical chops and March Of The Gods is a strong, well-layered album that is bursting with catchy riffs and excellent song writing. A touch more of themselves at the forefront and they could easily be world-beaters, because they’ve got everything else in their arsenal to be just that.

Rating: 7/10



March Of The Gods is out now via self-release.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Necro

 

Swedish riff sorcerers LIK have charged back into the forefront of the classic death metal scene with their fourth album Necro. Incorporating the shock-horror elements as well as all the ingredients of the great and glorious genre. The quartet stand proudly, churning out monstrous riffs combined with vicious melodies. For the last decade, LIK have been a flag bearer for the traditional sound of Swedish death metal. Combining a dyed in the wool love for the genre and an immense sense of joy in what they create. They’ve continuously built upon they’re previous albums and this latest offering is undoubtedly a stand out milestone in their career.



This is an album that takes you on a tour de gore. The screaming feedback the plunges into a blast beat driven pulveriser of opener Deceased should leave no in any doubt that LIK are here to set it up once again. All the hallmarks of their native genre tightly packaged and delivered with technical precision yet counterweighted with a passion that ensures every note is felt with an authentic gut punch.


Necro takes a turn at delving into facets of the human condition. Fields of Death takes on a brutal battlefield landscape. Delivering punishing riffs and thunderous rhythms while the guttural vocals narrate the actions of a crazed soldier. Take a heavy metal trip into a feverish nightmare with Worms Inside. Arguably the heaviest track on an album that is wall to wall crushing power. The imagery that the four-piece conjure is as potent as the music is commanding.

The ten tracks on offer will leave little room for breath and almost certainly no respite. The aforementioned tracks are dark enough, but LIK are happy to go further, Morgue Rat is gruesome. The track broods and swirls as the nature of the narrative unfolds in horrifying details. For all the dark depths that the band plunge into, there is a balanced nuance with the breakdowns matching the timbre. Yet somehow, they’re still able to create a powerful high. The subject matter is ruinously gloomy in places, but their passion for the music does shine through and they are able to write a hook that brings a giant smile while the lyrics crash around. This is pure unbridled fun and at every turn LIK deliver nigh on perfect Swedish death metal.

While they could be seen to be playing at safe by remaining within the pre-determined boundaries of their chosen genre. The fact that at every turn they nail the specifics that make death metal so particularly glorious showcases that they are in fact masters of their craft. While in some instances it’s great when a band breaks new ground and pushes limits. In many other cases is sublime when a band can also display the fundamentals to such an extent that it makes a tried and tested formula sound fresh and invigorating. That’s what LIK have achieved here.

It’s bloody, its gory and utterly visceral. LIK tick all the extremities off the death metal list and Necro surges with a palpable power. It’s a fun record that will bring about an enormous grin to match the sore neck that is guaranteed with these tracks of pure distilled Swedish death metal excellence.

Rating: 8/10



NECRO is out now via Metal Blade Records.

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METALLICA’s “Master Of Puppets” Joins Spotify’s Billions

“Master Of Puppets”, the title track of Metallica’s third studio album, released in March 1986 via Elektra Records, has surpassed one billion streams on Spotify.

The band shared the news via social media, stating, “We’re psyched to share that “Master of Puppets” has just made its way into Spotify’s Billions Club – Thank you! Send it on its way to two billion, and listen to every member of the Billions Club at metallica.lnk.to/MoP-Billions.

EP REVIEW: The Wrath Of The Silent Temples – Noirsuaire

Like many of the best underground black metal acts, France’s NOIRSUAIRE have creatively hit the ground running since the release of their debut demo, Possessed By A Malignant Lust, in 2023. Each of the band’s subsequent four EPs has showcased a lean and focused brand of raw black metal that manages to incorporate lots of ethereal atmospherics and angular, biting guitar work and vocals that is incredibly engrossing in a way that many records in this style don’t tend to be. The duo’s latest EP Wrath Of The Silent Temples is, if anything, a far sharper and immersive release than anything else they’ve done previously, without sacrificing the harsher production and abrasive musicianship too drastically, making for a tighter and punchier effort that will still hold plenty of charm for fans of black metals sepulchral, grimier elements.



After a haunting ambient piece sets a foreboding and immersive tone, the record proper kicks off in a burst of rabid, frenetic intensity in the form of The Scourge From Kisijevo, an unflinchingly coarse and speed-driven slab of biting black metal with an overt second wave influence. Grating hooks, feral shrieks and thunderous, pummelling drums all create a dark and ferocious sound that’s significantly more robust than the vast majority of rawer black metal tracks, beginning proceedings in muscular and authoritative fashion.



At The Scream Of Porphylic Seraphs strips away the denser elements of its predecessor in favour of an acerbic and lean approach, with lighter guitar work and thinner, acidic vocals, without sacrificing any of the ominous mood or blistering pace that informed the last offering. While Waiting The Rats, another shorter instrumental piece, this time built upon the gothic pomp of expansive organs, captures the drama of the records opener whilst embracing impressively cavernous flourishes that is every bit as grand as the previous two tracks were caustic, providing a great segue between this EP’s two halves.


The Wrath Of The Silent Temples leans prominently into an abrasive and cacophonous sound that constantly teeters on the brink of chaos whilst managing to pepper in some tighter, melodic touches in amongst its more visceral and grating moments, showcasing a bellicose extremity and tempering it with far punchier moments in a way that strikes a fine balance between two distinct musical polar opposites without any jarring clashes. To Roam Among The Darkest Hounds adopts a ponderous, mid-tempo style, with percussive drums and full, weighty chords replacing the energetic and frenzied aural assaults that came before it, shifting seamlessly into a catchy piece of black ‘n’ roll with a solid groove, with this chunkier sound being counterpointed by the arid, soaring vocals and discordant bursts, standing apart from the rest of the efforts on this record whilst still being indebted to the same musical approach of faster, fiercer fair on here. Outro, one last, brief outing of driving organs in a very similar vein to While Waiting The Rats, caps proceedings off in a an epic way, albeit in a much more streamlined form than its earlier twin did.

Perhaps the closest record within NOIRSUAIRE‘s discography to Wrath Of The Silent Temples is 2024’s Black Flame Of Unholy Tradition, a similarly longer offering that boasts an impressive amount of heft and soaring hooks not unlike this most recent EP. A side by side comparison between the two shows not only a more polished mix on the latter, but arguably defter, dancing quality to the music itself, especially when it comes to the guitars, which opt for a greater hint of melody and less primal thrashing than Black Flame, a powerful and effective record that is nonetheless a little rougher around the edges when it comes to the precision of the performances.



The fact that Wrath Of The Silent Temples manages to embrace a cleaner mix whilst not losing any of the frenetic intensity or claustrophobic murk that its predecessors possessed also works in its favour, and signifies a refining and even perfecting of many of NOIRSUAIRE‘s strident, underlying brilliance rather than a jarring shift to a different style of black metal, accentuating just how feral their music can be.

Rating: 7/10



The Wrath Of The Silent Temples is out now via Khaoszophy Productions.