Trollcave - Adoration of the Abyssal Trespasser

Trollcave is a funeral death/doom metal band from Spain, who formed in 2019. Their latest release, “Adoration of the Abyssal Trespasser,” is their second EP; they have also released a full-length and a split.

The two songs on this album, that equal to over 30 minutes of music, is among the most terrifying doom metal I have heard this year. Considering doom is my favorite genre and I’ve heard a billion different doom albums, that is saying a lot. This is the type of music that if you let a non-metal fan listen, they either won’t get it or they will break down and pray to jeebus over what they just heard.

For people like me? It doesn’t get much better than this for funeral doom in 2024. I love this type of music and these two songs have everything in them that makes me feel that way. 

Being a funeral doom band, the songs on this EP are long, slow, and as deep as the unfathomable abyss of some alien world. What I really like about the album is that it’s just as brutal as it is cavernous. Much of that is due to its pacing—obviously, it’s slow but it doesn’t drone on and on without purpose.  

The production goes a long way in making the album as bleak and unforgiving as it is—it’s raw and dense but open enough to swallow the listener whole. How else could it contain all these sounds?  

I also really love that it isn’t a complicated album—it’s subtle and simple in its approach because it knows exactly what is needed at the exact time. Why throw it all together when every instrument, every element, can speak for itself when it is time to do so?

The first song, “Intro/Grotesque Abyssal Trespasser,” begins with deep, ominous, ambient tones. Within thirty seconds, the mood is set and I’m wondering exactly what horror is around the next corner or pocket of darkness. The synth work is fantastic—I wish more funeral/extreme doom bands used them. They definitely help set the atmosphere and they work hand in hand with the guitar/bass tones. Speaking of which, those tones are perfect. Around the four minute mark, the intro gives way to the slow crush of these riffs. The death growls are also well conceived with the right amount of echo. 

Around the halfway mark, the song turns clean but it’s the type of stripped down approach that is just as dark as the distortion–it’s on a different path but still dripping with the same dangers. The build up is excellent—fast double bass kicks up the trepidation while the guitars and bass do their magic in the background. Around the 9:25 mark, it all comes together and the song manages to inject monstrous grooves into the mix. 

The second song is “Abominator’s Diseased Carrion,” and it begins in a more immediate way. The drums compliment the song, keeping the flow on the death metal side and allowing the doomier parts to increase the atmosphere.

Around the halfway make, after the songs barrels through by being propelled by the drums, a slow, dense Gothic style riff hits. The cymbal works accents as just the right spots. The synths blanket this passge with cold tones—all of it combined is rather claustrophobic.

The temple opens back up afterwards, providing steady riffs until the songs pulls back on the tempo for the ending. 

But getting down to the nitty gritty: this album is disgusting, abrasive, and the definition of what being underground truly means. This is an esoteric experience so it won’t appeal to everyone—if you don’t already like this style, this EP won’t change your mind. But if you get it, if you love this type of music, then this album is going to full enthrall and envelop you. There is respect and a certain amount of charm in that—playing something with such purity is something to be commended.  

All in all, Trollcave’s “Adoration of the Abyssal Trespasser,” is one of the best EPs I’ve heard this year, doom or otherwise and a wonderful late year surprise for the doom genre.  

The Holy Flesh - Advocate, Martyr and Redeemer

The Holy Flesh is an atmospheric black metal band from the UK, who formed in 2019.  Their latest album, “Advocate, Martyr and Redeemer,” is their third full-length album; they have also released an EP.  It’s actually a one man project, from the musician known as Entity. 

Over the years, this project has become one of the most interesting in the blackened scene.  The prior albums were an example of how a band can be extreme without actually being extreme.  Their music is very dark, raw, and occult but with “Advocate, Martyr and Redeemer,” the mysterious Entity has upped his game and released The Holy Flesh’s best album yet.  

Their previous album, “Herald and Adversary” showed signs of adding a bit more detail to their decidedly stripped down approach of their debut, “Emissary and Vessel.”  It was a little more dense, a little more heavy, and progressed just enough to progress the sound from the first album without being too far removed.

The Holy Flesh’s mindset is one that truly embraces building on what came before.  “Advocate, Martyr, and Redeemer,” takes the sound from the prior release and builds on it just as that album built up from its own predecessor .  It’s a masterclass display of songwriting composition and bringing one’s ideas to fruition. 

Although definitely not as violent or aggressive as *insert random black metal band here*, this 6 song, 50 minute long album is heavier and more intense than anything they have done before.  Taking this path doesn’t distract from their raw, occult feel—actually, it makes it even better.  Now there is a slight urgency to the music that makes it all the more dangerous and gripping.  

But darkness and grime aren’t the only elements brought forth this time around; there is more melody and atmosphere than ever before.  It works extremely well and, honestly, makes the songs more haunting than ever. 

The production and mix have an upgrade too.  Though not pristine by any definition, the foggy overcast of their previous album has been lifted to allow every detail standout.  The bass in particular makes a case for why I think this is their best sounding album yet but in a way that does nothing to distract from their sound and purpose. 

The opening song, “Advocate I” presents this new path with a faster past tempo but still includes the dirty, raw mysticism that makes the music so appealing in the first place.  As the song moves forward, it adds layers with melodic riffs.  The song isn’t complicated by any means but it has many dynamics and dimensions to it.  I would say that’s a great way to describe the album as a whole too.  Clean tones and bass intertwined after the halfway mark, building a tapestry to a tapestry of riffs and a catchy rhythm.   This song, and all the others, always has a purpose leading it its destination. 

“Martyr II” tries its hand at groove—and succeeds.  As the groove winds down, layers of guitars offer the perfect setting for the low growled vocals to enter—subtle but venomous.  Parts of the song are surprisingly energetic, especially in relation to how the drums and melodic passage play off each other.    The later half of the song gets a kick up in tempo when the drums double down on this more aggressive route, grabbing hold of the music and pushing it forward.  

The final song, “Redeemer II,” is one of the longest songs on the album at nearly 10 minutes.  This one is perhaps my favorite on the album because I feel it captures not only everything Entity is doing on the album but also The Holy Flesh as a whole.  When listening to this song, I can feel on an emotional level everything the band has done and what it has been leading up to.  

With “Advocate, Martyr, and Redeemer,” Entity has found a way to once again progress The Holy Flesh’s sound to the next level while hanging on the roots and elements that made it so captivating to begin with.  

The Mosaic Window - Hemasanctum

The Mosaic Window is a one man black metal band from California, who formed in 2021. The project's latest release, “Hemasanctum,” is its second full-length album; an EP has also been released. 

Although I didn’t review it, I did enjoy last year's “Plight of Acceptance.”  “Hemasanctum” is a step up in every way and solidifies Andrew as a force to be reckoned with in black metal.  Although there was nothing wrong with the programmed drums from the previous album, having a live drummer this time around makes all the difference in the world.  Gabe Seeber (Vale of Pnath, The Kennedy Veil) adds a robust and hefty weight to the album, even when its at its most melodic moments. 

Of course, it doesn’t hurt with all the death metal elements the album has to offer as well.  Combining melodic black metal captures the speed and energy the genre is known for while pulling on the heartstrings (more on that later) but death metal adds an extra layer of sonic pervasiveness that cannot be denied.    

Andrew formed the idea of The Mosaic Window after the passing of his father and grandmother during the pandemic.  As an outlet of such grief, the project was already built upon very emotional foundations.  With “Hemasanctum,” he further explores dark topics that we so often avoid—mental health, self-awareness, religion.  These subjects, according to his bandcamp page, are the meat of the album with the first song being about birth and the last one being about death. 

The result is an album that is highly emotional with an atmosphere born of melancholy and tragic situations.  As I mentioned, this album tugs on the heart because, well, it comes from the heart.  Black and death metal are so often seen as being extreme for the sake of it but that extremity can be used for cathartic purposes as well.

Despite the subject matter, this album is catchy—I mean, absolutely gripping.  Every song has a wow moment and is stuffed full of hooks that will grab and never let go.  I love this because it doesn’t shy away from the bad things in life—rather it uses music to embrace them because, well, these things can’t be avoided so why try?

“Incantation to Summon the Unstable,” opens the album with the sounds of a child crying, the birth if you will.  The music that follows is an aggressive, fast paced tempo with blackened screams and death growls riding on of these seismic waves.  This song is an explosion and the best way to introduce the listener to the album.  Near the end, a catchy groove and solo pushes the song to even greater heights, as the intensity ramps up.  The song boils itself back to a slower tempo briefly before rising to the top once more.  The ebb and flow is smooth as hell even though it’s extreme as hell—and this fits the album as a whole too. 

Andy LaRocque (King Diamond) provides some lead guitar for the second song, “The Pounding of Hooves,” and it lends the song a classic feel to it in places.  The cadence of the vocals, especially the parts that are layered, are yet another example of how the album so easily sticks in the head.  I love the subtle melodies between the verses too, just the right amount to make the track that much more memorable.  The later half of the song is my favorite part—the dense, hypnotic riffs and the pulsing of the drums just sent me into a headbanging zone of which there is no escape–and no desire to do so.

Andy makes another appearance on “Turibulum” and it’s one of the best songs on the album too.  The opening solo is tragically beautiful but also composed so well that I had to rewind the song to hear it over and over again.   But just as infectious are the riffs that arrive after–expertly balanced between melody and destructive qualities.  A thrashy feel makes an appearance just before the solo at the halfway mark—outstanding moment!  

Another personal favorite is “Night Disease.” I just love how it begins with boundless energy peppered with sorrow but then slows down to a doomish rhythm.  The slower approach lets the atmosphere sink into the very fibers of the emotions it emits. The rest of the song switches back and forth between the tempos–it’s a harrowing experience with a natural flow.

“Hymn to Silence the Light,” is both a beauteous and despondent song.  It ends the album perfectly, the death here to compliment the birth of life to bring the album back full circle to the beginning.  That’s real life because one cannot exist without the other and the song embraces that hard truth.  The middle part goes from urgent to bulldozer, all the while peppering the liminal spaces with atmosphere.  

The Mosaic Window’s “Hemasanctum,” is the next logical step for the project and shows the power of using metal to help convey thoughts and emotions that some feel are better left unsaid.  But facing of these uncomfortable subjects and realizations makes for a highly engaging and thoughtful album that has a maturity that isn't common in the genre.  

Alkymist - UnnDerr

Alkymist is a progressive doom/sludge metal band from Denmark, who formed in 2016. Their latest release, “UnnDerr,” is their third full-length album; they have also released an EP.

This is my first time hearing the band’s music but this album is immensely impressive.  The guitar tone is PERFECT.  The riffs, of which there are many, have the density of doom and the caustic edge of sludge. Guitarist Stefan Key and bassist Kaspar Luke are string wizards, casting fiery rhythms out like the dirtiest, filthiest arsenal in the world—truly bludgeoning work.  Apparently, they have a new drummer named Per Silkjaer; they better keep him because the dude is a goddamn animal.  It’s all spearheaded by the volatile vocals of Peter Bjørneg who fights and claws his way through the songs with abrasive vocals that are a cross between “I shoved sandpaper down my throat” and “wounded rabid animal that is super pissed off.”

But it isn’t only all about the guitar and bass tones.  The atmosphere is just as crushing, as if the law of gravity were removed and it’s impossible to get up under the now suffocating weight of existence. However, it doesn’t stop there—this album has too many dynamics and dimensions for it to end so simple. A psychedelic/stoner vibe also exists among the flowing magma of the band’s core sound and I even hear some Gothic influences.  

The progressive side of the band handles all of this very well—I mean, that’s what makes it progressive in the first place.  This isn’t Dream Theater or Tool—the prog elements manifest themselves as the very dynamics and varieties of sound that keep the album so powerful.

“The Scent,” is a prime example of what the album is all about.  During the first minute, it includes so many elements that it feels familiar yet a feeling of being unsure of what direction the song will go.  Regardless, the band knows when to anchor down with a hook—the chorus is magnificent.  But like I said..it isn’t all about the riffs; just listen to the guitar solo and tell me Key isn’t just as good with that angle. 

The album handles longer compositions with ease too.  The title track is a ten minute romper that melds doom and prog without being either too meandering or flashy.  Every minute is used to its advantage—it isn’t long for the sake of it.  The first minute or so is the buildup, consisting of clean, atmospheric tones that echoes the psychedelic influences I talked about earlier.  The keys provide some ambient spaces, the band existing in both the physical and ethereal realms as the song explores liminal spaces. Afterwards, the song speeds up a little to get out ahead of itself.  The rhythm remains steady, zeroed in on providing an encompassing experience, which it does.  The band handles both the light and heavy moments of their sound with wisdom, knowing exactly when each style needs to be presented.  

On the opposite end of the spectrum, songs like “My Sick Part,” and “Fire In My Eyes,” are shorter numbers, allowing the band to really zero in on the more aggressive parts of their style.  The former is catchy as hell and the more straightforward approach is appreciated as it allows for a break between the longer songs.   The latter takes a similar path but is a bit more atmospheric, especially with the mid section and its subtle clean tones and build up.

There is a lot to like in this album; fans of doom or sludge are going to dive in head first, come up for air, and go right back down.  But there are enough details and depths within the 44 minute runtime for fans unfamiliar with the style to find it growing on them as they discover it’s myriad propositions for coming along for the ride. 

Shattered Hope - Memoir

Shattered Hope is a death/doom metal band from Greece, who formed in 2022.  Their latest release, "Memoir," is their overall sixth release and their first EP.  They have previously released two demos and three full-length albums.

Shattered Hope’s brand of death doom is a perfect storm of cavernous funeral doom, atmospheric depression, and Gothic tones.  All these elements blend together quite well, making for dynamic music that is immediately engaging despite the slower tempos they so obviously use.  

“Memoir,” continues this trend and further solidifies their sound.  I look at this little EP as a statement: the band loves and understands the doom genre, their craft, and they aren’t going anywhere.  With just three songs, one of which is a cover, the band says a lot in a smaller amount of time than they normally have.  In under 27 minutes, the band has created a full encompassing doom metal album with huge scope and breadth. 

I really like the production too.  I wouldn’t call it raw but it’s abrasive enough to keep the music heavy, even at its most depressing and melancholic moments.  So many forget that any kind of doom can be extreme–this album’s sound is a constant reminder of how it’s just as crushing as anything under the obsidian moonlight. 

“In My Waning Days,” begins with those aforementioned Gothic tones, courtesy of Eygenia Theocharatou,  before delivering a slab of riffs as cold as a morgue slab.  The keys and riffs compliment each other very well, each of them offering two sides of the same coin.  George’s (Tenebrae Semitarius) drums are powerful, keeping the flow at a decent rate.  Thanasis’ (Witchcrawl) bass is a giant void, but instead of pulling everything into itself for destruction, it keeps the instruments in orbit as a strong foundation for the composition to revolve around. 

Guitarists Thanos and Sakis(Decemberance, Tenebrae Semitarius) know just when to hang back a bit and give the atmosphere room to world build, especially in the song’s middle section which is made of clean tones and liminal spaces.  Of course, they also know when to pour on the emotions, as evident by the blanket of grief and emotional solo that follows.

“A Crevice of Painful Light,” takes a more intense approach, especially with the vocals.  Nick (Fohn, Ocean of Grief), vocals are corrosive with a special sort of depth to delivery the right amount of energy to the songs.  At times he sounds blackened, desperate growls and screams echoing through an exhausting night of unrest. 

The atmosphere of this song is very downtrodden but that chorus…wow!!!! It changes the song a bit, a surprising moment of clarity that rings powerful and true, even as much as the extreme vocals.  It’s surprisingly catchy and I found it stuck in my head for some time.  

But after that moment, the song gets ultra dense, slow, and pours on the death doom as thick as tears at a funeral.  It’s the perfect anthesis to the chorus yet everything in the song fits together.

The final song is a cover of a Diafana Krina song called “Ble Himonas,” which is apparently one of their influences.  To be honest, I have no idea who she is so I don’t have a frame of reference of how this cover sounds compared to the original.  But what I do know is this song fits right at home with the other two songs.  It’s the most atmospheric of the three and I like the interplay between the bass and keys–it sounds pretty unique to me.   

Shattered Hope’s “Memoir” EP is a great starting point for anyone getting into not only the band itself but also the deathly, more extreme side of doom metal.  

Abhorration - Demonolatry

Abhorration is a death metal band from Norway, who formed in 2020.  Although they released a demo in 2021, “Demonolatry” is their full-length debut album.

This album is absolutely bat shit insane.  Seriously, “Demonolatry” is raw and goes for the kill 10% of the time.  After jamming the hell out of this album, I felt physically exhausted and a little beaten down.  That’s a compliment and it’s also something I feel a lot of modern death metal is lacking, even the best of it.  

Death metal was originally a genre that actually frightened people and went against everything with good taste and mainstream leanings. “Demonolatry” captures that feeling, the aura of disgusting,  uncompromising violence.  The production and mix is fantastic.  The press release mentioned it was analog and every beat, every note could be heard and felt.  That pretty much nails exactly what I’m hearing–it’s raw, powerful, and boosts the already visceral nature of the band. It definitely has a “live” feel to the way it sounds and, with a decent pair of headphones on, it is very intimidating.  

The influences are obvious so I won’t waste time speaking of them but that’s fine because the band has their own sound.  Of course, it does have its old-school leanings, but that’s more in the feel and atmosphere not necessarily the music itself. 

The album opens with “Chamber of Agilarept” which is so goddamn hectic that I felt like it was going to somehow beat itself with its speed and burst out of my headphones, into my ears, and explode my brain.  Despite the carnage, the song isn’t messy—this song captures chaos, beats it and starves it, then lets it loose.  

As the song proves around the halfway mark, the band is more than just nonstop speed.  When the tempo drops and the songs breathe, the band offers riffs and pummeling moments that are far more catchy than they have any right to be. 

“Spawn of an Abhorrent Entity,” begins mid paced and it is here where the band lets their blood-drenched guitar/bass tones truly shine.  This sounds pure evil and I’m all aboard on this hell train.  The drums are perfect, complimenting the extremity in the most profane ways but while making sense in context of the song’s structure.   The bass casts a dense, brutal dim light on the atmosphere, particularly well during the guitar solos.  The leads themselves are crazy but there is a loose structure that keeps them grounded just enough where they don’t take away from the other parts of the song.  

Around the 2:15 mark, the band goes rabid and hammers through a blistering section that almost turned my head all the way around on my body.  If you’re crazy all the time then you’re not crazy–but if you have these moments that remain unseen until the last second, if you keep people guessing on what is about to happen, then you are crazy.  That’s Abhorrent in a nutshell.

The title track ends the song as a total banger.  I love the rumbling drums in the beginning—they build intensity quickly and it seems as if the song is some kind of physical structure that is about to topple over.  

Around the 1:45 mark, the song slows down and it’s one of those moments where everything comes together.  It’s hypnotic but claustrophobic…like being caught in a spider’s web with the only certainly being your failing will eventually call death down to devour.  My favorite part of the song, and maybe even the album itself, is the final half where it hits a stride throwing out a devastating groove just before turning into a battering ram with a soul-melting solo.

Abhorration’s “Demonolatry,” is a very extreme but also very exciting death metal album.  For those fans who feel the genre has maybe grown to be too diluted or sometimes offers too much while ignoring the essence of its foundations, this album will bring you back to the good ol days of hell.  Highly recommended.

The Mist From The Mountains - Portal - The Gathering of Storms

The Mist From The Mountains is a black metal band from Finland, who formed in 2020.  Their latest release “Portal - The Gathering of Storms” is their second-full length album.  I actually reviewed their debut album, “Monumental” back in 2022 for Metal Temple.  I didn’t hate it but I thought it was only slightly above average.  I still write for Metal Temple but this time I’m tackling their music on my blog.

I'm happy to write that this album is pretty great—the band has really upped their game.  My biggest complaint about their debut was their ideas weren’t seamless or integrated enough across the songs as a whole.  “Portal” remedies that and is a much more cohesive experience, with the songs containing a natural flow that brings out their depth.

The songs are long, the shortest one being nearly 8 minutes, and the six songs take nearly an  hour to reach the album’s end.  I didn’t find the length as bothersome this time—every song here has a ton of well written moments and their visions are quite expansive.  None of the songs seem as long as their runtime and they offer many reasons to return to them.

Although the band, and album, captures the famous Finnish melancholy that so often permeates the country’s black metal, there are so many other dimensions to sounds and songs of “Portal.”  It’s melodic, folk infused, and even progressive in the sense of how adept the songs are at presenting new musical venues.

Of course, as I said, this is black metal so there is more than enough of that cold, searing, against the grain attitude that makes the genre so captivating. 

The album begins with “And So Flew The Death Crow,”  and the gentle sounds of the ocean’s waves.  It’s surprisingly serene and a fine set up for the acoustic guitars and gentle melodies that follow.  The vocals have improved this time as well—I love these deep, clean Gothic style vocals that wash over just as smoothly as the instruments. 

The song  builds up expertly, not in a rush but still always with a purpose.  As the song casts out its wide net, the melodies grow and are catchy as anything I’ve heard this year.  Around the two and a half minute mark, the blackened side of the band reveals its serpent head.  The blackened grows/shrieks/screams are also much improved and sound like pure venom.  The guitars capture the black metal tone but still play it with epic fortitude in mind. 

The middle part of the song is a bit folksy but just as engaging–the bass in particular stands out to me.  A heavy but slower part, including a catchy guitar lead, helps compliment the clean portions while pushing the song back into the realm of haunting black metal.

“At The Roots of the Vile,” begins in a more immediate way—like a hurricane force of demonic maelstrom, the band fires on all cylinders and doesn’t let up for some time.  But the riffs change frequently enough that nothing has time to set in and get boring—in fact, the beginning of this song is quite harrowing and has me on edge.  After a line of catchy clean vocals, the edge drops off into the abyss with a nice ambient piece of pure nothingness. It’s brief but speaks volumes, especially with the guitar highlighting the sorrow filled dangers.  The rhythm returns with a very catchy riff and a vocal performance that is jaunty and sort of made me want to get up and dance a jig.  Sea shanty metal?  Yes, please.  Then, suddenly, these waters build up to a hurricane's wrath and everything is blown away with the fury of black metal.  

The final song, “Saiva” is perhaps my favorite on the album.  From the very beginning it finds a way to combine sweeping textures with rousing metal—I love the energy on this song.  The clean vocals fit right in with the atmospheric riffs.  The song growls darker and more sinister as the seconds pass, both the aggression and tension ramping up.

Around the 7:20 mark, the electric power fades away to stripped down clean instruments and it’s beautiful in a lot of ways and very moving.  On this album, the band has found a way to make the light elements just as intense as the heavier ones.  

The Mist From The Mountains’ “Portal - The Gathering of Storms,” is a very convincing album that destroys the sophomore slump that many bands fall prey to while improving upon their first album in every way imaginable.  

Massacre - Necrolution

I doubt anyone reading this needs an intro but just in case your were born a few days ago and very quickly learned to read, Massacre are an utterly legendary death metal band, who formed in 1984.

The band has come and gone over the years but “Necrolution,” marks their fifth full-length album but they have also released a ton of demos, EPs, compilations and live albums. 

They returned once more in 2021 with their “Resurgence” album. Not wasting any time, the band is now unleashing “Necrolution.”

The influential vocalist Kam Lee is once again at the helm—and he still sounds violent as he'll.  

Guitarists Rogga Johansson and Jonny Pettersson also return. Hopefully I don't have to explain who they are but both of them are in a thousand bands but most notably Paganizer (Johansson) and Wombbath (Pettersson).

Bassist Mike Borders (Ravaged by the Yeti) returns as well and his massive rhythm machine is joined by their new drummer Jon Rudin (Just Before Dawn, among others).

That's quite the pedigree–one that generates certain expectations. Does “Necrolution,” meet those expectations?  I'd say, for the most part, yes. Is this album an instant classic? No but it is a strong statement that the band still has much to say and plenty of gas in their tank.

It has that classic OSDM sound: songs that get straight to the point and focus on riffs and powerful rhythms.  Slick leads, a ton of double bass, and mountains of groove. The production sounds pretty close to the style of the original scene but is louder and not as thin. Some might argue that takes from any potential raw power but this album has plenty of that to spare.

The songs aren't caveman level simple but they are also definitely not complicated. Ultimately, the band finds a balance between the two styles.

“Fear of the Unknown,” begins the album with leads that up the urgency, just before Lee goes for the throat. The song is short, fast and wastes zero time bringing out death fucking metal.  The middle part of the song injects riffs that are both dense and groovy.

I find the album is at its best with a slower tempo, as evident with “Ritual of the Abyss.”  The slower pace adds a disturbing, horrific element to their music that seems to be lack at times when they speed up. With that being said, the song does offer faster moments that act as brutal bridges to the slower more mid-paced sections.

“The Colour Out of Space,” is one of the best songs on the album. The guitar tone is extra caustic. The lead guitar Stands out as well, peppering the song with a surprisingly decent amount of atmosphere.

“Shriek of the Castle Freak,” is a short song that showcases how much fun the band can't have when they just let themselves go.  The riffs are nonstop pummeling.

“Shroud of Shadows” leans further into a doomy tempo, Serving up A haunted slice of atmosphere but also, Especially near the end, one that is surprisingly catchy.

“Ad Infinitum: The Final Hour,” is a solid ending song. The tempo varies throughout, the band comfortably taking in a slow kill before just going all out.

Ultimately, Massacre’s “Necrolution,” probably won't pull anyone over to the extreme side of the fence but if you're a fan of death metal, this is a solid album to dive into. 

Livløs - The Crescent King

Livløs is a melodic death metal band from Denmark, who formed in 2014. Their latest album, “The Crescent King,” is their third full-length album; they have also released an EP.

“The Crescent King” is a robust, meaty album with a big sound to it. Across it’s 10 song, 48 minute runtime, the band offers a lot of content that’s presented in an engaging way and catchy songwriting.   

The album is apparently a concept album, detailing the journey of "The Crescent King", who travels through space and time to discover the secrets of not only himself but also of humanity. 

It’s an interesting concept but fortunately, the music remains just as interesting. Although clearly rooted in the foundations of melodic death’s hallowed roots, their sound is more detailed than most other melodic death albums I’ve heard this year. 

It’s also dark, moodier, and has a modern heaviness to it that compliments the melodies and harmonies so much that the album feels weighty even when it’s at its most exploratory.   

Although it certainly has plenty of both mid paced and faster movements, a lot of the album dials back on the tempo to let the band’s somber and mysterious take on their storytelling sink in and play out in a natural way.  

The album opens with “Solstice” and I appreciate that it isn't an ambient piece, clean intro or pointless noise like so many intros seems to be. It's bacially an actual song, albeit a short one, that leads perfect into the next song, “Orbit Weaver.”

This song is quick and vicious in the beginning, showing off the chops of every member but, in particular, the vocalist shreds. 

The bass is audible against the riffs, something that is often over looked in melodic death. 

The title track doesn't hit as immediate but instead uses melody to build up the song. It's catchy and uses a slower tempo, which is find highly effective because it allows the band to really dig into the depths of their sound.  

The halfway mark hits harder with a lot of good riffs and a ton of groove, while the vocals scream like a demon.

Just because they don't shy from melody doesn't mean they can't bring the pain as “Scourge of the Stars,” proves. This is a tight song, very dense and one of the more punishing songs. The drums run through a spear piercing flesh and the guitars/bass throw out riff after riff. The last minute or so is biting, including a killer solo and a powerful ending.

"Harvest” is just as heavy but even more nuanced. This one is a slow to mid paced burner in the first half that grinds out note by punishing note. It spends up later on, a fanatics little twist before the song is drenched in melancholy.

“Endless Majesty,” is the final song and another one of my favorite. There is a certain finality to the atmosphere which makes it appealing as the final track. The ebb and flow of its tempo is infectious to the very end.

Livløs’ “The Crescent King” is one of the better melodic death albums I've heard this year. Fans of the style need to hear this ASAP but it has the chops to pull in new fans as well. 

Chaos Invocation - Wherever We Roam...

Chaos Invocation is a black metal band from Germany, who formed in 2004. Their latest release, “Wherever We Roam…” is their fifth full-length album; they have also released one demo, a split and a compilation.

This album straight up destroys in the best way possible.  It’s against the grain of everything and there isn’t one moment where the band decides to compromise on anything.  It’s focused on it’s blackened atmosphere with a razor sharp degree that should come as no surprise but still highly impressive. 

With all that being said, it has an unique feel to it and it’s approach separates itself from its influences and other bands in the genres. It’s a smart album that presents its chaos in an intelligible way and with much purpose.  The compositions are extreme  but engaging and exciting all the way through.  The energy across the eight song, 45 minute runtime is both maddening and infectious. 

The opening, and title, song begins with clean notes and a surprisingly emotional guitar solo before it builds up to a proper black metal rager.  But it is the little details like that, that make the songs stand out and put the band a cut above the rest.  The song itself has an atmosphere that is gripping, perpetually hurting towards oblivion.  

On some songs, such as “Golden Gates and Terren Light,” there exists a delicate balance between extremity and melody.  The song’s opening riffs exemplify that while offering a catchy intro that makes the song gripping from the beginning.  Around the 1:22 mark, another melodic passage, with spoken word gliding over it, is yet another moment where the band steps outside the cold sphere of which they live before jumping back inside.  The final half is amazing, what with the drums complimenting the riffs to drive the song towards its epic conclusion.  

“No Throne Withstands,” takes this idea of the band living in two worlds simultaneously and just runs with it.  The first part is raw, blackened power but the lead guitar peppers the song with just enough intricate detail to change its whole dynamic.   The leads appear again near the end, making the song all the more engrossing and insane.

A weaved tapestry of clean notes begins, “This World Wants Us Dead,” and it unfurls itself for over a minute then grows into a melodic passage, where the bass in particular is a highlight.  This intro builds upon itself wonderfully for over two minutes.  Then the hell gates open and all the rich darkness comes pouring in like an inferno.  After the four minute mark, a murky atmosphere permeates the structure, offering a simple but effective solo that effectively winds the song back up to its blistering speed with some clean vocals, which hit as hard as the extreme style. 

The final song, “Engravings of the Quivering Pedestal,” is one of the straightforward songs on the album but it still finds elements to put on display, such as the fucking awesome bass.  The groove in the mid-section keeps the tempo rolling while opening the song enough for a somber guitar solo to display its emotional burdens. 

Chaos Invocation’s “Wherever We Roam,” is a confident display of blackened elements that aren’t afraid to go where needed, to allow the dark moments to shine a different shade of black.  

Diablation- Irrévérence

Diablation is a black metal band from France, who formed in 2020. Their latest release “Irrévérence,” is their third full-length album.

This album is pure carnage, made of violence and the destitute fallout that results from it. There is an apocalyptic atmosphere hanging over each song. The dark, bleak energy is hectic making album maddening and teetering on the edge of another world ending scenario. 

It's just raw enough too. I can hear every instrument without having to strain my ears to do so but it's contained in a hellish mix.  

The keyboards are fantastic—I suppose I could call this symphonic but that wouldn't really describe the style. Instead of being bombastic and taking over the instruments, which is too often a problem with symphonic anything, the keys share their load equally with the other instruments. 

How many symphonic albums out there truly balance the keys with the guitars? This is both a keyboard based album and a riff based one—both instruments are satisfying.

Of course on the instrumental opener, “144000,” the keys are the only focus but even then they progress very naturally.

But that's really the key to the album’s enjoyment. It's a harrowing ride but nothing sounds forced–it isn't abrasive for the sake of it but the underground approach of the album needs it, craves it and uses it to a deadly degree.  

“Eternel,” opens the album with a classic black metal tone in the guitars. The drums are furious and they always keep the songs oppressive. Of course, the vocala are abrasive so after pairing all that with the keys, the result is a song that sounds like the soundtrack for end times.

“Par La Haine,” dials back on the tempo, revealing the band can look at a more grandiose picture when needed. The snare accenting the melodic guitars and keyboard is perfect…strike of lighting as a wanining moon rides through the sky.

Around the 1:40 mark, the drums and bass ramp up the energy, rolling the music from abstract to brutal and direct honesty. 

Around the 3:45 mark, the bass kicks off a passage where the band's blackened rage meets head first with its symphonic textures like lighting striking brackish waters.

The final song, “Le Dernier Roi,” ends the album on a cold note but it's an icy path wrought with violence. The keys blanket the song with darkly sweeping effigies of the night. Meanwhile the drums boil the song into a furious froth. 

Diablation's “Irrévérence,” is a fantastic black metal album that doesn't have any issues leaning on symphonic elements as it uses them to further their grim agenda. 

Vessel - The Somnifer

Vessel is a doom/stoner metal band from Australia, who formed in 2011. Their latest release, “The Somnifer” is their fourth full-length album. 

This is my first experience with Vessel—and I have definitely been missing out.   Although rooted firmly in doom, the album is quite dynamic. It's subtle at first–this is an album that is very encompassing and as it absorbs you, you'll want to pass out the other side and go back in again to hit up details you might have missed.

In that respect, it has a lot of psychedelic elements it uses to build layers of psychosis. Of course, it's usually world building with a slower tempo so even as it creates, it crushes with raw power.

Like any good doom/stoner album, “The Somnifer,” has a big blues influence and a ton of groove and fuzz.  But it needs all these influences to present its concept of the relationship of trauma and sleep.  The songs are written to capture the different mental stages a person can pass through. 

It's certainly an unique concept yet the subject matter feels right at home for the genre. Personally, I think it works very well with the presentation. The vocals are sparse, used only when needed. They too have a variety and never really sound the same or use the same patterns when appearing. 

I also noticed something very interesting—it seems the interludes of the album follow each other just as much as they fit in with the album as a whole.  Maybe it's all in my head but it makes sense to me. 

Perhaps on the road to recovery or dealing with the trauma, these smaller pieces represent set backs or major blocks to mental and emotional freedom? Regardless, it's a testament to the album’s depth that it's lyrics and music can be dissected and explored like that to begin with.

The album begins with the title track. It's bass is deep and rolls through the clean guitar.   The drums do a fantastic jump in budding the song up but the guitar slowly creeps in, pulling mounds of fuzz along with it.

“Rapid Eye Movement,” opens with deep clean tones that grow into powerful stoner fuzz before throwing on blues guitar riffs. The vocals have a sort of spoken word feel to them and it all sounds great. Musically, it alternates Between doom and psychedelic tendencies. 

“Recurring Nightmare,” is one of best songs on the album—the guitars and bass are gargantuan. There is an odd but infectious pent of energy in this song….it feels like it's going to explode and is barely hanging out.  The final half of the song is minimalistic, focusing on the bass and drums to put down pressure as the guitar echoes through the smattering of leads.

“Image Rehearsal Reaction,” is a ten minute stoner epic. I don't do drugs but if I did, I can understand how this journey might send me from the desert to the moon and all the way back again. Even sober, it's an interesting song that uses bass centric tones and sound bytes to deliver its message.

The final song is the smoke and smooth “Body and Soul.” I like the tone of the guitars in the opening, a solid bedrock for the bass to stand upon which is interesting because it's usually the other way around.  The later half of the song is trippy, the solo meditative yet mind bending.

Vessel “The Somnifer,” is a very interesting doom album that explores several styles while blending them all together in with a high level of depth and impact.

Smoke/Doomsday Profit - Split album

I've been asked several times over the years why I review, despite not getting paid for it. While I certainly wouldn't complain if I was getting a payday from writing,  there are some things that go beyond pay. Discovering bands I've never heard before is one of them. Case in point is the new split album from doom metal bands Smoke and Doomsday Profit.

Prior to receiving this promo, I was unfamiliar with both bands. Well, consider me a fan because this split album flat out rocks. The best splits combine bands that are within the same style to complement each other while being different enough that it doesn't seem derivative. 

That's exactly what this split delivers.  Both bands are planted firmly in the stoner/doom/metal/rock pantheon but their delivery of the genre is different. Each groups are relatively young to the scene, each of them having a full-length and this split under their belt.  I think it’s a clever idea for the next release of each to be one they tackle together. Both bands get three songs each, and runtime that isn’t too far off from each other, so the split does fairly divide them so they each get ample time to display their craft.

Smoke is definitely the most hazy of the two.  The atmosphere across their songs are smoky, a little mysterious and blues influenced.   As evident with the opening song, “Appalachian Black Magic,”  the songs unfurl in a natural way, subtly building up energy as the notes play through the fog.  Around the 2:20 mark, the riffs kick in and blast away like a modern take on classic doom–heavy, thick, bluesy, and just groovy enough. 

“Scavenger,” is a much more immediate song, the guitar kicking off the distortion right away.  The main riff is trippy and the bass/drums offers that all important heavy low end to keep it grounded.   The vocals trade haze for an energetic cadence, spat through a filter.  The whole thing works very well, the vintage feel to the song is palpable.  A surprising little twist with killer screams graces the mid section before the song goes into kill mode with a slow, crushing groove that is monstrous and inescapable.  

The song title “Hellish Rebuke,” suggests the band might offer a total banger for their last song…and they do! I love the trippy groove and the sharp, crisp drums that push the song into some of the best riffs on the split.  Another scream pierces the veil, just before a passage that has some minimalist, psyche elements to it.  It builds up again with the guitars and bass bringing a wide and deep riff under it.  

I really like what Smoke offers for their half of the split and will definitely be checking out that full-length and keeping my ears open for them.  Their music is heavy when needed but their brand of stoner doom is also somewhat ethereal and mysterious—they just  have a very cool sound and a great thing going.

Doomsday Profit offers elements of the stoner genre but their path to it is a lot more direct and intense.  Oftentimes the vocals are pretty abrasive, a throaty hell that scrapes and cuts on its way out.  Their music is punchy and massive, with hints of sludge mixed about.  With that being said, they can be subtle and less abrasive when needed.  Much like Smoke, their music isn’t only one dimensional and offers much to explore.

Their opening song, “No Salvation,” spends a few seconds with low, clean tones before sweltering riffs, hard drumming, and those loud, powerful vocals bring the band out in full force.  The lead guitar laces the song with its own psyche elements, a mind fuck against the heavier instruments.  This song is slow, lumbering, and sounds like the collapse of society.  There isn’t anything to do other than face the fear and let it happen.

“I Am Your God,” opens with a killer groove and chanting clean vocals.  The heavy screams work great with the  destitute nature of the guitar as the song switches back to the clean vocals.   The guitar is unique, displaying light at the end of the tunnel…that belongs to a speed freight train coming right at your face.  

Their final song, “Void Ritual” is my favorite of the three—it begins and ends crushing.  Around the 3 minute mark, the song takes a surprisingly atmospheric turn.  This part is deep and expansive, everything just being absorbed into it as it moves on through like some kind of force of nature.  The segue back into the heavy riffs is masterfully done and brings the song back full circle–a devastating circle that’s on fire.

Doomsday Profit will have to be explored more on my end as well and I can’t wait to see what they do in the future.  Both of these bands have delivered an excellent split album that offers as much content as a lot of full-lengths.  Any fan of doom and the sounds under its vast umbrella would do well to check this out.  

Iotunn - Kinship

Iotunn is a progressive metal band from Denmark, who formed in 2015.  Their latest release, “Kinship” is their second full-length album; they have also released an EP and a split.

Though their name has come across to be a few times, I’ve never actually heard their music until I received the promo for this album…and I’m so glad I did get it because “Kinship” is a mesmerizing album with so many good ideas in it, I could write a full review for each song.  

I used to be a big fan of progressive metal, and I still am I suppose, but I’ve been pulled away from the genre over the years because so many of the bands really aren’t that intense, heavy, or adventurous. Thankfully, Iotunn’s “Kinship” is all these things plus they have a firm grasp on prog.  Truly, they meld prog and metal into one, refusing to sacrifice one style over the other.

Their vocal approach enthralls me too and before the promo, I never realized Jón Aldará is their vocalist; he also fronts Barren Earth and Hamferð as well.  With Iotunn, his cleans reach for the stars—this dude has powerful lungs and world class technique.  Thankfully, he doesn’t ignore his extreme voice either as he provides that element across “Kinship” as well.  

The flow of the album and the track list placement is also of note.  The album consists of 8 songs across a runtime of over an hour; that might seem long to some but it’s prog so what do you expect?  That hour also passes by very fast.  The two longest songs bookend the album, which is a wonderful idea as it keeps listener fatigue down while also providing a gripping introduction and epic ending. 

Overall, their style is bombastic but it’s not chaotic and too “in your face.”  As with any good progressive band, the details unfold in a natural way and multiple listens are needed to fully grasp everything.  With that being said, there isn’t anything here pretentious or too flashy—you don’t have to be a prog snob or a mathematical genius to enjoy this. 

Melodic death is a big part of their concoction but it has elements of just about every style you can think of.  There isn’t one genre that takes over the other–a true melting pot.

The album opens with “Kinship Elegiac,” a nearly 14 minute banger.  By the end of this song, you’ll be a fan of the band and will not want to turn the album off.  If you do, you’ll just not cool.  Sorry, not sorry.

The opening is clean tones and gentle vocals but the energy is undeniable and it can be felt building up as the second tick by.  At the 2:06 mark, the band arrives in full with a blanket of thick riffs and melancholy.  This part of the song represents yet another reason why I’m so impressed with the albums…..they have a ton of darker elements to their music.  How many prog bands really dive into melancholic and sorrowful tones?   They need to take notes because this song nails those elements without being too depressing.

The song soon settles into a groove with Jón singing his ass off.  His vocals reach for the skies, grab the very atmosphere and pull it down.  The band rips through that atmosphere with vicious drums and guitars that run through styles while maintaining cohesiveness to the song.  

The halfway point finds the band taking a melodic blackened path, complete with somewhat spacey textures (reminiscent of Arcturus) and extreme vocals.  The bass really slaps here too, going above and beyond with its own textures. The guitar solo near the end is off the charts, a sterling combination of emotion and technical prowess.  

“Twilight”  is a towering song with just a few seconds.  The opening is wide, giving birth to fast paced melodies and rhythm to take a run.  The spoken word vocals add a theatrical feel to the music.  The music finds a catchy beat and rides out just long enough for the rage to grasp hold but not so tight that it doesn’t let the song grow.  The vocals switch from growls to cleans so effortlessly and the instrumental parts compliment it with ease.  The middle part drops the tempo slightly, setting up the song for a rousing guitar solo and a killer melodic death passage. 

“The Coming End, “ is such a fantastic song, one of my favorites on the album.  Its scope is huge—a massive all of sound with such incredible detail.  As I listen, I can enjoy the song as it washes over me, enveloping me within its many tendrils.  I can also pick out each performance and enjoy the song differently each time.  The drums and bass give the song a special sort of energy.  The guitar solo is another personal favorite moment for me–such drive and passion!  The ending riffs are catchy and lead the band into ending the song on an intense note just before it trails off with spacey textures.

“Earth To Sky,” is another hugely impressive song that I can’t get another one.  The extreme vocals are vicious but the music that lifts them up is just as potent.  This one is a burner, churning like a river wild.  The clean vocal parts are catchy with equally catchy music swirling together, leading back into the death metal parts.  The melodic passage around the middle part of the song is majestic and transitions back to the heavier parts very well.

The final song, “The Anguished Ethereal,” ends the album in the only possible way. This just had to be the final song, there exists the atmosphere of finality and facing the inevitable end.  The music is melody and dark tones, maybe I could even call this progressive Gothic.  Both vocal styles are fully represented here and provide their all.  The music is both sweltering and claustrophobic in places but never too far buried that it can’t change moods when needed.  

Iotunn’s “Kinship” is one of those albums that is so well written that it can pull non-proggers into its fold—and keep them there; with its many textures and layered nuances, there is a lot to dive into and a thousand million reasons to keep going back under.