Doomed For Metal Reviews

Power metal was one of the first metal genres I got heavily into and I still like it today, some 20 odd years later. Unfortunately, I haven’t kept up with it all that much because the genre is so bloated—for every good power metal band, there are about 700 that aren’t worth a fart in a bucket. I suppose every genre, metal or otherwise, is bloated but it seems the ratio of good to bad power metal bands is really, really off kilter. But…every now and then, I come across a band that reminds me of why the genre is so magical. Finland’s Power Paladin and their second full-length album, “ Beyond the Reach of Enchantment ,” is such a band. This album ticks off all the boxes of what makes the genre so great: hyper energy, barreling drums, soaring vocals, and fast paced riffs among many melodic moments and catchy choruses.  But what’s even better? “ Beyond the Reach of Enchantment ," sounds honest–and fun. These guys very clearly want to play this genre and do it their way. I don’...

Chalice of Suffering is a funeral death/doom band from Minneapolis, Minnesota that formed in 2015. “ The Raven Cries One Last Time ,” is their third full-length album.  I’ve been waiting on this album since I reviewed their previous album, “ Lost Eternally ,” way back in 2019. Is it worth the wait? You bet your downtrodden ass it is! Not only that but it also surpasses the previous album in every category an album can be judged by.  Vocalist John Suffering ( An Tóramh , Forever Falling ) always surrounds himself with other great musicians and this album continues that trend. Nikolay Velev ( Historian , Inspell ) provides guitars and keys—and is very adept at using both to generate some truly personal emotive doom here. Will Maravelas ( Caustic Abyss , Plague of Stars ) and Neal Pruett ( Apothic , Plague of Stars ) provide guitar and bass, respectively. Bagpiper Kevin Murphy ( Throne of Wilderness ) and drummer Aaaron Lanik ( Plague of Stars , Silva ) roun...

Mirror of Deception is a doom metal band from Germany that formed in 1990. Their latest album, “ Transience ,” is their sixth full-length.  They have also released three demos, four splits, two EPs and a compilation. I wasn't familiar with the band before they sent me this promo—I have no idea how I missed them but after “ Transience ,” I definitely won't ever let them fall off my radar. Everything about “ Transience ,” is tight and focused. From the vocals to the songwriting itself, this album has been crafted well with a lot of standout moments. My favorite thing about this album is how melancholic and sullen it is, while still being one of the catchiest doom metal albums I've heard so far this year. They are labeled as traditional doom metal and so many bands of this style bring the doom but tend to not be very melancholic. But Mirror of Deception does it well on this album, effectively taking the huge riffs and clean vocals of traditional doom and adding in Gothic flav...

Grain of Pain is a doom metal band from Finland, who hit the scene with their full-length debut album “ The Moon Lights the Way ,” in 2024.  Two years later, they strike back with their second full-length album “ Behind Us All .” From my understanding, this band is actually a solo project from musician Timo Solonen but the album also features some other incredible musicians:  Lars Eikind ( Before The Dawn , Dawn of Solace , MyGrain , among many others), Juho Räihä ( Swallow The Sun , Before The Dawn, Gloria Morti ),and Juuso Raatikainen ( Swallow The Sun , Hedonihil ).   Additionally, Pekka Olkkonen ( Stam1na ) offers a guest guitar solo and Eemeli Bodde ( Decapitated , Mors Subita ) along with Kirsten Jørgensen ( Evig Natt ) offer vocal spots. Fans of Swallow The Sun and Dawn of Solace will especially find “ Behind Us All,” a very good listen.  Other than having doom in common, I don’t think Grain of Pain sounds like the aforementioned bands per say but they s...

Graveborn 's “ Metempsychosis ,” is an interesting album. The progressive death metal influences are obvious but it is also infused with deathcore. This is their fifth album; they have also released a demo and an EP. The result is a prog album that sounds slick and modern, forgoing stuffy and pretentious elements that hit hard and fast while still being free flowing. Breakdowns are plenty but unlike a lot of other deathcore bands, the songs aren't centered around them but are just another tool they can pull from to pieces the songs together.  Opening song “ Embers of Existence ,” shows how quickly the band can create urgency and also how quickly transition to tight, heavy riffs while layering them with infectious melodies. The chorus is a banger too, I love the melodic guitar and double bass hitting at the same time to showcase two different approaches that work together for the song. The slow to mid tempo at the halfway point is just as engaging; Graveborn doesn't always...

Hanging Garden is a melodic death/doom/Gothic metal band from Finland, who formed in 2004. I discovered them with their “ Into The Good Night ,” album when I reviewed it during my tenure at Metal Temple—and I’m very excited to be able to review their latest, and ninth overall, full-length album, “ Isle of Bliss ,” on this blog.  “Isle of Bliss ,” sounds amazing, both in terms of songwriting and production. The album’s overall sound is loud and full, packing quite the punch during the heavier moments and providing a bottomless depth during the melodic ones. The vocals are particularly well produced—the growls and screams are visceral and the cleans shine through with emotional clarity.  " Isle of Bliss ,” continues the trend of what any Hanging Garden fan knows: the band does what they want and each album sounds a little different than before. Although rooted in doom and Gothic metal, this album isn’t afraid to explore faster tempos or more nuanced soundscapes. Across t...

Perhaps one of the coolest collabs I’ve heard, funeral doom metal bands Pantheïst and Dauðaró have teamed up to release this massive album titled “Af holdi og malmi,” a concept album exploring the philosophical tension between humanity and artificial intelligence.   If you don’t know who the legendary Pantheïst are, then do you even like doom metal? They have been putting out some of the most expansive and intelligent doom for a long time now and, thankfully, show zero signs of slowing down. Dauðaró is one of my favorite modern doom metal bands and the one-man project has been steadily building his own legend with a butt load of great albums behind him.   What I like about this album is that it is, for the most part, SLOW. I know doom doesn’t have to move at glacial speed but the best kind does. This collaboration feels like a love letter to both the styles of each band and for funeral doom, in general. If this style is your jam then prepare to dive into qui...