Coldfells are a blackened doom band from the US. This is their debut album.
This is a blackened doom release that really does blur the line between the two styles. Is this doom metal with a distinctly blackened feel to it, or is this black metal with a doom metal veneer? Possibly more the latter than the former, but either way, the Continue reading “Coldfells – Coldfells (Review)”
Fell Ruin are a blackened doom band from the US. This is their debut album.
Fell Ruin first graced the Earth with their sickened brand of sludgy black doom in 2015 with Devices. They’ve now returned with their first full length. I enjoyed Devices, (can one enjoy something as nasty as this band?), but To the Concrete Drifts is probably even better. Continue reading “Fell Ruin – To the Concrete Drifts (Review)”
Boarstusk is a one-man black Metal doom band from the US. This is his debut album.
After an atmospheric electronic intro, we’re introduced to Boarstusk’s brand of doom-infused black metal. This is ancient, unspeakably raw Continue reading “Boarstusk – Boarstusk (Review)”
This is the debut album from Obed Marsh, an Australian blackened doom band.
Well, I love the album cover, so we’re off to a good start already. It’s the music that matters, of course, but it’s always nice to like the artwork too. The band also have a member of Ur Draugr in their ranks, so another plus point in their favour.
Do you ever get the feeling that the doom you’re listening to is just not doomy enough? Do you Continue reading “Obed Marsh – Innsmouth (Review)”
This is a split between black metallers Minenwerfer from the US and Ukrainian blackened death/doom band 1914.
First up we have Minenwerfer, with 21 minutes of fast and barbaric black metal.
Their side of the split contains four tracks; 3 originals and a re-recording of a song off their debut demo. Continue reading “Minenwerfer/1914 – Ich hatt einen Kameraden – Split (Review)”
This is the debut album from US black metallers Predatory Light.
Featuring members of Mania, Triumvir Foul and Ash Borer, this release comes with high expectations before it even starts. As you can probably guess, those expectations are fulfilled.
Predatory Light play black metal with a serving of doom and a keen Continue reading “Predatory Light – Predatory Light (Review)”
This is the debut release from Kalloused, a UK blackened sludge/doom band.
Kalloused have a powerfully heavy sound that they still manage to insert nuance into when the need arises. This release features a plethora of textured riffs that manage to show a certain degree of subtlety and finesse even when they’re smashing your skull in.
The band have a black metal element Continue reading “Kalloused – Damn You Believer (Review)”
Svlfvr are an Italian blackened doom metal band. This is their latest album.
What we have here is essentially a doom metal band that have fallen to darkness and embraced black metal as a secondary influence. There are some other influences detectable in their sound too, (old Anathema), and they all converge together quite nicely over these 56 minutes.
The songs on Shamanic Lvnar Cvlt have muscular guitars and plenty of dark presence. The old-school black metal influences make for a darker sound than most doom metal bands, but the traditional doom metal aspect of their sound means that they don’t wander too Continue reading “Svlfvr – Shamanic Lvnar Cvlt (Review)”
This is the debut release of Nekhen, a blackened doom solo project from Italy.
Even though this is the project’s first journey out into the world, the brains behind the outfit is obviously not lacking in ambition. According to the press blurb – ‘The album is intended as Continue reading “Nekhen – Entering the Gate of the Western Horizon (Review)”
Rorcal are a Blackened Doom band from Switzerland. This is their fourth album.
Rorcal are an intriguing band. Having produced a lot of Doom/Sludge/Post-Metal music over the years, their last couple of releases have shown an increasing Black Metal side to their sound, which they now seem to have fully incorporated into their repertoire, (see their split with Process of Guilt, for example). In fact, they’re pretty much at the point now where you could describe them as a Black Metal band and not raise too many eyebrows.
This latest album sees the band offer forth four new tracks spread across 53 minutes, each one a monster. κρέων (Creon) once more demonstrates the band’s mastery of Extreme Metal in all its guises.
The Black Metal elements are present and correct, as are the Sludge, Post-Metal and Doom ones. Rorcal have always had a surprisingly clean and sophisticated sound, despite their predilections for darkness, and κρέων (Creon) is no different. The music may be grim and charged with an energetic negativity, but the band always seem to manage to sound cutting edge no matter what they’re doing, even in their sludgiest or most blackened moments.
These songs mix blackened fury with progressive intent and atmospheric Sludge. As always, whatever aspect of whatever style that Rorcal are currently focusing their attentions on seems to work for them, and the aura of malevolent aggression and downbeat nastiness that these songs exude is palpable.
So, Rorcal return, triumphant, bold and victorious. They are fast becoming one of my favourite purveyors of darkened delights.
Wonderbox Metal 