Bobo Dupľa

An Ode to the King

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 23:55:49 +0100

Why the Casio G-Shock GXW-56-1A is the true king

Over the past few years, I’ve worn a lot of watches. Apple Watch, Garmin, and non-smart watches. Smartwatches started to feel like a burden on me. Last year, I sold my Garmin watch, which I wore for less than a year. Before that, I had an Apple Watch, which died on its own in a swimming pool. Between these two, I wore several classic watches, and I’ve always returned to the G-Shock, nicknamed “King”.

I’m going to skip the tedious explanation of why I stopped liking smartwatches. After all, countless articles cover the same issue - overload of information on my wrist.

Classic watches are forever

When I (hopefully for the last time) decided to only wear classic watches, I set two priorities: affordability and (almost) zero maintenance. This obviously ruled out almost all Swiss watches, since they are overpriced if you look at something decent. Luckily, Japanese watches are here to fill their spot and they do it wonderfully.

The real price:performance masters are Citizen and Casio. The amount of watch you get for these prices is insane. And these watches are built to last. Obviously, you have to look at the solar-powered ones from both. Citizen calls theirs “Eco-Drive” while Casio uses the “Tough Solar” name on their G-Shocks. You’re looking at watches that should last at least 10 to 12 years without any technician looking inside them, and during that time (unless you keep them in a dark box) will keep perfect time. In fact, these sun-powered quartz machines keep better time than all the overpriced automatic watches you always hear about.

I bought a Citizen Eco-Drive almost three years ago. A classic analog watch, powered essentially by the sun, with sapphire glass, and atomic time keeping. I guess I can call it a semi-expensive mistake. I don’t wear it often; I am annoyed by the analog dial. Something in my brain pulls me towards the look of a digital watch.

Casio is the master brand when it comes to digital watches. There are so many varieties in so many price levels, it just blows my mind. G-Shock is probably the most well-known Casio brand, and that brand comes too in bambillion different flavors.

I own 5 G-Shocks at the time of writing.

I have the classic square, the M5610U, for many the holy grail of G-Shocks. And yes, it’s very good. Especially for the price. For ~130€ you get a light watch that is hard to destroy. And it looks timeless.

I also own the GW-7900, a very good looking digital watch with moon phase and tide indicators. It looks very cool. Yet, I wear it very rarely these days.

Sometimes quirky is good

The Casio G-Shock GXW-56-1A (watch makers and their names) is a big, bulky, quirky watch. The 56 series of G-Shocks is nicknamed the “King”. Because it basically is a classic square on steroids.

And I love everything about it.

It has all the features a G-Shock should have like water resistance up to 200m, tough solar, Multi Band 6 for atomic time keeping, world time, alarms, stopwatch, timer. On top of that it is also mud resistant and has the famous Alpha Gel inside to make it more vibration resistant.

Despite its bulk, it wears surprisingly light on my wrist. The bezel and band are both resin, but they just feel much cozier than the classic square. The whole watch is just screaming for attention with little details sprinkled all over it. Every time I look at it, I admire it for a bit.

Is it perfect? No. Not at all. First of all, it has the infamous negative display, which a lot of users are complaining about. Yes, it’s not as readable as a positive one, but I’ve yet to find a situation where it caused me any issues at all. I simply always look at my watch by rotating my wrist, no matter which watch I’m wearing.

The buttons are a bitch. Because the watch is mud resistant the buttons are harder to press. I got used to it. I also don’t press the buttons that much. But I also feel that with time, they are easier to operate. Or maybe my fingers have developed some new muscles.

Does it look tacky? I guess a bit. But so do most of G-Shocks, honestly.

The King does everything I need from a watch. Tells extremely exact time. Has a perpetual calendar. It should survive a zombie apocalypse.

It also protects your wallet. For roughly 190€, you get an indestructible watch that should easily survive you. If you don’t fall down the G-Shock rabbit hole, this should be the only watch to purchase. It is a quirky watch that flies under the radar of most watch enthusiasts precisely because of this. I guess the ridiculous build and dimensions of it are off-putting for many. And I get that. I had doubts too. But the moment I unpacked it in spring this year and put it on my wrist, I felt a connection with it. Not just skin to resin, but something in my head clicked and said: “Yes, I finally like one.”

2025-11-07

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 11:13:17 +0100

Drain - …Is Your Friend [Crossover] | Epitaph | BC
Centinex - With Guts and Glory [Death Metal] | Black Lion Records | BC 0/5
Fäust - Crypts of Eternity [Melodic Black Metal] | Black Lion Records | BC 0/5
Omnium Gatherum - May the Bridges We Burn Light the Way [Melodic Death Metal] | Century Media Records | BC 0/5
Ildaruni - Divinum Sanguinem [Atmospheric Black Metal] | Black Lion Records | BC 0/5
Insidius - Vulgus Illustrata [Death Metal] | Black Lion Records | BC 0/5
Deconstructing Sequence - Tenebris Cosmicis Tempora [Progressive Black/Death Metal] | Black Lion Records | BC 0/5
Dysentery - Dejection Chrysalis [SLAM] | Comatose Music | BC 1/5
Cold Steel - Discipline & Punish [Crossover] | Spinefarm Music Group | [no BC link found]
Kostnatění - Přílišnost (Excess) [Black Metal] | Willowtip | BC 0/5
Qrixkuor - The Womb of the World [Death Metal] | Invictus Productions | BC 4/5
Glorious Depravity - Death Never Sleeps [Death Metal] | Transcending Obscurity Records | BC 2/5
Zakaz - Merki sólar [Black Metal] | Gymnocal Industries | BC 0/5
The Mist - The Dark Side of the Soul [Thrash Metal] | Alma Mater Records | BC 0/5
Night Resident - Total Obscurity [Heavy/Doom Metal] | Independent | BC 0/5
Zebulon - Come Day of Reckoning [Doom Metal] | Apollon Records | BC 0/5
Malepeste - Ex Nihilo [Black Metal] | Les Acteurs de l’Ombre Productions | BC 0/5
Bogwife - From Ashes [Psychedelic Stoner/Doom Metal] | Majestic Mountains Records | BC 1/5
Liquid Rot - Fucked on a Tomb EP [Death Metal] | Iron Fortress Records | BC 1/5
Tenebris - Kochanowski [Progressive Metal] | Pagan Records | BC
Plague of the Fallen - Torturous Ascension EP [Death Metal] | Independent | [no BC link]
Ferosity - De-Evolution [Death Metal] | Selfmadegod Records | [no BC link]
Histoplasmosis - I Will Kill You [Goregrind] | Independent | BC¹
Gastrorrexis - Dominant Disease [Brutal Death Metal] | Coyote Records | [no BC link]²
Enucleation - Demo 2025 [SLAM] | Independent | BC³
Pupil Slicer - Fleshwork [Death Metal/Hardcore/Mathcore] | Prosthetic Records | BC
Lethal Shöck - Storm of Death and Fire [BLASH] | Adirondack Black Mass | BC 2/5

released on 2025-11-04 ↩︎
released on 2025-11-03 ↩︎
released on 2025-11-02 ↩︎

Musikcube

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 12:52:42 +0100

In the past three or four months, I’ve been trying out multiple local music players. Since I am still using macOS, there were some music players that were only for macOS.

However, there is only one I keep coming back to – Musikube.

It’s simple enough, yet not too simple to lack features. It plays everything from my collection, displays it as a library, and has strong search/filter functionality. The last one is a must, since I’m nearing 1TB for my library size.

Oh! It also has built-in last.fm scrobbling!

The controls are super easy to remember; often its TUI tells you right away which key to press for each function or view. I wish I could edit the width of some columns in the play queue view, but that’s a minor complaint. Musikube is coming with me on my journey to get away from big tech.

2025-10-31

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 11:35:02 +0100

Wayd - Reinvent [Technical Death Metal/Jazz] | Independent | BC 1/5
Runemagick - Cycle of the Dying Sun (Dawn of Ashen Realms) [Death/Doom Metal] | Hammerheart Records | BC 0/5
Gutsaw - Fuck Me I’m Dead EP [Brutal Death Metal/Deathgrind] | Independent | BC 0/5
Redshark - Sudden Impact [Heavy/Speed/Power Metal] | Listenable Records | BC
Aquilla - Sentinels of New Dawn [Heavy Metal] | High Roller Records | BC 0/5
Stillbirth - Survival Protocol [Brutal Death Metal/Deathcore] | Reigning Phoenix Music | [no BC link]
DET - Destructive Elite Terror [BLASH] | Dying Victims Productions | BC 0/5
Voorhees - 4 [Death Metal] | Fetzner Death Records | BC 0/5
Dwelling Below - Wearisome Guardians [Doom/Death Metal] | Transcending Obscurity Records | BC 0/5
Archaic Thorn - Malicious Spears [Death Metal] | High Roller Records | BC 0/5
Bastard Cröss - Crossripper [BLASH] | Morbid and Miserable Records | BC 1/5
Heteropsy - Embalming [Doom/Death Metal] | Caligari Records | BC 3/5
Believe in Nothing - Rot [Black/Sludge Metal] | Church Road Records | BC 0/5
Binah - Ónkos [Death Metal] | Osmose Productions | BC 2/5
Ulvehyrde - Dødsdømt [Black Metal] | Solistitium Records | BC 0/5
Hammerfilosofi - Signum [Black Metal] | Osmose Productions | BC 0/5
Primitive Man - Observance [Death/Doom/Sludge/Noise] | Relapse Records | BC 0/5
Grave Ghoul - Gruesome and Macabre [Death Metal] | Dismal Fate Records | BC 0/5
Outlaw - Opus Mortis [Black Metal] | AOP Records | BC 0/5
Flesia - Achterbahnekstase [Black Metal] | Independent | BC 0/5
Damned by the Pope - Blasphemy Perpetuated [Death Metal] | Independent | BC 0/5
Miasmata - Subterrania [BLASH/Trad] | Naturmacht Productions | BC 0/5
Nobody - No Light, No Life, No Salvation [Depressive Black Metal/Post-Music] | Independent | BC 0/5
Orm - Guld [Melodic Black Metal] | Indisciplinarian | BC 0/5
Embraced by Darkness - Ex Inferis [Black Metal] | Non Serviam Records | BC 0/5
Sypsis - Annihilated Existence [Technical Thrash Metal] | Awakening Records | BC 0/5
Demiurgus - Equilibrio [Death/Thrash Metal] | Awakening Records | BC 0/5
Infrahumano - Depths of Suffering [Death Metal] | Lavadome Productions | BC 0/5
Chained to the Dead - Something Happened on the Way to Hell EP [Death Metal] | Horror Pain Gore Death Productions | BC 0/5
Satan’s Hammer - El despertar de Satán [BLASH] | Iron, Blood and Death Corporation | BC 0/5
Mortuário A.D. - Apocalyptic Visions [Death/Thrash Metal] | Independent | BC
Doomsayer - The Illusion of Choice [Black/Doom Metal/Grindcore] | Independent | BC
Poodator - Avalanche [Goregrind] | Independent | BC 0/5
Arterial Vivisection - Shrouded in Depravity DEMO [Brutal Death Metal] | Independent | [no BC link]
Volvulus - Grotesque Celestial Torment [SLAM] | Collapse Records | [no BC link]
Barren Path - Grieving [Grindcore] | Willowtip | BC 2/5
Abysmal Descent - Dismal Thoughts [Black/Death Metal] | Nuclear Winter Records | BC 0/5
Thron - Vurias [Black Metal] | Listenable Records | BC 0/5
Despised Icon - Shadow Work [Deathcore] | Nuclear Blast Records | [no BC link]
Yellow Eyes - Confusion Gate [Black Metal] | Sibir Records | BC 1/5
One of Nine - Dawn of the Iron Shadow [Melodic Black Metal] | Profound Lore Records | BC 0/5

2025-10-24

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 17:30:22 +0200

Psychonaut - World Maker [Post-Metal] | Pelagic Records | BC
Runemagick - Cycle of the Dying Sun (Dawn of Ashen Realms) [Death/Doom Metal] | Hammerheart Records | BC
The Acacia Strain - You Are Safe from God Here [Deathcore] | Rise Records | [no BC link]
Jet Jaguar - Severance [Heavy/Speed Metal] | Steamhammer | BC
Bonginator - Retrodeath [Death Metal/Hardcore] | Testimony Records | BC
Asphagor - The Aphotic Vortex [Black Metal] | Immortal Frost Productions | BC
Devastrosity - Eviscerating Desolation [Brutal Death Metal] | Comatose Music | BC
Hostilia - Face the Fire [Thrash Metal] | Hammerheart Records | BC
Distaste - Agoniepositur [Grindcore/Deathgrind] | F.D.A. Records | BC
Scorching Tomb - Ossuary [Death Metal] | Time to Kill Records | BC
Born Divided - Chronicle of a Shipwreck [Progressive/Melodic Death Metal] | Independent | BC
Torture Hammer - Torture Hammer EP [Death Metal] | Creator-Destructor Records | BC
Darah - Holier Than Thou [Death Metal] | Underground Syndicate | BC
Devoid of Thought - Necrotic Surface Discarded [Death Metal] | Avantgarde Music | BC
Miasmic Serum - Better Left Dead EP [Death Metal] | Iron Fortress Records | BC
Necronemesis/Gangrenesia - Putrid Sanctity SPLIT [Death Metal/SLAM] | Horror Pain Gore Death Productions | BC

2025-10-17

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 12:01:48 +0200

Bliss of Flesh - Metempsychosis [Black/Death Metal] | Black Lion Records | BC
Tombs - Feral Darkness [Black/Post-Metal] | Redefining Darkness Records | BC
Internal Bleeding - Settle All Scores [SLAM] | Maggot Stomp | BC
DET - Destructive Elite Terror [BLASH] | Dying Victims Productions | BC
An Abstract Illusion - The Sleeping City [Progressive Death Metal] | Willowtip Records | BC
Perishing - Malicious Acropolis Unveiled [Doom/Death Metal] | Transcending Obscurity Records | BC
Death Has Spoken - Elegy [Death/Doom Metal] | Meuse Music Records | BC
Knüppelknecht - Swamp of Delirium EP [BLASH/Punk] | Dying Victims Productions | BC
Wretched - Decay [Technical Deathcore/Death Metal] | Metal Blade Records | BC
Brain Dead - Satanic Penetration [BLASH] | M.A. Productions | BC
Tribal Gaze - Inveighing Brilliance [Death Metal] | Nuclear Blast Records | BC
Defigurement - Endbryo [Technical Grindcore] | Nefarious Industries | BC
Coroner - Dissonance Theory [Technical Thrash Metal] | Century Media Records | BC
Graveripper - From Welkin to Tundra [BLASH] | Wise Blood Records | BC
Silent Tombs - Mourning Hymns from Beyond [Doom/Death Metal] | Personal Records | BC
Argesk - Moonlight Pyromancy [Melodic Black Metal] | Matriarch Records | BC
Afsky - Fællesskab [Black Metal] | Eisenwald | BC
Dysylumn - Abstraction [Progressive Black/Death Metal] | Signal Rex | BC
Godskill - Unterm Scharlachroten Mond EP [Blackened Death Metal] | Gottesrache Records | [no BC link]
Kaksonen - Valo-olento [Progressive Thrash/Sludge Metal] | Inverse Records | BC
Le Ceneri - Nessun Dogma [Death Metal] | Independent | BC
Celesterre - Horror and Hope [Heavy/Black/Doom Metal] | Verdant Shadow Records | [no BC link]
Violent Testimony - Aggravate [Deathgrind/Thrash Metal] | Horror Pain Gore Death Productions | BC
Frantic Aggressor - Extinction [BLASH] | Folter Records | BC
Rotten Terror - No More Blood to Bleed [Deathgrind] | [no BC link]
Unto Others - I Believe in Halloween II EP [Gothic Rock] | Century Media Records | BC
Uaar - Galger og brann [Black/Thrash Metal] | Fysisk Format | BC
Morgue - Terre de cauchemars [Death/Black Metal] | Ascension Records | BC

2025-10-10

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 23:02:05 +0200

Sanguisugabogg - Hideous Aftermath [Death Metal] | Century Media Records | BC
Friendship Commanders - Bear [Sludge/Doom Metal/Noise Rock/Grunge] | Trimming the Shield Records | BC
Undersave - Merged in Abstract Perdition [Death Metal] | Transcending Obscurity Records | BC
Hæresis - Si Vis Pacem Para Bellvm [Post-Black Metal] | Vendetta Records | BC
Altars Ablaze - Indiscriminate Extermination [Death/Black Metal] | Lavadome Productions | BC
Vulnificus - Inclination [Brutal Death Metal] | Comatose Music | BC
Frayle - Heretics & Lullabies [Atmospheric Doom/Post-Metal] | Napalm Records | BC
Boltcutter - Still Broke [SLAM] | Bleakhouse | BC
Dead Heat - Process of Elimination [Crossover] | Metal Blade Records | BC
Terzij de Horde - Our Breath Is Not Ours Alone [Post-Black Metal] | Consouling Sounds | BC
Morke - To Carry On [Melodic Black Metal] | True Cult Records | BC
Testament - Para Bellum [Thrash Metal] | Nuclear Blast Records | BC
Blindfolded and Led to the Woods - The Hardest Thing About Being God Is That No One Believes Me [Technical/Avant-Garde Death Metal] | Prosthetic Records | BC
Turn Cold - Violent Breed [Crossover] | Upstate Records | BC
Ways to the Grave - Echoes of Extinction [Progressive Death Metal] | Independent | BC
Vile Apparition - Malignity [Death Metal] | Me Saco un Ojo Records | BC
Eldföd - Risen from the Flame EP [Death Metal] | Edged Circle Productions | BC
Protocol F40.1 - Fatalritual [Blackened Death Metal] | Warhorn Records | BC
Les Bâtards du Roi - Les chemins de l’exil [Melodic Black Metal] | Les Acteurs de l’Ombre Productions | BC
Heads for the Dead - Never Ending Night of Terror [Death Metal] | Pulverised Records | BC
Wretched Death - Sanity is a Curse [Deathgrind] | Independent | BC
Human Vivisection - Relentless Redemption [Brutal Death Metal] | Vivisect Merch | BC
All Hell - Sunsetter [BLASH/Punk] | Terminus Hate City Records | BC
Vendul - Castle Curtains [Punk/Black Metal] | Crawling Chaos | BC
Plague Curse - Verminous Contempt [Death/Black Metal] | Adirondack Black Mass | BC
Typhus - Fate Weaver [Speed/Thrash Metal] | Sleaszy Rider Records | BC
Reaping Flesh - Death Creeps [Black Metal/Punk] | Independent | BC

App Trap

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 13:17:24 +0200

Why does everything need to be an app?

Apps, specifically mobile apps, can be a double-edged sword. They provide a more streamlined and (often) optimized environment for the user. Unfortunately, they are also at the mercy of the two biggest mobile app distributors - Apple and Google.

A lot of the apps we have on our phones don’t even need to be apps. Sports results, e-shops, or weather apps work perfectly fine in any mobile browser. No need to install them as apps and provide them with all your data. And there are many more. Obviously, there are also apps which are best kept as apps. Music and video players, maps or image editors work best as apps.

I always try to use the web version of any service if possible. It should be in the service’s best interest to provide a working web version to the users, unless they are willing to become victims of app distributors’ decisions about whether to continue distributing them.

And both the biggest app distributors would rather side with their business interests than with the user’s interests. User < shareholder.

The recent examples are the take-downs of the ICE tracking apps in the US. Apple removed ICEBlock, the app that allowed users to report sightings of the ICE SS agents. Google removed a similar app just one day later. And yesterday Apple banned another app, which just archived videos of ICE abuses.

I am not going to write about Apple and Google being spineless capitalist whores to an authoritarian government. Plenty of articles have been written about that already.

What surprises me the most is that these apps didn’t have any web versions available. Apple or Google can’t ban a web page. If you put all your eggs in Google’s and Apple’s basket, don’t act surprised that you end up without the eggs sooner or later. I don’t know if it is just the creators’ naivety or inexperience, but if I were to create any kind of app or service that fights against the current regime, I would make sure it is not dependent on infrastructure provided by that government’s biggest sponsors.

Make more web apps. Then you don’t have to deal with bullshit like this and cry over the internet that your eggs got smashed by the notorious eggs smashers.

News Are Bad for Me

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 13:41:15 +0200

How I stopped reading the news

Everytime I plan something, I usually don’t follow through. I never planned to stop reading the news. Yet here I am - newsless.

I had several news sources in my RSS feed. Few days ago I realized I keep hitting the “Mark all as read” button all the time on these. I got bored with news. It’s too depressing. It’s too negative. It’s biased. It’s unnecessary.

I am not advocating for ignorance. I am just talking about news fatigue. The state, when there is simply too much information attacking my brain and I can’t cope with it.

All the news sources have been removed from my feed now. As well as the relevant subscriptions. How do I still get informed about important stuff? I don’t really know. I still find out about stuff. I do glance quickly through Kagi News these days. This gives me headlines and some bullet points.

But what about context? You can’t get that from headlines only, Bobo!

True. I just don’t want any context most of the time these days. If something is interesting to me, I will dig deeper into it. I decided that current affairs are not what steers my life from now on. I don’t care what stupid, fascist thing Trump did in the US. I don’t care how much money did Fico and his friends stole in Slovakia again. I don’t need to know every sentence Babiš told to the Czech president these days. It doesn’t help me in any way.

The realization that a constant news cycle is not needed is liberating. I hope, this will also help me with my unhealthy addiction to Reddit and my phone in general.

Baby steps. But important steps.

2025-10-03

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 12:25:14 +0200

Enragement - Extinguish All Existence [Death Metal] | Transcending Obscurity Records | BC
Sothoris - Domus Omnium Mortuorum [Black/Death Metal] | Fetzner Death Records | BC
Gorotica - Daily Grind of the Medieval Age [Deathgrind] | Independent | BC
Gorycz - Zasypia [Avant-garde Black Metal] | Piranha Music | BC
Cultic - Lore [Death/Doom Metal] | Eleventh Key | BC
Hooded Menace - Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration [Death/Doom Metal] | Season of Mist | BC
Orbstruct - Ostracism [Death Metal] | Paragon Records | BC
Horror Within - Soul Awakening [Technical Death Metal/Deathcore] | Dolorem Records | BC
Wode - Uncrossing the Keys [Death/Black Metal] | 20 Buck Spin | BC
Constrict - Kadavergehorsam [Deathgrind] | 7 Degrees Records | BC
Beneath the Kudzu - Birds Sing as the World Crumbles [Sludge/Doom Metal] | Independent | BC
Dispossessed - Dêmocide [Sludge/Doom Metal] | Carbonized Records | BC
Dolmen Gate - Echoes of Ancient Tales [Epic Heavy Metal] | No Remorse Records | BC
Lycantrophilia - The Tyranny of Decay [Melodic Black Metal] | Independent | BC
Galge - Dødelig [Death Metal] | Independent | [no BC link]
Unsouling - Outward Streams Of Devotional Woe [Experimental Black/Death Metal] | I, Voidhanger Records | BC
Smohalla - Ruina Draconis [Avant-garde Post-Black Metal] | I, Voidhanger Records | BC
Cruentus - End Without End [BLASH] | Kvlt und Kaos Productions | [no BC link]
Mørket - Del III: Dödsångestens fågelsång [Black Metal/Crust] | KHY Suomen Musiikki Oy | [no BC link]
Liminalanimal - Mùthadh [Black/Doom Metal] | Emanation Archive | BC
Sapata - Veins [Heavy/Doom Metal] | Independent | BC
Impure - The Devil Sees My Dreams [Black/Death Metal] | Independent | BC
Orbit Culture - Death Above Life [Melodic Death/Groove Metal] | Century Media Records | BC
Agriculture - The Spiritual Sound [Post-Black Metal] | The Flenser | BC
Suffering Hour - Impelling Rebirth EP [Avant-garde Black/Death Metal] | Profound Lore Records | BC
Ofermod – Drakosophia [Black/Death Metal] | Shadow Records | BC
.357 Homicide – Cremating the Dismembered [SLAM] | Empty Shells Records, Morbid Generation Records | [no BC link]
Ripping Remains – Necrodestiny [Death Metal] | Satanik Royalty Records | BC

2025-09-26

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 13:40:08 +0200

Korypheus - Gilgamesh [Progressive Metal/Rock] | M-Theory Audio | BC
Mors Principium Est - Darkness Invisible [Melodic Death Metal] | Perception/Reigning Phoenix Music | [no BC link]
Muggeseggel - Lällekönig [Deathgrind] | Kernkraftritter Records | BC
Amorphis - Borderland [Melodic/Progressive/Death/Heavy Metal] | Reigning Phoenix Music | BC
Revocation - New Gods, New Masters [Technical Death/Thrash Metal] | Metal Blade Records | BC
Christ Agony - Anthems [Melodic Black Metal] | Deformeathing Production | BC
Abraham - Idsungwüssä [Atmospheric Sludge/Post-Metal] | Pelagic Records | BC
Vintersorg - Vattenkrafternas spel [Viking/Folk/Progressive Metal] | Hammerheart Records | BC
Rage - A New World Rising [Heavy/Speed/Power Metal] | Steamhammer | BC
Tetragrammacide - Cyber-Tantric Paradigm of Radical Sri-Vidya [Black/Death Metal] | Iron Bonehead Productions | BC
Lebensstille - Abgrund Tief EP [Blackened Death Metal] | Fetzner Death Records | BC
Fauna - Ochre & Ash [Ambient Black Metal] | Prophecy Productions | BC
Frostmoon Eclipse - As Time Retreats [Black Metal] | Immortal Frost Productions | BC
Demiurgon - Miasmatic Deathless Chamber [Death Metal] | Transcending Obscurity Records | BC
Cosmic Reaper - Bleed the Wicked, Drown the Damned [Stoner/Doom Metal] | Heavy Psych Sounds Records | BC
Gjendød - Svekkelse [Black Metal] | Osmose Productions | BC
Kingdom - Primeval Cult of Strength in the Womb of Suffer [Death Metal] | Osmose Productions | BC
Abraded - Ethereal Emanations from Cthonic Caries [Deathgrind] | Redefining Darkness Records | BC
Ordeals - Third Rail Prayer [Black/Death/Doom Metal] | Eternal Death | BC
From the Crypt - Born in the Grave [Death Metal] | Raw Skull Recordz | BC
Warcoe - Upon Tall Thrones [Doom Metal] | Ripple Music | BC
PeelingFlesh - PF Radio 2 [SLAMBEATDOWNSLAM] | Unique Leader Records | BC
Infest - Ambassadors of Aggression [Death/Thrash Metal] | Violent Creek Records | BC
Blizaro - Light and Desolation [Progressive Rock/Doom Metal] | Nameless Grave Records | BC
Telesterion - Songs of Orpheus [Doom/Post-Metal] | Snow Wolf Records | BC
Occulsed - Antegnosis [Death Metal] | Everlasting Spew Records | BC
Voidlurker - Loathe for Life EP [Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal] | APF Records | BC
After Earth - Dark Night of the Soul [Melodic Death Metal] | Independent | BC
Zombie Eater - Faces [Sludge/Stoner/Doom Metal] | Argonauta Records | [no BC link]
Stone Machine Electric - Faces [Stoner/Sludge Metal] | Argonauta Records | BC
The Answer Lies in the Black Void - Transcendental [Atmospheric Doom Metal] | Independent | BC
Gutted Souls - Portals to Chaosium [Technical Brutal Death Metal] | Via Nocturna | BC
Last Retch – Abject Cruelty [Death Metal] | Time to Kill Records | BC

Spotify

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 13:25:37 +0200

My RSS reader is usually chock-full of articles about AI bubbles, whatever the US government did this time and environmental issues. My own fault, I know.

But more often, I also see articles about music streaming. Ditching them, switching them, praising them and shitting on them. Recently I read a blog post on Quailblog about pulling their music from Spotify.

One thing that stood out to me, was the fact, that they are not getting any stream revenue from Spotify, even when Spotify themselves are showing them, that they have more than the required amount of annual streams.

Every month, Spotify sends us our “Your month on Spotify!” showing how many people streamed our music. Ok that’s neat. Sure; but then I realized that so far, in every month of 2025, streams of our music on Spotify by these “active listeners” has been “ineligible” for revenue - with no explanation of why.

This is just the best capitalistic new-tech invention of all time! Set up some rules with questionable oversight, hidden behind a blackbox algorithm, controlled by a questionable company. Trust us! Everybody else is using our service, there is no need for you to be alerted!

People often tell me, that Spotify helped them discover new music. That might be true, if your primary music discovery prior Spotify was the fucking radio. But nowadays Spotify is even worse than your local radio station. Full with AI music, playlists generated not by the things you want to hear, but by labels paying to be included. Artists not being paid, service quality being entshittified every year. Once you become a music enjoyer it is time to leave Spotify.

I am not going to preach about how to consume music. People switch over to Tidal or Qobuz (if available in their country!). People switch to owning their own music library (my case). The best way to support artists you love is to buy their music, merch, support them by going to their gigs.¹

Obviously it makes no need to support artist Taylor Swift or Metallica, they have no trouble surviving. ↩︎

Six Months Later

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 18:06:54 +0200

Roughly six months ago, somewhere around the middle of March, I decided to give up alcohol. Completely. I didn’t have to, but I did it anyway. It came as a surprise to myself, especially because I come from an environment where drinking alcohol is a normal, even celebrated thing.

Out of nowhere, the thought of not drinking came to my mind. I thought about being sober a lot in March, when I was literally fighting against my brain and coming up with arguments why it is good. Nowadays I know why it is good. There are literally zero downsides to sobriety. Alcohol is unnecessary in my life and has no added value.

I survived big family occasions without drinking now. What is more important, I survived the questions and the remarks about me not drinking. It pissed me off at first. But I realised, people maybe don’t mean it in bad faith. They are just subconsciously justifying their drinking. Maybe. I also learned not to care about it anymore.

Nowadays, when faced with such questions, I just shrug them away. It’s really nobody’s business. I quit, because I felt my alcohol (especially beer) consumption was getting out of control, and I have a family and a life to care about. I wasn’t pushed by anyone, I didn’t find any new meaning in life.

Six months later, I rarely think about that. Along with cutting out beer, I cut sugar consumption too. Especially processed sugar. Doing this made me realise, how much stuff I do because I feel pressured by the society to do so. It’s not the time to list all the things, it’s just something to think about for the future.

I am happier and especially my sleep has improved a lot. During the week I rely only on tap water, coffee in the morning and green tea if I feel like it later. I even cut the non-alcoholic beers to a minimum. Every other weekend or so. I am still not missing anything. But I do like the thought that I remember what my son tells me when he is falling asleep and I don’t have four beers in me while my mind is turned off.

2025-09-19

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 13:10:53 +0200

Withered Land - Hall of the Dead [Hall of the Dead] | Earth and Sky Productions | BC
Castle Rat - The Bestiary [Doom Metal] | King Volume Records | BC
Hellbearer - Darker Fates [Thrash Metal] | Independent | BC
Paradise Lost - Ascension [Gothic Metal] | Nuclear Blast | BC
Abyssalis – Adaptation [Technical Death Metal] | Transcending Obscurity Records | BC
Jordsjuk - Naglet til livet [Black Metal] | Indie Recordings | BC
New World Depression - Abysmal Void [Death ’n’ Roll] | Testimony Records | BC
Novembers Doom - Major Arcana [Melodic Doom/Death Metal] | Prophecy Productions | BC
Werewolves - The Ugliest of All [Black/Death Metal] | Back on Black | BC
Ravager - From Us with Hate [Thrash Metal] | Iron Shield Records | BC
Meridian - Meridian [Heavy Metal] | Target Group | BC
Naevus - Back Home [Doom Metal] | Dying Victims Productions | BC
Sadistic Goatmessiah - Violence [BLASH] | Dying Victims Productions | BC
Heretoir - Solastalgia [Post-Black Metal] | AOP Records | BC
Vígljós - Tome II: Ignis Sacer [Black Metal] | Les Acteurs de l’Ombre Productions | BC
Krigsgrav - Stormcaller [Black/Death/Doom Metal] | Willowtip Records | BC
Kamra - Unending Confluence [Atmospheric Black Metal] | Avantgarde Music | BC
Nexion - Sundrung [Black/Death Metal] | Avantgarde Music | BC
Ancient Thrones - Melancholia [Blackened Death Metal] | Independent | BC
Tithe - Communion in Anguish [Death/Doom/Grindcore] | Profound Lore Records | BC
Undead - This Side of the Grave EP [Death Metal] | Edged Circle Productions | BC
Species - Changelings [Technical Thrash Metal] | 20 Buck Spin | BC
Vittra - Intense Indifference [Melodic Death/Thrash Metal] | Independent | BC
Henere - The Chosen Path [Black Metal] | War Productions | BC
Sölicitör - Enemy in Mirrors [Heavy/Speed Metal] | Gates of Hell Records | BC
Antiversum - De Nemesis Omnes et Omnia [Black/Death Metal] | Amor Fati Productions | [no BC link]
Gawthrop - Kuboa [Sludge/Doom Metal] | Sentient Ruin Laboratories | BC
Hadopelagyal - Haematophoryktos [Black/Death Metal] | Amor Fati Productions | [no BC link]
E.G.O.C.I.D.E. - Mortichnia [Crossover] | Dusktone | BC
Maahes - Nechacha [Black Metal] | Massacre Records | [no BC link]
Necrosferatul - The Last Days of Mankind [Raw Black ’n’ Roll because why not?] | Independent | BC
The Damnnation - Eyes of Despair [Thrash/Death Metal] | Independent | [no BC link]
Evilcult - Triumph of Evil [BLASH] | Awakening Records | BC
The Last Oblation - Asunder Dreams [Death Metal] | Independent | BC
Atomization - Remembrance [Cybergrind/Black Metal] | Independent | [no BC link]
Respiratory Secretion - Demo 2025 [Brutal Death Metal] | New Standard Elite | [no BC link]
Dying Remains - Merciless Suffering [Death Metal] | Maggot Stomp | BC

2025-09-12

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 12:46:04 +0200

I, Cursed - Heretical Onslaught [Deathgrind] | Inverse Records | BC
Bone Fetish - Bone Fetish [Goregrind] | Sentient Ruin Laboratories | BC
Crucible - Hail to the Force [Speed Metal] | From the Vaults | BC
Der Weg einer Freiheit - Innern [Black Metal] | Season of Mist | BC
Cea Serin - The World Outside [Prog] | Generation Prog Records | BC
Unaligned - A Form Beyond [Progressive/Technical Death Metal] | Transcending Obscurity Records | BC
Moribund Oblivion - Intertemporal [Black Metal] | Theogonia Records | BC
Cheap Gas - Altars of Patrician Genocide [Grindcore/Crust Punk] | Independent | BC
NecroticGoreBeast - Brute EP [SLAM] | Comatose Music | BC
Revelator - Light the Devil’s Fire [Black/Death Metal] | Nameless Grave Records | BC
Infernal Thorns - Christus Venari [Death Metal] | Personal Records | BC
Heruvim - Mercator [Death Metal] | Redefining Darkness Records | BC
Caesarean - Wretched Decrepitude [Death Metal] | Horror Pain Gore Death Productions | BC
Golden Serpent - Lullabies from Hell [Death/Black Metal] | Sleaszy Rider Records | BC
Winternius - Underwater Darkness [Black Metal] | Dusktone | BC
Vitrectomy - Valediction Universe [Brutal Death Metal] | Pathologically Explicit Recordings | BC
Dying Remains – Merciless Suffering [Death Metal] | Maggot Stomp | BC
Bloodfed – Pandemonium [Death Metal] | Independent | BC
Infectious Algorithm – Mechanism [Technical Death Metal] | Pathologically Explicit Recordings | BC
Yotuma – The Final Void [Death Metal] | Independent | BC
Abyssalis – Adaptation [Technical Death Metal] | Transcending Obscurity Records | BC
Must Kill - Condemned to Torture [Thrash/Death Metal] | Independent | BC

2025-09-05

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 11:34:42 +0200

Nailed to Obscurity - Generation of the Void [Melodic Doom/Death Metal] | Nuclear Blast | BC
Imperialist - Prime [Black Metal] | Transcending Obscurity Records | BC
Jord - Emellan träden [Atmospheric Doom/Black Metal] | Hammerheart Records | BC
Progeny of Sun - Prophets of the Void [Blackened Death Metal] | Inverse Records | BC
Condition Critical - Degeneration Chamber [Thrash Metal] | Independent | [no BC link found]
Cult Burial - Collapse of Pattern, Reverence of Dust [Black/Death/Doom Metal] | Independent | BC
Korp - And Darker It Shall Become [Black/Thrash Metal] | Grind to Death Records | BC
Shellshock - The Weak Die First [Death Metal] | Independent | BC
Trypanon - Through the Portal of Flesh to Achieve Divinity [Black/Sludge Metal] | Time to Kill Records | BC
Ritual Mass - Cascading Misery [Death Metal] | 20 Buck Spin | BC
Faetooth - Labyrinthine [Sludge/Doom/Post-Metal] | The Flenser | BC
Hasard - Abgnose [Avant-Garde Black Metal] | I, Voidhanger Records | BC
Autrest - Burning Embers, Forgotten Wolves [Atmospheric Black Metal] | Northern Silence Productions | BC
Blood Offer - All That Dies..Is Forsaken [Death/Thrash Metal] | Iron Fortress Records | BC
Bent Sea - The Dormant Ruin [Grindcore] | Independent | BC
Dark Angel - Extinction Level Event [Thrash Metal] | Reversed Records | [no BC link found]
Erosion - Invasive Species [Crust/Grindcore/Sludge] | Mechanized Apparatus Revolt | BC
Pile Of Knives - No Light [Deathcore] | Independent | BC
Gurgitate - Baptised In Bile [SLAM] | Independent | BC
Tine - A Winter Horrorscape [Symphoblack] | Independent | BC
Fleshwater - 2000: In Search Of The Endless Sky [Alt-Metal] | Closed Casket Activities | BC
Green Carnation - A Dark Poem Part I: The Shores Of Melancholia [Progressive Metal] | Season of Mist | BC
Violator - Unholy Retribution [Thrash Metal] | Independent | BC

2025-08-29

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 08:49:32 +0200

Seroth - Nebula [Techdeath] | Independent | BC
Hexrot - Formless Ruin of Oblivion [Progressive Death Metal] | Transcending Obscurity Records | BC
Zatokrev - …Bring Mirrors to the Surface [Doom/Death/Sludge Metal] | Pelagic Records | BC
Suotana - Ounas II [Melodic Death/Power Metal] | Reaper Entertainment | BC
Khnvm - Cosmocrator [Death Metal] | Testimony Records | BC
Imperishable - Revelation in Purity [Death/Black Metal] | Everlasting Spew Records | BC
Pilgrimage - From Amber to Sun [Doom/Death Metal] | Meuse Music Records | BC
Deathhammer - Crimson Dawn [BLASH] | Hells Headbangers Records | BC
Necrokinesis - Death Is the Hammer [Death/Thrash Metal] | Independent | BC
Proscription - Desolate Divine [Blackened Death Metal] | Dark Descent Records | BC
Crimson Butchery - Stalker [Brutal/Technical Death Metal] | Iron Fortress Records | BC
!T.O.O.H.! - Po ovoci poznáte je [Progressive Death Metal/Grindcore] | Lavadome Productions | BC
Spire of Lazarus - Those Who Live in Death [Technical Deathcore] | Reality Fade Records | BC
Ethereal Wound - Defile | Demise [Atmospheric Black/Death Metal] | Independent | BC
Temair - The Allure of the Wild [Black/Death Metal] | Independent | BC
In Shame - Looming [Crust Punk/Sludge/Doom] | Transylvanian Recordings | BC
A Man Named Onigumo - The Marrow Mirror [Progressive/Brutal Death Metal] | Independent | BC
Jeneva - Centralia [Experimental Metal] | FHMA Records | [no link found]
Biolence - Violent Obliteration [Thrash/Death] | Doomed Records | [no link found]
Fleshmower - Sentenced EP [SLAM] | Vile Tapes Records | BC
Helloween - Giants & Monsters [Power Metal] | Victor | [no BC link]
Porenut - Výstup k svätej Kunde [Black Metal] | Independent | BC

Our Freedom

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 08:47:06 +0200

Lately, I made a promise to myself to follow politics less. It is a game in which I am always a sore loser, and I honestly don’t like that. Politics and politicians are like junkies, getting addicted to power the moment they sense it, and they never let go.

However, I can’t escape the abhorrent stupidity they spread around. So naturally, some news reach me. Mostly about how no politician seems to understand technology, but would like to rule it.

Chat Control is again on the menu in Brussels, a law so bad, it makes the politicians in Eastern Europe look good. An act of tyranny so brazen, it makes me wonder where are the people. The proposed law would make an end to end-to-end encryption, not just for your messages in Signal or Whatsapp, but for your mails, for the encryption used in other protocols too. Because once you break the encryption for one, what is stopping the politicians to break other or even worse, what is stopping the actual bad actors to break all of it?

But no politician ever thought about it for longer than few minutes, because frankly, most of them don’t have the mental capacity for such things. They were elected based on empty promises by a handful of people, and think they know better. A story as old as politics itself.

Encryption must not be touched by anyone, it is one of the few guarantees of personal freedom in the ever-connected online world. Now, don’t you start thinking that I am some grumpy libertarian spewing nonsense messages about personal freedom. I am not. Libertarianism is a failed concept with so many loop-holes it literally defeats its own purpose most of the time.

Saying “we are doing this to protect the children” or “the law enforcement agencies need this to combat crime” is basically saying “we have no idea how to solve these problems without limiting the freedom of you all, but it’s a sacrifice we are willing to make”. And as the political standard goes, this obviously won’t apply to them, because if there is somebody with things to hide besides actual criminals, it’s politicians. And the Venn diagram for these two groups is often just a circle.

What bothers me the most, that even political parties, which are vocal supporters of democratic processes and personal freedoms in their own countries are just giving up one of the most important rights of their voters. It’s like in EU if you criticise any proposal made by the “democratic” parties you are labeled anti-EU. The fractions there work like a sheep factories, regurgitating whatever nonsense the bigger countries need to peddle to satisfy their leader.

I like the EU, I support it and I think it is the best thing that happened to Europe as a whole, to Slovakia my home country and to Czechia my now-home country. But I understand why more and more people are fed up with it. And now a lot of people like me, who are pro-EU, are getting fed up with it, which is the worst outcome for EU itself, and the best outcome for foreign saboteurs.

Please stop this nonsense and start protecting your people again!

2025-08-22

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 11:41:10 +0200

2025-08-15

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 13:17:21 +0200

Baest - Colossal [Death Metal] | Century Media Records | BC 5/10
Warmen - Band of Brothers [Melodic Death/Power Metal] | Reaper Entertainment | [no BC link]
Unleashed - Fire upon Your Lands [Napalm Sounding Death Metal] | Napalm Records $ew$ | BC - is there a reason, except greed, why Napalm refuses to release their albums on BC for streaming? I guess greed it is. Zero out of ten.
Grand Cadaver - The Rot Beneath EP [Death Metal] | Majestic Mountain Records | BC 5/10
The Final Witness - Beneath the Altar [Progressive Thrash/Groove Metal] | Rottweiler Records | BC DNF
Cthonica - Bone Altars of the Vanished Sun [Black/Death Metal] | Sentient Ruin Laboratories | BC 5/10 - apparently it is out since June 8?
Panopticon - Laurentian Blue [Atmoblack/Folk/Americana] | Bindrune Recordings | BC
Lotan - Yetzer Hara [Meloblack] | Emanzipation Productions | BC 5/10
Castrator - Coronation of the Grotesque [Death Metal] | Dark Descent Records | BC 5/10
Compulsed - Amalgamated Anguish [Brutal Death Metal] | Iron Fortress Records | BC 7/10
God’s Funeral - El despertar dels morts [Doom/Death Metal] | Total Därkness Propaganda, Meuse Music Records | BC
Nekro Cvlt Desecration - Purification in the Witchcraft Flames [BLASH] | Destruktor Records | BC 7/10
Fell Omen - Caelid Dog Summer [Black Metal/Punk] | True Cult Records | BC 6/10
Cruel Bomb - Cruel Bomb [Thrash Metal] | Independent | BC 5/10
Tedd Deireadh - Fight to Death [Melodeath] | Via Nocturna | BC
Unknown Subject - Democracies Die! EP [Death Metal] | Independent | BC
Obscenum - In the Depths of Impurity EP [Death Metal] | Independent | [no BC link]
Phosphorus - Frail Grasp of Broken Hands [Black/Post-metal] | Independent | BC
Anthrodynia - Unspeakable Horrors Emanating from Within [Death/Doom] | Nameless Grave Records | BC

2025-08-08

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 13:21:51 +0200

Thorn - Nebulous Womb of Eternity [Death/Doom Metal] | Transcending Obscurity Records | BC 5/10
Crypt Sermon - Saturnian Appendices EP [Epic Doom Metal] | Dark Descent Records | BC 6/10
Sinsaenum - In Devastation [Blackened Death/Groove Metal] | earMUSIC | [no BC link found] 5/10
Phantom Fire - Phantom Fire [Blash] | Edged Circle Productions | BC 5/10
Cytolysis - Surge of Cruelty [Brutal Death Metal] | Comatose Music | BC 5/10
Malthusian - The Summoning Bell [Black/Death Metal] | Relapse Records | BC 5/10
Paralysis - Spiral of Suffering [Crossover] | Independent | [no BC link found]
Cemetery - Thoughts on Life… and Death [Death Metal] | Independent | BC 5/10
Pustulant Flesh - Gurgling Pustulence [Death Metal] | Extremely Rotten Productions | BC 7/10
Mehrwertsteuer - Krone der Schöpfung [Melodic Black/Death Metal] | Independent | BC Sewer Haul - Torso Mangled Beyond Repair [Hardgore] | Extremely Rotten Productions | BC 8/10

2025-08-01

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 13:22:51 +0200

2025-07-25

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 13:25:56 +0200

Haxprocess - Beyond What Eyes Can See [Techdeath/Thrash] | Transcending Obscurity Records | BC 6/10
Hemelbestormer - The Radiant Veil [Post-Metal] | Pelagic Records | BC DSQ
Azure Emote - Cryptic Aura [Avant-garde Death Metal] | Testimony Records | BC 5/10
Goblinsmoker - The King’s Eternal Throne [Sludge/Doom] | APF Records | BC 4/10
Beheaded - Għadam [Brutal Death Metal] | Agonia Records | BC 5/10
Kill Everything - Headless Cum Dumpster [SLAM] | Comatose Music | BC 4/10
Iron Spell - From the Grave [Heavy Metal] | Dying Victims Productions | BC 3/10
Temptress - Catch the Endless Dawn [Heavy Metal] | Dying Victims Productions | BC 4/10
False Gods - Lost in Darkness and Distance [Doom/Sludge] | Seeing Red Records | BC 5/10
Dehuman Reign - Dawn of a Malefic Dominion [Death Metal] | F.D.A. Records | BC 4/10
Atomic Witch - Death Etiquette [Thrash/Death Metal] | Redefining Darkness Records | BC 5/10
Bloodletter - Leave the Light Behind [Melodic Thrash Metal] | Wise Blood Records | BC 5/10
Arkhaaik - Uihtis [Blackened Death/Doom Metal but looks like black metal] | Eisenwald | BC 5/10
Kontusion - Insatiable Lust for Death [Death Metal] | Profound Lore Records | BC 7/10
Verdalack - Force from the Grave [Speed Metal from Japan] | Hells Headbangers Records | BC 7/10
Deliquesce - Saviour / Enslaver [Brutal Death Metal] | Daze | BC 7/10
Cordyceps - Hell Inside [Brutal Death Metal] | Unique Leader Records | BC 5/10
Scalp - Not Worthy of Human Compassion [Death Metal/Grindcore/Hardcore] | Closed Casket Activities | BC 6/10
Abyssery - Interminable End [Death Metal] | Independent | BC 5/10
Tomb of Annihilation - Execration Rites [Death Metal] | Independent | BC 5/10
Malformed - Confinement of Flesh [Death Metal] | Dark Descent Records | BC 7/10
No Shelter - Remission / Resolve [Death Metal/Hardcore] | Independent | BC

Adding these three, because friend Semaphore insisted I should add them:

Jordfäst - Blodsdåd och hor [Black Metal apparently with cleans] | Black Lion Records | BC
モノノフ - 出雲颪 (Izumo Oroshi) [Death/Thrash Metal] | Zero Dimensional Records | BC digital album not available, because they are from Japan and it seems this is their tradition to keep music out of reach
Pulpit Vomit - Hospital Lens [Grindcore] | Rottweiler Records | [no BC link found]

2025-07-18

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 13:27:17 +0200

2025-07-11

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 13:30:44 +0200

Floating - Hesitating Lights [Death Metal/Progressive/Post-Punk] | Transcending Obscurity Records | BC
Angerot - Seofon [Death Metal] | Redefining Darkness Records | BC
Imperial Crystalline Entombment - Abominable Astral Summoning [Black Metal] | Debemur Morti Productions | BC
Toxic Youth - Still Hungry [Hardcore/Crossover/Thrash/Punk] | Time To Kill Records | BC
Hell - Submersus [Sludge/Drone/Doom Metal] | Sentient Ruin Laboratories | BC
Symphobia - Hideously Traumatic [Brutal Death Metal] | Comatose Music | BC
Disembodiment - Spiral Crypts [Death Metal] | Everlasting Spew Records | BC
Impureza - Alcázares [Hispanic Extreme Metal/Brutal Flamenco Death Metal] | Season of Mist | BC
Décryptal - Simulacre [Death Metal] | Me Saco Un Ojo Records & Rotted Life | BC
Augmented Existence - Edifice of Mortal Struggle [Atmospheric Black Metal/Synthwave/Darksynth] | Independent | BC
Cronos Compulsion - Lawgiver [Death-Doom/Chaotic Metal/Noise] | Unorthodox Emanations (Avantgarde Music) | BC
Carcariass - A Cold Black Day [Death Metal/Heavy Metal] | Adipocere Records | BC
Impulse Noise - …Such Is Life [Grindcore] | Independent | BC
Grotesquerie - Uninhabited Plane [Death Metal/Grindcore] | Iron Fortress Records | BC
Kakothanasy - Metagonism [Brutal Death Metal] | Amputated Vein Records | BC

2025-07-04

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 13:35:29 +0200

2025-06-27

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 13:41:15 +0200

2025-06-06

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 13:42:58 +0200

2025-05-30

Fri, 30 May 2025 13:44:29 +0200

2025-05-23

Fri, 23 May 2025 13:47:43 +0200

Search for the right RSS Client

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 14:20:32 +0200

RSS/Atom remains one of my favourite pieces of technology. A simple solution to a huge problem - how to follow news and articles without getting overloaded?

RSS certainly already hit its prime maybe 10 years ago and gradually fell out of the mainstream view after Google discontinued their Google Reader RSS feed application, and when Facebook and Twitter replaced news for most people. I admit, I too stopped using RSS for some time, seeing as I could just get all the stuff from algorithms which were presented to me at that time.

I came back. Algorithms are nice in theory and definitely useful in some cases, however in the hands of greedy capitalists they just turn into a money printing machine. By feeding the users whatever keeps them scrolling. Without any thought about the impact. RSS is the opposite of this approach. It requires the user to think. To think what to follow. I have to curate my RSS collection. I also treat it as a collection, a library of useful sites I enjoy reading.

This is why I need an RSS feed reader in my life. And to find a good one means work.

For the past few years I have been using FreshRSS. A self-hosted solution based on PHP that was both simple and complicated at the same time. But it worked for my needs. Until it didn’t. I started to see more and more feed errors and I just simply couldn’t look at them anymore. I didn’t mind its kinda clunky user interface or general slowness, RSS is not a fast-paced world, its main advantage is that you have time, nothing gets lost in an never-ending stream of new content if you login an hour later. But the random errors started to get distracting. FreshRSS is still a solid product and I would recommend to anyone who is willing to put time into maintaining it for them. I just don’t have that time.

I started my search for a new tool. And immediately asked myself - “Does it need to be self-hosted or is local just fine?”.

Generally I check my feeds on two devices only - my Mac and my Pixel. Local client would mean a painful maintenance of the reader feeds library on two devices. Nothing terrible, but nothing great either. But since I am using a Pixel now, there simply isn’t any “good enough” reader that wouldn’t irk me in some way. Most of the FOSS RSS readers have questionable design choices. Either they look like they have been styled by the most anti-social backend engineer on the team or they just waste precious space.

I used to use NetNewsWire on both, the Mac and the iPhone (when I used it). It was good enough, synced over iCloud and the Mac version seemed to be very stable, but would suffer sometimes from random drags.

Self-hosted option was the clear answer so I started looking for another one. I immediately pre-selected three candidates and tried them out: Miniflux, CommaFeed and Fusion.

Fusion got eliminated right away. However I tried to import my existing feeds list, it just either didn’t accept it, or it didn’t create the categories for the feeds.

CommaFeed simply works. It is fast, looks great both on mobile and desktop, the list of articles (I always opt for the most compact list as possible) is nicely structured and easy to navigate through.

Miniflux worked like a charm from the beginning and its minimalistic UI is cute. It is sometimes a bit confusing and not easy to read, but once I got used to the UI, I started to appreciate it. I’ve setup an instance on Pikapods about a week ago and since then haven’t seen any issues with my RSS consumption. Miniflux seems to just work, I don’t have to dedicate any time to figuring out any issues or settings and Pikapods is actually a nice platform for such instances (btw they also offer all the other RSS readers I mentioned).

2025-04-04

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 13:55:28 +0200

2025-03-21

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 13:58:29 +0200

2025-03-07

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 14:01:02 +0200

2025-02-28

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 14:04:22 +0200

2025-02-21

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:06:12 +0200

2025-01-31

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 14:11:51 +0200

Another Friday, another list to check out. Sorted roughly in the order I intend to listen.

2025-01-24

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 14:13:52 +0200

New year, same list format.

A relatively average release Friday. Avatarium, Fleshbore and Discordant Meditation are the only bands who really stepped up this time. Loved the bluesy/stonery doom rock from Avatarium, the gurgling, insane vocals and noodly bass work on Fleshbore and the raw and intense approach of Discordant Meditation.

The crown goes to Můra which is not even on this list, since they released their EP Needle Cathedral on the 20th January. But what a wonderfully, filthy and violent slab of death/doom from Prague! [link to the album]

Mullvad Does Advertisement Right

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 14:22:22 +0200

Seen at: https://mullvad.net/en/blog/2024/10/24/advertising-that-targets-everyone

Mullvad, one of the best VPN providers out there, knows how to do advertisement right. No trackers, no annoying banners, just old-school public ads in the wild.

Great use of powerful slogans, easy to read and with bright colours, this is one of the best ad campaigns by a tech company in recent years.