The Circle are a German black metal band and this is their second album.
Of Awakening is a 33-minute black metal album of sorts that incorporates elements of doom, ambient, symphonic, and post-black metal. While black metal is the obvious tag for this, and it’s superficially the correct one, it doesn’t tell the whole story of Continue reading “The Circle – Of Awakening (Review)”
This is the second album from Godthrymm, a doom metal band from the UK.
2020’s Reflections was a high quality slab of old-school doom, so it’s with great pleasure that I welcome Distortions into my life. Across 60 minutes Godthrymm once again demonstrate why they’re head and shoulders above most contemporary doom metal acts. Continue reading “Godthrymm – Distortions (Review)”
Urne are a metal band from the UK and this is their second album.
Having loved Urne’s 2021 debut album Serpent & Spirit, it’s safe to assume that A Feast on Sorrow has been one of my most anticipated albums of 2023. I’m very pleased to say that it has not disappointed. Continue reading “Urne – A Feast on Sorrow (Review)”
Coffin Mulch are a Scottish death metal band and this is their debut album.
Spectral Intercession features 31 minutes of old-school death metal, delivered primarily in the Swedish style, (although not exclusively). Yep, grab your chainsaw, and get ready for carnage. If you’re a fan of bands such as Entombed, Dismember, Bloodbath, and Entrails, but also want something with buckets of Autopsy and Asphyx thrown in, as well as a smudge of hardcore and a whiff of doom, then Coffin Mulch have got you covered.
Continue reading “Coffin Mulch – Spectral Intercession (Review)”
This is a collaboration between two doom bands, Rezn from the US and Vinnum Sabbathi from Mexico.
Silent Future is a 32-minute collaborative effort that’s effortlessly satisfying. Rezn and Vinnum Sabbathi work together with seamless ease, and the album is an exemplar of creative effectiveness. Continue reading “Rezn & Vinnum Sabbathi – Silent Future (Review)”
This is the debut album from UK post-metal band Mairu.
Sol Cultus brings together post-metal, sludge, and doom into a 49-minute feast of atmospheric heavy music. Mairu’s vision is a mood-rich immersive one, and Sol Cultus achieves their lofty ambitions. Continue reading “Mairu – Sol Cultus (Review)”
Tangled Thoughts of Leaving are an Australian post-rock/metal band, and this is their fourth album.
Despite there being many great instrumental bands out there, I’m always put off listening to a band when there’s no vocalist. I’m well aware that this is my loss, but I can’t usually help it. However, there have certainly been many exceptions over the years to this, and Tangled Thoughts of Leaving are definitely one of them. Continue reading “Tangled Thoughts of Leaving – Oscillating Forest (Review)”
The Crawling are a death/doom band from Northern Ireland and this is their third album.
The promo blurb for this album recommends it for fans of Paradise Lost, Officium Triste, Evoken, and Sentenced, which gives a decent starting point for what sort of style The Crawling play. To this I’d also add touches of My Dying Bride and, from a Continue reading “The Crawling – All of This for Nothing (Review)”
Dusk Cult are an Australian black metal band and this is their second album.
Brought to us by members of Be’lakor and Rainshadow, Night Sky Revelations contains 43 minutes of enticing black metal. Dusk Cult have impressed with their brand of blackened extremity. Continue reading “Dusk Cult – Night Sky Revelations (Review)”
I’ve never been to The Hairy Dog before, but it’s a great venue with a good vibe and good sound system. I don’t actually think I’ve ever been to Derby before at all, but if anything was going to entice me here, it was this year’s Reaper Festival, brought to us by the wonderful Reaper Agency UK. It was a great day overall, and I’d gladly attend such a well-organised show again. Sadly I could only make day one of the festival, which is a shame, as day two has many great bands too. Continue reading “Reaper Festival 2023 – Day One: Saturday – Ultha/Darkher/Coscradh/Dawn Ray’d/The Sun’s Journey Through the Night/Ruadh/Calligram/Cairns – Derby The Hairy Dog, 29/07/23 (Live Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 