Doom Metal

The Flight of Sleipnir – V. Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on November 30, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Doom Metal, Napalm Records, Reviews, Stoner Rock, Viking Metal, Doom Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Rock, Viking Metal, 12 comments

“I was only quite recently introduced to The Flight of Sleipnir. Since their formation in 2007, they have produced a steady stream of albums, with last year’s Saga being their best effort so far. Though based in Colorado, The Flight of Sleipnir follow the path of figuratively every folk metal band ever and take inspiration from Scandinavian folklore; yet both aesthetically (just look at that gorgeous album cover!) and sonically they have managed to distinguish themselves from the hordes of other Viking worshippers.” Stoner Viking doom sounds cool enough, but can this eight legged horse get off the ground?

Bog Oak – A Treatise on Resurrection and the Afterlife Review

By El Cuervo on November 30, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Svart Records, Black Metal, Doom Metal, 6 comments

“There are many things one can do in 20 minutes. Cook a frozen pizza. Watch an episode of an over-produced and unfunny American sitcom. Slump idly while contemplating the ultimate meaninglessness and futility of life. Now Bog Oak are here to stake their claim on these precious minutes with their short but sweet début EP.” From the darkest depths of the cranberry bog comes this blackened doom act. Mmmm, cranberries.

Isole – The Calm Hunter Review

By Steel Druhm on November 25, 2014 in 2014, Cyclone Empire, Doom Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Doom Metal, 8 comments

“What’s with all these “calm” themed titles lately. We had The Calm Hatchery a few weeks back and now this. For whatever reason I always read them as “clam,” which results in unintended hilarity. I mean, who hunts a freaking clam, right? They’re mollusks and just lay around waiting to be harvested. I live on an island so I know of what I speak. Anyway, this band is made up of the same guys that bring you the excellently blackened Viking metal of Ereb Altor. Isole is their traditional doom project, though it also has more than a little epic Vikingness running through its cold Norse veins.” Does your holiday wish list include melodic doom? If so, shove this in your stocking, chug some yule ale and get in the spirit.

Omit – Medusa Truth, Part 1 Review

By Madam X on November 25, 2014 in 2014, Doom Metal, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Secret Quarters, Uncategorized, Doom Metal, 4 comments

“If a masterwork of a doom metal album is made but no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Let’s go with yes, and allow me to prove it with Omit’s Repose. Horrible jokes aside, it was undeniably one of 2011’s most overlooked doom metal albums, an ambitious double album of orchestral, female-fronted doom metal mastery that nearly nobody listened to. Though their 2014 return is largely uncelebrated, allow me to tell you why you should change that.” Noctus found something obscure and wants to share it with you. We’re all about caring and sharing at AMG.

Anguish – Mountain Review

By Grymm on November 4, 2014 in 2014, Dark Descent Records, Doom Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Doom Metal, 6 comments

“Sweden’s Anguish have a lot of hype going for them. Their debut, 2012’s Through the Archdemon’s Head, turned the heads of fans, critics, and foxes the world over, bludgeoning everyone with their massive mix of Candlemass, Trouble, and the *ahem* unique vocals of J. Dee. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to check that album out, but when news hit that their newest release, Mountain, would take their sound and streamline it, cutting out the fat and giving us just the meaty morsels of their maddening dinner spread, I took the opportunity to jump in…” There may or may not be some minor hype about this band, but we ignore the buzz and deal in facts. Just the facts.

Ghost Brigade – IV – One With the Storm Review

By Steel Druhm on October 31, 2014 in 2014, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 24 comments

“Ghost Brigade are tough to neatly pigeonhole into a specific genre. Their early material was definitely post-metal/post-hardcore, but as they matured their sound evolved to include doom, gothic rock, alternative music and slight touches of black metal and prog. By the time they released Until Fear No Longer Defines Us, their style was quite the interesting stew of influences, yet their music remained accessible, direct and highly emotional.” Lineup changes abound, so does the classic sound stick around? We have…the DEETS!

Giant Squid – Minoans Review

By Saunders on October 31, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Doom Metal, Post-Rock, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Translation Loss, Doom Metal, Progressive Metal, 22 comments

“Firstly, before I delve into the guts of this review, here’s a bit of context regarding the elaborate conceptual narrative San Francisco’s Giant Squid have once again crafted with their latest weird and wonderful musical trip, entitled Minoans. The Minoan civilization emerged on the island of Crete and thrived from roughly 2700 to 1450 BC. I’m not here to give you a fucking history lesson, but for those seeking to get the full engagement of another carefully constructed and highly ambitious Giant Squid concept album, there’s an interesting backstory behind this mysterious civilization well worth investigating.” I feel like we just got a fucking history lesson.

While Heaven Wept – Suspended at Aphelion Review

By Steel Druhm on October 22, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Doom Metal, Epic Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Doom Metal, Epic Metal, 18 comments

“While Heaven Wept is a band I expect excellence from and actively root for them to achieve it, almost as if I was in the damn band myself. Their Of Empires Forlorn album is one of the best doom releases ever and one I return to religiously whenever I need a good soul drubbing. Follow ups Vast Oceans Lachrymose and Fear of Infinity were very good, sometimes great doses of highly polished melodic doom, though neither could replicate that special something Of Empires possessed. With all the hype surrounding the writing and recording of Suspended at Aphelion, and the fact it’s a conceptual piece composed of one song with eleven movements, a fanboy could dream this would be their magnum opus rex.” Ah, the dreams of a fanboy…so fragile, so precarious.

The Skull – For Those Which Are Asleep Review

By Dr. Fisting on October 22, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Tee Pee Records, Doom Metal, 3 comments

“The Skull has an origin story that’s weirder than most. A few years back, several members of doom legends Trouble found themselves out of the band, and decided to form a “tribute” to their former group. Besides the irony of a tribute band containing 3/5ths of the band they are tribute-ing, The Skull quickly proved their credentials onstage. At a packed hometown gig in Chicago, I witnessed the band deliver a set of long-unheard Trouble classics. Eric Wagner (vocals), Jeff Olson (drums) and Ron Holzner (bass) sounded predictably solid, while Lothar Keller and Matt Goldsborough handily replicated the guitar interplay of Trouble’s recorded work. But when the band announced an album of original material, I was skeptical at first…” Can The Skull give us more trouble than Trouble? One can only hope.

Encoffination – III-Hear Me O’ Death (Sing Thou Wretched Choirs) Review

By Mark Z. on October 18, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Selfmadegod Records, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 1 comment

“It’s no surprise death is such a common theme in metal. Whether through global religious institutions or personal musings on mortality, it’s something we struggle with both individually and as a society, a looming black unknown that begs questions about what happens when we pass on. Encoffination, however, do not ponder questions of life and death. Instead, the duo work within the mausoleum of extreme doom metal to embrace death head-on….” Death is as death does.