Brandon Corsair

Brandon Corsair, leader of the California death metal band Draghkar and studious metal journalist, reveals his top picks for the year, diving deep into the underground.

With a gripping blend of epic doom and old-school death metal, Stygian Crown’s debut earlier this year is a highlight that may have slipped beneath your radar earlier this year.

Four years after their debut LP made waves in the traditional metal circuit, Eternal Champion returns with a follow-up that doubles down on their strengths but takes their sound beyond fans’ wildest expectations.Read our full review.

We gather over a dozen early Slovakian death metal bands + historical and musical context in this extensive guide to the growth of the country’s cloistered scene.