Sludge Metallers Sunniva unleashes 'Mercurial Bloodstreams' – A crushing reflection on technological dystopia

Turku-based sludge metal force Sunniva releases Mercurial Bloodstreams – a harrowing new track from their upcoming debut album Hypostasis – that challenges the illusions of progress and freedom in the modern age. Watch the official video for the new single at Svart’s YouTube channel HERE

Through thundering riffs, monolithic rhythms, and guttural howls, Mercurial Bloodstreams confronts society’s unrelenting drive for technological advancement – a journey promised as a road to liberation, yet more often entangling humanity in deeper webs of oppression. Sunniva dissects the myth of progress and questions the very nature of freedom itself.

"We are constantly sold the dream of freedom", the band states, "but the reality is only a few understand what true freedom even is – or if it can exist at all."

Photo by Aleks Talve

Sunniva was formed in 2016 out of a shared hunger for the raw sonic power of heavy music. The band's name, derived from the Old English Sunngifu, meaning "gift of the sun", hints at the layered darkness and light woven into their sound.

Blurring the lines between death doom, sludge, and post-metal, Sunniva summons the same seismic intensity as titans like Amenra, Neurosis and Dark Buddha Rising. Their past releases – The Holy Mountain (2017), self-titled EP (2020), and the sprawling single This Reality Only Speaks In Blood (2018) – have cemented their reputation for crafting immersive, soul-crushing soundscapes. The band is in its full elements in live shows which you can experience as follows:

29.8. Seinäjoki, Bar15
30.8. Oulu, Tukikohta
18.9. Turku, Nirvana
19.9. Tampere, Maanalainen
20.9. Helsinki, Lepakkomies

Mercurial Bloodstreams is out now on all major streaming platforms. New full-length album Hypostasis out on September 19th via Svart Records.

Listen. Witness. Be undone.

16.5.2025 Sunniva: Mercurial Bloodstreams (Digital)

https://orcd.co/mercurialbloodstreams

19.9.2025 Sunniva: Hypostasis LP/CD (Pre-order)

https://www.svartrecords.com/en/product/sunniva-hypostasis/13399

Links

https://www.facebook.com/sunnivadoom/
https://www.instagram.com/sunnivadoom/
https://sunniva.bandcamp.com

Thanks to For The Lost PR for all of the details.

Buzzard - Mean Bone (Album Review)

Release Date: April 11th 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD

Mean Bone  - Tracklisting

1.Darkness Wins 03:35

2.Crushing Burden of Despair 03:03

3.Murder in the White Barn 04:57

4.Primitive 03:54

5.Changeling 04:52

6.Ghost of Orphan James 04:26

7.Twisted Love 03:24

8.Gadarene Swine 05:11

9.Dunwich Farm 03:34

10.Flies, Mosquitoes, Rats, and Sparrows 05:33

11.Conclusions 03:57

12.Plight of the Planet 04:11

13.Ancient Ruins of the 21st Century 04:17

Members

Christopher Thomas Elliott - Everything

Review

Mean Bone is the latest sonic excursion of Doom Folk and Stoner Rock heavy grooves from one-man virtuoso Buzzard aka Christopher Thomas Elliott. The record feels like a protest and an essential call to arms to the crazed times happening within the United States Of America. Buzzard uses the creative weapons of Doom Metal and Stoner Metal at his disposal to get his essential message across which fuses Americana, Psych, Folk, Blues Rock, Grunge, Fuzz and Sludge for a record that feels more important than ever.

Imagine Neil Young fronting the likes of Saint Vitus, Trouble and Black Sabbath where you feel the creative intent that Buzzard ultimately strives for with Mean Bone. The lyrics take aim at the far right side of the political spectrum with real insight and highly articulate intelligence bringing themes such as AI, Religion, Political Ideology and the real evil of this GREED.

Christopher feels like he’s written a political thesis or downbeat political mission statement told through the power of Doom, Stoner and Folk Music. The music is semi-acoustic for the majority of the tracks and it’s quite sombre though Buzzard can be beautifully heavy that reminds me of Across Tundras at times. 

The album has a loner attitude rebelling against the system on tracks such as Darkness Wins, Murder In The White Barn, Changeling and Ghost Of Orphan Jones that allows the first half of the album to quite therapeutic with the sudden transformation of AMERICANA to full on Doom/Stoner Rock rebellion.

The instrumental works are nothing short of technical brilliance with Christopher’s vocals giving a highly important political voice for a lost political generation. Buzzard even delves into Occult Rock imagery and Post-Punk attitude on the later stages of the record with the SHAMANIC attitude of Buzzard being very hard to describe. You can even hear moments of Space Rock and OTT fantasy themes which  allows Mean Bone to be quite trippy and psychedelic as you can imagine.

Other standout tracks to check out are: Twisted Love, Dunwich Farm, “Flies, Mosquitoes, Rats and Sparrows” and Ancient Ruins Of The 21st Century where Buzzard adds a downbeat Apocalyptic attitude to end the album on quite a depressing ending. The music itself is quite revolutionary and forward thinking with Buzzard creating a whole original sound of his own making which could hopefully inspire or influence a whole generation of future musicians for years to come. 

This is mind-blowing stuff and deserves to be heard by the biggest audience possible within the entire HARD ROCK and HEAVY METAL scene. 

  

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram | BlueSky

Doom/Stoner Metallers PATRIARCHS IN BLACK set release date for new METALVILLE album, reveal cover & tracklisting

PATRIARCHS IN BLACK set release date for new METALVILLE album, reveal cover & tracklisting - features members of DANZIG, TYPE O NEGATIVE, HADES+++

Metalville announces August 15th as the international release date for Patriarchs in Black's highly anticipated fourth album, Home.

Former Type O Negative / Danzig drummer Johnny Kelly and guitarist and riff-writer Dan Lorenzo (Hades / Non-Fiction) founded Patriarchs in Black at the end of 2021. Their debut single "Demon of Regret" was released in January 2022, and the debut album Reach For The Scars was released in July 2022. Their second album, My Veneration, was released in October 2023, followed by Visioning in July 2024.

As with their previous releases, Dan and Johnny managed to secure some outstanding artists as guest musicians for their fourth long-player, Home.

Dan Lorenzo says about Home: "Did you ever see the movie Groundhog Day? Bill Murray is forced to live the same day over and over. How boring, right? I love pizza, but I don't want to eat it every meal. With our new album, you will find our 'usual' doomy riffs, but we also took some chances. There's acoustic guitars, violin, flute, and of course, lots of heavy riffs. Diversity - it keeps things interesting.

"I picked the title Home because as much as I love to travel, it's always nice to come home.

"Johnny's mom died last year. Some would say the Lord took her Home.

"Johnny and I recorded 17 new songs, but we couldn't fit them all on this album.

"We are honored that some of the best vocalists and bassists worked with us to lend their talents. We hope you love Patriarchs in Black's Home." 

Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Patriarchs in Black's Home

1. Hymns for the Heretic

Written by Lorenzo/Thomas
Johnny Kelly - drums
Dan Lorenzo - guitars
Kyle Thomas - vocals
Dave Neabore - bass

2. The Call

Written by Lorenzo/Agell
Johnny Kelly - drums
Dan Lorenzo - guitars
Karl Agell - vocals
John "JD" DeServio - bass

3. Burn Through Time

Written by Lorenzo/Sunshine
Johnny Kelly - drums
Dan Lorenzo - guitar/bass
Mark Sunshine - vocals

4. Frisson

Written by Dan Lorenzo
Dewey Bragg - vocals
Johnny Kelly - drums
Jonathan Eng - viola
Eric J. Morgan - strings

5. Kaos

Written by Lorenzo/Abe
Johnny Kelly - drums
Dan Lorenzo - guitars
Kelly Abe - vocals
Rob Moschetti - bass

6. Storm King

Written by Lorenzo/Ferrara
Johnny Kelly - drums
Dan Lorenzo - guitar
Joe Ferrara - vocals
Johnny Araya - bass

7. Celestial Yard

Written by Lorenzo/Sunshine
Johnny Kelly - drums
Dan Lorenzo - acoustic guitar
Mark Sunshine - vocals
Emma Smoler -violin
Damon Trotta - bass

8. Where You Think You're Going

Written by Lorenzo/DMC
Johnny Kelly - drums
Dan Lorenzo - guitars
DMC - vocals
David Freis - vocals
Sarah Sovak - vocals/flute
Damon Trotta - bass
Jonathan Eng - violin

9. Beline

Written by Dan Lorenzo
Johnny Kelly - drums
Dan Lorenzo - guitars
John Kosco - vocals
Eric J. Morgan - bass/string arrangement

10. Pointed Fire

Written by Lorenzo/Sunshine
Johnny Kelly - drums
Dan Lorenzo - guitars/bass
Mark Sunshine - vocals
Emma Smoler - violin

11. Enough Of You

Written by Dan Lorenzo
Johnny Kelly - drums
Dan Lorenzo - guitars/bass/backing vox
Frankie Diaz - lead vocals

12. Ready To Die

Written by Lorenzo/Abe
Johnny Kelly - drums
Dan Lorenzo - guitars
Kelly Abe - vocals
Damon Trotta - bass
Kelly, Dan, JROD - gang vox

13. Shadows Grasp

Written by Lorenzo/Traynor
Johnny Kelly - drums
Dan Lorenzo - guitar/bass
Rob Traynor - Vocals

14. Sweet Blood

Written by Lorenzo/Sunshine
Johnny Kelly - drums
Dan Lorenzo - guitar
Mark Sunshine - vocals
Iron Lou Strachan - bass

MORE INFO:

www.instagram.com/patriarchsinblack
www.facebook.com/people/Patriarchsinblack/61559097640883
www.danlorenzo.net

Nvage - Nvage (EP Review)

Release Date: May 16th 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD

nvage  - Tracklisting

1.Savior 03:42

2.In Here 04:02

3.Games 04:48

4.Come Alive 05:25

5.Blind Eye 03:53

6.Haunted 03:12

Members

Clément Decuypere

Jérémy Hourdoir

Review

Post-Metal duo Nvage debut self-titled EP is one that focuses on the more Blackened aspect of Post-Rock, Post-Metal, Doom and Shoegaze sounds. The vocals are harsh and extremely volatile to begin with as the band offers bleak industrial landscapes and progressive sludgy atmospherics that has a slight reliance on AMPLIFIER DISTORTION and sonic heaviness which comes out superbly within the excellent opening track of Saviour. 

With influences ranging from NIN, Deftones, GOJIRA, Mastodon, NEUROSIS, PELICAN and YOB that all can be heard from a great distance, Nvage offer moments of subtle Post-Rock melodies especially on the emotionally abstract second track In Here. The song has some wonderfully placed clean vocals and glorious uplifting Post-Doom melodies which is given an Industrial and Ambient Metal makeover in places. The sound is brilliantly aggressive that allows Nvage to develop a sinister atmosphere once the harsh vocals take a more commanding performance.

Third track Games once again sees Nvage delve into their harsh Industrial/Post-Metal wasteland with a subtle Doomgaze and Thrash Metal sound developing with bone-crunching guitars switching to a more extreme style of METAL. There is also a cool 1980’s Post-Punk and Gothic attitude that adds an eerie ice cold flow to the EP.

The second half of the EP continues with that cinematic style of Post-Metal but with gloomier moments developing on tracks such as Come Alive and Haunted. The vocals from Clément and Jérémy offer a great counterbalance to each other with both members having their own unique voice and style which fully sells the “DARK vs LIGHT” counterbalance Nvage fully commit themselves to.

Nvage debut EP is a thing of creative beauty with harsh melodies and soulful Post-Black Metal grooves developing that leaves you wanting to hear more when the record cautiously closes with bleak expression and minimal optimism. 

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

  

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Vous Connaissez ? PR for the promo.

Links

LinkTree | BandCamp

BLIND MESS - The Storm Within (Album Review)

Release Date: May 09th 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD

The Storm Within  - Tracklisting

1.The Bell 04:33

2.On The Edge 03:08

3.Mirror Of My Soul 04:32

4.The Hemlock Cup 04:12

5.Sick Society 04:58

6.Bleeding Hearts 02:49

Members

Daniel

Martin

Oskar

Review

BLIND MESS new album The Storm Within is a record that allows the band to expand their style of Hardcore Punk, Doom, Desert Rock and Stoner Metal with a classic 1990’s Alt Rock attitude. If you ever wondered what early era The Offspring would sound like if given a Stoner Rock/Metal makeover then this is the closest result you can possibly get. There is some wicked sounding Thrash and Speed Rock attitude within the opening tracks of The Bell and On The Edge.

The vocals are an inspired take of melodic rock and hardcore punk attitude with the right amount of metallic energy being delivered. The music itself is quite loose and ready but with a catchy Hardcore Punk Rock style allowing the Stoned Out elements having a jagged approach with everything being played at an intense fast-paced style. The production is quite abstract with a subtle LO-Fi sound that develops from the very start. 

The Storm Within is quite a short album lasting under twenty five minutes but there’s sure a lot of catchy grooves that are downright aggressive at the best of times on tracks such as On The Edge, Mirror Of My Soul and Sick Society.

BLIND MESS do offer moments of vibrant Psychedelic passages on the later stages of the record whilst not giving up their Hardcore Punk Rock identity. This style of music has served BLIND MESS well over the course of their career with this perhaps being their most melodic and politically charged record to date but the band still offer moments of highly addictive dangerous fun along the way.

BLIND MESS have once again delivered the goods with The Storm Within and I recommend you to check out this superbly entertaining record that has a high turnover of sublime riffs that will have you headbanging in no time at all.

 

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

Tokyo Samurai Doom Unit HEBI KATANA share first track off upcoming new album "Imperfection"; out July 25th on Ripple Music!

Japanese doom and heavy rock powerhouse HEBI KATANA announces the release of their fourth studio album "Imperfection" this July 25th on Ripple Music and presents the haunting debut single "Dead Horse Requiem" today.

Watch Hebi Katana's new video Dead Horse Requiem - 走馬灯 + listen to the single on all streaming services

HEBI KATANA are purveyors of a one-of-a-kind fusion of wabi-sabi (Japanese traditional acceptance of transience and imperfection) and heavy doom sounds! Their 2023 album “III” was widely acclaimed in Japan and overseas and ranked #7 on the influential Doom Charts for December 2023, while influential US magazine New Noise Magazine deemed the trio as "a deadly new force within the Japanese scene".

Their upcoming fourth full-length "Imperfection" — written and recorded in parallel of a tour with the same lineup as "III" — features lyrics inspired by Matsuo Basho and Tanizaki Junichiro's “wabi sabi” “beauty of imperfection” and “enso" based on the unique Japanese spiritual world. This new album refines their signature doom and proto-hard rock sound, merging loud roaring riffs with beaming melodies. Pulsing with sheer intensity and channeling the spirit of the 70s, their dynamics interweave doom metal weight and psychedelic expansiveness while staying true to their dark, shadowy and introspective worldview.

The trio’s chemistry shines as they balance brute force with intricate subtleties, creating a sound that feels both primal and meticulously crafted. "Imperfection" marks a bold evolution for HEBI KATANA. Every riff, groove, and vocal line reinforces their identity — a band unafraid to explore darkness while delivering pure, riff-driven power in their own right. Don't wait to join the cult.

HEBI KATANA "Imperfection" - Out July 25th on Ripple Music (LP/CD/digital)

Formed in Tokyo in 2020, HEBI KATANA released their self-titled debut album at the end of the same year. With their authentic doom/stoner sound and dark and mellow heavy rock sound, they quickly became a cornerstone of the Japanese scene amongst enthusiasts in overseas media, establishing their sound as “Tokyo Samurai Doom”. In 2022, they released their second album “Impermanence”, welcoming Yukito Okazaki of Eternal Elysium/Studio Zen fame as the producer. A year later, they issued their third album “III”, which was distributed in Japan, as well as in Germany, Poland and the UK. The band performed relentlessly in Tokyo and major cities in Japan, appeared at the Tokyo Doom Fest, and toured in Italy, France and South America.

HEBI KATANA is

Laven - Bass, Vocals
Nobu - Guitars, Vocals

T.T. Goblin - Drums

HEBI KATANA links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Spotify

RIPPLE MUSIC links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for all of the details.

King Potenaz - Italian Power Trio Sign to Majestic Mountain Records & Drop New Video For "Rivers of Death"

Southern Italy’s riff-wielding power trio King Potenaz have officially signed to Majestic Mountain Records for the release of their highly anticipated sophomore album Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. 1, due out June 27th, 2025 on both vinyl and digital formats.

To mark the occasion, the band has just unleashed their blistering new single and video for “Rivers of Death”, a 10-minute descent into fuzzy doom, psychedelic dread, and scorched-earth riff worship.

“We’re back with a vengeance, unleashing our long-awaited second album, Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. 1! Says the band. "This is our heaviest, most intense work yet — a sonic onslaught that’ll blow your mind. We can’t wait for you to crank it up and dive into the chaos!”

With a sound steeped in the grimy tradition of Electric Wizard, Sleep, and Monster Magnet, King Potenaz blend occult doom, stoner fuzz, and eerie psychedelia into a swirling ritual of sound. “Rivers of Death” is the perfect first taste of what’s to come: hypnotic, devastating, and weird in all the right ways.

Pre-order the album: Majestic Mountain Records | Bandcamp

Follow King Potenaz:

https://www.facebook.com/KingPotenaz666
https://www.instagram.com/kingpotenaz666
https://kingpotenaz.bandcamp.com

Follow Majestic Mountain Records:

https://www.majesticmountainrecords.com
https://majesticmountainrecords.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/majesticmountainrecords
https://www.facebook.com/majesticmountainrecords

Thanks to Viral Propaganda PR for the details.