“When we discuss this majesty in metal, common threads lead to Fleshgod Apocalypse and Septicflesh and their ominous orchestras, the strength of battle in the rhythms of Bathory and Amon Amarth, while colossal vastness grants Ahab its weight or Ataraxie its bleakness. Germany’s The Circle utilizes all of the above in its dense and expansive blend of melodic death, doom, and black metal, capped off by symphonic soundscapes and a Gothic vocal style.” Might, majesty, and muscle.
“The mysteries of old school death metal are as arcane and unknowable as the most opaque of graduate school philosophy textbooks. The genre ingredients are so rudimentary, yet they can be bent, twisted, and deformed into a seemingly endless tide of horrific abominations. Back in 2020 Michigan’s The Glorious Dead tested their formulas fatal to the flesh on debut Into Lifeless Shrines, taking the basic OSDM blueprint and sprinkling in light prog and blackened elements.” Glory or bury?
“Has it really been 11 years since Saturnus last surfaced to drop a crushing doom album upon our bare naked toes? Though these perpetually depressed Danes were not part of the Peaceville movement in the early 90s spearheaded by My Dying Bride, Anathema, and Paradise Lost, they were right behind them, effectively covering much the same ground on albums like Paradise Belongs to You and Martyre. Talented but unproductive, they managed just three albums between 1997 and 2006 before taking 6 long years to drop 2012s Saturn in Ascension. More than a decade later, I’d written off the prospect of getting another Saturnus opus.” Reborn in the storm.
“Negative 13 first hit the scene way back in 2002 (at the time as Negative Theory) with their self-titled (again Negative Theory) sludgefest. Presumably, life happened, as it so often does, and their dozens of fans were left with a welcome mat tagged with a goodbye note. However, in this world that keeps on giving, the past couple years have allowed people to rekindle old hobbies (and ditch new hobbies), bake bread (and then never bake bread again), and, in this case, jam with old friends. Just like that, these reinstated Pittsburghers were able to reissue their previous album as Negative 13 and lay plans for their sophomore outing Mourning Asteri.” Positive negativity.
“Every now and then an unheralded act comes out of left field to whack you in the melon with a baseball bat forged of creativity and intensity. Colorado-based progressive death metal act Headshrinker just did that to me with their Callous Indifference debut. Combining rancid old school death with doom, suicidal-depressive black metal, and prog elements, this talented crew featuring members of Polyptych along with Havok’s Pete Webber on drums, created a deep dive into the complex and painful issue of mental illness and the soul-killing isolation and anguish it inflicts on those suffering from it. Feel good music this is not as the listener is plunged into a musical simulation of mental affliction with all its disorientation and unease.” Insanity and genius.
“I’ve had a few occasions now where I stumbled upon a promo in the never-ending heap and was beset by a vague sense of recognition. I’ll set out on a search through our vast archives, swearing I’ve read a review of this band or that, until I finally find the record in question, only to discover that the author of the review was, in a twist of truly Shyamalanic proportions, myself. This was not the case, however, for The Vicious Head Society, whom I still remember well as one of the most nonsensical names for a band I’ve had to cast judgement upon.” Extinction level head.
![Catalepsia – Inheritance [Things You Might Have Missed 2020]](https://www.angrymetalguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Catalepsia_Inheritance-01-768x768.jpg)
“2020 felt like a year in which a lot of quality albums escaped our reviewing grasp. In some cases we simply didn’t get promo and in others we just missed the boat altogether because we’re fallible human beings. Count Inheritance, the sophomore album from Latvia’s Catalepsia, in the former category, and it was our loss for not getting our hands on this freaky beast way back in January.” Sleep studies.
“Dark, moody doom death with gothic touches is a dish best served in an isolated, wintery cabin where only faint hints of sunlight can penetrate the deep freeze. Aphonic Threnody attempt to deliver exactly this kind of dour dish on their third album The Great Hatred. Following in the downtrodden footsteps of My Dying Bride and Saturnus, the duo making up this project are determined to turn your mellow into blubbering Jello™ with titanic doom riffs, booming death roars, and all the heart-tugging sadboi embellishments you’ve come to expect.” Haterade.
“For reasons unknown, Chile is a hot bed for doom metal. When I saw Poema Arcanvs hailed from Chile, played a brand of gothic doom death, and was signed to top-notch label Transcending Obscurity, I had to seize the day and the promo. Sadly, Father Time got the better of me and I missed getting a review done before Poema’s 6th album, Stardust Solitude hit the streets, and for that I feel eternal shame. Better late than never though, right?” Stardust and shame.
“Old school death metal never gets olde at the House of Steel. I’m a sucker for the stuff and I’m willing to give any such act a chance to show off their gnarly, aged wares. Michigan’s The Glorious Dead rolled their dead cart into town recently with the promo for full-length debut Into Lifeless Shrines, and I was there to greet them.” The Shrining.
