Doomed For Metal Reviews

Meltem is a psychedelic doom metal band from Spain who formed in 2019.  They released their first demo in 2022.  Just a couple years later and they have graced us with a staggering mind trip in the form of a full-length musical opus called “ Mare Nostrum .”  “ Mare Nostrum ,” is an album that has a huge sound that is filled to the brim with dynamics and many layers.  The overall sound of the album is definitely rooted in both 70’s rock and stoner doom but it has a very healthy dose of Middle Eastern music to it as well.   If the combinations of all those elements and styles sound like it might be unique and adventurous, that’s because it is.  The atmosphere has a warm, fluid sound that covers the music like a gentle breeze.  With that being said, it has more than enough moments of pure raw aggressive heaviness that reveals a certain danger inside the many details and intricacies of their music.  Consisting of four tracks and a runtime of 41 m...

Grim Colossus is a one-man ( Magnus Berglind )  doom metal project from Sweden, who released their debut EP “ Where Shadows Dwell ,” in 2022.  Flash forward a couple years and they have dropped their full-length debut “ Descent Into Madness .”    From my understanding, the album tells a story of a man who, after diving into the occult, becomes haunted by nightmares and visions.   The atmosphere of the music definitely goes alongside the story, offering a grim and horror filled experience.  The production is fitting as well, just raw enough to add girth and grit. Despite the subject matter, this is not extreme doom.  Instead, the experience is told in a much more traditional style of doom.  Comparisons to Candlemass would not be wrong but I find this to be darker and more melancholic than a lot of other bands who try the old school doom worship.  This is doom just how it should be played:  low, slow, and full of despair.  With...

Vexing Hex is one of the more unique bands I have heard recently.  It’s hard to pigeonhole their sound because they change genres like most people (hopefully) change their underwear.  As a whole, I would say it is occult rock but it’s also so much more.   Elements of punk, doom, pop, stoner, traditional metal are intertwined into their song structures.  Throw in some prog, grunge, a hefty dose of the 80’s, and even some thrash…and you might have a good idea as to what they sound like. Ultimately, however, Vexing Hex  prove with “ Solve Et Coagula ” they don’t sound like anyone but themselves.   This might sound crazy but if I were to describe their sound, and this album, with one word it would be:  Halloween.  This is the soundtrack to a crisp, cool Autumn night.  Through my internet travels, I have seen a lot of comparisons to Ghost but I honestly don’t think they sound all that similar and “ Solve Et Coagula ” is better than any...

Kvaen is a one-man black metal band from Swedish musician Jacob Björnfot (ex- The Duskfall , Autumn Death ) that formed in 2019.  “ The Formless Fires ” is Kvaen’ s third full-length album, having also released a split in 2021. I’ve been following them since the beginning and if “ The Formless Fires, ” is any indication, Kvaen is going to turn into one of the most consistent projects in the scene.   The album’s production is impeccable—both dynamic and vibrant to bring out the album’s intricacies and details.  It’s much cleaner than a lot of black metal but, while that might be a problem for some, it doesn’t take away from their raw energy and powerful songwriting.   Each song is chock full of blistering solos, harmonies, melodies…everything you could ever want in melodic black has been incorporated into the 8 song, 39 minute runtime.  Sure, it has all been heard before, but with songwriting this sharp, it just doesn’t matter.  At the end of the...

Codex Mortis is a black metal band from the Netherlands who formed in 2017.  “ Tales of Woe, ” is their second full-length album. “ Tales of Woe ,” is a short but very engaging album, burning through six tracks in around 27 minutes.  It’s always quality, not quantity, and the band delivers a lot of quality here.  This album is all about balance.  It has a lot of atmosphere, but not so much to the point where the instruments become background music.  It’s melodic but never loses its  fast paced, blistering edge. The song structures a riff based, backed by the  powerful rhythm section Mathieu Westerveld ’s bass and Michiel van der Plicht ’s drumming.  The bass is much heavier than what I usually hear in black metal.  I love this because it lends the albums a very thick, full presentation.  Because the production is impeccable, and arguably too good for this style, that heavier low end helps keep the album grim enough for the die-hards to ...

Malignancy is a brutal technical death metal band from Yonkers, New York who formed in 1992.  Their latest release, “... Discontinued ,” is their fifth full-length album, in addition to a number of demos, EPs, and splits.  Their music is some of the more brutal death metal I’ve heard this year but it's presented with a technical flair that most other BDM bands just can’t match.   The riffs in particular are insane—fast and unrelenting but ever changing with an unstoppable energy.  Much could be said for the bass and drums, that despite their leanings towards insatiable violence, are anything but caveman riffs.  This is smartly written music that just happens to be insanely intense. The production is much cleaner than a lot of death metal I’ve heard this year.  It shouldn’t work, but it does.  When the music is so out there in extremity yet mind boggling with its presentation, a slightly shinier layer of auditory nightmares is needed to capture the...

Ceremony of Silence is a blackened death metal band from Slovakia who formed in 2015.  “ Hálios ,” is their second full-length album. Ceremony of Silence plays a form of extremity that, while definitely aggressive, has an unique atmosphere ...it sort of creeps into you and flows like a miasma rather than directly assaulting the senses.  “ Hálios ,” ticks off all the boxes of every element I want in my blackened death concoctions but does so in an atmospheric and off the beaten path way to the point where the album sounds different than a lot of other bands of this style. It is more nightmarish and creepy with its brutality than pulverizing.  Rather than listening to this and saying, “Wow, this is destructive,” I’m saying, “This is a raw, maddening, form of arcane mysterium.” Balance is key to this album.  Every instrument is expertly mixed in, nothing over takes the others and they all get equal representation.  This goes a long way in making the album as atmo...

Ceremony Buryment is a funeral doom metal band of international origins, their two members hailing from both the United States and Croatia.  Instrumentalist Malevolus ( Venomous Echoes , Void Blight , Wallow ) and vocalist Margul Demonic ( Dysenteric Excementation , Embalmatory ) formed the band in 2022. I enjoyed their debut album, “ As We Weep Over Life ,” but “ Trail of the Unknown Fate ,” takes their sound to a higher level.  The production is better and I find the over songwriting to be even more bleak and despondent.   This is funeral doom exactly how it should be played:  incredibly slow, cavernously deep, and devoid of anything that might appeal to the mainstream.  Funeral doom, in my humble opinion, should always be against the grain and an esoteric experience.  This describes the album perfectly and it’s one hell of a journey. The album opens with “ Paroxysm of Dubiety ,” and in the spirit of true funeral doom, it takes nearly 50 seconds ...

Locusts and Honey is a doom metal band from Long, England who formed in 2023.  “ Teach Me to Live That I Dread the Grave as Little as My Bed ,” is their debut EP.  The album is one song divided up into six movements, acting as the songs.   Their sound is very much rooted in funeral doom although there are a lot of liminal spaces and a psychedelic vibes to the atmosphere.   Although the song is nearly 30 minutes in length, these minutes tick back much, much faster that one would think.  With that being said, having the album divided up into six tracks is somewhat unnecessary as only the second movement, “ Leathern Cord ,” is an actual song, with the remaining five making up smaller portions that basically make up the intro, three interludes, and an outro.  There isn’t anything wrong with this structure, as the song is seamless even through track transitions, but it’s best to go from beginning to end instead of listening on a piecemeal basis. The p...

Henry Kane is a one-man band formed by Wombbath ’s (among others) Jonny Pettersson in 2016.  “ Circle of Pain ” is the project's third full-length album, in addition to a split album release in 2017. Henry Kane ’s music is extreme as hell, amplified by its amalgamation of various styles including crust, death metal, and grindcore.  I’m familiar with many of his projects but, for whatever reason, I haven’t had a chance to check out Henry Kane ’s music before.  With that being said, I like what I’m hearing and I’m pleasantly surprised by the dynamics and variety that he injects into an extreme tapestry while still making it all coherent.   Little twists here and there, such as keys, subtle hints of melody, adventurous  bass or symphonic elements fill up the cracks in the band’s open sound.  The result is an extreme metal album that isn’t afraid to be more than what it is while still being exactly what it should be.  It’s a rare combination of step...

Morgue Meat is a brutal death metal band from Dallas, Texas who formed in 2010.  Their latest album, “A pocalyptic Visions ,” is their second full-length album.  They have also released two EPs and a demo. Morgue Meat and their new album offer a straightforward, no frills take on death metal.  It’s simple to the point of being archaic—that is a compliment.  Sometimes I don’t need anything fancy…and make no mistake, there is nothing refined or gorgeous about this decayed slab of metal meat. With a runtime of just over 25 minutes across 9 songs, the band gets down to the rotten core of death metal’s essence and just blitzes it out.  The only respite is the intro track, “ Intrōductiō Infernalis, ” but even that one offers pounding drums and sharp lead guitar.   The first full song, “ Lesser Key of Solomon ,” takes simple but pulverizing riffs to the beat of drums that pound impending doom and lets all hang right out of the gate.  The bass is just a...

Srefa is Tel Aviv, Israel based black metal band who formed in 2020.  “ Solstice ” is their full-length debut although they released an EP in 2022. Srefa ’s black metal is raw and violent.  Scathing vocals, pummeling drums, and a guitar/base tone laced in darkness are the elements that present themselves at first.  Speaking of bass, it is very audible  and prevalent–something I always like to notice in black metal.   The production is, much like the music, raw but it’s all beefy—this sound is truly massive and sounds absolutely pulverizing with a decent pair of headphones.  “ Solstice ” is an album of surprises though and the songs don’t always go the way they seem like they should.    The first song “ Ensnared and Conquered ” is somewhat straight forward but the bass, as mentioned earlier, stands out well among the riffs.  The song is fast but not overly and many of the riffs hang back a bit in moments to let the bleak atmosphere satura...

 Haissem is a one man black metal band from Ukraine who formed in 2014.  The mastermind behind the project is Andrey Tollock , also from the doom band Sunset Forsaken (who just released a damn good album earlier in the year too).   “ Khaos Ebony Flame ” is Haissem ’s eighth full-length album, in addition to also having two EPS under the blackened belt.  Andrey  has released something under this moniker every year since 2016—most musicians would get burnt out and stagnant at this rather impressive rate.  Not Andrey .  This dude is a beast and he only improves his craft with each release. At a runtime of 37 minutes across 5 songs, “ Khaos Ebony Flame ,” is quite a bit shorter than last year's “ Ad Cor Tenebrarum ,” but there isn’t anything wrong with that.  The shorter length has allowed the song writing to be sharper, distilled down to the essence of what makes Haissem so great.  All the elements that make the band such a stand out act i...

Holycide is a thrash metal band from Spain who formed in 2004.  Their latest album is “ Towards Idiocracy ” is their third full-length album; they have also released a demo and two EPs. The members of the bands are made up of alumni for the metal underground. In particular,  vocalist Dave Rotten is most noticeably involved in such bands as Avulsed , Christ Denied , and Decrapted .  Bassist Vicente Payá , also in Decrapted , ahas his hands in Bis•nte and Golgotha (who are aboutto release their own really solid album).   With a pedigree like that, Holycide ’s “ Towards Idiocracy ” should be a total banger of an album right?  Damn right.  In fact, I am 100% confident that, as of the writing of this review, this album is the best thrash metal album I’ve heard all year.   It, of course, has influence from the 80’s scene but it is more than that.  It isn’t trapped in a bygone era as it forges its own sound.  It is oftentimes quite a bit ...

Devil Moon Risen is an Arizona based band with a very unique sound.  They formed in 2020, in the middle of the pandemic and dropped an EP.   Their brand of high energy and catchy music combines punk, desert rock, and stoner doom into a truly dynamic sound that blazes from start to finish!  Oh and they also include sludge and old school heavy metal into the mix!   “ Fissure of Men ,” is their debut full-length album…and it is a massive achievement! The band is a three piece but they sound even bigger. Chihuahua Chad (I hope that is his real name) plays bass guitar, upright bass, and vocals.  His bass is a huge component to the album, if not the main one.  He is absolutely pulsating, steering the direction of the band even while he compliments the other two member’s own styles.  His vocals are extremely varied, everything from cleans and screams.   Guitarist Rocky Destructo (awesome) has just a big of a job though as the album’s onl...

Grand  Demise Of Civilization is a black metal band from Minnesota who formed in 2008.  “ The Blaze of Abaddon ,” is their fourth full-length album.  This is my first experience with their brand of blackened atrocities but I am impressed.  Their sound is very dark, grim, and about as aggressive sounding as one could imagine.  However, it is also surprisingly melodic, at least in their own way.  The melodies aren’t happy or jaunty but instead a dull light that gives way to false hopes.   The melding of their aggression and melody lends the album an unique atmosphere that is both hellish and expansive.   The production is just raw enough to coat their music in an appropriate amount of bleakness but the mixing is superb–every instrument can be heard, including the bass which is all too often drowned out in black metal.  At a runtime of 50 minutes at six tracks, the album is long enough to reveal all its depth but not so long that it w...

Fireblood is a doom/sludge band from Charlotte, North Carolina.  " Hellalujah ," is their debut EP, an 18 minute banger of an album with riffs for days. Their southern roots should let this be a surprise to no one but their music has a swampy, groovy core to it.  The guitar tone is dirty and abrasive as hell, a sterling combination of doom, sludge, and that classic southern-tinge that has that special sort of intensity.   Mike Rot is the only guitarist but he sounds like seven because his riffs are heavy and layered as a goddamn dump truck full of coked up alligators.  Despite how great the riffs are, any band of this type would be worthless without a good rhythm section.  Thomas Stanfel (drums) and  Angel Rot (bass) are a two man wrecking crew.  Their own sound and tones are heavy as lead and unmovable as that dump truck I mentioned earlier.  Travis Overcash 's vocals are pure gut and guile, offering a variety that serves up growls, screa...

Terminal Nation is an extreme metal band from Little Rock, Arkansas who formed in 2014.  “ Echoes of the Devil’s Den ,” is their second full-length album; they have also released two demos, two EPs, two splits, and a live album. I enjoy the hell out of this album and it is becoming one of my most played of the dozens upon dozens I have listened to and/or reviewed this year.  Not only does the band avoid the dreaded “sophomore slump” but they release their best album and set their path onto underground, and perhaps beyond, domination. “ Echoes of the Devil’s Den ,” is one of those types of albums that is intense and abrasive but somehow catchy as hell—and a lot of fun to listen to.  The band leans more into their death metal side this time around but still retains their hardcore rage and energy.  The riffs are bigger, the song’s more tightly constructed, and everything is just way more dynamic.  Throughout the twelve song, 40 minute runtime, the band mixes it up...

Adversarial is a blackened death metal band from Canada, who formed in 2007. Their latest album, "Solitude With The Eternal," is their third full-length album; they have also released a demo, two splits, and an EP.  Adversarial's take on blackened death is a bit different than a lot I've heard this year. While it is without a doubt pummeling and abrasive, it's all extraordinary dark and even murky. It takes the best of both extreme styles and blends them into something that is darker than black. The tone of the guitars and bass is absolutely heinous and evil. It sounds just like blackened death should sound: maddening, frightening, and against the grain of any hope. The drums are a highlight throughout the album. They are well produced with a killer tone themselves but aren't extreme for the sake of it. Real care and craftsmanship was put into the album but especially the drums. The pacing and flow is excellent as well. With 8 sings coming it at around 32 min...

Moral Putrefaction is a death metal band from India that formed in 2015.  This self-titled album is their full-length debut but they released a demo in 2019. I find this to be a very interesting album. It's production and atmosphere resides in the old school style but it's modern enough to go against any of today’s death metal. Blackened and even tech death elements are used throughout the album which pushes it beyond an old school way of thinking even as they honor the gods of old. All these elements make this a well rounded album that does a little bit of everything. Despite its abrasive nature, the solid runtime of 36 minutes across seven tracks glides By smoothly, ensuring multiple listens aren't hard to do. I wanted to listen to it several times anyway because it's just so damn good.  Simply put, this band knows how to put together a death metal song, balancing brutality with interesting and memorable songwriting. I will hit some of the album's highlights belo...

Tzompantli is a death/doom metal band from California that formed in 2019.  Their latest album, “ Beating the Drums of Ancestral Force ,” is their second full-length album; they also released an EP in 2019. The band’s themes and lyrics focus on Indigenous/Native rituals, history and lore.  They go a step beyond this and incorporate traditional instruments into their highly extreme sound.  I see the word Indigenous/regional thrown around a lot but I haven’t heard any band that truly embraces it like Tzompantli . Because of their dynamics and approach to incorporating culture and heritage into their doom, I think this will appeal to a lot of people even though their brand is very abrasive.  However, sometimes their music is quite a bit faster than a lot of doom so even death heads will find some common ground here to enjoy. The album’s production and atmosphere is thick—hellish, ancient, arcane, and just impenetrable. This is easily among one of the densest albums I’ve...

Vale of Pnath is a death metal band from Denver, Colorado who formed in 2006. Their latest, “ Between the Worlds of Life and Death ,” is their third full-length album. They also released two EPs and a demo. At this point, guitarist Vance is the only original member. But his songwriting prowess, riffs and, most importantly, his spirit remain great as ever. This album is the first to feature Ken Sorceron on vocals, although he has been with them for some time now. I was fortunate to see him live with both Pnath and Abigail Williams ….I'm happy that his performance on this album is nearly as powerful as it is on stage. He's just a hell of a vocalist with a lot of energy.  I believe he also plays bass here as well and he brings it hard that way too. Gabe Seeber makes his Vale of Pnath  debut here too and his insane but tightly robust drumming is one of the many highlights on this album. For anyone unfamiliar with their sound, they are very much technical in a riff based way. Ho...

Mortal Wound is a death metal band from Los Angeles, California who formed in 2018. “ The Anus of the World ,” is their full-length debut, following a split and a demo.  There are so many sub genres these days. Hell, most subgenres have their own subgenres now. There isn't anything wrong with that but sometimes that isn't what I want to hear. Sometimes I want straight forward, especially in the more extreme styles. “ The Anus of the World ,” is definitely an album that scratches that itch. Hell, it doesn't scratch….it straight up shreds and pounds those little pieces into the ground. This is an album that offers no frills or thrills other than the gift of straight up brutal death metal. As such, it's an esoteric experience—if you don't already have at least some interest in death metal, this won't change your mind. But there is some charm to that. I appreciate this album because it doesn't try to hide its nature or be more than it needs to. Supposedly, the ...

Hellbutcher is a black metal band from Sweden that formed in 2022. This self titled album is their full-length album and they have also released a demo. 2024 has been a year of musical surprises. I've reviewed quite a few albums from bands I wasn't familiar with and was satisfied with the results. Hellbutcher ’s debut fits firmly into this category as well.  Their brand of black metal has a definite old school vibe to it but approaches the genre with a modern sense. Despite how intense and unforgiving it can be, the album manages to be melodic as well with a lot of big hooks. The production is fantastic—-black metal doesn't always need toilet bowl stain production and the album runs with this idea. It doesn't take away from their underground appeal and, if anything, actually makes it sound more dynamic and even vibrant.  The melodic beginning of “ The Sword of Wrath ,” gives an idea as to what awaits on the rest of the album.  The melodies are catchy but also sharp and ...