This is the debut album from Kurokuma, a doom/sludge band from the UK.
Both times that I’ve encountered Kurokuma, (2016’s Advorsus and 2019’s Sheffield’s Best Metal Bands Vol. 1), I’ve liked what I’ve heard, and now it’s finally time for their long-awaited debut album to see the light of day. The band have been slowly gathering Continue reading “Kurokuma – Born of Obsidian (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Year of No Light, a French post-metal band.
Having really enjoyed 2013’s Tocsin, it has been a long wait for another album from Year of No Light, but the wait has been worth it. Across 55 minutes the band expose the listener to an idiosyncratic creative experience consisting of five thoroughly engaging soundscapes. Continue reading “Year of No Light – Consolamentum (Review)”
This is the fourth album from doom rockers Avatarium, who are from Sweden.
2017’s Hurricanes and Halos was a quality album that stood out from other ostensibly similar bands playing this sort of style. On The Fire I Long For, however, there’s the impression that the band have really come into their own. Continue reading “Avatarium – The Fire I Long For (Review)”
Inter Arma are a US post-metal band and this is their fourth album.
A new Inter Arma release is always welcome. 2014’s The Cavern was a stunning record that topped my end of year list, and although 2016’s Paradise Gallows didn’t ascend to the same heights, it was an album that I still deem as an essential listen, (and in hindsight should definitely have been higher up on 2016’s list). Continue reading “Inter Arma – Sulphur English (Review)”
Ufomammut are an Italian doom metal band and this is their latest album.
Following on from the extremely enjoyable Ecate, 8 is another 45 minutes or so of prime doom metal, delivered in Ufomammut’s own inimitable style. Continue reading “Ufomammut – 8 (Review)”
Swamp Witch are a doom/sludge band from the US. This is their debut album.
Sludge heaviness mixes with psychedelic hypnotic grooves to create slow, torturous music that takes the listener on a tour through forgotten swamps, populated by hideous witches, (do you see what I did there?).
Deep growled vocals act as a guide on this foul journey, paving a path through the murk with sheer force of diseased will. Continue reading “Swamp Witch – The Slithering Bog (Review)”
Hailing form Sweden, this is the third album from Usurpress.
I like Usurpress. Both their split with Bent Sea and their last full-length, Ordained, were very enjoyable, and now they’re back with a new album that features a very good cover.
But what of the music? Usurpress are not a normal death metal band, including elements of crust, sludge and progressive/psychedelic music in their delivery, as they do. Continue reading “Usurpress – The Regal Tribe (Review)”
Slomatics are a sludge/doom band from the UK. This is their fifth album.
A brief overview of Future Echo Returns – doom, sludge, psychedelia, stoner, feedback, atmosphere, synths, heaviness, riffs, leads, solos, metal, songs. More than anything this last one; this album is about songs. Damn good ones too.
In addition to the songs themselves, Slomatics are all about the Continue reading “Slomatics – Future Echo Returns (Review)”
This is the third album from Cough, a doom metal band from the US.
Cough. It’s a funny name for a band. Still, I’ve heard worse, a lot worse.
If you’re a fan of bands like Yob, Electric Wizard, Sleep, Candlemass and the like, then you’ll probably already know that Cough create the kind of repetitive, hypnotic doomscapes that you’re gonna love. Continue reading “Cough – Still They Pray (Review)”
The Nepalese Temple Ball are a UK Post-Metal band and this is their début album.
Combining elements of bands such as Neurosis, Light Bearer, (who they share a member with), Isis, Converge and No Anchor, The Nepalese Temple Ball have created over an hour’s worth of exploratory, expansive music on Arbor.
This is a diverse album that’s full of different influences and styles, all collected under the widely variable Post-Metal umbrella. Doom, Progressive Metal, Hardcore/Post-Hardcore, Sludge, Psychedelia…even a hint of Black Metal…these are all gathered by the band and melted down to form the songs on Arbor. They have a wealth of skill at doing this, it seems, and Arbor is much more accomplished than it probably should be for a début album.
Lots of different moods and feelings are covered, but the overall impression for me is one of a strange apocalyptic landscape where the world is drowning a chaotic, messy death.
This is music that’s non-standard, atypical and not afraid at all to do its own thing. The band are clearly walking the path that they want to and should be commended for doing this and exploring such rich musical possibilities. This has resulted in a quality album full of interesting areas to explore, with plenty of diversity and depth to attract and hook the listener. This is assuming you like challenging, interesting music of course. If all you’re after is more of the same, then move along now.
Highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 