Atmospheric Doom

R.A Sánchez – L’Ottava Sfera Review

By Dear Hollow on November 30, 2023 in Reviews, Drone, 23 comments

“The trouble with genre-bending avant-garde artists is the line between utter brilliance and foolhardy amateurishness. Like a sleeping bear of sonic putridity, artists poke it with their toes of jazz and ambiance and drone, and it largely is a matter of time before they’re greeted with the teeth, and consequently, our ears are bathed in confusion. R.A Sánchez, proprietor of the ambient weirdness of Black Baptist, offers this odd concoction in solo debut L’Ottava Sfera.” Creativity is madness by another name.

Forlesen – Black Terrain Review

By Carcharodon on October 27, 2022 in Reviews, Drone, Post-Metal, 23 comments

The debut record from San Francisco’s Forlesen hit me at a weird time. At the height of the first, very strict COVID lockdown in the UK, Hierophant Violent struck like a (very, very slow-moving) freight train. A masterclass in slow-build songwriting, exuding patience, confidence and skill in its execution, the album hooked me from the first spin, which was on a sunlit walk, taken as my one permitted piece of outdoor exercise for the day. Combining post-metal and drone with flashes of black metal and doom, Hierophant Violent snagged my first ever 4.5 and with it—the album, not my score—Forlesen secured places on three staff end-of-year lists.” Forlesen or Moresen.

The Otolith – Folium Limina Review

By Carcharodon on October 20, 2022 in Reviews, Symphonic Metal, 116 comments

“‘I miss SubRosa, and I don’t understand why there’s no other band out there like them,’ lamented a poor, tortured soul beneath a recent review of mine. Well, ask and ye shall receive, as the saying goes. Here I am to present for your entertainment, enjoyment(!), and critical assessment, The Otolith, a band that has risen from the ashes and sports four members of symphonic doom quintet SubRosa.” SunRoses to the faithful.

Rise to the Sky – Per Aspera Ad Astra Review

By Twelve on September 3, 2021 in Reviews, 36 comments

“Since founding Rise to the Sky in 2019, Sergio G. has written and released two EPs and four full-length albums of highly atmospheric death-doom metal. Six releases in two years would be impressive for any band, really, but the fact that he does it all largely on his own is another twist to the story, one that has had me, on at least one occasion, wondering if everything is going okay in his life. Apparently he’s doing alright, so I can only assume he really likes what he does.” Doom adds life.

Jupiterian – Protosapien Review

By Carcharodon on September 8, 2020 in Reviews, Sludge, 15 comments

“Lured in initially by that artwork – unmistakably Mariusz Lewandowski but with a teensy variation on his typical hooded figure and preferred color palette – the advance track (“Mere Humans”) for Jupiterian’s Protosapien sounded huge; as in, geologically significant. This Brazilian four-piece was previously unknown to me, so off I scurried to the AMG archive dungeons to ensure that it could be mine to review! I was to be disappointed, as I discovered that a certain Muppet had in fact reviewed the last slab of atmospheric doom sludge dished up by Jupiterian. Then, when the news broke that Muppet was going to be pursuing interests outside The Hall, I realized that the follow up to 2017’s Terraforming was up for grabs after all.” Grab for the stars.

Noctu – Gelidae Mortis Imago Review

By Master of Muppets on May 19, 2020 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Funeral Doom, 30 comments

“When I hear the term “funeral doom,” several words immediately come to mind: slow, reeeally fucking slow, crushing, monolithic, etc. I am moved to many turns ov phrase in the presence of funeral doom, yet one word which rarely plods to the forefront of my funereal lexicon is also one which I cannot avoid when discussing the genre: what is “funeral,” Alex?” I’ll take Potpourr-zees for $200.

Head of the Demon – Deadly Black Doom Review

By Carcharodon on May 4, 2020 in Reviews, 19 comments

“Head of the Demon, were unknown to me when I picked up what is their third full-length outing. Thus far in their career, the occult-themed doomsters have kept a healthy four years between releases, dropping their self-titled debut in 2012 and its follow up, Sathanas Trismegistos, in 2016. Can 2020’s Deadly Black Doom deliver on its oh so tantalizing title?” Demon doom.

John, the Void – III – Adversa Review

By Carcharodon on May 13, 2019 in 2019, Argonauta Records, Doom Metal, Italian Metal, Post-metal, Reviews, Sludge, Post-Metal, Sludge, 42 comments

“During the Great N00b Off, I told myself that, should I one day be given unchaperoned access to the promo bin, I absolutely would not choose a band purely on the basis of its name. I would do my research and make an informed decision. So, following my first foray into the promo bin sans Steel Druhm, take a bow John, the Void, a band I chose purely for its name.” What’s in a name?

Morbid Evils – Deceases Review

By Akerblogger on August 29, 2017 in 2017, Drone, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Svart Records, Drone, 10 comments

“Tantalizingly labeled as being a grind-drone hybrid, Morbid Evils — a side project of Rotten Sound vocalist and guitarist Keijo Niinimaa — doesn’t play by the rules. That’s not to say that the feelings these two extreme sub-genres stir up aren’t present. The suffocating and oppressive atmospherics found both in the gargantuan monotone sound of drone and the stifling chaos of grindcore are an ever-present force here, shifting with the force of planet sized icebergs. The name of the game is oppression and the aim of the game is to hammer the brain into a pulp.” Morbid and evil is no way to go through life, son.

Illimitable Dolor – Illimitable Dolor Review

By Ferrous Beuller on March 30, 2017 in 2017, Australian Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Transcending Obscurity, Death Metal, 30 comments

“Few genres resonate with as much sincerity as doom metal. Although naturally predisposed towards the melodramatic, it conveys a range of emotions that other metal genres simply never will. Every now and then, I come across an act that manages to elucidate, with stark candour, some of the most primal of our instincts. In this instance, grief.” A tribute to a fallen brother in metal, and an enormous one at that.