The debut album from self-styled ‘Dungeon Metal’ merchants, SKULLOVICH, provides a heady concoction of traditional and extreme metal.

Though originally an idea sparked by battlevest-clad teenagers in the mid-2010s with only a few jam sessions to spare, the first true incarnation of SKULLOVICH was gathered in the summer of 2019. Their first demo was released on cassette to the public in 2021 which contained a rehearsal recorded in late 2019 with a second demo releasing in 2022. Shortly after the second demo’s release, the band became a 4-piece to begin performing live and began work on progressing their songwriting, eventually releasing the 2-track single, “Under A Spell” in January 2023. After another lineup change and dedicating time to recording, SKULLOVICH is now ready to unleash their debut full length, “The Age of Steel” on November 1st, 2024.

The album artwork for The Age of Steel introduces us to the band’s fantastical themes from the outset. Featuring the spectral four horned creature “Skullovich” and a sword and sorcery related scene, the artwork is effective in preparing the ground for their sonic and lyrical content.

REVIEW

An ominous bell tolls on opening instrumental “Skeletal Storm”: the storm commences, atmospheric keyboard melodies engulf the listener. Then, a crack of thunder and the guitars kick in. Slow-building churning riffs build the atmosphere of an awakening. Scorching thrash riffing brings this instrumental track to a halt and presages the fury that follows.

“Flames of Chaos” is the natural successor to the opening track and continues the record’s opening emphasis on pummelling riffs. Emerging from this sonic backdrop come the murky and abrasive vocals of Chevy McQuaide Jr. Unhinged guitar soloing from both McQuaide Jr. and Sean Folk complements the white-knuckle ride of our introduction to their speed metal imbued sound. Then, as quickly as it arrives, the song ends – no frills, no messing about. SKULLOVICH are here to take no prisoners.

Shrill, yet slow, riffs christen “By this Axe” but these only momentarily lull the listener into a false sense of security prior to the frenzied dual guitar attack. Speed is the name of the game initially, although the tempo descends gradually, first to a gallop and then to the more deliberate riffing of the chorus. McQuaide’s slightly blackened, cavernous vocals embody the band’s “Dungeon metal” throughout this track remaining understated for large sections of verse before slowly asserting themselves in a chorus that implores the listener to raise their fists (or axes) in the air. The tortured guitar soloing that adorns the climax has shades of early Slayer, which is never, ever a bad thing.  

The opening guitar notes on “Keeper of Fate” gradually become more urgent before a barrage of galloping riffs transport the listener to visions of hell riders charging towards a fortress. At around the three minute mark, a middle eight ushers in a more cosmic feel with keyboards and a pulsing guitar undertone used to good effect. The murky final section combines doomier riffing with a more virtuosic guitar solo.

On “Under a Spell” panoramic fuzzed guitars sweep across the speakers from left to right, before chugging guitars and McQuaide’s abrasive vocals once again enter the fray. The pace then picks up, complemented by a ragged, almost spat out chorus that gives the song a punk feel.

The warped B movie intro of “Age of Steel” signals the coming of, as the lyrics put it “heavy metal majesty”. This track has the most unique atmosphere on the album. Doomed out riffs cut to the bone and the largely spoken opening verses complement the vibe perfectly. McQuaide’s snarls and ferocious delivery ramp up the intensity as the song progresses. Overall, this one sounds like a demented B movie trailer turned into a metal song and for that reason it stands out as the most impactful.

“Sword of the Grave” on the other hand displays a much more ragged and blackened sound. There is more than a little bit of latter day Darkthrone in here and the suitably snot-nosed guitar solo adds to the fun.

“Death Dealer” features just the right amount of early Slayer worship married to grimy production and more traditional NWOBHM lyrical content. It has a chaotic, ‘Evil Has No Boundaries’ feel, complete with a suitably high-pitched scream during the second chorus.

Closer, “Dungeon Crawler” starts with a slower and more deliberate pace and is reminiscent of a ragged sounding ‘In My Darkest Hour’ by Megadeth. As the instrumental progresses it boasts several tempo changes, some frenetic speed riffing and some impressive guitar soloing, although I couldn’t help but feel that it was a tad long at over 8 minutes and that it missed McQuade’s caustic vocals.

CONCLUSION

SKULLOVICH combine a trad metal aesthetic with a blackened speed metal sound to stirring effect on their debut outing. One of the most impressive things about the record is the overall atmosphere that is created, especially on the title track. Certain songs are more memorable than others and the blend between speed and melody does not always quite work. Yet, overall the passion displayed on this album was infectious and I’m interested to see how they develop their sound on future releases.

THENWOTHM Score 7.5/10