Julie Christmas – Wonderbox Metal

Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2024

Yes, it’s list season once more, so gather round and witness some of the best metal that 2024 had to offer!

2024 was a fantastic year for metal, and that’s an understatement. I thought 2023 was one of the weaker years for metal releases, overall. As such, putting last year’s list together, although challenging as it always is, was relatively effortless compared to this one. I don’t think I’ve agonised over placings more any other year. In the end, similar to last year, I just decided that enough was enough and I needed to just stop needlessly obsessing. Continue reading “Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2024”

Julie Christmas – Ridiculous and Full of Blood (Review)

This is the second solo album from the iconic Julie Christmas, who plays a vert individual brand of rock/metal.

A new solo album from one of the best artists in the business, a mere 14 years after her last one? Someone who has one of the most individual and simply fantastic singing voices ever, and has given us some classic albums from bands like Battle of Mice and Made out of Babies? An artist who even managed to elevate the pretty much untouchable Cult of Luna to unexpectedly higher levels of excellence on Mariner? New songs from her? Sign me up without hesitation. Continue reading “Julie Christmas – Ridiculous and Full of Blood (Review)”

Big | Brave – A Chaos of Flowers (Review)

Big | Brave are a doom/drone band from Canada and this is their seventh album.

New Big | Brave, so soon after last year’s Nature Morte? I’ll take it! If you’re unfamiliar with this remarkable band, check out that record immediately, (and 2017’s Ardor), and then dive into the 40 minutes of material we get on A Chaos of Flowers. Continue reading “Big | Brave – A Chaos of Flowers (Review)”

Guhts – Regeneration (Review)

This is the debut album from US post-metal band Guhts.

Guhts play post-metal that benefits from avant-garde, sludge, doom, and shoegaze elements that allow the band to build and sustain compelling musical vistas over time. It’s all about emotion and atmosphere with Guhts, and across 46 minutes Regeneration is soaked to the core with feeling. Continue reading “Guhts – Regeneration (Review)”

Damnation Festival 2023 – BEC Arena, Manchester, 04/11/23 (Live Review)

It’s Damnation o-clock once more! This is always such a good festival to attend. The line up is an interesting and varied one, with some bands I’m less interested in, some that are an essential experience, and some frustrating clashes. I missed some great bands today, unfortunately, but that’s always going to be the case with such a jam-packed festival. Continue reading “Damnation Festival 2023 – BEC Arena, Manchester, 04/11/23 (Live Review)”

Unverkalt – A Lump of Death: A Chaos of Dead Lovers (Review)

This is the second album from Greek post-metal band Unverkalt.

How to get my attention: start a promo email by stating something is for fans of Cult of Luna & Julie Christmas and Made out of Babies. The downside of this though is that the music then has a lot to live up to. So, across the 47 minutes of material on A Lump of Death: A Chaos of Dead Lovers, do Unverkalt impress, or disappoint? Continue reading “Unverkalt – A Lump of Death: A Chaos of Dead Lovers (Review)”

Big | Brave – Nature Morte (Review)

Big | 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)”

Dreadnought – The Endless (Review)

This is the fifth album from US progressive doom band Dreadnought.

Dreadnought play a brand of progressive doom, with black, folk, jazz, classical, and post-metal elements all embedded into it. It’s a heady mix, but the band have more than enough talent and skill to pull it off. Continue reading “Dreadnought – The Endless (Review)”

Nicarus – Coal People, Coal Puppets (Review)

This is the debut album from Nicarus, a solo Israeli artist.

I confess that it was the album art that drew me to this release, as I’m not normally a huge fan of the less-heavy genres such as anything with rock in the descriptor. I’m glad that I did check it out though, as Coal People, Coal Puppets is an Continue reading “Nicarus – Coal People, Coal Puppets (Review)”

Big | Brave – Ardor (Review)

Big | Brave are an experimental doom band from Canada and this is their third album.

This is minimalist experimental music, expressed as vast sheets of abstract soundscapes and diligently pieced together emotional compositions. Continue reading “Big | Brave – Ardor (Review)”