#katatonia — Public Fediverse posts

In a week where I was forced to bail on my half of a double review of Warning’s righteous comeback due to time constraints, a new band from Italy found their way into my ears and heart, offering succor and sweet redemption. In Vespro play doom-death in the vein of early Katatonia, Paradise Lost, and my much beloved Rapture. On their Where Silence Used to Sleep debut, they pull out all the stops to make a tried-and-true style sound as fresh in 2026 as it did back in 1993. Featuring members of Svart Vinter and Veil of Conspiracy,1 In Vespro demonstrate a firm grasp of the sadboi essentials, crafting anthems to despair, loss, and hopelessness with hooks that stick in your swollen tear ducts and keep you hanging around for all the weepy unhappiness. That’s how you get Steel in the yard to have a good cry!

As soon as opener “Fading Hollow” takes flight, you’re cast back to Katatonia’s Brave Murder Day era for a sullen simmer in the crockpot of eternal sadness. It’s instantly likeable and after a few spins, lovable. The morose riffs and glum harmonies conjure the melancholies, and frontman Luca Gagnoni’s vocals are perfect; no clean singing, just a wounded death roar. Can you complain that it’s too close to the Brave Murder Day sound? No, because that way madness lies. “Ghost Inside Tomorrow” is like a long-lost Rapture song, and that gets my full attention. The heaving, sighing guitars also bear the pungent stench of prime Paradise Lost. “Absence Becomes Her” keeps the dour times rolling with an upbeat pace, but the mood remains despondent, even when they spice things up with some unexpectedly noodly guitar work.

By the album’s mid-point, I was so impressed that I started to doubt the second half could keep pace. It does, with killer cuts like “Beneath the Unseen,” which feels deceptively simple on first exposure, led by some very Paradise Lost-adjacent guitar lines, but it does just enough with the classic melodoom formula to make things percolate with pain and remorse. “Ashes of the Dawn” is another textbook example of how to write effective melodoom and make it stick to the ribs. It’s unhurried and grim, but the melody in the weepy guitars carries you along effortlessly from segment to segment. “The Last Light” could’ve fallen off the back of the Draconian Times tour van, so you know that’s a win. Happily, no song feels like filler, and the album functions well as a whole. At a tight, trim 40 minutes and with all songs in the 3-5 minute window, the album moves at a near-perfect pace, and no song overstays its welcome. In fact, several cuts are all the better for their brevity, leaving you wanting more. The production is great with a warm sound and a mix that allows the guitars the weight and space they need for maximum effect, while leaving plenty of room for everything else to breathe.

The guitar tandem of Luca Gagnoni and Emanuaels Marino is a talented one, spinning somber leads that submerge the soul in icy grave water. The harmonies are subtle but impactful and funerary, and the sudden flashes of semi-wanky solos are a nice surprise. Gagnoni is aces as a melodoom vocalist, moving effectively between early days Jonas Renkse and Nick Holmes death bellows and more acerbic blackened wails. There’s no clean singing whatsoever, only occasional spoken word segments. This isn’t an issue, but a few forlorn singing stanzas would make for a nice change-up. If there’s a complaint to be made, it’s how close In Vespro cleave to their obvious influences. It’s impossible to spin this and not hear Katatonia and Rapture looming large in the writing, but when it’s done well, does it really matter? The short answer is fook no.

Where Silence Used to Sleep is a very impressive debut from In Vespro, and it’s quite an effective mood piece album. Mark it as one of those unheralded and happy surprises the promo sump vomits forth when the stars align and the tentacles favor the bold. I may have missed my chance to weigh in on Warning, but I caught this dark beauty as a consolation prize. Life is good (and sad).

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 11 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Meuse Music
Websites: invespro.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/invesprodoom | instagram.com/invespro_doommetal
Releases Worldwide: June 19th, 2026

Seems like the Filtration system is overburdened once again. Normally, my minions have to scavenge much longer to pick things up this early in the year, but 2026 is proving to be rich in moderately precious metallic ore. That just means I gotta push my team even harder to pull greater loads of filth from the ducts!

As I send them in for yet another round, please enjoy the spoils thus far exploited. BEHOLD!

Kenstrosity’s Tattered Tome

Overtoun // Death Drive Anthropology [February 13th, 2026 – Time to Kill Records]

Chilean progressive death thrash outfit Overtoun is what you get when you mix old school Death and Atheist with the proggier side of Pestilence, then amp the thrash up by a half turn. At a lofty 50 minutes, you’d expect third release Death Drive Anthropology to drag on, but to make that assumption is to criminally underestimate Overtoun’s creativity and versatility. Opening up the throttle in fine form, the one-two punch of “What Unites All (ft. Max Phelps) and “The Final Beat” manages to encompass many of these Chileans’ songwriting and performance skills in a scant 10 minutes. More introspective, nuanced songwriting takes center stage throughout Anthropology’s midsection, balancing smart melodies and minimalist atmosphere with complex guitar layering, proggy structures, and shreddy wizardry (“Dur Khrod,” “Jade, Gold, Obsidian,” “Yurei,” “Weeping”). The three-part “The Waves Suite” suite adds a mystical character to the affair that blends remarkably well with Overtoun’s more overt political messaging and emotional textures, which helps carry the record through its lengthy runtime without causing fatigue. It’s a neat record that’s modestly blemished by a bass presence that begs for more weight and wildness, especially considering the raw talent on hand. Nonetheless, if you’re looking for a creative, thoughtful, and sophisticated entry into the death/thrash progosphere, Death Drive Anthropology makes a strong case.

Andy-War-Hall’s Primordial Pick-Up

The Grand Myth // Of Vultures and Dragons [February 26th, 2026 – Suncrusher Recordings]

I have a grossly limited capacity for seriousness. Yeah, I like my death metal progressive, technical, and thoughtful, much the way Brandon Bordman’s The Grand Myth deliver it on their latest record, Of Vultures and Dragons, but sometimes I just want fun, too. Of Vultures and Dragons, an adaptation of Ethan Pettus’ novel series Primitive War1 in which a rescue team searches a Vietnamese jungle for a missing platoon of Green Berets and fights for their lives against dinosaurs, has fun in spades. Utilizing a many-layered guitar attack (“Symbiotic Death”), shifting and propulsive rhythms (“Through the River Styx”), a wide cast of voice actors for brief narrative bits2 and surprisingly bright tones (“Agony”), The Grand Myth’s approach to progressive death metal isn’t revolutionary, but it’s deeply refreshing and engaging regardless. Though an absolute blast, The Grand Myth doesn’t spew embarrassingly stupid levels of campiness with their sci-fi dinosaur theming like Victorius. Rather, Of Vultures and Dragons can be fairly emotionally effective at times thanks to Bordman’s emotive clean/harsh vocals and elaborate soloing (“Pyre,” “Agony”). Nobody asks about your favorite dinosaur anymore,3 so feed your inner kid with The Grand Myth’s Of Vultures and Dragons now!

Saunders’ Sunken Shards

Puscifer// Normal Isn’t [February 6th, 2026 – Alchemy Recordings]

After losing track of recent offerings, I reacquainted myself with the latest LP from Puscifer, leaving me pleasantly surprised in the aftermath. The project featuring Tool/A Perfect Circle frontman Maynard James Keenan returned for their first hit out since 2020’s Existential Reckoning. Normal Isn’t finds the shape-shifting project embracing its quirky, gothy industrial rock and electronic elements through an angsty filter of guitar-driven arty rock, post-punk, and infectious songcraft. Age should not weary Maynard, as he still sounds angry, cynical, and on point vocally through a mostly engaging, catchy bag of tunes. The dueling vocal melodies with collaborator Carina Round’s ghostly singing work a treat amidst jittery beats, angular riffs and strong electronic overtones. Rhythmically, it is an interesting ride, drummer Gunnar Olsen putting in a top-notch performance, while there is a vaguely progressive edge underlying the hook-centric songwriting. Opener “Thrust” sets the album in motion with sticky hooks, a darkly humorous, unhinged Maynard performance, and a dose of spite. Other key highlights include “Bad Wolf,” “Self Evident,” “A Public Stoning,” and “ImpetuoUs.” Puscifer made a fine return with Normal Isn’t.

Jack Harlon & The Dead Crows // Inexorable Opposites [February 6th, 2026 – Magnetic Eye Records]

You’ve gotta love a sneaky name drop from our trusty commentariat. It has led to many great discoveries over the years. On this occasion, one of our dear commenters enlightened me to Melbourne psych-blues-doomers Jack Harlon & the Dead Crows with fourth LP, Inexorable Opposites. And it didn’t take long absorbing this latest slab of rustic Aussie coolness to be struck by the album’s slow-burning, addictive power, and gritty tones. Boasting an expansive, rugged sound built on layers of distortion and a weighty blend of psych-drenched blues and doom heaviness. Jack Harlon & the Dead Crows features old school, outlaw-driven lyrical content from mastermind and vocalist/guitarist Tim Coutts-Smith, meshing fictional tales of woe and adventure of character Jack Harlon, with relatable real-life struggles. Through the fuzz, thick jammy vibes, and Coutts-Smith distorted, menacing Aussie drawl, catchy songcraft shines through the muck and psych haze. From the tense, stoner-infected grit and catchy hooks of opener “Moss,” through to the stormy outback balladry of closer “To Die,” Inexorable Opposites is a hard-hitting, riffy delight, further evidenced through scorched earth, infectious cuts like “Venomous,” “Seer,” and the trippy, drug-addled “Mt. Macedon.”

Grin Reaper’s Reaped Recluse

Cold Communion // Monuments to Ruin [February 13th, 2026 – Self Released]

Melodic death/doom isn’t a genre I dabble in often, but every now and again, one of its bands thwarts my defenses and wraps their tendrils around my precious listening time. Durham, North Carolina’s Cold Communion is one such band, featuring Barre Gambling (Daylight Dies) on guitar and Tim Rowland (Alchemy of Flesh, Silent Vigil) on everything else. If that sounds like an unfair split, take a spin and reassess, because Gambling’s performance defines Cold Communion’s melancholic character as much as Rowland’s emotive growl. Forgoing any long-form doom epics, Monuments to Ruin’s longest song comes in at five-and-a-half minutes, with the entire album clocking just forty-five. It’s a tidy platter, and both in song composition and mood shares ample common ground with Finnish sadbois Insomnium. Besides Monuments’ superior production, songs like “A Stillness Survival” and “When the Light Breaks” wouldn’t feel out of place on Across the Dark or One for Sorrow. And despite the somber trappings one might expect from doom-adjacency, there’s plenty of lively riffing and solos to find across Monuments to Ruin, adding a touch of boom to the gloom. In the end, Cold Communion doesn’t reinvent the genre or break new ground, but Monuments to Ruin offers a comfy chair by the fireside on a freezing cold day, and I’m perfectly content with that.

Mossgiver // Renewer [February 6th, 2026 – Sij MusicArt]

Atmospheric black metal often contrasts the beautiful with the bestial, typically prioritizing moods over hooks. ‘Twas a delight, then, to unearth Mossgiver’s Renewal, which deftly combines the two. Weaving together hypnotic passages flooded with strings, piano, flute, synths, double bass rolls, and the requisite blackened tremolos,4 Mossgiver’s mastermind Tilen Šimon (Ueldes) delivers the band’s best record to date. Above all, Renewer sounds like a celebration of nature in the vein of Autrest and Cân Bardd, evoking a whispering wind whipping at leaves or sunlight dappling a brook shaded by oaks and maples. Beyond the well-crafted soundtrack for a walk through the woods, Mossgiver etches emotion into the nooks and crannies of Renewer’s five tracks. From rousing string orchestrations (“I Bring the Spring with Me”) to soft-and-heavy tradeoffs pitting clean guitar and pan pipes against distorted guitar and blast beats (“Renewer”), Mossgiver shimmers with a lush backdrop of instrumentation rife with playfulness and pensiveness. The trio of primary songs5 revolve around powerful melodies that evolve over each track’s duration, with assorted instruments coming in and out to push refrains along. Renewer’s brisk thirty-four minutes showcase Mossgiver’s sticky compositions and leave me whistling its melodies for days at a time. Now throw on your hiking boots and get lost in the Moss.

Ossomancer // Banebdjed’s Path [February 28th, 2026 – Esoteric Evocations]

Six-and-a-half years removed from Ossomancer’s debut Artes Magickae, lone wolf and mastermind Kamose returns to tread Banebjed’s Path. Bursting with references to mythology and mysticism, Banebjed’s Path rumbles and shakes with arcane thunder. Although the backdrop and track names might recall the frenzied onslaught of Nile, Ossomancer instead conceives a realm recalling Aeternam, Iotunn, and Naglfar. Despite the scant thirty-four-minute runtime, Banebjed’s Path sprawls across diverse landscapes and textures. Opener “The Ogdoad Arrangement and the Osirian Creation” oscillates between In Flames melodies and a slinky crawl that could pass for a 90s Geddy Lee bass line played over synth injections from Rush’s 80s era. Follow-up track “Sobek – Cosmic Vibrations Devoured” features Kreator-bred riffing, while closing duo “A Sea of Sand, a Silver Star” and “Retraction into Kether” synthesize the ethereal atmospheres of Iotunn with the blackened assault of Naglfar. Through it all, Ossomancer sounds fabulous, as Banebjed’s Path flaunts an enviable DR 8 and a bodacious mix that spotlights its burly bass performance. Ossomancer’s sophomore outing is crammed with meloblack goodies, and though it’s not a long trek, the journey down Banebjed’s Path far transcends its distance.

Tyme’s Danish Dalliance

Ædel Fetich // Ædel Fetich [February 20th, 2026 – Deadbanger Productions]

That blinged-out pink dish-glove-clad hand is what first drew me to Denmark outfit Ædel Fetich’s self-titled debut. Then I clicked play and was taken on one of the more compelling “black” metal rides in recent memory. With roots primarily buried in the soil of the traditional second-wave, Ædel Fetich is rife with moments of rifferous tremolodic speed (“Ridderlig Lider,” “Madras”) and absolutely berserk guitar chaos (“Sort Magi”). There’s a Trhä-like sense of experimentation, and the rawness of the production enhances the oft-changing compositions, which, like weather in the Midwest, often shift on a dime without warning. Luckily, Ædel Fetich’s adept songwriting organically smooths these transitions, which could have easily come off stilted and jarring, but makes drawing direct comparisons to the Ædel Fetich sound difficult, as there’s a spectrum of other influences at play. There are tracks packed with punky punch (“Et Liv Fuld af Fejl,” “Ildtang”) or imbued with folky reverence (“Mit Billede af Dig”) and even some 80s pop—fans of the movie Flashdance shouldn’t have a problem finding the poppy easter egg hiding near the end of “Sort Magi.”6 Far and away the star of the show, however, is singer Skvat, whose performance is filled with as much black metal bravado as it is theatrical exuberance, his arsenal of shrieks, growls, hoots, howls, and operatic baritonations a refreshing treat, akin to if Mike Patton woke up one day deciding to record a Danish black metal album. Bottom line is, I really dig Ædel Fetich and think you will too.

Creeping Ivy’s Ashen Afterthought

Belzebong // The End is High [February 20th, 2026 – Heavy Psych Sounds]

In my humble opinion, lyrics are key to making stoner metal more than novelty music. If you’re referencing reefer in your album art, band name, and song titles, at least keep the reeferisms out of the songs themselves,7 or better yet, avoid vocals altogether. Taking this latter advice to heart is instrumental Polish four-piece Belzebong, who have been at it for almost 20 years now. On The End is High, their fourth full-length, Belzebong deal 35 minutes of fuzzed-out riffery described as “a new sermon for the final days.” While not as highbrow (huh huh) as the instrumental stoner metal of Bongripper, Belzebong are similarly ominous on opener (yes) “Bong & Chain,” which caps its ten-minute burn with creepy, haunting synths. From there, the band settle into material more akin to Bongzilla; sound clips adorn the chill grooves of “420 Horsemen,” “Hempnotized,” and “Reefer Mortis,” which closes things out with some solid Electric Wizard worship. If you instinctively (and understandably) recoil from music with marijuana aesthetics but dig the meditative repetition offered by stoner metal, consider sampling The End is High. It’s not exactly the caricature it advertises itself as.

Baguette’s Bygone Bounty

Sundecay // The Blood Lives Again [February 13th, 2026 – Self Released]

Toronto’s Sundecay has been around for a while. These Canadian doomers spawned sometime prior to 2014, quietly releasing EP material every once in a blue moon. The Blood Lives Again is their first full-length release—their first signs of life since 2018 in general—and the time and care they took to develop their sound and songwriting prowess pays off here in spades. The doom and proto-doom inspirations from Black Sabbath to Saint Vitus are obvious (“Here Comes the Wizard”), complemented by other influences from proto-metal, psychedelic, and progressive music (“Silence Spoken”). The hefty, layered guitars have a nice fuzz without fully landing in stoner territory. Ambitious long-form tracks like “Will Dusk Defy Dawn” flow like water while carrying significant emotional heft. Lastly, a moody, reverb-heavy vocal performance crowns the classic doom trance the band is aiming for. At five tracks and some 43 minutes, The Blood Lives Again is a total vibe and flies by before you’ve even noticed. Fans of the ’70s should take notes!

Temple Balls // Temple Balls [February 13th, 2026 – Frontiers Music]

One of the most authentic ways you can honor rock music tradition is via questionable naming conventions. On an unrelated note, Temple Balls is a Finnish hard rock/glam rock band, and they’re fun as hell! They’re not particularly new around the block, either: the group formed in 2009, and self-titled Temple Balls is already their fifth album since debut Traded Dreams in 2017. 2023’s Avalanche felt like a watershed moment, a welcome surprise that brought some new life and energy to a fairly dated genre of Europeisms and Hanoi Rocks rehashes. Temple Balls proves that Avalanche wasn’t a one-off, continuing their extremely authentic throwback approach. The heavy/power-metal-meets-AOR direction of songwriting (“Flashback Dynamite,” “Soul Survivor”) gives it that extra guitar oomph and energy that melodic music like this requires to be anywhere near competitive. With great all-out vocals from Arde Teronen and gigantic hooks to match, it’s just a damn good time front to back. Though it will sadly be the last time we’ll hear Niko Vuorela’s guitar work on record (R.I.P., and fuck cancer), the self-titled is certainly a worthy final milestone for him—and hopefully, another beginning for his comrades.

ClarkKent’s Enchanting Earworm

Hela // A Reign to Conquer [February 27, 2026 – Ardua Music]

Just as it put a pause on many plans and projects, the COVID pandemic slowed down the output of Spain’s Hela. A Reign to Conquer marks their first record since 2019’s Vegvìsir, which was their third release since 2013. This brief hiatus brought new blood in the form of vocalist Raquel Navarro, though, in truth, the only consistency in Hela’s lineup is the other three members—Tano Giménez on bass, Miguel Fernández (The Holeum) on drums, and Julián Velasco (The Holeum) on guitars. They have a deep bond, first forged in 2009 with The Sand Collector before forming Hela just three years later. Though they brand Hela as melodic doom, and the band does have a little in common with Katatonia, I think it’s more accurate to describe them as dreamy progressive rock. Navarro is a major reason for this, with dreamy croons that guide listeners through breezy soundscapes. She bears a passing resemblance to Maud the Moth, though the music Hela plays is decidedly more metal than our Dolphin friend’s favorite nocturnal insect. Guitarist Velasco plays a hypnotizing mix of atmospheric fuzz, crushing doom, and melodic riffs that add some heft and crunch to the ethereal sound. A Reign to Conquer has plenty of layers to probe, rewarding listeners who bear with it for repeat listens. While my initial spins left me wanting, I’ve since become spellbound. Add to that some gorgeous artwork, and this is a nice addition to anyone’s vinyl collection. Hela yeah!

Spicie Forrest’s Vicious Vittles

A Wilhelm Scream8 // Cheap Heat [February 27th, 2026 – Creator-Destructor Records]

A Wilhelm Scream9 returns after a four-year hiatus with their eighth long player, Cheap Heat. Sounding like the best combination of The Story So Far and Rise Against, A Wilhelm Scream delivers an impressive tour de force so late in their career. Vocalist Nuno Pereira10 is the highlight of Cheap Heat, driving the album with urgency and passion (“Somebody’s Gonna Die,” “Fell Off”), but no one here is a slouch. The rhythm section—bassist Brian J. Robinson, rhythm guitarist Trevor Reilly, and drummer Nicholas Pasquale Angelini—gleefully tosses gas on Pereira’s bonfire (“I Got Tunnel Vision”) and delivers solid grooves (“Poison II”) and searing ragers (“Unsolving the Mystery”) that keep the energy cranked to 11 all through Cheap Heat. Hooks are by far the most common lead duty, and Ben Murray puts on a fucking clinic. Each note that rings out from his axe sounds like it fucking owns the place (“Run,” “Visitor: Unimpressed”). Cheap Heat is a smidge front-loaded with “Midnight Ghost” and “I Got Tunnel Vision” being album highlights, but no song on here is anything short of a barn burner. At a super tight 28 minutes, Cheap Heat hits hard and fast and gets the fuck out of Dodge before you’re even sure what hit you. I didn’t expect a 26-year-old hardcore outfit to knock my teeth out when I queued it up on a whim one morning, but Cheap Heat is proving to be one of my favorite albums of the year.

Lead Injector // Witching Attack [February 20th, 2026 – High Roller Records]

Who doesn’t like the combination of thrash’s unchained aggression and black metal’s cold hate? There’s never been a better pair. Lead Injector hit the ground running on debut LP Witching Attack. From the opening moments of “Siege Upon Heaven” to the closing moments of “Nuclear Antichrist,” Lead Injector is here to do two things: feed high-speed buckshot to God, skeletons, and anything else that gets in their way, and have a Hellripping good time. “Angel Destructor” and “Siege Upon Heaven” barrel pell-mell through searing riffs and blast beats, while groovier tracks like “Evil Executioner” and “Nuclear Antichrist” let black metal’s punk ancestry shine through. Heavy metal influences a la Judas Priest can be found injected into tracks like “Sacrifice This Bitch” and “M.C.C.I.” While nothing about Lead Injector’s sound is particularly new, I’m not sure that’s a bad thing. This debut is a unique and retro spin on a tried-and-true formula that bodes well for a young band. Witching Attack is a killer time that Ash Williams would gladly spin while boomsticking Deadites alongside Lord Arthur’s army.

For @DXMacGuffin's #ProgTuesday: when you throw #DevinTownsend, #DreamTheater, #GreenCarnation #Haken, #Katatonia, #Opeth, #ShadowGallery, and #SymphonyX into a blender, you get

#Terravia: A New World

https://album.link/k0sghmtnqx9mr

Something familiar, but something different and balanced.
Quite an intro.

Hanging Garden – Isle of Bliss Review https://www.allforgardening.com/1664332/hanging-garden-isle-of-bliss-review/ #2026 #4.0 #AgoniaRecords #DoomMetal #FinnishMetal #garden #GothicMetal #HangingGarden #Insomnium #IsleOfBliss #Katatonia #Mar26 #MelodicDeathMetal #Review #reviews #SwallowTheSun #Vesseles

For nearly twenty years, Hanging Garden have quietly dabbled in the same sort of melodic melancholy as their more well-known counterparts, Katatonia, Insomnium, and Swallow the Sun. I first wandered into their brand of gothic sadboi melodoom with 2021’s Skeleton Lake, thanks to Steel’s glowing writeup. While I’ve enjoyed what I’ve heard from them since, what really hooked me was their 2025 EP, The Unending. They really honed their melodic game, particularly with an incredible hook on “Morgan’s Trail,” and I was hopeful this EP was a sign of a new direction for the band. Well, they do take a new direction, but not quite the one I expected. Despite its cheerful name, Isle of Bliss proves to be a much darker work than you may be accustomed to from this septet. Their newfound darkness opens up layers of depth, proving the band capable of bringing out beauty from even the darkest depths.

Despite the darker direction, Hanging Garden still dabble in a wide range of moods. On Isle of Bliss, they skillfully blend crushing riffs and Toni Hatakka’s deathly, muscular growls with gentle arpeggios and soft croons from Riikka Hatakka. Opener “To Outlive the Nine Ravens” illustrates this perfectly, as it blends dark growls with lovely trem melodies and a gentle duet with some more feel-good trems in an energetic tune that starts the record off right. Isle of Bliss then takes an unsettling turn on “Eternal Trees of Turquoise,” which features a duet of a different nature, where Toni’s menacing growls mix with Riikka’s sinister blackened rasps. Her performance reminded me a lot of the demon vocalist from Vesseles earlier this year, and it is a chilling turn away from the usual foil to Toni’s harsh growls. Things take yet another turn on the appropriately named “Isle of Bliss” and deceptively named “To the Gates of Hel.” These cheerful tunes feature uplifting guitar tones and some wonderfully catchy choruses sure to put your fearful heart at ease. In sum, Isle of Bliss is a moody beast that will hit you in all the feels.

Isle of Bliss by Hanging Garden

Isle of Bliss contains lush beauty thanks to its patient and melodic songwriting. At times, Hanging Garden shines a light through the darkness with soaring choruses and powerful melodic guitar leads that turn gloom into cheer. On “The Blights Nine,” a trem lead dispels the terrifying horror of Riikka’s rasps, while on “Arise, Black Sun,” the guitar melody transforms a growling duet into a piece of blackened beauty. The tremolos and the tour-de-force vocal performances from the Hatakka pair are not the only aspects that elevate the music. Hanging Garden use chugging, thick riffs to cast a doomy pall, whispery synths to invoke dreamy atmospherics, and piano segments to produce feelings of tranquility. All of these elements coalesce on the atmospheric climax, “Her Wailing Light,” whose beautiful chorus is a wonder in a sea of some great moments throughout Isle of Bliss.

As much as I didn’t want this record to end, there are a few areas where Hanging Garden could have done some trimming. “To Outlive the Nine Ravens” and “To the Gates of Hel” creep nearly into the seven-minute range, where their repetitive, formulaic nature begins to grow thin. Yet they are such terrific songs that the desire to stretch them out is forgivable. Perhaps the biggest letdown is the finale, “Beneath the Fallen Sky,” an atmospheric piece that lacks the punch of preceding tracks. “Her Waning Light” feels like a much more appropriate closer, with its emotional trem lead followed by such a tranquil conclusion. “Beneath the Fallen Sky” may fit a narrative arc as a resolution, and it’s really not a bad song, yet I think it’s just in the nature of resolutions to sometimes feel unsatisfying in the wake of highly emotional moments that precede them.

While I am a relative newbie to Hanging Garden, as far as I can tell, Isle of Bliss is their finest achievement to date. The addition of darker aspects to their sound, while remaining true to their roots, brings depth to their songwriting. Almost every song packs a wallop thanks to powerful singing and incredibly catchy and evocative guitar leads. This band poured their heart and soul into this one. It is a stunning record that will leave you in a state of bliss from start to finish.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Agonia Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: March 20th, 2026

One of the biggest challenges I’ve encountered as a music reviewer is trying to describe a band’s musical aesthetic when their discography is all over the place. Now, I know what you’re thinking: Blut Aus Nord, and you would be correct, but at least there’s an intangible thread connecting the various gnarled branches to their undulating, pulsing roots. Vaarwel, the mastermind and sole proprietor of Russia’s Frozen Ocean, takes his project to where it needs to be, and how he feels it should be delivered, musically. Over the course of 11 albums, as well as various EPs and splits, Frozen Ocean follows their own muse, without any musical correlation between them. It’s a big toss-up what you’re going to get per release, and I can’t help but respect the hell out of that.

I just wish it connected with me as well as The Prowess of Dormition did. Whereas Dormition was melodic black metal with a trip-hop undercurrent, Askdrömmar instead flirts with DSBM, rubbing shoulders with a trippier Lifelover bent. Opener “Mangata” leads off with some ambiance before a simple repeated melody takes over, followed by simplistic programmed drums, and finally other instrumentation. Vaarwel adopts more of a black metal rasp this time around, and just as the song starts to go somewhere, everything fades out, and you hear a sample of a young woman talking. Believing this would build to something, it instead leads into “Bortkastade dödsrunor,” the following track… which leads off with another sample.

The majority of what follows is a “wash-rinse-repeat” cycle among the remaining eight tracks, as they all follow a particular pattern: either a sample or piano twinkling, followed by a riff that’s more than a little reminiscent of mid-era Katatonia (“Kottkvam”), an atmospheric moment that sounds like a tremendous build-up that only goes back to the main riff, and then a sudden ending. Things start to get interesting when “Långt lopp genom mörkret” arrives, with its hyperactive keyboards and lively, energetic rhythms, but that’s track #8 of a nine-track album, and that’s just too far in the tracklisting to turn the ship around. Up until then, it’s just too formulaic and repetitive to leave a lasting mark.

The production also doesn’t help matters any, as it’s squashed and flat. The programmed drums sound like they were mixed a bit too far back, whereas the guitars, keyboards, and vocals are in-your-face, and those sound compressed within an inch of their existences. The biggest hurdle of this album lies in its conception and how it ties in with the Frozen Ocean discography. As a fan of Blut Aus Nord, I know mainman Vindsval will write whatever the fuck he feels like, and because of that, BaN’s discography runs the gamut of sounds and styles. However, the big difference is that you can still hear it’s BaN. Vaarwel doesn’t quite have that distinction when it comes to his music, as his releases are so spread out style- and quality-wise that it’s tough to find an underlying thread connecting any of it.

And that sucks to type, because I remember being impressed by The Prowess of Dormition when it released almost a decade ago. While I wasn’t expecting a repeat of that EP, I also wasn’t expecting to be bored by what’s on offer here. Vaarwel is a talented musician with great ideas, but I’m waiting for those ideas to land. With Askdrömmar, I will continue waiting.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 319 kbps mp3
Label: Apocalyptic Witchcraft
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: February 13th, 2026

Calva Louise – Edge of the Abyss Review

By Angry Metal Guy

Genre is a funny thing. Calva Louise will almost certainly be called “Crossover.” Their sound is a combination of elements that, if I read each one individually, would make me cringe or shrug my shoulders. Seen grouped on the page, I might ask, “How would that even work?” What I wouldn’t expect is an album that excites me. The kind of excitement that drives one to spin the record again immediately. The kind of excitement that leads to sharing the record with anyone who will listen and lengthy discussions of the details of whether someone else noticed the Fleshgod Apocalypse piano arpeggios in track four.1 But Edge of the Abyss is a rare record that manages to feel wild, unpredictable, and yet addictive—evocative—all at once. And while it’s apparently a concept album, the real story that I’m following is the one told in the songs that add up to something greater than the sum of their parts.

The strength of Edge of the Abyss lies in its fusions, and I mean that in every sense. Calva Louise doesn’t blend styles; they smash them together. “Tunnel Vision” rips open the record with a sugar-rush hook, bouncing within three minutes from pop-chorus to dubstep drop to metallic groove. “W.T.F.” is exactly that: frenetic, agitated, and punky. “Aimless,” the album’s first single, is a real highlight, threading unpredictable melodies, classical piano runs, and crunchy metal riffage into something that feels like “Justice for Saint Marie” (Diablo Swing Orchestra) but with a dembow beat.2 Each song can be emphasized for such moments: “Hate in Me” swaps between Katatonia and Kate Bush without skipping a beat; “Under the Skin” gives Lacuna Coil while “Barely a Response” blends 3/Coheed and Cambria and Muse to create something that just vibes right—blending proggy post-punk with The Fall of Hearts.

The balancing act is accomplished by Edge of the Abyss being extremely well-composed. These songs, while poppy—slick, catchy, memorable—aren’t glued together Frankenpop. Instead, they’re meticulously assembled homunculi, each with its own little soul.3 There’s a sense throughout the first half of this record that you’re listening to something much more thoughtful than its surface chaos might suggest. I might be imagining things, but this is where frontwoman and primary composer Jess Allanic’s background in composition seems to play a major role. The fact that Calva Louise can evoke so many different bands, sounds, and seamlessly traverse genre boundaries in seconds—from harmonized vocals over Latin folk beats to crunchy groove to house in moments (“El Umbral”)—without seeming scattered speaks to a deep understanding of music.4

You can feel that deep understanding of music in Edge of the Abyss’s most daring material: its multilingual, rhythmically tangled, and emotionally exposed core. “Lo Que Vale,” which may be my favorite song, strips things back enough to let Allanic’s small-but-commanding voice—reminiscent of Catalina García (Monsieur Periné)—to shine. “Impeccable” evokes The Kovenant’s “New World Order” before erupting into harmonized guitar leads and New Wave vibes. These are songs with giant choruses, and while Allanic has a remarkable presence and extremely deft melodic sense, she never dominates the mix. Whether screaming, speaking, or singing, her voice is expertly integrated, capable of balancing Kate Bush and Jonas Renkse depending on where she is in a song (“Hate in Me”), with harmonic sensibilities that bring me back to 3‘s The End Is Begun. Her presence does for Calva Louise what Serj Tankian did for System of a Down or Trim for King Goat. But unlike the aforementioned vocalists, she’s playing guitar, piano, and writing songs.

Edge of the Abyss is not perfect, however. First, the record’s energy flags a bit in the back half, where “The Abyss” pulls its punches and “Under the Skin” leans too hard on its mid-tempo groove. Nothing here fails, but the band’s frenetic, genre-defying dynamism seems more concentrated in the first six tracks. Still, even at its weakest, Edge of the Abyss brims with detail—piano breaks, synth arpeggios, key changes—that keep it from feeling inert. And repeated listens have only deepened my appreciation for these later tracks. If the front half is where Calva Louise erupts, the back half is where the ash is beginning to fall. Second, while there is supposedly a concept here, I have no idea what it is. In the tradition of Coheed & Cambria, who famously have a massive story but lyrics that read like “girl doesn’t like boy and boy gets mad about it,” a lot of this just reads as angst.

Some records sound big, and some records feel big. Edge of the Abyss does both.5 It feels big because it has ideas, and it succeeds because it commits to those ideas with zero regard for genre gatekeeping, scene politics, or what guys like me think is cool. It’s weird, catchy, and gleefully sophisticated, with every song bringing something unique to the table. Every arrangement counts. It’s a banger parade, and it’s hard not to feel like it’s also smart as hell. Is it perfect? No. But it’s addictive, it’s fun, and it’s going to be the most controversial Record o’ the Month since Gazpacho.

Rating: Great!
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s CBR MP3
Label: Mascot Records
Websites: calvalouise.com | calvalouise.bandcamp.com
Release Date: July 11th, 2025

#2025 #40 #CalvaLouise #CoheedAndCambria #crossover #DiabloSwingOrchestra #Dubstep #EdgeOfTheAbyss #Electronica #GrooveMetal #Jul25 #Katatonia #KateBush #KingGoat #MascotLabelGroup #MascotRecords #Metalcore #MonsieurPeriné #Muse #PopLatino #ProgressiveMetal #SystemOfADown #TheKovenant #Three #UKMetal

THRÆDS – Impermanence Review

By Owlswald

Adding to my list of bands with irregular monikers, German progressive post-metal/rock group THRÆDS (pronounced “Threads”) is the latest to fall under the scrutiny of my wide-eyed gaze. Formed in 2019 as a solo project by guitarist Angelos Tzamtzis, THRÆDS has since grown into a multi-national five-piece.1 Their 2021 Akasha EP garnered the attention of Octopus Rising—an imprint of Argonauta Records—which is now releasing their debut full-length, Impermanence. The promotional material for this Berlin-based quintet bills itself as a seamless blend of progressive post-metal alongside atmospheric rock, claiming to fuse the sounds of giants like Gojira, Tool, and Porcupine Tree into a diverse and unique style. Call me cynical, but whenever descriptions throw about such high-caliber names, the reality seldom matches the hype. And, unfortunately, THRÆDS proves to be no exception.

A pervasive sense of familiarity permeates Impermanence’s forty-eight minutes. While “Devolve” delivers a half-time L’Enfant Sauvage stomp with Gojira’s trademark pitch shifts and tracks like “Einstein-Rosen Bridge” and “Clockworks” evoke some of the moody melancholia of Porcupine Tree or Katatonia, THRÆDS ultimately leans too heavily on well-trodden modern rock crutches to convey their moods and textures. As a result, the material on Impermanence is largely standard and unremarkable, offering little in the way of presence or impact. Chuggy palm-muted guitar riffs, delay-heavy arpeggios and gallant distorted chord strumming drive Impermanence during its drawn-out instrumental sections. Celso Borralho’s vocals dither between solemn whines (“Sole Survivor”), gravelly Chester Bennington-esque frys (“Reflections”), and high, soulful croons (“Nothing Good to Say”). While these hint at Borralho’s considerable range, they generally also fall short of his full potential. Despite the self-produced effort registering a mighty DR 10 and Barnabás Mihály’s playful basslines providing some much-needed aptitude, Impermanence exhibits a vanilla disposition with little novelty or energy.

THRÆDS relies on familiar modern rock clichés to drive their songwriting. Rock anthem “Reflections,” with its big, sing-along chorus and radio-ready polish is well-composed but employs repetitive chord progressions and melodic structures a myriad of modern rock groups have used a million times over. Similarly, “Sole Survivor” and “Timeless” lack novelty with formulaic compositions that contrast quiet, delay-saturated post-rock verses with heavier down-tuned choruses filled with garden-variety guitar riffs, foundational rock beats, and cornerstone vocal belting. Borralho frequently toys between his high and low registers, sounding unassured and whiny rather than passionate and introspective as his voice warbles above the melodies. His range and high register are his greatest strengths, yet he seldom leans into them with enough conviction to improve THRÆDS’ simplistic approach. Compounding matters is the sheer length of Impermanence’s songs as “Devolve,” “Timeless,” and “Reflections” all clear six minutes while closer “Story in Reverse” pushes eight, primarily to accommodate Alegros Gramma’s sax solo. Even the shorter “Einstein-Rosen Bridge” contributes to Impermanence’s sense of bloat, stretching thin ideas into wandering Maserati-like post-rock.

Predictably, Impermanence’s stronger moments appear when THRÆDS trim the fat and venture outside of well-trodden tropes. A prime example is the solemn “Nothing Good to Say,” where the quintet crafts a condensed, cohesive, and engaging offering with Borralho’s high, soulful croons floating above playful drum and bass grooves, all enveloped by an eerie, atmospheric feel. Mihály’s bass performance is noteworthy, driving a deep pocket with his rhythmic pulses while capably utilizing space with high-scale runs that explore the full range of his fretboard. Likewise, the chorus in “Story in Reverse” and the verse in “Einstein-Rosen Bridge” point to a more favorable stylistic direction, as THRÆDS momentarily recalls the grunge-saturated sounds of Alice in Chains amid stretches of otherwise tedious material.

From start to finish, Impermanence struggles to find its footing, delivering an unremarkable collection of songs that is more often bland and forgettable than original and engaging. Displaying brief flashes of promise, THRÆDS defaults to the comfort of well-worn rock sounds, resulting in an overly long debut that lacks the confidence one would expect from a group aspiring to stand alongside the giants it name-drops. Ultimately, Impermanence rings hollow, forcing progressive and post-metal fans to look elsewhere for novelty and imagination.

Rating: Disappointing
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Argonauta Records
Websites: thraeds.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/threads.project | instagram.com/thraeds.band/
Releases Worldwide: June 6, 2025

Show 1 footnote

1. Members originate from Chile, Greece, Hungary, New Zealand, and Portugal. ↩

#20 #2025 #AliceInChains #ArgonautaRecords #GermanMetal #Gojira #HardRock #impermanence #Jun25 #Katatonia #Maserati #MelodicMetal #OctopusRisingRecords #PorcupineTree #PostMetal #ProgressiveRock #Review #Reviews #Rock #THRÆDS #Tool

Endonomos – Endonomos II – Enlightenment Review

By Steel Druhm

There’s something extra satisfying about gambling on a completely unknown act in the promo sump and being handsomely rewarded for the biscuit risk. Austria’s Endonomos describe themselves as “epic doom” and on their sophomore outing, Endonomos II – Enlightenment, they unveil a shockingly mature and intoxicating blend of classic doom, post-metal, and death that’s powerful, emotional, and captivating. Part Solitude Aeturnus, part Fvneral Fvkk, part Ghost Brigade and Darkest Era, Endonomos II marries doom’s past with the present in ways that feel organic and unforced, natural and logical. Cobbling together so many successful doom tropes from across multiple genre variants isn’t easy, but Endonomos forge long songs that flow effortlessly, shifting moods and textures as influences intertwine and coalesce into beautiful sadness and elegant despair. Enlightenment indeed!

You won’t wait long to be impressed either. 9-minute opener “Inversion” is a massive mission statement by Endonomos, delivering everything a doom fancier could ask for and MOAR. Beginning in classic doom style with big riffs and forlorn noodling with hints of prime Katatonia, things shift toward post-rock melodoom akin to Ghost Brigade with chillingly plaintive clean vocals scarring your soul before shifting into booming low register death roars that shake the foundations of burden. The guitars trill funerary lines and weep openly around whatever gravesite your mind manufactures and everything feels so sweetly morose. The song’s half over before you realize it, and you won’t want it to end, such is its depressive allure. Doom perfection. “Atheon Anarkhon” is darker and more dissonant with harsh edges protruding at every turn and death croaks leading the charge until despondent Patrick Walker-esque wailing vocals join the fray. This is more death doom than doom-death and it feels massive and crippling. The last few minutes truly blossom with the achingly forlorn cleans coming forward to spread grief as epic guitar lines borrow from While Heaven Wept to push the song to that next level of awesome.

My first thought upon hearing “Resolve” was that it could be a lost track from Fvneral Fvkk’s masterpiece Carnal Confessions. The way the vocals play off the despairing harmonies is very much the same and the vocals themselves are very reminiscent of the brilliant performance by Simon Schorneck (Cantor Cinedicus). Certain moments remind me of vintage Solitude Aeturnus as well and the guitar work is stunning and beautiful throughout. Ahab’s Daniel Droste provides guest vocals on “Hostile” and the mix of traditional Candlemass / Solitude Aeturnus style doom and modern flavors like Khemmis and Swallow the Sun is expertly realized for another major triumph of the broken heart. All six tracks deliver the rich, anguished goods and depression hasn’t sounded this good to me in a while. At no point do the songs feel bloated or in need of trimming though three of the six push well past 8 minutes. The album’s 48-plus minutes seem to vanish in a blip, making you feel like you lost time somewhere. That’s a sign of high-quality writing.

I’m very taken with the vocals by Lukas Haidinger. He channels a lot of genre heavyweights like Rob Lowe (Solitude Aeturnus), Krum (Darkest Era), Patrick Walker (40 Watt Sun, Warning) and Mikko Kotamäki (Swallow the Sun) and that’s fine company to find oneself in. His ability to sound despondent is a rare gift and his death vocals are top-shelf. He sells the songs like they’re sketchy junkers at a disreputable used car lot and you’ll buy in, with or without complementary undercoating. His bass work is also excellent, providing an ever-present and essential low-end rumble to the proceedings. Philipp Forster and Christoph Steinlechner bring a wealth of doom worship and technical acumen to the album, moving through the years to borrow the best bits from the biggest champions. You hear morose strumming from the Katatonia / Rapture schools sitting next to classic crunching and post-metal/post-rock minimalist wallowing and it all fuses seamlessly. Their riffs are crushing when they should be and the solos are poignant, elegant, and bewitching.

Endonomos find that elusive sweet spot between heavy and melodic and craft a collection of songs that allows them to punch far above their weight. Endonomos II – Enlightenment is easily one of the best doom albums of 2024 and one of the best of the last few years. If 2024 has yet to deliver the doom your masochistic heart longs for, this is it. Don’t miss the Endorama.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 319 kbps mp3
Label: Argonauta
Websites: endonomos.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/endonomos | instagram.com/endonomos
Releases Worldwide: September 27th, 2024

#2024 #40 #ArgonautaRecords #AustrianMetal #DarkestEra #DoomMetal #Endonomos #EndonomosIIEnlightenment #FvneralFvkk #GhostBrigade #Katatonia #Rapture #Review #Reviews #SolitudeAeturnus #SwallowTheSun #Votum

Endonomos – Endonomos II – Enlightenment Review

By Steel Druhm

There’s something extra satisfying about gambling on a completely unknown act in the promo sump and being handsomely rewarded for the biscuit risk. Austria’s Endonomos describe themselves as “epic doom” and on their sophomore outing, Endonomos II – Enlightenment, they unveil a shockingly mature and intoxicating blend of classic doom, post-metal, and death that’s powerful, emotional, and captivating. Part Solitude Aeturnus, part Fvneral Fvkk, part Ghost Brigade and Darkest Era, Endonomos II marries doom’s past with the present in ways that feel organic and unforced, natural and logical. Cobbling together so many successful doom tropes from across multiple genre variants isn’t easy, but Endonomos forge long songs that flow effortlessly, shifting moods and textures as influences intertwine and coalesce into beautiful sadness and elegant despair. Enlightenment indeed!

You won’t wait long to be impressed either. 9-minute opener “Inversion” is a massive mission statement by Endonomos, delivering everything a doom fancier could ask for and MOAR. Beginning in classic doom style with big riffs and forlorn noodling with hints of prime Katatonia, things shift toward post-rock melodoom akin to Ghost Brigade with chillingly plaintive clean vocals scarring your soul before shifting into booming low register death roars that shake the foundations of burden. The guitars trill funerary lines and weep openly around whatever gravesite your mind manufactures and everything feels so sweetly morose. The song’s half over before you realize it, and you won’t want it to end, such is its depressive allure. Doom perfection. “Atheon Anarkhon” is darker and more dissonant with harsh edges protruding at every turn and death croaks leading the charge until despondent Patrick Walker-esque wailing vocals join the fray. This is more death doom than doom-death and it feels massive and crippling. The last few minutes truly blossom with the achingly forlorn cleans coming forward to spread grief as epic guitar lines borrow from While Heaven Wept to push the song to that next level of awesome.

My first thought upon hearing “Resolve” was that it could be a lost track from Fvneral Fvkk’s masterpiece Carnal Confessions. The way the vocals play off the despairing harmonies is very much the same and the vocals themselves are very reminiscent of the brilliant performance by Simon Schorneck (Cantor Cinedicus). Certain moments remind me of vintage Solitude Aeturnus as well and the guitar work is stunning and beautiful throughout. Ahab’s Daniel Droste provides guest vocals on “Hostile” and the mix of traditional Candlemass / Solitude Aeturnus style doom and modern flavors like Khemmis and Swallow the Sun is expertly realized for another major triumph of the broken heart. All six tracks deliver the rich, anguished goods and depression hasn’t sounded this good to me in a while. At no point do the songs feel bloated or in need of trimming though three of the six push well past 8 minutes. The album’s 48-plus minutes seem to vanish in a blip, making you feel like you lost time somewhere. That’s a sign of high-quality writing.

I’m very taken with the vocals by Lukas Haidinger. He channels a lot of genre heavyweights like Rob Lowe (Solitude Aeturnus), Krum (Darkest Era), Patrick Walker (40 Watt Sun, Warning) and Mikko Kotamäki (Swallow the Sun) and that’s fine company to find oneself in. His ability to sound despondent is a rare gift and his death vocals are top-shelf. He sells the songs like they’re sketchy junkers at a disreputable used car lot and you’ll buy in, with or without complementary undercoating. His bass work is also excellent, providing an ever-present and essential low-end rumble to the proceedings. Philipp Forster and Christoph Steinlechner bring a wealth of doom worship and technical acumen to the album, moving through the years to borrow the best bits from the biggest champions. You hear morose strumming from the Katatonia / Rapture schools sitting next to classic crunching and post-metal/post-rock minimalist wallowing and it all fuses seamlessly. Their riffs are crushing when they should be and the solos are poignant, elegant, and bewitching.

Endonomos find that elusive sweet spot between heavy and melodic and craft a collection of songs that allows them to punch far above their weight. Endonomos II – Enlightenment is easily one of the best doom albums of 2024 and one of the best of the last few years. If 2024 has yet to deliver the doom your masochistic heart longs for, this is it. Don’t miss the Endorama.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 319 kbps mp3
Label: Argonauta
Websites: endonomos.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/endonomos | instagram.com/endonomos
Releases Worldwide: September 27th, 2024

#2024 #40 #ArgonautaRecords #AustrianMetal #DarkestEra #DoomMetal #Endonomos #EndonomosIIEnlightenment #FvneralFvkk #GhostBrigade #Katatonia #Rapture #Review #Reviews #SolitudeAeturnus #SwallowTheSun #Votum

Endonomos – Endonomos II – Enlightenment Review

By Steel Druhm

There’s something extra satisfying about gambling on a completely unknown act in the promo sump and being handsomely rewarded for the biscuit risk. Austria’s Endonomos describe themselves as “epic doom” and on their sophomore outing, Endonomos II – Enlightenment, they unveil a shockingly mature and intoxicating blend of classic doom, post-metal, and death that’s powerful, emotional, and captivating. Part Solitude Aeturnus, part Fvneral Fvkk, part Ghost Brigade and Darkest Era, Endonomos II marries doom’s past with the present in ways that feel organic and unforced, natural and logical. Cobbling together so many successful doom tropes from across multiple genre variants isn’t easy, but Endonomos forge long songs that flow effortlessly, shifting moods and textures as influences intertwine and coalesce into beautiful sadness and elegant despair. Enlightenment indeed!

You won’t wait long to be impressed either. 9-minute opener “Inversion” is a massive mission statement by Endonomos, delivering everything a doom fancier could ask for and MOAR. Beginning in classic doom style with big riffs and forlorn noodling with hints of prime Katatonia, things shift toward post-rock melodoom akin to Ghost Brigade with chillingly plaintive clean vocals scarring your soul before shifting into booming low register death roars that shake the foundations of burden. The guitars trill funerary lines and weep openly around whatever gravesite your mind manufactures and everything feels so sweetly morose. The song’s half over before you realize it, and you won’t want it to end, such is its depressive allure. Doom perfection. “Atheon Anarkhon” is darker and more dissonant with harsh edges protruding at every turn and death croaks leading the charge until despondent Patrick Walker-esque wailing vocals join the fray. This is more death doom than doom-death and it feels massive and crippling. The last few minutes truly blossom with the achingly forlorn cleans coming forward to spread grief as epic guitar lines borrow from While Heaven Wept to push the song to that next level of awesome.

My first thought upon hearing “Resolve” was that it could be a lost track from Fvneral Fvkk’s masterpiece Carnal Confessions. The way the vocals play off the despairing harmonies is very much the same and the vocals themselves are very reminiscent of the brilliant performance by Simon Schorneck (Cantor Cinedicus). Certain moments remind me of vintage Solitude Aeturnus as well and the guitar work is stunning and beautiful throughout. Ahab’s Daniel Droste provides guest vocals on “Hostile” and the mix of traditional Candlemass / Solitude Aeturnus style doom and modern flavors like Khemmis and Swallow the Sun is expertly realized for another major triumph of the broken heart. All six tracks deliver the rich, anguished goods and depression hasn’t sounded this good to me in a while. At no point do the songs feel bloated or in need of trimming though three of the six push well past 8 minutes. The album’s 48-plus minutes seem to vanish in a blip, making you feel like you lost time somewhere. That’s a sign of high-quality writing.

I’m very taken with the vocals by Lukas Haidinger. He channels a lot of genre heavyweights like Rob Lowe (Solitude Aeturnus), Krum (Darkest Era), Patrick Walker (40 Watt Sun, Warning) and Mikko Kotamäki (Swallow the Sun) and that’s fine company to find oneself in. His ability to sound despondent is a rare gift and his death vocals are top-shelf. He sells the songs like they’re sketchy junkers at a disreputable used car lot and you’ll buy in, with or without complementary undercoating. His bass work is also excellent, providing an ever-present and essential low-end rumble to the proceedings. Philipp Forster and Christoph Steinlechner bring a wealth of doom worship and technical acumen to the album, moving through the years to borrow the best bits from the biggest champions. You hear morose strumming from the Katatonia / Rapture schools sitting next to classic crunching and post-metal/post-rock minimalist wallowing and it all fuses seamlessly. Their riffs are crushing when they should be and the solos are poignant, elegant, and bewitching.

Endonomos find that elusive sweet spot between heavy and melodic and craft a collection of songs that allows them to punch far above their weight. Endonomos II – Enlightenment is easily one of the best doom albums of 2024 and one of the best of the last few years. If 2024 has yet to deliver the doom your masochistic heart longs for, this is it. Don’t miss the Endorama.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 319 kbps mp3
Label: Argonauta
Websites: endonomos.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/endonomos | instagram.com/endonomos
Releases Worldwide: September 27th, 2024

#2024 #40 #ArgonautaRecords #AustrianMetal #DarkestEra #DoomMetal #Endonomos #EndonomosIIEnlightenment #FvneralFvkk #GhostBrigade #Katatonia #Rapture #Review #Reviews #SolitudeAeturnus #SwallowTheSun #Votum

Photos/Review: Milwaukee Metal Fest Day 2: Mr. Bungle, Katatonia, Death to All – 5/18/2024:

#MilwaukeeMetalFest #MrBungle #Katatonia #DeathToAll #MMF2024 #LiveReview #ConcertPhotography

https://metalinsider.net/photos/photos-review-milwaukee-metal-fest-day-2-mr-bungle-katatonia-death-to-all-5-18-2024