Dig Me No Grave - Cosmic Cult (2014)

   Similar to Grond, Dig Me No Grave's lyrical concept also reflects their Lovecraft enthusiasm, and musically they also prefer mainly simple and basic themes, but they're more on the old school death metal field. And by implementation they also prefer great production and good sound quality.
   Compared to groove death metal, their songs are more complex and diverse of course, but on the side of the style or subgenre differences, some moderate experimental ambitions also making this complexity more evident. The band seemingly preferred various and unexpected switches not only by themes and tempo, but in forms of small surprises, like short, sometimes catchy, sometimes noisy solos. The song structures aren't unified either, cause they seemingly tried to come up with something slightly different each time. It did have an advantageous result, since their experimental endeavours getting clear pretty soon, and they never crossing through the imaginary border to turn too technical. The interesting factor comes mainly from their seemingly unusual solutions. Their main influences might have been rooted in bands whose music sounded more developed since the beginning than their fellow old school death metal coetaneous bands, like for instance Morbid Angel, Tiamat, or Paradise Lost. Even if Dig Me No Grave's musical toolbar could be still limited compared to capabilities of  the mentioned bands, their full-length debut might be quite enjoyable for the fans of old school death metal. 

Deus Ignotus - Procession of an Old Religion (2014)

   Similar to most Mediterranean and Greek black metal bands, Deus Ignotus also sounds way more heavier and brutal than usual. Even though they've been sorted as a black metal band, it wouldn't be a big mistake to call their music as black/death metal. And most probably it would be more accurate that way.
   On the side of a frequently returning blackened lead, the structures of their songs are also reflecting the basics of black metal, but their sound is just as heavy and noisy as death metal supposed to be, not to mention the deep growling vocal style. Even if this combination is not intentional, but more like the result of an experiment to sound wilder and more aggressive than how ordinary black metal sounds like, or to give an easily distinguishing feature to their local scene - since it's a common enough to call it as a specific local trend -, the whole thing ends up exciting and interesting enough to catch the listener's attention. Probably the fans of the the traditional blackened sound might not find their countings in Deus Ignotus' music, since atmosphere has reduced role, and instead overwhelming heaviness is in the band's focus. However, by the black metal basics the music is easier to go into, since it's more melodic than if it was ordinary death metal, and this combination is pretty enjoyable in general. 

Soulskinner - Crypts of Ancient Wisdom (2014)

   Soulskinner was formed and debuted in the early '00s, in an era, when death metal didn't only lacked any attention or popularity, but the genre was nearly forgotten. The band's first 2 albums included the typical features of '00s death metal bands from modern sound to strong brutal death and splatter topic orientation. By their third record "Crypts of Ancient Wisdom" the band switched to a slightly different perspective.
   The analogy with their previous works is that "Crypts of Ancient Wisdom" also followed the actual trends of the underground. Since the second album old school death metal had a Renaissance, and the band have returned with way more basic and filthy themes than usual. By tempo their songs also slowed down so much, that some are just a step away from death/doom. This album also became way more diverse, cause on the side of nearly death/doom-like slow downs and old school death hammering, melodic death features also showing up, and as the album goes on, they slowly taking the lead. If the first 2 albums reflected the actual trends of their time, the third one is like a summary of the band's early influences. The slow downs and the melodic death switch are like references to the late '90s, when bands like Paradise Lost, Sentenced, Tiamat, Moonspell or Katatonia lived their golden age. The thrashing death basics are still there, and in higher amount than at the mentioned bands, but their dominant influence left their mark behind. In total, "Crypts of Ancient Wisdom" is like a late '90s album embedded into the early '10s. Could be sorted to old school death, but it's something way more complex than how first it seems (or sounds) like. 

Gravecrusher - Morbid Black Oath (2014)

   By the previously mentioned line-up analogy, Gravecrusher had similarly sudden and unexpected appearance like Coffinborn. High quality death metal, a debut EP released by Xtreem Music, and fortunately their music also had their distinguishable character.
   If Coffinborn was more on the old school path, Gravecrusher pushed it further by focusing more on thrashing basics. If Coffinborn's debut sounded dirty and putrid, compared to that Gravecrusher sounds pretty clear. The songs are focusing on the core essence of old school death, therefore they're not only simpler, but shorter as well. Instead of oppressing heaviness, thrashing intensity and fast, noisy, short solo themes forming the main impression. Two same rooted and therefore strongly related, but still quite different perspectives and qualities. Both are quite enjoyable in their own way. This could serve as a great example how and why the importance of seemingly tiny or secondary features, such as sound, atmosphere and distortion rate became so determining since the late '00s. A different sound could mean a different world, and even if the possibilities in themes are limited and exhausted, by sound they seem limitless. Thanks to its more traditional approach, "Morbid Black Oath" is easier to go into, and could be a potential favorite for both the fans of thrash and death metal. 

Coffinborn - Beneath the Cemetery (2014)

   Coffinborn debuted with a pretty stunning EP. Considering that it's a Hungarian band playing high quality death metal and seemingly showed up from nothing by an Xtreem Music release, it doesn't seem like an everydays event. The imagination that a tiny, normally forgettable metal scene like this is about to go through a very promising metamorphosis, might serve as a reason for enthusiasm for the local fans of the genre, but the reality is a bit simpler. 
    The band is bonded to two musicians who are originally from the city of Szeged, Hungary (Lambert Lédeczy - drums, and Tibor Hanyi - guitars, vocals) and who also played in Tyrant Goatgaldrakona. One of them or both of them also played in a few other impressive death metal bands located in the same area, such as Gravecrusher, Rothadás, Cryptworm, not to mention some black metal bands (Fagyhamu, Ahriman) or bands that no information could be found about, but the analogy seems clear (Tomb Portal). Some of them will be mentioned in details in the future. Unlike in the case of side projects, Coffinborn isn't the same like the member's previous death metal band. It could be easily distinguished from Tyrant Goatgaldrakona by its more old school, thrash influenced touch. The song structures are simpler, the basic essence of the old school aspect of the genre is in focus. Thrashing intensity, short, fast solos, putrid sound and down pulling filth. Nothing extraordinarily new, but quite a novelty in its local scene, and enjoyably refreshing compared to the actual trends in the main metal scene. The only evident analogy with Tyrant Goatgaldrakona is the great quality and production that also rarely could be heard in this region.
   Old school death metal at its best, a potential favorite for the fans of the genre!

Krampüs - Graveyard Blowjob (2014)

   Grindcore or death/grind isn't the most usual style to encounter in the small Hungarian extreme metal scene, therefore Krampüs was able to gain attention instantly by their first full-length album, "Mental Holocaust". Decent, primitive and enjoyable death/grind, that's easy to go into.
    By their return with "Graveyard Blowjob" they continued the same grossness and violence based path spiced with some sexual aberrations and perversions, but this time with way better sound quality than before. It's not the most usual sound if it's about grindcore, more like modern brutal death metal related, but it turned out to be an advantageous step, cause the noisier, lower toned sound instantly highlighted the heaviness of their music. Therefore "Graveyard Blowjob" hits way harder than the first album did by its dull sound, that kinda took from the impression of the music's intensity. Krampüs had a strong old school touch since the beginning, and they preferred to rely on the contrast of thrashing tempo and frequent slow downs. Actual grinding is way less common than how it should be expected. The brutal death tone can compense that, and by the primitive approach during the short songs lengths it works just fine. But this way grinding became like some very special gift that a death/grind band is willing to offer only occasionally. 

Lepra - Tongue of Devil Prayers (2014)

   Since the late '90s/early '00s black metal became evidently the most popular extreme subgenre in Hungary. This might not be surprising, since the style earned pretty wide attention internationally too meanwhile, but in Hungary compared to other extreme styles, the number of black metal bands also giving the absolute majority since then. But unfortunately, the impressive number of bands didn't have stimulating effect on the quality of the music in its local scene, therefore black metal earned an overrated status in Hungary. 
    Lepra's debut could be sorted to the rare gems in this small scene, despite quite evident rip-offs could be discovered on the album. That's also very typical about nearly the whole metal scene in Hungary, but Lepra did manage to give some less usual, genuine features and perspective to their strongly Burzum influenced themes. At one hand deep under the blackened mass, the album has a quite old school, thrash influenced tone, that fortunately didn't come from the limited capabilities of the musicians as usual. And this time-to time revealing ancient feeling ended up as some redefining effect, that turned the album pretty enjoyable. By the vocal style they also refused to follow the ordinary path, cause it's like half way between whispering and suffocating. In total what could be heard on "Tongue of Devil Prayers" is enough old school and tradition following, but includes elements that could be weird for those, who aren't into any kind of experimenting in the style; and very exciting for those who are able to embrace a little bit of weirdness, that isn't exactly the same old weird stuff. The album could easily catch and lead the listener by its simple and very familiar themes. The role of the atmosphere and the themes are balanced, and sound quality is also great. Unlike many fellow black metal bands, Lepra did create something easily distinguishable and outstanding, that made it worth to pay attention to this small scene.