Dvne – Wonderbox Metal

Void of Sleep – The Abyss into Which We All Have to Stare (Review)

This is the fourth album from Italian progressive doom/sludge metallers Void of Sleep.

It feels like an age has passed since 2020’s sterling record Metaphora, so it’s great that Void of Sleep grace us with their progressive doom/sludge metal once more. Containing 52 minutes of new material, The Abyss into Which We All Have to Stare is an album to spend some quality time with, unlocking its multitude of secrets. Continue reading “Void of Sleep – The Abyss into Which We All Have to Stare (Review)”

Ceresian Valot – Uumen (Review)

This is the debut band from Ceresian Valot, an rock band from Finland.

Brought to us by ex-members of Ghost Brigade, Uumen contains 44 minutes of a hybrid alternative/progressive/post-metal/rock style that is engaging and evocative. Continue reading “Ceresian Valot – Uumen (Review)”

An Evening with Knives – End of Time (Review)

An Evening with Knives are a stoner/post-metal band from the Netherlands, and this is their third album.

With an intriguing album cover and band name, and a promo blurb that saying it is for fans of Cult of Luna, Amenra, Neurosis, and Isis, I had to give End of Time a listen. Continue reading “An Evening with Knives – End of Time (Review)”

Katoaja – What We Witness (Review)

Katoaja are a Finnish progressive metal band and this is their debut album.

What We Witness contains 45 minutes of modern progressive metal. Katoaja operate on the heavier end of the progressive metal spectrum, delivering seven songs that showcase the talents of this relatively new band very nicely. As this is progressive metal, there’s more to Katoaja than just heaviness though. Continue reading “Katoaja – What We Witness (Review)”

Sluagh – II (Review)

This is the debut album from UK black metal band Sluagh.

Brought to us by current/ex-members of Ageless Summoning, Barshasketh, and Dvne, (and many others), II contains 41 minutes of atmospheric black metal, played with old-school authenticity and heart. It’s raw and unashamedly ancient, driven by a love of the traditional black metal style as seen through a contemporary Scottish-focused lens. Continue reading “Sluagh – II (Review)”

Codespeaker – Scavenger (Review)

This is the second album from UK post-metal band Codespeaker.

Featuring current/ex-members of Dvne and Frontierer, Codespeaker have arrived ready to flatten with all of the considerable weight they can bring to bear. Taking influence from the post-metal giants of Neurosis, Cult of Luna, and Isis, Codespeaker have crafted a 51-minute journey into darkness. I’ll also mention bands such as Bossk, Briqueville, and Hundred Year Old Man as appropriate reference points too. Continue reading “Codespeaker – Scavenger (Review)”

Huntsmen – The Dry Land (Review)

Huntsmen are a US progressive metal band and this is their third album.

Leaving a lasting mark with 2018’s striking American Scrap, Huntsmen made a strong first impression with their debut record. They followed this up with 2020’s Mandala of Fear, which saw the band go big in many different ways, living up to their early promise. It’s now four years later and here we have The Dry Land, which gives us 42 minutes of new material. What does the Huntsmen of 2024 provide us with? Continue reading “Huntsmen – The Dry Land (Review)”

Urzah – The Scorching Gaze (Review)

This is the debut album from UK sludge/post-metal band Urzah.

The Scorching Gaze contains 42 minutes of material delivered in a charismatic hybrid metallic style. Urzah combine elements of sludge, post-metal, progressive metal, doom, and hardcore/metalcore into an exemplar of heaviness that feels timeless. Continue reading “Urzah – The Scorching Gaze (Review)”

Dvne – Voidkind (Review)

Dvne are a progressive post-metal band from the UK and this is their third album.

I fell hard for Dvne on their 2017 album Asheran, which they then followed up in 2021 with the critically acclaimed Etemen Ænka. Which brings us to the much-anticipated Voidkind, an album that boasts 58 minutes of new material. Continue reading “Dvne – Voidkind (Review)”

Psychonaut – Violate Consensus Reality (Review)

Psychonaut are a Belgian post-metal band and this is their second album.

Having enjoyed Psychonaut’s 2021 Emerald – split with Sâver, I’ve been looking forward to seeing what the band could do with a longer release. So now we have it – Violate Consensus Reality contains 53 minutes of material for the listener to explore. Continue reading “Psychonaut – Violate Consensus Reality (Review)”