Reverend Bizarre

Friends of Hell – God Damned You to Hell Review

By Steel Druhm on April 3, 2024 in Reviews, Doom Metal, 34 comments

“Back in 2022, a tongue-in-cheek project by members of Reverend Bizarre and Electric Wizard was introduced to the world. Going by the name Friends of Hell (a not-so-subtle call out to Witchfinder General’s sophomore opus), they played classic 80s doom in the vein of Pentagram, Saint Vitus, and of course, Witchfinder General. It was a loving homage to a specific era and sound and the somewhat goofy, overblown delivery was balanced out by slick riffs and the one-of-a-kind vocals of Albert Witchfinder (Reverend Bizarre). It was entertaining but it wasn’t a must-hear kind of article. 2024 sees Friends of Hell back with a greatly overhauled lineup and without the talents of Albert Witchfinder.” Friends and Hell wishers.

Cardinals Folly – Live by the Sword Review

By Mystikus Hugebeard on October 29, 2023 in Reviews, Doom Metal, 15 comments

“What a gloomy place Finland must be to produce so much doom metal. While you’ve likely encountered the doom giants Lord Vicar, Spiritus Mortis, or Reverend Bizarre in your travels, it is within the murky depths of the Finnish doom underground that you might stumble upon Helsinki-based Cardinals Folly. The band’s press loves to point out their status as an underground band, which feels strange.” Doom for improvement.

Läjä Äijälä & Albert Witchfinder – Ordeal and Triumph Review

By Dear Hollow on March 10, 2023 in Reviews, Drone, Electronic, Noise, 57 comments

“Läjä Äijälä and Albert Witchfinder are both veterans to the Finnish music scene, the former best known for his time with punk band Terveet Kädet, while the latter is renowned as vocalist/bassist of Reverend Bizarre – although their collaboration has nothing to do with either. Like 2021 debut Centuries of Youth, Ordeal and Triumph offers three tracks and an hour of a polarizing blend of power electronics, industrial, analog noise, dark ambient, and spoken word.” Enter the Ordeal.

Spiritus Mortis – The Great Seal Review

By Steel Druhm on September 13, 2022 in Reviews, Doom Metal, 17 comments

“In the darkness I lurk, watching from a distance for that first glimpse of what I know must eventually arrive. But how long must I languish in this grim limbo? My hunger grows exponentially as weeks stretch into months without succor. In anguish, I raise my fists to the Heavens and cry out. Where oh where are the great doom albums of 2022? Where are the classic doom-inspired platters designed to crush me ‘neath oceans of despair and mammoth riffs? Aside from the winning debut by Early Moods (God, I hate that name), there’s been little to slake my unhealthy doom desires. Thus I pinned a great deal of miserable hope on the return of Finland’s Spiritus Mortis.” High spirits.

Strange Horizon – Beyond the Strange Horizon Review

By Steel Druhm on May 8, 2022 in Reviews, Doom Metal, 38 comments

“As a child of the 80s metal scene, I grew to statuesque manhood marinating in the sounds of Pentagram and Saint Vitus. Those 80s doom titans are still near and dear to me and any act that tries to recapture the sound of that era has me as an ally. Norway’s Strange Horizon are one such band, striving to recapture that classic doom magic on debut Beyond the Strange Horizon.” Dawn of the doom.

Friends of Hell – Friends of Hell Review

By Steel Druhm on March 24, 2022 in Reviews, Doom Metal, 30 comments

“80s style doom metal is as rare these days as an honest person in politics. Bands that did it so well back in the day are all but extinct and even promising younger acts like Pallbearer and Khemmis who teased the rebirth of the style sagged under the weight of it all and drifted off to greener pastures. To this dark tableau come Friends of Hell, the classic doom project spearheaded by members of Reverend Bizarre and Electric Wizard.” With friends like this…

Suum – Cryptomass Review

By Steel Druhm on February 12, 2020 in 2020, Doom Metal, Italian Metal, Reviews, Seeing Red Records, Doom Metal, 20 comments

“It’s a new year and I’m already anxious to uncover 2020s version of Fvneral Fvkk. By that I mean a doom album that comes out of nowhere and hits me like a runaway logging truck, leaving me bloodied, battered but impressed. In search of the next unheralded monolith of massiveness, I took a flyer on unsung Italian doom act Suum. Cryptomass is their second album, and you just have to love that witty title.” Suum of all fears.

Besvärjelsen – Vallmo Review

By Steel Druhm on March 27, 2018 in 2018, Doom Metal, Occult Rock, Reviews, Suicide Records, Swedish Metal, Doom Metal, Occult Rock, 22 comments

“Female fronted doom metal is certainly in vogue these days, with an ever expanding list of bands joining the fray. Now you can add Swedish act Besvärjelsen to the roster with their doomy debut, Vallmo.” Swe-doom in da house!

Cardinals Folly – Deranged Pagan Sons Review

By Ferrous Beuller on September 7, 2017 in 2017, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Nine Records, Reviews, Doom Metal, 12 comments

“We all know that imitation is supposedly the sincerest form of flattery, but where exactly is that flimsy line, where tribute slips into mimicry and thunders down that Jacob’s ladder, only to greet the ground with a limp thud, uniform and unremarkable. This is a question I find myself pondering whilst meandering through the trails of traditional doom that comprise Deranged Pagan Sons, the fourth release from Finland’s Cardinals Folly.” Ozzy says.

Sibiir – Sibiir Review

By Eldritch Elitist on December 11, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Fysisk Format, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Hardcore, 18 comments

“Ah, another week, another black metal hybrid album. I’ve been snatching these up like candy lately, and for good reason: the only albums I’ve awarded a 3.0 or higher thus far have paired the genre’s trademark icy dissonance with a variety of other styles to great effect.” Blackened candy is best served cold.