“This should have been shared a long time ago” case. An album from the Viennese trio, combining both softness and massiveness in its sound. This atmospheric music causes internal resonance, captivates the listener and does not let go throughout the whole journey. The guys create mostly instrumental rock with the transitions to metal. There is a plenty of sound loops and cycles, spirals and fractals, with oriental influences (especially in the final track), hinting at universality and timelessness. The Liquid Earth project is one of those that don’t release new records too often, once every c ..read more

Faint light leads you to a weird place where the sound of sludge dwells. Image by artgiagzhel Get down to the basement and join the rehearsal which may make you def and frozen. Here are six bands dealing with the sludge, the fattest but not the fastest metal sub-genre. 1. Megalith Levitation – Void Psalms (2021) We are starting from a triple point where doom metal and stoner are sharing their powers with sludge. As expected, each of the three components enhances the action of the others. Megalith Levitation, a trio from Chelyabinsk uses this magical property in their rituals, plunging the ..read more

Follow the glimmer of the lighthouse. Image by artgiagzhel Welcome to the second part of our post-metal vernissage. Six bands, six outstanding releases, six trips to the domains of dark mighty sound. 1. Brusque – Bo​î​te Noire (2022) Let’s start with the mild vocals of “Most Don’t Break Free” by French act Brusque. Yes, you can’t be wrong if you feel something coming after. It’s concentrated vigor ready to reign. Notice that it is a duo. Jefferson Grégoire played guitars and bass and sang, and Clément Duboscq was on drums. Some doom, noise and post-hardcore added in proper portions. A coup ..read more

Get prepared for an extraordinary journey into pre- or post apocalyptic world, depending on your perception of the reality. Rinuwat is barely playing metal. What the trio creates is something vast and solid, surviving after eras of human made disasters. Only extreme fractions of metal, mostly doom and blackish from time to time are welcome here. Stunning post-metal meets gamelan style percussion by Rama Parwata, fierce vocals by mighty Karina Utomo and the most the most powerful weapon, slow silence. Silence is hiding behind the gongs resonances, minimalistic guitar improvisations by sound e ..read more

Welcome to the inner circle, where the wisdom is silent and transcendent, open for your free sight. Dhyana is one-man band from Galliano, Louisiana, managed by a mysterious guy who wants to stay incognito. I admit it makes sense when it comes to higher reality, as the name and ego do not matter so much. This album is a journey into the depths of slow and persuasive sound, heavy enough but calm and seeming cold. Wait a minute, and it will come warmer and warmer, and you’ll find next level of the insight. Inspired by Buddhist philosophy, the author goes step by step. He picks one single term a ..read more

Welcome to abandoned basement where our heroes discover the universe of heaviness. Image by artgiagzhel Sludge comes in various forms. In this episode, we are dealing with slower and faster, dirty and even clean, stoned and psyched guitar-driven stuff. 1. Wizards of Wiznan – Experimental Brew (2021) Starting in the Alps, we are going to sledge down the slope sitting in a tin trolley. Awesome trip into the distorted stuff, guided by these four wizards. Pouring doomed guitars and low death growling and screaming into the stoner brew, they make it sound exceptional. Once you bounce, in a ..read more

Sharp sound spreads swiftly. Image by artgiagzhel Noise rock is not a homogeneous act. Conversely, various kinds of guitar music, loud and quiet, heavy and rather mild, fast and slow, appear in this category. Here is our overview, containing at least several of those incarnations. 1. Cower – Cover Boys (2021) The British Cower open our chart with their “Boys” completely reworked and seasoned by special versions of the compositions. Not stopping after loud original version of the debut album, the trio re-conquers the listeners’ hearts, pouring strange gothic atmosphere into their hi-te ..read more

Dark and elusive, this world is closing in. No perspective, the light fades away. It is almost here, just a time for a deep breath in… Empress is Chloe Cox (vocals, keys), Julian Currie (guitar), Jackson Tuchscherer (guitar, backup vocals), Shaun Allen (bass, backup vocals), Ben Smith (drums, percussion). Together they are creating metal which doesn’t sound as conventional metal at all. The band’s avant-garde approach destroys any kind of genre determination. These compositions tend to start from calm and gloomy domains and change with time to something dramatically intense, or to romantic a ..read more

Calm and massive, this beast is already here. Beautiful and terrific at the same time, it attracts all our attention. The door opens and we are on the threshold. What a picturesque landscape! Everything unknown and magnifying. Just a second after you enter, comes the understanding that you’re no more individual but a part of this weird world. This album is for every metalhead who is sick for extraordinary things. What you’ll hear will be not the pure doom, but something evolving on both sides of the Rubicon. Saxophone and flute, sitar and rainstick, baglama and oud, and clear vocals to compl ..read more

The riff improves consciousness. That’s the first rule of the higher science told by Vinnum Sabbathi. Vinnum Sabbathi hails from Mexico. The band plays heavy stuff inspired by sci-fi, the meaning of reality and future of human beings. Their instrumental full length with corresponding title “Of Dimensions And Theories” is the summary of the recent years’ survey. Balancing between space rock and doom metal, Vinnum Sabbathi flips into post-metal and back. Such a blend perfectly delivers us the listeners to the outer space. Slow and massive, compositions make a pretty deep influence on your mood ..read more