This is the twelfth album from US metal band Today Is the Day.
Following on from 2014’s Animal Mother and 2020’s No Good to Anyone, comes the 47-minute Never Give In. Today Is the Day are fascinating, unique, and unpredictable, which makes every release something special. I’ve been looking forward to digging into this one, whatever it might hold. Continue reading “Today Is the Day – Never Give In (Review)”
This is the debut album from German doom metal band Mriodom.
Vlies contains 44 minutes of music that takes elements of doom metal, stoner metal, and psychedelic rock into itself, producing five songs that earn their own keep. Mriodom’s music hits the spot nicely. Continue reading “Mriodom – Vlies (Review)”
This is the second album from Heathe, a post-metal/rock band from Denmark.
Control Your Soul’s Desire for Freedom is the 64-minute follow up to 2019’s On the Tombstones; the Symbols Engraved. Heathe have developed their sound on this new record, expanding widely into multifaceted waters that take in a broad set of influences. I’ve tagged this above as post-metal/rock, but it’s not really – at least not in any traditional sense. They are simply the closest broad terms relevant. There’s certainly very little in the way of metal on this record, for example. Heathe exist in a niche world, where a lot of recognisable materials have been mangled into something quite atypical. Continue reading “Heathe – Control Your Soul’s Desire for Freedom (Review)”
This is the fourth album from UK black/doom/heavy metal band Wode.
This is the follow up to 2021’s Burn in Many Mirrors, and a record I’m pleased to see appear. Uncrossing the Keys is not more of the same from Wode though. This should be expected, as each Wode album so far has found the band adding to their musical framework. Continue reading “Wode – Uncrossing the Keys (Review)”
This is the fifth album from Swiss post-hardcore/metal band Abraham.
Idsungwüssä is the 60-minute follow up to 2022’s Débris de Mondes Perdus. A mix of post-metal, hardcore, and sludge, Abraham’s new record is sure to find firm fans amongst devotees to bands like. Blessings, Coilguns, Converge, Cult of Luna, Inter Arma, Neurosis, The Ocean, Sumac, etc. Continue reading “Abraham – Idsungwüssä (Review)”
Frostmoon Eclipse are an Italian black metal band and this is their eighth album.
As Time Retreats is the 41-minute follow up to 2019’s Worse Weather to Come. Since their previous album Frostmoon Eclipse have refined their sound into something quite tasty. If you’re looking for black metal that embraces the core of the 90s second wave, while also simultaneously branching out from it, this is the one for you. Continue reading “Frostmoon Eclipse – As Time Retreats (Review)”
This is the debut album from Portuguese death metal band Ethereal Wound.
Defile | Demise contains 38 minutes of death metal that’s blackened, dissonant, and atmospheric. Ethereal Wound, (along with a session drummer, from Ashen Horde, Evilyn, Norse, Somnium Nox, Virulent Depravity, and many more), have produced a striking record that offers a rewarding, satisfying experience. Continue reading “Ethereal Wound – Defile | Demise (Review)”
This is the latest EP from Bezwering, a black metal band from the Netherlands.
Containing an ex-member of Wederganger, Dwalingen is a 12-minute release that showcases Bezwering’s uncommon take on black metal across two tracks. Although you can hear second wave elements for sure, there’s a stronger dose of first wave influence than you typically find in contemporary bands. Continue reading “Bezwering – Dwalingen (Review)”
This is the debut album from UK blackgaze band Æl-Fierlen.
Æl-Fierlen play an evocative form of blackened Gothic metal, (for lack of a better term), that incorporates atmospheric black metal, doom, blackgaze, and folk into a compelling musical framework. Containing 34 minutes of music, All Is Far Away is an underground gem of an album. Continue reading “Æl-Fierlen – All Is Far Away (Review)”
Tithe are a death metal band from the US and this is their third album.
Tithe’s previous record – 2023’s Inverse Rapture – was a hybrid extreme metal album that was difficult to pin down genre-wise, although that didn’t stop it from being a satisfying and enjoyable listen. Communion in Anguish focuses Tithe’s sound, pushing up the lethal aggression and dark atmosphere to new heights. Continue reading “Tithe – Communion in Anguish (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 