Doom

OTDHR – REHEARSAL II [France, Black] (2020)

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Self Released | 9-13-20

I am not usually down with unfinished products. I understand raw black metal (and to some extent other genres) has an aesthetic that embraces unfinished work as it simultaneously showcases potential while celebrating unpolished atmospheres. OTDHR’s sound was enough to grab interest and this 9 minute rehearsal showed enough talent that I start to wonder what a full length would sound like. Some bands never move out of the demo and rehearsal realm content to keep exploring unrefined landscapes. OTDHR is different in the fact their angular approach to black / doom could be exquisite with the right framing. Rehearsal II (Previous one was a year ago) projects a band that is brimming with angst and airs a sense of mystery through 9 minutes of near sonic misery. Perhaps this will be a story of a band that climbs out of rehearsals and makes a demo (or full length) that amazes everyone. Even without that future, OTDHR is a rare find of a band that warrants putting up their practice recordings as they are interesting enough to sit and listen.

Flesh Megalith – Flesh Megalith [Australia, Death / Doom] (2020)

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Self Released | 8-6-14

Tags: metal, cavernousdeathmetal, doommetal, Australia. I feel everyone can remember a tie when cavern death was rampant and both good and generic releases were flooding bandcamp with labels devoting their roster to bands and albums with slimy sounding names. Flesh Megalith could have been apart of that wave and perhaps if it would have been releases in the mid 00’s, it would be glanced over. Luckily we are in 2020 and the sound of subterranean gloom can be appreciated. Flesh Megalith is here to remind us what the sound of glacial doom can sound like and give veryone a chance 100 years to dig our own graves. Flesh Megalith is the solo side project of the solo raw black metal act Burier. It is these two bands that wecan start tomap themindofits creator and abovr and below ground seem to be haunted with creatures of pure darkness and demise.

Telluric Effluvium – Dissolution of the Threefold Self [US, Funeral Doom] (2020)

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Self Released | 10-3-20

I could probably count the number of funeral doom records reviewed on this site in the entirely of its existence. To be short, funeral doom is not a popular style despite its robust history as an extreme metal genre. This is for various reasons but mainly one might struggle to find an audience that is into lengthy tracks combined with a dismal atmosphere. This hurdle however does not stop the genre and with the success of bands like Bell Witch, Funeral doom remains a niche but fertile genre to sow the seeds of despair. Dissolution of the Threefold Self is the debut full length from Denver based Telluric Effluvium. Over the course of three lengthy tracks, the band manages to weave a tapestry of gloomy dirges and condenses funeral doom’s most memorable aspects into a record that is only 30 minutes long. This might seem unorthodox for a genre that is famous for its glacial running time but Dissolution of the Threefold Self works in its expedited state and manages to be effective at a quicker pace. All hail eternal mourning.

Celestial Sanctuary – Mass Extinction [UK, Death] (2020)

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Redefining Darkness | 8-28-20

Right now I am going to be talking to the three of you that recognize that this demo was released late year year and is thus not apart of 2020. I know and you know but for the rest of us that missed this short slab of looming riff worship. Aside from having one of the best names in recent memory, Celestial Sanctuary nails the related tags of kneeling at the altar of Benediction and Cancer with a short demo of horror and laid back decay. This demo is seeing another round of promotion on Redefining Darkness with a chance to get their out of print tape that was limited to 25 copies.

Sarin Bath – Sarin Bath [Canada, Black / Sludge] (2020)

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Self Released | 7-20-20

With a name and cover like Sarin Bath, one is going to have ready themselves for distilled emotion in the form of black tar. Similar to bands like Thou and to a lesser extent Couch, Sarin Bath delivers a torrent of raw blackened sludge which unlike the two bands listed, comes without any filter of production. This is just the listener and the band in a room together and one of them is waving a knife. It may take a bit but after a some time spent in the depths of madness, this whole affair becomes oddly desirable.

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Eternal Rot – Putridarium [UK / Poland, Doom / Death] (2020)

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Self Released | 7-6-20

Let the filth rain. If the stark black and white near cartoon cover was not enough indication, Eternal Rot’s second release is going to be akin to reading a horror comic with black and white gore strewn among its pages. Eternal Rot is a cross country collaboration between Polish and English musicians who have found a common language if filthy riffs. Putridarium is the second full length from this act even though their full lengths are only a few long tracks. There is no time down here in the torture chamber of eternity.

Diabolic Oath – MMXIX [US, Black] (2019)

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Sentient Ruin | 6-26-20

So the way I found this record was first finding the band’s 2019 demo and being upset that such a great sound went missed int he year it was released. I was then shown a dark light which led me to the band’s 2020 full length from Sentient Ruin which is now allowing me to drown in a sea of ghosts. Diabolic Oath is the extension of Shroud of the Heretic, an Oregon based death metal act that has their noses in grimoires. Diabolic Path continues that obsession with a sound that is both polished but ragged with rough edges. Black, death, and doom swirl around this release much like its cover in a declaration of spectral malice.

OČI VLKA – Demo [Czech Republic, Black / Death] (2020)

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Caligari Records | 6-12-20

Another day, another Caligari demo that is mind boggling and soul shredding. I wont bore people about my infatuation and uneasy crush on Caligari records save this label has been consistent in its dealings of death and dismemberment for years. Today we have a genre bending trip into the cold and unforgiving Czech wilderness which sounds like frozen earth and fires that billow black smoke. This is a sort of primal aggression which is distilled into a demo with one song for preview. By now, I trust Caligari enough that this whole demo is going to be something I will discuss later in the year.

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Karst – Genesis of Nervous Decay [US, Death/Doom/Grind] (2020)

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Self Released | 6-1-20

“A portion of the profits from this EP will be donated to Mental Health America of Los Angeles in an effort to aid those suffering from anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide, and all struggles of mental health.” The small piece of text which accompanies this release is wholesome and shines a soft light on an otherwise obliterating release. If one has spent time with heavy metal, they will know the thoughts and escapist idealizations of the music is separate from the lifestyles of the musicians. This isnt to say the two do not cross over nor are musicians immune from the troubles of reality. This is why I find it interesting when musicians reach out beyond their own thematic veil and even though this is a small, and crushing, death/doom band from the US, little gestures like this make the whole of this release deeper than initially thought.

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Eternal Abyss – MMXX [Chile, Traditional Doom] (2020)

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Self Released | 4-16-20

I enjoy traditional doom. I also enjoy rough and raw production. the combination of the two is not something that is usually seen including a release of a traditional doom demo but here we are in 2020. Eternal Abyss offers themselves to the council of bands like Trouble, Pagan Altar, Pentagram, and even Candlemass. The only difference is, Eternal Abyss is running their hearts and souls through the filter of bedroom production with a demo that has all of the energy distant and flat. This, surprisingly, works int he bands favor with a charming demo of potential and personality which reaches to the proverbial skies of projection. With a cover that looks like a black metal demo, Eternal Abyss rides the undercurrent of home production with a sound that is exciting and fresh.

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