Doomed For Metal Reviews

A Dream of Poe is a Gothic doom metal band from Portugal, who formed in 2005.  Their latest release, “ Katabasis: A Marriage Among Ashes ” is their fifth full-length album; they have also released a demo, two EPs, and two live albums. I reviewed their previous album, “ The Wraith Uncrowned ,” years ago when I wrote for Metal Temple.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and have patiently waited for a follow-up for six years.  I’m happy to report “ Katabasis: A Marriage Among Ashes ,” is not only a worthy follow up but a highlight for me as the year continues to race towards its halfway point.   “ Katabasis ,” is an album that can be as elegant as it can be harsh.  Its gentle weaves can turn into corridors of macabre horror at a moment’s notice.  The instruments play with an uncommon fury, symphonic and ethereal doom that envelopes as it smothers.  Those same instruments can also be as of a leaf on the end, a cold Autumn breeze that brushes its musical stroke...

Seum is a stoner/doom/sludge band from Canada, that hit the scene in 2020 with their debut EP “ Summer of Seum .”  Their latest album, “ Parking Life ,” is their third full-length album; they have also released another EP, two splits, and two live albums. I’m sorry to say that “ Parking Life ,” is my first experience with this band—I’ve been missing out and I don’t have a frame of reference to compare them to.  But that’s ok because I can tell they really can’t be compared to anyone else.  This is a band with their own sound and “ Parking Life ,” is a unique experience.   They don’t have a guitarist–this trio is just vocals, bass, and drums.  They certainly aren’t the first band, doom or otherwise, to focus on bass only but I’m not sure if anyone has been as dynamic with that set up as what I’m hearing on “ Parking Life .”  Sludge/Doom is definitely the basis of their sound but there is a strong hardcore/punk and even pop aesthetic to the songs.  ...

  Akem Manah is a metal band whose origins began in Belgium, forming in 2007. Their latest release, “ Threnodies ,” is their second full-length album; they have also released an EP.    Doom, especially of the Gothic persuasion, is probably the best answer I could give to the question, “Hey dude what would you call Akem Manah ?”  However, that’s a scenario that would never happen because I don’t really have friends in so-called ‘real’ life.  My conversations are usually regulated to children and cats (special note:  my own children and cats, I don’t just go outside and capture these things randomly) and neither of these types of beings care about metal.  Oh shit, I think my kids and cats might be posers.  Oh well, I’m getting off track here. Akem Manah ’s style is fluid and dynamic, mixing in a variety of genres so simply calling them doom doesn’t tell the whole story.  Their influences are just as varied and listening to this album, it i...

Grief Collector is a doom metal band with roots in Minneapolis, Minnesota who formed in 2017.  Their latest release, “ The Death of All Dreams ,” is their third full-length album; they have also released an EP. Grief Collector ’s sound can probably best be described as epic or traditional doom metal but, honestly, it doesn’t really fit.  Compared to other doom genres like funeral or death doom, then traditional might be the best way to describe them since their sound definitely isn’t as extreme as those aforementioned genres.    However, how many traditional doom bands sound like Sabbath clones?  How many have the same old tired vocalist that sounds like he is both constipated and suffering congestion from the flu?  How many of them spend their album talking about weed if they venture too far into stone territory? Rhetorical questions and anyone reading this already knows the answer.  I like traditional/stoner/epic/non-extreme doom (doom and anything ...

SolNegre is a doom metal band from the Balearic Islands, Spain. “ Anthems for the Grand Collapse ,” is their second full-length album; they have also released an EP. Special note: This album officially has five songs and a runtime of just under 42 minutes. The 21 minute long EP " Annihilation of the Self ,” released a couple years ago, serves as tracks six and seven on some editions. I will strictly be reviewing just the album itself but the EP is great as well so if you can get those songs too, they are worth the price. I loved their debut album “ The Spiral Labyrinth ” and I'm happy to report that “ Anthems for the Grand Collapse ” is just as good. In terms of runtime, the fat of the debut has been trimmed– this album is about 25 minutes shorter. But it is quality not quantity and the band is able to have a more focused sound that feels like a true album experience from beginning to end, rather than a random collection of sounds. The production and mix are both on poi...

Cognizance is a death metal band from the United Kingdom that formed in 2012. Their latest album, “ In Light, No Shape ,” is their fourth full-length album; they have also released three EPs and a demo.     This is my first experience with this band so I went in blind. From my research, it seems this is their first album with their guitarist, Alex, also handling vocal duties. With no dogs in this race and lacking a frame of reference, I went into “ In Light, No Shape ,” with an open mind—and I really enjoyed the album. I don’t know what their previous vocalist brought to the table (I just haven’t had time to go back and listen to anything else they have done. I’m busy so sue me.) but Alex has a well-formed death growl that hits the sweet spot for what I like to hear with this style of metal.   He and fellow guitarist Apostolis have a fantastic synergy together and their trade offs between riffs and more melodic passages is quite impressive. In fact, thi...

Egregore is an extreme metal band from Canada, who formed in 2019.  Their latest album, “ It Echoes in the Wild ,” is their second full-length album.    I missed their first one, but I won’t ever miss an album from them ever again after hearing this insane piece of work. Egregore could probably be described as blackened death or a combination therefore of but, really, anything goes on this album.  From one song to the next, and even from one second to the next within these songs, it is hard to tell where the next note is going to lead.  This album sort of reminds me of something Cephalic Carnage might but out but not as spastic or pretentious.   I think the best way to describe the music contained within the album’s 10 song, 49-minute runtime is ‘controlled chaos.’  Everything is in constant motion across many different paths yet there is a certain amount of restraint to the songs that keeps everything seamless and coherent.  Instead of the ...

Vide is a black metal band from France who formed in 2022.  Their latest release, “ Aux enfantes des ruines ,” is their debut full-length album, after previously releasing three EPS.  The French black metal scene is really special because every band seems so unique and does their own thing within the genre.  Vide’s debut album is quite impressive because it’s atmospheric but embraces a raw foundation, effectively melding the two into a song that’s engaging yet ethereal.   The meat of the album is the four longer songs, which comprise over 40 minutes of sprawling soundscapes that can go from a hurricane to a gentle wind.  The other three sons are shorter instrumentals that are perfectly placed to optimize flow.  These three songs are done well and work very well in the overall structure of the album.  The first of these instrumentals is the title track and it features keyboards that are filled with both sorrow and serenity.  The children’s cho...

Antrisch is a black metal band from Germany, who formed in 2020. Their latest album, "Expedition III:  Renitenzpfad ,” is their second full-length album; they have also released an EP and a live album. The previous album, “ Expedition II:  Die Passage ,” was insanely good and this one is up there with it, but whether it is better or not will depend on personal preferences.  Whereas the first one was atmospheric and focused on facing death in an unforgiving environment, this album, at least to me, is quite a bit more aggressive with a story focused on the more violent tendencies of an asshole conquistador named Lope de Aguirre.  The guy was a menace and the music reflects that.  The band still incorporates plenty of atmosphere into the album but rather than cold and destitute, it’s maddening and claustrophobic.  Even the multitude of clean passages among the explosive black metal parts are the deadly descent into a mind that’s slipping off the edge.  I...

Hrob is a death/doom metal band from Slovakia, who formed in 2021.  Their latest release, “ Brána Chladu ,” is their debut full-length album, after releasing a demo in 2023.  This album is more dynamic than I expected.  The album’s awesome cover art led me to believe the atmosphere of this album would be cold and destitute.  It definitely didn’t disappoint my expectations but actually gave more than I bargained for—which is great.  “ Brána Chladu ,” has plenty of atmospheric textures through the use of clean instrumentation and can be very melodic when called upon. I'm impressed by the many different paths this album takes; it has the brutality death metal, the cold, evil atmosphere of black metal, and the cavernous, slow approach of doom metal while it still offers many moments of speed and melody. The album isn't everything all at once, either.  Each version of their brand of doom is released only when needed so it comes off as free flowing instead of ...

Power metal was one of the first metal genres I got heavily into and I still like it today, some 20 odd years later. Unfortunately, I haven’t kept up with it all that much because the genre is so bloated—for every good power metal band, there are about 700 that aren’t worth a fart in a bucket. I suppose every genre, metal or otherwise, is bloated but it seems the ratio of good to bad power metal bands is really, really off kilter. But…every now and then, I come across a band that reminds me of why the genre is so magical. Finland’s Power Paladin and their second full-length album, “ Beyond the Reach of Enchantment ,” is such a band. This album ticks off all the boxes of what makes the genre so great: hyper energy, barreling drums, soaring vocals, and fast paced riffs among many melodic moments and catchy choruses.  But what’s even better? “ Beyond the Reach of Enchantment ," sounds honest–and fun. These guys very clearly want to play this genre and do it their way. I don’...

Chalice of Suffering is a funeral death/doom band from Minneapolis, Minnesota that formed in 2015. “ The Raven Cries One Last Time ,” is their third full-length album.  I’ve been waiting on this album since I reviewed their previous album, “ Lost Eternally ,” way back in 2019. Is it worth the wait? You bet your downtrodden ass it is! Not only that but it also surpasses the previous album in every category an album can be judged by.  Vocalist John Suffering ( An Tóramh , Forever Falling ) always surrounds himself with other great musicians and this album continues that trend. Nikolay Velev ( Historian , Inspell ) provides guitars and keys—and is very adept at using both to generate some truly personal emotive doom here. Will Maravelas ( Caustic Abyss , Plague of Stars ) and Neal Pruett ( Apothic , Plague of Stars ) provide guitar and bass, respectively. Bagpiper Kevin Murphy ( Throne of Wilderness ) and drummer Aaaron Lanik ( Plague of Stars , Silva ) roun...