This is the début album from Germany’s Psychedelic Doomsters Monolith.
This is Black Sabbath-inspired Doom Metal with a healthy Psychedelic component.
The album cover and the sound that the band have conspire to increase the overall impression of a spaced-out jam with lots of shining surfaces and dubious substances.
Dystopia is catchy and has plenty of hooks. The solos, leads and riffs are all fully realised and the bass is an important part of the overall feel of the songs.
The singer does his best Ozzy Osbourne impression but it fits the music perfectly and with the music being so laid back and glittering with Psychedelia no-one can really complain.
The most important thing about this release is the songs themselves. They’ve clearly been put together by a band who have a love of the genre and are passionate about what they do. These are class songs that will have you humming the tunes in your head for days to come.
Give them a listen and I dare you not to enjoy it.
The Wolves of Avalon are from the UK and this is their second album. The band play Pagan/Folk Metal.
The Wolves of Avalon are the latest incarnation of Metatron from The Meads of Asphodel, who will always hold a special place in my heart; one of the most unique and underrated UK Metal bands out there.
I was looking forward to hearing this album due to this and I haven’t been disappointed. This is as impressive and ambitious as anything he’s done before, (his work that I’ve heard, at least), more so in some respects. Sounding like early Meads only with a heavy Folk/Pagan slant, this is pure ear candy.
The album starts with a light, classical instrumental, at least that’s what I think it’s going to be until Metatron’s inimitable vocals kick in halfway through and then guitars and drums come in shortly after.
The album is heavily orchestrated and features wonderfully diverse instrumentation and female accompaniment. These are hugely impressive and extremely well-done. The band don’t neglect the Metal component of their sound, however.
The dynamics and sense of energy given off by the tracks is strong, and the whole album is a veritable treasure trove of gems and delights. The songwriting is impeccable and Metatron’s voice seems to be getting better with age. Some of the vocal harmonies used, especially when twinned with the female vocals, are just hair-raising.
Some of the best bits are extremely subtle but do wonders for the songs. The barely audible female sighs/noises on Bonded by Blood and Sword is just one example of many; you can only just hear them in the background but for such a small addition the song is enhanced so much.
There are pulse-raising sections, slower atmosphere-building parts, Black Metal rage, Progressive Metal explorations, huge choruses and sublime melodies – there is so much here to enjoy and be spellbound by.
This is an hour of interesting, captivating and unique Metal that everyone should ideally have the privilege of hearing. Do yourself a favour and go and listen to this.
Final thoughts? Fantastic album. This is a contender for the Album of the Year slot.
Favourite Track: Iceni Queen Unfurl’d In A Tempest Of Crows. Fucking Hell!
Ars Moriendi are from France and this is their third album of Black Metal.
This is atmospheric and creative Black Metal that makes a left-of-centre entrance under the guise of some form of slinky lounge lizard whilst retaining a core of darkness so you know you actually are playing the right album.
When the Black Metal truly kicks in though it’s noticeable and memorable. Propelled by interesting riffs and subtle but meaningful effects the music is stimulating and diverse.
The vocals are Black Metal croaks that have some personality to them and the singer appears to have a good range to his voice rather than staying too monotone.
Long songs allow for plenty of variation around the central theme and the band allow themselves the luxury of exploring and developing the soundscapes they create.
Progressive Metal elements make appearances here and there, adding character to the songs and increasing the listener’s depth of appreciation for the tracks.
The production is low-key and surprisingly warm and organic for a Black Metal release. The adds another facet to the album and the songs are very easy to listen to and enjoy; the music is warmly absorbed like a fine wine.
This is a quality release from a band who are likely to be overlooked by many. Don’t make this mistake – give Ars Moriendi your full attention.
Of Spire & Throne are form the UK and this is their latest EP.
Looking for some dirty, colossally heavy Doom? Then you’ve come to the right place. Of Spire & Throne have it in spades.
This three track EP clocks in at just over 30 minutes in length and is the latest release in a growing catalogue of quality works from this band. I can only hope they get around to releasing a full album at some point in the near future as I’m sure it will be something special.
The songs here are crushing in scope and monolithic in their oppressive nature. The singer’s vocals only seem to be getting deeper over time and the guitars have never sounded better.
This is slow, uncompromising Doom that won’t be rushed for anyone and can’t be made to clean up its act. Not that we would want it to of course, as Toll of the Wound is covered in just the right amount of filth.
It’s not all about playing slow however, as the band understand and fully utilise dynamics. The build-and-release nature of Post-Metal is here translated into its Doom counterpart with the same effective results.
Raum Kingdom are from Ireland and this is their début EP.
They play Post-Metal in the Cult of Luna/Isis style, showing that they have learnt their trade well from the masters but are now more than capable of branching out on their own.
Vocally the songs employ mainly deep shouts and cleans. Curiously, for a genre as diverse and potentially experimental as Post-Metal clean vocals are still relatively uncommon, so it’s a nice added touch to the band, especially when they’re done this well. Regardless of what style of vocals are employed the singer has a good voice and the band put him to good use.
The music is as sprawling and emotive as any in Post-Metal. The songs are more concise than some though, with average song lengths a bit shorter than some bands of this genre, and only one track, (This Sullen Hope), approaching the 10 minute mark. The entire EP clocks in at just under 30 minutes.
I enjoy this kind of music as even though you know the loose framework of Post-Metal is invariably based on the legendary trio of Cult of Luna/Isis/Neurosis, you can rarely predict exactly how a given band is going to sound or what aspects of the masters they’re going to emphasize. This is before you even take into account the things they add themselves of course.
Raum Kingdom have good songwriting and the clean vocals are a definite boon to the songs. This release shows a maturity and strength of focus that will benefit the band across many releases to come and they already make this début shine brighter than most.
There is a core of strength and power to these songs. The band have made a big impression and here’s to even bigger things to come for them in the future.
Fallujah are from the US and this is their second album of Death Metal.
But this is not your normal, run-of-the-mill Death Metal by any standards, this is something truly special. Fallujah play Technical/Progressive Death Metal with expansive melodies, daring structures and bold ambitions.
A huge production is a prerequisite for anything like this in order for everything to be clear and exact, and this is what we get.
The songs are hugely impressive both technically and song-wise. There’s a lot packed into these tracks and every second of music seems to have been considered and planned to complete precision before anything has even been played. It’s tight, proficient and worthy of the title master-crafted.
Their material has its brutal side of course, (this is Death Metal after all), but they mainly deal in atmospheres and moods. For example; it often seems like two songs are being played at the same time, with an intricate Death Metal song being played over the top of a haunting Post-Metal track. Fallujah’s genius is to make this fit together flawlessly and with utter precision so that the juxtaposition of styles sounds whole and complete.
Somehow the band manage to be rhythmic, brutal, spacey, melodic and colourful simultaneously, with the songs positively dribbling emotion and atmosphere.
The album is laden with effects and additional instrumentation providing so many layers of depth that it’s almost easy to overlook the phenomenal playing of the core instruments and the rather impressive noises that they make. There’s too much going on here to take in in only one sitting, and like the best albums it grows on you like a welcome disease.
Fallujah have produced a stunning album that raises the bar so high that most other bands will fall by the wayside just trying to keep up.
This is a review of two releases, Zero and II, both of which are reissues.
Zero contains one new intro track, as well as the entirety of their Interlude First and Interlude Second EPs. Both have been completely remastered, as well as the two tracks that comprised Interlude Second being combined together into one long song. You can read my original review of Interlude Second here.
II is their second album, containing one 50 minute song, and has also been completely remastered.
So what’s changed? Essentially the sound is a lot fuller, well-rounded and less plastic feeling. The originals had a perfectly fine sound of course, but the songs now sound as if they are clearer, warmer and just plain better. The instruments are in a better place balance-wise and the bass seems more noticeable as well.
Monolithe specialise in epic Doom of the long variety, with lots to take in and some space-age effects added into the mix.
Deep, bowel-shaking growls accompany the music and the band create dirge-like soundscapes that accompany the listener on a musical journey through unexpected places and wide vistas of possibilities.
If you’re unfamiliar with Monolithe these are an excellent set of releases to start with.
This is the latest album from US Blackened Progressive Death Metal band Giant of the Mountain.
Blackened Progressive Death Metal? Sure it’s a bit of a mouthful but it is a more-or-less adequate description of Giant of the Mountain’s music.
Their songs have distinct Progressive tendencies with complex riffs and structures congealing around an exploratory Metal core.
Death Metal serves as the largest percentage of that core, albeit a form of Death Metal that relies on melodics and technicality rather than sheer brutality.
And the Blackened part? This is sprinkled on top of everything really. It’s not as if Black Metal is a massive part of their sound, but it’s definitely a feature and they would sound quite different if this aspect of their music was removed. It’s a quality of some of the riffs, it’s in some of the vocals and it’s apparent in the distinctly non-Death Metal recording.
Couple all of the above with a bit of Sludge and a DIY attitude and you have Moon Worship.
Apart from the Blackened vocals we also get Death Metal grunts and some Viking-esque epic cleans.
The involving songs make the most of their play time with melodies and passages that seem to draw you in before going off on another tangent. These tracks really have been well written and the underground production enhances the feeling of listening to something special. This is a very creative and enjoyable release.
If you combine parts of bands like Enslaved, Opeth, Death, Gorguts and a whole slew of others then you’ll have an idea of the Giant of the Mountain sound. It’s refreshing. My only slight complaint is that even though the production on the album is adequate for the most part and for some instruments, (like the bass), it’s perfectly judged; for me the drum sound is a little weak and timid sounding. This is very subjective of course, (like all things music-based), and it’s not enough to spoil my enjoyment of this album, it’s just that it sounds a little flat to me and for a band that are as good as this I would prefer fuller-sounding drums.
Slight sound issues aside though, this really is the kind of album you want to take your time to get to listen to; absorb and repeat. It’s well worth the time.
As you can see, this is not your average release and certainly stands out from the pack. Get your fill of Giant of the Mountain and get worshipping the moon as soon as you can.
Pyrexia are from the US and play Death Metal. This is their fourth album.
The band play Brutal Death Metal which has a Slam/Hardcore/Groove side to it; Suffocation-style USDM gone the way of Kataklysm.
An acid-etched sound with pounding drums and guitars like stone; the band kick up a maelstrom of dust and leave devastation in their wake.
As the album progresses it reminds me strongly of the aforementioned Katakylsm and their combination of blasting and groovier rffing. Pyrexia employ pretty much the same formula and even the vocalist is similar in style; raw growls that are obviously Death Metal but not quite deep enough to be truly extreme.
The short songs and relatively short nature of the album mean it’s over quickly and overall leaves a positive impression.
If you like a bit of heavy groove with your Death Metal then look up Pyrexia and give them a try.
This is their first release and it contains 4 tracks, just under 30 minutes of music.
This is Post-Metal fashioned after the Isis/Cult of Luna/Neurosis pantheon and straight off it’s clear that Semara have a good grasp of what makes the genre a compelling one.
The guitars are also reminiscent of Red Sparowes, with a haunting and light feeling to them; combined with a heavier Cult if Luna-take on some of the rhythm guitars it’s a nice mixture of the two.
The band have the entire build/release, light/heavy angle covered and musically they know their way around the instruments.
There is nuance and subtlety to the music and Semara show that they understand the Post-Metal dynamic well.
The singer produces a good throaty roar and adequately bellows his way through the tracks. His is a brutal voice that punctuates the more melodically fragile music. The Earth Turns is probably the strongest track out of the four as it has the most vocal variation, (cleans as well as roared shouts), and is the most musically developed and individual of the songs.
A promising start for this band. If on their next release they return with a stronger production and continue to develop their sound then they could do well.
This is the début album from Germany’s Psychedelic Doomsters Monolith.
Wonderbox Metal 