Gothic Metal

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    Sirenia - 1977 (2023)

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    Constantly delivering lush and bombastic releases, Morten Veland and Sirenia return once more with “1977”. In this album, the band further evolves by incorporating synthwave and even 80’s rock sounds to their already crafty and engaging music. For over 49 minutes, the band serenades the listener with a rollercoaster ride of emotions and tempos, creating for a very diverse and explosive release, filled with surprises for new and old fans alike.

    Opening with the bombastic “Deadlight”, Sirenia kicks things off with one of their signature epically catchy tracks filled with engaging arrangements and the Gothic Metal darkness that we all love from them. Over the last seven years, Emmanuelle Zoldan vocals have been perfectly fitting the band’s explosive and yet introspective style, delivering soaring chorus sections and heartfelt ballads, as we can hear in “Wintry Heart”, “Nomadic”, to “Oceans Away”.

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    Tribulation - Hamartia (2023)

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    Just when you think a band can’t get any better, Tribulation drops on un “Hamartia”, a four song EP that further consolidates their sinister sound. Creating very unique and decadent sounding tracks, this EP keeps their catchiness and darkness untouched with delivering harrowing atmospheres. With a signature sound that has gracefully evolved over time, this release will satisfy fans of the band and plant some fertile seeds of what is to come in the future.

    Opening with the title track, the band immediately creates a splash with ravaging and superbly catchy guitars alongside Johannes Andersson’s characteristic snarl and thumping bass guitar lines. Quickly creating that heavy and yet melodic bombastic vibe, the band’s firing on all cylinders as things get catchier and darker with the playful “Axis Mundi”.

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    Hanging Garden - The Garden (2023)

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    Slowly inching their way into being one of the most exciting Gothic Death/Doom Metal bands in the scene, Hanging Garden returns with their latest full-length release “The Garden”. Featuring eleven expertly crafted tracks filled with melancholy and lush atmospherics alongside enchanting female vocals and a mixture of growls and clean male vocals. As huge fans of the genre, this release has that magical Theater of Tragedy “Aegis” vibe paired in with a modern sound and brilliant productions.

    Opening with the crushing album title track, we get a slowly building piece with excellent heavy passages and a very solid dose of melancholy. Riikka Hatakka’s vocals have a certain Liv Kristine-esque vibe while unleashing unparalleled sweetness to a dark and somber mix as tracks like “The Four Winds”, “The Construct”, and “The Song of Spring” showcase. With each tracking having great melodic undertones, the songs in this release are both catchy and yet eerie and dark.

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    Liv Kristine - River of Diamonds (2023)

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    After some years out of the spotlight, legendary vocalist Liv Kristine is finally back with a full-length release that is as lively and engaging as any of her previous works. While her 2021 EP “Have Courage Dear Heart” was a nice teaser, “River of Diamonds” fully expands on its dynamics and delivers one hell of a catchy, raw, and heartfelt release. If you have been a fan of any of her work with either Theatre of Tragedy, Leaves’ Eyes, or her solo releases, you know that this album will feature tons of excellent vocal melodies and superb songwriting.

    The release kicks off with the lush “Our Immortal Day” and Liv’s enchanting vocals immediately come front and center. Particularly when dueting with Østen Bergøy, this opener is bombastic and quite exciting as it gives off some ToT “Aegis” vibes and we love it. This release also has a more raw and personal side to lyrics, particularly on strong songs like “No Makeup”, “Gravity” and “Maligana”, both tracks that showcase a new side of Liv and her personal growth.

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    Orphans of Dusk - Spleen (2023)

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    Hailing from New Zealand and Australia, today we have a very unique and exciting debut release titled “Spleen”, from the outfit Orphans of Dusk. Featuring a very interesting old-school Gothic/Doom Metal sound, this band delivers nine tracks and nearly one hour of well crafted and completely Doomy music. If you are a fan of End of Green, Yearning, Type O Negative, and similar outfit, this release will appeal to you.

    The album starts creating a somber and mysterious atmosphere, with a certain theatrical and very gothy edge. The riffing onslaught really begins with the tuned-down beginning of “Wasted Hero” and Chris G’s deep and enigmatic vocals. Like a mixture of Michelle Darkness (End of Green) and Peter Steele, his vocals are quite engaging as they morph between clean and harsh in songs like the extremely catchy “I’m Going To Haunt You (When I Die)” and “Aurora Australis”.

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    Elysion - Bring Out Your Dead (2023)

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    It has been a while since we heard from Elysion and their superbly catchy Gothic/Alternative Metal. As their first full-length release in nine years, “Bring Out Your Dead” keeps the band’s liveliness and incorporates a more modern and polish sound to create ten excellent and engaging songs. If you like late 2000’s Gothic/Alternative Metal bands like Unsun, Xandria, etc. you will definitely enjoy this release.

    The release opens with the catchy “Blink Of An Eye” and its engaging guitar riffs alongside Christianna enchanting vocals. The band’s sound is quite dynamic and diverse, making songs like “Crossing Over”, “Far Away”, and “Buried Alive” showcase excellent songwriting skills alongside a knack for melody and somber atmospheres. While the band’s sound still has that late 2000’s Gothic Metal style, the additional atmospheric and electronic elements keep things fresh and engaging, as we can hear in “As The Flowers Wither” and “This Time”.

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    Delain - Dark Waters (2023)

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    A lot has happened since the band’s 2020 banger “Apocalypse & Chill”. The band’s signature vocalist Charlotte Wessels and pretty much all other members at the time left as Martijn Westerholt decided to press reset on this band. With tons of expectations being generated of who would be the new vocalist of the band, Diana Leah was unveiled late 2022 alongside a few returning ex-Delainers. All those issues aside, “Dark Waters” showcases a triumphant new phase in the band’s story with lush and bombastic music.

    Opening with the lush “Hideaway Paradise”, Delain is back in full force with soaring vocal melodies alongside crafty symphonic arrangements and a good dose of distorted guitars. The band’s style feels refreshed and focused on their strengths, with Martijn Westerholt leading with dramatic orchestral arrangements, as we can quickly hear in pieces like “The Quest and the Curse”, “Beneath”, and “Mirror of Night”. Diana Leah’s vocals are superb and perfectly bring to life the cinematic nature of the music.

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    Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars (2023)

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    This 2023 is starting with a bang with tons of new releases from well established bands, luckily for us, Katatonia was also one of them. Being huge fans of the band, “Sky Void of Stars” is just your typical excellent release, filled with crafty vocal arrangements and sorrowful melodies. Featuring ten tracks and 45 minutes of magic, this release will please any fan of the band’s more modern Alternative Rock/Metal side.

    Opening with the epic “Austerity”, Jonas Renkse belts out his signature vocal melodies alongside crafty guitar work from Anders Nyström and Roger Öjersson. The band’s moody tunes like “Colossal Shade”, “Opaline”, and “Birds” are filled with excellent melodic passages alongside well-timed tempo changes and brilliant drumming. The band is a well-oiled machine when it comes to perfectly mixing melancholy with heavy guitars and catchiness.

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    Vile Valo - Neon Noir (2023)

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    Just in time to kick off 2023, Vile Valo (ex-H.I.M) is ready to drop his debut solo release titled “Neon Noir”. This unique singer is ready to get back on the Heartagram train and delivers twelve extremely characteristic tracks filled with soaring vocal arrangements and unrivaled melancholy. If you are a fan of HIM you will certainly love this release as it is full of superbly catchy and intoxicating songs that will leave you listening to it on repeat for days on end.

    The release starts with the dreamy “Echolocate Your Love” and its playful synths flanking Vile’s gifted vocals. The song has his signature dark and yet lively mood, with a catchy chorus and nice distorted guitars. Quickly, the power ballad “Run Away from the Sun” leads to soaring vocal arrangements and a very intoxicating serenading mood. With a nice Amorphis-esque acoustic guitar intro, “Neon Noir” is yet another excellent track in this release with lush arrangements and well crafted tempo changes.

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    Remina - Strata (2022)

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    Unleashing one of the dreamiest and most ethereal releases of 2022, today we have Remina and their debut album “Strata”. Formed as a project of vocalist Heike Langhans (ex-Draconian, Light Field Reverie) and Mike Lamb (Sojourner, Light Field Reverie), this release delivers over 40 minutes of highly atmospheric and truly cinematic music. Mixing elements from ISON and Light Field Reverie, this band creates truly emotive music that will take the listener on a magical journey.

    The release starts building momentum with the solemn opener “Aeon Rains”, which slowly progresses with Heike’s enchanting vocals and a slew of distant guitars, crafty electronics and melancholic atmospherics. The Doominess first comes under the name of “Obsidian” and its slow and mournful riffs, perfectly enshrouding the layered vocals. By the time “Dying Sun” comes around, the listener is already fully immersed in a trance, perfectly crafted by the band’s powerful atmosphere and melancholic powers.

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