Doom Metal

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    Velnias - Substrate Haruspex (2026)

    Velnias - Substrate Haruspex (2026)
    Velnias - Substrate Haruspex (2026)

    Hailing from the forests of Colorado, today we have the return of Blackened Doom/Folk Metal outfit Velnias with “Substrate Haruspex”. Featuring eight tracks and over 48 minutes of majestic music, this release further sets the band apart from the rest. With a certain Agalloch-esque vibe, these guys navigate crafty doomy territories with plenty of atmospherics and engaging guitarwork. Pushed for comparisons, this release is for fans of outfits like Primordial, Agalloch, Fen, and Dordeduh.

    After setting a very magical vibe with the opener “Impetus Arcanum”, featuring lush atmospherics and even some western-ish twang, the listener gets fully immersed in this release as “Divination of Simulacra” comes around. With powerful vocal harmonies and doomy riffs, this track masterfully builds momentum until the harsh vocals and heavier passages make way. Velnias excels in delivering engaging melodies that slowly progress into captivating passages, as the crafty “Resonance of the Concentric” showcases.

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    The Keening - Devotion (2026)

    The Keening - Devotion (2026)
    The Keening - Devotion (2026)

    Helmed by Rebecca Vernon (SubRosa), The Keening is back with their sophomore release “Devotion”. Featuring a very somber and captivating sound, mixing Americana, Gothic, Dark Folk elements with ethereal atmospherics and vocal melodies, we haven’t been as captivated by a release as much as we have been by this one in a while. With seven songs spanning over 41-minutes, this release will send shivvers down your spine with its magic.

    Opening with the four part album title track, this release sets a very enigmatic tempo with “Golden Thread” and its lush vocal melodies lined with demoralizing instrumentation. The bleakness continues with the powerful “Fitful Sleep”, which takes a more bare-bones approach while creating some extremely haunting instrumental passages amongst more dreamy vocals. The catharsis starts with “The King”, where distorted guitars lead the way to SubRosa-esque moments, but this piece really comes full circle with the hypnotic “O Mother” and its very dramatic piano and cello/violin arrangements.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Avrak - Avrak (2026)

    Avrak - Avrak (2026)
    Avrak - Avrak (2026)

    Unleashing catchiness and epic Heavy/Doom Metal vibes, today we have Norway’s Avrak and their self-titled debut release. Featuring none other than Ted Skjellum (Darkthrone) and Anders Hegna (Nød, El Kayenne, Svidd Grevling), this outfit presents a very lively take on the genre(s), creating a very polished and enjoyable release. While there are no overtly evident Black Metal elements here as some would expect, there are still some to be found, making listening to this album a bit of a scavenger hunt.

    Opening with the sinister riffs of “Forever Mountain”, we get a very lively Rock/Metal introduction to the band’s polished and yet direct sound. The riffs are crisp and Anders Hegna’s raspy vocals are fitting, having a certain Chrome Division/Athera style. The music itself is catchy and engaging, with tight drumming courtesy of Terje Kråbøl (Gjendød, Sarke, Faustcoven), and throbbing bass guitar line from Steinar Gundersen (Khold, Sarke, Satyricon).

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Orbita - Farewell to All We’ve Lost (2026)

    Orbita - Farewell to All We’ve Lost (2026)
    Orbita - Farewell to All We’ve Lost (2026)

    Oozing with melancholy and bleakness, today we have newcomers Orbita and their debut full-length release “Farewell to All We’ve Lost”. Mixing traditional Doom Metal with some Stoner Metal elements, this Italian outfit delivers four tracks and nearly 40-minutes of powerful and heartfelt music. While most bands in the genre kind of sound alike, these guys keep things fresh and interesting with their own signature style.

    The mellow “Rotten Flowers” gets the release going with bleak vocal harmonies that slowly transition into piercing Doomy riffs. This song has one of the best openings we have heard in a while, masterfully changing the pace while keeping the bleakness and desolation going. Continuing with the crushing “Nèkyia”, the band slowly builds up the momentum and after desolate clean vocals, the song subtly transitions more into Stoner Metal territories while keeping the oppressive riffs going.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Maunah - Hjarta (2026)

    Maunah - Hjarta (2026)
    Maunah - Hjarta (2026)

    Unleashing waves of melancholy, today we have Denmark’s newcomers Maunah and their Satunus-meets-Hamferð with a bit of Post-Metal sound. On their debut release “Hjarta”, the band delivers six tracks of masterful music, full of emotion and heavy riffs. While there hasn’t been much innovation in the Doom genre and subgenres in a while, this band manages to create a unique sound that gives them their own identity, while still being familiar and accessible.

    Opening with “Heimaland”, we get some traditional Doom riffs paired with the solemn vocals of Søren Sol Koldsen-Zederkof, while not as dramatic as Jón Aldará, he has a very hypnotic clean voice that fits very well the atmosphere and pace of the music. Things turn to Post-Metal territories on the crafty “Solin Vaugna”, a track that reminds us a bit of The Ocean in some places, with epic cathartic moments and engaging tempo changes and guitar leads.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Dymna Lotva - Vyraj (2026)

    Dymna Lotva - Vyraj (2026)
    Dymna Lotva - Vyraj (2026)

    Creating one of the most harrowing and eerie releases of 2026, today we have Dymna Lotva and their fourth full-length release “Vyraj”. Combining elements of Post-Black Metal with Doom influences, this release creates its own category as it is quite unique and engaging. Far from linear or normal, these guys know how to craft haunting music filled with crafty elements and some of the most intense vocals you’ll ever hear.

    Opening with the pummeling “Zory”, the band creates a very chaotic and yet magical atmosphere with hellish harsh vocals perfectly flanked by clean vocal arrangements. This weird vibe nicely continues to the equally chaotic and weird “Veha”. Which features even more dreamy vocals that contrast the overall madness of the band’s style. The guitars are quite sinister and well crafted, but it's the atmospherics that further elevate the band’s sound, like on the brilliant “The Boat of Despair”, a track that features none other than Aaron Stainthorpe and its oozing of magical melancholy.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Yeti on Horseback - Traditional Addictions (2026)

    Yeti on Horseback - Traditional Addictions (2026)
    Yeti on Horseback - Traditional Addictions (2026)

    Delivering one massive slab of Doom, today we have Canada’s Yeti on Horseback and their latest full-length “Traditional Addictions”. While featuring a very traditional musical core, the band masterfully explodes genres like Post-Metal, Sludge, and modern Extreme Metal, creating a very unique and punishing amalgamation of sounds. If you like things heavy, hectic, and aurally haunting, these guys manage to create something that feels familiar and yet is quite dynamic and unique.

    Opening with the piercing distorted guitar of “Drug Addict”, one would think this release will go the same way as the heaps of bands that live by the ‘power of the riff”. However, once the song continues to progress, the listener quickly discovers these guys are not your run of the mill band as hellish vocals, Sludge/Post-Metal elements and crafty tempo changes switch things around. By the time “Mariner’s Lament” rolls around with its masterful momentum building guitar work, one can quickly tell this release is special as it is weird and magical in its own atmospheric way.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Todomal - Graveyards of Joy (2026)

    Todomal - Graveyards of Joy (2026)
    Todomal - Graveyards of Joy (2026)

    Delivering one of the most Atmospheric Doom Metal releases ever produced, today we have Spain’s Todomal and their third full-length release “Graveyards of Joy”. Very aptly titled, this release features a very powerful and uplifting found, creating a very epic and dramatic vibe. With the usual influences from bands like Candlemass, Anathema, Katatonia, there are also some Pink Floyd-esque elements that give this outfit a completely unique and very regal sound.

    Making a statement with the dreamy opener “Mare Ignis”, Mile and Wildman create a very powerful and moving vibe with soaring vocal arrangements and piercing atmospherics. Being huge fans of Doom Metal, this is certainly a very unique approach to the genre, creating some truly regal and powerful atmospheres that are intoxicating, as “Lucid Nightmare”, “Point of Coalescence" and “Misericordiah” fill the air. The band’s Doom side is also worth noting, with crushing riffs and very moody atmospherics.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Darkthrone - Pre-Historic Metal (2026)

    Darkthrone - Pre-Historic Metal (2026)
    Darkthrone - Pre-Historic Metal (2026)

    As one of the most anticipated releases of 2026, today we have Darkthrone and their latest effort “Pre-Historic Metal”. Continuing their path in unleashing crafty and uncomplicated releases, this album delivers eight tracks of the band’s crunchy Black/Doom/Heavy Metal of late. In the same vein of their last couple of albums, the band’s sound is compact and pays homage to old-school Black/Death/Heavy/Doom Metal with a wide variety of engaging riffs and tempo changes.

    Opening with the crunchy riffs of “They Found One of My Graves”, Fenriz and Nocturno Culto showcase that they will continue to de-construct the BM genre and infuse additional elements to keep unleashing crafty and enjoyable songs. The is something quite primal and raw of songs like the album title track, “Siberian Thaw”, and “Deeply Rooted” that have that Norwegian BM vibe, but with some Mercyful Fate/Celtic Frost-esque influences.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Restless Spirit - Restless Spirit (2026)

    Restless Spirit - Restless Spirit (2026)
    Restless Spirit - Restless Spirit (2026)

    Unleashing eight tracks and nearly 40-minutes of crafty Stoner/Doom Metal, today we have Restless Spirit with their eponymous 4th full-length release. With an engaging sound similar to outfits like High on Fire, The Sword, etc., the band crafts some hard hitting riffs that keep the listener headbanging from start to finish.

    Opening with the warm fuzziness of “The Burning Need”, the Stoner/Doomy vibe is instantly set as Paul Aloisio’s vocals nicely drape this opener. The riff power is strong in this release with crafty tracks like “Hallowed”, “Red in Tooth and Claw”, and “Desire Lines” further cementing a very lively atmosphere that weaves back and forth between catchiness and heaviness.

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