Oubliette - The Passage

Melodic yet raw to a degree....progressive a bit too with great song structure. This is prime example of what modern black metal should be.

https://oubliette.bandcamp.com/album/the-passage

Oceangrave - The Buried Inheritance

Oceangrave is a death/doom metal band from Italy, a project headed by one band Matteo Manfredini. Daniele Lupidi (Valgrind, Hateful, Huronian) once again provides bass and he is also did the album's excellent cover art. As solid as their debut, "Fall Breathless To No Where" was, this second full length album, "The Buried Inheritance," is huge leap in bounds of quality in any way that an album could be measured on.

Although the base of their sound is built around death metal, this album is rather melodic with a lot of beautiful passages interspersed between the heavier moments. The rhythm section is tight as hell--neither the bass or the drums are overbearing for the sake of being heavy. Each instrument does what it needs to do to let the melodic moments shine while doubling down for the more aggressive sections. The production is smooth, letting each instrument be heard but it isn't so slick to take away the gloomy atmosphere.

The album opens with the intro instrumental track, "A Garment For The Other World." As far as intros goes, this one is actually interesting. The slow buildup that adds layer as the seconds pass buy indeed builds up anticipation for the for full lenth track. The birds/crows in the background is a nice touch--adds to the destitute and forboding feel of the album.

Before the silence of the intro can truly leave you, the first full length song, "Breathing The Cathedral," begins. The opening riff is massive, immediately beginning the song as a behemoth of a track. The drums and bass add in a healthy dose of intensity but the song opens ups to melodic waters. Musically, there is a Gothic feel to the melodic parts and it works well with the death metal foundation. The violin is a nice too--a touch of regal elegance. During the deep clean vocals, the music is sparse and clean to allow the song to breathe and let in the elements that follow, which is vicious death growls and a faster tempo.

"Autumn Vespers," has that classic melodic death doom sound. The build up is paced at just the right tempo to ensure the song doesn't feel rushed but also to help it get where it needs to do to keep interest high. The guitars reach for wonderuflly melodic heights, hanging high in the air while the death metal roars beneath. Halfway through the song, the bass and drums take centerstage for a brief moment before songs ramps up the intensity. This particular song displays the band's ability to change moods and tempos without ever compromising the overall sound.

"In Your Raven Skies," might be my favorite track on the album. The pounding pulse of the drums that pushes the guitars and bass into a beautiful melodic movement near the song's beginning is something I have played over and over again. 

But much like then rest of the songs, the songwriting makes the transition from these serene movements to rougher waters is exceedingly well done. This song navigates these waters with such smoothness that it goes by much quicker than the length would suggest.  This is the mark of a great song.

"The End Is A Black Ivy," is drench in sorrowful melonchlic notes that just hit the sweet spot for what I look for in this type of doom. The highlights are many but the engaging drumming stands out as does the song's mid section---pure venom and guile but still doom. The final moments of the song hit hard too but still have catchy lines of melody.

"In My Absence," builds around deep drums and a bass line that could flatten a forest. I find this to be a very musical song with the instruments and vocals coming together as one.  The final couple minutes have a clean passage and a heavier but no less moving passage finish the album strongly.  

"The Buried Inheritance," may be an album from a smaller band but it is as big as any album I've heard so far this year. 

Lord Mountain - The Oath

Lord Mountain's full length debut album is absolutely fun to listen to. It is old school/epic doom but the production is open and wide. The bass slaps, vocals are catchy, and the riffs and drums are solid as hell. It is hard to believe this is their full length debut! This young of a band and already this good? Hell yes!

Katatonia - Sky Void Of Stars review

The new Katatonia album, Sky Void of Stars, is beautiful upon first play through.

If you're looking for an experimental Katatonia that steps outside of the box, you won't find that here. But you will find a very guitar driven album that is their most doom metal work they have done in years. The production is very warm and inviting. It is too clean perhaps but it works for this album's sound, which is full of catchy songs and great h ooks.

The singles led some to believe this album was moving away from their depressive sound but nothing could be further from the truth. The album isn't as...drab as their others but that only means the darkness is better Illuminated and now you can see what is killing you. This is a very different album than 'City Burials,' which is to be expected since every Katatonia album is different frome each other. This album seems to be very focused on the songs themselves rather than the overall atmosphere.

As such, and even though Jonas once again wrote all the songs himself, it feels more like a true band effor this time around compared to City Burials, which felt like a solo project at times.

The opening track, 'Austerity,' is a solid opener and a bit more energetic start to their album than usual. It is a solid, catchy tune that will appease those looking for a quick start to the album rather than longer build up.

'Colossal Shade,' is one of my favorits on the album and has held up well on repeated listens. The lyrical stanzas are as catchy as the chorus but it is the rhythm section that makes it stand out. The quiet more tender part where Jonas says, "We are gathered here tonight," is one of many fragile moments the album sticks in between heavier moments. It is a delicate balance but it works.

'Drab Moon,' is another personal favorite for me. It sounds like some of the more ambient, lighter moments from their last couple albums. The song's flow and buildup is paced well and the weird synths/keys enhance the song rather than distract. The vocals are the highlight during the stanzas, a gentle yet huge inflection highlighting each word. The lat half of the song is built around the chorus and a slow groove--just love the song so much.

'Author,' has one of the most catchy chorus' on the album---I still cant get it out of my head and it has been days. Similar to 'Drab Moon,' the stanzas use clean instrumentation but the instruments turn heavy for the chorus. This song is more immediate however and ijnects bigger riffs. The drumming and bass standout, especially during the chorus. I love how Jonas croons, "Sky void of stars," echoing the album's title.

'Sclera,' is an interesting song with a variety of tones and sounds plus filtered vocals opening the song up slowly--bombastic drums lead the song into clearer, but still clean, waters. The atmosphere for the chorus is wonderful and pensive but it all comes together for a classic Katatonia song.

The final song is 'No Becaon To Illuminate Our Fall,' is the album's epic and the most doom oriented they have been in years. The riffs in the opening moments are chunky and move the song along dark, rough waters. Afterwards, the clean guitar ramps up to thick, doom riffs before going clean again. Aftewards, it yet again switches moods into a hihgly emotive guitar solo.

It is too early to tell where this album will fall in their overall discrography but every since the release of 'The Great Cold Distance,' the band has been on fire. 'Sky Void Of Stars,' continues their unstoppable trend of releasing solid album after solid album.

Shores Of Null - The Last Flower

Shores Of Null have released three solid albums since fheir formation in 2013. In March, they will be releasing their fourth album, 'The Loss Of Beauty." Below is one of the singles from that album. The song is melodic and catchy but with plenty of heavy doom elements and a great rhythm section.

Ashen Horde - Antimomy (2023)

ASHEN HORDE is a progressive black/death metal band from Hollywood that formed in 2013. “Antimony” is their fourth full length album; they have also released seven EPs. The pedigree within the band is of the utmost quality—members of ABHORIA, INFERI, EQUIPOISE, and NORSE play on this album and they definitely keep the same high quality work they are known for throughout the album’s nine track, fifty one minute run time. Whatever album I happen to be reviewing at the time of writing a review is usually my most played album—obviously I have to give an album multiple listens to fully absorb it. But long after I listened enough to form coherent thoughts to put onto the page, “Antimony” remains my most played album this year so far. The band’s brand of extreme metal is a varied one with a lot of dynamics. The clean vocals give the album a modern sound and might help people not used to this style ease into it more. Musically, the band is definitely built upon a blackened base but strong death metal elements give it a robust sound that adds much meat to the bones. Progressive and tech elements are also abound, which adds even more depth and flavor to this already full course. With that being said, the album doesn’t feel overly bloated although some of the songs could probably stand to shave off some time here and there. The myriad of styles and influences flows exceptionally well so each song comes off as adventurous and forward thinking instead of disjointed and aimless. The band really knew how to build the track list and place the songs–each one feels like it is meant to be exactly where it should be upon arrival.. Extra praise must be given for the intro track, “Summoning.” Most intros are pointless fluff that add nothing to the proceedings but “Summoning,” is exactly how one should be done: short and to the point while introducing the album by building proper momentum to the first full length song. That song is “The Throes of Agony,” and it is a straight up barn burner of a track. It begins almost immediately after the intro fades into it. Furious blackened vocals and drums push the song through, so intense that the music is near to bursting with energy. As time passes, that fury bursts through, highlighted by tight rhythm and well placed solos. "The Consort '' is up next with its brief clean beginning that is blown away by a vicious yet catchy vocal attack as the music pummels and crackles underneath. Clean vocals bridge the gap between a more extreme style but the dual delivery works well enough. Never one to rest, the band keeps the momentum going until the very last second. The music slows down for about a minute for the opening movement of "The Courtesan." I like this approach and it also makes the faster moments afterwards feel that much more urgent. After the halfway mark, a strong bridge held up by a great clean vocal passage changes the feel of the song but in a fantastic way. The album only gets better as it goes—the last few tracks are especially strong. “The Disciple” builds up strong and rides high—the low growls are a highlight as they alternate with the black screams. The rhythmic assault of bass and drums never lets the song falter as the guitars work their way through a myriad of styles including a progressive solo. The final track, “Animus Nocendi,” caps it all off with one of the best songs on the album, if not the best. This song exemplifies everything that is great about the album: heavy enough for extreme fans, smart enough for prog lovers, and dynamic enough to keep any type of lover of metal engaged. From its dissonant touches, to the ripping undercurrent of double bass, and all the way back to the blistering guitar work. It is always a danger for an album to come out so early in the year only to get lost in a sea of seemingly nonstop releases. ASHEN HORDE’s “Antimony” will have no problem keeping its head above water as the year goes by. This review originally appeared on http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/a_2/ashen-horde-antimony.htm

Tribunal - The Weight Of Remembrance (2023)

 TRIBUNAL is a two person Gothic doom band based in Vancouver, British Columbia.  “The Weight Of Remembrance,” is their debut EP. I’ll go ahead and start the review with the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but:  “The Weight Of Remembrance,” is a gorgeously dark and stunning album.  I can’t believe it is a debut; the band sounds wise beyond their established years.  I almost feel guilty reviewing this album because doom is my favorite genre overall and Gothic doom in particular was the style that got me into it initially.  How could I not like this?  How could any doom fan not like this?

Listening to this album brought me back to the times when I was first discovering bands like MY DYING BRIDE, TRISTANTIA, PARAMECIUM, DRACONIAN, and THEATRE OF TRAGEDY.  “The Weight Of Remembrance,” fits right at home with the early records of these bands and finds that sweet spot between merging ethereal Gothic elements with hard hitting extreme metal while still being melodic enough to add in a refreshing refinement to the atmosphere.  So I hope I have established at this point that the album isn’t just me being blinded by the dangers of nostalgia.  I think this album will be a good starting point for people who aren’t used to doom and want to explore the genre.   This is 20 Buck Spin’s first release of the year so TRIBUNAL are well poised to spearhead what already seems to be another strong year ahead for doom metal.

There are a few nitpicky issues about the album that I must bring up.  These two things may or may not bother others but I am a reviewer and must be honest by covering all the bases.  At times, the production comes off a little flat.  I’m not saying a somber and melancholic album like this should pop with all the fancy bells and whistles but the overall sound/mix could be a little more exciting.  The interlude, “Remembrance,” doesn’t do much for me.  It seems to be a track that would have been better served as an intro.  As it stands in the middle of the album, it kills the flow especially since it doesn’t really segue in or out of the tracks it is sandwiched in between.

With those two things said, I am so otherwise impressed with the album that I will go through each track with a small description.  I don’t want to give away too much—this is one of those albums that really needs to be discovered with a good pair of headphones and I don’t want my humble words to take away from that. “Initiation,” begins the journey with thumping bass and a classical approach to the music. It builds and flows appropriately, letting the heavy yet melodic guitars make their presence known in a natural way.  The extreme vocals are a raspy blackened death growl that is just perfect for the style. The clean vocals are perfect as well, proving the “beauty and the beast” vocal style may be tried and true but always welcomed.   The lead guitar meshes with the riffs and bass, all three creating that classic Gothic doom sound.  The drums are engaging and hard hitting, giving a performance that boosts the slower paced stylings.

“Of Creeping Moss and Crumbled Stone,” is immediately tragic and mysterious.  The heavy guitars crash down like thunder, with cello and lead guitar accenting these darkened skies. The chorus is catchy as hell but not overused so each time hearing is enjoyable.  This song has a more atmospheric approach, the spaces in between the notes just as important as the music itself. The quiet tones of “Apathy’s Keep,” are emotional and even more so when mixed with the blanket of doom riffs that soon follows. This song is more riff based with thick slabs of metal making a path through these Gothic woods.  Soren’s gentle but also powerful vocal delivery guides the song to a more aggressive point around the the 4:20 mark, signified by a harrowing scream from Etienne.  As the guitars get more aggressive they also get more melodic in places, Etienne showcasing his ability to play what needs to be played and choosing the right moments to show a heavier side or throw some bleak light into the proceedings.

Other than the already mentioned interlude track, “A World Beyond Shadow” is the shortest song on the album and I think would be most digestible to non-doom fans.  It doesn’t take long to get going, heavy with chunky riffs, and has a good balance between the two vocal styles.  During the last couple of minutes, the drumming takes on much of the intensity, holding down that important foundation while letting the melodic vocals and guitars shine. The final two tracks, “Without Answer,” and the long epic “The Path,” are the two best songs on the album.  “Without Answer,” is vicious at times, what with Etienne’s vocal delivery but Soren hammers in that Gothic melancholy with apparent ease.  Her cello makes the song sound very regal and organic.  Around the halfway mark, the song ramps up the riffs to a pummeling level before cooling off for a slick guitar solo.

“The Path,” is over twelve minutes long and finishes the album with a grandiose performance.  The first couple minutes are beautiful, a Gothic serenity of sorts. The band really gave it it their all with this song, an extreme focus that results in a flow that makes Every player gets time to show their abilities but the song writing is the hero here.  This is definitely a doom anthem. Ultimately, TRIBUNAL’s “The Weight Of Remembrance,” is indeed a heavy burden but one listeners will love to carry upon themselves.  This album starts doom off with a bang for 2023 and raises an already high bar for the genre.  This album has immense staying power and will survive the year to find itself on many “Best of 2023” lists.

This review originally appeared on  http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/t_2/tribunal-the-weight.htm

Encryptment - Dödens födsel (2022)

 ENCRYPTMENT is a Swedish death/crust metal band from Sweden.  They formed in 2015 and “Dödens födsel” is their full length debut album; they have also released an EP and a demo. I have never heard of this band before and this album was a surprise from deep within the unending promo pile.  I can confidently say that “Dödens födse” is a pleasant surprise—this album is savage as hell.  The unrelenting battering ram that is death metal smashes into the unlimited energy of punk—-the result is some damn extreme crust that leans in heavy with the death metal elements.

Punk and metal are both uncompromising in their own ways yet this album embraces the two styles, mashes them together, and pushes them out the other side as the most beautiful waste. Marcus is the only guitarist and he does a great job in filling up the band’s sound—this album is chock full of tasty riff work.  Joe and Anton’s rhythm machine is one that stays well oiled, using the feverish energy as a battery ram of pure focus.  The leader of all this carnage is vocalist Christoffer, whose vocals mean, throaty, and grimy, Both the vocals and production benefit from a raw(ish) production but the mix keeps the songs from sounding too muddled.  As far as the compositions themselves go, most of the songs don't sound too far removed from each other but there are a couple of surprises.

The album's run time certainly works in its favor, with eight songs clocking in about thirty two minutes. By the time any monotony can set in, the whole thing is over. The title track opens the album, a bold move to be sure but the band backs it up. Chaos rules the album with wild lead guitar and a frenzied assortment of riffs. All of it gets backed up by a strong rhythm section that embraces the chaos and controls it to use as a bludgeoning tool. The last half of the song is groovy as hell and reveals the album's secret weapon: songs that rise constantly. As the peak is reached, the downward slope doesn't begin but instead the music jumps to another, taller mountain and begins to climb once more.

"Silver Tongue" begins so immediately that it feels like the song has already been going. Some might find that frustrating but I appreciate the break neck approach. Sometimes all I need is musical carnage. Around the minute and a half mark, the song slows to a sinister crawl before picking up speed once more and throwing in a short but blistering solo because why not? "Existens i ambivalens," is coated in this subtle but strange atmosphere that is hard to pin down but it works by contrasting with the punk on steroids energy to lend the song this otherworldly atmosphere. This song is a nice surprise and the placement in the track listing sort of allows the album to refocus and finish out strongly in the final half.

"Poisonous Salvation," is an amazing song. The first part is a slow, massive dirge that feels like a growing, life sucking void that is approaching its zenith. The song grows, subtlety speeding up and gaining traction until this void finally consumes all around the 2:35 mark. The final  track, "Withered Hands," is a goddamn beastly song. The tempo ebbs and flows, revealing different dangers upon the feverish sea with a subtle dissonance that is just enough to drive one mad while keeping the fear still very much alive. ENCRYPMENT's "Dödens födsel,"  is an album that reveals itself over time to have a surprisingly large amount of depth. This is one death trip well worth taking—over and over again, especially because the album gets better as it goes along.

http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/e_2/encryptment-doedens.htm

(Echo) - Witnesses (2022) review

(ECHO) is an atmospheric death/doom metal band from Italy.  They formed in 2007 and “Witnesses” is their fourth full length album; they have also released two demos. This album has been one of my most played albums since I received the promo a few weeks ago.  I discovered (ECHO) about a year and a half ago through their 2019 album “Below The Cover Of Clouds.”  While that album is great, the band blows it out of the water with this new album—they have improved their sound tenfold.  The composition/arrangement of the songs is what really stands out on this album.  The band displays many moods with a lot of layers to the instrumentation but it never feels rocky or disjointed—after the unimpressive  intro track, the album builds a flow that is among the best I heard all year.

That intro track, “Lethargy,” is nothing more than a waste of the album’s runtime.  It goes nowhere for nearly a minute.   I have a major issue with intros so maybe it won’t bother some but for me I always just skip to the second song.  With all that being said, every song that follows is tight as hell and just plays to the strengths of all parties involved.   It doesn’t hurt that Heike Langhans (ex-DRACONIAN, LIGHT FIELD REVERIE, REMINA) provides guest vocals on two of the album's songs–”My Covenant,” and “Chemical.” Heike’s ethereal gothic vocals embrace (ECHO)’s brand of doom with ease, and therefore, the natural flow of the songs. Guitarist/Keyboardist Simone Saccheri’s subtle use of keys on this song compliment the proceedings and provide just enough atmosphere to help the song but not take away from the magic of her voice.  But as great as Heike is, she doesn’t do all the heavy lifting; she shares the load with (ECHO)’s vocalist Fabio Urietti.  His cleans have improved since the previous album and he has a nice, clean voice with a lot of emotion behind it.  He does plenty of death growls too, and every effective, throaty ones at that.

I like how this song changes from clean tones when the vocals are clean then brings on the distortion when the growls arrive.  The song is certainly centered are the two singers but it jus goes to show how well the band works with each other and their ideas. “Chemical,” is one of my favorite tracks on the album.  The beginning is a gothic embrace with stark keys, heavy riffs, and dense as hell bass.  Mauro Ragnoli, Simone and bassist Agostino Bellini adapt quickly to the mood of the song, each of them comfortable at many moods, light or dark moments.  After the 4:40 mark, tight, melodic riffs and the backbone that is the bass ramp up the momentum as the death screams set off and the song becomes a riff fest before ending on a melodic note.

OCTOBER TIDE’s Alexander Hogbom features on the second song, “Laudanum,” and it is a banger of a track.  Alexander and Fabio trading off growls and screams is a wonder to hear over the music which switches between heavier moments and more melodic, atmospheric tendencies.  Around the four minute mark, the lead guitar soars under the death growls—epic stuff without being overdone. Elsewhere, the music provides plenty of premium headbanging moments such as the choppy and chunky riffs of “Fate Takes Its Course,” but also features a soulful guitar solo.  Songs like this exemplify the dynamics across the album.  Other songs, such as “Wanderer,” are more bass and keyboard driven in places, providing doom in a more atmospheric fashion. The final track, “Saturated,” is a fantastic way to end the album.  It works well on its own but it pairs well with the other songs (as it should) and gives an amazing overview of what the album is about without sounding like too much of what came before.

(ECHO)’s “Witnesses,” is an album that must be heard by every doom fan this year.  If I had heard it before I made my best of 2022 list, it would have definitely made it.  But I suspect it won’t have any issues making some others.

Published originally at http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/e_2/-echo-witnesses.htm