Clouds

Slow – Abîmes I Review

By Kenstrosity on December 6, 2023 in Reviews, Death Doom, Doom Metal, Funeral Doom, 24 comments

“There was a time, not long ago, when I would’ve proclaimed myself an avid Slow fan. That was before I claimed the rights to cover the Belgian funeral doom duo’s ninth album, Abîmes I. All this time, I had no idea Slow was so productive. In retrospect I don’t know why this surprised me, considering the prolific multi-instrumentalist Déhà is the project’s mastermind. Furthermore, I had no idea Slow spawned all the way back in 2007. My complete negligence regarding Slow’s origins and extensive back catalog qualifies me as the quintessential “false fan.” But rest assured, once I’m done with this write-up for Abîmes I, I’m catching up post haste.” Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.

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.

TheKenWord’s and Carcharodon’s Top Ten(ish) of 2021

By Kenstrosity on December 28, 2021 in Blog Posts, Lists, 138 comments

TheKenWord and Carcharodon assembled these Top Ten(ish) lists and apparently they stand by them. You can judge if that is the right decision.

Clouds – Despărțire Review

By Thus Spoke on December 8, 2021 in Reviews, Death Doom, Funeral Doom, 65 comments

“You could hardly find a more autumnally appropriate band than Clouds. Their name not only describes the most prevalent meteorological phenomenon of the season, their past catalog, and a band roster filled with members from legendary Funeral, Saturnus, and Shape of Despair has established them as a master of atmospheric doom.” Sure, it’s winter. And yes, this record dropped in October. Did you miss it?

Mourners – Act I: Tragedies Review

By Grymm on February 2, 2021 in Reviews, Funeral Doom, 16 comments

“Daniel Neagoe is funeral doom’s answer to Rogga Johansson, with no less than ten active bands at the time of this review, according to Metal Archives. Most everyone can agree, however, that his biggest footprint lies with the funeral doom supergroup Clouds, and his mammoth beast Eye of Solitude. Sadly, the latter dissolved in 2019, as Neagoe felt the project came to its logical conclusion. That said, Neagoe teamed up with Clouds guitarist Mihai Dinuta and Eye drummer Siebe Hermans to launch Eye’s spiritual continuation, Mourners.” Happy tragedies.

NONE – Damp Chill of Life [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

By Master of Muppets on December 8, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Black Metal, Hypnotic Dirge Records, Reviews, Things You Might Have Missed 2019, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, 33 comments

“Let’s get one thing straight from the get-go: I trvly don’t give a fuck about you, never have and never will. When I share something wonderful here, it’s because awesome Muppet is awesome, not because I want to improve your miserable lives; you deserve nothing and I hope you get less, yo. Accordingly, I write these TYMHM pieces not because *you* might have missed any gems I cover, but because *I* missed *my* chance to properly babble about them during the year.” Muppets unbound.

Clouds – Dor Review

By Steel Druhm on November 12, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Doom Metal, International Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 88 comments

“Life is pain. The human condition is one of brief, fleeting moments of joy hemmed in on all sides by the ever-present specter of death and loss. The loss of loved ones, the loss of safety and comfort as your aging body fails and falls to ruin, and ultimately, the frigid closure of death. Clouds writes every note of their music from this cold place at the edge of mortality, with the debilitating awareness of the darkness that hovers just past our tomorrows.” Cold, hard truths.

Collapse of Light – Each Failing Step Review

By Steel Druhm on April 19, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Doom Metal, International Metal, Rain Without End records, Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 37 comments

“Personal loss and despair have always been prime fodder for doom metal. The style basically exists to simulate the experiences of grief, sorrow and deprivation, tearing open the worst emotions in human existence and daring us to confront them. When you stop and think about it, it’s hard to understand why anyone would seek such music out. We will all suffer genuine loss. We will all hurt deeply and profoundly, and sometimes we will never truly move beyond it. Why then would we seek out facsimiles of such heartache? I don’t have the answer, but I do know that Collapse of Light have come to expose all your deepest pain and sadness on their debut Each Failing Step.” Triumph in failure.

Yhdarl – Loss Review

By Kronos on January 12, 2018 in 2018, Belgian Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Drone, I Voidhanger Records, Reviews, Black Metal, Drone, 33 comments

“Pulling off a long song — be it a ten-minute black metal piece or an hour-plus funeral doom opus — takes very deliberate pacing. Great drone and doom bands know this and know how to pull the listener rather than push them. If the song moves too fast, it can seem to lose structure, but if it moves too slowly, it can stagnate and sour the listener to its next idea. One has to have the pacing and space to keep themselves involved.” The long lurch into oblivion.

Slow – V – Oceans [Things You Might Have Missed 2017]

By Master of Muppets on January 10, 2018 in Aural Music, Belgian Metal, Doom Metal, Things You MIght Have Missed 2017, Doom Metal, Funeral Doom, 105 comments

“I’m no stranger to emptiness, I have used music as an outlet for my own struggles with depression for almost thirty years and my music library is positively littered with negativity. The sounds of being depressed have haunted my ears in varying shades of grey for as long as I can remember, but never before have I heard an album embody depression itself with the same level of unnerving perfection as Slow’s V – Oceans does.” I see a slow darkness.