Doomed For Metal Reviews

Insomnium doesn't need an introduction but for those living under a rock, they are a Finnish melodic death metal band who formed way back in 1997.  But Insomnium have never been of the "Gothenburg" style of the genre. Their music eschews jaunty harmonies and melody for downtrodden epics that have much in common with doom metal. There is no doubt that as the years go by, their music gets darker and darker. 'Anno 1696' takes that notion to the next level. Anno 1696' is a concept album set in a period of one  Finland's more dark eras. It was a time of famine, cannibalism, and witch hunts. As far as the particular details and characters in the story, I couldn't tell you. I know it's blasphemy, but I never follow concept album stories nor do I care to do so. I'm here for the music and song writing. And both these elements are in top tier form on Insomnium's 9th studio album.  The atmosphere of this album is so defeated, bleak, and hopeless that ...

LUMEN AD MORTEM is a black metal band from Australia that formed in 2019. “Upon The Edge Of Darkness,” is their full length debut; they released a demo in 2019. Considering how young this band is, “Upon The Edge Of Darkness,” is an unusually strong debut. However, that may not be apparent upon first listen–this is an album that will require many listens. I don’t mean that as “I first heard this and didn’t like it but eventually I warmed up to it.” No, this album was solid from the beginning. What I mean is there is a lot to unpack here; the album reveals itself to have a refreshing sound that covers a lot of ground and includes many elements that tie together extremely well. The album length is around forty one minutes, which I find to be the sweet spot for many albums. However with only six songs, all of them except one are above six minutes—plenty of time for these songs to work their magic. So what is the magic, what makes the album so special? The atmosphere leaves a lasti...

VAHRZAW is an Australian extreme metal band who formed in 1994 under the name Necromancy. They underwent several more name changes before landing on their current moniker. "In The Shallows of a Starlit Lake," is their fifth full length album. In addition, they have released two demos, two splits and three EPs. The only other album of theirs I have heard so far is their previous album, "The Trembling Voices of Conquered Men."That particular album was solid but a bit too short and the bookend tracks were just filler. However, this new album feels like a much more complete package. Whereas they were doing a weighty combination of death and black metal, this album definitely leans towards black metal. Honestly, I think it works much better for them. The production, which is both crusty and atmospheric, fits the blackened approach like a glove too. The keys are noteworthy. Sometimes they are subtle, other time they are not. But they are never overbearing but are alway...

MISANTHROPIK TORMENT is an extreme metal band from Lexington, KY. Their sound is a filthy representation of black, death and thrash—-it all comes together seamlessly for a true visceral vision of contempt for all things wrong with life. There isn't anything shy about their music–nothing is held back and it is all rise. The lyrics are of a similar nature, confronting the evil in the world, screaming out against the very tyranny that makes Earth nothing more than a big ball of shit. Extreme subject matter begs for extreme music. This album is short and to the point–it does what it needs to and then leaves behind broken bodies. Some might want more ‘meat and potatoes’ to their music but this style doesn’t need an hour and a half album with crazy interludes and thirteen minute long songs. It wouldn't be a complete package without vocals to match this thinking man's insanity. Erik Leviathan's vocals consist of low growls, screams, blackened snarls, and gurgling burps.....

SORROWFUL LAND is a one band melodic death/doom project from the Ukraine that was formed in 2014 by mastermind Max Molodtsov in 2014. “Faded Anchors Of The Past,” is the project's third full length album; he has also released one demo, an EP, and a split album. This is my first experience with SORROWFUL LAND but I am impressed—this is one solid doom album. This album zeroes in on what makes this style of doom so great. It is appropriately dark and heavy but Max’s ability to write a song is undeniably strong—all eight tracks are well put together. Despite their length and all the content within, they flow  well. The album is a little over an hour long but never once does it get boring or go off the rails. <p> It certainly doesn’t hurt the album to have a plethora of great guest stars. Pierre Laube (Doomed), Henrik Ekholm (Hadriel), Stefan Nordstorm (Soliloquium and Desolator, among others), Kaivan Saraei (A Dream Of Poe), and Bruno Spell (A Dream Of Poe) all lend their conside...

Distant is a deathcore band from the Netherlands who formed in 2014. "Heritage" is their third full length album; they have also released four EPs. I'll be up front and honest: I'm not a huge deathcore fan. The bands in the genre certainly have talent but it just isn’t for me. I say this because I want to be understood when I say how good Distant and their album “Heritage” really is. Their electronics/keys are one of the highlights to me because they give the album a sci-fi vibe. They aren’t over used either or relied upon to carry the songs—the myriad sounds and noises help enhance the overall atmosphere and add a distinct flavor to the songs. The production, as it is with most deathcore I’ve heard, is loud and clean–perhaps too much but it does work in favor with the album’s style. Every little electronic noise can be heard clearly and the guitar riffs are put front in center—unbelievably crushing. This all works out because “Heritage” is an album that is absol...

This is really well done melodic black metal with catchy melodies and arrangements.  https://youtu.be/OW4VtcIX9Io