Death-Doom Metal

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    Paradise Lost - Ascension (2025)

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    Further going back into their earlier days, Paradise Lost returns with a hefty Doomy release that nicely balances their Gothic Rock/Metal side with their crushing earlier Death Doom days. Nick Holmes and company have mostly stayed with the same line-up (sans their drummer) since 1988, allowing them to reach back into their old bag of tricks and deliver one of their most (recently) heavy and misery-induced releases in a while.

    Opening with the piercing “Serpent on the Cross”, we kick off with Greg Mackintosh melancholic guitar leads, Holmes signature growl, alongside a heavy dose of catchiness and heaviness. Setting a very dark and moody vibe, “Tyrants Serenade" continues the band’s despondent journey with a more Gothic Doom edge thanks to the soaring clean vocals, and crafty bass and rhythm guitar lines. As one of our favorite tracks from the band in more than ten years, “Salvation” is definitely one gargantuan Doomy piece filled with desolate guitars and vocal melodies.

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    Shadecrown - 0 (2025)

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    Since it seems to be a requirement in Finland to play in a Metal band, there are countless excellent bands in that country. While we all know the big names, it is always interesting to find outfits like Shadecrown, which have a killer and very refined sound and yet they are not as big as others. With “0”, the band delivers over 44 minutes of highly melancholic, expertly crafted Melodic Death/Doom Metal, similar to outfits like Before the Dawn, Swallow the Sun, Insomnium, Hanging Garden, but with their own particular style.

    Opening with the high-octane “The Art of Grieving”, the band sets a very melancholic and melodic mood with crafty riffs, engaging atmospherics and a solid blend of weeping lead guitars alongside your traditional growls. There are definitely some similarities to bands like Insomnium and Omnium Gatherum, but the band managed to carve out their own signature style while unleashing excellent head-banging inducing pieces like “In A State of Agony”, “Fragile Chapters” and “Gone”.

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    Obsidian Scapes - Obsidian Scapes (2025)

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    Unleashing waves of downright filthy old-school Doom Metal, today we have Germany’s Obsidian Scapes and their self-titled EP. With two tracks in this release, the band showcases their raw and punishing power, bringing back memories of the early days of the genre. Highly recommended for those that like grimy and raw music, this EP brilliantly introduces the band to the scene.

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    Swallow the Sun - Shining (2024)

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    Always consistently good over the years, Swallow the Sun has constantly strived to deliver some of the most melancholic and depressing Death/Doom Metal music. With “Shining”, the band shakes things up and infuses more Gothic Metal elements to their original sound, creating a very interesting and different aural experience. With a ‘livelier’ sound, this release unravels ten tracks and around 49 minutes of crafty music that will certainly turn some heads. When something is labeled as the “Black Album” of Death Doom, you know there will be some controversy around it.

    Opening with “Innocence Was Long Forgotten”, we instantly get a very distinctive difference in the band’s traditional style. While you still have the bleakness of Swallow the Sun, you also get some softer touches, making the song sound like Lacrimas Profundere, Beseech, To/Die/For, etc. There are definitely some vintage STS elements on songs like “What I Have Become”, at least in some parts, perfectly blending new elements with the old. Mikko Kotamäki does a great job mixing up his traditional snarls and growls with more emotive clean vocal sections.

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    Mourners Lament - A Grey Farewell (2024)

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    Punishing the listener with a gargantuan slab of Doom, today we have Death/Doom outfit Mourners Lament, all the way from Chile, with their latest full-length release “A Grey Farewell”. With over 64 minutes of soul crushing music, this release delivers six tracks filled with ravaging riffs, inhuman growls, and a very mournful pace. For fans of Mourning Beloveth, Shape of Despair, Skepticism, My Dying Bride, this release is packed with sorrow and melody from start to finish.

    Opening with the moody “Towards Abandonment”, we get mournful guitars alongside solemn keyboards building up a very fragile and engaging momentum. With some solid slower interludes, weeping guitar leads, and excellent clean vocals, we got a nice vibe of early Lacrimas Profundere. Next up, we have a 13-minute onslaught of even more melancholy and elegant atmospheric arrangements, perfectly paired with pummeling harsh vocals and masterful tempo changes.

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    Amarok - Resilience (2024)

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    Unraveling a gargantuan Doom/Sludge Metal release, today we have North America’s Amarok and their punishing sophomore release “Resilience”. In the same vein as outfits like Bell Witch, Nizmor, Usnea and Lycus, this band crafts some of the most oppressive and soul crushing long and demoralizing songs we have ever heard. Five tracks and nearly sixty-five minutes of music are a testament to this.

    Opening with the emotional rollercoaster that is “Charred (X)” the band quickly sets a very bleak and desolate soundscape, filled with Sludgy riffs and hellish vocals. If your soul did not get crushed by the 17-minute opener, the 18-minute “Ascension (XI)” will surely achieve that. This track has an even slower pace, throwing Funeral Doom vibes as the weeping guitars make way for slow snarls and piercing growls. Filled with crafty tempo changes, this track is definitely one of the finest of its kind, and a new personal favorite.

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    Shivered - Existential Mourning (2024)

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    Unleashing a very melancholic and bleak sounding Gothic Doom Metal release, today we have a one-man outfit from Iran named Shivered. In “Existential Mourning”, Mohammad Maki delivers ten tracks and nearly one hour of music, in the vein of bands like Katatonia, Fall of the Leafe, Shallow the Sun, and similars. If you are a fan of the genre, this is a very good addition to your collection as each track oozes melancholy and sadness, in a brilliant way.

    Opening with “Paranoiac”, we get a very bleak mood right out the door with weeping guitars, subtle keyboards and very mournful clean vocals. The clean and harsh vocals are very well interwoven, making songs like “Ashes of Innocence”, “The Lighthouse”, and “Existential Mourning” remind you of older My Dying Bride, but with a heaty dose of Katatonia. We love the balance between the aggressive part with lush and solemn instrumental passages.

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    Tomorrow’s Rain - Ovdan (2024)

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    Hailing from Israel, today we have Tomorrow’s Rain and their highly polished mixture of Gothic/Death/Doom Metal, unleashing their sophomore release “Ovdan”. Making a big impact with their debut “Hollow” and its plethora of high profile guests, with this release the band continues on a similar path, but also starts to showcase more their own style in tracks without guests.

    The release kicks off with the elegant “Roads”, a Doomy song that features Andreas Vingback (Dark Funeral) and Tony Wakeford on guest vocals, creating a very sultry and jazzy vibe at times. Transitioning into “Sunrise” we get the band’s uncompromising Death/Doom core with crafty atmospherics, guitar leads, and tempo changes. In “Muaka”, the acoustic guitars give a certain Empyrium-esque vibe that transitions into distorted guitars and dramatic leads alongside Attila Csihar’s vocals.

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    My Dying Bride - A Mortal Binding (2024)

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    The legendary My Dying Bride is back with another mournful release filled with their magical Gothic/Doom Metal exploits. With nearly 55 minutes spread around in seven tracks that showcase the band’s signature powerful style. Never disappointing, the band always delivers very engaging and diverse releases and “A Mortal Binding” is no exception.

    Opening with “Her Dominion”, we instantly get the signature Andrew Craighan riffs alongside the band’s crafty tempo changes, with the drumming handled by Dan Mullins since his return to the band last year. The perfect balance between the fragility of the atmospheric elements like the subtle keyboards and violins is nicely outflanked by the staple combination of growls and dramatic clean vocals of Aaron Stainthorpe, and tracks like “Thornwyck Hymn” and “The 2nd of Three Bells” really exploit these elements.

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    Hamferð - Men Gu​ð​s hond er sterk (2024)

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    As one of the most expected releases of 2024, “Men Gu​ð​s hond er sterk” marks the return of Hamferð and their highly melancholic and fatalistic Melodic/Death Doom Metal. Featuring eight tracks and nearly 45 minutes of heartbreaking music, this release oozes waves of melancholy and misery. Perfectly blending emotive clean vocals, doomy riffs, and deep growls, this release is the perfect medicine for those of us that don’t want winter to be over.

    The release quickly sets a powerful atmosphere with the piercing riffs of “Ábær”, immediately followed by deep growls and a punishing sense of aggression that suddenly transitions into melancholy thanks to the clean vocals. Perfectly balancing light and darkness in their songs, pieces like “Rikin”, “Marrusorg”, and “Glæman” masterfully weave fast paced passages with more melodramatic interludes of minimalist percussions and weeping lead guitars.

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