The Ocean – Wonderbox Metal

Void of Sleep – The Abyss into Which We All Have to Stare (Review)

This is the fourth album from Italian progressive doom/sludge metallers Void of Sleep.

It feels like an age has passed since 2020’s sterling record Metaphora, so it’s great that Void of Sleep grace us with their progressive doom/sludge metal once more. Containing 52 minutes of new material, The Abyss into Which We All Have to Stare is an album to spend some quality time with, unlocking its multitude of secrets. Continue reading “Void of Sleep – The Abyss into Which We All Have to Stare (Review)”

Abraham – Idsungwüssä (Review)

This is the fifth album from Swiss post-hardcore/metal band Abraham.

Idsungwüssä is the 60-minute follow up to 2022’s Débris de Mondes Perdus. A mix of post-metal, hardcore, and sludge, Abraham’s new record is sure to find firm fans amongst devotees to bands like. Blessings, Coilguns, Converge, Cult of Luna, Inter Arma, Neurosis, The Ocean, Sumac, etc. Continue reading “Abraham – Idsungwüssä (Review)”

Ceresian Valot – Uumen (Review)

This is the debut band from Ceresian Valot, an rock band from Finland.

Brought to us by ex-members of Ghost Brigade, Uumen contains 44 minutes of a hybrid alternative/progressive/post-metal/rock style that is engaging and evocative. Continue reading “Ceresian Valot – Uumen (Review)”

Idle Heirs – Life Is Violence (Review)

This is the debut album from US post-metal band Idle Heirs.

Featuring the singer of Coalesce, Life Is Violence brings us a 51-minute journey into absorbing post-metallic worldbuilding. It’s well-written, professionally executed, and passionately delivered. Continue reading “Idle Heirs – Life Is Violence (Review)”

Druma – Sores of Our Time (Review)

This is the second album from German post-metallers Druma.

Sores of Our Time contains 36 minutes of music spread out over four songs. Druma’s style is a mix of sludge and post-metal, with dark atmosphere and a rich blackened touch. With a promo blurb that says it should be for fans of bands such as The Ocean, Cult of Luna, Amenra, and Gaerea, Sores of Our Time is an album that demanded I pay attention to it. Continue reading “Druma – Sores of Our Time (Review)”

Telepathy – Transmissions (Review)

This is the fourth album from UK post-metal band Telepathy.

What do we have here then? The promo blurb Pelagic Records recommends Telepathy for fans of Tool, Deftones, Russian Circles, and The Ocean, which, coupled with the fact that it’s on the ever-interesting Pelagic Records, meant I couldn’t pass this by without checking it out. Let’s get stuck in then. Continue reading “Telepathy – Transmissions (Review)”

Katoaja – What We Witness (Review)

Katoaja are a Finnish progressive metal band and this is their debut album.

What We Witness contains 45 minutes of modern progressive metal. Katoaja operate on the heavier end of the progressive metal spectrum, delivering seven songs that showcase the talents of this relatively new band very nicely. As this is progressive metal, there’s more to Katoaja than just heaviness though. Continue reading “Katoaja – What We Witness (Review)”

Múr – Múr (Review)

This is the debut album from Icelandic progressive/post-metal band Múr.

Across 54 minutes Múr have crafted a multifaceted record that takes liberally from the progressive and post-metal styles, resulting in a journey that’s very satisfying. Múr should appeal to fans of bands such as Ihsahn, Gojira, Alcest, Devin Townsend, Iotunn, Opeth, The Ocean, and Enslaved, as it touches all of these bands and more in different places over the course of the album. Importantly though, Múr never sound like they’re plagiarising, and instead have managed to forge a personality of their own remarkably quickly. Continue reading “Múr – Múr (Review)”

Anciients – Beyond the Reach of the Sun (Review)

This is the third album from Canadian progressive metal band Anciients.

I haven’t heard Anciients since their 2013 album Heart of Oak, and it’s been a long eight years since their last release, (2016’s Voice of the Void, which I completely missed out on), so I’ve some cathing up to do. I really like their debut though, so was looking forward to the 59 minuets of Beyond the Reach of the Sun. The band have a new lineup, but they still don’t let me down. Continue reading “Anciients – Beyond the Reach of the Sun (Review)”

Hippotraktor – Stasis (Review)

This is the second album from Belgian progressive metal band Hippotraktor.

Stasis contains 47 minutes of material that combines elements of the technical, groove, djent, and post-metal styles into a contemporary progressive metal framework that’s asborbing. Continue reading “Hippotraktor – Stasis (Review)”