Doomed For Metal Reviews

Imperishable is a blackened death metal band based in South Carolina, who formed in 2020.  “ Revelation In Purity ,” is their debut full-length album.  I knew going in this would be a tight album, considering the pedigree of those involved.  Alex Rush ( Enthean , Olkoth ), Brian Kingsland ( Enthean , Nile ) and Derek Roddy ( Council of the Fallen , Khavar , ex- Hate Eternal , ex- Malevolent Creation ) are all involved.   “ Revelation In Purity ,” is an interesting album to me because it sounds pretty similar to what I imagined it might be.  After jamming it quite a bit, I have to say my original thoughts hold true but with the added bonus of the blackened elements which, while not unexpected, for some didn’t enter into my original thoughts as to what the band might conjure up.  The clean vocals were also not on my radar, although I have no complaints about their tasteful incorporation.  Although the members’ own bands have an obvious influenc...

Heteropsy is a Japanese death/doom band who formed in 2020.  After releasing four EPs and a split album, they are ready to drop their massive full-length debut album, “ Embalming .’  The band’s brand of extremity combines the classic HM-2 Finnish death metal sound with death/doom for a style their press release called “Mourning Death metal.”  Sure, why not?  Whatever you want to call it: this album is the balls.  The atmosphere is both suffocating and eerie; if I was alone in a cave and fell down a pit and broke both my legs and had nothing to eat but a peanut butter sandwich, this album would probably be playing in the background.  Until my phone went dead, then I would also die. Anyway, “ Embalming ,” has a unique flavor to it at times.  The first song, “ The Dawning ,” has a killer solo and galloping riffs, sounding like an extreme version of NWOBHM but ends with crashing drums and doomy riffs as it fades into the first full-length song, “ Pandemon...

Suffering is a black/doom metal band from United Kingdom who formed in 2012. “ Things Seen but Always Hidden ,” is their second full-length album; they have also released two EPs. Blackened Doom is always a treat to my ears—the downtrodden nature of extreme doom pairs perfectly (or is that imperfectly?) with the natural misanthropic of black metal. Suffering 's brand is quite convincing due in large part to not being afraid of switching the tempo up past what doom normally wrestles with but, at the same time, they are never more convincing than when they slow it down to a dismal crawl to let their horrific brand of misery get really dirty. The production is exactly what I want for music of this type: not truly raw but definitely gritty and cold as the grave. But the mix is on point too. Check out the opening moments of “ The House with the Red Door .” The clean toned ebb and flow with a bottomless depth that is just as stark as the metal passages. The band doesn't mind lett...

When Nothing Remains is a death/doom band from Sweden who formed in 2010. They had a hiatus in 2019 but returned to the scene in 2021. I first fell in love with the Gothic death/doom side of the genre when I discovered bands like My Dying Bride , Tristania , Theatre of Tragedy and Draconian 20 years ago. Having elements of these bands, When Nothing Remains intrigued me when I discovered them with their third album, “ In Memoriam .” I’m very glad they are back! The fourth full-length album from Sweden's When Nothing Remains called “ Echoes of Eternal Night ,” is a modern day version of those legendary bands and albums of yester year. If every album was this good, the world might actually be worth two shits in a bucket.  Every element is on point across the album's four song, 41 minute runtime. The compositions don't flow around any certain element but instead swirl together as one massive sound. But it doesn't sound like any impenetrable wall but instead a flowi...

Humanity Zero is a doom/death metal band from Greece, who formed in 2003. Their latest album, “ Cursed Be the Gift of Life ,” is their sixth full-length album; they have also released two demos and an EP. This is my first experience with them—and I’m blown away. I mean, I shouldn’t be surprised—they are Greek. Although doom isn’t the first genre I think of when it comes to Greece, this is yet another album worthy of the immortal Greek metal scene, regardless of subgenre. The vocals on this album are insane—growls straight from the gut with a razor sharp edge to them. They are huge, scary and backed with raw emotion. With that being said, they don't overtake the music—the stellar production and mix keeps everything even and on the same playing field. The result is “Cursed Be the Gift of Life ,” sounding monolithic and encompassing.  Interestingly, the album isn't overly long–its five songs have a total runtime of about 45 minutes. That may seem short for doom but it makes...

Shades of Deep Water is a funeral doom metal band from Finland, who formed in 2006. It's actually a one-man project/band from musician J.H. ( In Depths of Winter , Sarajah ) and “ The Years On Borrowed Time ” is the fifth full-length album under this moniker; three demos, three EPs, two compilations and a split have also been released. I've been following this band for awhile now and it just gets better over time, becoming one of my favorites in the doom scene. What I've always liked about the band, and an element that “ The Years …” has a firm grasp on, is how well the songs are put together. Across the albums 4 song, 41 minute runtime, there isn't one moment where the songs get lost within their own sound. The album is, of course, slow but never plodding. Every second is used, nothing is wasted. Atmosphere is as important to this album as the instruments and vocals. It's heavy as hell but it evokes a true feeling of sorrow and despair. This style of doom metal ...

If you’re a fan of doom metal, specifically the funeral side of the genre, then you probably already know about Evoken .  If you don’t, you’re a loser and you need to get off my blog.  Kidding.  Mostly. These American funeral death/doom legends have been at it since 1994 and “ Mendacium ,” is their seventh full-length album, in addition to also having a string of demos, a split, one compilation, and a box set. This is actually a concept album, telling of a fourteenth-century elderly Benedictine monk who can’t leave his cell in the monastery because of an illness.  As he gets worse, he encounters a hideous entity emerging through a tear in reality.  Is the torment of this month from this creature or is it all in his own mind?   That is some heavy stuff and Evoken matches it with some of the heaviest, darkest, doom I’ve heard in this second half of 2025.  When the band pours it on, “ Mendacium ,” is as intense and vicious as any death metal album....