#melodicdeathmetal — Public Fediverse posts

In the spirit of Noctule—Svalbard frontwoman Serena Cherry’s solo meloblack/Covid lockdown project—and their video game theming, I have lore with this band. Noctule’s debut, 2021’s Skyrim tribute Wretched Abyss, was the subject of my audition review for this very blog. Given the assignment was to review an album you’d rate as mixed/2.5, you can infer my assessment of it. So, why then was I so excited to relieve Dear Hollow of reviewing Noctule’s follow-up, Extinguish Thy Flame? It’s not because it’s tackling Elden Ring this time,1 a game Cherry credits in the promo with saving her life.2 It’s because, though Wretched Abyss was a one-note record, that one note was massive. Noctule’s coiling melodies kick ludicrous butt on that album, and I had long hoped Cherry would give her side-project another swing. Well, here it is: Extinguish Thy Flame. Does Noctule seize upon their potential, or is their flame more meager than I had believed?

Rest assured that the aspects that made Noctule’s debut compelling remain untarnished on Extinguish Thy Flame. Wretched Abyss’s formula of interwoven hyper-melodic leads soaring over pummeling drums and Cherry’s commanding bellows was potent in 2021, and you’d best believe it works just as well today. Behold “Become My Blade Once More” and true opener “Devour the Gods;” disregarding Extinguish Thy Flame’s clearer production, these songs could’ve been off the debut. Noctule is still an approachable, hook-first project, typified by surefire bangers like “Grafted,” swapping between chuggy chops and spacious melodies and “Hallowhorn Grounds” with its surprisingly bright atmospheres. The only strength of the debut that takes a minor backstep on Extinguish Thy Flame is in its pacing, as two brief interludes in “Welcome to Limgrave” and “O’ Death” delay/interrupt the action a smidge more than Wretched Abyss ever did. Even so, Extinguish Thy Flame is still a tight and vital listen, and Noctule’s approach to melodic black metal is just as enjoyable as before.

However, Extinguish Thy Flame improves on Wretched Abyss’s greatest weakness: monotony. Where Noctule struggled in refreshing their formula before, an injection of melodeath into their style drastically ups Extinguish Thy Flame’s memorability. Adopting the school of InsOmnium Gatherum sad boi gorl melodeath riffing, Noctule sounds supercharged on emotional barnburners like “Lord of Blood” and “Age of the Stars,” sounding more precise and simply bigger than ever. “Age of the Stars,” “Devour the Gods,” and “Become My Blade Once More” alone have better-quality melodeath riffing than most bands not named At the Gates in 2026. “Big” is ultimately the word for Extinguish Thy Flame; Noctule embed gravitas into cuts like “Lament of the Omen King” and “Grafted” through rich and capacious arrangements, tom-heavy fills, and synth-backed symphonics. Where Wretched Abyss had few moments that broke its mold, every song on Extinguish Thy Flame has its standout aspect. Although monotony does show somewhat in Extinguish Thy Flame’s mostly uniform tempo, Noctule only needed a touch more diversity to level up their game.3

Against the opulence of Extinguish Thy Flame, Noctule casts a shadow of sadness across its runtime. It’s a Serena Cherry album, after all. Noctule manifests as a less confessional, more grandiose version of Svalbard on Extinguish Thy Flame, bearing Cherry’s signature burden of sorrow across its fiery tracks. Overt mourning weighs heavy on “Goddess of Rot”‘s slower tempo and tortured wails, while “Hallowhorn Grounds” wields Svalbard’s bittersweet post-hardcore riffing with conviction. Clean and acoustic guitars coil and harmonize like their distorted counterparts across Extinguish Thy Flame, most noticeably in bridging “Grafted” and “Goddess of Rot,” and succeed in evoking sadness as convincingly as the distorted harmonies do in raising hell. Lyrically, Cherry succeeds in drawing out the tragedy of Elden Ring’s various storylines (“Goddess of Rot,” “Age of the Stars”), proving further the beauty of a bad time. Noctule is as easy-listening as black metal gets, but that doesn’t mean Cherry’s not gonna try and pluck at your heartstrings on Extinguish Thy Flame.

Just as I’d hoped, Extinguish Thy Flame is Noctule better realized. Stronger arrangements, stronger musicianship, a more varied songwriting approach; there was no question that Noctule could weave a killer hook, but their sophomore outing proves the project has legitimate staying power. If you like your extreme metal big and melodic, you owe yourself a listen to Extinguish Thy Flame. If I discover future wannabe N00bs auditioning with this record, I will personally see them snuffed promoted back into the readership expeditiously. Detractors of Extinguish Thy Flame, I brook thee no quarter.

Rating: Very Good
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps MP3
Label: Self-Release
Websites: noctule.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/noctuleband
Releases Worldwide: September 25th, 2026

In the spirit of Noctule—Svalbard frontwoman Serena Cherry’s solo meloblack/Covid lockdown project—and their video game theming, I have lore with this band. Noctule’s debut, 2021’s Skyrim tribute Wretched Abyss, was the subject of my audition review for this very blog. Given the assignment was to review an album you’d rate as mixed/2.5, you can infer my assessment of it. So, why then was I so excited to relieve Dear Hollow of reviewing Noctule’s follow-up, Extinguish Thy Flame? It’s not because it’s tackling Elden Ring this time,1 a game Cherry credits in the promo with saving her life.2 It’s because, though Wretched Abyss was a one-note record, that one note was massive. Noctule’s coiling melodies kick ludicrous butt on that album, and I had long hoped Cherry would give her side-project another swing. Well, here it is: Extinguish Thy Flame. Does Noctule seize upon their potential, or is their flame more meager than I had believed?

Rest assured that the aspects that made Noctule’s debut compelling remain untarnished on Extinguish Thy Flame. Wretched Abyss’s formula of interwoven hyper-melodic leads soaring over pummeling drums and Cherry’s commanding bellows was potent in 2021, and you’d best believe it works just as well today. Behold “Become My Blade Once More” and true opener “Devour the Gods;” disregarding Extinguish Thy Flame’s clearer production, these songs could’ve been off the debut. Noctule is still an approachable, hook-first project, typified by surefire bangers like “Grafted,” swapping between chuggy chops and spacious melodies and “Hallowhorn Grounds” with its surprisingly bright atmospheres. The only strength of the debut that takes a minor backstep on Extinguish Thy Flame is in its pacing, as two brief interludes in “Welcome to Limgrave” and “O’ Death” delay/interrupt the action a smidge more than Wretched Abyss ever did. Even so, Extinguish Thy Flame is still a tight and vital listen, and Noctule’s approach to melodic black metal is just as enjoyable as before.

However, Extinguish Thy Flame improves on Wretched Abyss’s greatest weakness: monotony. Where Noctule struggled in refreshing their formula before, an injection of melodeath into their style drastically ups Extinguish Thy Flame’s memorability. Adopting the school of InsOmnium Gatherum sad boi gorl melodeath riffing, Noctule sounds supercharged on emotional barnburners like “Lord of Blood” and “Age of the Stars,” sounding more precise and simply bigger than ever. “Age of the Stars,” “Devour the Gods,” and “Become My Blade Once More” alone have better-quality melodeath riffing than most bands not named At the Gates in 2026. “Big” is ultimately the word for Extinguish Thy Flame; Noctule embed gravitas into cuts like “Lament of the Omen King” and “Grafted” through rich and capacious arrangements, tom-heavy fills, and synth-backed symphonics. Where Wretched Abyss had few moments that broke its mold, every song on Extinguish Thy Flame has its standout aspect. Although monotony does show somewhat in Extinguish Thy Flame’s mostly uniform tempo, Noctule only needed a touch more diversity to level up their game.3

Against the opulence of Extinguish Thy Flame, Noctule casts a shadow of sadness across its runtime. It’s a Serena Cherry album, after all. Noctule manifests as a less confessional, more grandiose version of Svalbard on Extinguish Thy Flame, bearing Cherry’s signature burden of sorrow across its fiery tracks. Overt mourning weighs heavy on “Goddess of Rot”‘s slower tempo and tortured wails, while “Hallowhorn Grounds” wields Svalbard’s bittersweet post-hardcore riffing with conviction. Clean and acoustic guitars coil and harmonize like their distorted counterparts across Extinguish Thy Flame, most noticeably in bridging “Grafted” and “Goddess of Rot,” and succeed in evoking sadness as convincingly as the distorted harmonies do in raising hell. Lyrically, Cherry succeeds in drawing out the tragedy of Elden Ring’s various storylines (“Goddess of Rot,” “Age of the Stars”), proving further the beauty of a bad time. Noctule is as easy-listening as black metal gets, but that doesn’t mean Cherry’s not gonna try and pluck at your heartstrings on Extinguish Thy Flame.

Just as I’d hoped, Extinguish Thy Flame is Noctule better realized. Stronger arrangements, stronger musicianship, a more varied songwriting approach; there was no question that Noctule could weave a killer hook, but their sophomore outing proves the project has legitimate staying power. If you like your extreme metal big and melodic, you owe yourself a listen to Extinguish Thy Flame. If I discover future wannabe N00bs auditioning with this record, I will personally see them snuffed promoted back into the readership expeditiously. Detractors of Extinguish Thy Flame, I brook thee no quarter.

Rating: Very Good
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps MP3
Label: Self-Release
Websites: noctule.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/noctuleband
Releases Worldwide: September 25th, 2026

In the spirit of Noctule—Svalbard frontwoman Serena Cherry’s solo meloblack/Covid lockdown project—and their video game theming, I have lore with this band. Noctule’s debut, 2021’s Skyrim tribute Wretched Abyss, was the subject of my audition review for this very blog. Given the assignment was to review an album you’d rate as mixed/2.5, you can infer my assessment of it. So, why then was I so excited to relieve Dear Hollow of reviewing Noctule’s follow-up, Extinguish Thy Flame? It’s not because it’s tackling Elden Ring this time,1 a game Cherry credits in the promo with saving her life.2 It’s because, though Wretched Abyss was a one-note record, that one note was massive. Noctule’s coiling melodies kick ludicrous butt on that album, and I had long hoped Cherry would give her side-project another swing. Well, here it is: Extinguish Thy Flame. Does Noctule seize upon their potential, or is their flame more meager than I had believed?

Rest assured that the aspects that made Noctule’s debut compelling remain untarnished on Extinguish Thy Flame. Wretched Abyss’s formula of interwoven hyper-melodic leads soaring over pummeling drums and Cherry’s commanding bellows was potent in 2021, and you’d best believe it works just as well today. Behold “Become My Blade Once More” and true opener “Devour the Gods;” disregarding Extinguish Thy Flame’s clearer production, these songs could’ve been off the debut. Noctule is still an approachable, hook-first project, typified by surefire bangers like “Grafted,” swapping between chuggy chops and spacious melodies and “Hallowhorn Grounds” with its surprisingly bright atmospheres. The only strength of the debut that takes a minor backstep on Extinguish Thy Flame is in its pacing, as two brief interludes in “Welcome to Limgrave” and “O’ Death” delay/interrupt the action a smidge more than Wretched Abyss ever did. Even so, Extinguish Thy Flame is still a tight and vital listen, and Noctule’s approach to melodic black metal is just as enjoyable as before.

However, Extinguish Thy Flame improves on Wretched Abyss’s greatest weakness: monotony. Where Noctule struggled in refreshing their formula before, an injection of melodeath into their style drastically ups Extinguish Thy Flame’s memorability. Adopting the school of InsOmnium Gatherum sad boi gorl melodeath riffing, Noctule sounds supercharged on emotional barnburners like “Lord of Blood” and “Age of the Stars,” sounding more precise and simply bigger than ever. “Age of the Stars,” “Devour the Gods,” and “Become My Blade Once More” alone have better-quality melodeath riffing than most bands not named At the Gates in 2026. “Big” is ultimately the word for Extinguish Thy Flame; Noctule embed gravitas into cuts like “Lament of the Omen King” and “Grafted” through rich and capacious arrangements, tom-heavy fills, and synth-backed symphonics. Where Wretched Abyss had few moments that broke its mold, every song on Extinguish Thy Flame has its standout aspect. Although monotony does show somewhat in Extinguish Thy Flame’s mostly uniform tempo, Noctule only needed a touch more diversity to level up their game.3

Against the opulence of Extinguish Thy Flame, Noctule casts a shadow of sadness across its runtime. It’s a Serena Cherry album, after all. Noctule manifests as a less confessional, more grandiose version of Svalbard on Extinguish Thy Flame, bearing Cherry’s signature burden of sorrow across its fiery tracks. Overt mourning weighs heavy on “Goddess of Rot”‘s slower tempo and tortured wails, while “Hallowhorn Grounds” wields Svalbard’s bittersweet post-hardcore riffing with conviction. Clean and acoustic guitars coil and harmonize like their distorted counterparts across Extinguish Thy Flame, most noticeably in bridging “Grafted” and “Goddess of Rot,” and succeed in evoking sadness as convincingly as the distorted harmonies do in raising hell. Lyrically, Cherry succeeds in drawing out the tragedy of Elden Ring’s various storylines (“Goddess of Rot,” “Age of the Stars”), proving further the beauty of a bad time. Noctule is as easy-listening as black metal gets, but that doesn’t mean Cherry’s not gonna try and pluck at your heartstrings on Extinguish Thy Flame.

Just as I’d hoped, Extinguish Thy Flame is Noctule better realized. Stronger arrangements, stronger musicianship, a more varied songwriting approach; there was no question that Noctule could weave a killer hook, but their sophomore outing proves the project has legitimate staying power. If you like your extreme metal big and melodic, you owe yourself a listen to Extinguish Thy Flame. If I discover future wannabe N00bs auditioning with this record, I will personally see them snuffed promoted back into the readership expeditiously. Detractors of Extinguish Thy Flame, I brook thee no quarter.

Rating: Very Good
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps MP3
Label: Self-Release
Websites: noctule.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/noctuleband
Releases Worldwide: September 25th, 2026

In the spirit of Noctule—Svalbard frontwoman Serena Cherry’s solo meloblack/Covid lockdown project—and their video game theming, I have lore with this band. Noctule’s debut, 2021’s Skyrim tribute Wretched Abyss, was the subject of my audition review for this very blog. Given the assignment was to review an album you’d rate as mixed/2.5, you can infer my assessment of it. So, why then was I so excited to relieve Dear Hollow of reviewing Noctule’s follow-up, Extinguish Thy Flame? It’s not because it’s tackling Elden Ring this time,1 a game Cherry credits in the promo with saving her life.2 It’s because, though Wretched Abyss was a one-note record, that one note was massive. Noctule’s coiling melodies kick ludicrous butt on that album, and I had long hoped Cherry would give her side-project another swing. Well, here it is: Extinguish Thy Flame. Does Noctule seize upon their potential, or is their flame more meager than I had believed?

Rest assured that the aspects that made Noctule’s debut compelling remain untarnished on Extinguish Thy Flame. Wretched Abyss’s formula of interwoven hyper-melodic leads soaring over pummeling drums and Cherry’s commanding bellows was potent in 2021, and you’d best believe it works just as well today. Behold “Become My Blade Once More” and true opener “Devour the Gods;” disregarding Extinguish Thy Flame’s clearer production, these songs could’ve been off the debut. Noctule is still an approachable, hook-first project, typified by surefire bangers like “Grafted,” swapping between chuggy chops and spacious melodies and “Hallowhorn Grounds” with its surprisingly bright atmospheres. The only strength of the debut that takes a minor backstep on Extinguish Thy Flame is in its pacing, as two brief interludes in “Welcome to Limgrave” and “O’ Death” delay/interrupt the action a smidge more than Wretched Abyss ever did. Even so, Extinguish Thy Flame is still a tight and vital listen, and Noctule’s approach to melodic black metal is just as enjoyable as before.

However, Extinguish Thy Flame improves on Wretched Abyss’s greatest weakness: monotony. Where Noctule struggled in refreshing their formula before, an injection of melodeath into their style drastically ups Extinguish Thy Flame’s memorability. Adopting the school of InsOmnium Gatherum sad boi gorl melodeath riffing, Noctule sounds supercharged on emotional barnburners like “Lord of Blood” and “Age of the Stars,” sounding more precise and simply bigger than ever. “Age of the Stars,” “Devour the Gods,” and “Become My Blade Once More” alone have better-quality melodeath riffing than most bands not named At the Gates in 2026. “Big” is ultimately the word for Extinguish Thy Flame; Noctule embed gravitas into cuts like “Lament of the Omen King” and “Grafted” through rich and capacious arrangements, tom-heavy fills, and synth-backed symphonics. Where Wretched Abyss had few moments that broke its mold, every song on Extinguish Thy Flame has its standout aspect. Although monotony does show somewhat in Extinguish Thy Flame’s mostly uniform tempo, Noctule only needed a touch more diversity to level up their game.3

Against the opulence of Extinguish Thy Flame, Noctule casts a shadow of sadness across its runtime. It’s a Serena Cherry album, after all. Noctule manifests as a less confessional, more grandiose version of Svalbard on Extinguish Thy Flame, bearing Cherry’s signature burden of sorrow across its fiery tracks. Overt mourning weighs heavy on “Goddess of Rot”‘s slower tempo and tortured wails, while “Hallowhorn Grounds” wields Svalbard’s bittersweet post-hardcore riffing with conviction. Clean and acoustic guitars coil and harmonize like their distorted counterparts across Extinguish Thy Flame, most noticeably in bridging “Grafted” and “Goddess of Rot,” and succeed in evoking sadness as convincingly as the distorted harmonies do in raising hell. Lyrically, Cherry succeeds in drawing out the tragedy of Elden Ring’s various storylines (“Goddess of Rot,” “Age of the Stars”), proving further the beauty of a bad time. Noctule is as easy-listening as black metal gets, but that doesn’t mean Cherry’s not gonna try and pluck at your heartstrings on Extinguish Thy Flame.

Just as I’d hoped, Extinguish Thy Flame is Noctule better realized. Stronger arrangements, stronger musicianship, a more varied songwriting approach; there was no question that Noctule could weave a killer hook, but their sophomore outing proves the project has legitimate staying power. If you like your extreme metal big and melodic, you owe yourself a listen to Extinguish Thy Flame. If I discover future wannabe N00bs auditioning with this record, I will personally see them snuffed promoted back into the readership expeditiously. Detractors of Extinguish Thy Flame, I brook thee no quarter.

Rating: Very Good
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps MP3
Label: Self-Release
Websites: noctule.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/noctuleband
Releases Worldwide: September 25th, 2026

ANCIENT SETTLERS presenta nou single: "Through the Ruins" #AncientSettlers #MelodicDeathMetal #Metalcore #Setembre2026 #NouSingle #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

ANCIENT SETTLERS presenta nou single: "Through the Ruins" #AncientSettlers #MelodicDeathMetal #Metalcore #Setembre2026 #NouSingle #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

🔥 🔥
Aegis - Astel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrZspXP1RwM&list=OLAK5uy_ldvQJm1dxYWqVDutCxLgR_8qFW2hR4zvw

(Sadly not in :bandcamp: )

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Astel/3540590018

#melodicDeathMetal #deathcore #progressiveMetal

🔥 🔥
Aegis - Astel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrZspXP1RwM&list=OLAK5uy_ldvQJm1dxYWqVDutCxLgR_8qFW2hR4zvw

(Sadly not in :bandcamp: )

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Astel/3540590018

#melodicDeathMetal #deathcore #progressiveMetal

🔥 🔥
Aegis - Astel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrZspXP1RwM&list=OLAK5uy_ldvQJm1dxYWqVDutCxLgR_8qFW2hR4zvw

(Sadly not in :bandcamp: )

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Astel/3540590018

#melodicDeathMetal #deathcore #progressiveMetal

🔥 🔥
Aegis - Astel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrZspXP1RwM&list=OLAK5uy_ldvQJm1dxYWqVDutCxLgR_8qFW2hR4zvw

(Sadly not in :bandcamp: )

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Astel/3540590018

#melodicDeathMetal #deathcore #progressiveMetal

🔥 🔥
Aegis - Astel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrZspXP1RwM&list=OLAK5uy_ldvQJm1dxYWqVDutCxLgR_8qFW2hR4zvw

(Sadly not in :bandcamp: )

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Astel/3540590018

#melodicDeathMetal #deathcore #progressiveMetal

DISRUPTION presenta nou EP: "The Vale of Naught" #Disruption #MelodicDeathMetal #Setembre2026 #NouEp #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

DISRUPTION presenta nou EP: "The Vale of Naught" #Disruption #MelodicDeathMetal #Setembre2026 #NouEp #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

BREEDING CHAOS (França) presenta nou single: "Cradle of the New Suns" #BreedingChaos #MelodicDeathMetal #Setembre2026 #França #NouSingle #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

BREEDING CHAOS (França) presenta nou single: "Cradle of the New Suns" #BreedingChaos #MelodicDeathMetal #Setembre2026 #França #NouSingle #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

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

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

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

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

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