Release Date: March 27th 2026. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Approaching Doom - Tracklisting
1.Cold
2.Evicted
3.Approaching Doom
4.Drain
5.Black Blizzard
6.New Order Of Bliss
7.Humana Stew
8.Demon Strikes
9.Heavy Monday
10.Final Pain
Members
Tuomas Heiskanen - Guitars / Vocals
Perttu Härkönen - Bass
Patrik Kuitunen - Drums
Review
Approaching Doom is the latest sonic excursion into pure Doomed Out Heaviness from the mighty MONSTERNAUT and is their first album in eight years. The band play a similar kind of energy from the likes of DOZER, DOPELORD, FU MANCHU and some NOLA influences appearing on different stages of the record.
The album is quite aggressive with MONSTERNAUT not holding back with their gritty and action packed grooves that have a certain Punk Rock pedigree to them. The sound does edge ever so closer to a streetwise level of Doom/Stoner Metal especially within the opening tracks of Cold, Evicted and Approaching Doom.
The vocals from Tuomas Heiskanen are confident, lean and quite muscular with the whole performance having a classic HARDCORE PUNK aspect to them. The music itself can be dominated by outbursts of Sludge Metal which gives the record quite an unpredictable energy from start to finish. MONSTERNAUT don’t offer cheap PROGRESSIVE gimmicks as they rely on good old fashioned HEAVY METAL dominance that’s offset by small amounts of freakish PSYCHEDELIC melodies.
The album does move along at a frantic fast pace which only adds to the overall excitement of the whole experience which sees MONSTERNAUT rely on pure ROCK & ROLL fury and genuine STONER METAL chaos on tracks such as Approaching Doom, Drain, New Order Of Bliss, Demon Strikes and Final Rain. MONSTERNAUT develops a subtle style of Stoner Metal that leans heavily into the NOLA / SOUTHERN METAL realm for some of the heaviest and catchiest sounds on the whole album.
Approaching Doom does have a raw sounding atmosphere which is mostly down to the sublime production values that the record contains. The album was recorded entirely on analog tape with no digital editing at all. So this is about as close to the action you’ll ever likely to hear and actually experience from MONSTERNAUT.
The band did have the legendary talents of Finnish producer and sound engineer Anssi Kippo best known for his work with CHILDREN OF BODOM and brings a real level of darkness to the music. Though, still allowing MONSTERNAUT to fully commit themselves to harnessing the power of the ACTUAL RIFF!!!
MONSTERNAUT feels like they are building their own genuine musical legacy which reminds me of fellow Finnish Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metallers DEMONIC DEATH JUDGE. However, this is MONSTERNAUT to impress with their own uncompromising vision but still showcasing another great band to check out from the Finnish Underground Heavy Metal Scene.
If you dig your Doom/Stoner Metal with an extra sideline of PISSED OFF musical aggression that moves into areas of NOLA Metal then Approaching Doom is the album for you and with the band aligning themselves to the amazing Heavy Psych Sounds, then you know this album is the complete package.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.
