In Vain – Solemn (Review)

In Vain - SolemnThis is the fifth album from Norwegian progressive metal band In Vain.

I really, really liked 2018’s Currents, so to my mind it has been far too long since we’ve heard from In Vain. Featuring 61 minutes of new music, Solemn is a grand affair, mixing together the band’s progressive/melodic death metal ingredients into a feast of tasty extreme metal. Continue reading “In Vain – Solemn (Review)”

Hamferð – Men Gu​ð​s Hond er Sterk (Review)

Hamferð - Men Gu​ð​s Hond er SterkThis is the third album from death/doom band Hamferð, who are from the Faroe Islands.

2018’s Támsins Likam is a tough album to follow. A long six years later, can Hamferð’s newest release – the 44-minute Men Gu​ð​s Hond er Sterk – match up to just how good its predecessor is? Continue reading “Hamferð – Men Gu​ð​s Hond er Sterk (Review)”

Grey Skies Fallen – Molded by Broken Hands (Review)

Grey Skies Fallen - Molded by Broken HandsThis is the sixth album from Grey Skies Fallen, a progressive/melodic doom band from the US.

Following on from 2014’s The Many Sides of Truth and 2020’s Cold Dead Lands comes Molded by Broken Hands, which contains 48 minutes of new material. Continue reading “Grey Skies Fallen – Molded by Broken Hands (Review)”

Disillusion – Ayam (Review)

Disillusion - AyamThis is the fourth album from German progressive metal band Disillusion.

Ayam offers 59 minutes of idiosyncratic progressive metal. Highly melodic, with atmospheric, symphonic, and avant-garde touches, Disillusion have created a big, epic album, in more ways than one. Continue reading “Disillusion – Ayam (Review)”

Kuolemanlaakso – Kuusumu (Review)

Kuolemanlaakso - KuusumuKuolemanlaakso are a Gothic metal band from Finland and this is their third album.

Featuring the singer of Swallow the Sun, Kuusumu contains 47 minutes of polished, professional material. For a starting reference point think of a band like Paradise Lost, and then add in elements of acts such as My Dying Bride, Sentenced, Barren Earth, Amorphis, and Orphaned Land; this will give you a rough idea of where Kuolemanlaakso’s talents lie. Continue reading “Kuolemanlaakso – Kuusumu (Review)”

Iotunn – Access All Worlds (Review)

Iotunn - Access All WorldsIotunn are a progressive metal band from Denmark, and this is their debut album.

Full disclosure – when I saw that this band is fronted by the singer of Barren Earth and Hamferð, I got quite excited and it immediately made me hungry to listen to their album. The man has one of my favourite voices in metal, and on Access All Worlds, he puts it to damn fine use. Continue reading “Iotunn – Access All Worlds (Review)”

Barren Earth – A Complex of Cages (Review)

Barren EarthBarren Earth are a progressive metal band from Finland and this is their fourth album.

My my, there’s a lot of talent in this band. With members from notable groups such as Amorphis, Moonsorrow, October Falls, and Kreator, as well as many others, you know this isn’t going to be a dud. Special note should Continue reading “Barren Earth – A Complex of Cages (Review)”