Doomed For Metal Reviews

I don't know much about industrial metal other than the big bands like Fear Factory , Ministry , and Mechina . I don't have anything against the genre (although I don't like Ministry at all)--I'm just not familiar with it. So a band like Epta7 and their album " Here Come the Freaks " is quite a bit outside my wheelhouse. With that being said, this is a solid release that's intense enough in places to make a metalhead like me pay attention. The production is super clean with a bright and shiny sheen to it. For this style, I'd say this sound/mix is exactly what is needed. I mean, this isn't black metal or hellish brutal death so I don't see how a more raw approach would benefit this album anyway. Despite being industrialized, the music is surprisingly heavy with the songs leaning towards riff based structures as opposed to random bullshit noises (which I was afraid I would hear). It is of special note that this is one of the most catchy albums I...

Destroy My Brains is one of those bands that is the antithesis to the world itself. They are up there with Primitive Man and Anaal Nathrakh for one of the most extreme and pissed off metal bands of all time. “ Wilt ,” continues that trend—and then some. This album sounds like what nonmetal heads hear when someone plays them extreme metal. For a metalhead like me (and you), all this angry noise is music to the ears. “ Wilt ,” is a filthy, dangerous album that embraces the mentality that metal shouldn't be safe or comfortable. When a boomer or normie says metal music will send you to hell, guess what? They and everyone else is already there. The world we live in is fucking insane and gets worse everyday. Destroy My Brains and “ Wilt ” doesn't turn away from this and instead steers into the skid…and exploding bodies the entire damn time. The band's core sound of “fucking a cinder block raw” remains intact. Doom, sludge, hardcore, death…whatever you want to call this or wha...

Grimveil is a black metal band with international origins, members hailing from both Sweden and Germany.  It’s actually a duo, composed of vocalist Revenant ( Order of Nosferat , Sarkrista , Siechknecht , Velmorth ) and Simon Lindgren ( Tårfödd ), who handles all the instruments. All these bands are kicking ass so I would assume Grimveil would be too–and my assumptions were correct.  This is an atmospheric black metal which represents a sound inspired by nature.  It has a somber, melancholic feel but not one that’s depressing but one born of respect from the natural world around them and a desire to delve into the earth’s manifestations.  The production is pretty much spot on.  The vocals and instruments retain the blackened tone the genre has become known for, but the mix is vibrant enough to capture the clean passages and atmospheric nuances that exist among these mid-paced stories that also feature more than a few moments of whiplash speed.  It’s a beau...

Ad Finem Omnia is a black metal band from Santiago, Chile who formed in 2020.  It’s actually a one-man project now, featuring musician Pablo Vera   Although their demo debut album, “ No Peace- No Dawn ,” featured Ricardo Araya on bass, guitars, and vocals, this second full-length album, “ Senectus Viae ,” finds Pablo handling everything after Ricard’s departure.   He has taken on the responsibilities exceptionally well—everything that made the first album great is still intact and perhaps even better.    This album has such a driving, forward-motion sound to it but also a keen sense of melancholy and atmosphere.  It’s also filled with hooks—this album is catchier that most black metal.  Obviously, I don’t mean that in a ‘pop oriented’ way but the riffs are slick as hell and the rhythms will get your head banging.  Simply put, these songs are quite memorable. The clean vocals are unique and epic, fitting alongside the blackened screams with ea...

Aphonic Threnody is a funeral doom metal band from the United Kingdom, who formed in 2012.  Their latest release, “ Grace My Heart ,” is their seventh full-length album; they have also released an EP, three splits, and an updated version of their debut full-length album, “ When Death Comes .”  I’ve been following this band since I discovered them when I received the album, “ The Great Hatred ,” for review in 2020 when I worked for Metal Temple.  I’m honored and happy to say that I’ve reviewed every album since.  I mention this fact because when I say, “ Grace My Heart ,” might be the band’s best album, I want it to be known how serious of a statement that is.  The musician behind all this doomed out glory is the mastermind Riccardo V , who, as always, surrounds himself with several other amazing musicians to help get this raw display of emotional power out to the world.  “ Grace My Heart ,” is an album that sounds a bit different from Aphonic Threnody ’s ...

Forsmán is a black metal band from Iceland, who formed in 2019.  Their latest release, “ Brenndar rústir & fuðrandi fjörur ,” is their full-length debut; they have also released an EP. This album is pure fire.  That may be ironic considering where they are from but the energy on display here is impressive as hell. Of course, atmospherically speaking, “ Brenndar rústir & fuðrandi fjörur ,” is cold as the frozen North and retains so much of what makes black metal both distant and dangerous.  However, this is more than just your standard black metal.  This album has a lot going on within it; the nearly 45-minute runtime is very busy and chock full of intricate riffs and dissonance.  What is most impressive is that it doesn’t sound convoluted and the mix is on point.  Despite the chaos that never seems to end, the low end and the rhythms just pop out.  The sound of this album is just straight up MASSIVE.  It’s very primal, it’s raw to a degree...

Rodtgod is a one-man sludge/doom metal band from Germany, who formed in 2016.  The project’s latest release, “ Tales from Beyond the Tomb ,” is their third full-length album; they have also released an EP.  The musician behind this is simply called, as far as I know, C and has a couple other bands ( Galvornhathol , Pissbucket ) that I am not familiar with.  I get a lot of promos—a lot.  Over the years, I have trained myself to know when I need to give up on a particular one or if it feels like a grower.  When I first listened to “ Tales from Beyond the Tomb ,” I liked it but also knew that my feelings on it would probably change because it was obvious this is an album that is a bit different and needs more time to soak in. So, what’s so different about “ Tales …?”  Its feet are definitely firmly planted into death/doom and abrasive sludge.  It’s very heavy with some killer extreme vocals.  With that being said, it doesn’t feel oppressive, caverno...