This is the second album from US black metal band Mnajdra.
Following hot on the heels of last year’s self titled debut comes In the Name of the Goddess; 50 minutes of apocalyptic modern black metal. Mnajdra’s malefic music has ascended to a higher level of spectral might with this new album. Continue reading “Mnajdra – In the Name of the Goddess (Review)”
This is the second album from Kurokuma, a doom/sludge band from the UK.
Kurokuma have come a long way since they started, from 2016’s sludge/doom EP Advorsus which pegged them as ones to watch, to 2022’s more adventurous debut album Born of Obsidian. The band are now back with the 38-minute Of Amber and Sand, which finds Kurokuma pushing their experimental side even further, while retaining their core of heaviness. Continue reading “Kurokuma – Of Amber and Sand (Review)”
This is the second album from UK stoner/sludge metallers Barbarian Hermit.
It’s been six long years since 2018’s Solitude and Savagery, but now Barbarian Hermit have returned, and with a different vocalist. Mean Sugar contains 44 minutes of new music for us to hungrily devour. Continue reading “Barbarian Hermit – Mean Sugar (Review)”
This is the fifth album from Canadian post-metal/sludge band Sumac, (who boast current and ex-members of bands such as Baptists, Genghis Tron, Isis, Old Man Gloom, Russian Circles, and These Arms Are Snakes in their ranks).
It’s been a while since I caught up with Sumac – 2018’s collaboration with Keijo Haino in fact, as well as their full length from the same year, Love in Shadow. I even had the privilege of catching them live in 2019. Apparently they also had an album out in 2020 called May You Be Held, which I somehow completely missed, which is a shame. All of which brings us to the immense 76 minutes of material on The Healer. Continue reading “Sumac – The Healer (Review)”
Apes are a grindcore band from Canada and this is their debut album.
I thoroughly enjoyed 2017’s Lightless, with its hybrid blackened sludge/grind assault. It wasn’t until 2022 that we saw new material though, with the EP Lullabies for Eternal Sleep. Thankfully we haven’t had to wait quite as long for Apes’ second album, Penitence. Continue reading “Apes – Penitence (Review)”
Huntsmen are a US progressive metal band and this is their third album.
Leaving a lasting mark with 2018’s striking American Scrap, Huntsmen made a strong first impression with their debut record. They followed this up with 2020’s Mandala of Fear, which saw the band go big in many different ways, living up to their early promise. It’s now four years later and here we have The Dry Land, which gives us 42 minutes of new material. What does the Huntsmen of 2024 provide us with? Continue reading “Huntsmen – The Dry Land (Review)”
This is the fourth album from international metallic hardcore band Sect.
Brought to us by experienced hands in the form of current/ex-members of bands such as Catharsis, Cursed, Earth Crisis, Enabler, Racetraitor, The Damned Things, Undying, and many others, Plagues upon Plagues showcases a leap in Sect’s musical journey when compared to their previous work, (such as 2017’s brutal No Cure for Death). Continue reading “Sect – Plagues upon Plagues (Review)”
Thou are a sludge/doom band from the US and this is their sixth album.
Following on from 2018’s immense Magus, Umbilical contains 49 minutes of new music from the very well-regarded Thou. Umbilical takes a different route to heaviness than its predecessor, but is no less effective in achieving its goals. Continue reading “Thou – Umbilical (Review)”
Dopethrone are a Canadian sludge metal band and this is their sixth album.
Following on from 2018’s Transcanadian Anger, Dopethrone have finally returned to crush everyone flat with their charismatic sludge metal brew. Broke Sabbath contains 39 minutes of filth and hatred, all thrown at the listener in typically heavy Dopethrone fashion. Ahh, it’s good to have this particular brand of sludge nastiness back in town. Continue reading “Dopethrone – Broke Sabbath (Review)”
This is the debut album from UK sludge/post-metal band Urzah.
The Scorching Gaze contains 42 minutes of material delivered in a charismatic hybrid metallic style. Urzah combine elements of sludge, post-metal, progressive metal, doom, and hardcore/metalcore into an exemplar of heaviness that feels timeless. Continue reading “Urzah – The Scorching Gaze (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 