This is the third album from UK post-metal band The Grey.
The Grey blend post-metal with stoner doom riffery and post-rock grace. Kodok spends 42 minutes building a variety of sonic soundscapes that are immersive and absorbing. Stylistically, we’re in the territory of acts such as Pelican, Red Sparowes, Mountain Caller, Russian Circles, Bossk, and similar, at least as a rough starting point for Kodok. Continue reading “The Grey – Kodok (Review)”
This is the third album from Ocultum, a doom band from Chile.
Buena Muerte is a 39-minute doom record that takes influence from the stoner and sludge styles. Ocultum have big presence, heavy riffs, a filthy sound, and crushing songs. What’s not to like? Continue reading “Ocultum – Buena Muerte (Review)”
This is the second album from UK death metallers Vacuous.
2022’s Dreams of Dysphoria was a record that stood out from the crowd with its own take on a darker version of old-school death metal. As a result, I’ve been really looking forward to In His Blood. Can lightning strike twice? Continue reading “Vacuous – In His Blood (Review)”
This is the debut album from US sludge band Old Skin.
Wails of Ten Thousand is a 28-minute beast of crushingly filthy sludge metal nastiness. The promo blurb states that it is for fans of bans like Eyehategod, Fistula, and Coffins, and that it contains noise and death metal elements. Sold! At least in theory. In practice, is it actually any good? Continue reading “Old Skin – Wails of Ten Thousand (Review)”
Wren are a UK sludge/post-metal band and this is their third album.
I was introduced to Wren on their 2015 split with Irk, and I’ve been a fan ever since. They followed that with the enjoyable EP Host in 2016, and then by their debut full length, (and particular favourite of mine), Auburn Rule in 2017. Groundswells followed in 2020, and continued their string of quality releases. Which brings us up to date with the 36-minute Black Rain Falls. Continue reading “Wren – Black Rain Falls (Review)”
Lay Waste are a grindcore band from the US and this is their debut EP.
I’m going to try to listen to more grindcore this year. It’s a genre I love, but has been a bit thin on the ground for my tastes for the last few years. With that in mind, I randomly came across Lay Waste on Bandcamp, so here we are with my first new grind listening experience of 2025. Continue reading “Lay Waste – Savage Rebellion (Review)”
This is the debut album from Scottish post-metal/rock band Beneath a Steel Sky.
The promo blurb recommends the 40-minute Cleave for fans of bands such as Isis, Cult of Luna, Russian Circles, Cave In, and Mogwai, which should give you a good starting point for Beneath a Steel Sky’s material. This is good stuff, and worth your attention. Continue reading “Beneath a Steel Sky – Cleave (Review)”
Avatarium are a doom rock band from Sweden and this is their sixth album.
From 2017’s Hurricanes and Halos, to 2019’s The Fire I Long For, to 2022’s Death, Where Is Your Sting, I have thoroughly enjoyed witnessing Avatarium get better and better at their chosen craft. Now we have a new opus – Between You, God, the Devil and the Dead – which gives us a 43-minute opportunity to once again explore Avatarium’s absorbing and entertaining worldbuilding. Continue reading “Avatarium – Between You, God, the Devil and the Dead (Review)”
Faithxtractor are a death metal band from the US and this is their fifth album.
Following on from 2023’s Contempt for a Failed Dimension, Faithxtractor return with the 37-minute Loathing & the Noose. This band haven’t disappointed me yet, so dig in if you’re a fan of death metal that smashes your skull and stomps your bones. Continue reading “Faithxtractor – Loathing & the Noose (Review)”
A Thousand Sufferings and Kludde are both from Belgium. The former play doom, and the latter black metal.
A Thousand Sufferings start this split off with two songs totalling 13 minutes. I’ve enjoyed all of the band’s work so far, (Burden, Bleakness, Stilte), which made me eager to hear what Het Pact had in store. Continue reading “A Thousand Sufferings/Kludde – Het Pact – Split (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 