Doom – Page 24 – Wonderbox Metal

Spiralist – Eternal Recurrence (Review)

This is the second album from Spiralist, a solo post-metal act from Portugal.

Eternal Recurrence is an interesting album that’s hard to easily pin down when it comes to genre. Post-metal is probably the most obvious tag, but then there’s also a blackened aspect to parts of it. It has a pretty blatant progressive side too, sometimes, very 70s sci-fi in feel. There are also elements of doom and industrial that can be heard in places. I’m going to stick to the post-metal appellation and be done with it, but just know that the artist behind Spiralist cares not for producing easily categorised music. Continue reading “Spiralist – Eternal Recurrence (Review)”

Hush – The Pornography of Ruin (Review)

This is the third album from US doom/sludge metal band Hush.

Hush play the sort of hybrid sludge metal that I like – bleak, crushing, nasty, and very, very heavy, but also emotive and atmospheric. Across these 56 minutes the band dish out the punishment mercilessly, but they also do a lot more than just batter and bruise, which is great to hear, as otherwise a running time like that could easily become a burden. Continue reading “Hush – The Pornography of Ruin (Review)”

Gozer – An Endless Static (Review)

Gozer are a UK post-metal band and this is their debut album.

Described as for fans of Neurosis, Cult of Luna, and Isis, An Endless Static offers us 47 minutes of post-metal darkness across five weighty tracks.

Gozer’s music is harsh and Continue reading “Gozer – An Endless Static (Review)”

Hundred Year Old Man – Sleep in Light (Review)

Hundred Year Old Man are a post-metal/sludge band from the UK and this is their second album.

I really liked 2018’s Breaching, so am pleased to see the return of Hundred Year Old Man. The band have obviously been feeling creative since I last caught up with them, as Sleep in Light contains a whopping 80 minutes of new material. Continue reading “Hundred Year Old Man – Sleep in Light (Review)”

Temple of Void – Summoning the Slayer (Review)

This is the fourth album from US death/doom metallers Temple of Void.

I always really like to hear new Temple of Void material, as I’ve been a big fan of everything they have released so far, (Of Terror and the Supernatural, Lords of Death, and The World That Was). Continue reading “Temple of Void – Summoning the Slayer (Review)”

Besvärjelsen – Atlas (Review)

Besvärjelsen are a Swedish doom band and this is their second album.

This hefty release has a doom metal base that’s then mixed with grunge, and has heavy, stoner, blues, and psychedelic rock elements liberally sprinkled over everything. Some songs lean into certain influences more than others, which leads to a decent amount of variety across the album. The promo blurb mentions Alice in Chains and Windhand, and that’s a decent picture of Besvärjelsen’s sound, albeit an incomplete one. Continue reading “Besvärjelsen – Atlas (Review)”

Cities of Mars – Cities of Mars (Review)

This is the third album from Swedish doom metal band Cities of Mars.

Cities of Mars offers a richly textured doom experience that combines elements of sludge, stoner, and ambient into itself. The promo blurb says that Cities of Mars is for fans of Mastodon, Kylesa, Sleep, Baroness, and The Sword, and that’s as good a place as any to start with. Continue reading “Cities of Mars – Cities of Mars (Review)”

Assumption – Hadean Tides (Review)

This is the second album from Italian death/doom band Assumption.

Following on from 2014’s The Three Appearances and 2018’s Absconditus, Hadean Tides contains 56 minutes of new material from Assumption. Continue reading “Assumption – Hadean Tides (Review)”

Come to Grief – When the World Dies (Review)

Come to Grief are a sludge band from the US and this is their debut album.

Formed by ex-members of Grief, When the World Dies contains 38 minutes of harsh ugliness for fans of Grief, Fistula, Eyehategod, Yatra, Burning Witch, Iron Monkey, and Thou. Prepare yourself, as Come to Grief take no prisoners. Continue reading “Come to Grief – When the World Dies (Review)”

Famyne – II: The Ground Below (Review)

This is the second album from UK doom band Famyne.

II: The Ground Below offers a modern take on the traditional doom metal sound. Across 45 minutes Famyne incorporate a few elements from other subgenres into their sound, complementing their core style well. Continue reading “Famyne – II: The Ground Below (Review)”