Vow of Thorns – Farewell to the Sun (Review)

Vow of ThornsVow of Thorns are a post-black metal band from Canada, and this is their début album.

This is post-black metal with liberal lashings of the depressive and doom styles, and a taste for the progressive too.

The songs have a depressive black metal feel to them, coming from their general demeanour and the melodies used. Continue reading “Vow of Thorns – Farewell to the Sun (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)”

Interview with Nadja

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Nadja’s stunning 41 minute album Sv is a masterclass in tense atmosphere and relentless smouldering soundscapes. As a highly prolific band that have released a plethora of quality material, Sv stands up there as one of their best pieces of work and should ideally be required listening for any discerning music fan. I had the privilege to quiz Aidan Baker, 50% of Nadja, about the release…

For those who are unfamiliar with your band – introduce yourself!

Nadja is a duo of Aidan Baker (guitars, vocals, drum machine) and Leah Buckareff (bass, vocals). We make music that has been variously called metalgaze, drone-doom, and (our preferred term) dreamsludge. This is music which incorporates elements of doom metal and industrial with the melodicism and textures of shoegaze and experimental/ambient music. Continue reading “Interview with Nadja”

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)”

VIII – Decathexis (Review)

VIIIThis is the second album from VIII, an Italian black metal band.

VIII have produced an ambitious release that spans 50 minutes across three sprawling, ugly tracks. This is not an album for people who like polished, shiny music. Oh no. This is the sound of dying, decay and forgotten dreams.

Decathexis sees the band playing raw, underground black metal with a mean, dispirited edge. Alongside the Continue reading “VIII – Decathexis (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)”

Vanhelgd – Temple of Phobos (Review)

VanhelgdVanhelgd are a Swedish death metal band and this is their fourth album.

The band’s third album Relics of Sulphur Salvation was solid, authentic Swedish death metal with chainsaw guitars and a sharp sense of melody.

On this new album the band continue to play the style that made their previous release so enjoyable, only I’d say that Continue reading “Vanhelgd – Temple of Phobos (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)”

Interview with Rorcal

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The latest Rorcal full-length Creon (κρέων) is an absolute monster of an album. A churning maelstrom of blackened riffs and grim intensity, it shows the band absolutely on fire and filled to the brim with darkened delights. Let’s delve a little deeper…

For those who are unfamiliar with your band – introduce yourself!

We are a black/doom band from Geneva, Switzerland. We’ve been playing together since 2006 and our 13th release is out this spring 2016. Continue reading “Interview with Rorcal”