Doomed For Metal Reviews

 In A Forest Dark is a one-man Gothic blackened death/doom metal band from Portugal, who formed in 2002; musician Mário Pereira (also in the band Eternal Mourning ) handles all vocals and instruments.  This latest album, “ To A God Unknown ,” is the project’s fourth full-length album. Apparently, this album is inspired by the book of the same name from author John Steinback .  I’m unfamiliar with this novel so if there is anything lyrically, or musically, in reference to the story, then I just lack the frame of reference to catch it.  But it’s worth noting, regardless of my own failings in this area, for any doom fans who also might be fans of the book.   I may not know the book, but I know my metal in general and doom in particular.  “ To A God Unknown ,” is a worthy entry into the genre’s pantheon and one of my favorites in what is now the second half of the year.   “ To a God Unknown ,” consists of 7 dark dirges of poetry across a r...

Litosth is a black metal band from Brazil, who formed in 2016. Actually, it’s a one-man band project from musician Maicon Ristow .  This latest album, “ Dreaming ,” is the fourth full-length under the Litosth moniker.  I actually reviewed his previous album, “ Cesariana ,” when I wrote for Metal Temple.  I wasn’t a huge fan of it, giving it a score of 6 out of 10.  Basically, I thought it was solid, but it wasn’t going to stick with me.   So how does “ Dreaming ” fair?  Well, the two years in between releases must have really helped because “ Dreaming ,” is a huge step forward for the band.  I don’t give numbered reviews on my blog but it’s definitely well above a 6.    I feel like Maicon has finally found the true sound that has been building up for years: a freighting amalgamation of melodic tinges of blackened despair.  “ Dreaming ,” is anything but—this album is a nightmarish hellscape that crumbles the light into the shad...

Grabunhold is a black metal band from Germany, who formed in 2016.  Their latest release, “ Frostheim ,” is their second full-length album; they have also released a demo, EP and a split. This is my first experience with Grabunhold’s music but “ Frostheim ,” grabbed me from the first song.  On the surface, this might seem straightforward but “ Frostheim ,” has a surprisingly dynamic sound.   The band’s sound is rooted in the second wave of black metal, especially the more melodic side, emanates plenty of waves of bleak, cold despair.  However, that’s only half of the band’s sound.  The other half is insanely catchy arrangements that sound somewhat folk-ish with a warm, full sound. The band doesn’t live in one world or the other—they embrace them so fully, seamlessly, and effortlessly, that “ Frostheim ,” reveals itself to be a very balanced yet adventurous album that is never afraid to dive into a world that’s black and grey but with splashes of melancholi...

Abyssal Liturgy is a one-man funeral doom metal band from the prolific musician Gregory Ritchey , notably from his other funeral doom project Silent Deep Ocean —he also has a lot of self-titled albums as well. “ Lamentations of the Desolate ,” is the project’s debut full-length album.  “ Lamentations of the Desolate ,” is one of the slowest albums I’ve heard lately—good.  I love ridiculously slow funeral doom as long as it's well written and always has a purpose of moving forward—a slow march.  And this march is long, not for the faint of heart or for people who don’t enjoy this style.  This album has five songs, none of which are under 11 minutes, and a runtime of 1 hour and 12 minutes.   In essence, this is an album that is both wide AND as deep as the ocean.     The project’s name and album title goes hand in hand. A liturgy is a public ritual of worship and abyssal sort of speaks for itself.  Lamentations are passionate expressi...

Thrakian is a doom/sludge/post-metal band from the UK, who formed in 2022.  “The Way,” is their debut release.  Metallum lists it as an EP but with four songs that run over 30 minutes, this might be a full-length.  Regardless of what it may or may not be, there is one thing it definitely is: a heavy but beautiful and mesmerizing release. Featuring members of Pantheïst , I’m not surprised at all by this. Pantheïst ’s Matt Strangis ’ (who also has a project named Doubsower , who is definitely worth a listen) is on bass.  Atanas Kyurkchiev , also from Pantheïst ,  provides vocals and guitars.  Rounding out the band is lead guitarist Kristiyan Peshev and Svetoslav Simeonov on drums.  The music of “ The Way ,” seamlessly traverses across a multitude of genres. The filthy tones of sludge cover the rhythms with a heavy grit that is impossible to ignore.  The slower tempo and melancholic atmosphere of doom provide the perfect landscape for the music to ex...

Signs of the Evil is a black metal band who formed in 2002 and have their origins in Peru but are now apparently based in Portland, Oregon.  The band’s latest album, “ Calling the Ancient Legions Under the Red Moon ,” is their second full-length album; they have also released two demos and two splits. Oregon isn’t the first place that comes to my mind when I think of black metal but maybe it” needs to be because Signs of the Evil have crafted a fantastically abrasive album in “ Calling the Ancient Legions Under the Red Moon .”  The name of the band, album, and even the artwork is straight up raw, unfiltered black metal with the promise of a blasphemous good time built upon music written to invoke ancient rites and beings.  The album delivers on this promise and more. As I said, this is some raw stuff.  It isn’t so raw that it can’t be enjoyed—the sound isn’t muted or foggy but instead gritty with a real DIY atmosphere and production job.  For me, the way this a...

In Vespro is a Roman, Italy based melodic death/doom band.  I couldn’t find much information about them online so I’m not sure when they formed but “ Where Silence Used to Sleep ,” is their debut album.  It features members of Svart Vinter , Veil of Conspiracy , and Handful of Hate .  That’s a damn fine pedigree right there so I was expecting this album to be worthy of my time (and yours) before I even pushed played. I was not disappointed.  If anything, my expectations were exceeded.  Their sound is very longing and full yearning.  I’m definitely getting 90’s melodic/Gothic death doom vibes from “Where Silence Used to Sleep” and that’s nothing but a good thing.   The melodies really speak for themselves, but I’ll do my best to speak on them.  These textures aren’t Gothenburg melodic nor are they from the 00’s metalcore scene, where the songs tried their best to be heavy yet came off sounding like discount MDM bands a lot of the time. No, th...

Grim Legion is a death metal band from Manalapan, New Jersey, United States who formed in 1988 and went on a hiatus in 1991; they reformed in 2011 and have been active since.  Their latest album, “ Harbingers of Death ,” is their second full-length album; they have also released four demos, an EP and a compilation.   Grim Legion features Evoken alumni Randy Cavanaugh and John Paradiso on guitars, Condition Critical 's  Ryan Donato on drums, and ex- Fate Array musicians Devlin Bane on vocals, guitar and Marakus Misery on bass.    Based on those musicians and their history, I would have been a total dumbass to expect this to be anything less than bone crushing.  While I am still stupid, I expected this to be exactly what it provides:  monstrous old school death metal that’s as cold as the grave and unforgiving as death.  The production isn’t exactly what I would call raw but it’s definitely rough, in a way that an album of this nature n...

  Auszaat is a metal band from Salzburg ,  Austria who formed in 2019.  Their latest album, “ Trümmerethik ,” is their second full-length album. According to their Bandcamp page, the band describes their sound as “blackened whatever,” and that pretty much nails it on the head as to what I experienced on this unique and engaging album.  The production and mix on this album are perfectly suited for music contained within—music that is as mysterious and disturbing as it is intense and violent. Every little detail, of which there are many, can be heard through the album’s atmosphere.   The band’s use of clean notes is extremely important to the album, oftentimes being used to set the song up for the more intense moments.  But on their own, they are great little dimensions of unnerving notes, serving up a fresh perspective that contrasts while complimenting the heavier parts of the songs. The base of the album’s sound may be black metal, but it doesn’t ge...

I don’t review a lot of power metal on my blog.  It isn’t because I don’t like it–in fact, I love it.  In my younger days, it was one of the genres I got heavily into first.  The problem, however, is that it is such a bloated genre.  Always has been and probably always be; for every good power metal band, I come across 30 that gargle my balls.  But when it is good, it is good.   Tomorrow ’s Outlook and their third full-length album, “ Black Waves ,” album is a rock-solid power metal album that captures everything about the genre that made it appeal to me in the first place.  Vocalist Tony " Thunder " Johannessen has a fantastic voice.  He isn’t overly falsetto nor does he sound like a cornball or yet another ripoff of Dickinson or Halford.   The rest of the band is on point with songs that focus on killer riffs in a more traditional aspect and sweet, sweet guitar solos.  I like that the music isn’t overly epic or filled with po...

Undercroft is a death metal band from Chile, who formed in 1991.  Their latest album, “ The Killer Sword ,” is their ninth full-length album; they have also released four demos, two compilations, a live album and a boxed set.   That’s a lot of music!  To my shame, I’ve never heard of this band before I was sent the promo for “T h e Killer Sword .”  How has this band escaped my radar over the years?  I’ll have to stop kicking myself long enough to dive into their back catalog because if it's even half as good as this album, then I need to hear more of what they offer. “ The Killer Sword ,” is, by far, the catchiest extreme metal album I’ve heard so far this year.  I don’t mean they have clean, poppy choruses, or a sound so modern that it was born in a deathcore pit.  This is straight up 100% death metal that ticks off the boxes.   More importantly, it has riffs FOR DAYS.  For centuries.  I can’t even count the number of brutal...

Ilienses Tree is a death/doom metal band Italy, who formed in 2013. Their latest release, “ Toward the Storm ,” is their second full-length album; they have also released two demos. “ Toward the Storm ,” is a melodic album with a lot of catchy harmonies and melodies throughout its 5 songs, 39-minute runtime.  I like this dynamic because it allows the music to be very fluid, with a lot of space to play around within.  This album isn’t simply made of songs that are low, slow, and cavernous but instead atmospheric, emotional, and even Gothic.  The band isn’t afraid to strip back the essence of their sound in favor of clean moments that, while lacking the obvious punch from the distorted passages, fill the air with moments of emotive clarity that offer a different viewpoint even while acting as a fantastic bridge to more adventurous avenues.  The mid-passage of “ To Not Be Forgotten ,” births from a caustic moment of screams and riffs but offers a respite.  The clea...