I’d heard this album paid tribute to the death/doom greats of the 90s, so naturally I went into this with apprehension. I’ll admit, after the symphonic intro track which sets a tone of despair, the beginning of the second track does remind me of early Katatonia, with its emotional mid-tempo doom riffs interspersed with single string picking. Haunting keyboards add texture as the track progresses then dissolves into a short but elegant clean passage, before jumping back into the main structure. The album continues along the same vein and I can’t help becoming entranced by the familiarity, as it treads a fine line between Kata’s ‘Dance of December Souls’ and ‘Brave Murder Day’: it’s not as muddy and drawn-out as the former yet not as succinct and inventive as the latter. It’s a strong tribute which manages to avoid being derivative and I’m looking forward to seeing how this band develops.
‘Dream thrash’ metal group Astronoid return with their much anticipated sophomore record – a continuation of the unique, futuristic sound established on the debut, furthering the borders of metal music. If you’re unfamiliar with the band, please just go listen to them because it’s easier to do that than for me to describe them… The best metaphor I came up with is: if you would imagine that King Diamond went on an epic space mission, came back and wrote an album, it would sound like this. The youthful vocals glide above the speedy, effect-laden guitars and pummeling drums to create visions of a violent yet awe-inspiring thunderstorm. You don’t have to panic though because it’s happening miles away in the distance, bringing you a sense of tension but also solace. Whilst this doesn’t reach the highs of the debut, it’s a welcome follow up and I think this will appeal to a wide range of fans from various subgenres because of how difficult the band is to pin down with a label.
On Résignés, members of Ataraxie sound more like their dissonant, hate-filled sideproject Funeralium than ever, delivering their most oppressive and challenging outing yet. The weight of this album is incessant: most of the subtle beauty that previously existed in their music has been erased, leaving four gargantuan tracks looming with anguish and resentment, with plenty of death metal sections to appease your need for brutality. Despite my description, this album feels polished and composed to be effective and engaging to those who appreciate extreme doom, proving the band remains masters in their field. If you’re looking for bleak, I don’t think you’ll find anything more satisfying this year.
Autism – Have You Found Peace?
This is post-metal I can really get behind. I’ve been impressed by everything Autism has created so far and this is perhaps their best work yet. The music is guitar-based, but also bears a cinematic and disturbing atmosphere brought on by the considered use of ambience throughout. It feels massive despite the average duration and leaves a lasting impact as I want to listen again and again, to try to understand more about how this album was conceived and the story it tells.
Better Oblivion Community Center – Better Oblivion Community Center
BOCC is the tongue-in-cheek name of the collaborative project by Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst. Phoebe has already established legendary status with her incredibly moving 2017 debut ‘Stranger In The Alps’ and continues to grow in fame as more people hear about her. If you don’t already know Conor, he is best-known as the head of the 00’s emo band Bright Eyes but continues to produce music for various projects to this day. Together they have constructed a dynamic set of catchy indie tunes which subvert any expectations you might have going in, as it doesn’t quite match up with either contributor’s previous material. You can tell they had a lot of fun creating these playful and self-referential songs – I imagine Conor used his everlasting musical talent and experience whilst Phoebe brought in the weirder ideas. We didn’t deserve this or ask for it, so I enjoy it for what it is: a bonus gift to be grateful for if you’re already a fan of either of these special artists.
If you’re a fan of doom metal in any capacity you should know about Candlemass by now, if nothing else for their pioneering epic doom debut from 36 years ago, ‘Epicus Doomicus Metallicus’. With ‘The Door To Doom’, the band make a deliberate choice to take us back to 1986, curated by the return of their original vocalist. The artwork contains the same image of a skull on a crucifix; the iconic symbol of doom if you had to name one. Johan Langquist’s voice can still deliver the force over the pounding riffs as he did so well before, and the whole experience is of strange nostalgia as you recognise the Candlemass sound from decades before, adding to the efficacy of the more passionate parts of the record. Production has improved of course and consequently there is a bit of detachment (I imagine this could be compared to the way Black Sabbath sounded when Ozzy returned after a long break), so it would be foolish to call this ‘Epicus Doomicus Metallicus… Particus Twoicus’… Still, it’s a welcome treat for fans of this beloved band that refuses to go stale.
The Californian duo shifts their focus away from the shoegaze foundation of their debut towards an electronically-driven approach that sounds like a dreampop version of Massive Attack. The vocals flutter gently over reverb-soaked guitars and catchy beats to create a pleasant experience, although I do detect a measure of melancholy with the way Jess’ unassuming performance feels like someone disconnected from the world. It’s not going to bring down your mood but it certainly won’t be lifting it either. This is a nice progression for the group and a rewarding listen when given enough attention.
Desperate Journalist – In Search Of The Miraculous
Desperate Journalist are a modern Britpop band characterised by the expressive and nuanced vocal delivery of frontwoman ‘Jo Bevan’. The band succeed in bringing to life another diverse set of indie tunes that doesn’t include their most attention-grabbing material, though it is their most mature and memorable record as a whole. It may come as a surprise to you but I like a lot of indie music too, if it’s interesting enough.
Downfall Of Gaia – Ethic of Radical Finitude
I could accuse this German post-black metal band for being pretentious with the way this album and its songs are titled, but I’ll let that slide for the sake of evading similar accusations towards myself and focus on the music. This is the fifth album by this relatively young band and by now their talent is well-established. I preferred when they took the more atmospheric route on their second and third records, as whilst ‘Ethic…’ will appeal to fans of the style, I feel it’s a small step backwards as it brings few new ideas to the table and doesn’t explore beyond their comfort zone.
Dream Theater – Distance Over Time
After the exhausting, overwrought ‘The Astonishing’ from a few years ago, proggressive metal veterans Dream Theater have returned with an album that is more concise, focused and ultimately enjoyable. I have only had the chance to hear this once but it occurred to me that the second half seems to be almost entirely ballads – a style that features at least once on each of their records. The melodies stood out in particular on ‘Barstool Warrior’ which contains a really catchy riff that jumps between keys.
This is the long awaited follow-up to the French band’s debut, which has become a post-metal staple for me over the years. Their style is gritty, rumbling post-metal with high, exasperated vocals giving you little room to breathe apart from during the sporadic interludes. Something has changed though and I’m trying to figure out what small detail is leaving me underwhelmed. I don’t know if the blame lies with me or them after the 6 years we’ve spent apart, but hopefully this will grow on me over time like the first one did.
Evi Vine – Black // Light // White // Dark
Evi is moving further and further down the rabbit hole, solidifying her title as an even darker and more depressive version of Zola Jesus, and I love it. She experiments with a couple of longer compositions on this album and as a result we are left with only 6 tracks which are all compelling. The highlight for me is ‘My Only Son’, which I have returned to individually a few times. It’s a forlorn piano ballad directed towards someone whom she lost, seemingly to mental illness. Evi’s solemn voice carries most of the weight on this album, even as the distorted guitars are brought to the forefront to add to the troubling experience. Please give this a overlooked artist a go if you seek some truly endearing gloom.
Labirinto – Divino Afflante Spiritu
This is the third album to come from Brazilian post-metal band, Labirinto, and it’s certainly their most condensed at less than 45 minutes in length. The band uses this time well by successfully creating a cacophonous atmosphere that emits very little light. The guitars build and swirl above one another in an interplay that firmly holds your attention. Vocals are also brought in for the first time ever, although quite sparingly as they only appear on the opening track, as though rather than trying to appeal to a wider audience, they were simply necessary to express the emotions they wanted. I’m impressed yet again with the sinister, lurking undertones this band has shaped and I recommend if you’re a fan of instrumental music on the heavy side. This is some of the best post-metal you don’t know about.
Featuring two members of the atmospheric black metal band Sojourner, Lysithea demonstrate their melodic prowess using a tempered and graceful combination of doom metal and growled vocals. It may seem contrarian to call this music accessible, but to someone like me, who has heard so much suffering through sound, it’s an easy listen. Don’t think I’m being condescending however, as sometimes this is exactly what I need from doom – something melancholy but also beautiful; rich with melodious guitar leads and tasteful backing keyboard. Lysithia provides a mature example of the style which I gladly recommend if you’re excited about the idea of getting a little sad, but perhaps not quite ready for the extremes.
What a delightful little gem this bedroom project is. Corey Philpot has constructed a beautifully simple yet deep lo-fi record filled with fuzzy guitars, reverb-laden vocals and a gratifying excess of crash cymbals. The lyrics deal with isolation, mental struggles, and general disdain of life in the modern world. The album is a warm hug from a knowing friend, particularly if you relate to where it is coming from. When you’re laying awake at night, curled up next to your childhood teddy, take some comfort in knowing that Corey understands you.
Saor are an atmospheric black metal band from Scotland that draw more from folk influences than I am normally comfortable with in metal. They use instruments such as flute, violin, harp, and of course bagpipes, as well as swaying Celtic melodies, but they do this whilst retaining their dignity and quality (again, I am not a fan of overtly folk-inspired music generally). I didn’t realise that they are essentially a solo project with a bunch of guest musicians, as the band seems so refined and well-produced. ‘Forgotten Paths’ is the fourth record, featuring three long and progressive tracks (the first featuring the unmistakably potent screams of Neige from Alcest), followed by a tranquil closer which is performed solely using the aforementioned harp. At under 40 minutes in length, the album doesn’t leave as much of a lasting impression as previous releases by Saor, but there’s little to complain about otherwise – I just like my black metal of this class to be more epic.
Together To The Stars – An Oblivion Above
Even after one listen of this I was very impressed. ‘An Oblivion Above’ is the first music to be released by this Swedish duo and they’ve done a stellar job of creating a captivating post-black metal album. One guy takes care of all the instruments leaving the other to concentrate on an emotive and raw vocal delivery. The opening track is a long introduction that maintains a moderate pace, with guitar leads that soar above the steady percussion to provide a sense of progression and movement, drawing you in as the 10 minutes pass by seamlessly. The second track, ‘Oblivion’, is where the album takes off and the duo eliminates any doubt you might have about the the talent within such a young project. This is a beautiful album that I have returned to more often than is typical for me and I look forward to learning it more as the year goes on.
The renowned post-black solo artist and streamer has taken a break from metal to produce an ambient EP, entitled ‘Rain’. It’s an effectual experiment that does conjure the sensation of hearing heavy rainfall outside (perhaps with the aid of the constant static noises underneath the pretty ambient sounds, as well as the cover photo) It’s a brief dip into an aquatic soundscape that comes off quite neutral and not particularly stirring – probably best used as a tool to help you sleep when the weather won’t help you naturally.
The blistering riffs on this record conjure images of hellfire and torment and the vocals are a demonic rage. Inspired by mythology and the afterlife, this second major release from Vanum is a tumultous journey through Hades. It doesn’t overstay its welcome, for all of this grandeur is condensed into just over 40 minutes, but you’ll be replaying parts over in your head once it is completed. This is a thrilling experience for any extreme metal fan.
Emin Guliyev has been busy releasing music under this name regularly since 2013. Whilst he dabbles with elements of witch house and other electronics, the core of his cult fanbase revolves around the love for his bright and beautiful take on black metal. His music is resonant of the uplifting, blissful melodies of Sleeping Peonies, but the deep guttural growls and frequent bursts of aggression add some nice degrees of separation from the many other projects that attempt to mimic this sound. After dropping an astonishing triple album without warning last May, Guliyev throw’s out the new full length, ‘kOsmik’, in the same modest fashion. I’ll keep buying his music for as long as he continues to possess the inspiration to make it, as this album is yet another joyous listen from this prolific and talented visionary.
Wicca Phase Springs Eternal – Suffer On
‘Suffer On’ is one of the most exciting things I’ve heard this year and my play count reflects this. After many smaller releases, ex-Tigers Jaw member Adam Mcilwee has come out with his most cohesive and focused work yet. The layers of simple guitar patterns, programmed beats and Adam’s extremely personal, half-spoken/half-sung words about living with depression all combine to create an emotional experience that caught me off guard from the opening track. Adam’s poetic lyrics are more intelligent and evocative than they ever have been and he performs them in a way that is so believable it hurts. If you’re into sad things like I am, I urge you to check this one out.
This is a new project from the mastermind behind the legendary avant-garde band Blut Aus Nord. I’ve seen the relationship between Blut Aus Nord and YERÛŠELEM likened to the two sides of Justin Broadrick’s main projects Godflesh and Jesu, but I feel this comparison is lazy and gave me false expectations because this album does not sound like Jesu at all. It’s an industrial sideproject, nothing more, and it actually sounds a lot closer to Godflesh except the vocals are much lower in the mix, leading to the album just sounding passive rather than brutal. On repeat listens after getting over the initial disappointment, ‘The Sublime’ is filled with dark industrial beats and a lot of cool ideas, but the 40 minute runtime slip past without really managing to take hold at any point.
Thoughts Of Decay 