#epicdoommetal — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #epicdoommetal, aggregated by home.social.
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After i gloriously didn't had time for #BandcampFriday , i'll at least participate for the #Saturdoom with some #EpicDoomMetal .
Thronehammer - Kingslayer
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Exxûl - Sealed Into None
#epicdoommetal #epicmetal #doommetal #heavymetal of excellent quality. Really really good stuff.
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#NowPlaying the recent album "In the Templer of the Tyrant" by the band #Behölder from the #USA
#EpicDoomMetal #Dark #PowerMetal #HeavyMetal #AlbumsOf2025
Personal Rating: 8 / 10
Recommended Tracks: "Draconian (Slave or Master)", "I Magus", "Into the Underdark", "A Pale Blood Sky", "Eyes of the Deep", "For those who Fell", "Summoned & Bound"
https://beholderblacklion.bandcamp.com/album/in-the-temple-of-the-tyrant
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ON THE LOOSE (Portugal) presenta nou àlbum: "Path to Serenity" #OnTheLoose #EpicDoomMetal #Novembre2025 #Portugal #NouÀlbum #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic
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Αδιανόητη η επιστροφή των Candlemass με Messiah. Έπαιξαν αψεγάδιαστα, ο Messiah κρυστάλλινος και ευδιάθετος, σαν να μη πέρασε μια μέρα. Συγκινητικό και να βλέπεις τον Leif Endling ακόμα στη σκηνή ύστερα από τα θέματα υγείας που έχει περάσει. Ο Lars Johansson να διαλύει την κιθάρα με μερικά από τα πιο εμπνευσμένα σόλο που έχουν γραφτεί στο Metal. Πολλά τα δυνατά συναισθήματα και η συγκίνηση, όταν ξαναβλέπεις μία από τις πιο αγαπημένες μπάντες των εφηβικών και μετεφηβικών χρόνων, στην απόλυτη σύνθεση, μετά από 20 χρόνια. Το σέτλιστ τέλειο, έπαιξαν όλα τα υπερχιτς που θέλαμε να ακούσουμε. Το κοινό ήταν δυναμικότατο, δεν σταμάτησε δευτερόλεπτο να τραγουδάει και να φωνάζει το όνομα του Messiah και των Candlemass.
Υποτίθεται λένε ότι ήταν μία και μοναδική συναυλία, αλλά πιστεύω ότι θα κάνουν κι άλλες (αν ήταν και έξυπνοι επιχειρηματίες, αυτό θα το κάνουν). Μακάρι δηλαδή, είναι κρίμα να μην τους έχει δει κάποιος με αυτή τη σύνθεση.
Candlemass (with Messiah) - Marche Funebre & The Well of Souls (Live in Athens, Greece - 2025)
Candlemass (with Messiah) - Bewitched (Live in Athens, Greece - 2025)
Candlemass (with Messiah) - At the Gallows End (Live in Athens, Greece - 2025)
#music #μουσική #doommetal #metal #epicdoommetal #candlemass #gigs #συναυλίες -
SARCASM SYNDROME (Àustria) presenta nou àlbum: "Thy Offering" #SarcasmSyndrome #EpicDoomMetal #Agost2025 #Àustria #NouÀlbum #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic
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Anchorite – Realm of Ruin Review
By Steel Druhm
2025 has not given me nearly enough epic doom. I need a lot of that stuff to offset my obsession with sub-basement phlegm-death, or my entire equilibrium starts to go pear-shaped and fall off the tracks. Luckily, international collective Anchorite are on the job with their sophomore opus, Realm of Ruin. Using the tried-and-trve sound profile of Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus, Crypt Sermon, and Sorcerer, all the key landmarks are present, with heavy riffs, powerful vocals, and a sense of melancholy lurking behind the iron fistery. What gives Anchorite a leg up is a sizeable dose of testosterone and machismo in their doom chowder. They borrow from acts like Pale Divine and Argus and aim to kick you in the nether regions even as they harsh your mellow emotionally. Is that the sort of dual-tracked abuse you want from your metal? If so, follow me to the punishment area.
The gates open wide on the opening title track to reveal a powerful, punchy sound with burly riffs pushing the song forward as Leo Stivala (Forsaken, Pagan Altar) delivers manly, rough-hewn bellows and plaintive, somber tones as the moment requires. This is almost like vintage Iced Earth doing epic doom, and honestly, it works pretty damn well. Better still is “The Lighthouse Chronicles,” which takes you on a moody, emotional voyage over 7-plus minutes with hooks deployed expertly along the way to snare your ear. It’s plenty mournful and forlorn, but the epic energy crackles just below the surface and the riffs are meaty and forceful. The chorus is immediately memorable, supported by dour riffing that reeks of Paradise Lost. Add an intriguing midpoint segment that screams introspective Nevermore, and it’s clear Anchorite are onto something. Through it all, Stivala moves adroitly from rougher tones to weepy sadboi wails, convincing at all times. Showing Anchorite’s range, “Devil on the Throne” shifts to muscular, bluesy biker doom like Place of Skulls and Pale Divine. It’s less direct, more classically doomy, and 70s Sabbath jam-intensive. It checks all the boxes, and Stivala once again channels Warrel Dane’s potent spirit to good effect.
If things had slipped a bit on the album’s back half, I’d still be pretty impressed with Realm of Ruin. Instead, you get shellacked by the majesty and might of “The Apostate’s Prayer,” which is half vintage Candlemass, half Sorcerer, and all badass. The guitar work here is stellar, and Stivala ups his game significantly for a vocal tour de force running across misery, grief, and soul-killing inner conflict. His despondent cries of “I have fallen so far” will give you goose bumps and pierce your cold, dead heart. This tune is aces. Closer “Kingdom Undone” is another big moment with a gripping chorus that blends classic metal, doom, and just a hint of power cheese for something extra hooky. It reminds me of the material on Human Fortress’ stellar Defenders of the Crown, but with a melancholic sheen slathered over everything. There are no duds here, and every track brings something interesting to the table, though they don’t all reach the same peaks as the aforementioned highlights. A few tracks suffer from slight bloating around the edges, but at 54 minutes, Realm of Ruin doesn’t feel overlong, nor would I want to see any selections cut.
I’m quite impressed with Leo Stivala’s performance. He mixes forceful Jorn-esque bellows with effectively downcast classic doom singing and switches up his delivery enough to provide surprises and meet the material where it is. He’s got some of the same charm and appeal as Crypt Sermon’s Brooks Wilson, and also reminds one of Robert Lowe (Solitude Aeturnus) at times. Then there are the scattered Warrel Dane bits. Not bad company to find oneself in. Matching Stivala at each step is the guitar work by Martin Andersen. He blends classic heavy metal tropes with all the expected epic doom sounds and brings in touches of power metal to round out the experience. He delivers emotional moments in his solos and harmonies while keeping things heavier than one might expect. Impressive showing in all phases.
Realm of Ruin is one of those albums you enjoy on the first go-through, and with each spin, it reveals more of itself until you’re fully submerged in the band’s craftwork. Anchorite have writing chops, and Realm comes fairly close to reaching the upper levels of doom glory. As it stands, it’s an immersive stroll through the ruins with moments of genuine brilliance and grandeur. I’ll be watching these cats closely because their potential is writ large. A happy surprise and well recommended.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Personal Records
Website: facebook.com/anchoritedoom
Releases Worldwide: August 1st, 2025#2025 #35 #Anchorite #Argus #Aug25 #Candlemass #CryptSermon #DesolateRealm #DoomMetal #EpicDoomMetal #InternationalMetal #PaleDivine #RealmOfRuin #Review #Reviews #SolitudeAeturnus #Sorcerer
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CANDLEMASS (Suècia) presenta nova demo: "Dark Are the Veils of Death" #Candlemass #EpicDoomMetal #Maig2025 #Suècia #NovaDemo #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic
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LORD VIGO (Alemanya) presenta nou àlbum: "Walk the Shadows" #LordVigo #EpicDoomMetal #Maig2025 #Alemanya #NouÀlbum #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic
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CANDLEMASS (Suècia) presenta nou EP: "Black Star" #Candlemass #EpicDoomMetal #Maig2025 #Suècia #NouEp #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic
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ELUSIVE GOD (Croàcia) presenta nou àlbum: "Ambis" #ElusiveGod #EpicDoomMetal #Maig2025 #Croàcia #NouÀlbum #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic
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Behölder – In the Temple of the Tyrant Review
By Steel Druhm
When members of various obscure power and prog metal bands like Shadowdance and Chaos Frame managed to recruit Judicator’s John Yelland for an epic doom project heavily inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, Steel was unable to resist hearing the results. So he took a flyer on Behölder and their In the Temple of the Tyrant debut and hoped for good doom things. Would it be utter cheese and need a high-level necromancer to save it? Would it be a rousing, sword-swinging platter or Iron Age heroics? As it turns out, In the Temple of the Tyrant is more like Crypt Sermon mixed with a modest dose of Hammerfall-esque power and seasoned with the muscular machismo of Eternal Champion. Does the sound of that meaty broth get your sword rising? Me too. Let’s fight!
The best way to open an epic doom album is with some hefty epic doom, and Behölder does just that with “A Pale Blood Sky.” It’s very Crypt Sermon / Candlemassive, with big, crunchy doom riffs and slick melodic trills. Yellen’s powerful and enthusiastic delivery rounds out the doom enchilada excellently, taking us on a trip through dark crypts and creepy vistas. It’s the kind of doom I eat up like candied bacon, and I love this tune muchly. It’s powerful, but oh so accessible and entertaining, and shows that these cats know their chosen genre very well. “Eyes of the Deep” is another killer, with a strong Eternal Champion vibe. Tomi Joutsen of Amorphis shows up on the back end to drop immense death roars that take the song to the next level and everything is slick and compelling as fook. “For Those Who Fell” is like the glorious Hammerfall power ballads of old (their first 2 albums) and it sucks you in and keeps you hanging on. “Draconian (Slave or Master)” is a ridiculously hooky cut elevated to glorious heights by Yellan’s epical vocals. You will not forget the chorus, and it will haunt you onto death. This one has Song o’ the Year written all over it, folks.
While the highs on the album are very high, there are a few tracks that can’t scale the same summit. “Dungeon Master” is just okay and overly tongue-in-cheek as it takes the perspective of those master nerd game planners a bit too seriously. It doesn’t vibe well with the huge epic doom flavor of the surrounding tracks and takes you out of that headspace. Closer “I Magus” is also a bit underbaked. It’s plenty riffy with a Sanctuary / Nevermore vibe, but it never gets rolling into high gear. Likewise, “Summoned & Bound” trods on the path to greatness laid out by classic Candlemass, but it never completes the journey, becoming somewhat unsatisfying by the end. No song is completely unworthy, however, and as a cohesive album, this thing is a whole lotta fun from start to finish.
John Yellan is the star of the show here, with his vocals elevating the material several notches. On the best stuff, he takes it to the house, bringing poise and grace to the doom show. He manages to keep his performance restrained and doesn’t overdo things, nor does he rely on high-pitched wailing to emphasize the dramatic bits. He gives the songs just the right amount of power and poise and does a great job throughout. Founder and band mastermind Carlos Alvarez, along with Matt Hodson of Chaos Frame, bring a healthy selection of large doom leads and stirring solos, while dabbling in plenty of traditional and power metal spaces along the way. I like their work best when they stay in the Candlemass / Crypt Sermon vein, but I can’t argue one bit with departures like “Draconian (Slave or Master).”
Behölder have chops across the board, and when their writing comes together, you get great tunes full of nods to genre masters. If the writing was a touch more consistent, this would be my first 4.0 of 2025, but In the Temple of the Tyrant falls a bit short of those lofty heights. Yet there are several songs that could end up as my Song o’ the Year, and that’s saying something about the strength of this googly-eyed floating beast. Roll the dice, hear this, find the moments that thrill your inner warrior. Swords up for Behölder!
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Black Lion
Websites: beholderblacklion.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/beholderdoom
Releases Worldwide: April 25th, 2025#2025 #35 #AmericanMetal #Apr25 #Behölder #BlackLionRecords #Candlemass #CryptSermon #EpicDoomMetal #EternalChampion #Hammerfall #HeavyMetal #InTheTempleOfTheTyrant #Judicator #Review #Reviews #Sorcerer
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Behölder – In the Temple of the Tyrant Review
By Steel Druhm
When members of various obscure power and prog metal bands like Shadowdance and Chaos Frame managed to recruit Judicator’s John Yelland for an epic doom project heavily inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, Steel was unable to resist hearing the results. So he took a flyer on Behölder and their In the Temple of the Tyrant debut and hoped for good doom things. Would it be utter cheese and need a high-level necromancer to save it? Would it be a rousing, sword-swinging platter or Iron Age heroics? As it turns out, In the Temple of the Tyrant is more like Crypt Sermon mixed with a modest dose of Hammerfall-esque power and seasoned with the muscular machismo of Eternal Champion. Does the sound of that meaty broth get your sword rising? Me too. Let’s fight!
The best way to open an epic doom album is with some hefty epic doom, and Behölder does just that with “A Pale Blood Sky.” It’s very Crypt Sermon / Candlemassive, with big, crunchy doom riffs and slick melodic trills. Yellen’s powerful and enthusiastic delivery rounds out the doom enchilada excellently, taking us on a trip through dark crypts and creepy vistas. It’s the kind of doom I eat up like candied bacon, and I love this tune muchly. It’s powerful, but oh so accessible and entertaining, and shows that these cats know their chosen genre very well. “Eyes of the Deep” is another killer, with a strong Eternal Champion vibe. Tomi Joutsen of Amorphis shows up on the back end to drop immense death roars that take the song to the next level and everything is slick and compelling as fook. “For Those Who Fell” is like the glorious Hammerfall power ballads of old (their first 2 albums) and it sucks you in and keeps you hanging on. “Draconian (Slave or Master)” is a ridiculously hooky cut elevated to glorious heights by Yellan’s epical vocals. You will not forget the chorus, and it will haunt you onto death. This one has Song o’ the Year written all over it, folks.
While the highs on the album are very high, there are a few tracks that can’t scale the same summit. “Dungeon Master” is just okay and overly tongue-in-cheek as it takes the perspective of those master nerd game planners a bit too seriously. It doesn’t vibe well with the huge epic doom flavor of the surrounding tracks and takes you out of that headspace. Closer “I Magus” is also a bit underbaked. It’s plenty riffy with a Sanctuary / Nevermore vibe, but it never gets rolling into high gear. Likewise, “Summoned & Bound” trods on the path to greatness laid out by classic Candlemass, but it never completes the journey, becoming somewhat unsatisfying by the end. No song is completely unworthy, however, and as a cohesive album, this thing is a whole lotta fun from start to finish.
John Yellan is the star of the show here, with his vocals elevating the material several notches. On the best stuff, he takes it to the house, bringing poise and grace to the doom show. He manages to keep his performance restrained and doesn’t overdo things, nor does he rely on high-pitched wailing to emphasize the dramatic bits. He gives the songs just the right amount of power and poise and does a great job throughout. Founder and band mastermind Carlos Alvarez, along with Matt Hodson of Chaos Frame, bring a healthy selection of large doom leads and stirring solos, while dabbling in plenty of traditional and power metal spaces along the way. I like their work best when they stay in the Candlemass / Crypt Sermon vein, but I can’t argue one bit with departures like “Draconian (Slave or Master).”
Behölder have chops across the board, and when their writing comes together, you get great tunes full of nods to genre masters. If the writing was a touch more consistent, this would be my first 4.0 of 2025, but In the Temple of the Tyrant falls a bit short of those lofty heights. Yet there are several songs that could end up as my Song o’ the Year, and that’s saying something about the strength of this googly-eyed floating beast. Roll the dice, hear this, find the moments that thrill your inner warrior. Swords up for Behölder!
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Black Lion
Websites: beholderblacklion.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/beholderdoom
Releases Worldwide: April 25th, 2025#2025 #35 #AmericanMetal #Apr25 #Behölder #BlackLionRecords #Candlemass #CryptSermon #EpicDoomMetal #EternalChampion #Hammerfall #HeavyMetal #InTheTempleOfTheTyrant #Judicator #Review #Reviews #Sorcerer
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Behölder – In the Temple of the Tyrant Review
By Steel Druhm
When members of various obscure power and prog metal bands like Shadowdance and Chaos Frame managed to recruit Judicator’s John Yelland for an epic doom project heavily inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, Steel was unable to resist hearing the results. So he took a flyer on Behölder and their In the Temple of the Tyrant debut and hoped for good doom things. Would it be utter cheese and need a high-level necromancer to save it? Would it be a rousing, sword-swinging platter or Iron Age heroics? As it turns out, In the Temple of the Tyrant is more like Crypt Sermon mixed with a modest dose of Hammerfall-esque power and seasoned with the muscular machismo of Eternal Champion. Does the sound of that meaty broth get your sword rising? Me too. Let’s fight!
The best way to open an epic doom album is with some hefty epic doom, and Behölder does just that with “A Pale Blood Sky.” It’s very Crypt Sermon / Candlemassive, with big, crunchy doom riffs and slick melodic trills. Yellen’s powerful and enthusiastic delivery rounds out the doom enchilada excellently, taking us on a trip through dark crypts and creepy vistas. It’s the kind of doom I eat up like candied bacon, and I love this tune muchly. It’s powerful, but oh so accessible and entertaining, and shows that these cats know their chosen genre very well. “Eyes of the Deep” is another killer, with a strong Eternal Champion vibe. Tomi Joutsen of Amorphis shows up on the back end to drop immense death roars that take the song to the next level and everything is slick and compelling as fook. “For Those Who Fell” is like the glorious Hammerfall power ballads of old (their first 2 albums) and it sucks you in and keeps you hanging on. “Draconian (Slave or Master)” is a ridiculously hooky cut elevated to glorious heights by Yellan’s epical vocals. You will not forget the chorus, and it will haunt you onto death. This one has Song o’ the Year written all over it, folks.
While the highs on the album are very high, there are a few tracks that can’t scale the same summit. “Dungeon Master” is just okay and overly tongue-in-cheek as it takes the perspective of those master nerd game planners a bit too seriously. It doesn’t vibe well with the huge epic doom flavor of the surrounding tracks and takes you out of that headspace. Closer “I Magus” is also a bit underbaked. It’s plenty riffy with a Sanctuary / Nevermore vibe, but it never gets rolling into high gear. Likewise, “Summoned & Bound” trods on the path to greatness laid out by classic Candlemass, but it never completes the journey, becoming somewhat unsatisfying by the end. No song is completely unworthy, however, and as a cohesive album, this thing is a whole lotta fun from start to finish.
John Yellan is the star of the show here, with his vocals elevating the material several notches. On the best stuff, he takes it to the house, bringing poise and grace to the doom show. He manages to keep his performance restrained and doesn’t overdo things, nor does he rely on high-pitched wailing to emphasize the dramatic bits. He gives the songs just the right amount of power and poise and does a great job throughout. Founder and band mastermind Carlos Alvarez, along with Matt Hodson of Chaos Frame, bring a healthy selection of large doom leads and stirring solos, while dabbling in plenty of traditional and power metal spaces along the way. I like their work best when they stay in the Candlemass / Crypt Sermon vein, but I can’t argue one bit with departures like “Draconian (Slave or Master).”
Behölder have chops across the board, and when their writing comes together, you get great tunes full of nods to genre masters. If the writing was a touch more consistent, this would be my first 4.0 of 2025, but In the Temple of the Tyrant falls a bit short of those lofty heights. Yet there are several songs that could end up as my Song o’ the Year, and that’s saying something about the strength of this googly-eyed floating beast. Roll the dice, hear this, find the moments that thrill your inner warrior. Swords up for Behölder!
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Black Lion
Websites: beholderblacklion.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/beholderdoom
Releases Worldwide: April 25th, 2025#2025 #35 #AmericanMetal #Apr25 #Behölder #BlackLionRecords #Candlemass #CryptSermon #EpicDoomMetal #EternalChampion #Hammerfall #HeavyMetal #InTheTempleOfTheTyrant #Judicator #Review #Reviews #Sorcerer
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METALLUS (Polònia) presenta nou àlbum: "We're All Doomed" #Metallus #EpicDoomMetal #Març2025 #Polònia #NouÀlbum #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic
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#CurrentlyListeningTo Candlemass - Ancient Dreams #HeavyMetal #DoomMetal #EpicDoomMetal 🇸🇪
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Candlemass reunite with Messiah Marcolin for one gig in Greece. 😮
I wonder what will happen next.#Candlemass
#MessiahMarcolin
#doom
#metal
#epicdoommetal
#doommetal -
6
This album from the Little Rock band has several songs that just give me the feels :)
Pallbearer Mind Burns Alive
Bandcamp link:
https://pallbearer.bandcamp.com/album/mind-burns-alive -
Stygian Crown – Funeral for a King Review
By Dolphin Whisperer
The clamor of zhangu, taiko, ahuli, tabor—even the timpani in a modern orchestral context—the steady hammering of the battlefield finds a comfort, an attachment to the mallet metronome of such simple instruments. In memory of sorrow, the rhythm of death metal through one of its most bass-rumbling pioneers, Bolt Thrower, finds that war-like march not just in pounding kicks but also weighted guitar harmonies and bass-throttled grooves that stir the warrior’s heart. Stygian Crown in their idiosyncratic expression of the metal arts embodies in part that low-end fueled, sword-rattling thunder. But as the title Funeral for a King may imply, and as the Steel One himself has explored before, Stygian Crown doesn’t just riff, they doom. Oh, do they doom!
And yes, that doom remains in the Candlemassive framing as prior, though Stygian Crown’s inherent aggression allows songs to propel in a way that the epic legends never quite achieved. Leif Edling came close a few times with his offshoot project Krux and the two Candlemass EPs with Mats Levén1 at the helm, but even then the heavier drive in those albums comes from bluesy rock with modern kicks. Funeral for a Crown feeds on the fervor of death metal in a way that remains understated against lurching guitar grooves, letting martial double-kick runs rumble tension separate from doom surroundings (“The Bargain,” “Beauty and Terror”). And, of course, what would this monolithic style be without a singer whose presence stands mountainous? Mic mistress Melissa Pinion belts through every number not like the extended-note runners in other projects but rather with a vibrato that warbles just on the edge of breaking in its power, akin to the polarizing wail of the charismatic Blaze Bayley. What would a great album be without a little controversy?
Controversy cracks the formula, after all. Though Stygian Crown wears their influences proudly, Funeral reigns anointed with smatterings of thoughtful embellishments to what is, at its base, an uncomplicated endeavor. Pinion steadies her lines atop creeping, distorted harmonies in a fashion that often rises, rises, and rises more. This shift from the more predictable rise and fall of her older performances allows her to find sonic nooks not serviced by the thick sounds of bandmates and encourages exploration into screeching falsetto (“The Bargain”) and heart-grasping ballad accompanied by her own piano work and a guest violinist. This guest—a performer by the name of Ann Hackman whose credits remain a mystery—also provides the discordant, tension-building “Let Thy Snares Be Planted” which allows the tectonic groove of “The Bargain” to rumble a magnitude higher. Even when Stygian Crown plays to their most Bolt Riffing tendencies (“Where the Candle Always Burns,” “Beauty and Terror”), they know how to slow the assault with a carefully injected doom verse that Pinion owns with an unmatched pride.
Pride in attack and fullness in tone, keeps Funeral from ever shifting too far down one lane long enough to get stuck. Breaking ice from the get with a titular intro, which functions similarly to a no-nonsense hailing like “The Ides of March”(Iron Maiden, Killers) or “War” (Bolt Thrower, For Victory), Stygian Crown works to rip the doors open. Sure, the proceeding “Bushido” slices fine with its own hefty bass tussle, but just as a king upon a grand throne, this style needs a dose of chest-pounding to maintain its atmosphere. Conversely, lead guitarist Nelson Tomas Miranda never lets his solos overstay their waning scrawl, his concise bars instead serving as a crackling bridge with his longest scratch on “Where the Candle…” filling a thematic role in its extra duty. And when Stygian Crown does decide to indulge for the drawn-out closer “Strait of Messina,” they subvert their own grandeur with a speedy Maiden-like coda and commanding shout of “Yeah!”
Stygian Crown has used the time between their debut and this successful sophomore outing to carve an image that reflects their mammoth goals in totality. And in a manner that often evades the execution of “x + y” acts, Funeral for a King lands as a synthesis, an homage, and a reflection of the voice of its creators, proof that iteration matters. Doom with a raiding pulse, death metal with swords raised high, Stygian Crown unites both with a triumphant bellow—a cry for the riff and a cry for glory.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Cruz del Sur Music | Bandcamp
Websites: facebook.com/stygiancrown | stygiancrown.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: February 23rd, 2024#2024 #40 #AmericanMetal #BlazeBayley #BoltThrower #Candlemass #CruzDelSurMusic #DoomMetal #EpicDoomMetal #Feb24 #FuneralForAKing #IronMaiden #Krux #Review #Reviews #StygianCrown
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Stygian Crown – Funeral for a King Review
By Dolphin Whisperer
The clamor of zhangu, taiko, ahuli, tabor—even the timpani in a modern orchestral context—the steady hammering of the battlefield finds a comfort, an attachment to the mallet metronome of such simple instruments. In memory of sorrow, the rhythm of death metal through one of its most bass-rumbling pioneers, Bolt Thrower, finds that war-like march not just in pounding kicks but also weighted guitar harmonies and bass-throttled grooves that stir the warrior’s heart. Stygian Crown in their idiosyncratic expression of the metal arts embodies in part that low-end fueled, sword-rattling thunder. But as the title Funeral for a King may imply, and as the Steel One himself has explored before, Stygian Crown doesn’t just riff, they doom. Oh, do they doom!
And yes, that doom remains in the Candlemassive framing as prior, though Stygian Crown’s inherent aggression allows songs to propel in a way that the epic legends never quite achieved. Leif Edling came close a few times with his offshoot project Krux and the two Candlemass EPs with Mats Levén1 at the helm, but even then the heavier drive in those albums comes from bluesy rock with modern kicks. Funeral for a Crown feeds on the fervor of death metal in a way that remains understated against lurching guitar grooves, letting martial double-kick runs rumble tension separate from doom surroundings (“The Bargain,” “Beauty and Terror”). And, of course, what would this monolithic style be without a singer whose presence stands mountainous? Mic mistress Melissa Pinion belts through every number not like the extended-note runners in other projects but rather with a vibrato that warbles just on the edge of breaking in its power, akin to the polarizing wail of the charismatic Blaze Bayley. What would a great album be without a little controversy?
Controversy cracks the formula, after all. Though Stygian Crown wears their influences proudly, Funeral reigns anointed with smatterings of thoughtful embellishments to what is, at its base, an uncomplicated endeavor. Pinion steadies her lines atop creeping, distorted harmonies in a fashion that often rises, rises, and rises more. This shift from the more predictable rise and fall of her older performances allows her to find sonic nooks not serviced by the thick sounds of bandmates and encourages exploration into screeching falsetto (“The Bargain”) and heart-grasping ballad accompanied by her own piano work and a guest violinist. This guest—a performer by the name of Ann Hackman whose credits remain a mystery—also provides the discordant, tension-building “Let Thy Snares Be Planted” which allows the tectonic groove of “The Bargain” to rumble a magnitude higher. Even when Stygian Crown plays to their most Bolt Riffing tendencies (“Where the Candle Always Burns,” “Beauty and Terror”), they know how to slow the assault with a carefully injected doom verse that Pinion owns with an unmatched pride.
Pride in attack and fullness in tone, keeps Funeral from ever shifting too far down one lane long enough to get stuck. Breaking ice from the get with a titular intro, which functions similarly to a no-nonsense hailing like “The Ides of March”(Iron Maiden, Killers) or “War” (Bolt Thrower, For Victory), Stygian Crown works to rip the doors open. Sure, the proceeding “Bushido” slices fine with its own hefty bass tussle, but just as a king upon a grand throne, this style needs a dose of chest-pounding to maintain its atmosphere. Conversely, lead guitarist Nelson Tomas Miranda never lets his solos overstay their waning scrawl, his concise bars instead serving as a crackling bridge with his longest scratch on “Where the Candle…” filling a thematic role in its extra duty. And when Stygian Crown does decide to indulge for the drawn-out closer “Strait of Messina,” they subvert their own grandeur with a speedy Maiden-like coda and commanding shout of “Yeah!”
Stygian Crown has used the time between their debut and this successful sophomore outing to carve an image that reflects their mammoth goals in totality. And in a manner that often evades the execution of “x + y” acts, Funeral for a King lands as a synthesis, an homage, and a reflection of the voice of its creators, proof that iteration matters. Doom with a raiding pulse, death metal with swords raised high, Stygian Crown unites both with a triumphant bellow—a cry for the riff and a cry for glory.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Cruz del Sur Music | Bandcamp
Websites: facebook.com/stygiancrown | stygiancrown.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: February 23rd, 2024#2024 #40 #AmericanMetal #BlazeBayley #BoltThrower #Candlemass #CruzDelSurMusic #DoomMetal #EpicDoomMetal #Feb24 #FuneralForAKing #IronMaiden #Krux #Review #Reviews #StygianCrown
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Cassette pre-orders are still available! You also get the HQ digital version. Additionally, it's Bandcamp Friday!
https://darkphotonstudio.bandcamp.com/album/all-of-the-stars-are-dead
#doommetal #syrupmooserecords #newmusic #bandcamp #cassette #gothicdoom #epicdoommetal #bandcampfriday
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Cassette pre-orders are still available! You also get the HQ digital version. Additionally, it's Bandcamp Friday!
https://darkphotonstudio.bandcamp.com/album/all-of-the-stars-are-dead
#doommetal #syrupmooserecords #newmusic #bandcamp #cassette #gothicdoom #epicdoommetal #bandcampfriday
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#NowPlaying #TheMetalDogIsNowPlaying
#Candlemass
Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
SolitudeYouTube Search:
https://youtube.com/results?search_query=Candlemass+Epicus+Doomicus+Metallicus+SolitudeLyrics:
https://genius.com/Candlemass-solitude-lyricsSong Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZjuzPU9UE4LastFM:
https://www.last.fm/music/Candlemass/_/Solitude#doommetal #EpicDoomMetal #metal #heavymetal #traditionaldoom
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#NowPlaying #TheMetalDogIsNowPlaying
#Candlemass
Nightfall
BewitchedYouTube Search:
https://youtube.com/results?search_query=Candlemass+Nightfall+BewitchedLyrics:
https://genius.com/Candlemass-bewitched-lyricsSong Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3LNi-aPXuc#doommetal #EpicDoomMetal #heavymetal #metal #TraditionalDoomMetal
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#NowPlaying #TheMetalDogIsNowPlaying
#ReverendBizarre
II: Crush the Insects (International Version)
Doom Over The World (Remix)YouTube Search:
https://youtube.com/results?search_query=Reverend+Bizarre+II:+Crush+the+Insects+(International+Version)+Doom+Over+The+World+(Remix)Lyrics:
#metal #doommetal #EpicDoomMetal #TraditionalDoomMetal #metalanthem -
#NowPlaying #TheMetalDogIsNowPlaying
#ReverendBizarre
II: Crush the Insects (International Version)
Doom Over The World (Remix)YouTube Search:
https://youtube.com/results?search_query=Reverend+Bizarre+II:+Crush+the+Insects+(International+Version)+Doom+Over+The+World+(Remix)Lyrics:
#metal #doommetal #EpicDoomMetal #TraditionalDoomMetal #metalanthem -
#NowPlaying #TheMetalDogIsNowPlaying
#ReverendBizarre
II: Crush the Insects (International Version)
Doom Over The World (Remix)YouTube Search:
https://youtube.com/results?search_query=Reverend+Bizarre+II:+Crush+the+Insects+(International+Version)+Doom+Over+The+World+(Remix)Lyrics:
#metal #doommetal #EpicDoomMetal #TraditionalDoomMetal #metalanthem -
#NowPlaying #TheMetalDogIsNowPlaying
#ReverendBizarre
II: Crush the Insects (International Version)
Doom Over The World (Remix)YouTube Search:
https://youtube.com/results?search_query=Reverend+Bizarre+II:+Crush+the+Insects+(International+Version)+Doom+Over+The+World+(Remix)Lyrics:
#metal #doommetal #EpicDoomMetal #TraditionalDoomMetal #metalanthem -
#NowPlaying #TheMetalDogIsNowPlaying
#ReverendBizarre
II: Crush the Insects (International Version)
Doom Over The World (Remix)YouTube Search:
https://youtube.com/results?search_query=Reverend+Bizarre+II:+Crush+the+Insects+(International+Version)+Doom+Over+The+World+(Remix)Lyrics:
#metal #doommetal #EpicDoomMetal #TraditionalDoomMetal #metalanthem -
#NowPlaying #TheMetalDogIsNowPlaying
#Candlemass
Tales of Creation
Into the Unfathomed TowerYouTube Search:
https://youtube.com/results?search_query=Candlemass+Tales+of+Creation+Into+the+Unfathomed+TowerLyrics:
https://genius.com/Candlemass-into-the-unfathomed-tower-lyrics -
#NowPlaying #TheMetalDogIsNowPlaying
#Candlemass
Tales of Creation
Into the Unfathomed Tower
https://youtube.com/results?search_query=Candlemass+Tales+of+Creation+Into+the+Unfathomed+Tower
https://genius.com/Candlemass-into-the-unfathomed-tower-lyrics
#doommetal #heavymetal #metal #instrumental #EpicDoomMetal -
La roue tourne à la perfection 🤘😍
Nouvel album
#Wheel #epicdoommetal #epic #doommetal #NowListening #melodic @Bandcamp
https://wheeldoom.bandcamp.com/album/preserved-in-time
