Amenra – Wonderbox Metal

Damnation Festival 2025 – BEC Arena, Manchester – 08/11/25-09/11/25 (Live Review)

Another year, another Damnation Festival. Has it really been 20 years? I went to the very first one waaaaay back in 2005, and a love affair was born. It has been great to watch it become one of the world’s best festivals. Kudos to the organisers for their continued passion and ability.

This edition is therefore the festival’s twentieth year and sees Damnation bigger and arguably better than ever before. It’s across two days now, and the lineup is strong in both depth and breadth. From veteran classics to newborn sensations, the festival has it all. Continue reading “Damnation Festival 2025 – BEC Arena, Manchester – 08/11/25-09/11/25 (Live Review)”

Hemelbestormer – The Radiant Veil (Review)

Hemelbestormer are a post-metal band from Belgium and this is their fourth album.

I rate Hemelbestormer highly, and you should too. 2016’s Aether, 2018’s A Ring of Blue Light, and 2021’s Collide & Merge are all massive slabs of instrumental post-metal/doom, and I heartily recommend them. The Radiant Veil is cut from the same cloth, providing the refined listener with 66 minutes of expressive and atmospheric music to explore. Continue reading “Hemelbestormer – The Radiant Veil (Review)”

Dimscûa – Dust Eater (Review)

This is the debut album from UK post-metal band Dimscûa.

It’s unlikely I would have come across this if it wasn’t for the organiser of Damnation Festival‘s enthusiastic endorsement for it on the brilliant 2 Promoters 1 Pod. I’m glad I did though, as it’s a corker. Dust Eater is a 32-minute post-metal/sludge tour de force. Continue reading “Dimscûa – Dust Eater (Review)”

Idle Heirs – Life Is Violence (Review)

This is the debut album from US post-metal band Idle Heirs.

Featuring the singer of Coalesce, Life Is Violence brings us a 51-minute journey into absorbing post-metallic worldbuilding. It’s well-written, professionally executed, and passionately delivered. Continue reading “Idle Heirs – Life Is Violence (Review)”

Amenra – De Toorn/With Fang and Claw (Review)

Amenra are a doom/post-metal band from Belgium and these are their latest couple of releases.

Notables Amenra are releasing two new EPs on the same day. Both are different in style and feel. Although I instinctually can’t help but feel a single release would have been better, the reality is that both offer something different, and I definitely have my preference out the two. Continue reading “Amenra – De Toorn/With Fang and Claw (Review)”

Rwake – The Return of Magik (Review)

This is the sixth album from US doom/sludge band Rwake.

The Return of Magik contains 54 minutes of a progressive and atmospheric mix of sludge, doom, and post-metal. With three guitarists, two vocalists, and the select use of a range of instruments and ideas, Rwake have created an impressive record. Continue reading “Rwake – The Return of Magik (Review)”

An Evening with Knives – End of Time (Review)

An Evening with Knives are a stoner/post-metal band from the Netherlands, and this is their third album.

With an intriguing album cover and band name, and a promo blurb that saying it is for fans of Cult of Luna, Amenra, Neurosis, and Isis, I had to give End of Time a listen. Continue reading “An Evening with Knives – End of Time (Review)”

Druma – Sores of Our Time (Review)

This is the second album from German post-metallers Druma.

Sores of Our Time contains 36 minutes of music spread out over four songs. Druma’s style is a mix of sludge and post-metal, with dark atmosphere and a rich blackened touch. With a promo blurb that says it should be for fans of bands such as The Ocean, Cult of Luna, Amenra, and Gaerea, Sores of Our Time is an album that demanded I pay attention to it. Continue reading “Druma – Sores of Our Time (Review)”

Pillar of Light – Caldera (Review)

This is the debut album from US post-metal band Pillar of Light.

Caldera contains 56 minutes of hulking heaviness and shaded darkness. Pillar of Light blend doom, sludge, and post-metal elements into a churning pot and use these choice ingredients to produce something weighty and thick, yet surprisingly tasty. Continue reading “Pillar of Light – Caldera (Review)”

Silhouette – Les Dires de l’Âme (Review)

Silhouette are a post-black metal band from France and this is their debut albm.

Les Dires de l’Âme contains 46 minutes of blackened post-metal that takes from the atmospheric and blackgaze styles with skilled ability. It’s an interesting, enjoyable, and well-rounded album that Silhouette have put together. Continue reading “Silhouette – Les Dires de l’Âme (Review)”