Doomed For Metal Reviews

BRIDGE FARMERS is a heavy psychedelic/stoner/doom metal band from Texas who have been active since 2006. ' Cosmic Trigger ' is their third full length album. In a previous post, I said a few words about the first single from this album, 'Frater Achad .'  I praised it for its waves of fuzz and the thick, groovy style of the riffs.  So does the rest of the album hold up?  You bet your bong it does! The aforementioned single opens the album and sets the tone for what else will be experience across the other five songs.  The music sits firmly in the stoner/psychedelic doom camp and many, many riffs await the listener.  The music is actually quite heavy for the style in places and the vocals get a little gruff and rough throughout, making this album as crushing as it is hazy. The second song is ' Street Needles ,' and it begins with big, fat riff that brings with it mountains of fuzz.  I love the way Kyle's drums are so adept at capture the vibe of the music and...

AGE OF THE WOLF is a stoner/doom/sludge band from Costa Rica.  I reviewed their debut album, 'Ouroboric Trances,' back in 2019 with a lot of praise.  I have waited (not so) patiently for their next album and have been awarded with their second full length album ' A Pilgrimage To No Where .' The band has eclipsed their debut in every way possible.  The music still has the stoner atmosphere to the sludge riffs that move at a doom's pace but this time around the band goes so much darker.  Anything related to the stoner doom/sludge genre isn't usually known for being dark and deep but there are exceptions to every rule and 'A Pilgrimage To No Where ' definitely is. The production/mix is better this time around too---more robust, more expansive, if you will.  The vocal variety remains present too, everything from screams and growls, to psychedelic style cleans and rough, throaty yells.  Musically, the band treads across the various waters that make up the do...

HIBERNAUT is a sludge/stoner/doom metal band from Salt Lake City, Utah.  They formed in 2020 and are already dropping this massive beast of a debut album called ' Ingress .'  Two of the members, rhythm guitarist/vocalist Dave Jones and drummer Zach Hatsis , are from SubRosa so right away I was a thousand percent sure this album would be heavy as a bomb made from anvils and thick as frozen molasses.   Well I was wrong but only in the sense that it is even heavier that I imagined.  The vocals are clean but born of pure sludge so they still have a lot of throaty might behind them.  Musically, the band isn't afraid to play at a faster paced when need be but, of course, there are plenty of slow to mid paced moments.  I'd say riff wise, it is doom at heart but the sheer abrasiveness of it is coated in the sludgiest sludge that ever sludged a sludge.  The production is basically perfect:  loud and powerful without being overbearing and just raw enou...

BRIDGE FARMERS is a heavy psychedelic/stoner/doom metal band from Texas who have been active since 2006.  Despite that, this is my first time of hearing of them...and I'm kicking myself for not finding out about them sooner!   ' Frater Achad ' is the first single from their upcoming album ' Cosmic Trigger ,' which is due out this year on May 19th thru Olde Magick Records .  After experiencing this first song, I definitely can't wait to hear what the rest of the album will bring. The song immediately begins with the fuzz smacking me right in the face---may the fuzz be with you, indeed.  The bass is just one of many standout elements, however.  The riffs are thick, groovy and exemplifies why doom metal of this style is so damn catchy and easy to like.  The drums are rock solid too, holding down a smoke filled foundation while bringing the best out of the songs through interesting beats.  The vocals are clean, filtered and hazy but there isn't any o...

NIGHT DEMON is a California based power/heavy metal band who formed in 2011. Their latest release, 'Outsider' is their third full length album; they have also released many singles, an EP, and one compilation.   There is no doubt that 'Outsider' is a very fun heavy metal album.  The word 'fun' might be blasphemous in the metal world but not every album has to be a dark, Satanic, unending void of darkness.  That style of metal has its place and I certainly enjoy my fair share of it but, sometimes, I don't want that.  Sometimes it is refreshing to jam out to an album that is void of pretense and just straight up hammers from beginning to end.    'Outsider' is definitely that album---every song is an ear grabber and catchy.  The songwriting flows well, every song having its place.  Of course, the pristine production makes it all the more easy to absorb the album.  I suppose it could be argued the production is too good but when it comes to...

SAVIORSKIN is a doom metal band from Houston, Texas who formed in 2018. ‘Invicta Mori,’ is their third full-length album. SAVIORSKIN has a varied sound that incorporates death metal, Gothic elements, and even industrial into its brand of moody gloom. What I like most about this album is every song sounds different–a lot of variety within the nine tracks that keep the listener guessing as to what will come next. ‘Iconoclast,’ opens the album with ominous tones and clean keys until the 32 second mark when a thick, melodic tinged riff hits with the subtlety of being slammed in the head by a brick. The death growls arrive soon after—deep, throaty, yet still intelligible. The chorus features another fantastic element present throughout the album: great usage of vocal harmonies and layering. ‘Lost In Prayer,” and its Gothic tones recall PARADISE LOST with its simple but effective melodies. Can doom metal be catchy? Should it be catchy? I see yes to these questions because SAVIORSKI...

SERPENT OF OLD is a black/death metal band from Turkey; 'Ensemble Under The Dark Sun' is their debut full length album. What stands out immediately  is how well the album truly blends death and black metal together. Despite their common extremity, the two genres are very different so it is quite remarkable how seamless the two are on this album. Another highlight is the production— absolutely fantastic. The whole collection of songs sounds immense but just rough enough to give it that dirty, hellish atmosphere that black metal needs. The mixing brings out the brutal nature of their death metal side—every instrument can be enjoyed without any one overpowering the other but each one will overpower your ears and senses.  This is an album that just doesn’t stop. The album begins with ‘The Sin Before The Great Sin.’  I love the slow build up with riffs as thick as concrete.  The drumming is slow too but always interesting, holding down the foundation while complimenting t...