Usnea – Bathed in Light (Review)

Usnea - Bathed in LightThis is the fourth album from US doom band Usnea.

After loving 2014’s Random Cosmic Violence and 2017’s Portals into Futility, I am so completely ready for a new Usnea album. Bathed in Light brings us not only their shortest album yet at 43 minutes, but also many of their shortest songs. What does this mean for the Usnea we know and adore? Continue reading “Usnea – Bathed in Light (Review)”

Radien – Unissa Palaneet (Review)

Radien - Unissa PalaneetThis is the second album from Radien, a sludge metal band from Finland.

Unissa Palaneet is a 46-minute album containing five tracks, where the a full 21 minutes of the total duration is made up of just the final song. Radien are not without ambition, and they have the skills to back up their vision for doom-heavy sludge music. Continue reading “Radien – Unissa Palaneet (Review)”

Wallowing – Earth Reaper (Review)

Wallowing - Earth ReaperThis is the second album from UK sludge/doom metal band Wallowing.

Boasting the drummer of the amazing King Goat in their ranks, Wallowing play a sci-fi-themed mix of blackened sludge, doom, and noise. Continue reading “Wallowing – Earth Reaper (Review)”

Sunrot – The Unfailing Rope (Review)

Sunrot - The Unfailing RopeSunrot are a sludge band from the US and this is their second album.

Sunrot’s hostile music is a sludge metal monster that is enhanced by noise and effects in the manner of early Eyehategod records. It’s a 40-minute trip through the corridors of sludge and doom, and wears its influences on its sleeves like badges of honour. Sunrot know what they’re doing with the style though, and The Unfailing Rope is an enjoyable slab of heaviness. Continue reading “Sunrot – The Unfailing Rope (Review)”

Allfather – A Violent Truth (Review)

Allfather - A Violent TruthThis is the third album from UK sludge metal band Allfather.

A Violent Truth is a 27-minute kick to the head. This is ugly sludge metal played in the way that that it should be played; raw, honest, and brutal. Continue reading “Allfather – A Violent Truth (Review)”

Håndgemeng – Ultraritual (Review)

Håndgemeng - UltraritualThis is the debut album from Norwegian stoner/sludge metal band Håndgemeng.

Ultraritual provides us with 42 minutes of stoner/sludge metal that has a hardcore edge. Taking a high energy approach to riff-focused heavy music, yet varied within this, Ultraritual is a melting pot of influences that come together well. Continue reading “Håndgemeng – Ultraritual (Review)”