Album Review: Crown Magnetar – The Hollowing Of Godflesh (Unique Leader Records)

Tech deathcore heavies Crown Magnetar are back with their brand-new album, ‘The Hollowing of Godflesh’, out September 25th, 2026, via Unique Leader Records.

A bristling showcase of savagery, Crown Magnetar have looked to the more brutal past of the death metal and combined that intensity with the sound of slamming groove, and I absolutely dig it. Ten focused and brutish efforts that guarantee gurns, especially when played loud.

Is it different then other brutal deathcore and slamming death metal albums? Not really, but it does have more unique Crown Magnetar touches that help it stand out. Such as a strong technical focus that adds even more sharpness in places, even more bludgeoning intensity, and an overall sense of chaos that feels by design. This is a storm, but it’s a storm created and controlled by a very talented band.

So, where to start?

From the moment Gun Eater comes crashing out of the gates, it’s abundantly clear that this is going to be Crown Magnetar at their heaviest. The pulverising drums, the viciousness of the riffs, the garish guttural vocal growls and screams, and the impending sense of doom that comes from layers of atmosphere. It’s less than two minutes long, and it sets the bar high.

It also shows that even with different tempos, varied approaches to groove, and shifting breakdowns, it’s unrelenting heaviness. Desecrate Infinite, Domination, Impaled Genesis, and the title track make up the first half of the record, and each absolutely crushes. Bristling anger, unbridled intensity, and a feral approach to heaviness that stays with you.

It’s a tight listen too, with only a handful of track passing the three-minute mark. Two of them come next, namely Godkiller and Shut Up and Bleed. The former is so fast but breaks down in filthy fashion near the end. Whereas the latter is a vocal display of demonic proportions, something given more weight with layered atmosphere.

From there, it is a destructive and devastating race to the finish with a series of technically charged, slam-inducing vehement efforts. From the explosive Torture Engine, to the twisted Sculptures of Suffering, to the brain-mashing and skull-busting heft of Dead Crown. Nothing ground-breaking, but plenty to please those who like their deathcore to come with furious focus and with just a bit more of an edge.

Crown Magnetar – The Hollowing of Godflesh Track Listing:

1. Gun Eater
2. Desecrate Infinite
3. Domination
4. Impaled Genesis
5. The Hollowing of Godflesh
6. Godkiller
7. Shut Up and Bleed
8. Torture Engine
9. Sculptures Of Suffering (feat. Heath Thompson of Flesh Carving)
10. Dead Crown

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