Flowers of Flesh – Flowers of Flesh (Review)

Flowers of Flesh - Flowers of FleshThis is the debut EP from one-man sludge metal band Flowers of Flesh.

The artist behind Flowers of Flesh knows a good malevolent riff when he rips one out of someone’s spine. The EP starts with exactly one such riff, but it isn’t the only example to be found within these 24 minutes. The music is filthy blackened sludge metal that’s ugly and foul, yet contains some unexpected elements of light and feeling hidden amidst the carnage. Continue reading “Flowers of Flesh – Flowers of Flesh (Review)”

Mother Iron Horse – Under the Blood Moon (Review)

Mother Iron Horse - Under the Blood MoonThis is the second album from US stoner metallers Mother Iron Horse.

Under the Blood Moon contains 37 minutes of riotous fun and escapist storytelling. Mixing stoner metal with sludge heaviness, Mother Iron Horse’s music is easy to like; the band just want to party hard and crush some skulls with their sludgy stoner metal, what’s not to like? Mother Continue reading “Mother Iron Horse – Under the Blood Moon (Review)”

Label Roundup: Majestic Mountain Records – Bogwife, Redscale, Jointhugger, & Grand Cadaver (Reviews)

Wonderbox Metal gets sent a lot of new music, (which is great), but there’s no way that everything can get covered unfortunately, (which is not so great). This new column hopes to redress this balance, if only slightly, by taking a look at a handful of releases that a record label has recently sent out that might have otherwise slipped through the cracks.

This time we’ll take a look at some releases from Majestic Mountain Records, which is a record label that I’ve only really just discovered via the wonderful Kal-El. I know nothing about the label, but I like what I’m hearing, so let’s delve into some of what they have to offer below… Continue reading “Label Roundup: Majestic Mountain Records – Bogwife, Redscale, Jointhugger, & Grand Cadaver (Reviews)”

Indigo Raven – Looking for Transcendence (Review)

Indigo Raven - Looking for TranscendenceThis 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)”

A Thousand Sufferings – Stilte (Review)

A Thousand Sufferings - StilteA 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 - Holistic DreamsKehlvin 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 - Leave Me the Ashes of the EarthMastiff 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)”