The Fallen

November 2024

01. Cathedral – “Phantasmagoria” (from “The Ethereal Mirror”, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

02. Warning – “Faces” (from “Watching From A Distance”, 2006) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

03. Paradise Lost – “Joys Of The Emptiness” (from “Icon”, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

04. Type O Negative – “Bloody Kisses (Death In The Family)” (from “Bloody Kisses”, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

05. Candlemass – “Demon’s Gate” (from “Epicus Doomicus Metallicus”, 1986)

06. Black Sabbath – “A National Acrobat” (from “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”, 1973)

07. Black Flag – “Scream” (from “My War”, 1984)

08. Pentagram – “Forever My Queen” (from “Bias Studio Recordings” demo, 1973)

09. Bedemon – “Child Of Darkness” (from “Child Of Darkness: From The Original Master Tapes”, 2005)

10. Boris – “Untitled” (from “Boris At Last -Feedbacker-“, 2003)

11. The Garden – “Squished Face Slick Pig Living in a Smokey City” (from “Horseshit on Route 66”, 2022)

12. Butthole Surfers – “22 Going On 23” (from “Locust Abortion Technician”, 1987)

13. SLIFT – “Weaver’s Weft” (from “Ilion”, 2024)

14. King Gizzard & the Wizard Lizard – “Superbug” (from “Infest The Rat’s Nest”, 2019)

15. Rammstein – “Zeit” (from “Zeit”, 2022)

16. Chat Pile – “The Mask” (from “God’s Country”, 2022)

17. Woorms – Mouth Is A Wound” (from “Slake”, 2019) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

18. Converge – “Phoenix In Flight” (from “Jane Doe”, 2000)

19. Knocked Loose – “Take Me Home” (from “You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To”, 2024)

20. Nails – “Depths” (from “Unsilent Death”, 2010)

21. Thou – “House of Ideas” (from “Umbilical”, 2024)

22. Evoken – “Towers Of Frozen Dusk” (from “Shades Of Night Descending”, 1994) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

Ben, please add Melbourne’s Christbait.

World Below - Repulsion (2006)

World Below are a relatively unknown name outside of diehard swedish doom metal fandom. Formed in 1999, they involve veterans of a plethora of swedish metal bands such as Scar Symmetry, Grave and Carnal Forge, among many others, and have released three full-lengths to date, of which Repulsion is the third. They are still mooted as a going concern, but have been silent, at least as far as recorded material goes, for almost two decades now.

Repulsion is made up of five lengthy tracks with a 50+ minute runtime. Musically it has it's feet firmly planted in the eighties and early nineties and the old-school traditional doom metal of Pentagram, The Obsessed and lesser-known lights like Revelation with plenty of Sabbath-y moments, particularly during opening track, "Monsters in the Closet", with it's Ozzy-like vocals and "Children of the Grave" aping riff. Whilst the first half of the album sit firmly within the traditional doom metal sphere, the second also contains a significant stoner rock component and the album as a whole makes a nod or two in a progressive direction, particularly the epic twenty-minute, closer, "Monument", giving the second half more than a passing resemblance to the work of prog-stoner bands like Merlin.

The songwriting is very good, with the tracks all developing nicely, feeling like they are actually going somewhere and the technical aspects are very accomplished. The riffs are suitably heavy and mournful, the rhythm section of drummer Ronnie Bergerstål and bassist / vocalist Mikael Danielsson are unfussy and direct, providing solid footing for guitarist Jonas Kjellgren to launch some very satisfying solos, his Tony-Iommi influenced guitar work being the focal point for almost all the album's best moments.

It may well be that Repulsion is not going to satisfy the doom fan looking for bleak as hell, crushingly heavy, ultra-slow riffs and mournful, heart-achingly bereft vocals and the inclusion of some old-fashioned, rock-based riffs may further tip the scales against it, but if you are willing to forgive it it's perceived transgressions then it contains some fantastic lead work and memorable stoner doom riffs coupled with epic and skillful songwriting that may just persuade you of it's undoubted merits.

4/5

Year of the Cobra - ...In the Shadows Below (2016)

I first encountered this Seattle-based doom duo via their "The Black Sun" debut ep in 2015 and I have been quite the fan ever since. Comprising husband and wife team of bassist and vocalist Amy Tung and drummer, Jon Barrysmith, Year of the Cobra are a unique voice in the world of doom metal. Of course they are influenced by the usual suspects, such as Saint Vitus, Sabbath et al, but they eschew the use of guitars, relying on Amy's bass riffs to power the songs. Her bass playing reminds me quite often of Geezer Butler's classic Sabbath style, which oftentimes lends it a psychedelic and bluesy edge, planting Year of the Cobra firmly in the stoner doom camp. Vocally, she mainly uses a languid and breathy style that is laid-back and seductive like a nightclub jazz songstress, check out opener "Lion and the Unicorn" for a prime example. That isn't her only play, however, and she can also project more force when the need arises.

There are a number of pitfalls with having such a bare bones set-up of course, the tendency to fall into repetitive and hypnotic trance-like pieces for one, or just producing very basic, lo-fi garage metal with a heavy punk influence is another scenario. YotC fall into neither of these traps, however, thanks to an ability to write really nice doomy bass riffs which enable them to produce actual songs rather than just drawn-out jams, which are at once melodic and reasonably memorable, with an admirable variation in tempos and styles, from the longer, hulking, conventional doom tracks, through the psych-inflected catchiness of "Spider and the Fly", the punky vitality and urgency of "Persephone" and doom'n'roll of "Temple of Apollo" to bluesy jams such as closer "Electric Warrior". I think the bass lines are multi-tracked quite often, which also allows Amy's playing to become more expansive. Drummer Johannes is every bit as important to the success of the duo, his impeccable timekeeping obviously underpinning the tracks, but also his busy, jazzy style, again referencing Sabbath and drummer Bill Ward's love of jazz drummers, provides plenty to hold the the listener's attention and to engage with.

In conclusion, I think "...in the Shadows Below" is a great example of how much can be accomplished in the doom and stoner sphere by creative minds, even with the most basic of set-ups. Considering that, apart from a bit of multi-tracking, this is truly just drum, bass, and voice, the resulting variety, melodicism and memorability is an impressive feat of artistic endeavour.

4/5

Monolithe - "Black Hole District" [Death doom metal from Paris, France]

I missed 2022's "Kosmodrom" album but these guys are generally always worth checking out so I'll likely be partaking in this one at some point.

Bongripper's 2010 "Satan Worshipping Doom" album seems to be highly regarded in this space but I haven't quite gotten on with it in the past to tell you the truth. I definitely prefer instrumental post-sludge releases like Year of No Light's "Ausserwelt", Russian Circles' "Memorial" & Omega Massif's "Geisterstadt".

I still really enjoy Snailking but this feels like such a complete package that it's hard not to say it vies for that top album spot.

I'm across everything that Ufomammut did up until 2012's "Oro: Opus Primum" album & "Eve" is easily my favourite of their solo releases. I'd still position the Lento collaboration slightly ahead of it though as it's utterly sublime.

Smoulder - Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring (2019)

Smoulder are a five-piece formed in 2013 and centred around married couple, guitarist Shon Vincent and vocalist Sarah Ann. Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring marked the band's debut full-length and followed their well-received three-track demo, The Sword Woman, which supplied two of the six tracks featured here.

Musically the album skirts the border between epic doom and good, old-fashioned heavy metal, tinged with a pinch of USPM. They lean more towards the triumphal heroicism of Solstice's brand of epic doom rather the more mournful laments of, say, Solitude Aeternus with the tempos of most of the tracks edging towards the pacier end of the doom metal arsenal, never really dropping to the ploddingly mournful pacing more common of most doom metal albums. The downtuned guitar and meaty bottom end still sit this within the doom metal sphere, though, with only a couple of tracks, "Bastard Steel" and "Voyage of the Sunchaser", edging into heavy or power metal territory and both of which are riotous, fist-pumping headbangers. The riffs on display throughout are solid and project vitality, power and strength, whether galloping at pace or hulking at a more sedate pace. The riffs are more than capably bolstered by a tight-knit rhythm section of drummer Kevin Hester and bassist Adam Blake, both of whose work is neat and effective. The leadwork of both Shon Vincent and second guitarist Collin Wolf is confidently done, with some fine solos that are expressive and exhilharating without ever leaning towards the self-indulgent.

Inevitably, though, the main focus of attention is going to be vocalist Sarah Ann Kitteridge whose powerful pipes are perfectly suited to the more epic style that Smoulder are going for. Like a female Messiah Marcolin, her voice soars above the instrumentation, demanding the attention of the listener. This is no slight on the rest of the band members, but her voice does project such irresistible power that it is impossible for it not to become the focus and luckily she has the talent to carry off such a central role, never wavering or losing pitch which, unfortunately, I hear all too often nowadays from vocalists operating outside their capabilities.

The songwriting is generally of a high quality and is split between most of the band members, with only Adam Blake not contributing, which allows for some nice variation, yet illustrates the band's unity of vision as the tracklisting is very consistent. Lyrically, they fall back on the well-worn metal trope of sword and sorcery epic fantasy storytelling for the most part, with opener, "Ilian of Garathorm" delving into an old epic metal staple, Michael Moorcock's world of Elric and The Eternal Champion.

Overall this is a well-executed slab of triumphalistic metal that reaches back to the earlier days of the genre, yet is still refreshingly exciting and vital and should appeal to anyone who still loves the power and glory of epic metal storytelling.

4/5

Here's my review:

Melbourne's Christbait would be a band that I'd become aware of shortly after I'd made my first tentative steps into the wonderful world of Australian extreme metal back in the early 1990's. They were quite well known in the local scene at the time, having played a number of high-quality support gigs with international bands throughout the first part of that decade. My first time hearing their music though would be on a late-night metal radio program that I regularly recorded for my own listening throughout the subsequent week. It would be the opening track "Loose" from their first proper release "Yeast", the subject of this review. I was already well across English industrial metallers Godflesh at the time & was not at all surprised to hear the song paying clear homage to Justin Broadrick & co. given that Christbait had so clearly borrowed their name from the classic Godflesh anthem "Christbait Rising". This was a seriously good track in its own right though & one that I would go on to give a good ol' flogging in my Walkman over the subsequent months. It wouldn't, however, see me seeking out the "Yeast" E.P. or any other Christbait releases for that matter & it's only now, more than thirty years later, that I've found myself committing to my first active listen to a Christbait record for one reason or another.

Christbait initially began life as a death metal/grindcore act back in 1989 but "Yeast" sees them having taken a very different route for the majority of its 28-minute run time. There are a couple of short grindcore blastathons included (see "Nailgun" & "Tug"), both of which sound a little out of place & are easily the least significant tracks of the seven of offer, but the majority of the E.P. sits largely in sludge metal territory. If you were to take the industrial component out of Godflesh's sound to leave just the sludgy riffs & placed them over a more organic rhythm section then you'd go pretty close to describing the sound you can expect to hear on "Yeast". English sludge metallers Fudge Tunnel also spring to mind quite readily & so does Nirvana's "Bleach" album although the shouted vocals of front man Jason Vasallo sit much more firmly within the hardcore punk spectrum than Kurt Cobain would ever venture. It's all done exceptionally well though with the production job of well-known Aussie metal producer Scott Harper (who also produced popular underground releases from bands like Blood Duster, Damaged & Mindsnare to name just a few) being surprisingly heavy for an underground release of the time. There are periods where the Christbait head into slightly psychedelic territory (particularly on psychedelic rock closer "Loose (Edit)") but I think the links to stoner metal are overstated for this release to be honest as the grooves never have me feeling like dancing a jig if you know what I mean. They're colder & more serious than that.

The tracklisting is exceptionally consistent, particularly for a first-up release from a little-known Aussie band. There are no weak songsincluded but I'd suggest that only opener "Loose" feels like a minor classic. The rest of the material is generally very solid with simply-titled pieces like "Swing", "Spagnum" & "Yeast" all offering me plenty of appeal & replay value. It's honestly hard to see how Christbait didn't make more of a dent in the international scene on the strength of this record though because it competes really well with the bands I referenced earlier in the review. I guess this is simply another reminder of just how far away we are from the rest of the world, a distance that was perhaps a little more insurmountable back in the early 1990's. If my description of Christbait's sound tickles your fancy though then I'd strongly encourage you to venture over to YouTube to give the E.P. a crack for yourself as I have no doubt that you'll be pleasantly surprised by a record that has built up a decent level of notoriety in Australian metal folklore.

For fans of Godflesh, Fudge Tunnel & "Bleach"-period Nirvana.

4/5

Moonspell - Wolfheart (1995)

Contrary to appearances, I don't think I am especially dogmatic when it comes to metal appreciation and one illustration of this is the softening of my stance regarding gothic metal over the last couple of years. At one time I wouldn't have given an album such as Wolfheart the time of day, but exposure to top gothic metal perpetrators such as Paradise Lost and Draconian has definitely shifted my view on the genre and what it is capable of. I recently listened to Moonspell's 2008 album, Night Eternal and I enjoyed it quite a bit, awarding it a princely four stars, so I went into the band's debut, 1995's Moonspell, with high hopes.

Was this optimism justified then? Well, yes... and no. Musically there was plenty here that took my fancy, the guitar work especially standing out. The tone of the six-strings is great and the bass supplies a nice deep bottom end. The riffs are dolorous, heavy and quite memorable but the solos are the best thing about the album, in fact it's a pity the leads aren't given a bit more of a free rein as I would have liked to hear more from Tanngrisnir and Mantus in the vein of the soloing in the latter part of the opener.

Unfortunately Wolfheart suffers from the same bugbear that I have always had with a lot of gothic metal, that of excessive cheesiness. This takes the form of a heavy-handed application of synths, smothering a number of the tracks with a suffocating layer of 1980's-like keyboards that just doesn't sit well with me at all. The synths aren't the only issue though because the vocals annoyed me almost as much. The gruff, deathly male vocals are fine, but the forced, deep, clean male vocals that seem intended to mimic Gary Oldman in Bram Stoker's Dracula still sound as ludicrous as I have always found that style of singing to be. There is, of course, several tracks with supposedly ethereal female vocals but, and I have no wish to be unkind, the effect is ruined because, to be frank, Birgit Zacher is here sounding like she is fighting to stay in tune, with "Love Crimes" especially sounding like she is struggling. Then, as if that wasn't enough there is also the track Trebaruna which is a full-on folk metal cheesefest and does absolutely nothing positive for me whatsoever.

Overall, then, I would have to say that although Wolfheart has some aspects I really enjoyed, especially when it is at it's heaviest or when the leads are firing off solos, the album's inherent theatricality is just too jarring for me to excuse completely, no matter how much I may enjoy it's positives and so ultimately it's score has to be accordingly middle-of-the-road.

3/5

Katatonia - Discouraged Ones (1998)

The latest subject of my quest to rate all the albums on the Fallen chart has led me to Katatonia's 1998 third full-length. I've got a bit of a troubled history with Katatonia, with my earliest exposure to them, Last Fair Deal Gone Down not at all being to my liking. However, both Brave Murder Day and the subsequent Sounds of Decay EP restored my confidence in the Swedes and I enjoyed both quite a bit. Oh dear, between those and this, though, things went horribly wrong. I found this to be incredibly insipid, with the comparison that kept leaping into my mind being "it's metal Coldplay". I have no intention of providing a full review because that would entail me having to listen to it several more times, a prospect that is just too daunting for me to contemplate, even though my doctor says I need to get my blood pressure down and listening to something this bland on hard rotation may well manage that. Sure there were a couple of decent tracks, "Cold Ways" and "Saw You Drown" are quite nice, but the vocals are the most banal I have heard this side of Chris Martin. I'm really sorry to anyone who does love this (I know Ben is a fan) and I mean no disrespect, but I disliked it immensely. Discouraged Ones? Yeah, I'm one of 'em.

2/5 

FYI Sonny (aka Grandfather Doom) will be resuming the administration duties on our monthly The Fallen playlist effective immediately.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rSh9MnfQo9HmPLo2W5MBa?si=d8b43fdf8dd74bb6

Tracklisting:

01. Cathedral – “Phantasmagoria” (from “The Ethereal Mirror”, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

02. Warning – “Faces” (from “Watching From A Distance”, 2006) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

03. Paradise Lost – “Joys Of The Emptiness” (from “Icon”, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

04. Type O Negative – “Bloody Kisses (Death In The Family)” (from “Bloody Kisses”, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

05. Candlemass – “Demon’s Gate” (from “Epicus Doomicus Metallicus”, 1986)

06. Black Sabbath – “A National Acrobat” (from “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”, 1973)

07. Black Flag – “Scream” (from “My War”, 1984)

08. Pentagram – “Forever My Queen” (from “Bias Studio Recordings” demo, 1973)

09. Bedemon – “Child Of Darkness” (from “Child Of Darkness: From The Original Master Tapes”, 2005)

10. Boris – “Untitled” (from “Boris At Last -Feedbacker-“, 2003)

11. The Garden – “Squished Face Slick Pig Living in a Smokey City” (from “Horseshit on Route 66”, 2022)

12. Butthole Surfers – “22 Going On 23” (from “Locust Abortion Technician”, 1987)

13. SLIFT – “Weaver’s Weft” (from “Ilion”, 2024)

14. King Gizzard & the Wizard Lizard – “Superbug” (from “Infest The Rat’s Nest”, 2019)

15. Rammstein – “Zeit” (from “Zeit”, 2022)

16. Chat Pile – “The Mask” (from “God’s Country”, 2022)

17. Woorms – Mouth Is A Wound” (from “Slake”, 2019) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

18. Converge – “Phoenix In Flight” (from “Jane Doe”, 2000)

19. Knocked Loose – “Take Me Home” (from “You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To”, 2024)

20. Nails – “Depths” (from “Unsilent Death”, 2010)

21. Thou – “House of Ideas” (from “Umbilical”, 2024)

22. Evoken – “Towers Of Frozen Dusk” (from “Shades Of Night Descending”, 1994) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

Earth - "Demo 1990" demo (1990)

I've got a real soft spot for these godfathers of the drone metal genre & that extends to their earliest recordings with this six-song demo tape being of a very high standard. This material is not all drone metal though. "Methadrine" sounds more like Black Sabbath-inspired stoner metal, "Divine Bright Extraction" sits somewhere between alternative rock & shoegaze while "German Dental Work" & "Dissolution" fit into the industrial metal space alongside artists like Godflesh very comfortably. But then we have the two enormous drone metal pieces that highlighted 1991's classic "Extra-Capsular Extraction" E.P. (i.e. "Bureaucratic Desire for Revenge" & "Ouroboros") with both of them coming across as fully-realised even in this primitive format, particularly "Ouroboros" which is an all-time favourite of mine. If you dig Earth & their various creative endeavours then you'll likely want to hear this one too.

For fans of Sunn O))), Boris & Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine.

4/5

Yeah, both of the ...Sermon bands are still on my "to listen to" list, Xephyr, and I have quite high hopes  for them, so it's good to see them at the top of your list. Inter Arma are another I have enjoyed in the past, so hopefully that's a good one too. I listened to  the Thou album a bit ago and enjoyed it, as I always do, but haven't worked up a review yet, hence it's missing from my list.

Listened to Ponte del Diavolo today and that's going to go into #5 spot on my list. I would recommend it if you haven't heard it.

Dystopia - The Aftermath EP (1999)

The Aftermath exists in two formats, the original 19-minute four-track vinyl EP and the CD / streaming version with nine bonus tracks that runs for almost 45 minutes. The latter version contains the four tracks the band contributed to a 1995 split with Oakland crust punk band Skaven, the three tracks from their own 1997 Backstabber 7" EP, their track, "Diary of a Battered Child", from a split single with L.A. psychedelic crew, Suffering Luna and a one-minute track called "Cosmetic Plague", which is from a 1996 VA comp ironically called Whispers!. This review is for the extended version.

Dystopia are one pissed-off band, with a whole armoury of axes to grind, be it corporate greed, prejudice, injustice or self-loathing, if you name it then Dystopia have got a beef with it. Of course this makes for some gloriously feral-sounding sludge that leans heavily into the hardcore / crust vibe with ominous, downtuned riffing and some gloriously pounding and relentless drumwork from the superb Dino Sommese who has got to be one of the best punk drummers going.

The first four tracks which constitute the original EP are the best, especially from a metalhead's point-of-view, as these are not only the best-produced tracks, but also the most metal-sounding, with huge, downtuned riffs and thundering drumwork counterpointing the seething, furious vocal delivery for a nineteen-minute onslaught of true sludge metal violence. Dystopia make no concession to the stoner element that often creeps into sludge metal, this is pure, undiluted vitriol and venom and isn't meant to be heard as anything other than an attack on those with who the band have taken issue, so there's no druggy-like instrumental breaks to provide any relief from this aural warfare. This is the sound of a band who really mean it.

The bonus tracks, which were all released earlier than the first four, lean even more into the punk side of sludge metal. They are generally shorter, less well-produced, more simply structured and some of the lyrical content is a bit less sophisticated. Three or four of these bonus tracks feature samples as intros, which is often a feature of protest music, but of which I am not a fan and which bring nothing much to the table here either. I love me some punk, so I found these bonuses to be entertaining enough, but they may not appeal as much to someone not as enamoured of hardcore or crust as myself. There is still a metallic element to all but the final track, but it is less pronouced than that of the original four tracks and they are without a doubt the main draw for most listeners, certainly from Metal Academy anyway.

As such, I look upon this as a high quality EP of true sludge metal, as it was originally conceived, that contains a fair set of bonus tracks that chart the evolution of the band from a hardcore / crust origin to an accomplished crossover metal act.

4/5

Here's my review:

Finnish funeral doom metal masters Shape of Despair are an artist that I'm very much indebted to my brother Ben for having helped me discover many years ago now & I've followed them with interest ever since. I believe it was 2001's classic "Angels of Distress" that was the first of their releases to grace my ears & it made a significant impact on me at the time. That would have been around 2009 & I'm pretty sure that I've given all of Shape of Despairs proper releases a crack since then, along with their 1998 demo "Alone in the Mist". It's a credit to the band that literally all of these recordings were of a high quality but that somehow hasn't translated into a slew of high ratings from me at the Academy because I'm shockingly still yet to commit to an informed rating or review of any Shape of Despair release until today. Now would seem to be as a good a time as any though & what better way to begin than with a record that I've always felt would probably end up being one of my favourites in 2015's outstanding "Monotony Fields" fourth full-length.

With a lot of funeral doom metal, I find that my mood can play a role in my enjoyment of the music but that doesn't seem to be the case with Shape of Despair's stronger work. Their sound seems to transcend the limitations of the genre in many ways & you won't find a better example of that than with "Monotony Fields" which is ironically one of the least monotonous funeral doom releases you're gonna find. The word "atmospheric" is bandied around the metal scene far too often in my opinion but it would seem to be totally appropriate for Shape of Despair with the influence of genuine ambient music adding an additional layer of depth & emotional engagement. The glistening production job of Max Kostermaa beautifully highlights the depth & substance in this music too with the guitar tone being thick & full & the synthesizers washing over the listener with elegance & class so things never sound too dreary or repetitive. Both of the vocal styles of new male vocalist Henri Koivula (Throes of Dawn) are ridiculously effective with his ultra-deep growls proving to be truly cavernous while his cleans represent some of the highlights of an otherwise already stupendous creative effort. Female vocalist Natalie Koskinen (i.e. the ex-wife of former front man Pasi Koskinen) is used more sparingly but chimes in at the perfect moment to provide further melodic highlights to an already impressive soundscape the effortlessly pulls on my heart-strings, so much so that I felt close to tears at one point during this revisit which is no small feat these days.

The first half of the album is utterly stunning with three of the opening four songs (i.e. "Reaching the Innermost", the title track & "The Distant Dream of Life") sitting amongst the greatest metal music I've ever heard in my life. The re-recording of the title track from 2010's "Written in my Scars" E.P. (a bonus track on some releases) is equally as impressive & is a magical way to close out the release. The remainder of the material is all of premium quality too though with only "Withdrawn" failing to see me reaching for my more elite scores. This is funeral doom with hooks & they're as beautiful as you'll find in extreme metal with the keyboards of guitarist Jarno Salomaa playing a starring role throughout. As a long-time fan of ambient music, it's rare that you'll see that genre represented in such an accurate form on a metal record. It's also unusual to hear metal guitarists playing with such restraint in the interest of constructing more subtle yet fully realised atmospheric masterpieces. Shape of Despair just seem to have an incredible understanding of their chosen craft & the sound that they've created here amounts to significantly more than the parts that make it up.

I can't gush enough over "Monotony Fields" to be honest. It deserves a lot more attention than it's received over the years as it's often overlooked in favour of Shape of Despair's earlier works but is clearly playing in the same space in terms of class & quality. It's a rarified air that only the untouchable Esoteric have managed to reach with any sort of consistency & one that leaves me wondering how I could have left it so long to put pen to paper about an act that I've long admired. This is essential funeral doom metal that should be on every The Fallen member's playlist this month.

For fans of Doom:VS, Colosseum & Ea.

4.5/5

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rSh9MnfQo9HmPLo2W5MBa?si=37a7ea3edc5040d9

Tracklisting:

01. Candlemass – “A Tale of Creation” (from “Tales of Creation”, 1989) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

02. Crowbar – “No Quarter” (from “Crowbar”, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

03. Dread Sovereign – “Twelve Bells Toll in Salem” (from “For Doom The Bell Tolls”, 2017)

04. Acid Mammoth – “Black Rites” (from “Acid Mammoth”, 2017) [Submitted by Sonny]

05. Tarkus – “Tema para Lilus” (from “Tarkus”, 1972)

06. Black Flag – “Three Nights” (from “My War”, 1984)

07. Have A Nice Life – “There Is No Food” (from “Deathconsciousness”, 2008)

08. Black Sabbath – “Snowblind” (from “Vol. 4”, 1972)

09. Disincarnate – “Immemorial Dream” (from “Dreams of the Carrion Kind”, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

10. Samael – “I Love The Dead (666)” (from “Rebellion” E.P., 1995) [Submitted by Daniel]

11. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – “Gaia” (from “Omnium Gatherum”, 2022)

12. Amenra – “Razoreater” (from “Mass IIII”, 2008) [Submitted by Sonny]

13. Cruciform – “I, To The Heavens Shall Lift My Eyes” (from “Atavism”, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

14. Decomposed – “Procession (of the Undertaker)” (from “Hope Finally Died…”, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

15. Benediction – “Forged in Fire” (from “Dark is the Season” E.P., 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

16. Spectral Voice – “Sinew Censer” (from “Sparagmos”, 2024) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

17. Nails – “No More Rivers To Cross” (from “Every Bridge Burning”, 2024)

18. Thou – “Narcissist’s Prayer” (from “Umbilical”, 2024)

19. Chat Pile – “grimace_smoking_weed” (from “God’s Country”, 2022)

I thought so Sonny but I can't see that I've rated it & don't have any recollection of it either so perhaps not. I'll put it on my (very long) shortlist for the future.

Currently stomping my foot to that Ponte del Diavolo album.  Absolutely classic Sonny here picking this one, you can always rely on him to find some gloomy European stuff.  Loving the darkwave style to her vocals on this.  Not so enamoured with Scald, those vocals will take a couple of listens I suspect.  That Nirvana track was a curveball and Rammestein also but both belong here in this playlist.

I am a big fan of "Hope Finally Died..." myself Daniel and have long been trying to obtain an original copy. The only problem is, there are currently a couple for sale on Discogs and they are both going for over £ 250!! Insane.

Here's my review:

I've never really given the prolific back catalogue of Los Angeles sludge metallers Thou as good a chance to impress me as I probably should have to tell you the truth. My early experiences with the band were a little hit & miss which is possibly why I haven't found the motivation to explore much further. 2008's "Peasant" sophomore album didn't offer me much in the way of appeal. I did quite like the follow-up in 2010's "Summit" but wouldn't say that it left me feeling entirely convinced either. It wasn't until I had the pleasure of experiencing Thou in a live environment in 2012 that I saw the real potential in them & at that point I committed to giving the Americans another chance. Somehow, that hasn't eventuated though which is one of the reasons that the impact of their brand-new full-length "Umbilical" has been so significant. It's well & truly taken me by surprise & has turned my position on Thou's importance to the global metal scene around in fairly emphatic fashion it has to be said.

"Umbilical" is an ultra-abrasive, super-intense beast of a metal record that wastes very little time with formalities. It's as immediate a release as you'll find, unleashing all of its charms right from the offset as it pulverizes the listener into submission through a succession of savage assaults on the senses. The highlights are nothing short of devastating with the doomier numbers like "Lonely Vigil" & closer "Siege Perilous" being particularly amazing. The incredibly vicious "I Return as Chained and Bound to You" is probably my favourite inclusion though & those three tracks make up a trio of some of the finest examples of the sludge metal genre you're likely to find with the excellent "House of Ideas" not sitting too far behind. The screamed vocals of front man Bryan Funck are the clear focal point & are some of the most ball-tearing & unapologetically violent I've ever encountered which gives the more brutal material an additional edge that sees it achieving the maximum impact available to it. Thou are very much a cohesive unit from an instrumental point of view though so it's hard to pick out individual performances. I will say that I particularly enjoy some of the drum fills which appear at key moments to signal yet another rise in intensity.

I wouldn't say that "Umbilical" is unanimous in its successes though. The tracklisting isn't consistently brilliant enough to achieve my more elite ratings. There's a bit of a lull towards the end of the album with the more accessible "The Promise" sounding a touch out of place, even if it does contain a decent chorus hook that eventually drew me in. It's followed by "Panic Stricken, I Flee" which is the only song that doesn't do much for me but thankfully Thou opted to follow these two which the gargantuan closer "Siege Perilous" which brings things back to where they should be before the end of the release. The rest of the record is rock solid & offers enough in the way of excitement to see me getting very close to pulling out a big score but not quite getting there in the end. Thou should be very proud of what they've achieved here though because, while "Umbilical" may not be the sort of record that you can throw on for any occasion, it serves its purpose extremely well i.e. it severs your limbs from you body & proceeds to beat you with them in a barrage of unrivalled aggression & distain.

For fans of Primitive Man, Indian & Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean.

4/5

I look forward to seeing how it's stood the test of time & what some of our other members think of it.

Aged like fine wine as far as I'm concerned! Wonderful, filthy sound, fine melodies and enchanting atmosphere that keeps calling you back for more and more revisits. I even like the cheesy intro (what can I say, I have to admit that I am fond of cheap 90s synths way too much :-)) I'll be on the lookout for the 2015 CD re-release, containing Paradox and some live tracks.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rSh9MnfQo9HmPLo2W5MBa?si=8c258823c9cc46b2

Tracklisting:

01. Solitude Aeturnus – “Beyond…” (from “Beyond the Crimson Horizon”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

02. Cathedral – “Frozen Rapture” (from “Soul Sacrifice” E.P., 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

03. Tiamat – “Undressed” (from “Clouds”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

04. Death SS – “Terror” (from “…In Death of Steve Sylvester”, 1988)

05. Sacrilege – “Father Time” (from “Turn Back Trilobite”, 1989)

06. Ash – “Midnight Witch” (from “Midnight Witch” single, 1971)

07. Flower Travellin’ Band – “Satori Part I” (from “Satori”, 1971)

08. Bongzilla – “Cannonbongs (The Ballad of Burnt Reynolds as Lamented by Gentleman Dixie Dave Collins)” (from “Dab City”, 2023)

09. Dystopia – “Sanctity” (from “Human=Garbage” E.P., 1994) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

10. Ten Ton Slug – “Mogore the Unkind” (from “Colossal Oppressor”, 2024) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

11. Burning Witch – “Warning Signs” (from “Crippled Lucifer”, 1998) [Submitted by Daniel]

12. The Sins of Thy Beloved – “The Flame Wrath” (from “Perpetual Desolation”, 2000)

13. Shape of Despair – “Angel of Distress” (from “Angel of Distress”, 2001) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

14. My Dying Bride – “Gather Me Up Forever” (from “The Thrash of Naked Limbs” E.P., 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

15. meth. – “Compulsion” (from “SHAME”, 2024)

16. Triptykon – “Goetia” (from “Eparistera Daimones”, 2010) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

17. diSEMBOWELMENT – “The Tree of Life & Death” (from “Dusk” E.P., 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

A Spotify playlist I've made based on my Trail of Tears favorite tracks list, though Disclosure in Red is not on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5PumWxcuPRl0sgAGqglkTt

With this high amount of heaviness and epicness, Trail of Tears are back with a vengeance:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rSh9MnfQo9HmPLo2W5MBa?si=eae70d0ffb59456e

Tracklisting:

01. Frayle – “Darker Than Black” (from “1692”, 2020) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

02. Trouble – “The Beginning” (from “Run To The Light”, 1987)

03. Black Sabbath – “Electric Funeral” (from “Paranoid”, 1970)

04. Randy Holden – “Fruit & Icebergs” (from “Population II”, 1970)

05. YDI – “Get Out” (from “Black Dust”, 1985)

06. Flower Travellin’ Band – “Kamikaze” (from “Kamikaze” single, 1971)

07. Black Space Riders – “Black Part 1: Space is Back” (from “Black Space Riders”, 2010)

08. Los Natas – “Hombre de Metal” (from “Nuevo orden de la Libertad”, 2009)

09. Orange Goblin – “Round Up The Horses” (from “Thieving From The House Of God”, 2004)

10. Tad – “Nipple Belt” (from “God’s Balls”, 1989)

11. Culted – “Brooding Hex” (from “Oblique to All Parts”, 2014)

12. Sorrow – “Insatiable” (from “Hatred & Disgust”. 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

13. My Dying Bride – “The Return of the Beautiful” (from “As The Flower Withers”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

14. Anathema – “…And I Lust” (from “The Crestfallen E.P.”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

15. Couch Slut - “The Donkey” (from “You Couldn’t Do It Tonight”, 2024)

16. Bad Luck Rides On Wheels – “Le livre du ciel et du monde” (from “Semper Eadam”, 2020) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

17. Thou – “I Return as Chained & Bound to You” (from “Umbilical”, 2024)

18. Civerous – “Geryon (The Plummet)” (from “Maze Envy”, 2024)

US doom masters Pentagram would record this early stoner metal anthem some time in 1973. Just listen to those blues rock-inspired stoner riffs, psychedelic clean sections & Jimi Hendrix influenced lead solos! Filthy stuff!

This morning we examine the birth of one of doom metal's biggest names with Pentagram's "Bias Studio Recordings" demo being released on 22nd March 1973. It contained this classic doom anthem:

I had a sneaking suspicion that this might be right up your street, Daniel.

The latest offering from My Dying Bride, "A Mortal Binding" is really good. Check that one out.

Yes it was. Ben & I were obsessed with the figurines. Me in particular.

Just revisited this album and my thoughts remain unfazed by time. By now it should be no surprise that I value melody over sheer brutality in my music and Maze Envy is a solid balance of the two elements. By incorporating more doom elements into a death format means that Civerous play some solid grooves and instrumental leads. The structure is pristine by allowing the album to grow from shorter songs at the beginning, to longer, drawn out doom metal during the second half and creates a real sense of growth and development. That it to say, the long songs at the end of this album are more than justified.

Production can be a hit or miss call with some of the pummeling death metal during the first half coming as being just a little too overwhelming. But when it comes to death doom metal in 2024, Civerous are doing it in a way that was much different than I was expecting, but more than thrilled to give a chance.

4/5

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rSh9MnfQo9HmPLo2W5MBa

1. Buzzov•en - "Crawl Away" (from "…At A Loss", 1998) [submitted by Vinny]
2. Solstice - "Only the Strong" (from "Lamentations", 1994)
3. Hamferð - "Hvølja" (from "Men guðs hond er sterk", 2024) [submitted by Sonny]
4. Oromet – “Diluvium” (from “Oromet”, 2023) [submitted by Daniel]
5. Om - "Unitive Knowledge of the Godhead" (from "Pilgrimage", 2007) [submitted by Vinny]
6. Church of Misery - "I, Motherfucker (Ted Bundy) " (from "The Second Coming, 2004) [submitted by Sonny]
7. The Vision Bleak - "Chapter VIII: The Undying One" (from "Weird Tales", 2024)
8. Plaguewielder - "At Night They Roam" (from "Covenant Death", 2021) [submitted by Sonny]
9. Acid Mammoth - "Atomic Shaman" (from "Supersonic Megafauna Collision", 2024)
10. Grey Skies Fallen - "No Place for Sorrow" (from "Molded by Broken Hands", 2024)
11. My Dying Bride - "A Starving Heart" (from "A Mortal Binding", 2024)
12. Altar of Betelgeuze - "Echoes" (from "Echoes", 2024) [submitted by Sonny]
13. Nightfell - "The Swallowing of Flies" (from "A Sanity Deranged", 2019) [submitted by Vinny]
14. Solitude Aeturnus – “Mirror of Sorrow” (from “Into The Depths Of Sorrow”, 1991) [submitted by Daniel]
15. Hell - "Gog" (from "Hell II", 2010)

This otherwise good song is totally ruined by Lars Eikind's cleans sound awkward and more overly dramatic than melancholic:

Here's my review:

English doom/death legends My Dying Bride had thoroughly blown Ben & I away with their first two releases "Symphonaire Infernus Et Spera Empyrium" & "As The Flower Withers". In fact, their 1991 "Towards The Sinister" demo was really strong too so I had extremely high hopes for their next record as a teenager back in 1993. The band's experimentation with the incorporation of violin & gothic elements had proved to be a master stroke so the expectation around what they'd deliver us with next was certainly very high. Perhaps My Dying Bride's label & management could feel that excitement because they opted to deliver us a short three-track taster in order to tide us over until the arrival of the classic "Turn Loose The Swans" album later on that year. "The Thrash of Naked Limbs" E.P. would land eight months before that spectacular game-changer & it'd only see my passion for the burgeoning doom/death scene rising to fever pitch.

"The Thrash of Naked Limbs" E.P. contains just the three tracks across its eighteen-minute duration, two of which take the form of their signature doom/death metal sound with the other being something a little different for My Dying Bride. The production job on the two metal songs isn't perfect with the rhythm guitars sounding a little wishy washy to my ears & the violin coming across as a tad artificial too. Thankfully though, the riffs are as crushing as we've come to expect from a My Dying Bride release with Aaron's iconic death growls being in full effect. There are some subtle differences from the band's debut album on show here. The guitar tone is starting to head away from the filthy death metal graveyard it had resided in previously &, despite the production issues, the overall package just seems to be a little more polished & professional. The violin parts that permeated "As The Flower Withers" aren't quite as prominent here either as they play more of a supporting role than they do the thematic protagonist we were presented with on some of the band's stronger works to the time. I'd suggest that there isn't quite as much undiluted death metal included in this material either. It's a little more consistently doomy than the earlier releases were.

The E.P. kicks off with the title track which is generally regarded as the strongest inclusion of the three. Interestingly, I'm gonna go the other way & say that it's the track that I connect with the least. Don't get me wrong, it's still a very strong piece that borders on being a classic in its own right but I just don't think it quite gels as well as My Dying Bride's most transcendent & timeless material. Easily the most divisive song is the dark ambient piece "Le cerf malade" that splits the two metal numbers & I have to admit that I've always found it to be the highlight of the record. Admittedly I'm a big ambient music fan & this piece absolutely nails the atmosphere it sets out to explore. In fact, I'd suggest that any ambient artist worth their salt would be drooling over this track to be honest. Closing doom/death anthem "Gather Me Up Forever" goes pretty close to equaling it too. It's the doomier of the two metal songs & doesn't taint its more beautiful & melodic doom moments with chuggier mid-paced riffage as much as the title track does so there's not a hint of filler here with every piece offering the listener a significant artistic & atmospheric pay-off.

"The Thrash of Naked Limbs" doesn't get quite as much attention as its more highly regarded predecessors but I have a big soft spot for the more mature & refined composition that predicted the direction the band would soon take & this saw it making just as big an impact on my life. In fact, I've tended to think of the E.P. as My Dying Bride's strongest overall work to the time & this revisit has only strengthened that feeling even though there's very little between the three proper releases. This is not only an essential My Dying Bride record but it's an essential release for the doom/death subgenre overall. It rightfully stands alongside the band's finest work & should have Paradise Lost, Anathema & Novembers Doom fans frothing at the mouth.

4.5/5

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rSh9MnfQo9HmPLo2W5MBa

1. Whores - "Tell Me Something Scientific" (from "Ruiner", 2011) [submitted by Vinny]
2. Gaul - "Megalodon" (from "Gaul", 2011) [submitted by Sonny]
3. Great Falls – “Old Words Worn Thin” (from “Objects Without Pain”, 2023) [submitted by Daniel]
4. Motherslug - "Stoned by the Light" (from "The Electric Dunes of Titan", 2017)
5. Häxenzijrkell - "Part 2: Von Zeit und Form" (from "Urgrund", 2022) [submitted by Ben]
6. Mortiferum - "Faceless Apparition" (from "Disgorged From Psychotic Depths", 2019) [submitted by Sonny]
7. Rapture - "Nameless" (from "Songs for the Withering", 2002)
8. Fange - "Césarienne au noir" (from "Perdition", 2024)
9. Saint Vitus - "In the Asylum" (from "Die Healing", 1995)
10. Black Boned Angel - "Supereclipse II" (from "Supereclipse", 2003)
11. Dopelord - "Scum Priest" (from "Children of the Haze", 2017) [submitted by Vinny]
12. Sempiternal Deathreign - "The Spooky Gloom" (from "The Spooky Gloom", 1989)
13. Cathedral – “Reaching Happiness, Touching Pain” (from “Forest of Equilibrium”, 1991) [submitted by Daniel]
14. Kowloon Walled City - "Gambling on the Richter Scale" (from "Gambling on the Richter Scale", 2009) [submitted by Vinny]
15. Mesmur - "Refraction" (from "Chthonic", 2023) [submitted by Ben]
16. Memento Mori - "Lost Horizons" (from "Rhymes of Lunacy", 1993)

No need to be sorry. Every music listener will find certain albums / styles more compelling than others. It would be boring if everyone had the exact same tastes.

Monovoth - Pleroma Mortem Est (2024)

Monovoth is the solo project of argentinian multi-instrumentalist, Lucas Wyssbrod, and Pleroma Mortem Est is the sophomore full-length under the banner. It is an album of instrumental funeral doom, comprising six tracks and with an overall runtime of a mere 38 minutes, which is slight indeed for a funeral doom release. In a nutshell that previous sentence sums up the issues that I personally have with this. First off, six tracks for a measly 38 minutes! The funereal and doom-laden atmospheres for top-knotch funeral doom require  expansive build-up and layering with the extensive runtime being a pre-requisite for the sense of an inescapable, soul-crushing doom awaiting all of us at life's end. Secondly, instrumental funeral doom just doesn't work completely for me. With such downbeat and morbid instrumentation as that produced by top-tier funeral doom practitioners, I believe a human connection, such as the wholly human sound of vocals, is an absolute requirement in order to mitigate the hopelessness of the music and to place the human condition, as posited by the funeral doom ethos, into context.

The actual individual pieces here show a lot of potential and it is obvious that Wyssbrod is plenty familiar with the big names in the field, as he unleashes dizzyingly towering chords of immense weight interspersed with passages of self-reflective melancholy, but their brevity and lack of vocals suggests to me a series of musical ideas waiting to be worked up into full pieces and not actually an album of finished work. I really would like to hear these ideas expounded and expanded upon with a truly anguished-sounding vocalist on board because there is really some good stuff here, in seed-like form.

3.5/5

I really enjoyed the Altar of the Stag track you submitted and the Dyatlov Pass Incident has always intrigued me, so that is an album I definitely have on my list to dig into.

It's weird one alright (the incident - not the track).  Currently listening to Dark Histories podcast and the episode about Dyatlov as it happens.

Here's my review:

Dallas-based epic doom metal masters Solitude Aeturnus really surprised me with their 2006 "Alone" sixth full-length when Ben selected it for The Fallen feature release status some time ago. I'd previously allowed the band to pass me by but that record ticked all of my boxes & saw me claiming it as a genuine doom metal classic for the ages. Since that time I've always intended on exploring the rest of Solitude Aeturnus' more highly celebrated releases & thought I'd take this opportunity to kick that exercise off with their debut full-length "Into The Depths Of Sorrow" which is generally regarded as one of the elite examples of the niche subgenre overall.

In many ways "Into The Depths Of Sorrow" is the quintessential epic doom metal release in that it perfectly embodies the sound that the tag was originally created to label. All of the subgenres calling cards are here. Crushing doom riffs? CHECK! A strong classic heavy metal influence? CHECK! Theatrical power metal style vocals? CHECK! Soaring, shredtastic guitar solos? CHECK! A generally epic atmosphere? CHECK! I can't deny that the album is everything it said it would be on the tin & if that description sounds like something that'd appeal to you then you won't be disappointed but it did take me a couple of listens to get fully into for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I'm a much bigger doom fan than I am a heavy metal one & the heavy metal component is particularly prevalent here with those riffs being pretty standard heavy metal fodder & nothing particularly exciting so I find myself waiting around for the doom to return which it inevitably does & with devastating effect too. There's obviously a lot of Candlemass influence on show as this was Solitude Aeturnus' first full-length & Candlemass were, of course, the creators & clear leaders of the epic doom movement so there are clear similarities in the way the two bands go about their craft but the area that Solitude Aeturnus fall down in as far as that comparison goes is in the guitar solos as Edgar Rivera & John Perez aren't quite as virtuosic in their capabilities. Thankfully, the general quality of the song-writing is very strong & the vocals of future Candlemass, Concept of God & Tyrant front man Robert Lowe are exceptional which has gone a long way to seeing me crowning Solitude Aeturnus as my favourite band from the epic doom movement overall regardless.

The tracklisting kicks off in very solid fashion indeed with the short intro track "Dawn of Antiquity (A Return to Despair)" building the atmosphere nicely before the first proper song "Opaque Divinity" kicks in & wastes no time in flexing its muscles. It's followed by "Transcending Sentinels" which is clearly the least impressive track on the album in my opinion but is still pretty decent. The remaining five songs are all very strong indeed though & round out a particularly consistent album with no real blemishes. The reason I don't see "Into The Depths Of Sorrow" competing with "Alone" for bragging rights as my favourite epic doom metal release any time soon is that it doesn't contain as many genuine classics. The utterly mind-blowing "Mirror of Sorrow" is the clear highlight of the album & is frankly one of the best examples of the subgenre I've experienced to date but none of the other material comes close to matching it with the brilliant doom passages regularly having their impact offset a bit by some flatter heavy metal chug riffs. It's a shame really as I think there was a lot of potential for another classic release here if a bit of quality control had been employed.

At the end of the day though, I can't be too critical as "Into The Depths Of Sorrow" is still an impressively consistent first-up effort from one of the leaders of the movement. In fact, I'd go so far as to suggest that it's eclipsed all but "Alone" & Candlemass' classic "Nightfall" album in reaching my personal top three for the subgenre overall which is quite an accolade when you consider the areas of improvement I highlighted above. The experience has certainly left me wondering whether Solitude Aeturnus have managed to top their debut over the course of their next four records so I've penciled a couple of them in for exploration in the not too distant future. In the meantime though, "Into The Depths Of Sorrow" should be essential listening for all of you Candlemass, Solstice & Isole fans out there.

4/5

Had the time to get through this playlist today on my morning walk.  I still have no idea of the attraction of Sunn O))) (sorry Sonny) and I listened to all 14:59 of that track.  It is just not my cup of tea.  Also had to skip Iron Man (those vocals) and The Gathering (a bit too rocky and again the vocals grated).  I have come to the conclusion that Wino's voice actually grates on me nowadays and so I had to skip The Obsessed track also.

Thankfully there was still lots to keep me happy on the list.  Standouts were Dolorian, Crowbar, Goatsnake, Godthrymm, High on Fire and Saturnalia Temple.  Good work Sonny. 

Thanks Vinny. Drone metal is a hard sell, with even it's most ardent followers recognising that it isn't for everyone and Sunn O))) are no exception, so no apologies required. I'm not a fan of Iron Man myself, but I feel it is incumbent upon me to showcase all aspects of the Fallen, despite my own preferences. I wasn't sold on Goatsnake either, to be honest. I have always been a fan of Wino's "cigarettes and whiskey" voice, so I have enjoyed the preview tracks from the new Saint Vitus album.

I gave Khanate an honest try but as Sonny alluded to in his review, I wasn't able to make it fully through. I would have gotten through the whole thing if I didn't run out of time at work yesterday, but I have zero interest in picking it back up or restarting it from the beginning to try and get the full experience. I can see why it would resonate with people as I saw what they were going for with the vocals, but man, really not something for me at the end of the day. So I'll refrain from rating that one, it's very far from my wheelhouse. 

As we have got to know each other's tastes, I would have been very surprised if you had come out in favour of Khanate, Xephyr. They are definitely not for everyone and I would never hold it against anyone who didn't much care for them, even though I absolutely love them. Drone metal is an acquired taste at the best of times and Khanate are by no means an easy listen, even in drone circles.

For sure there are a couple of things I liked about Objects Without Pain, the guitar tone is nicely pitched and best of all the drums sound amazing. I could listen to an isolated drum track of this quite happily and would prefer to over the finished thing. Unfortunately I couldn't take to it other than that. The songwriting is too spasmodic for me, it veers far too much into mathcore, djenty type territory for my preference and although I really like the tone of the album, the actual songwriting leaves me cold. But the absolute killer for me is the vocals. I would be the first to admit that I probably put too much weight onto vocals but I think I am quite tolerant of some very divisive vocalists, Silencer, Cirith Ungol, King Diamond or Demilich for example, but if I take against a singer then it is like a movie with Adam Sandler in it and no matter how good the rest of the production, it still has Adam Sandler in it! Such is the case with Demian Johnston, his vocals amount to little more than shouting at the top of his voice and just come over like some angry child berating his parents for some perceived injustice and which I find wearisome in the extreme. I don't have an issue with shouted vocals per se, but these are just irritating and off-putting to me to the degree where, by the second half of the album, my mind is wandering and I have pretty much tuned out. I seem to be a minority of one and good luck to those who derived far more enjoyment from it than I was able to muster, but this just isn't one for me I'm afraid.

2.5/5

Solid list again this month.  Particularly enjoyed The Angelic Process, Convocation, Dopelord and Ocean of Grief (which was unexpected since they are quite melodic).

Less enamored with Remina, Kaunis Kuolematon, Lord Vigo, Madvro and YDI and still have my Lee Dorrian aversion when it comes to Cathedral.

So with the start of a new year it's once again time to have a look at the covers for all the releases for each clan. I personally like to rate a whole stack of covers all at once, rather than doing them one at a time throughout the year, as it allows me to get a better feel for where each cover sits in comparison to others. With that in mind, I've just rated every cover for releases in The Fallen for 2023.

Below are the releases that are currently competing for the prestigious 2023 The Fallen Cover of the Year Award (i.e. they rate at least 3.8 and have 3 or more ratings). The winner will be announced on the 1st of February, so there's still time to get your ratings in.

Ahab - The Coral Tombs

Ocean of Grief - Pale Existence

Fires in the Distance - Air Not Meant for Us

Smoulder - Violent Creed of Vengeance

Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean - Obsession Destruction

Abbey, The - Word of Sin

Oromet - Oromet

Obelyskkh - The Ultimate Grace of God

Acacia Strain, The - Failure Will Follow

Witch Ripper - The Flight After the Fall

Lethvm - Winterreise

Soulmass - Let Us Pray

If you want to contribute and rate some covers, the easiest way is to go to The Gallery and select The Fallen and 2023.

https://metal.academy/gallery?cid=1&type=overall_cover_rating&myRating=&fromYear=2023&toYear=2023&exclude=0

I look forward to seeing which release gets up for the win!

It is quite timely for an Isole feature, as they have had a new album out this year, with Anesidora hitting the shelves back in March. For me, Isole have been on a bit of a downward trajectory since their late-2000s high water mark and listening to Bliss of Solitude and Anesidora back-to-back gives an illustation of why. The latter release feels stripped of any real emotional weight, with the band seemingly seeking a sound more palatable to the mainstream, stoner doom crowd.

So, enough of what went wrong and let us focus on what the band were doing well fifteen years ago, with Bliss of Solitude and it's follow-up Silent Ruins. After forming in 2004 the Swedes released a couple of solid doom metal albums in 2005's Forevermore and '06's Throne of Void, but it was with 2008's Bliss of Solitude that they found themselves nearing the summit of the doom metal mountain. Obviously they were influenced by Candlemass' bombastic style of epic doom metal, but that was certainly not the full extent of what Isole were about, that bombast being tempered by a sorrowful, emotionally resonant side like that being displayed by the likes of Patrick Walker's Warning. The result of this for a release like Bliss of Solitude is that it sounds at once romantically triumphant, but also heart-rending and mournful, like the emotions of the victors of a savage battle won at great cost.

The production is spot on and producer, drummer Jonas Lindström (also of Ereb Altor), have fashioned a perfect guitar sound, being at once huge and weighty whilst still possessing a sorrowful emotion that also keeps it quite personal-sounding. Additional weight is provided by the thundering basswork and Lindström's well-pitched drumming, which act as a perfect foundation for the emotionally-charged dirges of the riffs. The band employs dual guitarists / vocalists in Daniel Bryntse and Crister Olsson, their style of esoteric, layered clean vocals being another source of the album's essential melancholy, particularly on a slower, more inward-looking track like "Imprisoned in Sorrow" or "Dying".

There is a classiness to Isole's best work, of which this is definitely an example, to which not all doom bands are able to aspire. This isn't just about playing super-slow riffs, dragged-out to inordinate lengths, but it is about portraying sadness and sorrow in a relatable and humanly resonant way, being able to express negative emotion in a manner that hints at both redemption and hope without sounding trite or insincere. Bliss of Solitude is a classic slab of emotionally-charged doom metal that deserves a larger share of the praise that is heaped on lesser releases and as such is a perfect choice for a feature release. Nice work Ben.

4.5/5

Wasn't too keen on some of the more melodic death/doom tracks this month - I am familiar with Hamferð and Mother of GRaves but neither really floated my boat.  Still lots to enjoy though with Cough, Sir Lord Baltimore, Remembrance and Melvins being highlights.

Dymna Lotva were an interesting prospect, post-black metal and doom (with some folk) sounds as a mixture worked for me.  Playing the album through now as I type this.

SubRosa is an old favorite band of mine. I don't know how I found them, but I found the whole whole female-fronted sludge/stoner metal with violins idea a lot more intriguing than I normally would. While they used the violins on their debut album, it was far more sparingly than they would use starting here.
They really sought to make this album as crushingly heavy and depressing as possible. Usually when one thinks of metal and violins, one thinks of the later providing some contrast. Not so here, here it's just another element adding to the sorrow. There's a very on-edge effect the violins add. Without it, the band would be quite mundane, with it, a tension atypical of such bands.
While I like the EP, it's only after trying to figure out what the albums before and after it have that this lacks that I figured out what was missing. Two of the three tracks were remade for the follow-up, No Help for the Mighty Ones, and those versions of the songs are just better in every way.

3.5/5

The only real change that may be worth considering in future is the addition of epic doom metal as a sub-genre as I am coming to the opinion that it has sufficiently divergent attributes to differentiate it from conventional doom.

Ben & I are still a bit on the fence about epic doom metal to be honest. We're certainly open to it if there's a majority who think it's necessary as it isn't a hard one to implement but can't think of an epic doom metal release that doesn't sit just as comfortably under a conventional doom metal tag. We're certainly not experts on the subgenre so could be wrong but most of the time it seems to be just the vocal style that makes these releases worthy of the "epic" prefix, is it not? I know the heavy metal influence is important but we find that in other doom metal bands too & they don't seem to be tagged as epic doom unless the vocal style is operatic/theatrical (see the early Trouble, Witchfinder General & Pentagram albums for example). Perhaps you could give us some examples of epic doom metal releases that you feel need to be separated from conventional doom metal to help justify this addition Sonny?

I'm not particularly bothered about it to be honest, Daniel, but yes the vocal style and obvious heavy metal influence are two features, although more accurately, to be termed epic doom I think power metal or USPM influences are required, rather than just heavy metal, hence the dividing line between epic doom and Pentagram / Trouble trad doom. I would also probably cite an increased inclusion of guitar solos as an indicator. I look at the black metal sub-genres and see pagan black metal and dsbm and other than lyrical content, I'm not sure either of these differ much from either conventional or atmospheric black metal, so personally I believe epic doom has at least as many, if not more, differentiators from conventional doom as either of those black metal genres do from conventional bm.

Smoulder's "Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring", Solstice's "White Horse Hill" and Khemmis' "Deceiver" are pretty good examples.

I guess ultimately it comes down to how much you want to differentiate sub-genres. as I said, I am no genre pedant and don't really care either way, I don't have sufficient technical knowledge to comment authoritatively on any technical differences between sub-genres, I just thought I would throw it out there and let those who are better informed decide if that was a way to go or not.