Satyrus are an Italian doom metal band and this is their debut album.
Based on the classic sound of doom in the vein of Black Sabbath and Pentagram, and then updated with modern influences from the realms of sludge and stoner, Rites contains 45 minutes of satisfying doom metal. Continue reading
This is the third album from US death/doom metallers Temple of Void.
My enjoyment of Temple of Void’s work over the years has only increased, (here, here, here), so it’s with great excitement and expectation that I turn to The World That Was. Continue reading
This is the third album from Solothus, a death/doom metal band from Finland.
Soaked with deathly vibes and sinister doom promise, this is macabre death/doom that deeply satisfies with its quality delivery. For a rough approximation of the band’s sound, imagine a mix of bands such as Continue reading
This is the third album from Swedish death/doom band Soliloquium.
This is a progressive, melodic brand of death/doom, one that also takes elements of post-metal and shoegaze into its mix. The end result is a 45-minute album that strikes a balance between instant-appeal heaviness and songwriting smarts on one hand, and Continue reading
This is the debut album from US death/doom metal band Rotting Kingdom.
Rotting Kingdom’s 2017 EP of the same name was one that I very much enjoyed, so now that a full length is on the horizon, it’s time to immerse ourselves in the band’s worthy take on the death/doom style. At only 38 minutes in duration, A Deeper Shade of Sorrow is shorter than many albums of this style, and therefore doesn’t outstay its welcome. In fact, I could easily have taken a little more material. Continue reading
Huntsmen are a US progressive metal band and this is their second album.
I really enjoyed 2018’s American Scrap, and it grew in my estimation over time too. At almost 80 minutes in duration this new album is almost double the length of the band’s first full length; Huntsmen are clearly not lacking in ambition. Driven by storytelling, Mandala of Fear takes the listener on a dystopian journey, one that has the musical ability to back up its concept. Continue reading
Cardinals Folly are a Finnish doom metal band and this is their fifth album.
I have a definite soft spot for Cardinals Folly, and I’d recommend the likes of Our Cult Continues! and Deranged Pagan Sons to anyone who enjoys charismatic doom metal with larger-than-life vocals. Defying the Righteous Way is the band’s latest chapter, and it’s damn good one, worthy of inclusion in the Cardinals Folly saga. Continue reading
Ilienses Tree are an Italian death/doom metal band and this is their debut album.
After really enjoying 2017’s Edda, it’s good to now have a full length from Ilienses Tree. Continue reading
This is the debut album from one-man Swedish doom metal band Blissful Stream.
It seems like an age since Blissful Stream first appeared in 2016 with Ascending Demons, which impressed with its lo-fi rocky take on doom metal. The next two years saw a release every year, (Devil’s Night to All Souls – Split with Lightsabres, and Dead Religious), and then a quiet 2019. This was apparently due to the artist building up to his fist full length, which we are now lucky enough to have in 2020. Continue reading
This is the debut album from US doom band Frayle.
I enjoyed 2018’s The White Witch, which was a hugely impressive entrance into the doom metal scene. We now have the band’s first full length album, and across 37 minutes the band prove that their first EP was no fluke. Frayle have got a real talent for their charismatic and atmospheric form of doom. Continue reading
