Lair Of The Minotaur I Hail I Review

Lair Of The Minotaur

I HAIL I

Grind-House Records

2026

Chicago’s savage trio LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR will deliver their monstrous fifth album – their first in sixteen years – unveiling the merciless I HAIL I, confirmed for release through The Grind-House Records on May 1st.

I guess I’ve been living under a rock because this was my first introduction to Lair of the Minotaur. What a dive into what I would call, heavy f**king metal.

It’s a soundscape of perfection. It’s brutal and bleak. It invokes feelings of anger. This album stacks up there with metal giants. I feel like I could gush on and on about it. There’s just this…rawness, this grittiness that they bring with this album.

Now that could be due to the extended break. Not releasing music for 16 years is a heavy build up. And what a gift to give us listeners. The mix is perfect. The vocals are honestly very impressive. I’ll forever tip my hat to people who can access that part of their vocal cords without frying them.

I’ve sat on this for days trying to think of who I can compare these guys to and honestly, I’ve come up blank. They’re in a realm all their own. One in which I’m sure Hades is blasting their music in.

Horns up y’all and give this a spin!

~Rook