Gothic Metal

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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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    Trail of Tears - Winds of Disdain (2024)

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    As one of our favorite bands, it was quite a shock when Ronny Thorsen ended the band back in 2013. However, we, as many others, were quite excited that they decided to come back in 2020 and with none other than Aylin on vocals. Fast-forward four more years and we finally have a new release, an EP this time, from this band and it is all that we expected and a bit more. If you've ever been a fan of 2000’s Gothic Metal, you will certainly be familiar with the band, and if not, this is a great release to get you started.

    Opening with the explosive EP title track, we get the band’s powerful distorted guitars paired with crafty drumming, subtle and yet dominant atmospherics and the singular vocals of Aylin. Bringing back members like Runar Hansen (guitars) and Jonathan A. Perez (drums), the band sounds like in their best days, with superbly catchy and engaging tracks like “Take These Tears”, which send chills down our spine, bringing back memories of the earlier days of the band.

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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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    The Vision Bleak - Weird Tales (2024)

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    Schwadorf and Kontanz are finally back with another set of bizarre and playful tales of horror. In “Weird Tales”, the duo unleashes a single 41-minute long piece that is divided into 12 chapters, each with their own uniqueness and magic. For those that are not familiar with the band’s music, they play something they call Horror Metal, which is a horror-themed Gothic Metal, filled with eerie and playful atmospherics as well as excellent storytelling and even some theatrics.

    After opening with some spooky atmospherics that set a very cinematic vibe, Schwadorf and his melodic guitar riffs continue to build momentum as the dual vocal onslaught of a mixture of harsh and clean vocals unleash the band’s dramatic theatrical style. Chapters “In Rue d'Auseil”, “In Gardens Red, Satanical”, and “Once I Was a Flower” instantly transport the listener into the band’s sinister and fantasy-filled world, creating a very mystical and enjoyable vibe.

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    Liv Kristine - Deus ex Machina (2024)

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    There is nothing like a re-release of an album that came out 26 years ago to make you feel old. We still remember picking up Liv Kristine’s solo debut back in 1998 and being weirded out at first about it. In “Deus ex Machina”, Liv explored a more electronic/alternative side to her, and we, at the time, just wanted another Theater of Tragedy-like release. Fast forward to 2024 and we have loved this release to the point our original digipak is quite worn down.

    Usually not reviewed here, re-releases are mostly targeted at nostalgic fans as they usually include plenty of extra special tracks (one full disc worth in this case). However, we see this re-release as an opportunity for Liv to get newer fans with her charismatic voice and excellent songwriting skills. While the masterful “3 A.M.” is the best release of this album, we get five more versions of it featuring alternative mixes.

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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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