Gutvoid – Breathing Obelisk (Review)

Gutvoid - Breathing ObeliskThis is the latest EP from Canadian death metallers Gutvoid.

This is 4-track EP follows on from Gutvoid’s enjoyable 2022’s Durance of Lightless Horizons. With a duration of 30 minutes there’s plenty of meat on the bones of Breathing Obelisk, so let’s dig in and see what it tastes like. Continue reading “Gutvoid – Breathing Obelisk (Review)”

Draghkar/Helcaraxë – A Glorious Call in the Terrible Darkness – Split (Review)

Draghkar Helcaraxë - A Glorious Call in the Terrible Darkness - SplitThis is a split between Draghkar and Helcaraxë, both death metal bands from the US.

I missed this earlier in the year, but here it is now, and you’d better believe it’s worth your time to give it a few spins. I’m a big fan of Draghkar, so I couldn’t let this slide by without comment, (make sure you check out World Unraveled, split with Desekryptor, The Endless Howling Abyss, and At the Crossroads of Infinity). On this split with Helcaraxë both bands offer up one song. Continue reading “Draghkar/Helcaraxë – A Glorious Call in the Terrible Darkness – Split (Review)”

Grey Skies Fallen – Molded by Broken Hands (Review)

Grey Skies Fallen - Molded by Broken HandsThis is the sixth album from Grey Skies Fallen, a progressive/melodic doom band from the US.

Following on from 2014’s The Many Sides of Truth and 2020’s Cold Dead Lands comes Molded by Broken Hands, which contains 48 minutes of new material. Continue reading “Grey Skies Fallen – Molded by Broken Hands (Review)”

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

Damnation Festiva 2023 - PosterIt’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)”

Grand Cadaver – Deities of Deathlike Sleep (Review)

Grand Cadaver - Deities of Deathlike SleepGrand Cadaver are a death metal band from Sweden and this is their second album.

Featuring current and ex-members of Dark Tranquillity, Katatonia, The Halo Effect, and Tiamat, Deities of Deathlike Sleep is the 35-minute follow up to 2021’s Into the Maw of Death. Continue reading “Grand Cadaver – Deities of Deathlike Sleep (Review)”

Krigsgrav – Fires in the Fall (Review)

Krigsgrav - Fires in the FallKrigsgrav are a black metal band from the US and this is their seventh album.

I haven’t caught up with Krigsgrav since their 2016 album Waves of Degradation, so it’s good to check in with them once more. Fires in the Fall contains 53 minutes of new material and reveals some changes to the band’s sound, which can be roughly and facetiously summarised as shorter songs, more doom. Continue reading “Krigsgrav – Fires in the Fall (Review)”

Fires in the Distance – Air Not Meant for Us (Review)

Fires in the Distance - Air Not Meant for UsThis is the second album from US death/doom metal band Fires in the Distance.

Air Not Meant for Us is a 50-minute journey into melodic death/doom waters from Fires in the Distance, who feature an ex-member of Xenosis in their ranks. Continue reading “Fires in the Distance – Air Not Meant for Us (Review)”

Sermon – Of Golden Verse (Review)

Sermon - Of Golden VerseThis is the second album from UK progressive metal band Sermon.

Of Golden Verse is a 49-minute tour de force of engaging progressive metal. Sermon’s new album immediately grabs your attention with its vibrant, feeling-focused personality, and holds it throughout the running time by the sheer quality and richness of its material. Continue reading “Sermon – Of Golden Verse (Review)”

Shores of Null – The Loss of Beauty (Review)

Shores of Null - The Loss of BeautyThis is the fourth album from Italian doom metal band Shores of Null.

I thoroughly enjoyed 2020’s single track album Beyond the Shores (on Death and Dying), so knew that I wanted to catch up with The Loss of Beauty when it appeared. Unlike its predecessor, this new album is divided into individual tracks, and delivers 55 minutes of material, (or 49 minutes without the bonus tracks). Continue reading “Shores of Null – The Loss of Beauty (Review)”

Kuolemanlaakso – Kuolleiden Laulu (Review)

Kuolemanlaakso - Kuolleiden LauluKuolemanlaakso are a Gothic metal band from Finland and this is their latest EP.

I thoroughly enjoyed Kuusumu from earlier in the year, so it’s pleasing – yet surprising – to have a new EP so soon. Apparently these songs were recorded at the same time as Kuusumu though, and in the words of the band, “We knew already when entering the studio that we’re going to record more than an album, as we had plenty of material to work on. Continue reading “Kuolemanlaakso – Kuolleiden Laulu (Review)”