This is the tenth album from German progressive metal band The Ocean.
After the colossally good Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic and Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic | Cenozoic from 2018 and 2020 respectively, can The Ocean continue their run of stellar records with new outing Holocene? Continue reading “The Ocean – Holocene (Review)”
Orme are a doom/drone band from the UK and this is their debut album.
Orme, (featuring a member of Everest Queen), play long-form droning doom, and on their debut album they haven’t held back. Orme only has two tracks, but there’s still 96 minutes of music here. Nazarene is 42 minutes long and Onward to Sarnath is 54 minutes long. Either one of these would have sufficed as the band’s debut album, but apparently Orme don’t do things by halves. Continue reading “Orme – Orme (Review)”
This is the debut album from Polish post-black metal band Cursebinder.
Featuring the vocalist of Dormant Ordeal, (and also ex-Moanaa), Cursebinder play black metal that contains elements of doom, blackgaze, post-rock, and progressive metal. Continue reading “Cursebinder – Drifting (Review)”
Witte Wieven are a black metal band from the Netherlands and this is their debut album.
Featuring a member of Freja, Dwaallicht contains 41 minutes of atmospheric black metal with post-rock, shoegaze, and doom elements. The new material lasts 32 minutes, and consists of the first five tracks. The remaining track is a live version of an older song, for some reason. Continue reading “Witte Wieven – Dwaallicht (Review)”
This is the debut album from UK/international alternative doom band Healthyliving.
Featuring a member of Ashenspire, Healthyliving play a doomy mixture of alternative rock and post-metal. Songs of Abundance, Psalms of Grief has a duration of 38 minutes, and showcases the band’s expressive talents well. Continue reading “Healthyliving – Songs of Abundance, Psalms of Grief (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Indian one-man post-black metal band Lesath.
There Is a Profound Sense in Which We Are Isolated offers 43 minutes of post-black metal. It’s essentially a mix of atmospheric black metal, post-rock, and shoegaze. At least, as a rough description of the material here that suffices. Continue reading “Lesath – There Is a Profound Sense in Which We Are Isolated (Review)”
This is the debut album from Natt, a Norwegian progressive/post-rock/doom band.
Natt contains just three songs, with 45 minutes of music. They’re an instrumental duo, although they’re joined on this recording by session musicians on bass and drums/percussion, (the latter from Enslaved). I’m not normally drawn to instrumental music, but one look at the strangely disturbing album artwork made me want to hear this work, and I’m so glad it did. Continue reading “Natt – Natt (Review)”
This is the second album from German one-man black metal act Leipa.
Containing 39 minutes of material, Reue is fast and sharp, (although not exclusively so), offering black metal that’s melodic and well-written. The artist behind Leipa has a clear vision for his music, and has more than enough talent to realise it. Continue reading “Leipa – Reue (Review)”
This is the debut album from Malaysian one-man black metal band Iravu.
A Fate Worse Than Home contains 34 minutes of expressive, cosmic black metal. Mixing the atmospheric, ambient, and progressive styles into an engaging whole, the artist behind Iravu has crafted something quite special here. Continue reading “Iravu – A Fate Worse Than Home (Review)”
Doubtsower is a one-man Welsh doom metal band and this is his second album.
Ahh, the return of Doubtsower. 2021’s Asphyxiation of a Seasick Soul was an unexpected highlight of that year, and although I was surprised to find a new album available so soon, I’m nonetheless pleased by this unlooked for treat. Once again delivering five tracks of emotive doom metal across 49 minutes, the artist behind Doubtsower continues to produce the very definition of underground gems. Continue reading “Doubtsower – The Endless Shadow of Despicable Power (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 