Doomed For Metal Reviews

A Dream of Poe is a Gothic doom metal band from Portugal, who formed in 2005.  Their latest release, “ Katabasis: A Marriage Among Ashes ” is their fifth full-length album; they have also released a demo, two EPs, and two live albums. I reviewed their previous album, “ The Wraith Uncrowned ,” years ago when I wrote for Metal Temple.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and have patiently waited for a follow-up for six years.  I’m happy to report “ Katabasis: A Marriage Among Ashes ,” is not only a worthy follow up but a highlight for me as the year continues to race towards its halfway point.   “ Katabasis ,” is an album that can be as elegant as it can be harsh.  Its gentle weaves can turn into corridors of macabre horror at a moment’s notice.  The instruments play with an uncommon fury, symphonic and ethereal doom that envelopes as it smothers.  Those same instruments can also be as of a leaf on the end, a cold Autumn breeze that brushes its musical stroke...

Seum is a stoner/doom/sludge band from Canada, that hit the scene in 2020 with their debut EP “ Summer of Seum .”  Their latest album, “ Parking Life ,” is their third full-length album; they have also released another EP, two splits, and two live albums. I’m sorry to say that “ Parking Life ,” is my first experience with this band—I’ve been missing out and I don’t have a frame of reference to compare them to.  But that’s ok because I can tell they really can’t be compared to anyone else.  This is a band with their own sound and “ Parking Life ,” is a unique experience.   They don’t have a guitarist–this trio is just vocals, bass, and drums.  They certainly aren’t the first band, doom or otherwise, to focus on bass only but I’m not sure if anyone has been as dynamic with that set up as what I’m hearing on “ Parking Life .”  Sludge/Doom is definitely the basis of their sound but there is a strong hardcore/punk and even pop aesthetic to the songs.  ...

  Akem Manah is a metal band whose origins began in Belgium, forming in 2007. Their latest release, “ Threnodies ,” is their second full-length album; they have also released an EP.    Doom, especially of the Gothic persuasion, is probably the best answer I could give to the question, “Hey dude what would you call Akem Manah ?”  However, that’s a scenario that would never happen because I don’t really have friends in so-called ‘real’ life.  My conversations are usually regulated to children and cats (special note:  my own children and cats, I don’t just go outside and capture these things randomly) and neither of these types of beings care about metal.  Oh shit, I think my kids and cats might be posers.  Oh well, I’m getting off track here. Akem Manah ’s style is fluid and dynamic, mixing in a variety of genres so simply calling them doom doesn’t tell the whole story.  Their influences are just as varied and listening to this album, it i...

Grief Collector is a doom metal band with roots in Minneapolis, Minnesota who formed in 2017.  Their latest release, “ The Death of All Dreams ,” is their third full-length album; they have also released an EP. Grief Collector ’s sound can probably best be described as epic or traditional doom metal but, honestly, it doesn’t really fit.  Compared to other doom genres like funeral or death doom, then traditional might be the best way to describe them since their sound definitely isn’t as extreme as those aforementioned genres.    However, how many traditional doom bands sound like Sabbath clones?  How many have the same old tired vocalist that sounds like he is both constipated and suffering congestion from the flu?  How many of them spend their album talking about weed if they venture too far into stone territory? Rhetorical questions and anyone reading this already knows the answer.  I like traditional/stoner/epic/non-extreme doom (doom and anything ...

SolNegre is a doom metal band from the Balearic Islands, Spain. “ Anthems for the Grand Collapse ,” is their second full-length album; they have also released an EP. Special note: This album officially has five songs and a runtime of just under 42 minutes. The 21 minute long EP " Annihilation of the Self ,” released a couple years ago, serves as tracks six and seven on some editions. I will strictly be reviewing just the album itself but the EP is great as well so if you can get those songs too, they are worth the price. I loved their debut album “ The Spiral Labyrinth ” and I'm happy to report that “ Anthems for the Grand Collapse ” is just as good. In terms of runtime, the fat of the debut has been trimmed– this album is about 25 minutes shorter. But it is quality not quantity and the band is able to have a more focused sound that feels like a true album experience from beginning to end, rather than a random collection of sounds. The production and mix are both on poi...

Cognizance is a death metal band from the United Kingdom that formed in 2012. Their latest album, “ In Light, No Shape ,” is their fourth full-length album; they have also released three EPs and a demo.     This is my first experience with this band so I went in blind. From my research, it seems this is their first album with their guitarist, Alex, also handling vocal duties. With no dogs in this race and lacking a frame of reference, I went into “ In Light, No Shape ,” with an open mind—and I really enjoyed the album. I don’t know what their previous vocalist brought to the table (I just haven’t had time to go back and listen to anything else they have done. I’m busy so sue me.) but Alex has a well-formed death growl that hits the sweet spot for what I like to hear with this style of metal.   He and fellow guitarist Apostolis have a fantastic synergy together and their trade offs between riffs and more melodic passages is quite impressive. In fact, thi...

Egregore is an extreme metal band from Canada, who formed in 2019.  Their latest album, “ It Echoes in the Wild ,” is their second full-length album.    I missed their first one, but I won’t ever miss an album from them ever again after hearing this insane piece of work. Egregore could probably be described as blackened death or a combination therefore of but, really, anything goes on this album.  From one song to the next, and even from one second to the next within these songs, it is hard to tell where the next note is going to lead.  This album sort of reminds me of something Cephalic Carnage might but out but not as spastic or pretentious.   I think the best way to describe the music contained within the album’s 10 song, 49-minute runtime is ‘controlled chaos.’  Everything is in constant motion across many different paths yet there is a certain amount of restraint to the songs that keeps everything seamless and coherent.  Instead of the ...