Doomed For Metal Reviews

It’s crazy how sometime bands, even those who are legendary in their scene, can have such long careers and still go unnoticed to some people.  Well, in this case, a person.  Me.  Sorry.  I’ve been listening to metal for over 25 years and yet “ Screams from Beneath the Surface ,” is the first Monstrosity album I’ve heard.  Of course, I have been aware of the band forever but, still, this is the first time ever jamming with them.  Goddamn, what a poser, right? Anyway, this album is the band’s seventh full-length album since forming in 1990.  Hey, I was only seven in 1990 so my apologies for not buying their first demos back then.   Their early days and first two full-lengths featured Corpsegrinder on vocals and that’s cool and stuff but life moves on and so did the band.   With that being said, this is apparently the band’s first effort with vocalist Ed Webb (ex- Massacre , Generichrist , among several others) but considering this is my fi...

Daemonium Regni is a blackened doom metal band from Sweden, who are making their debut with their self-titled full-length album.  Well, I shouldn't say 'their" because it is actually a one-man band, with the musician Micke Jansson ( Unanimated , Contempt of Light , Born for Burning ) handling everything. This album is put together very well. One-man bands are very common in the scene but this album in particular feels like a full-fledged band/project.    There isn’t any filler—-the album consists of 8 songs across a runtime of just under 45 minutes. No intros or outros to be found…. just a man, his vision and glorious blackened doom.    The atmosphere is perfect for the style too.  It is, obviously, a dark album but it isn’t what I would call cavernous or overly depressing.  The doom elements meld perfectly with the black ones so well this album truly feels like a mix between the two styles, rather than an album that lends to one side or another....

Godthrymm is a doom metal band from the United Kingdom, that formed in 2017; their latest album, “ Projections ,” is their third full-length full album; they have also released four EPs.  The band was formed by Hamish Glencross , who was in My Dying Bride and released quite a few really good albums with them.  Oh, and former Bride drummer Shaun Taylor - Steels is also a member.  Cool, huh?  So yeah, the man has immense talent.  But, for whatever reason, I’ve never been a huge fan of this band.  Why?  I can’t say for sure.  Sometimes music just doesn't stick for some ineffable reason.   All that has changed with the release of their new album, “ Projections .”  Hamish and co have finally grabbed me—and aren’t letting go.  The songwriting chops on this album, and the musicianship that allows us to hear it, is pure energy and fire. “ Projections ” dips into various styles of the doom genre, oftentimes sounding quite Gothic, parti...

Hecate Enthroned is a black metal band from the United Kingdom, who formed in 1995.  Their latest release, “ The Corpse of a Titan, a Lament Long Buried ,” is their seventh full-length album; they have also released a demo, two EPs, and four splits. This is their first album in seven years, so I expected them to make quite the statement…. but goddamn, they blew my already high expectations.  From the cover art all the way down to the last second of music in the final song, this product absolutely drips and bleeds quality.   This was obviously a labor of love with a renewed energy and focus—and the payoff is immense. I used to be a production whore back in the day…. I wanted (needed) every album to sound good.   But as the years went on, I realized there isn’t a blanket production job that fits every band/album.  Some bands, or bands within a certain genre, need a happy, shiny production and mixing job.  Other bands need something quite a bit rougher.  ...

I’ve been a fan of Faded Remembrance since their debut but have never reviewed any of their albums before so I’m honored to review their third full-length album, “ The Blessing of Downfall .” This is the album I’ve always wanted them to make, too.  Their previous two efforts, while no doubt solid, sounded so similar to Paradise Lost that if I hadn’t known who it was, I would have assumed I was listening to some sort of compilation of lost Paradise Lost songs.  “ The Blessing of Downfall ,” finally sees the one-man project of Tamás Albert finding its own sound while still honoring the influences.  Though those influences are worn on his sleeves, Mr. Albert’s outfit is all his own. So, what’s changed?  What has made this album different from the others?  Why has it grabbed me so much?  It’s because the songs are really fleshed out and fully formed. Each one has a lot of ideas and takes a methodical yet smooth approach to making sure that not only is it engag...

  Angellore is a Gothic doom/death metal band from France, who formed in 2007.  Their latest album, “ Nocturnes ,” is their fourth full-length album; they have also released two demos, two EPs, a split album and a compilation. I discovered this awesome band when I stumbled across their previous album, “ Rien ne devait mourir ,” around the time of its release in 2020.  It’s been a long six years or so but “ Nocturnes ,” doesn’t disappoint.  One aspect of Angellore I’ve always enjoyed is that they are heavy but not aggressive.  Between their usage of death girls, double bass, and a casket filled to the brim with riffs, they still retain this melodic sense of being regal that has always been part of their charm. Throw in flute, oboe, bass clarinet, cello and piano on top of all that and what Angellore has delivered with this album is a Gothic doom opus of towering might.   “ Nocturnes ,” five songs that are all unique but fit together perfectly.  ...

Welcome to the first interview I've ever done for this blog!  I can't think of a better band to do it with than Sad Whisperings !  This legendary doom metal band recently returned with a great new album called " The Hermit ." I sat down with the band’s mastermind, guitarist & vocalist Alexander van Leeuwen .  Actually, I did it through email but let’s pretend it was highly professional.  At the end of the interview, I will talk a bit about the band’s history and offer links to their pages.  Please check them out if you don’t know them, especially if you’re a doom metal fan.   So, I’ll get the two most obvious questions out of the way: Why was the band gone for so long and what inspired the return? We were gone, simply ‘cause things didn't work out at the time...no shows etc etc. What inspired us was that at once we were featured in a book ( Streams of ancient wisdom by Steve Willems ) about the scene in Holland and Belgium with a chapter and Vic R...