Doomed For Metal Reviews

Satanic North is a black metal band from Finland who formed in 2019.  In 2022, they released their “Four Demons ” demo and have now finally let loose upon the world their full-length self-titled debut. Two of the band members are from folk metal heroes Ensiferum .  Bassist IIT Caprae is actually the guitarist/harsh vocalist Petri Lindroos while the drummer, Abyssir , is Janne Parvianen .  That’s quite the pedigree but it has been a long time since I cared about Ensiferum so I wasn’t sure what to expect with two of the members trying out black metal. Thankfully, my worries were worthless because this self-titled blast of unholy blackness is straight up, old school second wave black metal.  It isn’t going to win any awards for originality or reinvent the ever turning wheel of extremity but there is something to be said of taking a stripped down approach.  Over the decades, black metal has grown into one of the more diverse styles in metal.  There isn’t any...

Atræ Bilis  is a death metal band from Canada that formed in 2018. “ Aumicide ” is their second full-length album and they have an EP as well. In a very short amount of time and with just a handful of releases under their belt, the band has already carved their way to the forefront of the modern tech death scene. Calling anything on “ Aumicide ” technical is somewhat of a disservice to the band. Not that being technical is bad but the ten songs on this album are so much more different than other tech bands. This collection of songs are in a constant state of flux. There is a very little repetition to be found here. Each note, each riff appears, destroys the senses, then is destroyed itself.  From one moment to the next the songs are built, broken down, and rebuilt again. While this could make for a challenging listen (especially for those who aren’t familiar with this style) it definitely makes for an interesting album with a lot of depth and replay value.  The element I ...

DVNE (pronounced Dune) is a progressive sludge/post-Metal band from Scotland who formed in 2013 under the moniker Dune before changing the spelling in 2015.  “ Voidkind ” is their third full-length album, in addition to having three EPs and a live album under their belt.  DVNE ’s music is as sprawling as their sci-fi subject matter and their talent is near alien because it is damn near unbelievable. This album has staggering depth and there is a lot to unpack across the ten songs and 58 minute runtime.   Their brand of sludge includes other influences as well, including doom and psychedelic.  All these sounds are fused together and presented in music that is rich in texture and complicated.  Despite that, their sound isn’t pretentious nor bloated with unnecessary details.  In essence, even though it includes every idea ever, it remains a highly focused album that flat out rocks.  The vocals are as varied and dynamic as the music, featuring growls,...

Blaze Of Perdition is a black metal band from Poland. They formed as Perdition in 2004 but changed their name to their current moniker after the parting of their vocalist Xaos Oblivion . Their new album, " Upharsin ," is their sixth full-length album; they have also released numerous demos, splits, EPs, and compilations. This album lives in a lot of worlds and has a much more dynamic sound than I expected, as this album is my first exposure to their music.  It is a vicious, bleak, and violent record but it's also melodic with catchy hooks and an incredible atmosphere.  The core of their sound is definitely a more raw type of blackened fury but they aren't afraid to color outside the lines when need be.  The result is a cohesive that never sounds forced, no matter what path the songs take.  Production wise, the sound is pretty much perfect.  It is both gritty and razor sharp without sounding over produced or too raw.  This helps the songs really breathe an...

Necrot is a death metal band from Oakland, California who formed in 2011.  “ Lifeless Birth ” is their third full-length album; they have also released three demos and a compilation. “ Lifeless Birth ” is a filthy album that takes the best elements of death metal and runs with them.  Simply put, this is a fun album.  Fun? Whaaaaat?  Can we have fun in death metal?  Of course we can.  This is one of those albums where every track is solid--from beginning to end this album is an absolute blast.  That isn’t to say this isn’t a serious release by a band who isn’t serious.  On the contrary, “ Lifeless Birth ”, and Necrot themselves, are deadly serious.  But they also clearly love their chosen style of play and they let the listener know that. Yes, this is an absolute pummeling album with non stop brutality.  But it is also melodic and catchy as hell.  The magic of the album is that it incorporates these two “scary” words so well into the...

Mother Of Al l is a metal band from Denmark who formed in 2013. “ Global Parasitic Leviathan ,” is their second full length album, in addition to having two EPs and a split album as well. Their sound may be rooted in melodic death but it has a ton of thrash elements in it too and it is some of the most exciting thrash I've heard in some time. It doesn’t stop there, however, because I also hear elements of progressive and death metal in the mix too.  The genres are completely infused with each other, a true melting spot of styles where it is impossible to hear where one begins and the other ends.  This leads to very compelling songs with insane energy.  All these styles and ideas the album represent are so seamlessly intertwined that it never comes off as meandering or spastic.  The songs are very riff based and are constantly pushing forward.  Vocally, Martin possess a searing barking shout that adds to the urgency of the songs The album begins with “ Cosmic Dar...

Veriteras is a melodic death band from Seattle, Washington that formed in 2019. “ The Dark Horizon ” is their second full-length album; they also have two EPs under their belt.  I haven't heard the band's previous releases so I went into this album completely blind. Honestly, what I heard has blown me away….this is top tier melodic death metal with a blackened edge. It's also catchy as hell. Each song is filled with intricate melodies, harmonies and songs that lodged themselves inside my head for days. The energy is infectious–every song exuberates a jaunty energy that make this album a very smooth and easy listen—at around 31 minutes this is a collection of songs that begs to be listened to over and over.   Their black metal influences keeps the songs from being too “happy” sounding, ensuring for every melodic note there is a heavy riff to act as a counterweight. Some of the speedier moments, especially the faster moments, definitely add a lot of heft to the songs even w...