Shadowvale – Shadowvale (Review)

Shadowvale - ShadowvaleThis is the debut album from UK sludge metallers Shadowvale.

After Shadowvale’s revelatory performance at last year’s Mangata Festival, this has been a release to watch out for.  Well, it’s now here, so the question that presents itself is this – was it worth the wait? Have Shadowvale  managed to deliver the goods and live up to their promise? Continue reading “Shadowvale – Shadowvale (Review)”

Hanging Garden – Isle of Bliss (Review)

Hanging Garden - Isle of BlissThis is the ninth album from Finnish melodic death/doom band Hanging Garden.

Isle of Bliss contains 48 minutes of engaging material. Hanging Garden’s mix of death and doom metal is heavily melodic, carries a Gothic flavour, and has an occasional blackened edge. It makes for a compelling record that should appeal to fans of a Continue reading “Hanging Garden – Isle of Bliss (Review)”

Kal-El – Astral Voyager Vol. 2 (Review)

Kal-El - Astral Voyager Vol. 2This is the seventh album from Norwegian doom/stoner metal band Kal-El.

Hot on the heels of Astral Voyager Vol. 1 from last year, Kal-El have now returned with the promised second instalment of this double album. Astral Voyager Vol. 2 brings us 43 minutes of new material, so get ready to rock. Continue reading “Kal-El – Astral Voyager Vol. 2 (Review)”

Phasma – Purgatory (Review)

vThis is the third album from international, (Greece/US), blackened death metallers Phasma.

Phasma play an interesting and intense mix of black and death metal, cut with elements of doom and deathcore. Purgatory contains 26 minutes of dark violence, and it’s Continue reading “Phasma – Purgatory (Review)”

Dwellnought – Monolith of Ephemerality (Review)

Dwellnought - Monolith of EphemeralityThis is the debut album from Italian blackened doom band Dwellnought.

Dwellnought play hideous, lightless doom that’s soaked in black metal’s corrosive acids. Monolith of Ephemerality is a 47-minute nightmare, one that drowns the listener in Continue reading “Dwellnought – Monolith of Ephemerality (Review)”

Reaper Festival 2026 – Rebellion, Manchester, 14/02/26-15/02/26 (Live Review)

Reaper Festival 2026 - Rebellion, Manchester, 14.02.26-15.02.26

It’s been a few years since the last edition of Reaper Festival, so this show appearing once more was a welcome surprise when it did. The lineup is extremely strong, and it promises to be a great weekend. Kudos to the organisers too, (the always great Reaper Agency), for specifically Continue reading “Reaper Festival 2026 – Rebellion, Manchester, 14/02/26-15/02/26 (Live Review)”