Saturday, 11 April 2026

ORGAN - Immobilism (Album Review)

Release Date: April 08th 2026. Record Label: Invisible Order Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Immobilism - Tracklisting

1.TENEBRISM 08:57

2.CONFESSOR 06:53

3.DEVOURING 06:18

4.DOGMA 08:03

5.INACCESSIBLE 09:04


Members


Alessandro Brun - Guitar

Alessandro Scriminich - Guitar

Alessandro De Pellegrin - Bass

Giulio Fabbro - Drums


Review


Immobilism is the third album from Instrumental Post-Metallers ORGAN where they demonstrate a wealth of intense Doom & Gloom surroundings that manifests into a bleak cinematic style of music drawing upon the likes of PELICAN, RUSSIAN CIRCLES, MASTODON and BONGRIPPER in the most of unexpected of places. With a brooding progressive sound that develops into stripped back soundscapes with small moments of Psychedelic and Kinetic musical energy transforms into a heavier and aggressive sound that comes fully into focus on the excellent opening track of Tenebrism.


There’s a sense of HORROR that you can feel throughout the album and some of the song titles give that impression that allows the listener to fully get accustomed to the dark musical surroundings that ORGAN brings to the party. The music is painfully slow and opaque at the best of the times but the droned out and distorted environment instantly takes hold with violent Ambient textures forming that allows ORGAN to experiment with a more “OUT OF THIS WORLD” sound that becomes quite “LOVECRAFTIAN” in places. The Post-Rock vibes transform into areas of Post-Doom and almost Post-Black Metal atmospherics especially on tracks such as Confessor, Devouring and Dogma delivering some of the most thought-provoking sounds on the whole album.


The album is painfully slow which allows the listener to fully take in the dark progressive themes, melodies and sudden shifts into vast areas of cerebral Post-Metal grooves that leave you questioning your own reality. ORGAN undergo a creative shift on the later stages of the record which allows brief pockets of Stoner Metal, Post-Hardcore and Noise Rock to suddenly appear that gives Immobilism a deeply unpredictable grounded energy. 


Immobilism works best when it merges twisted reality and nightmarish based soundscapes for a record that feels inspired by the films of David Cronenberg, David Lynch and Dario Argento with a free-flowing soundtrack narrative being one of the best aspects that I’ve taken away from the whole album. Every note is played superbly with ORGAN proving what great musicians they actually are especially compared to their outstanding 2018 album Eterno.


ORGAN have delivered a uniquely dark take on the realm of Instrumental Post-Metal that perhaps leaves many questions unanswered but you can’t deny the whole incredible audio and gloomy sonic experience the album fully delivers with real dramatic intent. 


Excellent and Highly Recommended.


Words by Steve Howe


Links 


Facebook | BandCamp


Manali - Manali (Album Review)

Release Date: April 17th 2026. Record Label: Vinyltroll Records and Virkelighedsfjern. Formats: DD/Vinyl

MANALI - Tracklisting

1.In This Body - 11:48

2.Sinful - 07:47

3.Mary - 15:37


Members


Mikkel Hansen - Guitar

Sammy Jagdev - Bass

Pætter Wollesen - Synth/Vox

Tommy Skouboe - Drums


Review


Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metallers Manali self-titled debut album is one that fully met my initial expectations and instantly became part of daily musical ritual over the last month or so ever since I received a copy to review. The album is one that stands on its own creative merits with Manali actually doing something new and highly original with their own great style of Spaced Out Doom merged with instances of Psych, Sludge and Stoner Metal. 


With a sound inspired by the likes of UFOMAMMUT, Belzebong, Monolord and Slomatics, this album has quite a dark approach in how Manali explores their cosmic themes and trippy surroundings. The level of great detail applied to the areas of Drone, Ambient and Cosmic sounds have a rich identity of their own. The music can be quite warped with Manali taking their time bringing a standard sense of melody and musical composition to the album. 


The vocals from Pætter Wollesen only appear when they’re fully needed with Manali focusing upon the instrumental movements for most of this album. The world-weary synths and distorted melodies start to form at the very beginning with a violent psychedelic LOW & SLOW approach being Manali’s main weapon of choice to impress listeners with.


If you’re a fan of the classic UFOMAMMUT album EVE then Manali takes a similar approach with the band developing haunting apocalyptic sludgy excursions into droned out heaviness especially within the thrilling opening track In This Body. The whole record has a highly unapologetic and raw aesthetic that allows the music to be uncomfortably and organically real as possible with Manali pulling no punches in how they deliver their music. This allows the listener to be fully transported into Manali’s dark COSMIC world where’s a few unexpected hidden violent instrumental passages along the way. 


The other tracks Sinful and Mary allow Manali to develop heavier, violent and more cosmic inducing grooves that slowly take over your whole being, especially within Sinful. As they have less time to interact with the listener here and play a more direct style of Psychedelic Sludge/Stoner Metal. The Ambient Metal soundscapes remind of MONOLORD and SLOMATICS along the way but it’s the “less is more” approach with the vocals, progressive sounds and space rock passages that allows Sinful perhaps be my favourite track on the whole album.


Though the final track Mary contains the heaviest and aggressive sounds of the album though it doesn’t start that way. As Manali opens with a Post-Stoner and Post-Doom melody that soon transforms into something really poetic and beautifully real.  Manali keeps exploring and expanding this musical into other areas of Space Rock and Psychedelic landscapes. However, the band always allow themselves the perfect opportunity to add different levels of distorted measurement to the album which left me in quite a musical trance and blissful state of mind. The mood is quite violent and unpredictable at the best of times but there’s a brooding style of psychedelic energy that really impressed a great deal. 


Manali’s debut album really is a masterclass of modern day Spaced Out Heaviness that spoke huge volumes to me on a personal and emotional level. It’s hard to explain but when albums like this make an emotional connection to me then it’s these types of albums that I know I’ll be listening to over and over again in the years to come. 


Words by Steve Howe


Thanks to Audible PR for the promo.


Manali self-titled debut album is available to buy now on Digital Formats and Vinyl via Vinyltroll Records and Virkelighedsfjern.


Links 


https://linktr.ee/manaliband
https://www.facebook.com/Manalidoom/
https://www.instagram.com/manali.band/
https://manali-band.bandcamp.com/

Psych Stoner Rockers Hell Valley High Returns With New Single “Futile” And Announce New Album In The Works


Dutch heavy rockers Hell Valley High return with a brand new standalone single, “Futile”, out now via Argonauta Records. Listen here: 


The track marks the band’s first new material since its acclaimed debut Welcome to Hell Valley and delivers a powerful and timely message through its signature mix of groove-driven heaviness, roaring vocals and massive riffs.

The band comments:

“At times it seems that conflict is a necessary part of the human experience. Sometimes we find ourselves thinking that we’ll never learn. Songs like ‘Masters of War’ and ‘War Pigs’ paint pictures that seem every bit as relevant today as they did when they first came out. This song, ‘Futile’, seeks to contribute to an awareness regarding the issues of modern war and the price that’s being paid by those who partake in it. We do this the best way we know how, with thundering drums, distorted guitars and roaring vocals. Make riffs not war.”


At the same time, Hell Valley High confirms that a new full-length album is currently in the works. The band will enter the studio in September 2026 with renowned producer Pieter Kloos, known for his work with Motorpsycho, Dool, Komatsu, 7Zuma7, and The Devil’s Blood.

To support this new chapter, the band will perform a series of live shows across The Netherlands, including an appearance at Offroad, the official complementary program of Roadburn.

Upcoming live dates:


17.04.26 Tilburg, Offroad at Roadburn
02.05.26 Coevorden, MFC w/ Midhaven
30.05.26 Eindhoven, Bridge Guitar Festival
03.06.26 Den Bosch, Willem Twee Poppodium w/ Howling Giant

Released in October 2024 via Argonauta Records, Welcome to Hell Valley established the band as a rising force in the European heavy scene. The album received strong support from major media outlets and led to shows alongside Fu Manchu, Nashville Pussy, Bokassa and Planet Of Zeus, as well as festival appearances at Desertfest Antwerp and Interstellar Solar Fest.

Blending heavy rock, stoner and grunge, Hell Valley High delivers a sound built on thick riffs, pounding rhythms and memorable hooks, drawing inspiration from Truckfighters, Red Fang, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Karma to Burn, Kyuss and Monster Magnet.

With “Futile”, the band opens a new chapter and offers a first glimpse into what promises to be a bold and uncompromising new album.

For more info:


Thanks to Grand Sounds Promotion for the details.

Thursday, 9 April 2026

The Lumberjack Feedback return with “Sword of the Sun”, a crushing new single-track digital EP


Argonauta Records proudly welcomes back French instrumental post-metal force The Lumberjack Feedback with “Sword of the Sun”, a new EP built around a single, monumental track, available exclusively in digital format.

Listen now: https://tidal.com/album/511312900/u

Designed as a focused and uncompromising sonic statement, “Sword of the Sun” pushes the band further into darker and heavier territories. Massive riffs, oppressive rhythms and relentless intensity drive a composition that unfolds like a slow, inevitable confrontation. Stripping away excess, the band channels everything into one powerful piece, delivering a short yet deeply impactful experience.

The EP embodies the idea of standing alone against adversity, where the “Sword of the Sun” becomes a symbol of raw strength and survival, cutting through chaos with determination.

This new release follows “The Stronghold”, released via Argonauta Records in April 2024, which showcased the band’s signature blend of crushing heaviness, dual drumming and hypnotic atmospheres, further establishing their place in the international post-metal scene.

Formed in France in 2008, The Lumberjack Feedback have built a strong identity through instrumental compositions that merge sludge, doom and post-rock influences into immersive and emotionally charged soundscapes.

For fans of: Pelican, Boris, Monkey3, Gojira, Caspian, Neurosis, Russian Circles

Cover art by Francois Andries https://www.instagram.com/fr_andries

INFO:

https://www.facebook.com/thelumberjackfeedbackband
https://www.facebook.com/ArgonautaRecords


Thanks to Grand Sounds Promotion for the details.

Cult Of Occult - I Have No Name (Album Review)

Release Date: March 31st 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl/Tape

I Have No Name - Tracklisting

1.I Have No Heart 13:18

2.I Have No Limbs 15:05

3.I Have No Companion 05:56

4.I Have No Tongue 03:56

5.I Have No Soul 15:44

6.I Have No End 16:51


Review


I Have No Name is the fifth album from Doom/Sludge/Post-Metallers Cult Of Occult and this is the first time I’ve featured them on the blog in over a decade or so. I honestly thought I reviewed their other albums since then as I’m a huge fan of their droned out and nihilistic vision. This time round the band offer an epic and bleak slice of Blackened Doom Metal that’s merged with Drone, Sludge and Post-Metal sensibilities.


The album lasts over seventy minutes across six tracks where Cult Of Occult perfect a violent style of twisted SONIC precision that brings a dark violent style of music that pays homage to the likes of EYEHATEGOD, THOU, SUNN 0))), SUMAC and NEURORIS. 


There feels like a neverending sense of filth and decay that’s set against a violent style of Progressive Metal which appears throughout the whole record. The brutal vocals move between sick growls and harsh delivery though they’re quite easy to understand for the most part.


All of the tracks start with the term “I Have No” which allows Cult Of Occult to show their complete hatred and distrust with almost everything around them in the modern world. The music is constantly moving to new levels of distorted hysteria which is pitched perfectly within the two epic opening tracks of I Have No Heart and I Have No Limbs.


These two tracks set out the whole mission statement for the album where everything is played with soul crushing melodies and bleak oppression appearing within the psychedelic and droned out surroundings the band wisely use a weapon of choice to power the message home to everyone who is brave enough to listen to the album


The LOW & SLOW creative movement allows Cult Of Cult to transform into a Blackened Post-Metal monster on tracks such as I Have No Limbs, I Have No Compassion, I Have No Tongue and I Have No End. The sheer level of misery and pure violent carnage that Cult Of Occult constructs with each singular track is quite a technical marvel. As they bring a highly original style of Extreme Metal to their music that solidifies the band as one of the best and heaviest metal bands to emerge from the French underground scene over the last fifteen years or so.


If you’re expecting moments of uplifting musical passages or cinematic surroundings then you’ll surely be disappointed as that’s not Cult Of Occult’s style. The lyrics are quite shocking at times with the violent vocals adding a layer of sheer brutality that will haunt your nightmares for a long time to come. Though, the best part of the album is how the band merges different areas of Sludge, Doom, Post-Metal, Psych and Prog Metal and transforms them into a violent apocalyptic style of pure BLACK METAL CHAOS that leaves you begging for more punishment. 


Sure, the music can be very long and drawn out at times but it’s done with real intent and purpose which allows I Have No Name to become a highly unmissable record especially if you're a dedicated follower of the EXTREME METAL scene. Cult Of Occult have once again delivered the goods with a spectacular record that can only be described as “ESSENTIAL LISTENING”.


Epic. End Of.


Words by Steve Howe


Links 


Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram


Gjenferd - BLISS (Single Review)

Release Date: April 10th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

BLISS - Tracklisting

BLISS


Members


Vegard Bachmann Strand, guitars, vocals

Jakob Særvoll, keys, vocals

Samuel Robson Gardner, bass guitar

Sivert Kleiven Larsen, drums


Review


Proto Doom/Stoner Rockers Gjenferd have just recently released their acclaimed second album Black Smoke Rising and a month later they’re releasing their latest single BLISS which doesn’t even appear on the album. The track itself could have easily appeared anywhere on that great record with Gjenferd employing a classic style of Blues Rock, Hard Rock and Proto-Doom sensibilities with some KICK-ASS organs levelling the musical playing field for the band to impress listeners with.


Maybe, it’s just me but I can easily hear traces of the “MISSION IMPOSSIBLE” theme tune appearing from time to time. That could be down to the new medication I’m currently on but that vibe is still there. However, back to serious business, Gjenferd once again feel like they're inspired by the likes of The Who, Led Zepp, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Blue Cheer for this track which is set against some classic Proto-Metal melodies and certain prog rock structures.


The lyrics and vocals are quite “OCCULT ROCK” obsessive once more which was a major part of Black Smoke Rising. Gjenferd plays a very fast-paced and highly aggressive style of music which even allows strands of Post-Stoner and Heavy Psych to appear from time to time. BLISS is an all out assault on the CLASSIC ROCK SENSES with Gjenferd taking a NO HOLDS BARRED approach with their music that should instantly satisfy their fan base until they release some other new material in the near future.


Excellent and Highly Recommended.


Words by Steve Howe


You can buy BLISS from the following link: https://orcd.co/gjenferdbliss


Links 


Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram


PSYCH/SPACE/STONER ROCKERS ROBOT GOD ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM "ONTO THE AFTERLIFE " - OUT MAY 1ST


Sydney heavy psychedelic rock force Robot God announce the release of their long awaited new album Onto the Afterlife, arriving May 1st. This album channels towering riffs, hypnotic rhythms, and expansive atmospheres into a journey that explores mortality, rebirth, and the mysteries that lies beyond the unknown.

Recorded at The Grove Studios in September 2025, Onto the Afterlife captures the band at their most focused and ferocious, blending crushing riffs, hypnotic grooves, and cosmic atmosphere into a powerful statement of intent, with a sound that sits comfortably alongside the modern heavy psychedelic and doom underground while pushing the band’s evolving identity forward. Onto the Afterlife is an album designed to be experienced from start to finish, a full ritual, immersive, emotional, and unapologetically loud.

Onto the Afterlife” will be released on vinyl through Kozmik Artifactz, renowned for championing underground heavy music worldwide, with distribution in the US via Glory or Death Records and Canada handled by Black Throne Productions, ensuring the record reaches listeners across the international stoner, doom, and psychedelic rock community.

In the lead-up to the release, Robot God have released two singles that offer a glimpse into the album’s scope and energy. The title track Onto the Afterlife sets the tone with a slow burning, cinematic rise into massive, immersive heaviness, while follow up single Soldier of Love reveals another dimension of the record, blending emotional intensity with massive riffs and anthemic power.

With growing momentum from recent releases and an expanding audience across streaming platforms and live shows, Robot God are positioning Onto the Afterlife as their most ambitious and fully realised work to date. Fuelled by relentless creativity, Robot God will also unleash a second album titled Curse of the Driven, in the second half of 2026. Two new albums, one year, Robot God are firing on all cylinders.

Artist: Robot God
Album: Onto the Afterlife
Release Date: May 1st, 2026
Formats: Vinyl and Digital
Vinyl: Kozmik Artifactz & Black Throne Productions
Genre: Heavy / Psychedelic / Doom Rock

Tracklist:

A1 Soldier Of Love – 6:40
A2 Onto The Afterlife – 6:03
A3 Cerebral Annihilation – 8:56
B1 I Am The Night – 11:14
B2 Long Goodbye – 8:19


Robot God are:

Matt Allen - Bass,Vocals & Synth
Raff Iacurto - Guitar, Vocals & Synth
Tim Pritchard - Drums & Synth

Robot God Links:

Bandcamp | Youtube | Facebook | Spotify


Thanks to Robot God and Kozmik Artifactz for the details.