Post-Metal

In Mourning – The Bleeding Veil Review

By TheKenWord on November 27, 2021 in Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Melodic Metal, Post-Metal, 42 comments

“Of all the melodic death metal bands that live in the eternal shadow of gloom, the only act I consistently return to is In Mourning. For one reason or another, this band’s particular blend of crooning introspection and deceptive heft resonates with me. From the inimitable Monolith to the career resurgence of Garden of Storms, the Swedes kicked out quality melodic death metal, slowly but smoothly integrating bits of black metal and post-metal into their formula as they matured. In 2021, sixth installment The Bleeding Veil ushers in a new hot streak for the group.” Mourning hasn’t broken.

Daxma – Unmarked Boxes Review

By Carcharodon on November 18, 2021 in Reviews, Ambient Metal, Post-Metal, 14 comments

“Where Ruins based its first track loosely on the seminal critical theory work, Minima Moralia: Reflexionen aus dem beschädigten Leben, by German philosopher Theodor W. Adorno, Daxma‘s second full-length, Unmarked Boxes, drinks deep of 13th century Persian poet Rumi’s work of the same name.” Smart music.

Plebeian Grandstand – Rien ne suffit Review

By Kronos on November 16, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, Post-Metal, 120 comments

“Rien ne suffit: nothing is enough. For Plebeian Grandstand, it might as well be a motto. The Toulouse have made their career defying categorization, and pushing each release to be something new, something more. How Hate is Hard to Define set a bar for blackened mathcore that no other record has come close to clearing, only for the band to sink into sludgy, dissonant black metal with Lowgazers. That muddy reek was fired with death metal oppression to make the gleaming False Highs, True Lows, and now, with Rien ne Suffit, it is shattered.” Enough is never MOAR.

Misanthur – Ephemeris Review

By Dear Hollow on November 11, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, Industrial Metal, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, Shoegaze, 9 comments

“Misanthur was listed as “trance ambient noise” in the cold boundaries of the promo dump and just plain black metal on other sites. Truthfully, both are true. What this Polish duo offers is a hyper-atmospheric breed of black metal with heavy electronic and industrial flourishes, not unlike a blackened version of C R O W N‘s latest, The End of All Things.” Kitchen sink-core.

Gold Spire – Gold Spire Review

By Carcharodon on November 9, 2021 in Reviews, Post-Metal, 33 comments

“Coming off the back of a run of awarding three 4.0s in a row, a run that will likely see me fired—or at least badly mauled—by a certain helmet-wearing Ape, can the last-minute pickup of a post-death doom album, sporting Kenny G saxophone antics, save my fledgling career as a music journalist? Swedish quintet Gold Spire comprises former members of the now-defunct prog-death outfit Usurpress, as well as past and present members of Sarcasm, Obskyr and, crucially, Third Storm, the very first band I reviewed for this here site, meaning there would be a certain pleasing irony if Gold Spire‘s debut prevents my firing.” Blood, treasure, and sax.

Glassing – Twin Dream Review

By Dear Hollow on November 4, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Post-Hardcore, Post-Metal, Shoegaze, Sludge Metal, 39 comments

“Glassing and I have a complicated relationship. Spotted Horse hit a spot for me in 2019: the first 4.0 I ever awarded ’round these parts. Unfortunately, time was not kind and my experience with its rough edges and one-dimensional vocals landed it on Contrite Metal Guy, where I reeled it back a point. The band’s tantalizing blend of concrete-thick sludge and crystalline melody is nonetheless unforgettable, and the initial hype and subsequent fall from grace is something that still haunts me.” Glassing over the past.

A Secret Revealed – When the Day Yearns For Light Review

By Grymm on October 29, 2021 in Reviews, Metalcore, Post-Metal, 22 comments

“Contrary to popular belief, we adhere to some concrete rules around these parts. You always put the toilet seat back down when you’re finished. You never, ever speak to the whereabouts of former writers once they move on to greener pastures. Finally, you don’t swipe another reviewer’s band unless you get permission first. Long story short, I nabbed When the Day Years For Light by German post-metallers A Secret Revealed without realizing that Cherd tackled their last one, Sacrifices, just two years ago. That said, after profusely apologizing to the sagely-bearded one, not once did he fight me for reviewing rights.” Promo chess and poorly kept secrets.

The Silver – Ward of Roses Review

By L. Saunders on October 14, 2021 in 2021, Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, 74 comments

“For better and worse, I am a persistent bastard, so I best stay out of Phil Anselmo’s way. When I laid ears on advance track “Fallow,” from The Silver‘s debut album Ward of Roses, I knew I had to have it. It took some extra badgering to snare promo, which the band thankfully provided. Boasting a line-up of Horrendous brothers Jamie and Matt Knox, along with Crypt Sermon‘s Enrique Sagarnaga, and vocalist Nick Duchemin, The Silver is a side project destined to carve their own path.” Silver and gore.

Driving Slow Motion – Adrift:Abyss Review

By Carcharodon on September 24, 2021 in Reviews, Drone, Post-Metal, 15 comments

“It seems that I was not the only one to like Driving Slow Motion‘s 2019 debut, Arda. That self-released piece of instrumental Tolkien worship appears to have scored the Fort Worth, Texas quintet a deserved label deal with Post. Recordings, which now brings us the band’s sophomore effort, Adrift:Abyss. Its predecessor, Arda, was not an instant banger. In fact, it wasn’t a banger at all, but it is one of my favorite instrumental efforts of recent years. Arda is a record that repays time invested in it, with each listen revealing additional layers of complexity buried in its gentle ambience.” Can’t drive 55.

Starless – Hope Is Leaving You Review

By Twelve on September 19, 2021 in Reviews, Post-Metal, 13 comments

“Hope Is Leaving You journeys through bleak and distressed landscapes inhabited by many post-metal, progressive, and atmospheric rock groups. Reminding me at times of recent releases from The Ocean, and others of airier acts like Gazpacho and Riverside, Starless finds a natural balance between heavy and light, always maintaining a bleak-yet-hopeful atmosphere.” Hope is a fading commodity.