Gothic Metal

2 Wolves – …Our Fault Review

By Twelve on April 17, 2019 in 2019, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Inverse Records, Reviews, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, 37 comments

“I used to think Finland must be the single coolest place in the world. Unsurprisingly, this view coincides with my discovery of symphonic metal music, which, for a long time, remained comfortably nestled in the frosty inspiration of that country. It wasn’t long before I crossed the threshold and met doom metal, which, would you believe it, also kept my attention rapt on Finland. 2 Wolves hail from Finland, and bring gothic-tinged doom metal to light in their fourth full-length, …Our Fault.” Nobody’s at fault.

Dying Embers – Where Shadeless Dwell Frozen Review

By GardensTale on March 5, 2019 in 2019, Austrian Metal, Black Sunset Records, Gothic Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Gothic Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Power Metal, 35 comments

“In the mid-00’s, I was just starting to dip my toes into the realms of metal. Maybe it was just the entry point I had with Children of Bodom, but there were a slew of bands that were called melodic death metal, but like a Scooby Doo villain, turned out to be power metal with some harsh vocals, some of them adding some cues from Gothic metal to seem a little darker. Bands like Eternal Tears of Sorrow or Before the Dawn went over well with pubescent me, with their straightforward, Maidenesque guitar harmonies and gloomy veneer. Dying Embers fall in this category as well, being tagged melodic death metal, and instead molding bits of Gothic and growls onto a mid-paced power metal album with the unwieldy title Where Shadeless Dwell Frozen. Time to feel like a teenager again.” Drama Club metal.

Swallow the Sun – When a Shadow is Forced Into the Light Review

By Steel Druhm on January 23, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Century Media, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, 134 comments

“How does a band follow-up a mammoth triple album into which they poured all the creativity they could muster? This was the existential question facing Swallow the Sun following the release of their magnum opus, 2015s Songs of the North, Vols I, II and III. Unfortunately for the band, fate intervened and made the decision for them in 2016 with the passing of lead writer/guitarist Juha Raivio’s partner, Aleah Stanbridge (Trees of Eternity).” Shadows and light.

A Pale Horse Named Death – When the World Becomes Undone Review

By El Cuervo on January 14, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, Long Branch Records, Reviews, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, 31 comments

“A belated Happy New Year to all. But the genre at the core of today’s review may not be conferring that same wish on its listener; namely, atmospheric, Gothic metal. And there is surely but one obvious band when we consider Gothic metal from Brooklyn, NY; namely, Type O Negative (‘TON’). Given the clear limitations of a specific sub-genre of metal in one borough of a city, it’s no surprise to learn that Sal Abruscato, the Brooklyn goth behind A Pale Horse Named Death (‘Pale Horse’), has long-standing ties to that late but great band as a founding member of both.” Type So Negative.

Splendidula – Post Mortem Review

By Carcharodon on January 12, 2019 in 2018, Belgian Metal, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, Inverse Records, Reviews, Stoner Metal, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, Stoner Metal, 29 comments

“Coming from the Latin ‘splendidus’, ‘splendid’ is defined—by one (free) online dictionary that this n00b found, anyway—as an adjective meaning ‘magnificent; very impressive.’ Of what relevance is this to Post Mortem, the second album from Splendidula? Quite possibly none but having made the splendid-Splendidula link in my head, I got my hopes up.” Album autopsy.

The Eternal – Waiting for the Endless Dawn Review

By Steel Druhm on August 13, 2018 in 2018, Australian Metal, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, Inverse Records, Reviews, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, 44 comments

“Long time readers of Angry Metal Guy Blogworks and Important Opinion Emporium, Ltd., know I have a soft spot for sadboy melancholic doom. This led me to heap praise on Swallow the Sun’s mammothly meandering, overblown triple album suite, Songs of the North back in 2013. In the fullness of time, I downgraded the original score on my Contrite Metal Guy confessional, and hard lessons were learned: Some albums are simply too long-winded to work as well as they should. Now comes Australian act, The Eternal and their sixth album, Waiting for the Endless Dawn.” Why the long album?

Voices – Frightened Review

By Grymm on April 26, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, British Metal, Candlelight Records, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Spinefarm, Black Metal, Gothic Metal, Progressive Metal, 109 comments

“When Akercocke dissolved in 2012, a few of its members regrouped as Voices, releasing a respectable debut in the form of Voices from the Human Forest Create a Fugue of Imaginary Rain, revealing that there was some life left from the ashes of everyone’s favorite hedonistic prog-death merchants. However, absolutely no one was prepared for the relentless headfuck that came out the following year.” Voices carry… expectations.

Schwarzer Engel – Kult der Krähe Review

By Grymm on March 3, 2018 in 2018, German Metal, Gothic Metal, Massacre Records, Reviews, Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal, 4 comments

“Ever get that queasy feeling in the pit of your stomach when you commit to something that’s absolutely foreign to your comfort zone? You know what I mean… you say “yes” to something before you get a good, hard look at what you’re about to do, and all of a sudden, Internal You is “nope!”-ing at record speed? Folks, that was me upon accepting Kult der Krähe, the sixth album by German one-man symphonic machine Schwarzer Engel, upon looking at the cover without hearing a single note prior.” Kult ov One.

Usurpress – Interregnum Review

By GardensTale on February 26, 2018 in 2018, Agonia Records, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, Gothic Metal, Progressive Metal, 0 comments

“Consistency is a virtue, most of the time. Oftentimes, it is vital for a band’s recognizability, allowing only for incremental growth and change, both within an album and across several. But it can be taken too far with a sound growing stale, or eschewed completely for avant-garde whiplash effects (see Igorrr). Usurpress love mixing different genres into their Swedish death metal, risking consistency issues but aiming for the reward of diversity and unpredictability.” Overthrow the expected.

My Silent Wake – There Was Death Review

By Saunders on February 21, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Doom Metal, English Metal, Gothic Metal, Minotauro Records, Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, 0 comments

“Ah, the mysteries of the promo bin. Usually when selecting promo I like to have a bit of context to consolidate my choices. Whether it be firm knowledge of a particular band or genre, general curiosity based on word-of-mouth or information gathered, or a fanboy-like connection. But every now and then the urge strikes to pick something at random, with the hope of landing a surprise gem. That was how I happened upon There Was Death by long running UK act, My Silent Wake.” The promo bin gives, the promo bin takes.