Doomed For Metal Reviews

  Iron Slaught is a heavy metal band from France who formed in 2011.  Their latest release, “ Metallic Torments ,” is their second full-length album.  I’ll admit that when I see the words “heavy metal” “traditional metal” or any combination therefore in a promo copy I’m sent, it makes me apprehensive.  I, of course, don’t have anything against the more old-school/traditional side of the genre, but I’d say 90% of anything with that label or tag doesn’t excite me.  However, the kick-ass artwork on this album made me check out the music.  In essence, I came for the cover art but stayed for equally kick-ass music. Iron Slaught definitely have an old-school notion about them, but I’ll be damned this album isn’t a non-stop banger.  Everything about this is pure energetic fury:  the riffs, the vocals, the tempo….the band burns through the songs like it's the last thing they will ever do, and it translates amazingly well.  The production captures t...

Desiccation is a blackened doom metal band based in Nevada City/Sacramento, California and formed in 2020.  Their latest release, “ Legatum Mortuorum ,” is their second full-length album.  It isn't often that I hear music that legitimately sounds frightening. Desiccation's “ Legatum Mortuorum ” is an album that truly sounds horrifying. This is definitely the type of underground metal that embraces the days of old where the genre, specifically black metal and other extreme forms, actually felt a little dangerous.  If I went back in time to the wrong period, “ Legatum Mortuorum ,” would get me killed in any number of ways. If you're not listening to music that could get you burned at the stake, then what the hell are you even listening to?   This album recalls the days when listening to extreme, underground metal felt like a mystical, unnerving thing to do and other people didn’t, or couldn’t, understand.  The music of “ Legatum Mortuorum ,” is pure darkness....

Loneshore is a metal band from Rio de Janeiro, who formed in 2014.  Their latest release, “ Nothing Left to Deconstruct ,” is their second full-length album.  Prior to receiving this promo, I had heard of the band, not their music.   I didn’t have time to explore their debut album, so I don’t have a frame of reference; however, “Nothing Left to Deconstruct,” has made an impression on me. In my research of the band, I came across some mentioning they sound like Opeth .  I’m not really hearing that.  Sure, they have similar dynamics such as switching between light and dark elements using a progressive slant, but a lot of bands do the same.  Personally, I find them somewhat hard to describe.  Metallum list them as melodic progressive death/doom metal—sure, that works but, at least to me, they have their own sound that doesn’t really fit into a certain category  I’m impressed about how methodical and forward thinking this album is.  With 7 songs ...

Urzah is a metal band from Bristol, England who formed in 2019. Their latest album, " A Tranquil Void,' is their second full-length album; they have also released two EPs. Urzah 's “ A Tranquil Void ,” does so many things and gets every one of them right. Doom, sludge, post and prog are the sounds that will be experienced in this album. And what an album this is.  It is emotional, expansive and even catchy at times.  Music that hits hard but always has a depth bubbling underneath the surface that can be explored.  “ A Tranquil Void ,” is arranged incredibly well. Each song is placed in its sequence exactly where it needs to be. As a result, every song compliments the one before and after it, while also serving the album as a whole. The two best examples of what I mean by this are the opening song “ At the Mouth of the Cave ,” and “ Bark and Branches .” The former feels like both a full-length song and an intro. Experienced on its own, it is a great song. Its razor-sharp...

 In A Forest Dark is a one-man Gothic blackened death/doom metal band from Portugal, who formed in 2002; musician Mário Pereira (also in the band Eternal Mourning ) handles all vocals and instruments.  This latest album, “ To A God Unknown ,” is the project’s fourth full-length album. Apparently, this album is inspired by the book of the same name from author John Steinback .  I’m unfamiliar with this novel so if there is anything lyrically, or musically, in reference to the story, then I just lack the frame of reference to catch it.  But it’s worth noting, regardless of my own failings in this area, for any doom fans who also might be fans of the book.   I may not know the book, but I know my metal in general and doom in particular.  “ To A God Unknown ,” is a worthy entry into the genre’s pantheon and one of my favorites in what is now the second half of the year.   “ To a God Unknown ,” consists of 7 dark dirges of poetry across a r...

Litosth is a black metal band from Brazil, who formed in 2016. Actually, it’s a one-man band project from musician Maicon Ristow .  This latest album, “ Dreaming ,” is the fourth full-length under the Litosth moniker.  I actually reviewed his previous album, “ Cesariana ,” when I wrote for Metal Temple.  I wasn’t a huge fan of it, giving it a score of 6 out of 10.  Basically, I thought it was solid, but it wasn’t going to stick with me.   So how does “ Dreaming ” fair?  Well, the two years in between releases must have really helped because “ Dreaming ,” is a huge step forward for the band.  I don’t give numbered reviews on my blog but it’s definitely well above a 6.    I feel like Maicon has finally found the true sound that has been building up for years: a freighting amalgamation of melodic tinges of blackened despair.  “ Dreaming ,” is anything but—this album is a nightmarish hellscape that crumbles the light into the shad...

Grabunhold is a black metal band from Germany, who formed in 2016.  Their latest release, “ Frostheim ,” is their second full-length album; they have also released a demo, EP and a split. This is my first experience with Grabunhold’s music but “ Frostheim ,” grabbed me from the first song.  On the surface, this might seem straightforward but “ Frostheim ,” has a surprisingly dynamic sound.   The band’s sound is rooted in the second wave of black metal, especially the more melodic side, emanates plenty of waves of bleak, cold despair.  However, that’s only half of the band’s sound.  The other half is insanely catchy arrangements that sound somewhat folk-ish with a warm, full sound. The band doesn’t live in one world or the other—they embrace them so fully, seamlessly, and effortlessly, that “ Frostheim ,” reveals itself to be a very balanced yet adventurous album that is never afraid to dive into a world that’s black and grey but with splashes of melancholi...