Pallbearer

Chrome Ghost – House of Falling Ash Review

By Grymm on November 4, 2022 in Reviews, Doom Metal, 22 comments

“As 2022 winds down and I retreat into my hiding spot to catch up on releases from this year that I haven’t listened to yet while working like crazy, my city is currently in flux in terms of the weather. Sure, autumn’s turning the leaves brown and the skies grey, but it’s far from California dreamin’ weather here in Florida. In fact, for the most part, it’s still downright toasty here compared to the rest of the States. And speaking of California and all things toasty, that’s the vibe I got while listening to House of Falling Ash, the third album from Roseville, California sludge/doom trio Chrome Ghost.” Falling to cold.

Famyne – II: The Ground Below Review

By Steel Druhm on May 13, 2022 in Reviews, Doom Metal, 20 comments

“U.K.-based “modern” doom act Famyne evaded my metal detector with their eponymous 2018 debut. I might have missed their sophomore outing too, had I not been desperate for some doom when skulking through the fetid promo sump on a dark and dreary night. Thus, I approached II: The Ground Below without context or expectation, and what I heard befuddled me for a good while.” Uncommon grounds.

Torii – Torii Review

By Ferox on January 11, 2022 in Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Post-Metal, 39 comments

Self-releasing an album can be a viable path to success in 2021, but if you’re still at it after seven tries, most bands would find it tough to keep the flame burning. This isn’t an issue for Torii mastermind Bill Masino, whose apparent need to create has seen him persist with the project through years, lineup changes and numerous shifts in approach. Their latest, self-titled platter finds the act returning to its origins as a solo outfit, intent on bringing Masino’s blend of post-metal, doom, and death metal to fresh audiences.” Torii is the word.

Apostle of Solitude – When the Darkness Goes Review

By Huck N Roll on November 18, 2021 in Reviews, Doom Metal, 33 comments

“A model of consistency, Indianapolis doom quartet Apostle of Solitude return with their sixth album, When the Darkness Goes. Staying on schedule of an album roughly every four years, this one follows 2018’s strong release From Gold to Ash, reviewed right here. The lineup remains the same, as does the style.” Dark and familiar.

Monolord – Your Time to Shine Review

By Huck N Roll on November 4, 2021 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Stoner Metal, 34 comments

“Three Monolord reviews, and three 3.0 scores. The epitome of “good.” In fact, when I jotted down all the metadata for this album I also penciled in “3.0 of course” for my rating placeholder. I mean, what are the odds the score goes up or down? Actually, here on Your Time to Shine, the Swedish doom trio’s fifth album, there’s a good chance of that score coming untracked, at least if they continue down the less-fuzz, more-doom path they started down with No Comfort. As mentioned two years ago, the band seemed to be evolving into a “fuzzier version of Pallbearer.” Rabbit don’t come easy.

Extreme Cold Winter – World Exit Review

By GardensTale on October 19, 2021 in Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 44 comments

“The Dutch are often quite proud of their English capacities. We frequently top the list of most proficient non-native speakers, and expats often find it more difficult to learn Dutch because anyone who hears them struggling just switches to English instead, both to accommodate them and to show off. Which is why the moniker above is rather baffling to me. Shouldn’t it be Extremely Cold Winter? Or Extreme Winter Cold? Is the winter both extreme and cold? If so, in what other capacity is it extreme?” How about this weather?

Fell Harvest – Pale Light in a Dying World Review

By El Cuervo on July 13, 2021 in Reviews, Doom Metal, 11 comments

“There was once a time when doom metal was one of my preferred sub-genres of metal. My favorite bands entranced me with big riffs, meaty production and despondent power. But I’ve fallen out of love; vast swathes of the scene is content with mediocrity, with backwards-looking blandness. It’s not as ear-screechingly terrible as the worst of black metal, nor as laughably amateurish as power or folk metal can be. It’s just mostly boring and I found it hard to connect with new bands. It’s been a few years and I recognized within myself that it was high-time I dipped my toes back in. Why not do so with a debut, self-released album called Pale Light in a Dying World by Wyoming’s Fell Harvest.” Bummer crop.

Domkraft – Seeds Review

By Huck N Roll on May 8, 2021 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, 32 comments

“This album cover might be enough to scare away the more discerning fans, but we here aren’t paid to run away in fear or confusion. Nor are we paid enough to afford a pair of 3D glasses, which might be handy to see this artwork in its intended form. It is a messed-up, psychedelic trip of an image, to be sure, and in some ways it foreshadows what is to come on Seeds, the third album from Swedish doom/sludge/psych trio Domkraft.” Seedy fuzz.

Moon Coven – Slumber Wood Review

By Cherd on May 7, 2021 in Reviews, 17 comments

“There’s a reason metal fans will never want for bands that play fuzzy stoner doom. Sure, it’s the oldest genre in all of metaldom and has somehow seen less evolution in recent decades than you’d find at Boone County, Kentucky’s Creation Museum. But unlike the dinosaurs that perished in Noah’s flood, stoner doom will never go extinct. That’s because ever since The Lord revealed his commandments to Tony Iommi on Mount Sinai, purveyors of the style have remembered the Sabbath and kept their riffs holy. When a stoner band drops a bluesy-psych groove, it connects on a primal level the way few other metal styles can. The genre may be stagnant, but when it’s played well, that hardly matters. Sweden’s Moon Coven attempt to keep the altar fire burning in doom’s Holy of Holies with their third album Slumber Wood.” Sleeping wood, fuzzy bat.

Oryx – Lamenting a Dead World Review

By Grymm on April 26, 2021 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Sludge, 19 comments

“It’s not often that doom metal turns my head these days. Growing up as an impressionable teen in rural New Hampshire, I hunted down as many CDs at Newbury Comics from as many different subsets of doom metal as I could, whether it was the likes of the Peaceville Three, or the more biker-influenced style of Americanized doom metal. But while I still love those bands, it has to take something special to cause my head to turn and take notice. That something special is the one variety of doom that creeps forth from your speakers with hellish intent, that sound that does everything in its power to make you as uncomfortable as humanly possible while slowly grinding you down into a fine crimson powder. Doom like Hell, Primitive Man, and today’s subject of intense scrutiny, Denver’s Oryx.” Doom for comfort.