“Formed by Sorrows Path co-founder Kostas Salomidis, nascent Greek epic doom metal trio Distorted Reflection are so new that they don’t even have a Metallum profile up yet. Established in 2022, the young band follows Kostas’ vision of epic doom metal after nearly thirty years with his original band.” Reflections of depression.
“Sorcerer are back, and boy howdy did I need the sanctuary afforded by their classic epic doom sound after marinating for weeks in Autopsy’s gore-encrusted catalog! For those not familiar, Sorcerer haunted the Swedish doom scene since the late 80s without seeing a proper release until 2015s In the Shadow of the Inverted Cross. Though I was a fan of their demos and compilations in the 90s, I missed In the Shadow entirely and didn’t come back on board until 2017s The Crowning of the Fire King. That album’s loving tribute to the Candlemass school of epic doom blew my mind and ended up my Album o’ the Year. I still spin it often and it’s one of my favorite albums of the decade.” Wanded: Dead or Alive.
“Well, this is a yuletide surprise. A new Memory Garden album was not on my bingo card for Covid-ravaged 2021. To set the stage, Memory Garden emerged out of the 90s Swedish power/doom scene that birthed such acts as Tad Morose, Morgana Lefay and Sorcerer. Like these somewhat better-known brethren, their sound was regal, polished, classy, and bedecked in the finery of both doom and heavy power metal. Since their last release was way back in 2013, I’d assumed they were in the garden themselves.” A pox on 2021.
“As a trve, epic sort of gentleman, I feel there’s a disturbing lack of quality epic doom in today’s metal scene. Atlantean Kodex can’t release a monstrous magnum opus every year, and with While Heaven Wept out of action, the scene is screaming in the night for wengeance and a love bite that almost never arrives. Attempting to fill this epic gap comes Germanic tribe, Servants of the Tide with their self-titled debut platter. Proudly name dropping both the aforementioned acts as major inspirations, the band dives into the deep end of the trve pool, also borrowing from Candlemass and Sorcerer as they labor to spin grand tales of great deeds.” Something to Tide you over.
“Sweden’s Sorcerer has had a bouncy ride through the ages. They released a series of demos I really enjoyed back in the early 90s and then completely vanished from the metal scene for some 20-plus years. They reappeared in 2015 with a comeback album I slept on, then knocked me flat, silly and senseless with 2017s stupendous The Crowning of the Fire King. That album’s expertly crafted blend of traditional and doom metal was impossible to resist and Fire King seized my Record o’ the Year glory easily. Naturally I was quite stoked to receive the followup, Lamenting of the Innocent. With a concept based around the Inquisition and witch trials, all signs and omens pointed to another big dose of classy metal with hooks by the boatload.” No one expects the Swedish Inquisition!
“As an inveterate doom fiend, I’m forever skulking the dank, darkened catacombs of Castle AMG, hunting for the next heartbreaking slab o’ crushing riffs and soul killing melodies. Thus far 2019 has offered up very little to slake my insatiable hunger for sadboi feelz and towering riff landfills. Because of this blight I had Isole brightly highlighted on my release calendar in red hot salmon, as they’ve been a highly reliable epic and regal doom outfit over the years.” I came, Isole, I conquered.
![Solstice – White Horse Hill [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]](https://www.angrymetalguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Solstice-White-Horse-Hill-01-768x750.jpg)
“I love to hear music from bands that faded away decades ago, only to come back with renewed fury. Satan, anyone? Sorcerer? The list goes on, and now we can add Solstice to it. Stylistically similar to Sorcerer and Khemmis, these venerable Brits put out a couple of albums in the 1990s before disappearing from the scene, only to reappear in 2013 with a comeback EP, Death’s Crown Is Victory. Immaculately recorded and arranged, the four songs presented were top-notch epic doom. And now, five years after that—and a full twenty after their last full-length—Solstice present us with White Horse Hill, and it is glorious.” Won’t you ride their White Horse?
“Back in 2017, the epic doom of Sorcerer’s excellent The Crowning of the Fire King marched its way onto a couple of Top 10(ish) lists, coming in at #5 for The Huckster and #1 for our great ape, Steel Druhm. Nothing has really come close to emulating that feel so far this year — perhaps the closest we’ve come is the satisfyingly thick platter of Týr-ish goodness that was Khemmis’ Desolation. But that album didn’t hit home like Sorcerer did, nor has it had the staying power. Enter Spanish newcomers Black Lotus, and their debut album, Sons of Saturn, which promises to be chock full of epicness.” Black Wizzard?
“¡Chicos! It is arrived. The list for which you have all been waiting. Listurnalia has run its course for 2017, and the semi-final list is upon us. This year, there were a ton of different albums mentioned, and let’s just say for the record that any record that was mentioned that isn’t on my (AMG) list is wrong. But, alas, other people also work here or the blog wouldn’t be written. So, in honor of all these lesser mortals who think they’re special, I present: AngryMetalGuy.com’s Meta List. Also known as…” Lists of things once listed.
“To think I’ve been doing this since April of 2010 makes my steely head spin. So much has happened around here in that time and we’ve grown from mega-kvlt to pretty damn big over the years (especially in Japan).” Music to embiggon the soul.
