wonderboxmetal

Todomal – Graveyards of Joy (Review)

This is the third album from Spanish doom metal band Todomal.

Graveyards of Joy brings us 43 minutes of compelling material. Todomal’s style can be described as doom metal mixed with progressive rock stylings and atmospheric depth. Atmospheric doom, in essence. The promo blurb names Pink Floyd, Katatonia, Candlemass, and Anathema, which sets the scene nicely, (you could also throw in Devin Townsend, Green Carnation, and Wolverine as touchpoints too). Continue reading “Todomal – Graveyards of Joy (Review)”

Gorge – Deeds of Horror (Review)

Gorge are an Italian death metal band and this is their debut album.

Containing a member of Fulci, Deeds of Horror dishes out 28 minutes of death metal that’s raw and nasty, but surprisingly catchy and memorable too. Gorge’s music is effortlessly good fun, and destined to cause pit mayhem wherever it goes. Continue reading “Gorge – Deeds of Horror (Review)”

Death. Void. Terror. – To the Great Monolith 2.5 (Review)

Death. Void. Terror. are a black/doom metal band from Switzerland, and this is their latest EP.

This 3-track release from Death. Void. Terror. brings us something otherworldly and foul to become absorbed in. Seeping out its foul corruption across 29 minutes of material, To the Great Monolith 2.5 delivers an unholy ritual that’s sure to ensnare many of the unwary. Continue reading “Death. Void. Terror. – To the Great Monolith 2.5 (Review)”

Abyssal Rift – Relics of Great Ash (Review)

This is the second album from Abyssal Rift, a death metal band from the US.

Prepare thyself for the hulking great chunk of spectral rot that is Relics of Great Ash. This is a hideous collection of malignant death metal, corroded by foul doom corruption and poisoned by industrial waste. Yep, Abyssal Rift have produced a record of dark intensity that’s worth exploring if you’re a fan of unrelenting horror. Continue reading “Abyssal Rift – Relics of Great Ash (Review)”

Din of Celestial Birds – Takeoffs & Landings (Review)

This is the second album from UK post-rock band Din of Celestial Birds.

The three-guitar, (and synths), post-rock approach of Din of Celestial Birds is back, with the 41-minute Takeoffs & Landings. 2023’s The Night Is for Dreamers made a decent splash in post-rock waters, so Takeoffs & Landings comes with a certain amount of expectation. Continue reading “Din of Celestial Birds – Takeoffs & Landings (Review)”

Spectral Wound/Final Dose – Gorilla, Manchester – 06/08/26 (Live Review)

Tonight’s bill is a red hot one, and the opportunity to see Spectral Wound in an intimate venue like Gorilla is not to be missed. Continue reading “Spectral Wound/Final Dose – Gorilla, Manchester – 06/08/26 (Live Review)”

Cairiss – Wilderness (Review)

This is the debut album from UK black metal band Cairiss.

A decade after 2016’s EP Fall comes its long-awaited follow up Wilderness. Fall was a notably strong first release, one that excelled in its own right, but that also dripped in potential for the future. Sadly, nothing ever came of it. Until now. With 42 minutes of new material from Cairiss, and a refreshed lineup, can Wilderness satisfy the probably unfairly high expectations put upon it? Continue reading “Cairiss – Wilderness (Review)”

Aphonic Threnody – Grace My Heart (Review)

This is the seventh album from Aphonic Threnody, a funeral doom band from the UK.

It’s always a pleasure to listen to a new Aphonic Threnody album. The primary artist behind the band, (also in Arrant Saudade, Dea Marica, and Towards Atlantis Lights), has been remarkably consistent over the years, reappearing regularly to unleash another colossal opus on the funeral death/doom underground. With this in mind, your further listening assignments include 2017’s Of Loss and Grief, 2020’s The Great Hatred, 2021’s The All Consuming Void, 2022’s The Loneliest Walk, and last year’s A Silence Too Old. Continue reading “Aphonic Threnody – Grace My Heart (Review)”

Wormwood – Å (Review)

Wormwood are a Swedish black metal band and this is their latest release.

This short, two-track EP follows on from 2024’s The Star, bringing us a another dose of Wormwood’s intelligently crafted progressive black metal. With a duration of 16 minutes, Å showcases Wormwood’s notable talents in an easy-to-digest format that nonetheless has plenty to explore at length. Continue reading “Wormwood – Å (Review)”

Hulder – Verbolgen (Review)

This is the third album from US black metal band Hulder.

Following on from 2022’s The Eternal Fanfare and 2024’s Verses in Oath, comes the 49-minute Verbolgen, which is Hulder’s first as a duo. Verbolgen is old-school black metal, delivered with contemporary skill and vision. If you’re familiar with Hulder’s past work, then this new record is the next step along the artist’s path, a progression most welcome. Continue reading “Hulder – Verbolgen (Review)”