Doomed For Metal Reviews

Ghostsmoker is a doom metal band from Australia, who formed in 2021. Their latest release, “ Inertia Cult ,” is their full-length debut; they have also released a demo and an EP. This album is fantastic! I had, and still having, a really good time with it.  Their doomed out sound is mixed with sludge and blackened elements, resulting in a massive and abrasive album. It's more catchy than music of this weight caliber usually is—it is full to bursting with low riffs and sweltering grooves.  I love how atmospheric it can be as well, using clean tones to expand the songs or push them in a different direction.  Unlike most bands that inject heavy doses of atmo elements in their songs, Ghostsmoker doesn’t really ebb and flow like a pendulum going back and forth.  Instead, they only give the songs just what they need.  The songs aren’t overly long but neither are they short so in many ways they are to the point, with crisp, tight songwriting without being simple or com...

Arkaist is a black metal band from France that formed in 2023.  After just a couple of years of existence, they have dropped their full-length debut album, “ Aube Noire .”  This is a mature effort that immediately puts the band on a good, strong path.  According to the press release, the album was inspired by a growing atmosphere of anxiety while exploring themes of decadence, loss of bearing and growling isolation in a society in decline.   That’s a lot of heavy, in depth subject matter but it fits the album’s atmosphere well.  It’s a dark album with its own identity that leans into a raw format (but not overly so) with well-thought song compositions.  The atmosphere is as icy as it is bleak but doesn’t stop the band from having a raging fury.   Although I like black metal of all styles, I tend to prefer the stuff that takes the tried and true formula of the genre’s roots and uses it as a jumping board of sorts to forge a new identity all t...

Harvest Of Ash is a doom metal band from Salt Lake City, Utah.  They hit the scene in 202 with their “ Deadlights ” EP; their latest release, “ Castaway ,” is their second full-length album. Apparently, each of the album’s five songs act as a chapter in the tale of confronting and overcoming chaos.  This idea was born out of the band going through a particular hard time while writing the album.  I’m not exactly sure what happened but I can certainly feel the emotion in each of the songs.   The band’s doom sound also includes some post-elements and can be as melodic as it is heavy. It's also very bass focused, which is great.  I love how the melodies and guitar often revolve around the bass; it’s like a powerful center from which the music revolves around, resulting in what I call an ‘orbital hurricane.’   The production and mix sticks out just as much as the powerful, emotive songwriting too.  The album has a loud, huge sound too but nothing...

Dessiderium is a one-man metal band from the United States that hit the scene in 2011 with a self-titled demo.  Under this banner, musician Alex Haddad has released five albums, with “ Keys to the Palace ,” being the latest of those.  My first encounter with his music was the previous full-length, “ Aria ,” in 2021.  Although I did not review it, I did greatly enjoy it.  Unfortunately, I have yet to check out the other three albums (I’m very busy, sorry!) so it's my only frame of reference when comparing anything to this latest opus. As far as my humble opinion goes, “ Keys to the Palace ,” takes everything that made “ Aria ” so damn good and expands them.  There is a better balance between light and dark elements, and everything has a very natural flow.  There is a better grasp on the more progressive elements, with both the melodic and extreme side of the project better integrated into it all. The production and mix are impeccable.  The volume is ju...

Ter Ziele is a blackened doom/post-metal band from the Netherlands who formed in 2020.  Their latest album, “ Embodiment of Death ,” is their debut full-length album; they have also released a split album. This is one stark and abrasive album.  It’s slow with rough, jagged edges to the riffs that compliments the hopeless atmosphere. The rhythms pound in their steady beats, a constant reminder of the music from which they are born.  If I’m being honest, “ Embodiment of Death ,” is one of the more harrowing and emotionally devastating albums I’ve heard this year.   It’s almost gut-wrench, pain and loss in audio format.  The press release listed a quote that said, “ When we, as humans, accept subjection to suffering , resignation in life inevitably follows.” That’s a powerful notion and the music that brings it to life is its equal.  Is there a choice to accept suffering?  Can a person choose not to suffer even if their conditions say otherwise?...

As The World Dies is a death metal band from England who formed in 2018. Their latest album, “ Nebula ,” is their second full-length album; they have also released a split.  I reviewed their debut album, “ Agonist ,” back when I worked for Metal Temple and found it impressive. Now that I’m on my own, I’m honored to be able to review their new album. “ Nebula ,” is a much more cohesive experience and I feel the band has really zeroed in on their identity. As good as “ Agonist ,” was, it had a lot of guests in it. However, “ Nebula ,” feels like the band is truly on their own path.    And what a path it is! The band continues to push the boundaries of death metal, adding in a prog touch with synths and industrial edges to create cosmic death metal on a grand scale. No doubt they have their own sound and with “ Nebula ,” it has been harnessed, honed, and released like never before.   The production is clean and clear but I think it helps their sound—this i...

Brainstorm is a heavy/power metal band from Germany, who formed in 1989.  Their latest release, “ Plague of Rats ,” is their fourteenth (!) full-length album.  Over the years, they have also released numerous demos, splits, EPs, compilations, and live albums.  Doomed For Metal Reviews isn’t just for extreme or doom metal.  I love all metal, and power metal is no exception!    When I worked for Metal Temple, I reviewed their 2018 release “ Midnight Ghost ,” which I absolutely loved.  I didn’t realize but they also released a full-length album in 2021 called, “ Wall of Skulls .” I’ll have to fix my stupidity and check that one out.  But I’ll have to stop listening to “ Plague of Rats ,” first and I’m not sure if that is going to happen.  Listening to this album is like coming home again—it’s familiar but in a way that is welcoming and safe, not stressful or redundant.  Once again, the band has put out another album that gets as close as p...

Prehistoria is an Indiana based metal band who formed in 2020. Their latest release, “ Cryptic Halo ,” is their full-length debut; they also release an EP in 2022.  This album is one of the best surprises of the year for me so far. I wasn’t familiar with them beforehand so I was pleasantly shocked when I dived into this beastly album and discovered a whole new world.   It’s a dynamic release with a lot of variety, and blending of several styles. Although the base of the band’s sound is more on the traditional side of heavy metal, elements of power, thrash, and even extreme metal can be found within the album’s 9 song, 45 minute runtime. But all the dynamics in the world won’t help a band if they can’t write a song. Yeah, no problems here! Each song is engaging and full of so many great fucking moments. On top of all that, it’s catchy as hell with songs having MASSIVE choruses.  As you can imagine, there is a lot going on within this album but the production/mi...

Marrowomb is a black/death metal solo project from musician Frank Lato , ( Polyptych , Headshrinker , Endmember ). He handles all the vocals and instruments, except for the drums which feature the always impressive Kévin Paradis .   For a debut album, “ Phisenomie ,” is a very solid album. It isn’t going to win any awards for innovation or stepping outside the box but it offers something just as potent: uncompromising extreme metal.   Every song is good without any real weak spots to speak of. Its run time of 46 minutes across 8 songs makes it a smooth listen. In a way, the lack of pretense is refreshing to a degree; This is definitely one of those albums you can throw on and be guaranteed a good time.  What you see (well, hear in this case) is what you get. There aren't any bells and whistles. The production/mix is rock solid as well, offering no surprises or hiding any of the instruments. Everything is clear, concise but also razor sharp and crushing...

Collapsed Vein is a solo US based death-doom project from Kevin George.  He started the project in 2013 and is now taking shape to be released this April with the stunning debut album “ Pain Communion .”   This is exactly the kind of death doom I like:  slow, nasty, and abysmal.  The album’s sulphuric riffs are a slow grind of darkness so thick that it's nearly palpable. Seriously, the production on this album is FANTASTIC.  It sounds absolutely bottomless, just a sea of endless despair.  With a good pair of headphones on, it will seem as if it's being played live in your living room.  There is an odd sort of ambience/melody to the songs which gives the entire album a truly dangerous, unsettling feeling.  Have you ever been stalked by an unstoppable force of destruction, knowing that whatever you do won’t be enough to keep it from sending you to an endless void of unfathomable blood-soaked nightmares?  Oh, you haven’t?  Well, if it...

Marble Orchard is a doom metal band from San Antonio, Texas who formed in 2023, although they apparently went by Goat Bong for a number of years before that.  Their latest release, “ Ruminations of Ruin ,” is their second full-length album.   My mind doesn’t think of Texas when it comes to anything Gothic but maybe it should because Marble Orchard straight up nails the sound of Gothic doom on this album.  It’s dark, gloomy, depressing and even a little theatrical.  Gothic doom was the first type of doom that I got into so maybe I’m just a sucker for this sound.  But to be honest, there is a lot to like about this album.  First, it’s extremely catchy.  I mean, I wasn’t walking around humming these odes to crawling darkness but every song did stick into my brain.  There are so many great riffs and powerful rhythms in this album—replay value is IMMENSE. Every song is good and none are overly long so it’s definitely one of those albums you can p...

Osgraef is a black metal band who I know very little about. I don't know the names of the members, the time of their formation or where they are from.  I do know that “ Reveries of the Arcane Eye ,” is their debut album—and it is quite the statement. The mysterious nature of the band goes hand in hand with the nature of this album. I love the atmopshere of this album, including the production and overall vibe. This album truly sounds sinister, arcane and ancient.   It isn't flashy nor does it step outside any boxes but there is a certain charm to that because their avoidance of any potential pretentious allows the album to breathe deep it's deadly nature.  The vocals are amazing—some of the best blackened vocals I've heard in awhile—he truly sounds bestial and on another plain of existence.  Musically, it's loud, powerful and mid to fast paced for the most part. The riffs based structures are heavy on providing steady but devastating rhythms. There are 6 songs ...

Rothadás is a death/doom metal band from Hungary, who formed in 2019. Their latest album, " Töviskert... a kísértés örök érzete... lidércharang ,” is their second full-length album; they have also released a demo. Rothadás plays a very uncompromising style of death/doom! To a degree, it reminds me of Incantation and Asphyx because they too can go from lighting fast to slow and crushing at the drop of a hat.  But Rothadás sets themselves apart with “ Töviskert… ” by injecting their songs with a very balanced and subtle use of melody. It’s a bleak, darkened form of it as evident by of the lead guitar around the 3:40 mark of “ Urnaszellem... szentek csontpora .” It isn’t anything flashy but it fits into the riffs perfectly and adds much needed atmosphere for their deep sound. Speaking of deep, this album can be quite cavernous like funeral doom.   Around the 5 minute mark in “ Vértükör ,” the song slows to a crawl to let the melody sink into a pit of atmospheric de...

Christ Dismembered is a black metal band from Australia, who formed in 2012.  Their latest release “ Ov Vampiricy ,” is their second full-length album; they have also released a live album. It’s been eight years or so since their self-titled debut hit the scene but the band has finally returned with another blast of blackened blasphemy.  Time definitely hasn’t dulled their senses nor age made them more laid back—" Ov Vampiricy ,” is one of the most uncompromising black metal albums I’ve heard this year.   The genre has grown and expanded much over the years–and is now the metal genre with the most diversity.  For those who feel that is a bad thing and the genre has lost its edge, Christ Dismembered is here to sell you some comfort. And by comfort, I mean fast paced, eviscerating black metal that would be the soundtrack for hell if it had a music player (maybe it does).  This is an album that embraces the old-school, at least to a degree.  You won’t fi...

Bronco is a doom metal band from North Carolina who have hit the scene hard with their bestial full-length, self-titled debut.    Their metallum page lists them as stoner doom, which I would say is pretty accurate, but this is a far more vicious album than most stoner doom metal bands pull off.  I absolutely love it when doom bands play a stoner/psych doom with an old school vibe but have extreme, abrasive vocals.  It’s a contrast that I have always found highly engaging.  Bronco takes this approach—thick, fat riffs from a time long gone but with vocals that I could peel paint off the walls.  Love it, love it, love it.   A lot of the music is trippy as hello too.  I don’t do drugs but if I did, I’d probably feel right at home listening to this.  The opening moments of “ Scourge Descent ,” is a melodic psychedelic trip down a weird, multi-colored hole.  Then the damn breaks and mountainous riffs drop like a ten ton hammer.  Guit...

Norilsk is a doom metal band from Canada, who formed in 2012.  Their latest album, “ Antipole ,” is their fourth full-length album; they have also released two EPs.  This album is apparently centered around the concept of duality and I can hear that in the music.  Although rooted in doom, with a hefty mix of death and post elements thrown in, the tempo varies from slow to fast paced.  The atmosphere is cold and rigid, not unlike a frozen wasteland.  However, there are a lot of melodies contained within that have a sense of warm familiarity to them.   This is very much an embrace of that duality concept I spoke up earlier, with the swirling together of these light and dark elements. “ Antipole ,” is an unique album because of how well they bend the music to their subject matter.   The album opens with the title track, a very bold statement and also a showing of confidence for their music.  It begins with the deep rumbling of bass, a truly...

Havukruunu is a Finnish black metal band that formed in 2005.  Their latest album, “ Tavastland ,” is their fourth full-length album; they have also released four demos and three EPs. This is an utterly engrossing album with so many great things going for it.  The cold, blackened feel that makes the genre so good in the first place is present.  Raging drums, razor-sharp guitars, and abrasive vocals round the elements that would already make this album a solid experience, even if these were the only things it offered.  However, “ Tavastland ,” is an album of dynamics that runs through a myriad approach of sounds all the while remaining ridiculously cohesive and focused.  Traditional metal, folk, melodic, and maybe even some power metal because fuck it why not are melded into its atmosphere. Most importantly, this entire album is highly memorable.  When the band fires on all cylinders, I often found myself humming along to the music and that’s not something t...