Epitaphe are a French progressive death/doom band and this is their second album.
Featuring three near-20-minute songs bookended by a 3-minute intro and outro, II is a mammoth 63-minute offering from this enticing entity. For a simplistic starting point, think of a mix of bands such as Opeth, Nile, and Pink Floyd, and then realise that Epitaphe have even more to offer than this would lead you to believe. Continue reading “Epitaphe – II (Review)”
This is the second album from Ukrainian one-woman blackened doom band Sidus Atrum.
Spiral of Life contains 40 minutes of modern black metal mixed with death/doom elements. It’s an album that uses its influences well, taking strengths from both styles to produce something very enjoyable and engaging. Continue reading “Sidus Atrum – Spiral of Life (Review)”
Although I’d ideally love to be able to conduct hard-hitting, in-depth interviews, who has the time these days? In lieu of this, I’ve thrown together the below question template, hopefully to gather some interesting and informative results, without taking up too much of anyone’s time. Continue reading “Standard Interrogation Techniques: Five Questions for Kuolemanlaakso (Interview)”
This split is between Ritual Necromancy from the US and Fossilization from Brazil. Both are death metal acts with doom influences.
Ritual Necromancy, (featuring a member of Decrepisy), open the split with a 15-minute track named Enter the Depths. Continue reading “Ritual Necromancy/Fossilization – Split (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Swedish death/doom metallers Soliloquium.
It’s always a pleasure to hear new Soliloquium. Betwen 2018’s Contemplations and 2020’s Things We Leave Behind the band have quickly amassed an enviable discography, and now we have Soulsearching to add to this impressive list. Continue reading “Soliloquium – Soulsearching (Review)”
Charnel Altar are an Australian blackened death metal band and this is their debut album.
Charnel Altar’s 47-minute debut album reeks of horrific misery and grim nightmare. The music combines doom, death, and black metal into a hideously twisted mass of guitars, bass, and drums. It’s blackened death/doom of a sort, only not what that appellation might initially conjure; Abatement of the Sun is bred from far older and darker stock, with an old-school underground feel that’s as infectious as it is authentically nasty. Continue reading “Charnel Altar – Abatement of the Sun (Review)”
Ophis are a German death/doom band and this is their fifth album.
I do like Ophis’ work. 2014’s Abhorrence in Opulence and The Dismal Circle were both crushing records, and Spew Forth Odium is no different in this regard. Featuring members of Fvneral Fvkk and Todtgelichter, Ophis know their chosen art form well, and Spew Forth Odium contains 64 minutes of foul underground heaviness and gloom. Continue reading “Ophis – Spew Forth Odium (Review)”
This is the third album from Worm, a blackened death/doom band from the US.
Foreverglade is the fetid swamp where black metal, funeral doom, and death metal meet and all drown slowly. It hard not to get caught up in the band’s rotting stench. I mean, a blackened form of death/doom? One which knows how to craft atmosphere as well as crush with brutal harsh nastiness, all tied together with very effective songwriting? Sign me up. Right now. Continue reading “Worm – Foreverglade (Review)”
This is a split between two death metal bands from the Netherlands, Grim Fate and The Sombre.
Grim Fate get the ball rolling with three songs that last 23 minutes in total. Continue reading “Grim Fate/The Sombre – From Ancient Slumber/The Horrid Silence Thus Began – Split (Review)”
This is the sixth album from Finnish death/doom band Hooded Menace.
Following on from 2015’s Darkness Drips Forth and 2018’s Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed, The Tritonus Bell is another gruesome slab of death/doom, only this time it has been infused with a greater amount of classic heavy metal influences. Continue reading “Hooded Menace – The Tritonus Bell (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 