Besvärjelsen – Vallmo

Author: Felix Hølter

Band: Besvärjelsen
Album: Vallmo
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Doom Metal, Folk
Label: Suicide Records
Release Date: March 27, 2018
Listen & Buy: Amazon, Bandcamp, Spotify, iTunes
Social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
Live: –
Website: –

Once more a Swedish band manages to deliver a piece of great music. There must be something in the Scandinavian air – maybe some haze in the Northern sky? (Sorry.) Besvärjelsen means “conjuring” and it’s truly like magic, how this band is combining some of the best psychedelic Doom riffs, melodies and beats in 2018. Mainly spreading Black Sabbath and Candlemass vibes, Besvärjelsen also add Folkish parts to their music. Hexvessel fans will like it!

May 9, 2018 Add Comment

Phantom Winter – Into Dark Science

Author: Meredith Schmiedeskamp

Band: Phantom Winter
Album: Into Dark Science
Genre: Post-Metal / Doom
Label: Golden Antenna Records
Release Date: March 2, 2018
Listen & Buy: JPC, Amazon, Bandcamp, Spotify, iTunes
Social: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter
Live:
Website:

Phantom Winter are known for creating dark and noiseful songs described as “Winterdoom” since their first album back in 2015. Following the tradition of „Cvlt“ and „Sundown Pleasures“, their third record „Into Dark Science“ is build on a sociocritical background and is difficult to conceive without looking at the linernotes and quotes from (feminist) writers and thinkers. On the musical side, the material is really demanding and doesn’t feature an overwhelming punch-in-the-stomach piece like “Bombing The Witches” from “Sundown Pleasures”. Blast-beats are appearing more frequently and the screams are scratching on the edge of edurability. Nonetheless, „Into Dark Science“ is very powerful and wipes out every inch of blooming flowers in spring.

May 9, 2018 Add Comment

Eagle Twin – The Thundering Heard (Songs of Hoof & Horn)

Author: Tamino Freitag

Band: Eagle Twin
Album: The Thundering Heard
Genre: Doom Metal
Label: Southern Lord
Release Date: March 30, 2018
Listen & Buy: JPC, Amazon, Bandcamp, Spotify, iTunes
Social: Facebook, Instagram
Live: –
Website: eagletwin.com

“The Thundering Heard (Songs Of Hoof And Horn)” is the third full-length release by US Doom outfit Eagle Twin. Their sound combines “the power of the riff with the freeness of jazz”, as they state on their website, resulting in rather long, complex songs. The album consists of four of these monsters with a length of up to 14:22 minutes. A talent for powerful wordings, crushing riffs and their ability of creating a thick atmosphere and keeping it up during these long songs make this record an intense trip that sounds exactly like what you would expect when reading the album title.

April 3, 2018 Add Comment

Owl – Orion Fenix

Author: Andy Seibt

Band: Owl
Album: Orion Fenix
Genre: Doom Metal, Ambient, Metal
Label: Temple Of Torturous
Release Date: March 23, 2018
Listen & Buy: Bandcamp
Social: Facebook

This will be the shortest review I ever did… Owl mastermind Kolf created a true masterpiece. Epic, deep, and brutally honest. “Orion Fenix” peels your skin off and overcomes with emotions that truly touch the core. This is true melodic Doom magic. Unbelievably thick and smooth at the same time. I bow down!

March 23, 2018 Add Comment

UR – Grey Wanderer

Author: Meredith Schmiedeskamp

Band: UR
Album: Grey Wanderer
Genre: Sludge / Doom Metal
Label: Droneburg Records
Release Date: November 1, 2017
Listen & Buy: JPC, Amazon, Bandcamp, Spotify, iTunes
Social: Facebook
Website: –

The Grey Wanderer’s journey leads through barren deserts, rifts and mountains. From time to time he can rest and meditate amidst the landscape’s panorama, but traveling across the wilderness always means to overcome obstacles. The music of UR is deep, mainly slow and vibrating. Like walking through wasteland and climbing on rocks, it won’t work without patience and the will to inner contemplation. Cloaked in Sludge/Doom Metal, this guys from Leipzig are drawing their own vision of an atmosphere mentioned above. The postish-clean guitars and rare, but haunting growls complete a sonic experience, that really engrosses.

March 4, 2018 Add Comment

Iron & Stone – Petrichor

Author: Tamino Freitag

Band: Iron & Stone
Album: Petrichor
Genre: Doom Metal/Stoner Rock/Psychedelic Rock
Label: Backbite Records
Release Date: November 3, 2017
Listen & Buy: JPC, Amazon, Spotify, iTunes, Bandcamp
Social: Facebook, Instagram
Live: –
Website: –

“No gimmicks, no fancy bullshit, just some heavy f*ckin’ music”: This German five-piece’s description of their own sound fits pretty well. A mixture of finest Doom and Stoner Rock with a pinch of Sludge Metal makes for a fine album that alternates between heavy melancholy and dusty, rocking groove. The, albeit raw-sounding, well-produced material manages to include sweet riffs, melodies and is full of little details that make you come back for a second spin. And a third. And a fourth…

February 15, 2018 Add Comment

Hooded Priest – The Hour Be None

Author: Tamino Freitag

Band: Hooded Priest
Album: The Hour Be None
Genre: Classic Doom Metal
Label: I Hate Records
Release Date: December 12, 2017
Listen & Buy: JPC, Amazon, Spotify, iTunes, Bandcamp
Social: Facebook
Website: hoodedpriest.org

Understatement isn’t really this band’s cup of tea, seeing as they describe themselves as a „seminal part of the European Doom Metal scene“ – and by all means, Hooded Priest are not a bad band! Their second album „The Hour Be None“ is not a record any real doomhead would dislike; it’s just probably not one that will see the inside of my CD player very often, with all those great albums by other bands around. Luther is a great vocalist, and the production is crisp and natural, yet the songs themselves do not really get to the point – they go on and on without a real satisfying climax. Nobody will be disappointed, but nobody will be blown away by this, either.

February 15, 2018 Add Comment

Witchcryer – Cry Witch

Author: Sammy Fröbel

Band: Witchcryer
Album: Cry Witch
Genre: Doom Metal
Label: Ripple Music
Release Date: January 20, 2018
Listen & Buy: JPC, Amazon, Spotify, iTunes, Bandcamp
Social: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube
Live: –
Website: –

Why does the witch cry? Because she gets tortured with heavy riffs and sinful grooves. This Austin-based quartet delivering its first full-length album, is a heavy fuzz explosion on your record player. Witchcryer formed around Earthen Grave’s guitarist Jason Muxlow in 2015 and are influenced by the likes of Pentagram and Witchfinder General. The Witch on the stake is vocalist Suzy Bravo with her strong harmonic, but dark and seductive voice. Witchcryer combine heavy psychedelic sounds with classic Doom, which makes them one of the most interesting bands this year. Fans of Electric Citizen and The Devil’s Blood should definitely give this album a spin. Absolute banger of this nine-track record is the name giving opener “Cry Witch”.

February 3, 2018 Add Comment

Wolf Counsel – Age Of Madness / Reign Of Chaos

Author: Sammy Fröbel

Band: Wolf Counsel
Album: Age Of Madness / Reign Of Chaos
Genre: Doom Metal
Label: Czar Of Bullets
Release Date: November 17, 2017
Listen & Buy: JPC, Amazon, Spotify, iTunes, Bandcamp
Social: Facebook, YouTube
Live: –
Website: wolfcounsel.net

The birth of this band was as slow as their riffs are: Wolf Counsel needed almost twenty years to form a band out of their first ideas. But it was worth it. With their third record “Age Of Madness/Reign Of Chaos” the quartet serves finest slow Doom. The Zürich-based ensemble combines well-known Doom attitude with slow and heavy riffs, lingering drums and the deep growling vocals of singer Ralf W. Garcia. Fans of Orange Goblin and Saint Vitus will find this record interesting and Sabbath fans get their ice cream with the second track “Semper Occultus”, which contains a “Paranoid”-esque intro, groovy riffs and an epic guitar solo towards the end.

January 11, 2018 Add Comment

Magma Rise – At The Edge Of The Days

Author: Tamino Freitag

Band: Magma Rise
Album: At The Edge Of The Days (10″)
Genre: Doom Metal
Label: Daredevil Records
Release Date: November 3, 2017
Listen & Buy: Spotify, iTunes
Social: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter
Live: –
Website: magmarise.net

Around since 2009 and arisen from the ashes of the Hungarian band Mood, Magma Rise have released two albums and a few splits and EPs in eight years. The small, but great addition to the discography comes in form of a new 10“ called „At The Edge Of The Days“, including the song by the same name and a cover of Black Sabbath’s „A National Acrobat“, featuring Karl Agell. The original song takes over with beautiful, heartwrenching melodies in a classic Doom Metal context, while the cover is good, but not mind-blowing. Seeing how brilliant the title track is, one would wish for more original material from this great band.

January 3, 2018 Add Comment