Sludge metal – Wonderbox Metal

Indigo Raven – Looking for Transcendence (Review)

This is the debut album from French doom metal band Indigo Raven.

Featuring a member of Mourir, Indigo Raven deliver 43 minutes of doom on Looking for Transcendence, (including bonus track, a Mazzy Star cover). The promo blurb states that the “trio’s sound emerges from the Peaceville Three’s influence with a modern sludge approach”, and this is a suitable description of what you’ll find on this album. To this I’d also add a certain 80s pop sensibility that makes for songs that stick in the head. Continue reading “Indigo Raven – Looking for Transcendence (Review)”

Kowloon Walled City – Piecework (Review)

This is the fourth album from US sludge metal band Kowloon Walled City.

It seems like a long time since Grievances saw the light of day in 2015. The band have now returned with Piecework, their shortest and most refined album to date. Continue reading “Kowloon Walled City – Piecework (Review)”

A Thousand Sufferings – Stilte (Review)

A Thousand Sufferings are a Belgian blackened doom band and this is their third album.

I’ve enjoyed seeing the development of A Thousand Sufferings over the years. Starting with 2015’s sludgy Burden, and then on to 2018’s increasingly blackened Bleakness, the band made a good impression. It’s now 2021 and we have Stilte; the synthesis of black metal and doom has reached its logical conclusion, and the 41 minutes of material on this new album is the band’s richest and most engrossing so far. Continue reading “A Thousand Sufferings – Stilte (Review)”

Kehlvin – Holistic Dreams (Review)

Kehlvin are a progressive hardcore band from Switzerland and this is their third album.

Holistic Dreams contains 35 minutes of material. Kehlvin’s style is a progressive form of hardcore that also has post-hardcore and sludge metal flavours in it. For lack of a better description, imagine a mix of Knut, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and Mastodon, and that will give you a rough starting point for Kehlvin’s sound. Continue reading “Kehlvin – Holistic Dreams (Review)”

Mastiff – Leave Me the Ashes of the Earth (Review)

Mastiff are a hardcore/sludge metal band from the UK and this is their third album.

Following on from 2019’s well-received Plague, Leave Me the Ashes of the Earth contains 32 minutes of anger and violence. Continue reading “Mastiff – Leave Me the Ashes of the Earth (Review)”

Yanomamo/Slomatics – Split (Review)

Slomatics are from the UK and Yanomamo are from Australia, both play doom/sludge metal.

I’m unfamiliar with Yanomamo, but Continue reading “Yanomamo/Slomatics – Split (Review)”

71TONMAN – War Is Peace // Peace Is Slavery (Review)

This is the latest EP from Polish doom/sludge metallers 71TONMAN.

After enjoying 2013’s self-titled debut, and 2017’s much darker Earthwreck, I’m always interested in revisting the apocalyptic shores of 71TONMAN. Continue reading “71TONMAN – War Is Peace // Peace Is Slavery (Review)”

Urne – Serpent & Spirit (Review)

Urne are a metal band from the UK and this is their debut album.

Urne combine a variety of influences onto their sound, resulting in an album of heaviness that’s crushing, while also taking the listener in an emotive journey. You can hear elements of bands like Mastodon, Opeth, Metallica, and Alice in Chains in Urne’s sound, but mostly you Continue reading “Urne – Serpent & Spirit (Review)”

Bossk – Migration (Review)

Bossk are a UK post-metal band and this is their second album.

Migration contains 42 minutes of charismatic post-metal. Fusing together elements of atmospheric sludge and post-metal build/release, with experimental and psychedelic explorations, Migration is an impressive and accomplished work. Continue reading “Bossk – Migration (Review)”

Tarlung – Architect (Review)

Tarlung are an Austrian sludge band and this is their third album.

2017’s Beyond the Black Pyramid was an enjoyable slab of colossal doom sludge, with stoner influences keeping the darkness in check. On Architect, Tarlung spend 40 minutes tearing through heavy music that shares much in Continue reading “Tarlung – Architect (Review)”