The marriage between doom and death metal was inevitable, but its long life was not. Yet here we are more than three decades hence and the subgenre still thrives. A band that’s been active at least half of that time is Tampere’s LURK, active since 2008 and now with four full-length records to their name. The first three LPs came together in steady succession: Lurk in 2012, Kaldera in 2014, and Fringe in 2016 (reviewed here). While no explanation has been offered for the recording silence that ensued, I was nevertheless delighted to learn of a new offering: ‘Aegis’ (2023).

The title more than hints at the shield carried by Zeus and Athena, which the Iliad says “produced a sound as from myriad roaring dragons.” There is, in fact, a dragon on the album cover made up of warriors, demons, and demented souls. Each of the seven tracks play wonderfully to this horrifically beautiful and detailed painting, though it is not (to my knowledge) intended to be programmatic.

“Cursed!” the dread voice of K. Koskinen cries out, as the new single “Infidel” lumbers. It’s a creepy number, made all the more so by A. Pulkkinen’s synthesizer. His guitar leads are forlorn and searching, whilst E. Nurmi’s bass is a warm consolation. Drummer K. Nurmi keeps things sailing along smoothly, making the song feel like a vessel adrift on the river Styx. This is now the 4th single ahead of the record’s imminent release.

Lurk’s new album Aegis is morbid, bruising, and maudlin, yet robust and sustaining throughout – at times even tranquil. Look for it on Transcending Obscurity Records in digital and compact disc formats this Friday, April 7th (pre-order here). Stick it on a playlist with Serpentine Path, Fange, and Cult of Occult.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

Finnish band Lurk return with their unique brand of slow, dreamy, unpredictable and vile sludge/doom to confound and enthrall listeners all over again. The deceptively catchy and entrancing quality of the music has been honed and the music slithers in its inimitable way, progressing in directions not easy to ascertain.

The music itself is a blend of multiple subgenres and is far too evolved now for the influences to be clearly identified. The band upholds this singular sound throughout the album and still manages to give each of the seven songs their own identity. Without a perceptible disruption of momentum, they all succeed in shifting the mood their own way, adding variations and conveying a wide range of emotions.

For an album that may seem innocuous, it will leave you emotionally vulnerable by the end of it all. For fans of Altar of Betelgeuse, Eibon, Usnea, Subterraen, Adramelech, Fleshpress.

It’s about time doom went for Baroque. Seriously, I haven’t heard a harpsichord in doom forever (if ever), but we have the collective imagination of five-strong ET MORIEMUR to thank for the decision here. I feel like I’m in the middle of a Hammer film from the surreal seventies as I audit the latest single from the Czech band’s fourth long-play, ‘Tamashii No Yama’ (2022).

Translating as something like, “Mountain of Soul,” the new record explores Japanese place and legend as witnessed through outsiders’ eyes. “Nagoya” emits a strange new atmosphere, with the buoyant interjection of arpeggiated keys set against Zdeněk Nevělík’s caustic sermon (he is both keyboardist and singer here).

This is lent a sense of proportion (and subtle gravitas) by the presence of monastic voices bringing their uncanny sound into the harmonic whole. It is this sense of the bizarre that works so effectively in Et Moriemur’s favor on the follow-up to 2018’s Epigrammata (which was an exploration of Greece, reviewed in these pages).

At a meager three-and-a-half minutes (hey, we’re talking doom here!), “Nagoya” (perhaps named after the city 那古野) is actually a kind of microcosm of the album’s soul, which summons disperate and seemingly unrelated instrumentation, channeling them for doom’s grander purposes.

Keep your ears perked for Et Moriemur’s new LP, 'Tamashi No Yama’ (2022), blossoming to life just in time for Spring, on April 8th via Transcending Obscurity Records (pre-order here). Today, Doomed & Stoned takes on the album’s fifth track and intriguing third single.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

Czech doom metal band Et Moriemur set new standards for themselves with their previous Greek-themed album 'Epigrammata’ which borrowed elements of death and black metal and flawlessly integrated them in their unique brand of atmospheric doom metal. This time they’re exploring Japanese themes and have frankly outdone themselves.

It’s rare to come across bands that are constantly reinventing themselves without losing their core sound and Et Moriemur are doing just that and taking the sound ahead in ways previously unimagined. An album to be heard from start to finish, it makes you experience various moods and sounds, having employed the services of several musicians in addition to their own, playing traditional instruments such as shakuhachi and others like cello, harp, violin and more.

For the next quarter of an hour, you’re transported to a different land, imagining a different era, and you remain mesmerized by the seamlessly transitioning music with plenty of variations and fascinating new elements. The blend of genres is immaculate and none of it feels even remotely forced or out of place. Truly, Et Moriemur may have created a new sound which they’ve only perfected over here. They remain in a league of their own, in competition with only themselves.

For fans of - Evoken, Sigh, Rotting Christ, My Dying Bride, Septicflesh, Paradise Lost.

This year, 71TONMAN reaches a milestone than few acts ever see, crossing the 10 year mark as a band. The Wrocław rowdies have always embodied the best qualities of doom, starting with their rambunctious self-titled debut 2013. By 2016, the band had a new singer and their music turned a corner, too, becoming entirely more bleak and dismal. The following album Earthwreck on Black Bow Records was among the darkest records of the decade, capturing humanity’s insessive bent towards self-destruction so convincingly.

I’ve been anxious to see where the band would go next, and was pleased to see them on another label with good company: Transcending Obscurity Records. An EP this time which 71TONMAN has named, ‘War Is Peace/Peace Is Slavery’ (2021). That clever turn of a phrase will be familiar to anyone who has read George Orwell’s writings.

Indeed, few novels were revisited more during that pandemic lockdowns than 1984, one of the few classics that look to the future not with hope, but with extraordinary pessimism. In the H.G. Wells novel The Shape of Things To Come, the author posits a world in which science will ultimately conquer every backward religious belief, find cures for disease, and take us into the sky.

Orwell’s future is likewise high-tech, minus the social progress. Now an AI-like system called Big Brother monitors one’s every movement and mood. Sometimes in an effort to right our own course, humans overcorrect, leading to restrictions on freedom, speech, and expression. Indeed, this is a dystopia in which Thought Police prevent insurrection by guarding carefully against critical thinking and reasoning.

Certain “truisms” are introduced to condition people to be at home with cognitive dissonance, so they will blithely accept totalitarian revisions of fact and history. Among them are the sayings: War is Peace, Peace is Slavery, and Ignorance is Strength. There is no mistaking 71TONMAN’s send-back to the Orwellian worldview as each song bears one of these inscriptions as its title.

Beginning with Big Brother’s trademark slogan, “War Is Peace,” the band takes the logic that has swept millions of young people away into foreign lands to “make the world safe for democracy” and writes its inevitable conclusion.

The song unfurls with the pungent smoke of battle, accompanied by a rumbling underbelly of fuzz, caustic feedback, and hissing amperage. Menacing guitars strum a disquieting theme in the aftermath of mankind’s destruction, with the desolation heralded by the brutal drumbeats and the deliberative symbol clashes. An irradiated voice cries out from the ashen ruin:

LIFE’S GONE
NOT ONE THING EXISTS
EYES CLOSED
MOUTH SHUT
MANKIND’S EXTERMINATED
MANKIND’S DEAD
WORLD’S BREATHLESS
WORLD’S DEAD
CORPSES ON THE STREETS
CORPSES IN THE TRASH

The tenor is not merely angry, it is anguished. One picks up on a real sense of loss as riff and rhythm conspire to relate the story.

Enter “Peace Is Slavery”, a song that steps away from the battlefield with a fevered sense of urgency, warning with firebreathing shieks:

THE END
THE END IS COMING
TO THE WORLD THAT’S DYING
START THE COUNTDOWN
TOMORROW IS NO MORE
EVERYTHING TURNS INTO DUST

The song concludes on an ominous and definitive note:

DON’T SEEK FOR COVER
IT’S TOO LATE
THE JUDGEMENT DAY’S A-COMING…

Now that’s what I call doom! Doom in all its raw, nihilistic truth. Doom in its stoic acceptance of our eventual extinction. Doom – the last defiant fist raised against the tyranny of life. It’s surely too much for many to bear, this thought of no tomorrow. We have romanticized the notion of a post-apocalyptic world (one in which humanity always gets a second chance), to the point that the fires of apocalypse have become unbelievable, an orgy of science fiction. Thus we continue to live out this collective deathwish as a society, fingers crossed behind us for good luck.

This brings us to the notion that “Ignorance Is Strength”. Our final track is a windswept void, bearing faint echoes of the homosapien’s last stand. Our pernicious cycle of greed, violence, and nescience has finally swallowed us whole. Now there is naught but strange, ethereal will-'o-the-wisps to hint at the tragic story. This is the ill-fated end of the “Dark World” Saint Vitus once lyricised.

More than an artistic afterthought (the track clocks almost 10 minutes), these strange sonic moments serve as emphatic punctuation to end the opus. I heartily recommend listening in the dark lonely hours of the night for full effect.

71TONMAN’s new record, though brief, is nothing shy of mortifying. KK (vox), TG (guitar), MZ (guitar), JW (bass), and JJ (drums) once again make a fine team, relating this story of the End Times with striking atmosphere and merciless cynicism. Look for the EP to drop on Friday, July 9th via Transcending Obscurity Records (pre-order here). In the meanwhile, you can stream it all right here, right now, as Doomed & Stoned proudly presents the world premiere.

Give ear…

Some Buzz

As the name suggests, 71TonMan are purveyors of earth-shatteringly heavy music and their brand of doom/sludge metal furthermore is acerbic and crust-scraping.

Bands in this style rarely have this scathing, face-melting sound and it’s strangely addictive, particularly the combination of huge, stomping riffs and absolutely vile vocals delivered in an almost grindcore manner.

The contrast against the backdrop of collapsing buildings and the ensuing chaos and all-round mayhem is gratifying despite this being an EP, a precursor for something even greater to come.

We revel in quality sludge and this pairs well with the mammoth release of the sludgelords Eremit, for that matter even Subterraen and Jupiterian in the past, even though the expression of this one is unparalleled.

For fans of Primitive Man, Subterraen, Eyehategod, Flesh Parade, Soilent Green, and Jupiterian

It’s time to give a second listen to an album that came out month before last, but has since grown in my esteem: ‘Echoes of the Earth’ by deadly Irish fistful SOOTHSAYER.

The Cork doomers start the record off with “Fringe,” by far the longest five minutes and fifty-six seconds I’ve ever listened to in a single track. This soundscape comes together like a surreal dream, piece-by-piece, with the net effect of the sentence handed to a tortured soul brought before the bench for judgement. Wailing in the background: a haunting chant and repetitive dissonant three-note arpeggio, with the addition of what sounds to be electronic chimes.

These elements combine into a big ball of anxiety that morphs into all-out hate, anger, and anguish in the next song, “Outer Fringe.” Marc O'Grady dishes out explosive riffs and Sean Breen’s drums compliment Liam Hughes and Con Doyle’s vocals, both clean and screaming intertwined. The range of the singer is like no other, practically breaking the dynamic scale altogether.

From here, Soothsayer segues into the seething number “War of Doves” that features a bass riff from hell from the fingers of Pavol Rosa, accompanied by guttural vocals that make me want to gouge eyes and scratch through glass at the same time. Think Dante’s Inferno with even more doom and gloom. Here riffs pound hard from all directions, with more electronic synth slicing through the sonicscape. So much pain and suffering can be felt!

Frontman Hughes gives off a Peter Steel vibe to begin “Cities of Smoke,” only to bring us once again to our knees with a sense of acute suffering. The mixture of clean and distorted guitars fits the motif perfectly. The drums dance around in perfect syncopation and sit right in the pocket with the riffing getting into a creamy jazz-like feel. Launching into all out black metal blast beats with perfectly matched tremeloes, there is so much emotion confined in the remaining moments.

Enter “Six of Nothing,” slowing the pace down a bit and almost doubling the length of playtime. This is a call to arms. Definitely fight-riff material. Guitars, bass, and drums mingle with one another flawlessly in calculated callus motion while the vocals continue the barrage of pure animus. Epic build-up and teardown. With choral cleans in the background that leave you wondering if there is an exorcism being held in the basement of a religious structure of olden times.

Alas, the crusade enters into its final moments and we have “True North” (which Doomed & Stoned premiered earlier in the year). This closing track ends the album in grand fashion, while continuing the gargantuan journey into darkness. All the anxiety builds into the climax and ushers us to a quasi-coda that holds true to the potent atmosphere we began with and brings it down to a simmer, exiting from eight-minutes on in a somber manner, almost reflective of a sermon – possibly even the delivery of one’s last rites into passage of this world to the other.

This album is the definition of hell on Earth, ideal for those that listen to Primitive Man, Tel, Acid Bath and EyeHateGod. On a scale of one to one-hundred I give it a SIX! SIX! SIX! ☑ Passes the Fones test. ☑ Passes the Car test. ☑ Passes the Home Stereo of Doom Test! I’ve never felt So much anxiety from an album. Borderline insanity and physical illness. Melted Face!

Atmospheric sludge outfit SOOTHSAYER isn’t new to the game, they’ve actually been around for a few years, lurking in the shadows, waiting to release their first full-length. The time has come, and ‘Echoes of the Earth’ (2021) will be officially available this coming April via Transcending Obscurity Records (preorders are already up via the label’s ).

Soothsayer’s previous EP, At This Great Depth, was released 5 years ago but the wait was worthwhile to say the least. Echoes of the Earth feels like the fruit of diligent and meticulous work. The songwriting is intricate yet doesn’t shy away from brutal or crushingly heavy parts when necessary, making this full-length surprisingly easy to get into for such a dense piece of work.

Soothsayer delivers a carefully crafted album with a lot to unpack and an impressive layering work. From the very beginning of the introductory track “Fringe,” samples, chanting and creepy atmospheric background noises stack up and promptly immerse the listener into Soothsayer’s bleak yet magnificent universe.

The riffs are not just heavy, they are made even heavier by masterfully balanced and dynamic compositions. Each track is a rich and intricate piece of music which never overstays its welcome or becomes self-indulging. The way the songs build up to a magnificent apotheosis is awe-inspiring and it’s hard not to be impressed by the amount of control and craftsmanship displayed throughout Echoes of the Earth. It’s impossible not to mention the impressive vocal work, ranging from fierce roars and desperate screams to solemn chants, thus bringing many different layers and emotions to an already intense album.

Already two tracks have already been released for the world to hear: “Outer Fringe,” with it’s bludgeoning closing riff, and the magnificent music video of “Cities of Smoke,” a mesmerizing and weighty piece of art which brings yet another compelling layer to the world built by Soothsayer.

Today, Doomed and Stoned brings you an exclusive premiere of the third excerpt and closing track from Echoes of the Earth: “True North.” From its dark mid tempo intro to its raging finish, “True North” is a prime example of what Soothsayer is all about: carefully crafted, rich, lengthy tracks with a wide array of dynamic shifts. Now just sit back, click play and let Soothsayer take you away.

Some Buzz:

Irish doom/sludge band Soothsayer released a gem of an EP a few years back, but nothing could’ve prepared us for this powerful, monolithic album which happens to be their debut full-length. Somehow they have retained the emotionally-charged atmosphere while adding next level intensity to their music.

Soothsayer is now pulsating with raw, irrepressible energy, which is almost bursting through the music, echoed by a truly harrowing performance by the vocalist. The sentiments of frustration, rage and despair come through because of the systematic and apathetic destruction of nature, and it has had enough and is now lashing back at all of us.

This album captures this feeling perfectly using an organic sound, eschewing the use of paint brushes to create the artwork with fallen leaves, and most importantly, channeling the chaos surrounding us all into pure sonic catharsis in a manner that this genre can barely contain. This is one of the most emotive and turbulent albums in the realm of doom/sludge metal while being consistently plaintive, angry and evocative at the same time.

For fans of Eremit, Cult of Luna, Eibon, Primitive Man, Jupiterian, Inter Arma, 71TonMan

Soothsayer is:

• Líam Hughes – voices, soundscapes
• Con Doyle – guitars, voices
• Marc O'Grady – guitars
• Pavol Rosa – bass
• Sean Breen – drums

Doom and gloom enthusiasts, rejoice! APHONIC THRENODY is about to unleash their third opus, and there will be plenty of forlorn melodies and trampling riffs to go around.

With the aptly named ‘The Great Hatred’ (2020), the duo delivers an album filled with songs of woe and sorrow. Aphonic Threnody conjured up six tracks of its unique brand of funeral doom. Keyboards, atmospheres, and guitar leads slowly unfold and soar as the bass, drums and rhythm guitar trudge along mirthlessly, crushing every bit of hope in its wake. Nevertheless, the band manages to create and retain a feeling of beauty and even serenity at times, like a moonlit, snow-covered landscape.

The Great Hatred paints mesmerizing pictures of desolation with each track and each riff, which is a distinctive mark of a well crafted, meaningful funeral doom album.

“The Fall” is the closing track of the 56 minute-long elegy that is The Great Hatred. Aphonic Threnody keeps the listener emotionally engaged until the very end of the album and doesn’t hesitate to throw scathing heavy riffs supported by a hammering double-kick between atmospheric moments of bleakness and beauty to create contrast and dynamics.

The Great Hatred is an ode to funeral doom in all its glory with a very personal take on the genre, and “The Fall” is a perfect closing track for such an album. It is richly layered, oozes with heart and authenticity, and never fails to impress with each listen.

The album is set for release on October 16th via Transcending Obscurity Records (pre-order here). What better season and what better year to revel in the poignant, sorrowful tunes splendidly crafted by Aphonic Threnody?

Finnish death metal outfit SEPULCHRAL CURSE venture into death/doom territory with “Maan’s Tuhkien Uneen.” Doomed & Stoned presents an exclusive premiere taken from the band’s latest album: ‘Only Ashes Remain’ (2020), set to be released on July 31st via Transcending Obscurity Records.

“Maan’s Tuhkien Uneen” is the last track on the album and, with its 11 minutes of running time, by far the longest. Sepulchral Curse slows down the pace and proceeds to weave crushing riffs with eerie atmospheres and sorrowful melodies in a way that is akin to bands like Evoken or Hooded Menace. With band members affiliated with extreme doom acts, such as Solothus and Yawning Void, it is no surprise that Sepulchral Curse has the chops to deliver such a bruiser of a track. The tension build-up and tempo changes are expertly handled and the track grabs you from start to finish without letting go.

“Maan’s Tuhkien Uneen” is a real tour de force and a worthy closing track for a brilliantly executed album. Sepulchral Curse sets a high standard for efficient song crafting here. If you are into grim death/doom and are going to listen to only one track by Sepulchral Curse, this is the one you want to go for. Although, you’ll probably come back for more anyways.

Give ear…

Some Buzz

Sepulchral Curse are Finland’s best kept secret. They’ve retained the classic Finnish death metal traits of bands such as Demilich, Adramelech, Convulse,and Demigod – expanding upon it in a way that’s never been done before.

The songs are meticulously composed, making them intricate and even unpredictable, but despite the vagaries there is an underlying groove that keeps everything together. Black metal influences seep through to add flavour to the proceedings as the songs keep undulating and showcasing different facets each time.

The music ebbs and flows and the pace is always varying, as the vocalist barks and roars in tandem, depending on the mood. The album settles into murkier, doomier territories towards the end, not too dissimilar to label mates Lurk and Altar of Betelgeuze, but keeping its freshly forged sound intact through it all.

This is an engrossing, fascinating album from Sepulchral Curse, one that gets better with each listen. It definitely counts as one of the best Finnish death metal albums ever produced.

Line-Up

• Tommi Ilmanen (Yawning Void) - Dums, Vocals)
• Kari Kankaanpää (Solothus, Yawning Void) - Vocals
• Jaakko Riihimäki - Guitars
• Aleksi Luukka (Solothus, Yawning Void) - Guitars
• Niilas Nissilä - Bass

JUPITERIAN is back with a vengeance! ‘Protosapien’ (2020) is the Brazilian band’s second album on Transcending Obscurity Records, following the monumental Terraforming released in 2017.

Let’s just wind back the clock for a minute. I discovered Jupiterian with Terraforming, the band’s second full-length and the album that cemented its identity. The gorgeous album cover by Cauê Piloto instantly grabbed my attention and the music did the rest. The balance of heaviness, melodies, and the uniqueness of Jupiterian’s sound won me over from the first listen.

The album was lauded by the press and earned a well-deserved spot in many “albums of the year” lists. Terraforming was one of my top three albums in 2017 and has remained one the records I’ve listened to the most for the past two-and-a-half years. Suffice it to say that Protosapien was very much awaited and that the expectations were high.

Protosapien was announced in 2019 at which time the album cover was revealed. The painting by Mariusz Lewandowski gave a pretty clear idea of what the album would be like. The artwork is a drastic departure from the hazy and dreamlike atmosphere of Terraforming. The web covered skull set against a stark black background set the tone for a much darker album and the first track available on the Transcending Obscurity Records sampler absolutely confirmed this. So, buckle up and let the otherworldly entity that is Jupiterian take you on a dreary and bleak journey.

The ominous intro sets the mood right away and leads into “Mere Human.” The track is a five-minute long demonstration of what Jupiterian has in store for the rest of the album, and boy does it make you want to hear more. The riffs hit like a ton of bricks and are laid over pounding drums and throbbing bass. The vocals are as raspy and cavernous as could be, like a heavy stone being dragged on the ground. Although, I think that the addition of chanting might have heightened the esoteric feeling of the album. Not only does “Mere Human” predict a heavier and more brutal album, but also more complex and richer tracks.

If you are already familiar with Terraforming, the first thing that stands out is the production. The sound is a lot tighter and punchier, not quite as “earthy” so to speak. While Terraforming’s guitar tone and mixing gave it its hazy atmosphere, Protosapien is definitely not going for this. The guitars remain gritty and the tone serves the tracks admirably, but the overall mix is tighter and you feel like you’re getting punched in the face every time the kick drum hits.

It is evident that this was a deliberate choice from the band, who wanted a more direct and brutal approach with this new album. Jupiterian manages to retain the melodic aspect that makes the band’s music interesting and worth listening to over and over again but didn’t attempt to write the same album twice. The band weaves doom, death metal, and sludge in an extremely skilled manner and is not afraid to explore new territory.

While tracks like “Voidborn,” “Capricorn,” and “Earthling Bloodline” still deliver when it comes to the crushing chugs and eerie tunes that have become Jupiterian’s signature, the band continues its venture into chaotic dissonant black metal. Imagine Deathspell Omega on quaaludes and you’ll get the gist of it. This adds a feeling of insanity and desperation to the music, making Protosapien much darker than its predecessor.

Jupiterian is very much in control of where the album is going, everything is air-tight, the tracks are lean and expertly crafted, and the whole album feels like it has been entirely thought-through. We weren’t expecting any less from the band and the Brazilians didn’t disappoint.

Sitting right in the middle of the album, “Capricorn” builds up the tension until the growling bass conjures Hell’s fury. Jupiterian goes back to more familiar territories with “Starless,” which is the most Terraforming sounding track of the album in my opinion, only to establish once more that they are kings in their domain, if that ever needed clarification. “Earthling Bloodline,” the final track of the album and the heaviest, alternates between agonizingly slow chords and mid-tempo riffs, pounding the listener to the ground.

Was Protosapien worth the wait? It absolutely was. Jupiterian has matured and perfected its sound without shying away from pushing the envelope. The album is definitely darker and heavier than its predecessor, which means that the two albums work admirably together and Protosapien never feels like a rehashed recipe. This is a masterful work of heaviness and a powerful album.

Protosapien is 100% Album Of The Year material in my book. I have already listened to it many times and each listen has brought more substance to the album. The original “wow’ factor didn’t dwindle with time; quite the contrary. With every spin, the album becomes richer and more interesting.

Protosapien is set to be released in September and pre-orders are already available. As per usual, Transcending Obscurity Records pulled out all the stops when it came to the physical release. Boxsets, compact disc, cassette, and three different versions of the LP with sandalwood fragrance are available and it looks amazing.

Mariusz Lewandowski’s artwork just by itself would justify getting a physical copy, so this is an absolute no-brainer. Go straight to Jupiterian’s Bandcamp page and get your copy before they sell out – I know I did.

In my head, death doom metal is almost hardwired to Russia and other parts of the former Soviet Union. I’ve got the impressive Solitude Productions catalogue to thank for that. With this, and the Finnish funeral masers like Thergothon and Skepticism, it’s easy to forget that my home country of the Netherlands also had a very vivid death doom scene in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Very few of the bands from that scene released more than one full length record, but their influence can be heard in death and doom metal releases to this day. Asphyx is probably the best known band, with an honorable mention for The Gathering, who started out as a death doom band, as proven by their debut record, “Always…” Sadly, there’s very little doom left in their current work.

One of the most influential bands from that era is Officium Triste, who celebrated their 25th birthday last year. This was celebrated with the release of the impressive Born To Lose - Doomed To Die compilation, on which befriended bands such as Majestic Downfall, Marche Funèbre and Illimitable Dolor covered songs from the band’s vast back catalogue, completed by versions of Editor’s “Weight of the World” and Anathema’s “Sleepless”, performed by Officium Triste themselves. As if that wasn’t enough of a treat, the band ended the year by releasing their long awaited follow up to 2013’s Mors Viri:  ‘The Death of Gaia’ (2019) through Transcending Obscurity Records.

And boy, was it worth the wait. The Rotterdam, or Rotterdoom as they dubbed it, band delivered something special here. I will not beat around the bush, this is the best death doom record you will hear all year. It has been on heavy rotation since I was obliterated by the band during Eindhoven Metal Meeting, some three weeks before I wrote this.

I think Officium Triste’s sixth is a record that should be experienced, rather than read about, but I will guide you through this opus of beauty and misery.

The record opens with a lush, melancholic orchestrated section on “The End is Nigh.” Just when you’re ascending onto a higher plane, the full band kicks in, with a starring role for Pim Blankenstein’s guttural vocals. What follows is a dynamic rollercoaster riding the border between depression and melancholy, driven by the perfect balance between heavy riffing, well defined string arrangements and grunts that touch your soul.

On “World in Flames” the band takes it up a notch by adding some clean guitar parts and some piano for good measure. The sound is even grander than on the opener. What’s also worth mentioning is that up to this point, the tempo has been relatively high for a doom metal band.

This changes on “Shackles,” which slows down to funereal levels. At first glance, the song might appear somewhat sluggish and repetitive, but it contains just the right accents to keep you focussed until the oh so heavy climax. It is at this point that we finally hear Pim’s emotive clean vocals.

“A House in a Field in the Eye of the Storm” is an aptly named little interlude to prepare us for the second half of this record. That second half starts off big with “The Guilt.” The song is as dark as the title suggests, but is given some air by the guest vocals of Mariska van der Krul and some tasteful violin work by Elianne Anemaat. Van der Krul might not be the best singer out there, but the emotion she puts in her lines fully make up for that. Add the guitar work with the emotional qualities one expects from My Dying Bride and you have a song that can leave a man in tears.

“Just Smoke and Mirrors” is a highly contrasting song, with it’s reassuring message. I was going to say uplifting, but no matter how optimistic the song sounds, there’s always that shimmer of darkness, looming there, waiting to grab you.

All that optimism is completely gone on “Like a Flower in the Desert.” This is the most headbangable song of the record, with it’s mighty uptempo guitar riff. This does not mean the song is uptempo. No, there’s more than enough slow misery, with some of the heaviest drumming on the record and Blankenstein’s most emotional, at some points bordering fragile, vocals.

The entire album seems like a build up for “Losing Ground,” the ten-minute closing of the record. For ten minutes, you’re thrown in every corner of the house of emotions the band has built up during the previous seven songs. It goes from brooding and dark to downright depressing, and I mean that in the best way possible. The middle section is a great example of how one can create greatness with simplicity. Before you know it, the band is back in full swing and they drag you to the finish line, or flatline, in this case, yearning for more.

Something as impressive as the musicianship displayed here, is the quality with which it’s presented. The music may be as old school as it gets, with clear references to the Peaceville Three, but the production is very clear and modern, with room for all elements without losing its punch. Add the beautiful artwork by Chris Smith and you’ve got something really special.

With The Death of Gaia, Officium Triste deliver the best record of their career so far, lifting their brand of death doom to a new level. And with the record being pay what you want on Bandcamp all through January, there’s no excuse not to own this masterpiece of misery and melancholy.

A scar represents many things: pain, grief, loss. More than anything it is a constant reminder that some chance happenings can never be reversed, tragic or otherwise. Northern California crew SHADOW LIMB bear the metaphorical mark of Cain on their new album, ‘Burn Scar’ (2019).

As has already been intimated, this is the band’s most ambitious effort to date, following a well-received EP and split LP last year with Pacifica sludgers Squalus. It is quite evident from the outset that bassist Mike Crew , drummer Dan Elsen, and the guitar/vocal duo of Chris Roberts and Adam Scarborough are baring heart and soul for their first proper full-length. Shadow Limb’s dedication to nuance, as well as respect for overall form and development of a song, makes Burn Scar an engrossing listen. This is what happens when you make melody-driven songwriting king, accented by effective harmonies, engrossing rhythms, and a cathartic mix of clean and dirty vox.

Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Tim Green at Louder Studios in Grass Valley, the sound is fresh, vibrant, never muddy or distorted. This makes the album immediately engaging, encouraging the listener to stick around for the entire spin just to find out what will happen next.

Look for the full release of Shadow Limb’s Burn Scar on October 11th via Seeing Red Records in both digital and CD formats (pre-order here). In the meantime, Doomed & Stoned is pleased to present the album to you in its entirety from start to finish. A wholy engrossing listen, fans of Elder, Mastodon, and Giant Squid will find much to relish here.

Give ear…

Some Buzz

Shadow Limb was formed in 2013 after La Fin du Monde, the long running instrumental band featuring all the same members, called it a day. The guys wanted to take a heavier more stripped down direction with Shadow Limb while maintaining all the dynamic shifts and genre bending that had been a staple with their instrumental band. Since 2013, Shadow Limb have played countless shows, released a three-song EP 'The King is Dead’ (on digital and cassette via Vulture Print), and 'Mass and Power’ as a 12" split LP with Squalus (on Translation Loss).

“The title 'Burn Scar’ pertains to some of the lyrics referring to scorched battle fields and villages, but also has a personal meaning to us as it’s something you hear a lot around here,” says Mike Crew of Shadow Limb. “We are all from Paradise, California which suffered the biggest wildfire in California history last November. We all still live nearby but luckily didn’t lose our homes. Friends and close family we’re not so lucky. It has been rough. Most of the town is a 'burn scar.’ Ironically, though, all the lyrics that were written for the album were written before the fires.”

Italy has had a healthy output of heavy music for quite a while now. From psychedelic sludge heavyweights Ufomammut to quality labels such as Heavy Psych Sounds and Argonauta Records putting out a slew of great albums, the boot-shaped country has plenty of reasons to keep fans interested. While I never really associated Italy with doom-death metal, the Milan-based band ESOGENESI is the living proof that my southern neighbors have even more to offer than I thought! The band’s first album is reminiscent of bands such as Un, Loss, or early Ahab in its combination of melodic guitar work and sheer heaviness. The least I can say is that it came up as a very unexpected and pleasant surprise.

“Exogenesis” is the hypothesis that life as we know it on Earth originated elsewhere in the universe. Now, pair this idea with a very intriguing artwork by Italian artist Korvuz Korax and you have great hook to grab the attention of any curious mind looking for a musical journey. Formed in 2016, the Italian combo Esogenesi is about to release its first album on Transcending Obscurity Records. With a wide array of bands in its catalog, ranging from black metal and death metal to doom/sludge metal, and names such as Jupiterian, Gaerea, Eremit, Heads for the Dead, Paganizer, and Lurk in its roster, Transcending Obscurity means business and hits another home-run with Esogenesi’s first album. Esogenesi plays a mixture of doom and death metal which draws inspiration from science-fiction and philosophical concepts. So if you’re looking for massive slow to mid-tempo tracks with atmospheric parts and abyssal growls, you’re in for a treat.

The album begins with “Abominio,” a nine-minute piece showcasing the band’s ability to craft complex and thoughtful tunes. The album sounds very clean and tight, which highlights perfectly the musicians’ technical abilities. Although I usually like grittier productions and I am easily turned off by recordings that sound too crisp and clean, the sound fits the band music and I cannot imagine Esogenesi’s album any other way. If I were to describe this album in a couple of words, “subtlety” and “balance” would be it. Esogenesi sounds heavy, at times otherworldly, but never overdone or stuffy. This is one of the most notable aspects of this album – top-tier musicianship and songs that are written in a very thoughtful way, which results in longer tracks that never become boring or bull.

I cannot emphasize enough how much I enjoy the cohesiveness of this band. The two guitars are complementing each other really well, the bass lines are tasteful and melodic without ever being showy or over-the-top, and the drums provide a solid backbone for the tracks. It makes no doubt that the members of Esogenesi are seasoned musicians and that they have mastered their instrument to the point that they know exactly how to shine while leaving room for the rest of the band. Not only is it extremely enjoyable to hear but it is something any musician can appreciate and applaud.

The tracks work really well together and form a cohesive album which takes you through an interdimensional journey you will not want to leave. As I previously mentioned, the difficulty with long tracks is to master this format without becoming over-indulgent. This is a pitfall that Esogenesi manages to avoid with a great sense of style. There is always something going on and the riffs are never redundant for the sake of it. It is also particularly pleasant that the vocalist knows when to leave room for music, rather than trying to cram as much lyrics as possible. By using vocals sparingly and letting music speak when it is more befitting, every word becomes meaningful and brings extra weight to the songs.

Even after listening to Esogenesi’s album many times, one cannot help but be amazed by the maturity and tastefulness of this first effort. The first two tracks of the record, “Abominio” and “Decadimento Astrale,” are perfectly cohesive and form what could be considered the first act of the album. Many a time, I let myself drift away along with the melodies created by the intertwined bass lines and guitar leads.

The half-way mark of the album comes in the form of “…Oltregenesi…”, an almost four-minute long post-rock influenced instrumental piece which feels like a bridge between the two acts of the record. The melancholic arpegios joined by layers of acoustic and electric guitars tastefully build up to the following track, “Esilio Nell’Extramondo.”

The pace slows down a bit for the second act of the album. The gloomy atmosphere thickens up, giving the impression that we’ve ventured far into an unknown world. The forlorn melodies, pounding bass-drum combo, and solemn vocals of “Incarnazione Della Conoscenza” give way to a final burst of energy with closing blast beats accompanied by tremolo picking guitars which lead us to the end of our journey.

Esogenesi’s first album is impressively balanced and mature. The melodies are expertly woven with heavy and airtight riffs and there is always something going on to catch your attention. The band never gets self-indulgent, every note and every silence serves a purpose. Wherever you ear may wander, it will find something interesting in Esogenesi’s world.

Last but not least, I believe that an album artwork should be more than something purely esthetic and non-related to the content. Experiencing an album as a whole is important, especially in a day and age where downloading music and listening to it on-the-go has become standard practice. Transcending Obscurity Records never disappoints when it comes to artwork, especially with the label’s gorgeous CD and LP box sets. Esogenesi’s album is no exception. The surrealist space creature floating in a world of grays and blues superbly illustrate the band’s music and the atmosphere the music paints through this album. This is a remarkable debut album and Esogenesi is displaying a lot of promising potential. I am looking forward to see where the band goes after such an accomplished first album and you should, too.

I have a confession to make: I’m a shallow bastard. At least, I can be when it comes to music. Every so often, I come across a record by a band I don’t know and I buy it even though I haven’t heard a single note of what’s on it. Sometimes, when I have no idea what kind of music it even is, I might do a quick internet search, but often I just buy it. I buy those records for one simple reason: I like the artwork. The thing with this tactic is, sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn’t.

I also bought ‘Fringe’ (2018), the third record by Finnish death-doomsters LURK for this reason. The record was originally released in 2016 by the band themselves, but now Transcending Obscurity Records re-released the record with hauntingly beautiful new artwork from Adam Burke.

Hauntingly beautiful is also a good way to describe the music. Not in a pretty way though, for this is still a Finnish band. I’m not sure if it’s the lack of sunlight during winter or something else, but the country is home to some of the most depressing bands ever. Lurk certainly is one of them. The four piece mixes death, black and doom metal in a sludgy mix.

Opener “Ostrakismos” is dark, almost ambient-like piece, with even an alto-saxophone thrown in the mix. Expect slow but melodic guitar arpeggios, drenched in reverb and with sufficient feedback. “Tail Blade” has a more traditional structure, with some quality doom riffs and heavy drum hits.

By the end of the second song, it’s already clear who the real star of the record is. Vocalist Kimmo Koskinen is a true force to be reckoned with. His grunts are low and dark, sometimes appearing to go subsonic. It’s often similar to the most extreme parts of Manne Ikonen (Ghost Brigade). At other times he belts out emotional screams, sporadically bordering those of Amenra’s Colin H van Eeckhout. By the time we reach “Elan,” Koskinen channels his inner Aaron Stainthorpe, mixing clean vocals with grunts. It must be noted though, that even though his clean vocals are good, he’s no match for the My Dying Bride vocalist.

The fact that the vocals are good on this record, does not mean that the music is overpowered by them. Musically, every song firmly holds its ground. Each song is a depression inducing lesson in bleakness. The songs sometimes sound clear, melodic and open, at other times heavy and dense, throwing you on the floor and refusing to let you get up. Once again the comparison with their countrymen from Ghost Brigade isn’t far away, but Lurk still manage to kick it up a notch.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Transcending Obscurity is my go-to label for extreme metal and Fringe is no exception. If you’re into the Finnish brand of extreme doom metal, the kind that is both beautiful and mercilessly punishing, you’re going to love Lurk. They’re in the same spectrum as bands such as Ghost Brigade, Swallow The Sun and Hooded Menace, but without sounding like a copy of any of those bands. Go have a listen right now, but be careful, you just might be as broken as the end of “Proteus Syndrome.”

First things first: introductions!

Kalle: Yours truly, Kalle Nurmi, can be found beating the skins, a.k.a. drumming. Arttu Pulkkinen on guitar, Eetu Nurmi on bass, and Kimmo Koskinen is always screaming for vengeance. We’ve been active for about ten years now.

'Fringe’ (2018), your latest LP, was released on the Transcending Obscurity label over the summer, right?

Kalle: That’s correct, but actually Fringe was originally, although momentarily, released on Bandcamp two years prior. We didn’t have any luck with labels back then and decided just to put it out there, mainly out of frustration. Then Kunal Choksi of Transcending Obscurity got in contact with us, wanting to do a proper release and we quite quickly went with him. You could sense the passion driving him and we knew he was gonna deliver - and he did! Fringe is our third album, preceded by our self-titled debut and our second, Kaldera.

Kimmo: Kunal’s dedication has been inspiring. Finally Fringe gets the release it deserves, not least because of the exceptionally amazing art of Adam Burke.

What bands from Finland do you guys like and like to play with?

Kalle: Horse Latitudes, Hooded Menace, Coughdust, Demonic Death Judge, Black Royal – those are just some that come to mind easily, that we’ve played with. There are loads of great bands from Finland, metal and otherwise, that we’ve not shared a stage with just yet.

Kimmo: There are loads of spirited groups in Finnish underground and different styles interlock smoothly together. We have played with doom, death and black metal bands, in hardcore nights and so on. Passionate and honest atmosphere feeds itself and leads to torrid combinations.

Where are some good places in Finland to see metal or heavy bands play?

Kalle: You can see great underground-bands play at Vastavirta Klubi in Tampere. I’m not sure about the situation in Helsinki at the moment, but I presume Lepakkomies has bands all the time and we’ve played there a lot at one point. More mainstream metal acts can be seen at Klubi, YO-Talo or Olympia in Tampere, and during the summer there’s a festival going on somewhere all the time. For example Tuska is completely dedicated to metal.

What are some of Lurk’s influences musically?

Kalle: Oh man, that’s a tricky one! We’ve never decided on a certain sound or a band that we wanted to sound like, so all of our influences were allowed to get in the music. But of course, some bands have bigger weight in our output. For example Celtic Frost, Eyehategod, Neurosis, Entombed, Black Sabbath, Emperor, Burzum and about gazillion other bands. Also artists outside of metal, as Scott Walker’s The Drift is, in my opinion, one of the scariest albums ever made.

What’s a damn good book you’ve read lately?

Kalle: Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis, everything by Lovecraft. My most recent favourite book is by legendary Finnish writer Mika Waltari. I had to check online for its English title, it’s called The Etruscan.

What makes you laugh uncontrollably?

Kalle: Human endeavor. Also, cat videos.

The artwork by Adam Burke is amazing! Elan is my favorite song on this album. Please explain what this album means to the band and what the artwork symbolizes.

Kalle: This album means a lot to us. We changed bass players just before making the second album, Kaldera, and that kinda made us want to write differently too, and now with Fringe I think we managed to capture something that was set in motion back in those days. Maybe we are slow learners but this is the album that we wanted to do already back then, we just didn’t know how. We wanted to combine the best parts of our both previous albums and use them to make a goddamn super-album! The art itself wasn’t made to order, but when we saw it there was no question about it. It fits the mood. It’s not completely bleak and void of colour, there are shades and textures. There is also a strong link to nature, and death is ever-present, looming in the background.

Kimmo: Fringe is about the passion and all the human behavior around it. We, as species, have lost and banned big part of our heritage, our primal instincts. What’s most important, the honesty has been derogated. Humanity isn’t just positive pool of thoughts, and it seems that the world is nowadays living just for the decorative skin. At the same time the self-proclaimed messiahs are conspiring behind our backs, in the name of religion, money and power. But there’s so much power to be found from death, rage and beastliness, because those pure things are us. Lurk is the one channeling the vigor and ripping the meaningless crust apart. From the woods we have come and to the woods we are to be buried.

What is in the future for Lurk?

Kalle: New songs, so probably a new album, maybe some gigs. Who knows? The doom-train keeps a-rolling.

You guys have an amazing response to this album and have great reviews how do you feel and how does this motivate you?

Kalle: It’s always good that people like it. Some seem to like it a lot! I’d be making music even without the positive reviews, but they tell us we’re onto something good.

Kimmo: We are making the music for ourselves, first and foremost. But if someone finds it intriguing, I don’t blame him or her. If the music makes one think, it has reached the goal.

Massive Lurk Giveaway!

Transcending Obscurity Records is giving away 100 free digital downloads of Lurk’s 'Fringe’ (2018). Grab 'em while they’re hot! Simply copy one of the codes below and click here to redeem it.

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Recently I made an important decision. A decision about my funeral. Like nearly every decision I ever make, it’s related to music. I recently decided that Epigrammata, the third album by Czech doomers ET MORIEMUR shall be the soundtrack of my inevitable descent into nothingness.

Transcending Obscurity is not known for their boring releases. When they release a record that is based on a Requiem (Mass for the dead), you know it will be something special. The result is a funeral death doom monster which is as brutal as it is haunting. Prepare for a masterclass in death and the ancient rituals to go with it.

The opening track “Introitus” manages to set the mood immediately. Solemn synths paint a brooding picture, while the spoken word of Kostas Panagiotou, whom we know of that other Transcending Obscurity doom monster Towards Atlantis Lights, transports us to a long gone era. Bow your head, for the Mass has begun.

In the following 50 minutes we are presented with funeral doom at its best. The songs crawl forward in a slow, but majestic pace, while vocalist Zdeněk Nevělík bares his emotions in every syllable he sings, moans, growls or screams. This is done mostly in Latin and ancient Greek. The use of these dead languages strengthens the feeling of being present at a funeral Mass. Because the use of English lyrics is sparse, it doesn’t feel out of place, but only emphasizes the passages.

‘Epigrammata’ represents our attempt to cope with the dying or death of those we loved. To create a solemn and classical atmosphere we used lyrics in ancient Greek (the title itself means epigrams) and in Latin, more precisely from the Mass for the dead – the album follows the typical Requiem structure, i.e. Introitus, Requiem Aeternum, Dies Irae etc. – and of course the traditional, unisono male Gregorian chant.’   (Et Moriemur)

Musically, each song is given enough time to grow and build up to its climax. Even though the guitars play an important role on this record, there is also enough room for long-spun classical-oriented parts, where the guitars and drums merely have a supporting role. It is in these moments that Epigrammata shows its true brilliance. The band weaves the symphonic elements with their funeral doom in ways that Dimmu Borgir wishes they could. This creates an organic mixture which fans of both funeral doom and symphonic metal will appreciate.

Although there is a clear theme and structure on this album, there is a lot of variation between the songs. Some songs feel peaceful, such as “Agnus Dei,” which features some hypnotizing recitations, while others hit you more straight in the face. “Dies Irae” is a good example of this, but also “Communio,” which even features some blast beats! As the record progresses, the songs get darker and darker until it reaches its pitch black climax with “In Paradisum.” The short outro serves as a welcome return to the normal world.

It must be said that this isn’t a perfect record. It’s hard to ignore the tacky sections that pop up from time to time, giving a bit of a Ghost-like feel. Also, the organ is sometimes a bit too present in the mix. This wouldn’t be much of a problem if it didn’t sound so cheap. Luckily, these are just a few minor imperfections on the otherwise magnificent canvas that is Epigrammata. Fans of My Dying Bride and Shape Of Despair will certainly enjoy this masterpiece of misery and death.

It is a gloomy winter’s day in the Pacific Northwest as I write this. Spring has threatened its entrance, but an oppressive, low-hanging cloud cover has rolled over the tip-top of forest trees and rains collects softly on the ground. There could be no more appropriate soundtrack to accompany these moments than this latest offering from Italian atmospheric doom collaborative TOWARDS ATLANTIS LIGHTS

The brainchild of Ivan Zara, Towards Atlantis Lights begin life as a one-man project and, as with other similar ventures (Leif Edling’s The Doomsday Kingdom comes to mind) it was soon apparent that a full team was needed to fully flesh out Zara’s vision. What emerged was a doom metal supergroup of sorts, drawing in vocalist and keyboardist Kostas Panagiotou (Landskap, Pantheist), bassist Riccardo Veronese (Aphonic Threnody, among others), and drummer Ivano Olivieri, who join Zara (Void of Silence) on guitar.

In full disclosure, I’m not the biggest fan of atmospheric doom. Don’t ask me why, because I’m not sure I can articulate the reasons myself. I am a classical pianist by training and have been steeped in atmospheric music my whole life, but when it comes to metal I tend to gravitate towards material with a harsher, more aggressive edge. The doom of Saint Vitus speaks acccessibly to life’s inequities and Usnea tears violently into the world with a nihilistic scalpel, but atmospheric doomers like Evoken, Paradise Lost, Swallow The Sun, and others prefer to transport you to wide open spaces, to envelop you in silent, gray clouds hovering or take you to cold, numbing streams dotted fallen leaves. You experience this kind of doom differently, because it gradually unfolds, it surrounds you, assimulating your tiny apartment or the train you’re riding to work into the fabric of its mythos.

While this makes an attractive case for the medium of atmospheric doom, ‘Dust of Eons’ (2018 - Transcending Obscurity Records) ultimately found its way to my heart through something else: history. Consider, what could be more compelling than a metal band from Italy writing songs about dramatic events that shaped its world centuries before? After giving Dust of Eons a cursory playthrough to gauge my impressions of the music, I eagerly consulted the lyrics for each song (which are elegantly presented in CD and digital formats) with the hope of finding the key that would unlock my understanding of these four vignettes. You can always get me more interested in an record if there is a discernible story involved – especially one that embraces the struggles of mind, will, and emotion.

Dust of Eons unfurls in dreamlike fashion, with four visions, beginning with a curiously titled number, “The Bunker of Life.” What bunker? To whom does it belong? We discern that this a bunker from the fabled city of Atlantis, which at this very moment is slowly, helplessly sinking to an inevitable doom, never to be seen or heard from again. While Atlantis may be more myth than history, it has stood for generations as a useful metaphor for the rise and fall of nations, a cautionary tale introduced by Plato in his Timaeus and Critias dialogues.

We might expect Atlantis to be the logical first destination for a band that borrows its name from the subterranean civilization swallowed by earth and sea. Lyrically, the song opts for a more personable approach to its subject, playing out as a conversation between a grandfather and his grandson, exchanging words as he departs for the hidden realms beneath the vast unknown.

He whispered, “See you in Atlantis.”
And the bunker sunk into the cold earth.

After this gargantuan, 30-minute epic, dour growls turn our attention from the occult to the concrete. “In mighty Babylon with its hanging gardens,” the song says, “we learned the meaning of science.” Here we are now in the world’s foremost metropolis, its chief centerpiece an entry in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Nebuchadnezzar’s hanging gardens were the work of “knowledge coupled with will, modern wonders of engineering, humanity on the verge of reaching adulthood.”

It’s incredible to contemplate, yet today it is no more. “What happened?” wonders our narrator. “All we built is now forgotten and lost. Arcane knowledge remains elusive. Those guarding its secrets have long perished, or refuse to share their wisdom.” This is more than an archaeological conundrum; the great gardens dangle as an allegory for every generation. “Dig, my friend, and you find.” Ask the hard questions and you just might realize the answers have been embedded in our collective consciousness all along.

Following our short visit to “Babylon’s Hanging Gardens,” we reach the third destination of our esoteric journey: “Alexandria’s Library.” Here, we are ready to spend some serious study time, clocking 16 minutes for inquiry and discovery. I mean, if you were in one of the largest, most revered libraries in all of antiquity, existing centuries before the printing press made books widely available, wouldn’t you want to spend some quality time here? I’d camp out for months on it steps. As you might suspect, there are secrets in Library of Alexandria, secrets hidden in plain sight.

As with the other places we have visited, expect double meaning in the spectacles that are dancing about us. There is knowledge that could unlock the potential of human relationships, yet it has become entangled in oppressive cultural traditions, preserved in ancient texts scattered about the library, revered as the word of gods. Perhaps “the hand that carried the torch did a great service to mankind” when it burned all of these parchments and scrolls into acrid cinders. In so doing, we were all forced to return to zero. The song consoles us with the thought that “you already are all you need to be.”

The solemnity of this moment is marked eleven minutes in by a succession of grave chords, melancholy arpeggios, and a guitar solo that almost wails. “So wipe these tears and move on now…” we’re told as the tempo hikes and crescendos rise. A short piano passage summons us to one last landing of enlightenment.

It is a grave we cast our gaze upon this time – the great Tomb of King Mausolus, another of the ancient world’s Wonders. You might expect this to be a moment of grief or stoic reflection, but “Greeting Mausolus’ Tomb” has a surprising effect on our protagonist. “Thank you,” he declares, without a hint of sarcasm. “Thank you not so much for the way you lived, but for the way you died. A humble lesson for us all.” What could kindle such an unusual expression of gratitude? “This existence,” the bard elucidates, “has never seemed more meaningless and vain, so I embrace my awful death with passion and look forward to the suffocating moment that will forever take away my pointless breath of life.” Excuse me while I have a nihilistic orgasm.

This, dear reader, is doom.

Cover art by Fabled and The Painter Of Oz

If DJINN AND MISKATONIC sounds a little bit like “Gin and Tonic” to your ears, maybe it’s because the music has such an intoxicating atmosphere about it. Billed as “India’s premier doom metal band,” Djinn And Miskatonic made their first splash with ‘Forever in the Realm’ (2013), a widely praised debut. If that wasn’t enough to convince you of the band’s rightful place in the hallowed halls of doom, then 'Even Gods Must Die’ (2018) certainly will be.

Djinn And Miskatonic’s latest opus offers us six lumbering pieces that tread the earth like some fabled hulk of old. Listeners will discover a lyrical web laced with references to Lovecraftian horror, eastern mythology, and even some mysticism woven in for good measure. Having already given us a taste of the third and fourth songs from Even Gods Must Die, the band now reveals the sixth track ahead of the album’s full release next week (a Doomed & Stoned exclusive).

“Hangman’s Hope” is a punisher, for sure. A razor sharp metallic riff opens the number, making way for dark, shamanic vocals of the “Who goes there?” variety. The feel is that of a prophet has just been rustled from his sleep, tucked away in some foreboding cave, and arises with furrowed brow to pronounce doom upon all of us. Gautham Khandige summons all the gravity and depth of the great traditionalists for this one (reminding me most of Nicklas Rudolfsson from HeavyDeath and The Funeral Orchestra). The song builds and builds in intensity over the course of its ten-minute run, revealing a seasoned, well-honed metal band that surely has its act together.

The album releases on Wednesday, January 10th on CD via Transcending Obscurity Records and can be pre-ordered here.

Give ear…

Djinn and Miskatonic are:

• Gautham Khandige (vocals)
• Sriram Kvlteswaran (guitar, backing vox)
• Mushaf Nazeer (guitar)
• Jayaprakash Satanmurthy (bass)
• Siddharth Manorahan (drums)

Some buzz:

Djinn and Miskatonic return with a mammoth album of dire tunes and bloody tales. Following up on their massively successful debut in 'Forever in the Realm, they’ve taken things up several notches and produced an album that will stay with you long after it’s over. 'Even Gods Must Die’ contains six sordid, gloomy and memorable songs with varying objectives and melancholia. Each of them follows a storylike trajectory and spring to life at the opportune moments. Meditative and meaningful, this is a well thought and properly executed album by Djinn and Miskatonic.

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