Observers - The Emerald (Album Review)

Release Date: August 13th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

The Emerald - Tracklist

1.The Emerald 04:56

2.The Eye Tree 03:05 

3.Forest of Doom 05:57

4.Asterophora 03:07

5.The Word for Forest is World 01:42

6.Predestination 05:40

7.Boreal World 05:27

8.Voices Within 06:11

9.After Us 01:21

10.The Door (Outtake) 03:21

Members

Martin Kennedy - guitars, synths & soundscapes.

Chris Bohm - drums.

Rich Gray - Bass

Additional musicians: Joao Corceiro, Martin Arroyou, German Maldonado

Review

Instrumental Doom/Post-Metal collective Observers return with their second album The Emerald which continues the great work laid down on their acclaimed debut album The Age Of The Machine Entities. The record is an effortless blend of Doom, Post-Metal, Heavy Metal, Prog Metal, Ambient Metal and Stoner Metal for a journey that has complex cinematic quality throughout. Observers channel “Video Game” narrative for this record but allow the true Heavy Metal dynamics to do their thing with surreal moments of intense Post-Metal quality.

The whole sound aligns more closely to a grounded level compared to the COSMIC surroundings of their debut album. The music is more frantic and action packed with Observers delving into a frenzied style Prog Metal with an intense Heavy Metal presence emerging from the stunning opening tracks of The Emerald, The Eye Tree and Forest Of Doom. Sometimes the mood can be too flashy but it works for the overall story of the album.

The instrumental work is dominated by a great “DOOM & GLOOM” atmosphere with flashes of Ambient Metal allowing Observers to bring in other areas of the ROCK/METAL spectrum. Adding small pockets of Folk Rock and Post-Rock gives a more emotional sound especially within the haunting third track of Forest Of Doom that has elements of OPETH and Animal As Leaders transforming the Post-Metal energy quite suddenly.

The Emerald relies heavily on synths and dramatic soundscapes which expertly builds up the tension but also allows the record to breathe and grow naturally for the story to move onto its highly dramatic conclusion. Observers hit upon every corner of the Doom, Post-Rock and Post-Metal landscape throughout the album with gloomy passages having a deeply emotional core when moving the different time frames of Eighties Heavy Metal and modern day instrumental music.

Other standout tracks on the album to check out are: Asterophora, Predestination, Boreal World and Voices Within which contain the heaviest, gloomiest and epic guitar shredding moments on the entire record.  

Observers have released another standout collection of tracks that does something wholly original and superbly cinematic with the Instrumental Doom Metal scene. 

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Good Boy PR for the details.

The Emerald is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Bleeding Antlers - Songs Of Praise (Album Review)

Release Date: August 22nd 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Songs Of Praise - Tracklist

1.The Devil of Mariazell

2.Meet me in the woods at midnight

3.Blue Jeans

4.When the Sun Bursts

5.The ghost of Oliver Reed

6.Fimbulwinter

7.Crooked Lines

Members

Simon Bismarck (Vocals)

Good Luke (Guitar)

Prince Ben (Bass)

Ghost Pete (Drums, BV)

Ren Ashlea (BV, Blue. Jeans)

Review

Songs Of Praise is the second album from Psychedelic Doom Metallers Bleeding Antlers and it’s not what I expected at all with the band adding levels of Stoner Metal, Groove Metal, Sleaze Rock and some unorthodox Alternative melodies into their music. Bleeding Antlers feel inspired mostly by the likes of Candlemass, Pallbearer and Type O Negative but that only tells a brief part of the story they develop throughout the album.

There’s some highly dramatic, over the top and superbly epic that comes across with each individual track that allows Bleeding Antlers to forge a classic Traditional Doom Metal sound before applying modern day soundscapes into the mix. The record is deliciously dark with the lyrics and excellent vocals delivered by Simon Bismarck with great backing vocals appearing from Ghost Pete and Ren Ashlea.

The Post-Gothic dynamics becomes one of the album's main strengths especially within the standout tracks of Meet Me In The Woods At Midnight and Blues Jeans which have an obsessive Folk Rock trajectory dominating almost everything being played. You can hear the Type O Negative influence taking hold as the DOOM & GLOOM sound becomes quite emotional with some sinister lyrics emerging from the darkness. The album is quite leftfield with the gloomy atmospherics and frenzied grooves that can be quite distorted which was another cool surprise when listening to the album.

Bleeding Antlers experiment with their sound once more with traces of Alt Metal, Industrial Rock, Gothic Rock and Post-Punk appearing which just adds a whole layer of SLEAZE on tracks such as: When The Sun Bursts, The Ghost Of Oliver Reed and Crooked Lines. There is also a great style of subversive humour that’s been added to this record despite the serious tone of the record. It's good to see Bleeding Antlers having fun and letting the listener in on the joke especially with the album title.

For folks not in the know. Songs Of Praise is a long running British TV Show which is best described below from Wikipedia:

“A religious programme that presents Christian hymns, worship songs and inspirational performances in churches of varying denominations from around the UK alongside interviews and stories reflecting how Christian faith is lived out.”

However, Bleeding Antlers are quite serious with their music and they deliver some intense and highly majestic Doom Metal melodies that bridges the gap between Classic, Traditional and Modern Day themes with first rate delivery. This allows Songs Of Praise to be a thrilling record that offers a high momentum of great grooves and spellbinding sounds from start to finish. 

Bleeding Antlers are the real deal and this record only proves this point time and time again.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Bleeding Antlers and Metal Devastation Radio PR for the promo.

Songs Of Praise is available to buy now on Digital Download.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

ZEMETRAS - ZEMETRAS (Album Review)

Release Date: August 08th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

ZEMETRAS - Tracklist

1.Kto Vie Viac o Smrti 05:40

2.Misky Váh 05:27

 3.Ruky od Krvi 06:36

4.Skús Nezabudnúť 05:44

5.Beda Mi 01:50

6.Soľ a Prach 05:03

7.Súd 05:38

Members

Lukas - guitar / founder

Miyia – bass guitar

Adela – vocals

Vanes – drums

Martin – second guitar

Review

ZEMETRAS self titled debut album is drenched in fuzz, distortion and grimy Psychedelic energy which channels an epic style of modern Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal sounds that have a haunting and tortured delivery to them. Taking inspiration from the likes of Windhand, Electric Wizard, Monolord and YOB this record has ZEMETRAS singing in their native Slovak language which doesn’t diminish the whole emotionally charged journey of the album at all.

ZEMETRAS have added the English Song Titles and lyrics over on their BandCamp Page which I read whilst listening to the album. That was quite a surreal experience as the lyrics gives you a deeper and personal insight into what the band are actually saying especially within the excellent opening track Kto Vie Viac o Smrti (Who Knows More Of Death). The music is superb with ZEMETRAS developing and playing aggressive slabs of FUZZED OUT DOOM with that massive wall of Amplified Sound that cause minor damage to your hearing.

ZEMETRAS play their music with a committed style of LOW & SLOW based delivery which allows an aggressive level of melody of rhythm to be played with small areas of progressive attitude to form in the background. The excellent vocals from Adela are very full on with a dedicated gritty performance throughout the whole journey.

There’s a violent sense of distorted sounds being broken down into individual pieces of psychedelic energy which has a sudden shift into Sludge Rock/Metal which allows ZEMETRAS to experiment with their music multiple times and still sound remarkably fresh on tracks such as: Misky Váh, Ruky od Krvi, Skús Nezabudnúť, Soľ a Prach and Súd.

ZEMETRAS are not afraid to apply Post-Doom and Psychedelic soundscapes into their music that offers a cerebral Spaced Out attitude on the later stages of the record. There’s some excellent instrumental solos where you feel ZEMETRAS have studied the modern Heavy Rock underground scene thoroughly and taken the best aspects before changing into their own musical image. It’s a bold strategy that pays off huge dividends for ZEMETRAS as there’s some wonderful cinematic sounding grooves where the music becomes even deceptively heavier which left me mightily impressed. 

This is a must have record for the committed Doom/Stoner Metal fan who love their music full of FUZZED OUT attitude with violent outbursts of DISTORTED energy dictating the whole musical journey that will leave you wholly satisfied and brilliantly at peace with the world.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

BandCamp | Instagram

Besvärjelsen - Till Glömskan Ad Oblivionem (Album Review)

Release Date: August 28th 2026. Record Label: Magnetic Eye Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Till Glömskan Ad Oblivionem - Tracklist

1.The Greatest Sin

2.Accelerating Hearts

3.Battles

4.Counting Flies

5.Drifters on a Quiet Stream 

6.The Mountain

7.Pulse

8.Interlude

9.Didn't Come to Party 

10.Black Wave

11.Oblivion

Members

Lea Amling Alazam – vocals

Staffan Vinrot – guitars, vocals (& accordion, violin, keys, keyed fiddle)

Andreas Bajer – guitars, vocals

Erik Bäckwall – drums

Marcus Lindqvist – bass

Review

Doom/Stoner Metallers Besvärjelsen return with their third full length album Till Glömskan Ad Oblivionem and the band are on FIRE exploring their own great style of Forest Rock. A great take on the standard Desert Rock sound but Besvärjelsen add a grounded Mountain Rock vibe into their music. It’s not exactly Appalachian based but it’s fuelled by NORDIC passion. 

Besvärjelsen transform their music into a heavier dimension which comes across very early on within the excellent batch of opening tracks of THe Greatest Sin, Accelerating Hearts and Battles which is one of the strongest collections of tracks I’ve heard to open an album within a very long time. As Besvärjelsen fully set the scene for the album with massive stadium sized grooves and heartfelt vocals to match. The real standout from the very start is the emotional delivery from Lea Amling Alazam who has never been better with excellent support from Staffan Vinrot and Andreas Bajer along the way. 

The album does have a gloomy Grunge and Sludge based aspect which remains grounded and brilliantly heavy with flashes of Psychedelic Doom showing you that Besvärjelsen mean business with levels of that intense “Forest Rock” transforming into a great style of Meditative Doom Metal with echoes of Classic Blues Rock and vintage Hard Rock giving way into a subtle Heavy Metal presence. 

There’s levels of great distortion and amplified feedback with instances of pure soul that develops into wonderful sounding instrumental sounds that even bring a foreboding style of Prog Metal into the mix that channels the likes of Mastodon and Baroness along the way. One of the other main things that stands out on the record is the exquisite and emotionally charged lyrics which pull no punches throughout the album perhaps on tracks The Greatest Sin, Battles, Drifters On A Quiet Stream, The Mountain, Didn’t Come To Party and Oblivion. 

Till Glömskan Ad Oblivionem is everything you want and wholly expect for a modern day Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal record. As on this form alone, Besvärjelsen can easily aim for the same great heights that King Buffalo and Howling Giant have achieved recently. This record has that similar type of emotionally charged and uplifting energy those bands are known for. 

Besvärjelsen are continuously finding new ways of developing their own great blend of Heavy Psychedelic music with some detours into Sludge Rock, Shoegaze and Occult Metal which gives this album a highly unexpected and sometimes slightly unorthodox style. This is one of my favourite things about the whole album as you don’t know what to expect with certain individual sections of the record. 

I’m ashamed to say this is my first time reviewing Besvärjelsen on the blog and I have no excuse for missing their other two superb records as they’re bloody brilliant in their own right as well. However, Till Glömskan Ad Oblivionem is the record that sealed the deal for me. This record has a fearless attitude that allows the band to deliver one of the best Heavy Psychedelic records of the year. 

Till Glömskan Ad Oblivionem is an absolute joy to fully experience with it’s non-stop style of classic tracks throughout. Besvärjelsen have delivered the goods with this album and I recommend to everyone to add this to your record collection at the very earliest opportunity. 

Awesome. End Of.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to All Noir PR and Magnetic Eye Records for the promo.

Till Glömskan Ad Oblivionem is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Magnetic Eye Records.

Links

www.facebook.com/besvarjelsen
www.instagram.com/besvarjelsen

https://besvarjelsen.bandcamp.com/

Doom/Heavy Metallers EARLY MOODS Announce Third Album READY FOR THE GRAVE. Produced By Toshi Kasai (Melvins, TOOL). Pre-Order Available Now

Elements of the past, present, and future coalesce within the spell cast by Early Moods.
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The Los Angeles band channel the sludge-born spirits of seminal doom metal and beckon them to attack even faster with a jolt of NWOBHM guitar-craft and a twist of thrash attitude. The quintet—Alberto Alcaraz [vocals, keys], Oscar Hernandez [guitar], Eddie Andrade [guitar], Elix Felciano [bass], and Chris Flores [drums]—transfix with otherworldly transmissions of cosmic and catchy heaviness.
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After years of meticulously shaping a signature style, they clearly and confidently perfect their vision on 2026’s Ready For The Grave.
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“Our sound is more honed,” notes Elix. “We’ve found our identity. I think it takes a couple of albums for most bands. This record isn’t too far removed from what we’ve done in the past, but the songwriting has certainly matured. You can hear the chemistry. You can feel the mood changes in specific songs and all of the dynamics. It’s really alive.”
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During 2026, they recorded Ready For The Grave at Cyan Sound Studio with producer Toshi Kasai [Melvins, Tool]. He invariably inspired them to level up.
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Pre-order - Early Moods - Ready For The Grave from RidingEasy Records

Listen To Early Moods - Ready For The Grave

Links

BandCamp | Instagram

BLACK ROYAL - Finnish Death-Sludge Quartet Return with New Single and Album on M-THEORY AUDIO

Following the release of their critically acclaimed 2022 album Earthbound, Finnish death-sludge powerhouse Black Royal return with their crushing new single, 'Drown the Seaweed', the first taste of their forthcoming album Abyssian, due this October via M-Theory Audio.

Continuing to refine their devastating blend of sludge metal and the icy ferocity of Scandinavian death metal, Black Royal have forged a sound that is both punishing and immersive. Often described as a collision between Crowbar and Entombed, with Behemoth and Mastodon waiting in the wings, the band deliver a sonic assault that balances crushing heaviness with cinematic atmosphere.

Formed in Tampere, Finland in 2013, Black Royal have established themselves as one of Finland's most formidable heavy acts. Following two acclaimed EPs, their 2018 debut Lightbringer earned widespread praise and appeared on numerous year-end lists thanks to its giant riffs and primal groove. Their sophomore album, Firebride (2020), further sharpened the band's identity, combining suffocating heaviness with memorable hooks and dynamic songwriting. With Earthbound (2022), their first release through M-Theory Audio, the band reached new creative heights, delivering a confident record that balanced aggression with melody while showcasing their continued evolution.

Speaking about the new single, the band explain: "‘Drown the Seaweed’ was born from the idea of crafting something ethereal and weightless – a sonic landscape that drifts like morning mist across a quiet summer lake. As the track unfolds, it dives deeper, with the C section and guitar solos pulling the listener beneath the surface into darker, more immersive waters. The result is a beautifully melancholic piece, balancing atmosphere with a memorable, hook-driven chorus that lingers long after the song fades."

Drawing inspiration from the ancient mystery and power of water, the song explores the world beneath the surface. A realm long associated with fear, reverence and unseen forces. Calm seas and violent storms can prove fatal, serving as a reminder that nature demands respect and that those who underestimate its power may face a cruel fate.

Atmospheric, cinematic and steeped in myth, 'Drown the Seaweed' is accompanied by a striking video created by Markus Vähäaho of RAW•ART Creations, featuring actress Julia Koskimies. The track was recorded with producer Arttu Sarvanne at Studio Watercastle, mixed by Jussi Kulomaa at Metal Mixing and mastered by Jaakko Viitalähde at Virtalähde Mastering. Written by Black Royal, the single encapsulates the band's vision, embracing crushing heaviness, evocative melody and immersive atmosphere in equal measure.

With Abyssian set for release this October, Black Royal continues to push deeper into darker, more atmospheric territory while expanding an already formidable sonic palette. 'Drown the Seaweed' offers a powerful first glimpse of the album's scope and ambition, reaffirming the band's position as one of Finland's most compelling and uncompromising heavy acts.

New album Abyssian is out 30th October 2026 on M-Theory​ Audio | Pre-Order

Links

Bandcamp | Facebook | Web | Instagram

Thanks to Sheltered Life PR for the details.

Vordermann - Feeding On Fireworks (EP Review)

Release Date: August 27th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Feeding On Fireworks - Tracklist

Ego Gland

The Salem Shake

Something Sacred Something Terrible

Members

Alex Bennett - Synths

Peter Hill - Guitars

Matthew Jones - Percussion & Vocals

Philip Malpass - Guitar & Vocals

Joe Palmer - Guitar & Vocals

Review

Feeding On Fireworks is the next exciting chapter from Alt-Rock/Post-Rock/Sludge Rockers Vordermann who released their acclaimed debut EP Feeding On Flowers back in March 2025. Vordermann continue with a similar musical and creative scope outlined on that great release with uplifting Doom-Pop surroundings that once again demonstrates a wealth of musical influences ranging from TORCHE, HUM, MASTODON and THE MELVINS.

The record opens with gloriously uplifting and easy going track Ego Gland which has a soulful Psychedelic Post-Rock energy where the sludgy guitars form a sweet natured drive with superb vocals to match. This is a song that has different areas of HEAVY ROCK forming with Vordermann moving into slightly Ambient based waters with a sudden influx of PELICAN based melodies being played on fthe later stages of the track before returning to the Post-Stoner Rock grooves that are being used for the first time.

Second song The Salem Shake is a slightly different vibe with Vordermann adding a Post-Doom vibe with little traces of Gothic imagery especially with the vocals and eerie synths. You can even detect some classic ELO (Electric Light Orchestra) and King Crimson melodies forming and even the vocals aligning themselves to the arena of Seventies Prog Rock. Though, Vordermann like to tease with audience expectations before laying down their usual blend of fast-paced Sludge/Stoner Metal riffs that have a certain Space Rock momentum to them.

The final track "Something Sacred Something Terrible" opens up with the legendary “Can You See Texas On Your High Horse” speech from the classic TV series - True Detective which sets up the gloomy scene of this track. The song has a stripped back presence with sludgy semi acoustic guitars that offer a despairing style of Americana, Country and Doom-Pop soundscapes which is some of the best music I’ve heard from Vordermann yet. The track is unapologetically solitary before the band explore the finer details of the Sludge, Doom and Stoner Metal landscape that also offer the heaviest, finest and most intense sounds on the whole EP.

Feeding On Fireworks is an excellent and even better follow-up to their stunning debut EP which sees Vordermann mature into better songwriters and storytellers which bodes well for their future releases. I’m hoping their next release is their debut album as this EP is too damn short and I wanted to hear more music from this hugely talented outfit. 

If Vordermann continues with this musical journey and keeps creating superb records as Feeding On Flowers and Feeding On Fireworks then these guys are on the right path for a very distinguished and highly rewarding career within the underground scene and beyond.

Words by Steve Howe

Feeding On Fireworks will be available to buy on digital download from all good digital stockists from August 27th 2026.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram | Beacons