#sludgedoom — Public Fediverse posts

Who is this man who bears a pentagram and drapes his horse with astrological signs? Why does he carry a scythe, and why is he wearing armor? What does he see in the distance beyond the farmland? As the face of Armageddon Scars—debut LP of Louisiana sludge-doom duo Fane—he stands as a symbol for its contents, “[e]xploring themes of endurance, damage, and aftermath” by referencing an old world perhaps not so dissimilar from the present one. We may not get answers to our opening questions, but Fane’s musical expression can speak for itself. But in this genre epitomised by down-tuned dourness, is what it says any less vague and unanswerable?

Armageddon Scars sounds exactly like you think it does: a bit fuzzy, a bit wobbly, steady, sometimes groovy, but all in moderation. It finds some middle point between the promo’s advertised YOB, Primitive Man, and Crowbar, which manages to be quite listenable despite how that may sound. There’s a consistent atmosphere of stoicism, formed through the variously soft and spikey aspects of stoner-adjacent guitar drawls and grittier sludge chugs, that’s more than endearing. As opener “Flatline” fades in through the chirping of crickets and muted chords, this feeling starts to increase, augmented by the biting gutturals that take the lead and the tempo upshift that is echoed in the consistent turns of the album’s remainder.

Fane come into their own with a textured hook and the coalescence of passion with rhythmic delivery. It takes a while to get there, but “Flatline”‘s lead refrain hits a satisfying groove in its blended stoner-sludge riffs and crashing cymbals; “Poisoned Crown” fares better in delivery speed and general quality, but you do have to wait until the end of the album to reach its syncopated percussion and drawling soloing. This percussion is consistently enjoyable to listen to, but hits best when the album steps out of the template just a tad and messes with patterns (“Flatline,” “Passages”). Likewise, while Armageddon Scars remains melodically driven by simple yet effective riffing—and the theme in “Mariner” stands out particularly here—it’s usually when Fane mix in a little more dissonance or complexity that their solid base feels strongest. A guitar line whose twisting dissonance (“Dead Shepherd”), or high mirroring of another (“Flatline”) adds welcome urgency and intrigue. The bouts of atmosphere in the mix—to bring in the sounds of the sea, introduce the opening chords, or cloak the album’s only true solo—also contrasts nicely with the more solid foundation. When screams pitch above the fracas for vicious (“Passages,” “Mariner”) or agonised (“Dead Shepherd”) emphasis, they successfully pull their sober surroundings up with them, whose weight then lends these moments the punch they need.

Yet despite such signs, Armageddon Scars falters in large part because it fails to distinguish itself. There’s a fine line between a reassuring familiarity and staleness, and Fane fall on the bad side more often than not, with the bulk of the riffing and rhythms occupying that middle Venn diagram of their influences. It’s seemingly not for lack of imagination or skill, as the above indicates the band are experimenting a little and adding at least some layers and elements of darkness, atypicality, or poignancy. What’s there is just not enough to counteract how quickly the admittedly good rhythms and refrains lose their vivacity, and sometimes it even goes badly, as with the spoken-word (“Mariner,” “Passages”) that comes across as bland and non-committal. Perhaps the album’s greatest compliment just is its commitment to a singular sound and the fact that Fane have still made it just that bit more modern, but it feels like a shame in the face of their evident efforts beyond this.

Armageddon Scars is a strong album buried in a forgettable one. There’s enough to it that any fans of this sludge-doom sound will likely find something to believe in, even though it doesn’t convince me personally. Fane may have a brilliant journey and mysteries to unravel ahead of them, but currently there appears to be only unexplained adornments on a well-trodden scene.

Rating: Mixed
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Argonauta Records (Octopus Rising)
Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: August 28th, 2026

Kirjakahvilan antifasistinen metallifestivaali Love Metal Hate Fascism järjestetään Brinkkalan pihassa pe–la 14.–15.8.2026. Ei pääsymaksua, ei ikärajaa, ei natseja! // The anti-fascist metal festival Love Metal Hate Fascism takes place at the Brinkkala courtyard on Friday 14 and Saturday 15 August, 2026. Free admission, all ages, no nazis!

https://kirjakahvila.org/lmhf9/

#LoveMetalHateFascism #Kirjakahvila #Antifascist #TurkuMetal #BrinkkalanPiha #BlackMetal #SludgeDoom #DeathMetal #ThrashMetal

Rain has started to leak into the ducts as Spring gets wetter and wetter. While I’m away, vacationing in a nice, dry, cloudy place, my minions are drenched and miserable. As it should be! But I’m still keeping tabs on their progress. Just because I’m having a great time somewhere else doesn’t mean these louts don’t have a quota to meet!

And meet their quota they shall, if only barely… BEHOLD!

ClarkKent’s Sci-Fi Soundbites

Epigram // Obsolescent [March 6th, 2026 – Self Released]

Combining the melodic black metal of Thulcandra and Dissection with the symphonics of Fleshgod Apocalypse and SepticFlesh, Epigram dropped a tasty little morsel with their debut, Obsolescent. The trio from Los Angeles puts on a spirited performance that borders on thrash. Tim Cauley’s display on the kit is a dominant force as he furiously blast beats his way from one song to the next. He turns “Wrath of Betrayed” into a piece of blackened thrash and proves tireless across Obsolescent’s 27-minute runtime. The lively vocal performance of Luis Echevarria adds further to Epigram’s charm. His low growls may seem underpowered, but his delivery is energetic and fun. He’s also the source of the symphonic instrumentation, via synths, though this aspect is secondary. Sure, there’s some choral chants (“Myrmidon,” “The Usurper’s Throne”), strings (“Hour of Gods”), and other vaguely symphonic sounds, but Epigram is most focused on the blackened melodic stuff. Shadi Absi throws together some great riffs, particularly on “Empires,” a work of pure black ‘n roll. The showstopper is “Hour of Gods,” with some sweet riffs and terrific energy. This song alone makes Obsolescent a worthy spin. Rounding out the musicians is Sanjay Kumar (Inferi, Wormhole), who plays solos on “Wrath of Betrayed” and “No Sin.” This is a promising debut for an eager new band.

Kal-El // Astral Voyager Vol. 2 [March 20th, 2026 – Blues Funeral Recordings]

Sporting the greatest band name of all time, Kal-El have been blasting listeners with stoner doom since 2012. Astral Voyager Vol. 2 is the follow-up to last year’s Vol. 1, and these pyschedelians’s seventh album overall. It’s been seven years since Witches of Mars was unfairly pummeled by a Kryptonian frog, and now I’d like to do the band justice by rescuing them from our filter. On this astral voyage, you get the pleasure of listening to six songs and 42 minutes of laid-back stoner tunes with plenty of fuzzy riffs—perfect for cruising around the cosmos. Their riff-centric approach puts them in the Black Sabbath camp, and the riffs on the likes of “Juno” and “The Prophecy,” which has a “Children of the Grave” vibe, are tons of fun. Further cementing the Sabbath comp is the vocal performance of Ståle Rodvelt, who carries a resemblance to Ozzy in his delivery. Longer cuts take more exploratory routes, akin to Sleep, yet still feature plenty to get your head bobbin’. “Asteroid” opens up with some sweet riffs that sustain its near eight-minute frame, while “The Nine” will still have you singing along in the final of its ten minutes. 1 So if you are in the mood for something chill that won’t put you to sleep, something that has the riffs without the risk of elevating your blood pressure, you should spend some time with Kal-El.

Thus Spoke’s Tectonic Treat

Bong-Ra // Esoterik [March 20th, 2026 – Debemur Morti Productions]

Not having received promo, it was only upon visiting DM’s Bandcamp page while writing up Aversio Humanitatis that I realised Bong-Ra had released another album. Asked whether Esoterik would be leaning more into enigmatic doom or spiky industrial electronica, the shapeshifting Bong-Ra said “yes”. The music is built on layers of dense, gritty atmosphere undulating with bass, breakbeats, and distorted riffs. Vocals are maintained from Black Noise—half-spoken snarls blurred by noise, shifting between blunt tunefulness (“Serpentine Helix”) and gargling venom (“Machine Halo”)—but at least half of the space is devoted to the purely instrumental psychosis. The saxophone is back, adding bizarre elegance and chilling eeriness in equal measure. Sometimes, Esoterik seems to be pitting its sultry and acerbic natures against one another; that chamber jazz side can take one by surprise (“Pleasures of the Flesh,” “Duality of One”), sandwiched as it is between a more punishing industrialism, but Bong-Ra just about gets away with it. This could be down to Esoterik’s efficiency in establishing (new) grooves—rhythmic and stylistic. Opener “Harmony Cloak” dispels misgivings on its skittering electronic oddity with a chorus that strikes a stylish balance between melody and dissonance; “Machine Halo” later follows in its stride. It’s an album that earns its moniker, right down to the particular spelling, and is worth the dark diversion it requires.

Grin Reaper’s Kooky Curios

Surturian // II – Hessian Spears [March 13th, 2026 – Crawling Chaos]

A German thrash band named after the legendary fire giant and guardian of Muspelheim? And on their debut LP, they launch an unrelenting, venomous assault filled with sticky riffs and bopping bass grooves in under forty-five minutes? Sign me up! Surturian plays thrash that smacks of early Testament and Metallica fused with the epic melodies of latter-day Kreator—hell, vocalist Tim Krogull reeks of Mille’s rancorous vocals, even though his name hews closer to a Voivodian disposition. In addition to thrash influences, Surturian calls upon Maiden’s signature gallops (“Cimmerians Wrath”) and anthemic melodies (“⁠Night Stalker,” “Do What Thou Wilt”), inculcating a lofty grandeur throughout II – Hessian Spears. Further fanning Surturian’s flames, the outfit navigates a varied landscape that imbues each track with its own character while never straying too far from their core sound. Hard-hitting offensives (“Blood Witchery”), slinky licks (“Night Stalker”), and oddball songwriting (“Beneath a Dying Sky”2) unite into an album I’ve regularly returned to since discovering it. If you’re feeling unSurtain, take it from me—it’s always a good time for some Hessian aggression!

Barn // Crucibles [March 24th, 2026 – Self Released]

Thanks to a certain dude/guy in the comments section, Crucibles didn’t slip past me undetected. Despite their dubious band name, Barn dropped a humdinger slab of tech death back in March that oozes with references to Unquestionable Presence (Atheist), Focus (Cynic), and, to a lesser extent, Decrepit Birth.3 There are even moments that echo more subdued moments from recent Sallow Moth releases (“The Serpent’s Perpetual Shed”). Staccato bursts of guitar, pinch harmonics, and buttery, fretless bass glissandos epitomize what Barn offers, and they spread it thick and chunky all over Crucibles’ sixty-five-minute runtime. Rustic name notwithstanding, Barn’s latest sounds like a sci-fi adventure, supported by track names like “Black Hole Lens” and “Cymatics.” The fretless bass especially helps with the futuristic aesthetic, frictionlessly gliding through gusts of abrupt, otherworldly guitars that buffet tracks from all angles. Barn rarely offers reprieve during their unconventional onslaught, but tracks like “Forbidden Fruits,” “Cymatics,” and “The Defeater” achieve such heights that I don’t find myself needing one. In short, these Boise boys warp listeners to a different dimension on Crucibles, and though it runs a tad long, I haven’t been deterred yet from lighting up this Barnburner.

Dionysiaque // La Tourbe des Rêves [March 27th, 2026 – I, Voidhanger Records]

Dionysiaque dispenses a bizarre derivative of doom on La Tourbe des Rêves that’s sure to be equal parts captivating and divisive. Reaching into the bag of tricks defined by Cathedral, Black Sabbath, and Candlemass, Dionysiaque’s sophomore album lumbers and chugs with classic rock-inspired leads and firecracker songcraft that I find utterly enthralling. Songs like “Aaron,” “Hate Fruit,” and “The Two Headed Boy” spotlight Dionysiaque’s plaintive guitar wails, contributed by L.B. and Bruno Penserini, along with their savvy balance of somber atmospheres and rousing melodies. Buoying the guitar tandem, bassist Lethal lays down frolicking, fabulous thunder via absorbing countermelodies while drummer T.H. looses potent fills and rolls throughout. Soaring atop the instrumentation are N.C.’s unorthodox vocals, which will almost certainly be the sole determining factor in listeners’ ability to engage with La Tourbe des Rêves. His delivery recalls that of Mayhem’s Attila Csihar at his most operatically deranged, never lacking conviction yet occasionally overpowering and ostentatious. Still, I appreciate and enjoy the commitment to the unhinged performance, and although dialing it back a little would make Dionysiaque’s latest more accessible, I’ve come to love La Tourbe des Rêves without apology. So don’t be afraid to let a little love into your heart—go get debauched with Dionysiaque’s aphrodisiac.

Creeping Ivy’s Pandemonic Pleasure

Mammon’s Throne // My Body to the Worms [March 13th, 2026 – Hammerheart Records]

In advising his fellow fallen angels—recently expelled from Heaven—to turn Hell into a competing kingdom, Mammon projects that All Demons will ‘work ease out of pain / Through labor and endurance.’4 Satan doesn’t heed this advice, but the third LP from Mammon’s Throne arguably does. On My Body to the Worms, this Australian five-piece inflicts pleasurable pain upon metaldom via five filthy slabs of sludgy death-doom (plus two instrumental reprieves). Mammon’s Throne conjure Hooded Menace, Temple of Void, and (old) Worm in their proclivity for plodding tempos, swampy riffs, and gravely howls (“Elixir”). The album is also a labor of love for classic (death-) doom à la Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride, mixing gothy croons, ascendant melodicism, and haunting piano into the band’s sinister stew (“Every Day More Sickened,” “At the Threshold of Eternity”). Though the listener does need some endurance, as three of the five non-instrumentals hover in the 8–9 minute range, the record flows fluidly across an easy 42 minutes. If you ever wondered what metal in league with Mammon might sound like, give My Body to the Worms a spin.

The Queen Is Dead Volume 203 – Azken Auzi, Bekor Qilish, Dionysiaque

Azken Auzi, Bekor Qilish, Dionysiaque: metal estremo

Azken Auzi, Bekor Qilish e Dionysiaque protagonisti di tre dischi tra #SludgeDoom, #AvantgardeMetal e #DoomMetal: oscuri, radicali e imperdibili.

iyezine.com/azken-auzi-bekor-q…

Kowloon Walled City (us) + 30,000 Monkies (be) @ Le Hangar (Liège)

https://mobilizon.fr/events/563a6f80-9317-4b43-8101-07d636f41011

This is the new third LP by Nottingham's MOLOCH, and it's some of the better sludge DOOM I've heard. Grueling. Raw. Nutso. Get in on this.

https://moloch.bandcamp.com/album/bend-break-kneel-crawl

#NowPlaying #sludge #2026Albums #2026Records #Nottingham #UK #UKBands #NottinghamBands #metal #doom #DoomMetal #SludgeMetal #SludgeDoom #DoomSludge #UKSludge @wendigo @HailsandAles @rtw @swampgas @guffo @c0m4

Sabbra Cadabra - #Radio 🔥 Ya disponible "The Best Of 2025" 🎧 🔥 Ya está disponible "The Best Of 2025" #sabbracadabra #stonerrock #desertrock #heavypsych #doommetal #sludgedoom #stonerdoom #occultrock #Metalsky #Press #Music #Cultura #Underground collectorseriesdiy.blogspot.com/2025/12/sabb...

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#MetalInjection
Review: THOU Umbilical
"The primal anger at the center of Umbilical remains palpable, making it one of Thou's most memorable efforts to date."

https://metalinjection.net/reviews/thou-umbilicallt

#sludgedoom #thou #umbilical #hardcore #radicalpolitics #leftfieldphilosophy #narcissistsprayer

I'm not usually a Melvins fan but I LOVE the sound of this new single "Working the Ditch" from their album 'Tarantula Heart' coming out April 19.

They recorded it strangely - they used two drummers to play along with some riffs, and then Buzz wrote new stuff to it. It's bonkers and I love it

https://youtu.be/SCtkn9W9GJ8?si=TiFsmZEJDFETFG4d

#Melvins #sludge #doom #SludgeDoom #heavy #riffs