Doomed For Metal Reviews

Satanic North is a black metal band from Finland who formed in 2019.  In 2022, they released their “Four Demons ” demo and have now finally let loose upon the world their full-length self-titled debut. Two of the band members are from folk metal heroes Ensiferum .  Bassist IIT Caprae is actually the guitarist/harsh vocalist Petri Lindroos while the drummer, Abyssir , is Janne Parvianen .  That’s quite the pedigree but it has been a long time since I cared about Ensiferum so I wasn’t sure what to expect with two of the members trying out black metal. Thankfully, my worries were worthless because this self-titled blast of unholy blackness is straight up, old school second wave black metal.  It isn’t going to win any awards for originality or reinvent the ever turning wheel of extremity but there is something to be said of taking a stripped down approach.  Over the decades, black metal has grown into one of the more diverse styles in metal.  There isn’t any...

Atræ Bilis  is a death metal band from Canada that formed in 2018. “ Aumicide ” is their second full-length album and they have an EP as well. In a very short amount of time and with just a handful of releases under their belt, the band has already carved their way to the forefront of the modern tech death scene. Calling anything on “ Aumicide ” technical is somewhat of a disservice to the band. Not that being technical is bad but the ten songs on this album are so much more different than other tech bands. This collection of songs are in a constant state of flux. There is a very little repetition to be found here. Each note, each riff appears, destroys the senses, then is destroyed itself.  From one moment to the next the songs are built, broken down, and rebuilt again. While this could make for a challenging listen (especially for those who aren’t familiar with this style) it definitely makes for an interesting album with a lot of depth and replay value.  The element I ...

DVNE (pronounced Dune) is a progressive sludge/post-Metal band from Scotland who formed in 2013 under the moniker Dune before changing the spelling in 2015.  “ Voidkind ” is their third full-length album, in addition to having three EPs and a live album under their belt.  DVNE ’s music is as sprawling as their sci-fi subject matter and their talent is near alien because it is damn near unbelievable. This album has staggering depth and there is a lot to unpack across the ten songs and 58 minute runtime.   Their brand of sludge includes other influences as well, including doom and psychedelic.  All these sounds are fused together and presented in music that is rich in texture and complicated.  Despite that, their sound isn’t pretentious nor bloated with unnecessary details.  In essence, even though it includes every idea ever, it remains a highly focused album that flat out rocks.  The vocals are as varied and dynamic as the music, featuring growls,...

Blaze Of Perdition is a black metal band from Poland. They formed as Perdition in 2004 but changed their name to their current moniker after the parting of their vocalist Xaos Oblivion . Their new album, " Upharsin ," is their sixth full-length album; they have also released numerous demos, splits, EPs, and compilations. This album lives in a lot of worlds and has a much more dynamic sound than I expected, as this album is my first exposure to their music.  It is a vicious, bleak, and violent record but it's also melodic with catchy hooks and an incredible atmosphere.  The core of their sound is definitely a more raw type of blackened fury but they aren't afraid to color outside the lines when need be.  The result is a cohesive that never sounds forced, no matter what path the songs take.  Production wise, the sound is pretty much perfect.  It is both gritty and razor sharp without sounding over produced or too raw.  This helps the songs really breathe an...

Necrot is a death metal band from Oakland, California who formed in 2011.  “ Lifeless Birth ” is their third full-length album; they have also released three demos and a compilation. “ Lifeless Birth ” is a filthy album that takes the best elements of death metal and runs with them.  Simply put, this is a fun album.  Fun? Whaaaaat?  Can we have fun in death metal?  Of course we can.  This is one of those albums where every track is solid--from beginning to end this album is an absolute blast.  That isn’t to say this isn’t a serious release by a band who isn’t serious.  On the contrary, “ Lifeless Birth ”, and Necrot themselves, are deadly serious.  But they also clearly love their chosen style of play and they let the listener know that. Yes, this is an absolute pummeling album with non stop brutality.  But it is also melodic and catchy as hell.  The magic of the album is that it incorporates these two “scary” words so well into the...

Mother Of Al l is a metal band from Denmark who formed in 2013. “ Global Parasitic Leviathan ,” is their second full length album, in addition to having two EPs and a split album as well. Their sound may be rooted in melodic death but it has a ton of thrash elements in it too and it is some of the most exciting thrash I've heard in some time. It doesn’t stop there, however, because I also hear elements of progressive and death metal in the mix too.  The genres are completely infused with each other, a true melting spot of styles where it is impossible to hear where one begins and the other ends.  This leads to very compelling songs with insane energy.  All these styles and ideas the album represent are so seamlessly intertwined that it never comes off as meandering or spastic.  The songs are very riff based and are constantly pushing forward.  Vocally, Martin possess a searing barking shout that adds to the urgency of the songs The album begins with “ Cosmic Dar...

Veriteras is a melodic death band from Seattle, Washington that formed in 2019. “ The Dark Horizon ” is their second full-length album; they also have two EPs under their belt.  I haven't heard the band's previous releases so I went into this album completely blind. Honestly, what I heard has blown me away….this is top tier melodic death metal with a blackened edge. It's also catchy as hell. Each song is filled with intricate melodies, harmonies and songs that lodged themselves inside my head for days. The energy is infectious–every song exuberates a jaunty energy that make this album a very smooth and easy listen—at around 31 minutes this is a collection of songs that begs to be listened to over and over.   Their black metal influences keeps the songs from being too “happy” sounding, ensuring for every melodic note there is a heavy riff to act as a counterweight. Some of the speedier moments, especially the faster moments, definitely add a lot of heft to the songs even w...

 Iron Monkey is a sludge/doom metal band from the United Kingdom who formed in 1994.  Their latest album “ Spleen & Goad ” is their fourth full-length album, in addition to a split album, an EP, and two compilations. I missed out their initial run when they released their self-titled debut and the follow up “ Our Problem ,” both of which were well praised and are now considered classics.  After their break up 1999 and the passing of original vocalist Johnny Marrow , the band returned in 017 with “9-13” and a new line up.  Guitarist Jim Rushby took on vocal duties and bassist Steve Watson moved from  guitars to bass.  Original drummer Justin Greaves did not return.   This album features Ze Big on the kit.  Flash forward to 2024 and the band is back with “ Spleen & Goad ,” a heavy hitter of an album if I ever heard one.  Some might have noticed that there aren't any true surprises on the album, opting for a more direct approac...

Vircolac is a death metal band from Dublin, Ireland who formed in 2013.  Their latest album, " Veneration " is their second full-length album, in addition to also having two demos and an EP.  So what do I think of this album? I. Think. T his. Album. Is. Insane. End of review. Just kidding. This isn't the rend of the review. But I wasn't kidding about the insanity of this album. While it definitely isn't progressive or technical, it is definitely imaginative in how it incorporates and shifts through many styles. The soundtrack to going insane? Yep. Seriously though, Vircolac ’s “ Veneration ” is an album that wears many hats and is constantly changing said hats. Or should that be spikes? Or is that only a blackened thing? Cammo shorts it is, then. Seriously (again) " Veneration ” is an album that kept me guessing the entire 36 minute runtime. I never knew what was around the musical corner from one moment to the next. Some might prefer a more focused approa...

Witch Vomit is a death metal band from Portland, Oregon who formed in 2012.  Their new album, “ Funeral Sanctum ” is their third full length album, in addition to a demo and three EPs. “ Funeral Sanctum ” is a brisk 30 minutes, spread across ten tracks, two of which are instrumental interludes.  This is a short but sweet and blistering piece of death metal that offers monuments of wreckage across its runtime without ever overstaying its welcome or feeling like anything was left out.   The basics of their sound have been retained—brutal, disgusting death metal that can go from lighting speed to doomed crawl. Throw in a bit of black metal too for good measure and their sound is always abrasive, always cavernous and never lets up.   “ Funeral Sanctum ” leans into a melody a bit more and features their tightest song writing to date.  In fact, I’d say a lot of this album is surprisingly catchy.  Despite that, and a little more focus on melody, Witch V...

Funeral Leech is a death/doom band from New York, New York who formed in 2015.  Their new album, “ The Illusion of Time ” is their second full-length album, in addition to have a demo. Doom, in all its myriad forms, is by far my favorite genre so few things get me more excited than an album that mixes it with disgusting, decaying death metal.  “ The Illusion of Time ” is such an album, combining mid-to-slow paced doom metal with crushing old-school death.   There is a truly evil and harrowing atmosphere to the album—-it has such a classic feel to it while sounding modern thanks to its production and mix that is appropriately raw but open enough to truly grasp the often cavernous nature of the music. The pacing of the album is insane—the band really knows when to put the peddle down hard and speed up or when to get down to crawling in pain on the ground like funeral doom.  Each song flows smoothly even while presenting such abrasive and against-the-grain music....

In Depths Of Winter is a melodic death/doom band from Finland who formed in 2021.  It is actually a one man project from J.H. , also from the bands Shades of Deep Water and Sarajah .  I’m glad that this self-titled debut release from IN DEPTHS OF WINTER has been reissued for 2024 because it gives me a reason to review it, which I originally did not do the first time it came around in 2022.  Not that I needed an excuse though because this album is darn near perfect for this style of melodic death and doom. The atmosphere is bleak, frozen, and downright inhospitable.  These elements are exactly what is needed for this type of music.  With that being said, there is a certain chilling clarity to the overall sound of the album.  This is music that represents a place that might as well be alien compared to most people…but for those who live it, this is life and the highest form of living to the fullest. As one might expect, this album is as cold and brisk as a...