Power/Thrash Metal: Anubis - The Puppeteers (2025)

88 / 100

Anubis return with The Puppeteers, a three-track EP bursting with hooks, bright melodies, and dense power/thrash craftsmanship. The band proves they’re refining their style while keeping it heavy. Every track is a keeper—pure evolution in motion.

Ah, yes, here we go again ...

Anubis from Los Angeles just can’t seem to stand still after their debut. The Puppeteers is a maxi-single or EP containing three songs, released this year under the same label, M-Theory Audio.

From the start, Anubis delivers those modern melodies with, as always, a great hook and a solid yet dense composition. The same applies to the rest of the songs. This time, they lean toward a brighter nuance compared to their debut album, yet still heavy and well-rooted in the power/thrash metal realm. “The Hood Collector,” featuring lead guitarist Jyro Alejo (Jessikill, ex-Immortal Guardian, Force of Genocide)—who has a solid background in the scene—adds a layer of quality to this anthemic track, which sounds reminiscent of Freedom Call’s “Metal Is for Everyone.” I think you could even mash up the choruses of both songs and sing along seamlessly.

All in all, this EP distinguishes Anubis’s style in each track—even if not drastically different from one another—moving in this order: power/thrash, pure power metal, and then a stronger thrash metal edge on the final track.

So, there’s no need to debate which one’s the best. Just dump all three masterpieces into your playlist. Trust me—Anubis are clearly evolving here, and I hope it lasts forever.

[The review also posted on Metal Archives.]

Comments

Breakcore: Subheroine - End. (2025)

77 / 100 End. is Subheroine ’s most immersive and emotionally textured work yet ... Is being a week late enough to make a new release feel cold and stale? Maybe it’s the effect of our fast-paced modern world and the FOMO trend. Who knows. Whatever. Alright then, let’s welcome a new breakcore/drum & bass album (though it runs under 30 minutes) from Subheroine : End. ! End. by SUBHEROINE Released just on November 7 via Japan’s veteran breakcore label, Lost Frog Productions , End . delivers a noticeably more atmospheric vibe this time. So, tagging it as atmospheric drum & bass makes perfect sense, while the “depressive” tag seems to apply only to the cover art. But is that really the case? As always, there are surprises when reviewing music—those unexpected moments that make certain tracks sound more intriguing than expected. The most prominent depressive elements appear in the sampled voice of an anime girl sounding shocked or weakened in...

Electronica/IDM: 4T Thieves - Humanoid (2018)

70 / 100 Humanoid is a compact and tastefully crafted slice of IDM-leaning electronica that blends futuristic elements without overwhelming the listener. I opened my December with an electronica release by 4T Thieves , an EP titled Humanoid , which came out back in February 2018. A brief profile and the project’s track record can be found on RYM or Last.fm , and it’s clear that this act has been active since the 90s, although only arriving on Bandcamp around 2018. Humanoid by 4T Thieves As the name suggests, Humanoid presents a modern environment tinged with a futuristic sci-fi atmosphere, supported by drum work leaning toward IDM and prominent synth/bass that paints the image of a future city gate on “ Elemental .” This is followed by “ Codex ,” which is given a special dose of classic IDM-style glitch effects , and the rest continues into “ The Looking Glass ,” which gives off a nighttime-shadow feel through its slightly dark synth melodies. “Band...

Psychedelic Rock, Experimental: 32 Partials - In Degradation (Part I + II) (2017)

76 / 100 A dual-EP venture that expands 32 Partials ’ sonic universe, In Degradation showcases both their desert-tinged psych rock and a bold leap into experimental ambient/noise. The journey of 32 Partials continues with a descent into desert territory in In Degradation (Part I) , accompanied by an experimental/noise backsound presented separately in In Degradation (Part II) . Both were created during the summer and released together at the end of August 2017. Each EP contains three tracks, so I figured it would be more efficient to summarize them in one review instead of two. In Degradation (Part II) by 32 Partials What’s presented first is a Middle Eastern–styled rock performance using bouzouki and flanged guitar without distorted accompaniment, making it less clearly aligned with desert/stoner rock . The same goes for the two psychedelic rock tracks that follow—they don’t feature synths as strongly as the previous release, but overall t...

Search This Blog