Sleep

Monolord – Vænir Review

Monolord – Vænir Review

“The first long length from Gothenburg doomsters Monolord, last year’s Empress Rising, enjoyed a surprising level of success and acclaim, the likes of which is usually the result of a combination of solid, but not great music and circumstances which fall under the banner of “hype.” Releasing a second album just a year later and following such a highly esteemed record made more likely the possibility of the enthusiasm bubble bursting. Vænir (named after Sweden’s largest lake) could have easily turned out a dud.” Hype, drama, doom – it’s all here, folks.

Domovoyd – Oh, Sensibility Review

Domovoyd – Oh, Sensibility Review

“Finland has a dark legacy within the subterranean world of doom metal. Browsing the Encyclopaedia Metallum’s list of Finnish bands reveals the likes of funeral doom pioneers Thergothon and Skepticism, as well as other underground stalwarts of the genre such as Wormphlegm, Shape of Despair and Stabat Mater, to name a few. Indeed, the Finns do not fuck around with their doom – perversion, depression, sadism and Lovecraftian horror is the name of the game. Even the more traditionally oriented Reverend Bizarre was similarly steeped in lyrical and musical despondency alongside their trademark tongue-in-cheek snarkiness. Yet, here we have relative newcomers Domovoyd. Somewhat of an anomaly within the country’s pitch-black doom metal reputation, Domovoyd is a stoner doom group that looks to the likes of Electric Wizard, Sleep and The Sweet Leaf for inspiration.” A new and exciting band and a review of same by a new and exciting writer for AMG. JF Williams is here to discuss doom, stoner rock and all things Sabbath worshipping.

Windhand – Soma Review

Windhand – Soma Review

Windhand is like the next door neighbor who walks around his front yard in tidy whities whilst swigging from a can of Rheingold ®. You want to like him, but he makes it really tough. As purveyors of super fuzzed-out, monolithic stoner doom, they’re often mentioned in the same breath as Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats; likely due to the groovy, 60s/70s style vocals they utilize. However, where Uncle Acid writes relatively short, hooky doom-rock anthems, Windhand opts for huge, laboriously slow, long-winded odes to mammoth distortion similar to Electric Wizard and Dopesmoker-era Sleep.” Windhand, the cult heroes of ginormous stoner doom/drone are back to oppress the masses with the power of THE RIFF! Will Steel Druhm be oppressed? He’s always so damn anti-authority, so who knows?

Pombagira – Maleficia Lamiah Review

Pombagira – Maleficia Lamiah Review

“Images of powerful and positive female sexuality are quite frankly underrepresented in aggressive music, which is why the definition of British occult doom metal band Pombagira is so exciting. The Pomba Gira are entities, associated with several Brazillian religions, who are the embodiments of female desirability, sexuality and strength. Consorts of the corresponding male entity Exu, they represent both power and insatiability.” Natalie Zed gives you the run down on this British doom band, which evokes a side of our world that metal has deigned to touch previously.