Doomed For Metal Reviews

  Veil of Conspiracy is a doom metal band from Italy, who formed in 2016.  Their latest release, “ Shape of Grief ,” is their third full-length album. It came out back in January but I’m a busy guy so excuse me for being so late.   Regardless, time doesn’t matter to an album like this.  It was great in January, it’s still great now, and it will be great a year from now.  Truly, this is one of the best doom metal albums I’ve heard in the first half of the year. The interesting element of this album is that, although it is very much rooted in doom, it’s also progressive to a degree.  Both genres tend themselves to long song structures but, surprisingly, “ Shape of Grief ,” avoids that with songs that are on the “short” side of both genres.  I like this approach, it works wonders for the band.  It also allows them to be hung on any one passage for too long as there isn’t time for the same note for 15 minutes.   Each song flows smoothly...

Tribunal is a Gothic doom metal band from Canada, who formed in 2019. Their latest album, “ In Penitence and Ruin ,” is their second full-length album. I reviewed their debut album, “The Weight of Remembrance ,” and loved it. How does this one compare? Right off the bat, I can tell this one is much more aggressive. The extreme vocals from guitarist Etienne Flinn are pushed up a few notches, into raspy, vicious blackened screams. As far as I’m concerned, this is fantastic and adds so many great dynamics to the sound.  Soren Mourne ’s vocals have been given an upgrade too—-somehow even more emotional and maybe even a little operatic and theatrical. Nothing wrong with that, at all. The two of them share the vocal load more equally now, with a more natural, organic approach. Musically, the band is still very much entrenched in the Gothic side of doom. I believe that, compared to the previous album, “ In Penitence, ” is less plodding and funeral in exchange for a much heavier ...

Ahamkara is an atmospheric/melodic black metal band from the UK, who formed in 2012. Their latest album, “The Harrow of the Lost ,” is their second full-length album.  I haven’t had a chance to dive into their debut album but I have found “ The Harrow of the Lost ” to be quite the engaging album. It’s deeply rooted in black metal but definitely isn’t afraid to walk a more melodic path. There are more than enough moments of fast paced, blackened fury to be had but it’s interspersed between melodic riffs, melodies, and atmospheric soundscapes.  I like the production—it isn’t raw to the point of being detrimental to itself but it’s also not something I would call clean. The vocals and drums in particular are caustic and helps keep the album on the extreme side of the genre even when it’s stretching outside the confines of it.  The album consists of four songs, all of which are long but the album is still a solid 42 minute journey so it isn’t a taxing experience even f...

Ominous Ruin is a death metal band from San Francisco, California who formed in 2020. Their latest release, “ Requiem ,” is their second full-length album; they have also released two demos, an EP and a compilation.  I’m not the biggest tech death fan but when it is good, it is really good. “ Requiem ,” is indeed a really good album that grabbed me from the beginning. What really stood out for me is that this album is quite a bit more brutal than most other tech death. It doesn’t have a thin sound that focuses on dazzling the ears with endless whiddly wham.   No, this album has a real heft to it and a density that seems impenetrable. I like how the structures are riff based but still have time to focus on the insane bass, drums, and leads that are hallmarks of the genre.  I’m also impressed by its unwillingness to be put into one box. “ Requiem ,” is an album that has a lot of layers, including ambient soundscapes and acoustic passages. But even these uncon...

Embrional is a death metal band from Poland, who formed in 2003. Their latest album, “ Inherited Tendencies for Self-Destruction ,” is their fourth full-length album; they have also released three demos and two splits.  Over the last few weeks, I have reviewed doom, melodic, and technical death metal albums. I enjoyed each one but sometimes I just want something that drops pretenses and offers up a huge slab of straight up death metal.   Is the latest Embrional release that album? Yes but it is also more. This isn’t just mere, simple ‘caveman’ death metal but a well rounded, deftly composed romp through fields of desolation. It does a little bit of everything the genre has to offer while not really sticking to any one style other than their own.  The tone on the instruments is perfect for what I want in death metal: menacing, sinister, and massive as hell. The riff based structures contain a lot of groove but the band is zeroed in for ultimate crushing so e...

The Great Sea is a black metal band from Germany, who formed in 2022; “ Noble Art of Desolation ,” is their debut full-length album. This is a powerful debut album and I’m surprised this is their only release because it sounds like a band that has their shit together for years. Of course, the two main musicians JR and H , have been in the scene f or some time, coming from bands like Misery Speaks and Black Horizons , among others.  According to the band they wanted the album to, “create a feeling where you can experience nature and find yourself within it.” Well, they straight up nailed turning music into that experience. This is a majestic album that’s heavy on atmosphere and imaginative songwriting. The ebb and flow of nature can be as destructive as it can be beautiful. That description aptly applies to “ Noble Art of Desolatio n,” too, as well as the often unpredictable elements of nature.  With that being said, this is still a black metal album and, as such, ha...

Rwake is a band that I wasn’t familiar with before receiving this promo but they've been around for a while now. The band formed in 1996 and their latest album, “The Return of Magik ” is their sixth full-length album; they have also released a demo, a split, and a live album. Apparently, they have been gone for 13 years too so, as the album’s title might suggest, is the band’s journey back to the scene.  It’s hard to describe the music on “The Return of Magik .” It is certainly rooted in doom/sludge but it’s also experimental, dynamic and varied. Every song is like its own full album, a complete story that fits into an overall narrative. I like how the band isn’t afraid to use acoustic guitars, post elements, and even black metal to further expand what is obviously a progressive form of doom/sludge. Each component has its place in the music At times, I discovered this album to be extreme while, at other moments, it proved itself a shape shifter with a surprise at every turn...

Red Moon Architect is a melodic death/doom band from Finland, who formed in 2011. Their latest album, “ October Decay ,” is their sixth full-length album; they have also released an EP. Original member Saku (drums, keys) and company returns after five years from the release of the previous album, “Emptiness Weighs The Most .” Once more, he steers this doomed ship to ghostly waters and eerie dimensions. Both his drumming and the layers he provided with his keyboards, smother this album with an atmosphere that is both expansive and crushing. Guitarists Taneli and Pyry , along with bassist Jukka , compound these layers with blankets of sweltering, slow moving riffs and their own brand of melodic tendencies that weep gently in the wind as much as they squeeze blood from a musical void with steep, dark guitar tones. Last but certainly not least are the two vocalists, Anni and Ville . Together, these two take a classic ‘beauty and the beast approach,’ but it isn’t so cut and dry a...

Supreme Void is a technical death metal band from Poland, who started as Depravity in 2016.  “ Towards Oblivion ,” is their full-length debut; they have also released an EP. This is exactly the kind of tech death metal that I like.  This isn’t flashy with endless noodling but instead straight up brutality.  They take a page from legends like Suffocation and Immolation , in that their technical prowess is more riff based, instead of trying to sound like a full body dry heave going 1000 mph.   Both Ravager and Exile are riff masters, able to play with mind-bending proficiency without pushing the songs to edges they don’t need to be.   The six songs that rage across its 40 minute runtime are thick and oppressive, adding a lot of dissonance to their more heavy handed approach to tech.  The production is absolutely flawless; the album sounds MASSIVE–listen with a decent pair of headphones and it will feel like your brain is filling up with cement....

Lucifer’s Child is a black metal band from Greece, who formed in 2013. Their latest album, “ The Illuminant ,” is their third full-length album; they have also released a split. Even though I love Greek black metal (who doesn’t?),this ablum is my first experience with the band. I’ll definitely be checking out their previous efforts because if they are even half as good as “ The Illuminant ,” then they are still better than a lot of other bands.  The album isn’t reinventing any wheels or going to turn a non-black metal fan into one but for what it is, it’s visceral and engrossing but isnt afraid to add melodic tinges to these searing edges. It’s super aggressive yet retains just enough atmosphere and melody to keep it interesting without sacrificing any of the blasphemous intensity the genre is known for.  It’s a surprisingly moody album, not afraid to venture into dissonant passages or melancholic ways across a vast solemn sea. I like that it isn't always running at a blis...

Elusive God is a doom metal band from Croatia, who formed in 2018.  Their latest album, “ Ambis ,” is their second full-length album; they have also released an EP and a live album.  I’ve been a fan of Elusive God for a while now but never had a chance to review them before now.  I’m honored to be able to say a few humble words about them because “ Ambis ” is a fantastic album that truly captures what doom metal is.  Their sound is more along the traditional format, meaning it isn’t an extreme form like death or funeral doom.  With that being said, they have always been heavy as hell and this album is not an exception—not that I expected it to be.  “ Ambis ,” embraces a much darker sound than most other bands under the large banner of traditional doom.   It’s heavy on both occult and Gothic elements—-although the production is fantastic and near perfect, the album does sound raw in a way that it uses atmosphere as much as it does crushing riffs a...

Messa is a doom metal band from Italy, who formed in 2014.  Their latest album, “ The Spin ,” is their fourth full-length album; they have also released two splits and a live album.  I discovered Messa ’s unique take on doom with their previous effort, “ Close .”  Their ability to stretch the genre’s confines while still retaining the essence of the genre’s sound is pretty amazing.  Honestly, “ The Spin ,” is probably their best release and, especially compared to “Cl o se,” it is a much more focused, riff based work. Of course, focused doesn’t mean it isn’t adventurous—it is indeed and the band once again incorporates a lot of different influences.  The band still has a big rock vibe but this time it's on the more Gothic side of the fence, in terms of both presentation and use of synth work.   For the most part, it works very well for them.  I think at times, the band gets trapped in this new sound and they lose some of their energy but it’s a mi...

  Verheerer is a black metal band from Germany, who formed in 2008.  Their latest release, “ Urgewalt ,” is their third full-length album; they have also released an EP and a live album. This is a very interesting album because it’s quite dynamic.  It’s extreme, no doubt about it—a black metal foundation with death and even heavy metal thrown in for good measure.  But the degrees in which they handle the theme of the album–humanity’s will to destroy, even at the cost of itself,  are as varied as the ways in which humans seek to hurt others and ourselves.   It handles all kinds of tempos—fast, slow, mid-paced and everything in between.  It’s riff based yet melodic when needed.  Oftentimes it is cold and bleak as death itself but other times it’s so vicious and bombastic that I thought my headphones were going to pop off my head.  In essence, “ Urgewalt ,” is an album that mixes things up and does it well—never missing a beat, never soundi...

No Hand Path is a Greek black metal band who formed in 2006. Their latest release, “ Mysticism of Coming of Age ,” is their second full-length album; they have also released a demo.   I’m a simple man.  I get sent a promo with the words “Greek black metal,” in it and I immediately download.  The Greek scene is my favorite of the blackened world and No Hand Path are well on their way to staking their own claim amongst the vast catacombs of the scene. They don’t really sound like many of the bands from the Greek scene; the Mediterranean atmosphere is dialed back in favor of a more raw sound.  It’s cold, violent, and usually fast as fuck.  But despite that, it still has a dismal and tragic atmosphere that permeates the songs.  The band lives in these two worlds and is fantastic at displaying them, without letting one element take over the other.  Upon first listen, it’s a blistering album that compromises on very little while destroying a lot....

Soliloquium is a doom metal band from Sweden, who formed in 201; it consists of two members, Jonas Bergkvist (bass) and Stefan Nordström (everything else, except drums). Both of these musicians are also from the death metal Desolator (also very good) and “ Famine ” is their fifth full-length album under the Soliloquium banner; they have also released a demo, two EPs, and a compilation.  I discovered this band way back in 2018 with their second full-length album, “ Contemplations ,” and have been a fan ever since.  On a personal level, that one still remains my favorite but make no mistake:  Solioquium gets better with each release and “ Famine ” once again propels them forward.  It really wasn’t that long ago that I found them but with the way the world is…it certainly feels like a lifetime.  But when great bands like Solioquium are there with you every step of the way, it makes things more bearable.  Thank you, guys.  Music has a lot of power and the ...

Structure is a death/doom metal band from the Netherlands, formed in 2021by former Officium Triste guitarist Bram Bijlhout .  Their latest album, “ Heritage ,” is the project’s full-length debut; an EP was also released in 2022.   I reviewed that EP when I worked for Metal Temple—I’m very excited to be able to review this debut on my own website.  Simply put, “ Heritage ,” is everything the self-titled EP was plus more.  Bram handles all the guitars, bass and keys.  Officium Triste vocalist Pim Blankenstein provides vocals and Dirk Bruinenberg ( Elegy ) handles the drums. At its heart, “ Heritage ” is death/doom: crushing, slow riffs, and deeply monstrous vocals.  But that isn’t all that is offered.    Across its7 song, 50 minute runtime, Gothic and melodic textures dance among the graves, recalling the heyday of the genre.   The usage of keys adds a lot of the dimensions well; they are subtle but always perfectly placed in just th...

Decrepisy is a death metal band from Portland, Oregon who formed in 2019.  Their latest album, “ Deific Mourning ,” is their second full-length album.   Honestly, I had not heard their music before getting this promo but I’m very familiar with the other bands the members belong to.  Among the four musicians, we find seasoned vets from bands like Negative Prayer , Funebrarum , Coffin Rot , and Vastum , among many others. Death metal is extreme, sure, but it is so rarely scary.  This album?  Quite scary, unnerving and creepy as fuck.  It has all the tropes of a death metal album but it also has a big doom influence to its sound as well.  From my understanding, this is more doom oriented than their debut.  Well, it certainly helps give the album a damp, dismal sound to go along with the “a monster is behind you and about to eat your soul” atmosphere it constantly generates.   Imagine if some ghastly creature was chasing you; you’ve tr...

Karg is a post-black metal band from Austria, who formed in 2006.  Their latest release, “ Marodeur ,” is their 9th full-length album; they have also released two splits, a demo, and four EPs. “ Marodeur ,” is my first experience with their music but it has blown me away—I’m a fan for sure now and will dive into their back catalog as soon as I get a chance.  I’ll have to stop listening to this album first, which may be impossible.  The foundation of the band is rooted in black metal but the post influences are obvious; their press release mentions post-punk, shoegaze, and even grunge.  Honestly, I didn’t hear any grunge in it (thankfully) but everything is pretty accurate.  This dynamic mix of sounds never comes off as disjointed or uneven—-this album has incredible flow from one song to the next.  Even within each song, the journey is adventurous but never arduous.  In fact, I found myself enjoying this album so much that I took many repeated journeys...

Aeonian Sorrow is a doom metal band from both Finnish and Greek origins who formed in 2015. Their latest release, “ From The Shadows ” is their second EP; they have also released two full-lengths. I've been a fan since the beginning although this is the first time I have reviewed them. For those unfamiliar, the band mixes a lot of doom styles into their sound, including death, funeral, Melodic, Gothic and even some black metal elements.  With a runtime of over 30 minutes, “ From The Shadows ” offers a substantial amount of music with a lot of depth.  This isn’t an EP of short songs, live cuts, or bonus tracks.  This is made up of full songs that are as good as anything else the band has done. Although certainly consisting of stellar musicians that each deserve praise, the crown jewel of the band is Gogo Melone , whose keys and ever impressive vocals push the band to constant heights.  Alongside the other vocalist, Joel Notkonen , the band presents their ideas with th...