Alunah – Violet Hour (Review)

Alunah - Violet HourThis is the fifth album from UK doom metal/rock band Alunah.

Having enjoyed 2017’s Solennial, the band have now returned with a new lineup, (including a new singer/guitarist, and the bassist of Diamond Head on second guitar). Continue reading “Alunah – Violet Hour (Review)”

Monolord – No Comfort (Review)

Monolord - No Comfort

Monolord are a doom metal band from Sweden and this is their fourth album.

Mixing doom, stoner, rock, and sludge into 47 minutes of satisfying Black Sabbath/Electric Wizard-esque worship, No Comfort is an enjoyable example of how to deliver a well-worn style with enough personality to be worthwhile. Continue reading “Monolord – No Comfort (Review)”

Mizmor (מזמור) – Cairn (Review)

Mizmor - CairnThis is the third album from US solo blackened doom band Mizmor, or מזמור.

Providing a lethal concoction of black metal, funeral doom, and drone across 57 minutes, this album is a harrowing and affecting journey into lost faith and existential crisis. It’s powerful, and an album that is clearly special upon even the first listen; repeated visits merely reinforce how exceptional it is. Continue reading “Mizmor (מזמור) – Cairn (Review)”

Wizard Rifle – Wizard Rifle (Review)

Wizard Rifle - Wizard RifleWizard Rifle are a US sludge band and this is their third album.

Wizard Rifle are a band that mixes together doom and sludge metal with psychedelic, noise, and progressive rock, creating songs that twist and turn with virile life. A rough approximation of their sound would be a cross between Melvins, Electric Wizard, and Mastodon. Sort of. Continue reading “Wizard Rifle – Wizard Rifle (Review)”

Culted – Vespertina Synaxis: A Prayer for Union & Emptiness (Review)

Culted - Vespertina Synaxis - A Prayer for Union & EmptinessCulted are an international blackened doom band and this is their latest EP.

I really enjoyed 2014’s Oblique to All Paths, and have been waiting for a new Culted release ever since. Well, now it’s here in the shape of this 27-minute EP. Boasting three tracks, Vespertina Synaxis: A Prayer for Union & Emptiness is a sinister exploration of Culted’s world. Continue reading “Culted – Vespertina Synaxis: A Prayer for Union & Emptiness (Review)”

Mourner – Apogee of Nihility (Review)

Mourner - Apogee of NihilityThis is the debut album from Mourner, a death/doom metal band from Russia.

In a surprisingly textured mix of gloomy atmosphere and deathly heaviness, Mourner’s first release is an enjoyable take on the death/doom style. It seems primarily influenced by the old-school triumvirate of Paradise Lost, Anathema, and My Dying Bride, and fans of these bands and the corresponding era should find much to enjoy here. Continue reading “Mourner – Apogee of Nihility (Review)”