'Stygian Crown' is a strong debut album, a longplayer that is a statement. These guys came to stay. Modern epic doom metal has to sound exactly like the quintet celebrates it for almost an hour on this album. Very strong.
CD review -(16)- ‘Dream Squasher’
'Dream Squasher' is not for the faint-hearted. Extremely down-tuned guitars create a wall of riffs in grey and cold concrete. This album is a musical monolith that can't be discovered after listening to it. 'Dream Squasher' needs several rounds to unfold its intensity and musical creativity. And after that a little bit of sunlight is surely not bad either.
CD review SORCERER ‘Lamenting Of The Innocent’
That Swedes can compose and play doom metal is nothing new. After all, it was Candlemass who released with 'Nightfall' a reference album which is still the benchmark for every doom metal band today. Piece by piece it is now their Swedish compatriots from Sorcerer who are getting closer to this milestone album. Sorcerer is... Continue Reading →
CD review FORGOTTEN TOMB ‘Nihilisitc Estrangement’
Forgotten Tomb hail from Italy and are the brainschild of bandleader Herr Morbid. What started as a one-man-project developed and grew in the meantime into a trio. In 2003 Algol and Asher joined Forgotten Tomb and in this line-up the Italians released numerous albums until today. Their latest work is called 'Nihilistic Estrangement' and includes... Continue Reading →
CD review TYRANT (U.S.) ‘Hereafter’
The importance of live shows and festivals can't be emphasized enough. Not only that these are the moment that bring metal to life, they are also initiator and motivator for some veteran bands to return onstage and maybe more. Tyrant, hailing from Pasadena, California, is one of these bands that had some first heydays in... Continue Reading →
CD review ALKYMIST ‘Sanctuary’
'Sanctuary' is an album, which shines by its intensity. The four danes manage to create sound collages which are dark and melancholic. On the other hand, they also manage to give the whole sound expression a certain lightness every now and then, which makes this longplayer to an interesting journey through varied worlds of gloom. I was impressed by 'Sanctuary' and maybe even a little bit of Danish happiness was spilling over to me.
CD review THE WIZAR’D ‘Subterranean Exile’
Cruz Del Sur usually has a good sense for well-crafted Epic Metal. The Wizar'd fits surely to the label portfolio but can't entirely live up to other bands the label signed. The Wizar'd hails from Australia and 'Subterranean Exile' is already their fourth album. It took seven long years to create the successor for 'Ancient... Continue Reading →
CD review CIRITH UNGOL ‘Forever Black’
Cirith Ungol's return ends after glorious 40 minutes with the last tones of 'Forever Black', the title track. I was lucky that I could witness the Cirith Ungol's live show at Rock Hard festival in 2018 and at the time I couldn't imagine, holding a new record in hands. But sometimes dreams turn into reality. Fans of the band and Epic Metal in general will love this album and I can highly recommend it. The underground pioneers and inventors of Epic Metal are back, hopefully for many more years.
CD review KHEMMIS ‘Doomed Heavy Metal’
Dan, Zach, Ben and Phil, also known as Khemmis, added a new EP to their musical offer. Two years after the latest studio album 'Desolation' has been released the quartet bridges the wait for the next album with 'Doomed Heavy Metal'. The release features songs of which most has been revealed already earlier but there... Continue Reading →
Nick and Greg discuss PARADISE LOST’s ‘Fall From Grace’
The book has been closed but the story continues: Paradise Lost sharpen their pens and add another chapter to their dark, gloomy history of death, doom and gothic metal. In difficult times, the British legends from Halifax, Yorkshire are the drug that numbs the pain , the lover that takes away the sorrows, the story that... Continue Reading →
CD review THE SPIRIT CABINET ‘ Bloodlines’
Already the bandname is unusal and also the sound of 'Bloodlines' isn't mainstream either. Dutch metallers The Spirit Cabinet combine traditional Heavy Metal with Doom Metal, not to forget an underlaying psychedelic vibe that resonates with each of the six songs on the new album 'Bloodlines'. Snake McRuffkin, Johnny Hällström, Erich Vilsmeier and Cromwell Fleedwood... Continue Reading →
CD review KING WITCH ‘Body of Light’
King Witch, that's Laura Donnelly (v), Jamie Gilchrist (g), Rory Lee (b) and Lyle Brown. The four musicians from Scotland formed the band in 2015, premiered in 2018 and have now their sophomore album 'Body of Light' ready for shipping. 'Body of Light' features nine songs, some of the with epical length. The masterpiece on... Continue Reading →
CD review LOVIATAR ‘Lightless’
'Lightless' is a well-done counterpart to the brighter days of spring. The quartet paints a claustrophobic musical picture with a lyrical concept, inspired by authors like Emile Zola and Thomas Ligotti. If you want to discover the depth of darkness, 'Lightless' is the album you should listen to.
CD review CANDLEMASS ‘The Pendulum’
Genre-defining Candlemass used the dark season of the year to work on new material, songs they will release end of March under the banner of 'The Pendulum'. The six tracks comprising EP comes through Napalm Records and show again why the band belongs to the spearhead of Doom Metal. Actually it's more like a 3... Continue Reading →
CD review SMOULDER ‘Dream Quest Ends’
Canadian Epic Metal outfit Smoulder was supposed to perform at Up The Hammer 2020 festival in Athens, Greece last night. Unfortunately the Corona virus led to the unfortunate situation of the festival being cancelled. Besides the dramatic effects on organizers, fans and band, metallers at least can welcome Smoulder's newest release. 'Dream Quest Ends' is... Continue Reading →









