Doom metal that is really progressive tends to be rare, and music bearing this tag will usually refer to a single outside influence that doesn’t make much of a mark on the whole. But Dionysiaque’s Diogonos is something different, without a doubt.
Read moreEden’s Decay – Innerfeind Review
I picked out Eden’s Decay because it sounded suitably dramatic and moody. I prepared myself to be underwhelmed, and hit play. From the first notes of Innerfeind though, I knew I had something—probably because it doesn’t sound much like what most people call melodeath. Perhaps sometimes blossoms spring from decay.
Read moreStygian Crown – Funeral for a King Review
Overall, I was not really sold on their debut, but Funeral for a King sees Stygian Crown return with significantly improved writing and performances, as they seem to lean into their death doom influence stronger than before. The amalgamation of death and epic doom tropes leads to a uniquely feeling album. But will it reign supreme in our Goat’s estimation?
Read moreSecrets – Towards the Nightside Review
There is probably a limit to how much love can be shown to a band that is so obviously reminiscent of those that came before but Secrets push at that limit. So what is the secret to Secrets’ success?
Read moreVægtløs – Aftryk Review
With their debut, Aftryk, Danish band Vægtløs promise a mix of power and delicacy, grip and release, packed within four tracks that comfortably traverse the realms of black metal, post metal, and post rock. And though its namesake translates to “imprint,” does Aftryk do enough for you to remember its cause?
Read moreὉπλίτης (Hoplites) – Παραμαινομένη (Paramainomeni) Review
Hoplites is a one-man Chinese black metal/hardcore band that emerged out of nowhere and proceeded to release three full lengths over the course of 2023. I thought each release was slightly better than the last, but none of them really had memorable moments, instead feeling like an aimless jam session each time that threw elements at the wall to see what stuck. Where does that leave the new album? Find out in this review…
Read moreThe Oldest House – A Worm Through Time
The promo sheet states that the sole creator of this EP, A.M. (what’s in a name?), conceived the music as one long piece that is supposed to be like a “huge wall of static that is creeping slowly towards you.” Fortunately for Metalligator, he did not do a good job of that. Wait, or did he? Guess you have to read to find out.
Read moreSvdestada – Candela Review
With a woman in a robe on the cover stretching air and red light, it’d be easy to dismiss Candela as just another longing metalcore album. And while there are shades of that in riff assembly, Svdestada (a stylized version of sudestada which simply means “southeast”), hailing from the burgeoning punk scene of Spain, self-describes as blackened crust. We’ll take our patatas bravas golden brown though…
Read moreUndulation – An Unhealthy Interest in Suffering Review
Undulation got cred from the hipster-ish side of the metal internet, and they frankly do check out all the boxes. For a Death Metal Band, they are more emotionally driven and the female vocalist does a lot to sell it. Scuttlegoat has an unhealthy interest in Death Metal.
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