With all the wind and rain that hit the east coast last week, I spent a good deal of time indoors going through my backlog. My Bandcamp wishlist was getting out of hand, and I had about a quarter-crate of LPs to work through, so this installment of Cheap Thrills is packed with all sorts of name-your-price goodies from the last few months, as well as one curveball from almost 30 years ago that just got a physical release.
You know the drill: support underground artists this Bandcamp Friday (and every day, really) by picking up some tunes and merch!
…
Starseed – Cosmic Conspiracy (May 1, 1997)
Yep, you read that date correctly. As much as I hate calling things “hidden gems” (it’s one of the most overused and meaningless phrases that fans and collectors use, right up there with “white whale” and “grail”), it’s hard to think of another suitable metaphor for Starseed’s lone 1997 release, which was recently given a vinyl release thanks to Ixiol Productions. Cosmic Conspiracy is riffy, space-faring death metal with a healthy dose of synthesizer harmony and ambience. There aren’t any extended prog sections that allow your mind to wander: rather, Starseed grabs your attention from the very start and doesn’t let up for the EP’s entire 19 minute duration.
…
Trhä – ∫um’ad∂ejja o§tovaj and din cëppehen lëvatsë ë∫ nu debu£ gjërima (September 21, 2026)
Reset the clock – there are two more Trhä releases out, just in time for fall. It’s been nearly nine months since the last album, which feels like forever in Trhä time, but Ojeda has been plenty busy with touring this past year. If you can catch any of his projects live, whether it be Trhä, Sadness, Life, or Midwinter Sunset, you should really make it a priority to do so.
Up first is ∫um’ad∂ejja o§tovaj, the more varied and “upbeat” of the pair, which cycles between the hyper melodic and fantastical black metal that one expects from Trhä, more midpaced and measured atmospheric fare, and occasional forays into hardcore (or, dare I say, metalcore) via big stomping power chords. According to the Bandcamp page, these tracks were written over the last few years, but even for an “odds and ends” album, this is still an(other) enjoyable release.
By contrast, din cëppehen lëvatsë ë∫ nu debu£ gjërima (say that five times fast) is a rawer, hazier affair than its companion, hewing much closer to that “classic” Trhä sound. The synths are pushed way up in the mix, emphasizing the project’s dreamy, whimsical side. The album is a fitting reminder of the project’s purpose: to explore the nostalgic, magical kingdom that Thét Älëf (Ojeda’s alter ego) calls home.
…
Ihloosuhree – Slaven Der Ontbinding (August 12, 2026)
With their second album, Belgium’s Ihloosuhree delivers a psychedelic black metal experience just in time for spooky season. The friend who recommended this joked that it took him a minute to realize that the band’s name is an exaggerated phonetic spelling of “Illusory” (he initially thought “it was just Dutch”). The name is certainly appropriate, though, considering how haunting and gloomy Slaven Der Ontbinding is. Hypnotic tremolo riffs smear past as growling bass guitars and pounding drums open up a chasm into the very fabric of reality. The vocals are particularly unhinged, escalating from throaty barks to tortured howls–sometimes on the same track. I’m not saying that you should toss this album on your Halloween party playlist, but if you did, it would certainly make for an unforgettable evening.
…
Maȟpíya Lúta – Wówalitake (August 7, 2026)
This mysterious project’s third full-length album is yet another raw atmospheric black metal tribute to Red Cloud of the Oglala Lakota tribe. On Wówalitake, the enigmatic Maȟpíya Lúta amplifies the dusty ambience that framed the stomping melodic riffs on previous records, resulting in a record that feels reigned-in and dignified. The cover art reinforces this theme—long after his military and political heyday, Red Cloud continued to be a spokesman for the Lakota well into his 80s. But we all know you didn’t necessarily come here for a history lesson, so the question is, are the riffs good? They are indeed, and what Wówalitake lacks in raw aggression it certainly makes up for with grand, stately movements that still pack plenty of crunch while bearing a newfound sense of gravity.
…
D.E.R. – Tempo Severo (September 25, 2025)
We’ll end this installment with a pair of rippin’ grind releases courtesy of Nerve Altar. Up first is the debut full-length from Brazilian quartet D.E.R., whose name is an acronym for Destruction and Regression (albeit in Portuguese). This album kicked my ass the first time I heard it…and the second…and the third. There’s almost a black-thrash edge to some tracks thanks to the razor sharp tremolo-picked guitars and machine gun blastbeats. Because these elements tend to occupy the upper registers, the bass guitar punches right through the mix. Say goodbye to those pesky mids—and the top of your skull—because Tempo Severo takes no prisoners.
…
Hallucination Realized – Developing Reality (May 25, 2026)
Hallucination Realized’s debut album arrives after a string of splits, and like Tempo Severo, it’s a real doozy. Developing Reality leans more into powerviolence territory, with tempo changes that hit like a semi truck. The band also makes great use of noise on tracks like the brooding “Eschaton”. After opening with drum fakeout, the track erupts into thrashing chaos before that same intro beat returns, accompanied by huge sludgy riffs and crackling waves of static. I’d be interested to see if Hallucinated Realized ever goes full Noise Grind Power Death, but if they do, I’ll be there.
…
