Doom – Page 16 – Wonderbox Metal

Father Befouled – Immaculate Pain (Review)

This is the latest EP from US death metallers Father Befouled.

I last caught up with Father Befouled on 2017’s Desolate Gods. Since then the band have released an EP, a live album, a split, and another album in 2022 called Crowned in Veneficium, none of which I heard at the time, unfortunately. This streak of missed opportunities to let the band crush me with their blasphemous brand of death metal ends now, with the 26-minute Immaculate Pain. Continue reading “Father Befouled – Immaculate Pain (Review)”

40 Watt Sun – Little Weight (Review)

This is the fourth album from UK doom/post-rock band 40 Watt Sun.

Following on from 2022’s highly emotive Perfect Light comes the 45-minute Little Weight, and let me tell you it’s quite the record. It’s a journey into richly crafted emotion, one that aches with affecting depth. Continue reading “40 Watt Sun – Little Weight (Review)”

A Swarm of the Sun – An Empire (Review)

This is the fourth album from Swedish post-metal band A Swarm of the Sun.

An Empire offers up a daunting 71 minutes of music to explore. It’s a lot to absorb, but is worth the time investment, as the dark soundscapes that A Swarm of the Sun create are utterly captivating. Continue reading “A Swarm of the Sun – An Empire (Review)”

Sanctuarium – Melted and Decomposed (Review)

This is the second album from Spanish death metal band Sanctuarium.

Sanctuarium play rotten old death metal with a crushing dose of fetid doom. Melted and Decomposed contains 48 minutes of foul death/doom nastiness spread over five tracks. Continue reading “Sanctuarium – Melted and Decomposed (Review)”

Sur Austru – Datura Străhiarelor (Review)

Sur Austru are an atmospheric black/folk metal band from Romania and this is their third album.

Datura Străhiarelor is the 54-minute follow up to 2019’s Meteahna Timpurilor and 2021’s Obârșie. Sur Austru’s path is not a well-trodden one, and on this new album the band have travelled further into the wilderness, to great effect. Continue reading “Sur Austru – Datura Străhiarelor (Review)”

Norna – Norna (Review)

This is the second album from Swiss sludge/doom band Norna.

Norna contains 41 minutes of dark heavy ugliness, brought to us by the ex-singer of Breach and two members of Ølten. Norna’s music will surely satiate fans hungry for the heavier, darker side of sludge/doom/post-metal. Continue reading “Norna – Norna (Review)”

Gutvoid – Breathing Obelisk (Review)

This is the latest EP from Canadian death metallers Gutvoid.

This is 4-track EP follows on from Gutvoid’s enjoyable 2022’s Durance of Lightless Horizons. With a duration of 30 minutes there’s plenty of meat on the bones of Breathing Obelisk, so let’s dig in and see what it tastes like. Continue reading “Gutvoid – Breathing Obelisk (Review)”

Uniform – American Standard (Review)

Uniform are an industrial band from the US and this is their fifth album.

Ever since discovering Uniform on their 2018 album The Long Walk I’ve looked forward to every subsequent release. Whether it’s their collaborations with The Body in 2019, (Everything That Dies Someday Comes Back), or Boris in 2023, (Bright New Disease), or their most recent full length in 2020 Shame, Uniform always produce music that’s worth exploring. All of which is to say that American Standard is hotly anticipated. Continue reading “Uniform – American Standard (Review)”

Ignobleth – Voidspawn Sacrifice (Review)

This is the debut EP from Ignobleth, an Italian black/death metal band.

Here’s we have a passionate slab of old-school darkness. Ignobleth play war metal brutality that’s grim and sinister. Voidspawn Sacrifice combines black and death metal – with a slight leaning towards the latter – into 15 enjoyable minutes. Continue reading “Ignobleth – Voidspawn Sacrifice (Review)”

Orme – No Serpents, No Saviours (Review)

Orme are a doom/drone band from the UK and this is their latest EP.

After last year’s gargantuan self-titled debut record, I’m pleased to see Orme back in action already with No Serpents, No Saviours. Consisting of a single 24-minute track, this new release finds Orme operating in slightly different waters. On No Serpents, No Saviours Orme focus less on the drone of their debut, and more on colossal death/doom metal. Continue reading “Orme – No Serpents, No Saviours (Review)”