Tag Archives: doom metal

Album Review – Litania / Litania (2025)

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This Italian and Serbian entity is unleashing upon us their debut opus, offering eight tracks of evocative, hypnotic doom, where the raw power of guitars merges with the spiritual depth of Indian classical music.

Formed in 2024 by the talented and seasoned musicians Elisa De Munari (Elli De Mon) on vocals, harmonium, sitar and dilruba, Marco Degli Esposti (The Great Northern X) on the guitar and drones, Enrico Baraldi (Collars, Ornaments) on bass, and Vladimir Marikoski (The Black Heart Procession, NBG) on drums and percussions, Italy/Serbia-based Hindustan/Psych Doom Metal/Rock entity Litania is unleashing upon us their debut self-titled opus, offering eight tracks of evocative, hypnotic doom, where the raw power of guitars merges with the spiritual depth of Indian classical music. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Marco Degli Esposti and Enrico Baraldi at Happenstance Recording Studio and at Vacuum Studio, the album presents dark and intense songs interspersed with instrumental passages featuring sitar, dilruba, harmonium, and tanpura. The vocals, deep and ritualistic, draw inspiration from ancient Indian Ragas, evoking a sonic journey suspended between abyss and transcendence.

Their fusion of Hindustan sounds and the absolute heaviness of doom will smash you like an insect in Manasi Devi, the “Goddesses of Snakes” or “Serpentine Goddess”, with the vocals by Elisa bringing a welcome (and hypnotizing) touch of finesse to their music. Then investing in a more Psych Rock-oriented sonority we have Ghunghru (a musical anklet made of small metallic bells strung together, tied around the ankles of classical Indian dancers), with Enrico simply hammering his bass in great fashion, followed by Veil of Illusion, which according to the band is a chant of devotion and fire, honoring Shankara, the sage who dissolved illusion, a powerful prayer to the Lord of the Mountain’s Daughter, where silence and sound merge into oneness. Musically speaking, it offers us a perfect fusion of Doom Metal and ritualistic passages; whereas Marco and Enrico are on absolute fire with their axes in Vighnaharta (a Sanskrit term meaning “remover of obstacles” or “destroyer of impediments”), a song tailored for some good old headbanging.

Jamuniya, the Hindi name for the Amethyst gemstone, continues to pave their path of adoration for heavy, doomed sounds and the mesmerizing sounds of Hinduism, where Elisa is once again amazing on vocals while Vladimir delivers those sluggish beats we love in Doom Metal. After that, Marco’s riffage will pierce your skull in Bound, supported by the rumbling bass by Enrico and the pounding drums by Vladimir in another slab of mysterious and uncanny doom. In Shankara, a Sanskrit word meaning “beneficent,” “giver of bliss,” or “one who does good,” and also a name for the Hindu god Lord Shiva, the intro will already embrace you and drag you to the whimsical realm ruled by Litania, all of course boosted yet again by Elisa’s delicate yet visceral vocalizations, before we face Fading Light, which takes a bit too long to properly kick off, but when it does, it’s as heavy and vibrant as its predecessors.

After all is said and done, it’s impossible not to feel absolutely hypnotized by the unique and enfolding music crafted by Elisa, Marco, Enrico and Vladimir in their debut offering, showcasing Litania’s power and paving a very promising path ahead of them. Furthermore, if you want to know more about such an amazing up-and-coming band hailing from Europe, but with strong ties to the Indian culture, you can find them on Facebook and on Instagram, including their tour dates (and I would simply love to see them live one day), and of course purchase a copy of their breathtaking debut from the Heavy Psych Sounds Records’ BandCamp or webstore, where you can find some beautiful versions of the album for your private collection, or simply click HERE for all things Litania. This is one of those bands that are not just making good heavy music, but infusing it with other sounds form out of the rock and metal specter, and I’m sure once you get a first taste of their unique music, you’ll get addicted to it and your soul will be transported to their ethereal realm for all eternity.

Best moments of the album: Manasi Devi, Veil of Illusion and Shankara.

Worst moments of the album: Fading Light.

Released in 2025 Heavy Psych Sounds Records

Track listing
1. Manasi Devi 5:46
2. Ghunghru 3:01
3. Veil of Illusion 6:17
4. Vighnaharta 4:06
5. Jamuniya 4:09
6. Bound 4:45
7. Shankara 4:48
8. Fading Light 4:56

Band members
Elisa De Munari – vocals, harmonium, sitar, dilruba
Marco Degli Esposti – guitar, drones
Enrico Baraldi – bass
Vladimir Marikoski – drums, percussions

Concert Review – Crypta (The Garrison, Toronto, ON, 10/08/2025)

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On a cooler night in Toronto, metalheads from all over the city had an absolute blast with one of the must-see Death Metal beasts from the worldwide extreme music scene.

OPENING ACTS: Pretty Face and Death Club

This Wednesday was by far the coolest day from the past three or four months in Toronto, but that didn’t stop the metalheads from different parts of the city to head to The Garrison for a sold out show with PRETTY FACE, DEATH CLUB and CRYPTA during their In the Other Side Tour 2025, another killer event organized by the unstoppable Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. As the first band was only going to hit the stage at 8pm, I decided to take my time at home, had proper dinner, relaxed a little, and therefore avoided the chaotic madness of QEW during rush hour. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi got to the venue a little earlier to get ready to take some amazing shots of all bands, which by the way are all led by super talented ladies who make heavy music way better, heavier, and more fun. The merch selection was also great for all bands, including some kick-ass guitar picks from Crypta, and everything with good quality and for a reasonable price. Not only that, the variety of beer and other drinks at The Garrison is way bigger and cheaper than at bigger venues like Budweiser Stage. Supporting the underground definitely has its advantages, with the main one being the much lighter impact on your pocket for an even higher amount of adrenaline and energy onstage.

On a side note, before and after the bands kicked some serious ass onstage, I had the pleasure of chatting with the organizers of the Icelandic festival named Satán, who were on vacation in the city, enjoying a few concerts like Judas Priest/Alice Cooper last week, and Crypta this Wednesday. Gísli Sigmundsson, an Icelandic metal legend who fronts the old school Death Metal band Sororicide, and Kristján Guðmundsson, drummer for the ruthless Blackened Death Metal horde Nexion, were having an amazing time at The Garrison, and of course I enjoyed a lot talking to them about heavy music and both the Canadian and the Icelandic underground scenes. I told Kristján that Nexion must come to Toronto for a show, to which he replied “do people enjoy that type of blasphemic music here?” Well, I guess I don’t even need to say what I answered to him, right? And if you have the time and money available for a trip next summer, the Satán festival is happening between June 4 and 6, 2026. Who knows, maybe I can visit Iceland for a share of their own blasphemy then.

Labeled as a queer-fem metal band hailing from Brampton, Ontario, expressing experiences and struggles growing up as teenage fem-presenting people through their music, PRETTY FACE kicked off the party with their fusion of Hardcore with elements of Death and Doom Metal, and the reaction of the fans at The Garrison was excellent. Although they only have one song officially released, the 2024 single The Gore Road, available on Spotify, those girls sounded excellent onstage and showed endless energy during their short but effective set. I have zero idea of which songs they played, or who the band members are as there’s nothing online about that (and I’m sorry, but I forgot to ask them in person after their show), but those girls have a bright future ahead of them. As long as they release an EP or a full-length album in the coming months to keep their momentum going, of course.

The second opening band of the night was another local band, Hamilton, Ontario-based modern Sludge Metal/Deathcore act DEATH CLUB, who released their debut Betrayal back in 2024, available on both BandCamp and Spotify. Formed of Dana Bowman on vocals and guitar, Adam Baldwin on bass and backing vocals, and Chelsea Todd on drums, plus another unknown musician who’s probably just their tour guitarist (and again, sorry for not asking him his name), the band kept the heaviness flowing inside The Garrison, which was already packed by the time they hit the stage. You can get more details about the band by clicking HERE, and if they ever play a concert at your city or town, I highly recommend you go watch them live because their music is great, and their stage presence is just as awesome.

CRYPTA

There was some uncertainty in the air if the indomitable Brazilian Death Metal beast CRYPTA was actually going to play this Wednesday night in Toronto as the iconic Fernanda Lima and another one of her bandmates got stuck at the Canadian border when trying to cross it from the United States, forcing them to fly from a city near Buffalo into YYZ and going straight to the venue for the show. Fortunately, those girls are absolute badass, and nothing would stop them from delivering their slab of Death Metal to one of their most loyal fanbase worldwide. The band was on absolute fire from the very first seconds of one of my favorite Crypta songs, The Other Side of Anger, and their setlist blending their two album Echoes of the Soul (2021) and Shades of Sorrow (2023), both available on BandCamp and on Spotify, brought sheer chaos and anarchy to The Garrison to the point Keith didn’t even dare to try to get a spot in front of the stage for his photos. Yes, it was wild.

Fernanda was insane on stage as usual, the mesmerizing Tainá Bergamaschi kept shredding her axe in great fashion, headbanging like a maniac, and making what was supposed to be an “angry” face during the heaviest parts of their songs (although she looks way to nice and cool to really look angry), Luana Dametto showed no mercy for our necks and bodies, crushing her drums nonstop for our total delight (therefore igniting some demented mosh pits), and their new touring guitarist Victoria Villarreal, from bands like Chaos Rising and Syrebris, proved why she was chosen by the band to support them on this tour, also kicking some serious ass with her flammable riffs and solos. I just think the overall sound volume was a bit low, but nothing that could make their performance less demolishing.

Some of the songs were phenomenal live, including Kali, The Outsider, Stronghold, Starvation, and of course From the Ashes, and when you have that high quality material in your hands like the girls from Crypta do, you can rest assured you’re in for a treat when they take the stage of your city by storm like this Wednesday night in Toronto. Not only that, Fernanda might be one of the sweetest musicians from the current scene worldwide, as even after going through all that hassle to make it to Toronto for the show she didn’t leave the stage after their concert was done, taking photos, signing albums and shirts, and chatting with each and every fan that stayed at The Garrison way past 11pm to meet one of the most talented women in heavy music. Toronto loves you, girls! And we’re ready for another round of your ruthless Death Metal anytime you decide to return to our metallic city.

Setlist
The Aftermath
The Other Side of Anger
Kali
Lift the Blindfold
The Outsider
Possessed
Lullaby for the Forsaken
Stronghold
The Limbo
Trial of Traitors
Under the Black Wings
Starvation
Dark Clouds
Lord of Ruins
From the Ashes
The Closure

Band members
Fernanda Lira – vocals, bass
Tainá Bergamaschi – guitars
Victoria Villarreal – guitars
Luana Dametto – drums

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Album Review – Unsouling / Outward Streams of Devotional Woe (2025)

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This Minneapolis, Minnesota-based one-man project returns with his excellent sophomore opus based on loss, grief, and a longing to bring back connection via spiritual or even metaphysical reach.

After the dissolution of Feral Light, Minneapolis, Minnesota-based frontman and songwriter A.S. (aka Andy Schoengrund) wasted no time in channeling his artistic flair into a new project, the Experimental Black/Death Metal creature known as Unsouling. The project’s 2024 debut, Vampiric Spiritual Drain, laid the foundation for a new stylistic approach that is now fully realized on Outward Streams of Devotional Woe, its sophomore release. Conceived and recorded by A.S. at The Crypt, mixed by Sanford Parker at Hypercube Studios, mastered by Adam Tucker at Signaturetone Recording, and displaying an eerie artwork by Luciana Nedelea (with layout by Francesco Gemelli, known as Unexpected Specter), Outward Streams Of Devotional Woe is based on loss, grief, and a longing to bring back connection via spiritual or even metaphysical reach, and how this can bring great comfort.

The album starts with the cryptic, obscure Immaterial Entrance, where A.S. delivers minimalist riffs, bass lines and beats before morphing into an Atmospheric Black Metal beast, with its second half turning into sheer chaos and violence. Then investing in a more Doom Metal-inspired sonority it’s time for Your Momentary Passing, showcasing his harsh, anguished roars and sluggish drums, as well as a wall of experimentations. And presenting nuances of the Melodic Death Metal played by bands like Insomnium we have To Come Unbound, sounding utterly chilling and obscure until the end; whereas Grief Reconfigured is a lecture in Black Metal where A.S. puts the pedal to the metal and delivers his heaviest and most demonic side while also bringing forward pensive and visceral Blackened Doom moments. His metallic bass sets the tone in Towering Black Wave, another hybrid of Doom Metal with atmospheric and melodic passages, and it’s then time for the two-minute introspective interlude Passages, where his stylish sounds permeate the air until all comes to an end with Dissolved in Spiritus, crushing our minds and souls to A.S.’s vile gnarls and Post-Black Metal riffs, with its countless layers and tempo changes giving the whole song a hypnotizing vibe.

“The album differs from its predecessor in that the meandering exploration of Vampiric Spiritual Drain has been replaced with a more sure-footed and focused journey,” explained A.S. “The anchor of black metal with its bleed into gothic, dark wave, and death metal influences is still very much present, but it is more reigned in and pointed.” In terms of the themes covered, Unsouling remain faithful to the poetics of its debut, but, if possible, accentuate its existentialist vein, being therefore highly recommended for admirers of Sacramentum, Grave, Morgion, and Feral Light, just to name a few. You can also connect with A.S. and his Unsouling via Instagram, stream his unique music on Spotify, and above all that, grab a copy of Outward Streams of Devotional Woe from the project’s own BandCamp, from the I, Voidhanger Records’ BandCamp, or from Metal Odissey (in the US or in the EU/UK), or simply click HERE for all thing Unsouling. In the end, loss and grief are always extremely difficult to process inside our minds and hearts, and the music blasted by Unsouling in Outward Streams of Devotional Woe perfectly depicts that excruciating challenge, always supported by the dark beauty of extreme music.

Best moments of the album: Immaterial Entrance and Dissolved in Spiritus.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 I, Voidhanger Records

Track listing
1. Immaterial Entrance 6:02
2. Your Momentary Passing 4:58
3. To Come Unbound 5:22
4. Grief Reconfigured 5:18
5. Towering Black Wave 6:23
6. Passages 2:04
7. Dissolved in Spiritus 5:35

Band members
A.S. – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Enragement / Extinguish All Existence (2025)

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Playing their own blend of Technical and Brutal Death Metal, this Finnish entity will extinguish all existence to the sound of their invigorating and powerful new album.

Playing their own blend of Technical and Brutal Death Metal that’s insanely heavy and yet incredibly varied, Helsinki, Finland-based entity Enragement returns with their fourth full-length beast, an invigorating, powerful expression that ticks all the boxes entitled Extinguish All Existence. Following up on their 2022 album Atrocities, and showcasing a sinister artwork by Daemorph Art, the new album by Atte Ojanne and Tuomas Iivanainen on vocals and guitars, Juhana Korkka Heinonen on vocals and bass, and Lasse Sannikka on drums is a striking depiction of the band’s raw power, aggression and versatility, cementing their name not only in the local Finnish scene, but also everywhere else in the world where the fusion of violence and dexterity is truly appreciated.

Lasse shows no mercy for our souls and begins blasting his drums in Vorarephilia, a demented onrush of Technical Death Metal boosted by the band’s deranged growls and screeches, and things get even more serious and intricate in Abyssal Hellscapes, with the strident guitar lines by Atte and Tuomas bringing an extra dosage of violence to the band’s already demonic sounds. Then a Doom Metal-infused intro morphs into another killer attack by Enragement titled Pathogenesis, where their sulfurous vociferations match perfectly with the finesse and rage flowing from their riffs and solos; whereas the quartet keeps smashing our frail bodies with their blend of Death Metal in Parasitic Ingress, with Lasse once again sounding inhumane behind his drums, followed by Harbingers of Degradation, one of the heaviest, most infuriated songs of the album while also presenting extremely detailed and complex lines, with Lasse stealing the spotlight with his ruthless drumming.

Vesuvius is perhaps the “weakest” of all songs, although it’s still a pulverizing display of the band’s core Technical Death Metal, and it’s pedal to the metal in the technical yet venomous Hypercarnivorous, with the guitar duel by Atte and Tuomas exhaling heaviness and intricacy in an overdose of sonic madness by those talented Finnish metallers. After that, an infuriated attack of harsh growls, blast beats and razor-edged riffs will penetrate deep inside your soul in Insectiferous Abomination, living up to the legacy of complex and violent extreme music, and it’s time to break our necks headbanging to the utterly heavy Natural Mass Asphyxiation, with Juhana and Lasse making sure the earth trembles to the sound of their vicious kitchen. Then we have the title-track Extinguish All Existence closing the album on the most demented note you can think of, where the entire band sounds infernally awesome and with Atte, Tuomas and Juhana bursting their lungs screaming in the name of Death Metal.

In a nutshell, Enragement have struck the right balance with Extinguish All Existence, making their album satisfying, interesting, and also hugely enjoyable, in special for admirers of the bestial music crafted by Cutterred Flesh, Devourment, Abominable Putridity, Blood Red Throne, Katalepsy, Benighted, and Aborted, just to name a few. You can find more details about such an amazing Finnish band on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their awesome music on Spotify, and above all that, show them your utmost support by purchasing their new album from their BandCamp or from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp, main store, US store or EU store. It’s time to extinguish all existence, and the music found in the new album by Enragement will most definitely work as a great soundtrack for the cleansing of our putrid and decaying world.

Best moments of the album: Abyssal Hellscapes, Harbingers of Degradation and Extinguish All Existence.

Worst moments of the album: Vesuvius.

Released in 2025 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Vorarephilia 3:49
2. Abyssal Hellscapes 3:58
3. Pathogenesis 4:15
4. Parasitic Ingress 3:42
5. Harbingers of Degradation 3:37
6. Vesuvius 4:06
7. Hypercarnivorous 3:46
8. Insectiferous Abomination 3:49
9. Natural Mass Asphyxiation 3:34
10. Extinguish All Existence 5:22

Band members
Atte Ojanne – vocals, guitar
Tuomas Iivanainen – vocals, guitar
Juhana Korkka Heinonen – vocals, bass
Lasse Sannikka – drums

Album Review – De Profundis / The Gospel Of Rot EP (2025)

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The rot is everywhere, and it’s time to tear it down to the sound of the pulverizing new EP by one of the must-see names of the current UK Death Metal scene.

“The Gospel Of Rot is both a warning and a weapon – a sonic rebellion against the forces that seek to silence and subjugate. De Profundis offers not salvation but a wake-up call…” – De Profundis

Celebrating 20 years of death dealing and devastation, London, England-based Death Metal horde De Profundis has returned with a rejuvenated lineup and a brand new EP of stunning power and intensity, entitled The Gospel Of Rot. Recorded at Barking Dog Studio, mixed and mastered by Matt Jones at CapsaArx Studios, and embraced by a darkly beautiful artwork by Pierre-Alain D. of 3mmi Design, the new EP by frontman Stefano Bassi, guitarists Shoi Sen and Paul Nazarkardeh, bassist Simon McAuliffe, and drummer Tom Atherton will most definitely please fans of bands the likes of Death, Morbid Angel, Immolation, and Nocturnus, bringing together four tracks of furious Death Metal and masterful musicianship into a manifesto of resistance against the empty vessels that rule us, dragging our civilization into a mire of degradation.

The band wastes no time and kicks off the EP with the Death Metal extravaganza I: Corruption, where newcomer Stefano already showcases his ruthless deep guttural for our total delight, and Tom crushes his drums with rage and dexterity in II: Deception accompanied by the visceral Death Metal riff attack by Shoi and Paul. Then the quintet shows no mercy for our putrid souls in III: Indoctrination, offering an overdose of harsh riffs and demonic vociferations, with once again Simon and Tom making the earth tremble with their evil kitchen. And lastly, we have their cover version for Sepultura’s IV: Subtraction, from their 1991 masterpiece Arise (you can enjoy the original one HERE). De Profundis take the vibe from those Brazilian thrash and death heroes and add their own twist to it, resulting in a lecture in modern-day Death Metal where Stefano sounds brutally violent on vocals until the very end.

From their early days of primeval Doom and Death Metal, then venturing through the Progressive Death and Black Metal realms of their latest albums The Blinding Light of Faith (2018) and The Corruption of Virtue (2022), to the full-on Death Metal attack in The Gospel Of Rot, the band keeps crushing our putrid souls with their undisputed aggressiveness, precise musicianship, and a deep passion for the extreme, and you can get to know more about one of the precious gems of the British Death Metal scene by following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, by listening to all of their demented tunes on Spotify, and by purchasing the excellent The Gospel of Rot from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. In a nutshell, De Profundis are back at the very top of their game with The Gospel of Rot. Because the rot is everywhere, and it’s time to tear it down.

Best moments of the album: I: Corruption and IV: Subtraction.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. I: Corruption 4:11
2. II: Deception 3:45
3. III: Indoctrination 4:27
4. IV: Subtraction (Sepultura cover) 4:34

Band members
Stefano Bassi – vocals
Shoi Sen – guitars
Paul Nazarkardeh – guitars
Simon McAuliffe – bass
Tom Atherton – drums

Album Review – Warcoe / Upon Tall Thrones (2025)

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This Italian Doom Metal trio will attack armed with their third studio album, spinning tales of arcane fantasy and mortal frailty into riffs that crush and melodies that linger like a curse.

Having carved a niche in the underground since their inception in 2021 with a sound that’s both a homage to the old gods and a fresh hell of its own, slow-burning, groove-heavy, and laced with Stoner Metal venom, Pesaro, Italy-based Doom Metal trio Warcoe returns to action with their third album, titled Upon Tall Thrones, the follow-up to their 2023 opus A Place for Demons. Recorded at Avangarage Recording Studio, and mastered by Craig Thomas, Upon Tall Thrones sees vocalist and guitarist Stefano, bassist Carlo, and drummer Francesco ascend darker, heavier, and more hypnotic as they spin tales of arcane fantasy and mortal frailty into riffs that crush and melodies that linger like a curse.

The opening track Octagon exhales of the trademark and absolutely heavy sound created and perfected by Black Sabbath, from the doomed, grim vocals and riffs by Stefano to the sluggish beats by Francesco, and the final result is obviously hypnotizing, kicking off the album on a high and amazing note. Their devilish Sludge and Doom Metal sounds keep permeating the air in The Wanderer, with Carlo’s low-tuned, rumbling bass walking hand in hand with Francesco’s hammering drums; whereas adding a pinch of Rock N’ Roll to their core sonority we have I’ve Sat Upon Tall Thrones (but I’ll Never Learn), with Stefano slashing his axe in great fashion, resulting in a great option for raising our horns high in the sky in the name of our gold old heavy music.

Then after the soothing instrumental interlude Gather in the Woods we face Flame in Your Hand, another heavy-as-hell Doom Metal aria showcasing the power of the riff while Francesco flawlessly dictates the song’s devilish pace. Spheres again blends the obscurity of Doom Metal with the heavy yet melodic sounds of Sludge and Stoner Rock and Metal, followed by Deepest Grave, and a song with such a Stygian name deserved sheer heaviness, which is exactly what the trio offers, with the cryptic vocals by Stefano sounding spot-on. The ruthless bass by Carlo will punch you in the head in Brown Witch, accompanied by the Black Sabbath-fueled riffs and beats by his bandmates in a lecture in Doom Metal, while lastly it’s time for Dark into Light, with its main riff reminding me a lot of “Heaven & Hell” (which is obviously a good thing), and with the pounding beats by Francesco ending the album on a high note.

Dragging classic doom into the abyss and back with Sabbathian weight, Saint Vitus’ raw gloom, and the swagger of Trouble’s golden-era riffage, Upon Tall Thrones might be the band’s strongest effort to date, and if you want to know more about those bringers of Italian doom you can find them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their riff-laden compositions on Spotify, and grab a copy of their new album from their own BandCamp or from Ripple Music’s BandCamp or webstore. Warcoe definitely know how to craft heavy music filled with doom, gloom, might, and magic, and Upon Tall Thrones will undoubtedly take them places in their exciting mission of bringing sheer doom to our decaying world.

Best moments of the album: Octagon, Flame in Your Hand and Brown Witch.

Worst moments of the album: Spheres.

Released in 2025 Ripple Music

Track listing
1. Octagon 3:39
2. The Wanderer 3:45
3. I’ve Sat Upon Tall Thrones (but I’ll Never Learn) 4:09
4. Gather in the Woods 2:14
5. Flame in Your Hand 4:24
6. Spheres 4:23
7. Deepest Grave 5:00
8. Brown Witch 4:31
9. Dark into Light 5:40

Band members
Stefano – vocals, guitars, bass on “The Wanderer”
Carlo – bass
Francesco – drums

Album Review – Krigsgrav / Stormcaller (2025)

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A storm is brewing in the form of the eight studio album by this phenomenal Blackened Doom band hailing from the United States.

A storm is brewing. Hailing from Dallas, Texas, the unrelenting Black/Death/Doom Metal cult known as Krigsgrav returns two years after their critically acclaimed album Fires in the Fall with a brand new offering of absolute doom titled Stormcaller, the eight studio album in their solid career. Mixed and mastered by Owe Inborr at Wolfthrone Studios, with drums recorded by Sam Paquette at S.A.M. Studios, additional engineering by Cody Daniels, a Stygian cover art by the beyond talented Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, and album layout and design by Randi Matejowsky, the new opus by vocalist and guitarist Justin Coleman, guitarist Cody Daniels, bassist Wes Radvansky, and drummer and vocalist David Sikora is another lecture in Blackened Doom by one of the most prominent names of the scene worldwide, bringing sheer darkness and heaviness to our obscure hearts and souls.

Huntress of the Fire Moon, featuring guest vocals by Jens Rydén (of Swedish Viking/Black Metal band Thyrfing), is a very detailed and complex composition from the very first second, with the guitars by Justin and Cody exhaling epicness, whereas the harsh vociferations by Justin sound even darker in Stormcaller, while David keeps blasting his drums in great fashion. The quartet lets their Viking and Folk Metal vein pulse harder than ever in Twilight Fell, spearheaded by the pounding drums by David, and the final result is as epic as it is inspiring. And get ready for over seven minutes of harsh and obscure sounds in None Shall Remember Your Name, led by the always grim roars by Justin while their guitars exhale absolute darkness.

The second half of the album begins with more of their trademark fusion of Black, Death and Doom Metal with epic elements in the form of Bay of the Barghest, where their guitars sound striking and vibrant until the very end; and Cody fires a thrilling solo to kick off the excellent The Tonic of Wilderness, once again morphing into a bestial tune of Blackened Death and Doom Metal supported by the classic beats and fills by David. Ghosts is another six-minute beast of absolute doom, with their riffs and beats walking hand in hand, overflowing epicness and heaviness, and flowing into the grand finale entitled Womb-Death-Dawn, an explosion of Death and Doom Metal where Justin barks and roars like a creature from the abyss, resulting in a sinister, harsh conclusion to such a powerful and compelling album.

“When we started writing the songs that would make up Stormcaller, our intention was to create the most complete Krigsgrav album that took something from every era of the band, while still pushing our sound forward. A culmination of the blackest hues, doomiest of dirges, and most soaring of lead guitars. We think we achieved that, but we also wrote the best album of our career thus far. We trust that when you hear it, you’ll agree,” commented the band, and you can start following those amazing musicians on Facebook and on Instagram, enjoy their fantastic discography in full on Spotify, and of course purchase Stormcaller from BandCamp or from the Willowtip Records webstore, or simply click HERE for all things Krigsgrav. The band’s storm of absolute doom found in their new album is upon us, and once you’re embraced by their heavy sounds, there’s no way out.

Best moments of the album: Huntress of the Fire Moon, Twilight Fell and The Tonic of Wilderness.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Willowtip Records

Track listing
1. Huntress of the Fire Moon 5:44
2. Stormcaller 5:37
3. Twilight Fell 5:38
4. None Shall Remember Your Name 7:33
5. Bay of the Barghest 6:21
6. The Tonic of Wilderness 6:19
7. Ghosts 6:10
8. Womb-Death-Dawn 8:33

Band members
Justin Coleman – harsh vocals, guitar
Cody Daniels – lead guitar
Wes Radvansky – bass
David Sikora – clean vocals, drums

Guest musician
Jens Rydén – additional vocals on “Huntress of the Fire Moon”

Album Review – Paradise Lost / Ascension (2025)

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More than three decades into their career, UK’s own torchbearers of death and doom return with their seventeenth opus, traversing the multitude of sounds in their arsenal while keeping a minor-key melancholy that remains irresistible.

More than three decades into their career, and with over two million albums sold, Halifax, UK’s own  Doom/Death/Gothic Metal/Rock behemoths Paradise Lost remain the undisputed kings of metal’s darkest side, always putting us on a Stygian embrace of heaviness intertwined with shadowy melody and atmosphere. Now in 2025 the Yorkshire quintet formed of the iconic frontman Nick Holmes, guitarists Greg Mackintosh and Aaron Aedy, bassist Steve Edmondson, and drummer Guido Zima (who left the band after the album recordings were done, being replaced by Jeff Singer) returns with their staggering seventeenth album, entitled Ascension, a record that sees their crown continue to gleam as it underlines just how they attained their position. Produced by Greg Mackintosh at Black Planet Studios, with drums and vocals captured at NBS and Wasteland Studios, and adorned by the stunning painting “The Court of Death” (1902), by George Frederic Watts (1817 – 1904), the album’s ten tracks traverse the multitude of sounds in the band’s arsenal, from full-bore Heavy Metal to sky-high melody, all the while keeping a minor-key melancholy that remains irresistible.

Serpent on the Cross is absolutely gloomy and embracing from the very first second, with the sluggish beats by Guido exhaling Doom Metal magic, not to mention how crisp and piercing the guitars by Greg and Aaron sound, followed by Tyrants Serenade, one of the singles previously released, beautifully depicting the essence of the album with Nick stealing the show with his unique deep vocals while also presenting a strong Type O Negative vibe. Then we have Salvation, another lengthy and captivating aria of doom by those veterans with the keys by Greg sounding utterly haunting and somber; and their obscure sounds will penetrate deep inside your skull in Silence like the Grave, getting heavier and heavier while Nick vociferates the song’s devilish lyrics with endless anger in his blackened heart. And Lay a Wreath upon the World is one of their trademark dark ballads, albeit below the rest of the album regarding its punch and vibe.

The next track Diluvium sounds like it was taken from Icon or Draconian Times with a strong progressive twist thanks to the fantastic job done by Greg and Aaron armed with their stringed axes, whereas again delivering a beyond melancholic, slow and visceral Doom Metal sonority we have Savage Days, with Guido’s beats hitting us hard inside our heads. They keep blasting our minds with their idiosyncratic blend of Gothic and Doom Metal in Sirens, where their slashing riffs match perfectly with Nick’s vocals once again, even sounding a little like Metallica; and Steve and Guido will make your entire body tremble in Deceivers, accompanied by the thrilling sounds crafted by their bandmates, resulting in a lecture in modern-day Doom Metal with Gothic Rock and Metal nuances. And lastly, cryptic piano notes set the tone in The Precipice, closing the album on a pensive, sinister mode to the pounding drums by Guido and the menacing bass by Steve.

“The album title is taken from the belief in rising to the better place, in fiction from Earth to heaven, and all the requirements that go with that,” elaborates Nick Holmes. “In real life, people are often striving to get to a better place from birth, trying to be a better person, regardless of the fact that the only reward is death. The lyrics deal with everything that life throws at us. It’s never predictable, and within that it can also be terrifying. How people deal with death, the crutches they turn to, and how the mental state is affected by life changing situations is always intriguing.” Hence, you can join those trailblazers of doom in their quest for absolute darkness on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their unparalleled discography in full on Spotify, and of course click HERE to put your hands on such a beautiful album of obscure music. Because in the end,  Ascension stands proud in Paradise Lost’s canon. The misery never stops but, as the band itself likes to say, that’s how they like it.

Best moments of the album: Serpent on the Cross, Silence like the Grave and Deceivers.

Worst moments of the album: Lay a Wreath upon the World.

Released in 2025 Nuclear Blast Records

Track listing
1. Serpent on the Cross 6:12
2. Tyrants Serenade 4:20
3. Salvation 7:07
4. Silence like the Grave 4:46
5. Lay a Wreath upon the World 4:51
6. Diluvium 5:47
7. Savage Days 3:54
8. Sirens 4:46
9. Deceivers 3:37
10. The Precipice 5:42

Band members
Nick Holmes – vocals
Greg Mackintosh – lead guitars, keyboards
Aaron Aedy – rhythm guitars
Steve Edmondson – bass
Guido Zima – drums

Album Review – Esoctrilihum / Ghostigmatah – Spiritual Rites of the Psychopomp Abxulöm (2025)

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One of the most innovative names of the Avantgarde Black Metal scene worldwide returns with his tenth opus, a concept album telling the ritual stages in the long journey of dead souls towards the jaws of the eight-eyed psychopomp Abxulöm.

Often accused of having no sense of measure, French artist Asthâghul churns out a new double album that is grandiose, symphonic, psychedelic, liturgical, and delirious under his Avantgarde Black Metal alter-ego Esoctrilihum. Beautifully titled Ghostigmatah – Spiritual Rites of the Psychopomp Abxulöm, his tenth studio album is a prism that reflects every single nuance of the project’s sound, from bombastic Black and Death Metal, to Death and Doom Metal deviations, up to his recent Psych-Folk Metal explorations. Conceptually divided into four chapters, each of which telling a ritual stage in the long journey of dead souls towards the jaws of the eight-eyed psychopomp Abxulöm, who will finally deliver them to eternal nothingness, the new album by Asthâghul on vocals, guitar, bass, drums, synth, organ, theremin, harp, kantele, hammered dulcimer, and nyckelharpa, with “ultra-dimensional high vocals” by guest Esthurïelh, is a must-listen for fans of Leviathan, The Ruins Of Beverast, Inquisition, Xasthur, all adorned by a wicked artwork named “Youth Of The Beast” by Alan Brown (aka Medusawolf), with photography by Aylowenn Aëla, and visual design by Francesco Gemelli.

In the opening track Hark! The Bewitched Trumpet of the Red Harbinger Is Calling the Dead to Gather, there’s no intro nor any build up. It goes straight to your jugular with Asthâghul’s demented beats and creepy keyboards sounding fantastic from start to finish; and his fusion of Avantgarde Black Metal with the church-like sounds from his organ result in an imposing wall of sounds in Kneeling Before the Keeper of the Golden Key to the Absolute Void, followed by At the Mercy of the Flaming Spear of the Bestial Hierophant, also presenting Asthâghul’s demented vision in the form of his own blend of Black Metal. His sonic onrush continues in full force in Flesh Pierced by the Blades of Thritônh, Eyes Devoured by Vulth Suidarl, The Giant Fly, leaning towards Atmospheric Black Metal at times thanks to the dark and dense vibe boosted by his deep, desperate roars, and the way he blends the sounds of all instruments in such a cohesive manner in Hypnotic Danse Macabre of the Blind Noctivagants is outstanding, resulting in a ritualistic Black Metal celebration.

Orgiastic Sacrificial Mass to Conjur Abxulöm, Psychopomp Supreme presents even elements from Industrial Black Metal, giving the whole song an even harsher vibe, with his demonic vocals and blast beats living up to the legacy of the genre. Then it’s absolute chaos, madness and despair in Saturnal Towers of the Mighty Scarlet Moon Upon the Black Universe, bringing forward another blast of scorching riffs and phantasmagorical keys by our multi-talented Asthâghul, who then goes full Experimental Death Metal in The Cosmic Deathbringer Comes, Riding a Bloody Horse of Goshenite, with his deep guttural and screeching riffage hitting us hard in the head. In Mauled, Swallowed and Dissolved into Nothingness by the 8-Eyed Psychopomp we see our lone wolf pounding his drums with tons of anger while his vocals lines sound absolutely ritualistic. It’s a weird song, though, maybe a bit too much, but still enjoyable, flowing into the atmospheric and creepy outro Supplication of the Veiled Saint from the Secret Book of the Ghostigmatah Rites where we face one final Black Metal attack to conclude the album on a visceral mode.

A post-mortem ritual that is told in the secret grimoire of the Ghostigmatah, a sort of modern Necronomicon that constitutes another piece in Esoctrilihum’s phantasmagorical visionary world, Ghostigmatah – Spiritual Rites of the Psychopomp Abxulöm is a nightmarish, mystical dimension of death beyond time and space, inhabited by an artist who, through his music, fearlessly lets its dark light filter into our reality. And even if nothing of this massive explanation makes any sense to you, you should definitely go check all albums by the multi-talented and unstoppable Asthâghul and his Esoctrilihum on Spotify, and grab a copy of his new nightmare-fueled album from the I, Voidhanger Records’ BandCamp or from Metal Odissey as a CD (EU or US) or as an LP (EU or US). Ghostigmatah – Spiritual Rites of the Psychopomp Abxulöm might not be an album recommended for the average listener or for the lighthearted, but once you dive deep into the experimental realm ruled by Asthâghul like what he has to offer in his new album, you’ll realize you’re in front of one of the leading beasts of the Avantgarde Black Metal movement worldwide.

Best moments of the album: Hark! The Bewitched Trumpet of the Red Harbinger Is Calling the Dead to Gather, Orgiastic Sacrificial Mass to Conjur Abxulöm, Psychopomp Supreme and Saturnal Towers of the Mighty Scarlet Moon Upon the Black Universe.

Worst moments of the album: Mauled, Swallowed and Dissolved into Nothingness by the 8-Eyed Psychopomp.

Released in 2025 I, Voidhanger Records

Track listing
1. Hark! The Bewitched Trumpet of the Red Harbinger Is Calling the Dead to Gather 9:47
2. Kneeling Before the Keeper of the Golden Key to the Absolute Void 9:06
3. At the Mercy of the Flaming Spear of the Bestial Hierophant 7:46
4. Flesh Pierced by the Blades of Thritônh, Eyes Devoured by Vulth Suidarl, The Giant Fly 8:39
5. Hypnotic Danse Macabre of the Blind Noctivagants 7:28
6. Orgiastic Sacrificial Mass to Conjur Abxulöm, Psychopomp Supreme 8:34
7. Saturnal Towers of the Mighty Scarlet Moon Upon the Black Universe 9:36
8. The Cosmic Deathbringer Comes, Riding a Bloody Horse of Goshenite 8:36
9. Mauled, Swallowed and Dissolved into Nothingness by the 8-Eyed Psychopomp 9:16
10. Supplication of the Veiled Saint from the Secret Book of the Ghostigmatah Rites 5:04

Band members
Asthâghul – vocals, guitar, bass, drums, synth, organ, theremin, harp, kantele, hammered dulcimer, nyckelharpa

Guest musician
Esthurïelh – additional vocals

Album Review – +MROME+ / Boneyard Twist (2025)

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Poland’s own uncanny force is back with its fourth studio opus, offering nine raw tracks that represent a return to the project’s dark roots from the mid 90’s.

Reaping the harvest on scorched soil since their inception in the already prehistorical year of 1995, Andrychów, Poland’s own Black/Death Metal entity +MROME+ is back three years after Barbaric Values with their fourth installment, entitled Boneyard Twist. Recorded live in studio during a one-day session on November 18, 2023 at Heaven’s Sound Studio under the ear of Marcin Piekło, who also worked out the final sound of the album, with vocals recorded in February 2024 at Piekłoniebo, and adorned by a painting by Mateusz Gawęda, the new album by Ataman Tolovy on vocals and synths, Key V on the guitars, and P on drums contains nine raw tracks that represent a return to their dark roots from the mid 90’s, inspired by the First Wave Black Metal and complemented by hard-shell lyrics dealing with grave residents, history, disabilities of body and mind, necromancy, and even monks exploding.

The party begins in full force with Figures, with their experimental, idiosyncratic blend of Black and Death Metal being boosted by the venomous roars by Ataman Tolovy. Key V then delivers his trademark scathing riffs in Hypercarnivore, accompanied by the Doom Metal-infused drums by P, and of course the final result is a haunting beast of extreme music; and the harsh vociferations by Ataman Tolovy will send shivers down your spines in Mind upon Matter, another blast of primeval Black and Death Metal by the trio. Aristocrat, the first single of the album, also presents the heavy-as-hell riffage by Key V while P dictates the song’s Stygian pace behind his drums, followed by Pigheart, a hammering tune by such an uncanny trio, with Ataman Tolovy’s vocals sounding even more enraged and sinister.

Then rumbling, metallic sounds are the main ingredients in Of Man and Lamb, offering an avalanche of raw, cryptic Black and Death Metal where Ataman Tolovy roars and screams manically nonstop, flowing into the disruptive (yet a bit lengthy) interlude Bonemass, which sets the tone for the beautifully titled Embarrassment of Whores, leaning towards a fusion of Death and Doom Metal, with the sluggish beats by P matching perfectly with the vile guitar lines by Key V, resulting in a lecture in extreme music by those Polish metallers. And lastly, we’re treated to the also venomous The Opening Bat, which starts in a horror movie-like mode before morphing into a rockin’ feast spearheaded by Key V’s slashing riffage.

+MROME+ continue to entirely be a studio project focused on creative process and concepts behind the music, lyrics and graphics in Boneyard Twist (which is by the way available in full on YouTube), staying away from any type of social media except for their presence on BandCamp and on Spotify (although their new album is not available there yet), and that Stygian approach matches perfectly with the music found in their newborn spawn. Boneyard Twist is raw and unique, devilish and caustic, and while those mysterious musicians from Poland keep breathing, we can rest assured the world will have to face more scathing albums like that in the coming years, and that’s simply awesome.

Best moments of the album: Hypercarnivore, Pigheart and Embarrassment of Whores.

Worst moments of the album: Bonemass.

Released in 2025 NRA

Track listing
1. Figures 4:39
2. Hypercarnivore 4:04
3. Mind upon Matter 2:49
4. Aristocrat 3:39
5. Pigheart 3:57
6. Of Man and Lamb 3:22
7. Bonemass 2:39
8. Embarrassment of Whores 5:24
9. The Opening Bat 4:43

Band members
Ataman Tolovy – vocals, synthesizer
Key V – guitar
P – drums