Doomed For Metal Reviews

TarLung is a stoner/sludge/doom metal band from Austria, who formed in 2013. Their latest album, “ Axis Mundi ,” is their fourth full-length album; they have also released one EP and a split album. This is my first experience with the band. I want to thank them for sending me the promo because they just gained a new fan. The band’s brand of doom definitely has a stoner vibe, particularly in many of the riffs. Their often abrasive approach lets their sludge influence shine through as well.  It is a curious and interesting album because it kept me guessing at times as to where the songs were going to go. The opening song, “ Static Noise ,” is a prime example of this. The intro to the song has a hard rock feel to it but with the slow build up of doom. As the seconds tick by, the drums kick in and then the groove ramps up. At the 1:37 mark, the sludge/doom gets turned up about 10,000 notches. Philipp and Clemen ’s abilities to wield the power of the riff is compelling! I ...

Brethren of Sadness is a funeral doom band, from the ever-prolific John Suffering .  As he did with An Tormah , musician Anthony Copertino Jr . joins him.  “Eulogy Beneath Eternal Shadows ,” is their debut full-length album. This is a low, slow funeral doom album that crawls by at a glacial pacing.  I like the pacing/speed because the band has more than enough time to let these songs unfurl in a natural way.  Simply put, there isn’t a second wasted across the album's 5 song, 39-minute runtime.   Suffering’s vocals are extremely low—almost like he has a mouth full of gravel while he growls.  They aren’t just low but also abrasive, like the low hanging claws of some monstrous form scraping across the floor as it stalks its prey.  He also belts out some goddamn harrowing blackened wails at times too. Musically, it is riff based with a Gothic atmosphere, especially where the melodic guitar leads are concerned.  It’s an interesting pair, as the s...

Cryoxyd is a French death metal band who formed in 2000.   “ This World We Live In… ” is their full-length debut, having also released a few demos over the years.    Much has been said elsewhere about how they have a familiar vibe to Death and Pestilence , so I’m not going to dive too much into that other than to say those comparisons are familiar. While this album’s atmosphere and style would definitely sound just find in the early to mid 90’s era of technical death metal, I find they very much have their own thing going and fit just fine into the modern era of the genre too. This is the kind of technical death metal I like:  virtuosic performances and solos that will cave in your mind-hole but it isn’t overly flashy or all ‘widdly wham’ like so many other tech bands sound. The production and mix echo the past as well—it doesn’t have that cold, sterile that permeates much of the current tech death scene.  It actually sounds quite warm in places, especially...

Marianas Rest is a melodic death/doom band from Finland that formed in 2013.  Their latest album, “ The Bereaved ,” is their fifth full-length album; they have also released a demo. I discovered this wonderful band when I reviewed “ Ruins ,” way back in 2019.  A lot has happened since then, both with the world and my own personal life.  I’m honored to be able to review “The Bereaved,” because it is a nice feeling knowing this band continues to be by my side.  There is no doubt that I’m not the only one who feels this way.   As far as their overall discography goes, this album just might be their best one yet.  From the beginning of its 10 song, 57-minute runtime, the album took me on an emotional but honest journey.   Production/mix still remains of the band’s best weapons—the album sounds straight up amazing.  As in the past, they always have a huge space for their music to live and breathe in, without compromising the genre’s much nee...

Bell Witch is a two-man doom metal band from Seattle, Washington who formed in 2010.  Aerial Ruin is one-man folk band from Portland, Oregon.  I don’t know much about Aerial Ruin I’m a Bell Witch fan, however, I missed out on the first volume of Stygian Bough—sometimes, there is so much music out there that even a huge music nerd like me misses out.  I’ll have to go back and listen to it because Volume II is mesmerizing.  Across four massive songs and just under an hour of runtime, “ Stygian Bough: Volume II ” is a monolith concoction of what happens with doom and folk merge into one.  Dark folk can feel doomy and times and, of course, doom isn’t a stranger to adding folk elements either.  But few collaborations show the results as honest, in depth, and engaging as this album. With that being said, this is doom.  It is slow and plodding, with many changes but at a glacial pace.  So, I don’t pretend any illusions here:  if you don’t like doom,...

Blood of the Wolf is a death metal band from Chicago, Illinois who formed in 2013.  Their latest release, “ V: Indomitable ,” is their latest full-length album; they have also released an EP, a compilation, and a demo. Although I didn’t review it, I highly enjoyed their previous album, “ IV: The Declaration of War .”  “ V :  Indomitable ,” is just as good if not better.  This album has one less track than it’s predecessor and it's about six minutes shorter so the band has definitely trimmed the fat—-and it makes for an album that is brutal but has an excellent flow from song to song.  The production is top notch–it’s loud but not overly.  Each instrument can be heard clearly in the mix as well, so the band’s precision songwriting stands out.  Speaking of which, each song is sharp and to the point, almost militant in their service to bringing the essence of the genre to the service. If you like riffs, this album is definitely for you.  Who am I ki...

  Waldgeflüster is a black metal band from Germany, who formed in 2005.  Their latest release " Knochengesänge ," is actually a double album.  The second part is a sort of a reworking/rearranging/reimagining of the first part but both are more than separated enough from each other that it really does feel like two different sets of songs.  Both albums are memorizing to me and offer a lot of replay value.  I honestly can't decide which one I like best!  I hear a lot post and folk in these releases too, even on the first album which is definitely more blackened.  The vocals are mostly clean but that is ok because Winterherz has a fantastic voice, with a lot of inflection and catchy cadences.  Both albums sort of feel like a metal version of something a singer/songwriter style album.  It makes for an interesting listen--and one I can't quite let go.  As of the time of me writing this review, both of these releases together are my most...

 Chaos Over Cosmos is a technical metal band, formed in 2015 by Polish musician Rafał Bowman .  The latest album from the project is its fourth full-length album “ The Hypercosmic Paradox .”  Additionally, two EPs and a compilation have also been released.  Rafał is the guitarist and composer but he has joined forces with Pakistan based vocalist Taha Mohsin .   I’m really digging the overall vibe and atmosphere of this album.  There is a lot of variety here, with the technical flourishes running alongside elements of melodic death and progressive music.  This concoction of different styles definitely works in the favor album because it’s highly memorable.  It is fast paced with mind bending passages but, at the same time, it’s just melodic enough.  I really like the sci-fi/spacey atmosphere, it is great world building using the power of music.   The keys are impressive; they don’t overtake the music nor are they just there for...

  Deconstructing Sequence is a black metal band with its origins from both England and Poland.  The band formed in 2012; their latest album, “ Tenebris Cosmicis Tempora ,” is their second full-length album, in addition to having two EPs under their belt as well.  I was not familiar with this band before receiving the promo but goddam do they have my attention now!  From the first song to the last, “ Tenebris Cosmicis Tempora ,” is an exhilarating ride that never lets up. There is definitely a progressive approach to the album but it’s razor sharp and this side of the band only adds to the furious nature of their pedigree.   This multifaceted nature to the band’s blackened approach is what makes the album so appealing.  On one hand, this album can be taken at face value—--and you can have a rip roaring, hellride with optimum head banging.  On the other hand, this is an album with a lot of depth and one that can easily take the listener onto a jour...

Old Night is a doom metal band from Croatia, who formed in 2015.  Their latest album, “ Mediterranean Melancholy ,” is their fourth-full length album.   I discovered the band when I reviewed their second album, “ A Fracture In The Human Soul ,” back when I wrote for Metal Temple.  I didn’t review their second album, “in my attention like their previous efforts. So, what of “ Mediterranean Melancholy ?” I’m happy to report that this one ups their game is perhaps their best album yet!  With this new album, they have perfected a balance between traditional doom, melancholic textures, and, of course, being heavy as hell. The production and mix are both amazing.  The whole album sounds deep and whole while giving each instrument plenty of breathing room.  The result is the album sounding full and alive, very encompassing.  The tone of the instruments is insane.  Each one is ultra dense with a lot of power behind each guitar strum and drum hit.  T...

Witcher is an atmospheric black metal band from Hungary who formed in 2010. Their latest album, “ Öröklét ,” is their fourth full-length album; they also released three EPs, two demos, and two splits. I will admit that I'm a casual fan of this band–I have a couple of their previous albums but haven't fully dived into them.  “ Öröklét ,” has certainly changed that and I will be returning to their discography soon.  This is an album that is as beautiful as it is tragic, raw as it is smooth flowing. The sweeping keys are present in a very natural way—they aren't there to hide anything or to fill up the background. In essence, they are every bit as important as any of the other elements.  The metal elements are dark–violent drums and, somewhat, oppressively bleak guitars and bass.  It all swirls together in a magnificent way—a lot of bands are described as ‘cinematic’ or ‘epic' but this album has me convinced that Witcher is one of the few bands that can truly harness su...