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Aeonian Sorrow - From The Shadows

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Aeonian Sorrow is a doom metal band from both Finnish and Greek origins who formed in 2015. Their latest release, “ From The Shadows ” is their second EP; they have also released two full-lengths. I've been a fan since the beginning although this is the first time I have reviewed them. For those unfamiliar, the band mixes a lot of doom styles into their sound, including death, funeral, Melodic, Gothic and even some black metal elements.  With a runtime of over 30 minutes, “ From The Shadows ” offers a substantial amount of music with a lot of depth.  This isn’t an EP of short songs, live cuts, or bonus tracks.  This is made up of full songs that are as good as anything else the band has done. Although certainly consisting of stellar musicians that each deserve praise, the crown jewel of the band is Gogo Melone , whose keys and ever impressive vocals push the band to constant heights.  Alongside the other vocalist, Joel Notkonen , the band presents their ideas with th...
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Scour - Gold

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Scour is an extreme metal band from the United States that formed in 2015.  Their latest release, “ Gold ,” is their full-length debut; they have also released three EPs.   Unless you have been under a grave or catatonic,  Scour is a super group of sorts that most notably features the legendary Philip H. Anselmo on vocals.  He can be quite the controversial figure but I’m not here to discuss any of that.  I want to talk about how kick ass Scour’s debut full-length is.   Phil’s vocals have aged amazingly well, actually seem to get better with age.  If I was unfamiliar with him, I probably wouldn’t even guess this is him on vocals—he’s absolutely brutal and uncompromising across the album.  The band itself is made up of well known musicians as well:  bassist John Jarvis ( Agoraphobic Nosebleed , All Will Fall ), Derek Engemann ( Cast The Stone , Stormruler ), Adam Jarvis ( Pig Destroyer , Lock Up . Misery Index ), and Mark Kleppel ( ...
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Malacath - Eternal Roar of the Thunder and Rain

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Malacath Is a black metal band from New Hampshire who formed in 2011. Their latest release, “ Eternal Roar of the Thunder and Rain ,” is their fifth full-length album; they have also released a demo, compilation, two splits and three EPs. Malacath has always been under the atmospheric side of black metal and this latest release isn't any different. It's also melancholic and frigid—it works well for the album because it keeps the raw roots and aggressive nature of the genre intact even through the long songs and their twists and turns. Some may be turned off by the long songs but not me.  Their length allows for each song to bring a lot of different styles into it.  Atmospheric music needs these longer lengths and Malacath handles them well—each song is engaging and I was never waiting for the seconds to tick by.  The album begins with the title track—-a literal storm begins with ominous, deep tones casting shadows among the rain and thunder.  It’s cinematic in scope ...
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Ghostsmoker - Inertia Cult

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Ghostsmoker is a doom metal band from Australia, who formed in 2021. Their latest release, “ Inertia Cult ,” is their full-length debut; they have also released a demo and an EP. This album is fantastic! I had, and still having, a really good time with it.  Their doomed out sound is mixed with sludge and blackened elements, resulting in a massive and abrasive album. It's more catchy than music of this weight caliber usually is—it is full to bursting with low riffs and sweltering grooves.  I love how atmospheric it can be as well, using clean tones to expand the songs or push them in a different direction.  Unlike most bands that inject heavy doses of atmo elements in their songs, Ghostsmoker doesn’t really ebb and flow like a pendulum going back and forth.  Instead, they only give the songs just what they need.  The songs aren’t overly long but neither are they short so in many ways they are to the point, with crisp, tight songwriting without being simple or com...
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Arkaist - Aube Noire

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Arkaist is a black metal band from France that formed in 2023.  After just a couple of years of existence, they have dropped their full-length debut album, “ Aube Noire .”  This is a mature effort that immediately puts the band on a good, strong path.  According to the press release, the album was inspired by a growing atmosphere of anxiety while exploring themes of decadence, loss of bearing and growling isolation in a society in decline.   That’s a lot of heavy, in depth subject matter but it fits the album’s atmosphere well.  It’s a dark album with its own identity that leans into a raw format (but not overly so) with well-thought song compositions.  The atmosphere is as icy as it is bleak but doesn’t stop the band from having a raging fury.   Although I like black metal of all styles, I tend to prefer the stuff that takes the tried and true formula of the genre’s roots and uses it as a jumping board of sorts to forge a new identity all t...
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Harvest Of Ash - Castaway

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Harvest Of Ash is a doom metal band from Salt Lake City, Utah.  They hit the scene in 202 with their “ Deadlights ” EP; their latest release, “ Castaway ,” is their second full-length album. Apparently, each of the album’s five songs act as a chapter in the tale of confronting and overcoming chaos.  This idea was born out of the band going through a particular hard time while writing the album.  I’m not exactly sure what happened but I can certainly feel the emotion in each of the songs.   The band’s doom sound also includes some post-elements and can be as melodic as it is heavy. It's also very bass focused, which is great.  I love how the melodies and guitar often revolve around the bass; it’s like a powerful center from which the music revolves around, resulting in what I call an ‘orbital hurricane.’   The production and mix sticks out just as much as the powerful, emotive songwriting too.  The album has a loud, huge sound too but nothing...
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Dessiderium - Keys to the Palace

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Dessiderium is a one-man metal band from the United States that hit the scene in 2011 with a self-titled demo.  Under this banner, musician Alex Haddad has released five albums, with “ Keys to the Palace ,” being the latest of those.  My first encounter with his music was the previous full-length, “ Aria ,” in 2021.  Although I did not review it, I did greatly enjoy it.  Unfortunately, I have yet to check out the other three albums (I’m very busy, sorry!) so it's my only frame of reference when comparing anything to this latest opus. As far as my humble opinion goes, “ Keys to the Palace ,” takes everything that made “ Aria ” so damn good and expands them.  There is a better balance between light and dark elements, and everything has a very natural flow.  There is a better grasp on the more progressive elements, with both the melodic and extreme side of the project better integrated into it all. The production and mix are impeccable.  The volume is ju...
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