Håndgemeng – Ultraritual (Review)

Håndgemeng - UltraritualThis is the debut album from Norwegian stoner/sludge metal band Håndgemeng.

Ultraritual provides us with 42 minutes of stoner/sludge metal that has a hardcore edge. Taking a high energy approach to riff-focused heavy music, yet varied within this, Ultraritual is a melting pot of influences that come together well. Continue reading “Håndgemeng – Ultraritual (Review)”

Rezn – Solace (Review)

Rezn - SolaceThis is the fourth album from US psychedelic doom/stoner band Rezn.

Rezn’s sound combines the base elements of stoner, doom, and heavy psych into music that is far more adventurous and idiosyncratic than that of many ostensibly similar acts. For a start, there’s a shimmering shoegaze influence apparent on Solace that’s unexpected, but that manages to work its way into much of the material here. Continue reading “Rezn – Solace (Review)”

Big | Brave – Nature Morte (Review)

Big Brave - Nature MorteBig | Brave are a doom/drone band from Canada and this is their sixth album.

I haven’t caught up with Big | Brave since 2017’s Ardor, so Nature Morte‘s alluring cover is good enough of a reason to catch up with what the band are doing once more.

Continue reading “Big | Brave – Nature Morte (Review)”

Insomnium – Anno 1696 (Review)

Insomnium - Anno 1696Insomnium are a Finnish melodic death metal band and this is their ninth album.

I loved 2016’s Winter’s Gate, and 2021’s Argent Moon was pretty damn good to, so I knew that I wanted to check out what Anno 1696 had to offer. Across 50 minutes of material Insomnium once again treat us to a feast of metallic might. Continue reading “Insomnium – Anno 1696 (Review)”

Hail the Void – Memento Mori (Review)

Hail the Void - Memento MoriHail the Void are a doom/stoner metal band from Canada and this is their second album.

Memento Mori is a doom metal record that pays homage to the classic style, while delivering an experience that 2023 should be pleased to host. Continue reading “Hail the Void – Memento Mori (Review)”

Siege of Power – This Is Tomorrow (Review)

Siege of Power - This Is TomorrowThis is the second album from Siege of Power, an international death metal band.

Featuring current and ex-members of bands such as Asphyx, Autopsy, Hail of Bullets, and Soulburn, This Is Tomorrow is an experienced beast of snarling death, thrash, and classic metal. Continue reading “Siege of Power – This Is Tomorrow (Review)”

Nothingness – Supraliminal (Review)

Nothingness - SupraliminalThis is the second album from US death metallers Nothingness.

Featuring the drummer of Ghost Bath, Supraliminal contains 43 minutes of foul, riff-hungry death metal. The promo blurb states that this is for fans of Gorguts, Gojira, Morbid Angel, and Iniquity, and this should give you a good starting point for the band’s tar-thick heaviness. I’m a little late discovering this, but I’m sure glad that I did. Continue reading “Nothingness – Supraliminal (Review)”

Oak – Disintegrate (Review)

Oak - DisintegrateOak are a Portuguese doom metal band and this is their second album.

2019’s Lone impressed me with its atmospheric misery, so I’m pleased to see the band return. Brought to us by current/ex-members of GaereaDisintegrate provides 45 minutes of atmospheric death/doom and funeral dirge intensity. Continue reading “Oak – Disintegrate (Review)”

Veilcaste – Precipice (Review)

Veilcaste - PrecipiceVeilcaste are a doom metal band from the US, and this is either their third album, (or first, depending on your perspective – they released two albums under the name Conjurer, before changing to Veilcaste).

After Veilcaste’s Split with Tusk from last year, I’ve been interested to hear more from this band. With that in mind it’s time for Precipice, which contains 41 minutes of material, including one of the songs from the aforementioned split, (Dust & Bone). Continue reading “Veilcaste – Precipice (Review)”