Vidian are from Poland and play post-metal. This is their latest EP.
I enjoyed Vidian’s second album Transgressing the Horizon. On this release the band showcased their experimental blend of post-, progressive, modern and even death metal, coming across as a kind of post-death metal band that could be compared to a band like Gorguts if they really started to follow Cult of Luna down the post-metal path.
On this new EP Vidian continue Continue reading “Vidian – A Piece of the End (Review)”
This is the latest EP from epic Doom Metallers Candlemass, who are from Sweden and probably require little introduction for most people.
This EP not only showcases their new full-time singer/long-time-associate Mats Levén, (Aeonsgate), but celebrates 30 years of existence for the band. Continue reading “Candlemass – Death Thy Lover (Review)”
Quercus are from the Czech Republic and play funeral doom. This is their third album.
Funeral doom! When you want slow, miserable and despondent; accept no substitute.
Growled vocals that sound like something is straining against the seams of reality cry out, pained and desperate, from beneath the heavy, distorted guitars. Winding leads flow around the music’s murky foundations, working alongside a sturdy rhythm section that’s in no hurry to get anywhere. After all, what’s the point? Continue reading “Quercus – Heart with Bread (Review)”
This is the latest release from Nadja, a doom/drone duo from Canada.
If you haven’t encountered the highly prolific and individual Nadja before, then I highly recommend them. Having amassed a pretty dauntingly huge discography over the years, Nadja have released some impressive music in their time. Continue reading “Nadja – Sv (Review)”
This is the latest album by Greek Doom Rockers Omega Monolith.
Omega Monolith fuse Doom and Heavy/Progressive Rock together to create three sprawling tracks that constitute Fungus. At 43 minutes in length, their musical vision gets a thorough exploration and no avenue for drawn-out claustrophobia is left out.
Fungus is born out of Continue reading “Omega Monolith – Fungus (Review)”
Gridfailure is a one-man solo experimental project from the US.
This is a mutated, corrupted, experimental release that incorporates all manner of guitars, electronics, keyboards, noises, violins, bongos, harmonicas, and much, much more into its aborted embrace.
Okay, but is it any good? This is the Continue reading “Gridfailure – Ensuring the Bloodline Ends Here (Review)”
Goddess are a Norwegian progressive Doom rock band, and this is their début EP.
Originally appearing in 2014, this is a re-released, remixed, remastered and expanded version. As this is my first exposure to Goddess, I can only assume these changes have improved The Withering, as it is quite an impressive release.
This is one song Continue reading “Goddess – The Withering (Review)”
Fister and Teeth are both bands from the US, and they’ve teamed up for this split release.
Fister start us off with one track – We All Die Tonight. Although they’ve never graced this site before, Fister’s brand of Sludgy Doom is most enjoyable, and this song is no different.
This is the fourth album from Swedish Sludge/ Doom band Pyramido.
Saga was a very strong album, and now that Pyramido return with Vatten it’s clear that it wasn’t a one-off fluke.
Pyramido are heavy and crushing. Vatten exemplifies these traits and the album is 38 minutes of emotively flattening guitars and distorted atmospherics.
Anguished screams tear out of the music as lonesome leads and tortured melodies rise out from the body of the music. Although the heaviness is a constant companion, it’s not Pyramido’s only weapon in the war against silence, as they also show they can play introspectively in more of a Post-Metal way.
On Vatten the band seem to have injected a little more nuance and shading into their songs; even though they had this on Saga for sure, it seems more developed here, with the time being taken to cultivate greater mood and feeling via the leads and rhythms.
Even when all of this happens though, the heavy riffs are not too far away, and the Sludge Metal gets its way in the end. The truly wonderful moments occur when the heavy riffs are providing the emotive content, and on those occasions Vatten is at its best.
These tracks compel you to pay attention, as the groovy and emotive guitars draw you in, engaging with their fury and hypnotic delivery.
Highly recommended.
This is the fourth album from these US Sludge/Doom veterans.
Sourvein return with an aquatic-themed album, it seems.
The band play their sludge with a raw energy that seems to tap into something primeval and old, probably something lurking in the deepest waters in the darkest ocean.
With a heavy sound that’s warmly analogue, these songs have a kind of retro vibe to them that manages to eschew any of the normal bullshit trappings that such a term usually involves. Rather, what we have here is music that’s honest, visceral and not afraid to get dirty, (wet?).
The songs have groove and melody, both of which are used well throughout the playing time. It’s an endearing mix of influences that combine on this release, with everything from Electric Wizard, Eyehategod, Black Sabbath, Acid Bath and Mastodon making it into the melting pot.
Short tracks don’t outstay their welcome, and Sourvein know how to flourish a song with a relatively short playing time for maximum effect.
There are some quality and earthy, (aquatic?), guitar solos included, alongside a bass that just sounds really, really good.
The singer reveals himself to be quite versatile, with clean and rough singing, as well as throaty shouts used where necessary. He has a lot of presence and charisma, which can also be said of the songs as a whole. Taken together the music and the vocal performance make for a very strong collection of tracks that are both catchy and memorable.
Well, this is very, very enjoyable. Sourvein stick out from the crowd as having something a bit special and being a bit different from the norm.
You gotta get this, or Poseidon will be pissed.
Wonderbox Metal 