Spirit Adrift – Chained to Oblivion (Review)

Spirit AdriftThis is the debut album from Spirit Adrift, a one-man doom metal band from the US.

Chained to Oblivion has got some very tasty riffs on it. Oh yes. It’s a right old riff-fest, actually. The fact that these riffs combine to form songs that hit the mark with a lot of accuracy, is even better.

With a warm, heavy sound, these five tracks impress from the start, and seem to go from strength to Continue reading “Spirit Adrift – Chained to Oblivion (Review)”

Svlfvr – Shamanic Lvnar Cvlt (Review)

SvlfvrSvlfvr 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)”

Monolithe – Zeta Reticuli (Review)

MonolitheMonolithe are a French doom band, and this is their sixth album.

Monolithe are no stranger to this site, having been covered previously here, here and here. This latest album is the second part, a companion release, as it were, to their last one, Epsilon Aurigae, and continues their evolution away from their original funeral doom style into uncharted territories.

Like Epsilon Aurigae, Zeta Reticuli sees the band keeping aspects of funeral doom, but adding increasingly progressive influences to their sound. It also sees them keeping the same format – three songs, 15:00 minutes each, exactly. Continue reading “Monolithe – Zeta Reticuli (Review)”

Green Yeti – The Yeti Has Landed (Review)

Green YetiThis is the debut album from this Greek psychedelic doom band Green Yeti.

This is huge music from a huge green monster. What’s not to like?

There’s over an hour’s worth of music on here, spread across four colossal songs. And what damn good songs they are too.

The band jam out riff after riff, exploring psychedelia, doom, stoner and all things Continue reading “Green Yeti – The Yeti Has Landed (Review)”

Chalice of Suffering – For You I Die (Review)

Chalice of SufferingThis is the début album from US doom metal band Chalice of Suffering.

Across this 72 minute release Chalice of Suffering offer up their brand of misery-laden funeral doom for the delectation of listeners everywhere.

For You I Die is slow, dark and atmospheric. The songs take Continue reading “Chalice of Suffering – For You I Die (Review)”

Cough – Still They Pray (Review)

CoughThis is the third album from Cough, a doom metal band from the US.

Cough. It’s a funny name for a band. Still, I’ve heard worse, a lot worse.

If you’re a fan of bands like Yob, Electric Wizard, Sleep, Candlemass and the like, then you’ll probably already know that Cough create the kind of repetitive, hypnotic doomscapes that you’re gonna love. Continue reading “Cough – Still They Pray (Review)”

Messa – Belfry (Review)

MessaThis is the début album from Messa, a doom/drone metal band from Italy.

Messa provide the listener with almost an hour of occult retro doom and dark ambience.

This is akin to a strange-yet-effective mix of Sunn O))) and Pentagram, with deliciously seductive female vocals included. Some tracks are dark ambient/drone, full of mysterious atmospheres and distorted malice, while others take Continue reading “Messa – Belfry (Review)”

Unothera – Broken (Review)

UnotheraThis is the début EP from Unothera, who are a melodic doom/death band from the Netherlands.

This EP consists of 5 tracks – two actual songs and three piano movements.

The songs take influence from the likes of My Dying Bride, Katatonia and Paradise Lost, with sorrowful atmosphere aplenty. Keyboards are also used to add depth to the misery that the band exude, and I think these are particularly Continue reading “Unothera – Broken (Review)”

Candlemass – Death Thy Lover (Review)

CandlemassThis is the latest EP from epic Doom Metallers Candlemass, who are from Sweden and probably require little introduction for most people.

This EP not only showcases their new full-time singer/long-time-associate Mats Levén, (Aeonsgate), but celebrates 30 years of existence for the band. Continue reading “Candlemass – Death Thy Lover (Review)”

Quercus – Heart with Bread (Review)

QuercusQuercus are from the Czech Republic and play funeral doom. This is their third album.

Funeral doom! When you want slow, miserable and despondent; accept no substitute.

Growled vocals that sound like something is straining against the seams of reality cry out, pained and desperate, from beneath the heavy, distorted guitars. Winding leads flow around the music’s murky foundations, working alongside a sturdy rhythm section that’s in no hurry to get anywhere. After all, what’s the point? Continue reading “Quercus – Heart with Bread (Review)”