Doomed For Metal Reviews

It took me longer than I care to admit to write this review because FOR THE STORMS ' second full-length album, " Losing What's Left of Us " is so damn good, I couldn't tear myself away from it long enough to type something out.   It isn't just good--it full pulls you into it's grey world, almost making you part of the music. This Italian band mixes death/doom, sludge, and a host of other genres together for one of the most potent examples of extreme doom I've heard in the second half of 2024.  The approach to the songs on " Losing What's Left of Us ," is very unique and makes for an exciting and imaginative listen.  The album is divided into three chapters, separated by the interludes “ Ghosts ” and “ May The Emptiness You Carry Bring Some Comfort When You’re Gone .”  I’m very hit or miss with interludes but they are both placed smartly into the track list and actually compliment the songs that come after them.  “ Ghosts ” is an emotional...

Mercyless are a cornerstone death metal band for the scene.  These French demons formed way back in 1987 and released their debut demo in 1988.  Their first two full-length albums, 1992’s “ Abject Offerings ,” and 1993 “ Coloured Funeral ” are classic death metal bands.  Things got a little weird after that and they released a string of  subpar albums.  But 2013 saw the band take back their crown with “ Unholy Black Splendor .”  It’s been nothing but greatness since and once again they return after four  years with  their eighth full-length album “ Those Who Reign Below .”  The ever stalwart vocalist/guitarist Max Otero leads the lineup through 11 songs and a 43 minute runtime.  At this point, you know the drill:  old school band playing old school sounds.  And there isn’t a goddamn thing wrong with that.  There has been a huge OSDM revival for awhile now–I enjoy the hell out of it.  However, all these new bands play...

Wow what an album!!! “ Wormtales ,” the third full-length album from these Swedish death metal freaks, is an unrelenting slab of nihility that's heavier and darker than anything they have done yet.  What it lacks in technical flair and big, catchy moments that graced the well reviewed “ Visions of Infinihility ,” it makes up for it with a massive sound that embraces all that is mighty and powerful in extreme metal.  Carnosus aren't strangers to thrash influences and this album continues to embrace the genre but forgoes much of the flashy shredding and replaces it with smarter songwriting that's clever without going overboard and doing too much. It is definitely a simpler album in terms of technical ability but this approach just allows them to zero in on playing death fucking metal. Their sound is now honed to a “T.” The band still retains their rapid fire approach of throwing out all kinds of vocals over music that tends to be spastic and energetic.  The album begins w...

Sørgelig is a black metal band from Greece, who formed in 2017. Their latest release, “ Φθορά ,” is their third full-length album; they have also released four EPs and a split. As soon as I read that Sørgelig was from Greece, I had high hopes for this album. Honestly, I don’t think I have heard anything under the blackened category from Greece that I haven’t liked. “ Φθορά ” is definitely yet another strong album to help build the rich legacy of Greece’s underground metal scene.  “ Φθορά ” can best be described as “fast but melodic.” However, that doesn’t really explain the depths of the album. Yes, they are fast but it isn’t straight up speed just for the sake of it. The melodies aren’t there to provide some catchy hook or give it a mainstream feel. Everything, every element, has a very natural flow to it and everything is exactly where it should be. A bit of DSBM can be found in here as well, as the album is definitely well protected against the light. But, of course, t...

Trollcave Is a funeral doom metal band from Spain, who formed in 2021. Their latest release is “Adoration of the Abyssal Trespasser ,” their second EP; they have also released a full-length and a split.  Trollcave ’s doom is raw and ultra-abrasive. There is a difference between being heavy and extreme—this 31 minute EP is beyond those terms to the point where it is nearly alien.  That's a compliment, too. Even some of the deepest and darkest doom bands don't sound disgusting and inhuman as the two songs presented here.  The production is exactly how it should sound: against the grain and straight up disturbing. Every slow riff, ambient noise, death growl and drum bash rings out like the movement of an unknown beast in brackish waters. The first song, which I suppose might be two since the intro is included, is “ Intro / Grotesque Abyssal Trespasser .” The intro to the song is dark textures against an ominous backdrop. Decent into the sulphuric pits of the Abyssal not...

Pyrrhon is an extreme metal band from New York who formed in 2008. Their latest release “ Exhaust ,” is their fifth full-length album; they have also released two demos and three EPs. There's insane and there is bat shit insane. Then on the other side of that, far off into a dimension of its own rests “ Exhaust .” I've heard the name Pyrrhon over the years but this album is my first exposure to their music.   From my limited research and understanding, this album is them at their most accessible. Really? It is? THIS album? I can't imagine. But I can experience.  This particular experience is one made of death metal, noise, punk, core and dissonance. It's all these things yet more. I suppose at its heart the band has produced a death metal.  It's more like a train collision set to moody extremity. There is a lot going on here and the album demands multiple listens. Every time I learned to this, I found something new that I didn't notice before. But for all its ...

Doomsday Sun is a doom metal band from the UK who formed in 2016. Their latest, " A Slow Agonising Rapture ” is their second full-length album; they have also released three EPs. “ A Slow Agonising Rapture ” is a punishing album but it has a lot of levels and degrees of dishing out that punishment. It's a deceptively simple album that has more layers than you might think upon the first listen.  I'd say doom fits their overall style but they have zero issues in mixing it up. There is a metric ton of groove throughout the album and a fair bit of hammering sludge.  In some ways, it's atmospheric as well although in a more indirect way. Make no mistake, this album is a punch to the FACE. As if that wasn't enough, the album is full to bursting with catchy hooks. Every song has a moment that makes me want to get up a punch someone in the face. It might be a riff, or a vocal line or maybe even smack of the drums. But the band's musicianship is tight and they always ...

Canis Diru s is a black metal band from Minnesota, America that formed in 2008.  Their latest release, “ By the Grace of Death ” is their fourth full-length album; they have also released an EP and a Split. Canis Dirus ’ style on this album is interesting, to say the least.  On one hand, they embrace a more orthodox style of black metal.  Depending on what part of what song, hearing this album would make  you think it was an old school raw 90’s black metal album. However, such a description only tells half the story.  At other moments, “ By the Grace of Death ,” embraces dark atmosphere and cold melodies, unafraid to step outside the box and offer introspective, and perhaps even tender, moments. It’s an adventurous concoction that is fully embraced and elevated by the expert songwriting.  Each of the six songs across the album’s 38 minute runtime offer something new than one came before but it’s still held together by a consistent and cohesive thought proce...

Well, this is completely different.  I’ve heard, and said it myself, there is nothing new under the sun.  Then I experience music like this and realize that maybe we really are all full of shit.  Dragoncorpse ’s new EP “ The Fall of House Abbarath ,” is one of the most interesting albums I’ve heard in the second half of this year.   The music contained within the 6 song, 23 minute runtime is one surprising after another.  The band takes a myriad of sounds, including deathcore, metalcore, and power metal, throws them into a melting pot and remolds them as something truly creative.  The orchestrations are lush, playful, and just as potent as the heavier elements.  The atmosphere of these songs is really special, nailing down a fantastical fantasy element in a playful manner while also being deadly serious.  Cleary, the band knows their craft and just how to put together what I assume is a large variety of influences.   The best is tha...

Horna is a black metal band from Finland, who formed 1994. The band has been extremely prolific; “ Nyx - Hymnejä Yölle ” is their 12th full-length album. Over the years they have also released two demos, 11 EPs, 20 splits, three compilations, and three live albums! Despite their long history, “Nyx - Hymnejä Yölle ,” is my first exposure to their music. Their sound embraces the cold tradilion of Finnish extreme metal. From beginning to end, this album is as cold as the North winds.  But even blood still flows from under the ice—each of these six tracks are visceral and uncompromising. The production is not quite as raw as I was expecting but that's a good thing. There is lot of decent moments in the bass guitar and bass drums so the production allows for the band to naturally release their aggression without burying the rhythm section.  The result is an album that is fast paced, flows effortlessly and sounds meaty as fuck. “ Hymni I ” opens the floodgates with the bands brand...

Allt is a progressive metalcore band from Sweden, who formed in 2020. “From The New World ,” is their debut full-length album; they have also released an EP. I don't know what it is about prog metalcore but it's always good. “ From The New World ” is another fine addition to the genres halls. The production is MASSIVE. It's loud, clear and razor sharp all wrapped up in a big modern production. Normally, I would argue most bands don't need such a slick production job. But this album definitely requires but not only that----it thrives in it.  The bass and guitar tones are deep and seemingly endless. The atmospheric textures generated through the keys/electronics stand out against the heavier elements but don't over take them.   The riffs are modern as well but mix it up enough to keep engagement high. The drumming and vocals are both powerhouses, adding so intense a sound that each song feels like the explsoive ending of another and birth of the next one. The alb...

The Black Dahlia Murder probably doesn’t need an introduction considering they are one of biggest bands in death metal. Since 2001, the band has been churning out extreme and often times melodic metal on a consistent basis. Their sound is often described as melodic death but, for me, that doesn’t really fit their sound to a "T."  I suppose it depends on the album in question but all you really need to know is they have never released a bad album, although some are better than others.   I have a minor, somewhat special, connection to the band on a personal level. A long time ago, close to 20 years ago, I briefly wrote for a magazine called Modern Fix. One of the first things I did for them was interview this band through email. I know, it’s not much, but it helped me cut my teeth in the “metal journalism” scene. The interview was during their “Miasma” era but I’ve followed the band since their first album. It has been great watching this band grow and become as big ...

I've been following Post Luctum for a minute now but haven't reviewed them yet. I picked a good time to do so because “ Forced To Watch You Wither ” is the one man band's best album yet. This is the third full-length album from the moniker, in addition to also having four EPs. The mastermind behind the project, Ian Goetchius , knows exactly what goes into a great doom metal album and how to pull on the heartstrings as well. Doom is, of course, a dour genre but it's also one of vivid beauty, in its own way.  “ Forced To Watch You Wither ,” I believe captures that beauty. There's so much darkness in the world, in life itself. What better way to experience it than to face it head on? For in fighting the darkest battles, a person reveals the light within. So yes,there can be beauty within the deepest voids. And this album is one of the deepest I've experienced this year but also most rewarding. The growls and screams are harrowing, often times sending shivers th...

Aethyrick is a black metal band from Finland, who formed in 2016.  Their latest release, “ Death Is Absent ,” is their fifth full-length album; they have also released two demos, two eps, and will soon release a new split album with Marras (which I will try to review at a later time). One of the many reasons I love to review is that I get exposed to so many bands I’ve never heard before.  Aethyrick is one such band and I will definitely be going back to devour the rest of their albums.  Their music captures the raw energy of black metal but incorporated into this fury is a captivating sense of melody and sprawling songwriting.   The atmospheric parts are still very dark, the band is keen on using even the most melodic moments to drive forward that old school sound. The songs sound familiar in context from where their influences arise but it’s also clear the band has their own sound and style.  I can definitely hear the passion for their music—these songs ar...

 Ingurgitating Oblivion is an avant-garde extreme metal band from Germany, who formed in 2001.  Their latest opus, “ Ontology of Nought ,” is their third full-length album; they have also released an EP, two splits, and two demos.  I debated for a long time if I was even going to review this latest album from Ingurgitating Oblivion . It's not that I don't like it–I do. But, for a long time, I just wasn't sure how I could find the words to speak about this album. Even for avant-garde extreme metal, this is really out there. There is so much happening within the songs that it simultaneously appeals to everyone and no one.  This is quite possibly the most difficult review I have ever tackled.  I don't mean that in a bad way. I'm just saying that it runs so many gauntlets that it's hard to guarantee what someone will think about this album.  Obviously any music is objective but the mileage of “ Ontology of Nought ” will vary GREATLY depending on who is listeni...

Mother Of Graves is a melodic death/doom band from Indianapolis, Indiana who formed in 2019.  “ The Periapt of Absence ,” is their second full-length album; they have also released an EP. Mother Of Graves ’ previous album, “ Where Shadows Adorn ,” was a fantastic album that found itself among the best of the year 2022.  I can firmly say that “ The Periapt of Absence ,” is even better and will also find its place on many year end lists.   Instead of falling into a sophomore slump, the band has managed to craft an album that both hones their sound while expanding it.  The songs are the heaviest they have done yet they are also their most dynamic.  This album is exactly how a band should follow up a well received debut! The album is, of course, heavy as a coffin filled with lead.  For all their melodic and atmospheric leanings, they are still much darker and more intense than so many other bands out there who do the same style.  It’s an interesting ...

Ghostheart Nebula is a doom metal band from Italy, who formed in 2017.  “ Blackshift ” is their second full-length album; they have also released an EP. I reviewed their debut full-length, “ Ascension ,” for Metal Temple and proclaimed it “the best album their label has released.”  Does their second album match that quality or did they fall victim to sophomore slump? They didn’t match the quality of their debut…they have surpassed it!  The bands self styled “cosmic doom” takes everything that made their previous release so great and pushes it past boundaries while still remaining true to their core sound.  Interestingly enough, the album picks up exactly where “ Ascension ” left off so, in many ways, it’s also a companion piece.  “ Blackshift ” is a doom album that has all the hallmarks of the genre but introduces even more atmosphere, blackened elements, post, drone,  and a psychedelic/spacey worlds their music grows and thrives inside.  I want to pr...

Undeath is one of the best modern death metal bands in the scene right now. The Rochester, New York based band formed in 2018 and released their debut demo the following year. I discovered them with their full-length debut “ Lesions of Different Kind ” and have been a fan ever since. I love when a band consistently gets better with each release— Undeath is definitely showing improvement album after album.  They aren't reinventing the wheel but they are making it bigger, better and more…wheelier. . The point is that everything that makes Undeath good is now making them great as they simultaneously tighten and expand their sound. They mix it up and wear their influences right on the sleeve but they don't sound like anyone but themselves.  “ More Insane ” can be technical, groovy, and even thrashy. They slide in and out of styles so seamlessly that instead of sounding disjointed and aimless, it sounds catchy and focused. The production is immense….it really captured the pushin...

 The Crown is a metal institution. There isn't any discussion about that to be had. Even you don't like them (what THE HELL is wrong with you?), their energy, power, and influence cannot be denied. Formed in 1990 (as Crown of Thorns before being basically forced to change their name), the band has been bringing exhilarating death thrash from the underground for over three decades. That's not nothing nor is it an easy feat. They haven't always had it easy either, calling it quits at least once that I know of. But they persevered and here they are again with their 11th full-length album (12th if you count “ Crowned Unholy ,” the re-release/re-recording of “ Crowned In Terror ”). Speaking of “ Crowned In Terror ,” that was my introduction to the band…I bought it on a whim after seeing an ad for it in Metal Edge. I had never heard their music before but the cover art looked cool and I was already a fan of Tompa, who provided vocals on the album. I was 18 and blown away o...