Novembers Doom

Décembre Noir – Autumn Kings Review

By Huck N Roll on November 8, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Doom Metal, German Metal, Lifeforce Records, Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 33 comments

“Week 2 of Madam X Month sees the Huckster taking on one of X’s favorites from years gone by, Décembre Noir. Our esteemed headmistress reviewed their debut back in 2014, and was impressed enough by A Discouraged Believer that she managed to twist the untwistable arm of Steel Druhm and have the album declared a runner up in the May 2014 Record(s) o’ the Month column—not to mention including it in her own Top Ten(ish) list that year. We somehow missed their follow-up, 2016’s Forsaken Earth, but we are not about to make the same mistake with Autumn Kings. The question is, four years on from their debut, what do Décembre Noir bring to the table that they didn’t on their debut?” Season’s feelz beatings.

Coldbound – The Gale Review

By Dr. Wvrm on June 11, 2018 in 2018, Finnish Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Melodic Death Metal, 26 comments

“Early in the year, I considered pitching a State of the Genre series. Ezpz, I thought. Lather yourself in creamy melodeath goodness and pump yourself full of thrash for six months, then blast all your thoughts into a word doc for an easy win. What could go wrong? This damn year, that’s what. It’s not that both genres let me down in stunning fashion – it’s that EVERY genre.” Dying a slow melodeath.

On Thorns I Lay – Aegean Sorrow Review

By Steel Druhm on March 9, 2018 in 2018, Alone Records, Doom Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 79 comments

“When I saw the name On Thorns I Lay pop up in the fetid muck of the AMG promo sump, I was more than a bit surprised. I’d followed this mercurial Greek act pretty closely back in the early aughts as they steadily evolved from primitive doom death to goth metal, and on to something like a heavier Radiohead on their 2003 album, Egocentric. The band then promptly imploded and were not heard from again. Apparently they reformed and released an album in 2015 which I completely missed, and now they’re back to deliver Aegean Sorrow. And what a different beast they’ve become since 2003.” Gyros of sorrow.

Affasia – Adrift in Remorse Review

By Ferrous Beuller on February 28, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Transcending Records, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 0 comments

“Here at the elucidation-station that is Angry Metal Guy, EPs usually slip beneath the review radar in favor of a meatier morsel. But it’s cutting season, dammit, and no tyrannical filthy ape tells me what to review. Virginia’s Affasia are preparing to release their debut EP, Adrift in Remorse, an offering full of doom-death and a beckoning melodic charm — and when the sad-boy signals, you best believe I answer the call.” Late winter feelz.

Stass – The Darkside Review

By Dr. Wvrm on September 16, 2017 in 2017, International Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Mighty Music, Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, 36 comments

“Eating, or looking for things to eat. Boning down, or looking for people to bone down with. Shitting, or looking for music to shit on. The angry metal life devotes countless hours to these simple activities. How Rogga Johansson makes time for even one of these is a mystery. Metal Archives lists The Darkside, the debut of Stass, his project of the month with Crematory’s Felix Stass, as his 11th release of 2017.” No rest for the Rogga.

Subterranean Masquerade – Vagabond Review

By GardensTale on September 4, 2017 in 2017, Israeli Metal, Oriental Metal, Progressive Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Reviews, ViciSolum Productions, Oriental Metal, Progressive Metal, Psychedelic Rock, 66 comments

“Twelve years down the road from the debut, Subterranean Masquerade no longer sounds the same. The psychedelic has lost ground to the Oriental, and the introduction of Green Carnation vocalist Kjetil Nordhus has brought influences from his main gig into the songwriting. The subtle madness and looming shadow have made way for a scene of sunlit clay houses in a strange, vaguely Middle-Eastern land.” The mind of an artist is murky and mysterious.

Passage – As Darkness Comes Review

By Steel Druhm on June 28, 2017 in 2017, Canadian Metal, Doom Metal, Exorcize Music, Reviews, Doom Metal, 13 comments

“Passage is likely not a name familiar to many outside of their native Montreal, Canada. Their self-titled debut was released in 2005 and they failed to follow it up in any way until now. Talk about a momentum killer, eh? Dubious marketing choices aside, the band traffics in melancholy doom death and they take many pages from the dog-eared tomes of Paradise Lost, Saturnus and My Dying Bride as they seek to crush your spirit under weighty riffs and heart-wrenching melodies.” Hello, darkness my olde friend.

Novembers Doom – Hamartia Review

By Steel Druhm on April 11, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, The End Records, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 66 comments

“2017 is already off to a good start doom-wise, with Pallbearer and Oceanwake dropping huge platter of mope and dope(smoker) on our collective shoulders. Now comes Novembers Doom’s new opus de emotionale, Hamartia. The word “Hamartia” is defined as a fatal flaw in a hero or heroine which will ultimately lead to their tragic downfall. What better subject matter for another oversized dose of doom/death from Chicago’s finest?” Tis the season.

Nailed to Obscurity – King Delusion Review

By Steel Druhm on January 27, 2017 in 2017, Apostasy Records, Death Metal, Doom Metal, German Metal, Progressive Death, Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 59 comments

“One of the best parts of the job of a music reviewer is stumbling across new, relatively unknown bands that deserve attention for what they’re doing. In what I hope is a good omen for the year, I’ve already encountered my first left-field surprise with Germany’s Nailed to Obscurity. As their name ironically suggests, these chaps have been toiling away without much attention, but King Delusion may be about to change that for the better. Nailed play an interesting fusion of death/doom and post-metal, and as the album unfolded, the list of bands their style borrows from grew long and prestigious indeed.” Nailed it!

Vuolla – Blood. Stone. Sun. Down. Review

By Roquentin on June 2, 2016 in 2016, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Post-Rock, Reviews, Schwarzdorn Production, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Melodic Metal, 25 comments

“In the case of Finnish five-piece Vuolla, nomen really est omen. Their name, which translates as “carve” or “whittle,” is an apt symbol of the group’s reductive and appropriating approach. As they chisel away at a body of work developed from various genres, from post-rock to death metal, it’s difficult to ignore that the essence of their sound is still based in a rehashed version of melancholic doom metal.” Turn loose the sads.