Pete Long is back with another round-up/overview of what’s been going on in Doom metal over the last few and over the next few weeks….

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Given that Doom Metal (or should that be DOOM METAL ? It feels like it has earned the right to be in ALL-CAPS) has pretty much more right than any other subgenre to claim it is the “original” form of heavy metal, it seemed kind of remiss that we didn’t have a column dedicated specifically to it. Until now – step forward, Pete Long….

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Conan
Monnos
Burning World
02 April 2012

by Tom Dare

Just as thrash comes in degrees of ridiculously fast, the doom/stoner metal bands come in various shades of galactically heavy. Conan are from the end of that spectrum where you literally (in the correct, non-Redknappian use of the word) fear for your speaker cones. You’ll probably have to turn their new album Monnos down a touch after your stereo begins to emit some worrying noises. As a basic premise for an album, this is a bloody good start.

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Pilgrim
Misery Wizard
Poison Tongue/Metal Blade
14 February 2012

by Tom Dare

While music obviously needs bands capable of doing radically new, different things, it also needs bands that refine existing styles and add their own voice. Pilgrim fall into the latter category – they’re not going to spawn an entire new sound, but they are going to deafen, hypnotise and bewitch you in short order.

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Woods Of Ypres
Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light
Earache Records
13 February 2012

by Tom Dare

By now, you’re probably aware Woods Of Ypres mainman David Gold died on 21 December 2011. What was meant to be the first album he’d have had significant label backing for after plugging away in the Canadian underground for a decade, has instead turned out to be his last. This is obviously a delicate record to analyse, but whatever the background, an album has to stand up on its own merit – the music is either good or it’s not. Only in this particular case, there’s a sizeable caveat. [Read more →]

Agalloch
Marrow Of The Spirit
Profound Lore Records
23 November 2010

by Tom Dare

Agalloch like to keep us waiting. Marrow Of The Spirit is their first album in four years, and only their fourth in eleven years of releasing. The pay-off is that when they do release an album, it seeps straight into your chest and caresses your heartstrings like Adrian Smith playing ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name’. Agalloch return with a towering monolith of brilliance. [Read more →]