Modder - Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun (Album Review)

Release Date: October 03rd 2025. Record Label: Consouling Sounds / Lay Bare Recordings . Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun - Tracklisting

1.Stone Eternal

2.Mather 

3.Type 27

4.Mutant Body Double

5.Chaoism

6.In The Sun

Members

Mathlovsky

Gregory Simons

Maurice van der Es

Simon Felix

Jamal Talibi

Review.

Instrumental Doom/Sludge Metallers MODDER destroyed my whole world with their epic 2023 album The Great Liberation Through Hearing which became my favourite instrumental album of that year. I’m pleased to say the band may have achieved that honour again with their brutally heavy and groove addicted masterpiece that is Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun. This album follows the same destructive path as that album but gives it more Grind, Industrial and Electronic based charges with impressive technical melodies being added for a different kind of sound as well.

Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun doesn’t follow a simple creative linear with MODDER deconstructing their own musical legacy that they’ve built with their last two albums and then reshaping into something wholly different with a more primal attitude delving into harsh SONIC outbursts of EXTREME metal at times.

This sound is already fully formed and primed to explode within the stunning opening track Stone Eternal where MODDER welcomes the listener into their superbly horrifying world with dark Sludge Metal melodies and harsh Industrial landscapes. The sudden emergence of Psych, Cosmic and Electronica beats just pushes the whole Grind/Thrash attitude of MODDER’s sound into something groundbreaking and original within its own right.

Second track Mather continues with that aggressive and melodic style of music that could easily have appeared on their previous album. The sudden Thrash/Grind/Groove Metal beats pushes the Doom/Sludge Metal narrative into the background at times but this is still absolutely thrilling to experience with MODDER embracing a nightmarish style of Industrial Metal before embracing their Psych/Doom/Sludge Metal heritage. The sound is more direct here with pounding instrumental passages feeling like you’re being hit over the head with Thor’s legendary hammer MJONHIR. 

The highly collective use of Ambient sounds and Electronic glitches makes a welcome return from the last MODDER record but with a haunting Post-Rock energy holding everything together before MODDER explodes into violent musical one upmanship against each other. There are times where you think each individual band member is battling each other for musical domination and creative supremacy but still having that sublime “WORKING TOGETHER” momentum fully fleshed out at the same time.

Third track Type 27 allows MODDER to enter a world of Mastodon based Post-Doom/Post-Sludge passages before “KICKING OFF” yet again with another foray into complex metal breakdowns with a thrilling Progressive Sludge Metal narrative forming. The sound is equally vibrant and brutally dark with MODDER performing one of the most technically accomplished sounds I’ve heard from them. The haunting Post-Rock melodies offer a brief sense of humanity and emotion to MODDER’s core but that’s soon wrapped away with a daring style of Progressive Stoner Metal rhythms that once again sees the band redefine their sound and we’re just only half way through the album.

The second half of the album is equally brutal, weird, hypnotic and brilliantly original as the first half with MODDER exploring their more Primal side on tracks Mutant Body Double and In The Sun. The music becomes a bit more experimental but MODDER never loses sight of what made them such a great band in the first place. However, it’s the most unexpected quieter moments that appear within the heavier parts of the album that make Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun such a soulful and beautiful record to listen to.

Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun is without doubt the best instrumental album of the year with MODDER showcasing highly original sounds of their very own making. MODDER are perhaps becoming my favourite Instrumental Metal band which is down to their unique musical perspective and breaking new ground in delivering new styles of extreme heaviness to the genre but still remaining completely TRUE to the absolute scene as well.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Viral Propaganda PR for the promo.

Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl from the links below:

Consouling Sounds

Lay Bare Recordings

 

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Cosmic Reaper - Bleed The Wicked, Drown The Damned (Album Review)

Release Date: September 26th 2025. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Bleed The Wicked, Drown The Damned - Tracklisting

1. Hammer

2. Bloodfeather

3. Pot Of Gold

4. Parasites

5. Dwelling

6. Perfect Organism

7. Bones

8. Waiting by the Gallows

Members

Thad Collis - Vocals / Guitar

Peter Snasdell - Guitar

Garrett Garlington - Bass

Jeremy Grobsmith - Drums

Review.

Doom/Stoner Metallers Cosmic Reaper return with their latest album Bleed The Wicked, Drown The Damned which sees the band become master practitioners of the Proto-Metal world with their sound playing homage to the likes of Black Sabbath, Saint Vitus, Candlemass and Pentagram. What makes Cosmic Reaper standout is their foray into areas of Psych, Space and Cosmic pastures with certain elements of Alt Metal and Grunge to give their sound quite a destructive and distinctive quality.

This time round Cosmic Reaper performs with a mature storytelling aspect compared to their celebrated debut album with tales of horror and science fiction that allows the album to be quite fantastical and horror obsessive at the best possible moments. The lyrics have a real blood curling effect with Thad Collis vocals settling firmly into the role of Ringmaster and master storyteller all in one go.

The music itself is destructively heavy and downright gloomy with flashes of aggressive melodies with flashes of MONOLORD-esque FUZZY heaviness injected within the Proto-Doom surroundings of the superbly played opening tracks of Hammer, Bloodfeather and Pot Of Gold. Sludgy guitars can be felt more than ever that allows the excellent rhythm section of Garrett Garlington (Bass) and Jeremy Grobsmith (Drums) generate a pounding and intense Doom Metal ENGINE that really makes Cosmic Reaper actually tick and perform to the best of their musical abilities.

Thad also handles guitar duties along with newest member Peter Snasdell which gives the band a holier than thou METALLIC quality with down-tuned and suitably paced melodies combining for a record that’s ultimately perfect for the upcoming HALLOWEEN season. Cosmic Reaper have found a great balance of NWOBHM based vibes and influences on the other parts of the record that pushes the whole experience into one of SONIC and AUDIO manipulation with FUZZY and VIOLENT amplifier riffage dominating the musical journey on other standout tracks such as Parasites, Dwelling, Bones and Waiting By The Gallows. 

Cosmic Reaper always have an authentic creative energy to their music which allows the band to merge classic sounds of Seventies Heavy Metal  against Nineties Alt Metal/Stoner Metal that always leads to places you don’t initially expect. There’s excursions into areas of Blues Rock which adds a gritty undertone that fully transforms the backdrop of Cosmic/Spaced Out Doom into something with real human emotion.

Bleed The Wicked, Drown The Damned is an emotionally satisfying, thrilling and emotionally charged experience with dangerous LEVELS of FUZZ and GLOOMY instrumental passages that leaves a lasting impression long after the record has finished. 

Cosmic Reaper will no doubt make a bigger name for themselves with this truly outstanding record.

Words by Steve Howe

 

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Bleed The Wicked, Drown The Damned is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds.

Links

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Spotify

Exclusive Album Premiere Of Sludge/Stoner Metallers PIECE Brilliant New Album RAMBLER'S AXE

Rambler’s Axe: Berlin Sludge Band PIECE Sharpen Their Sound on a Crushing Second Album"

Berlin’s PIECE swing back hard with Rambler’s Axe, their second album and heaviest slab yet.

The production strikes a perfect balance between raw, unfiltered intensity and a fuzzy, huge but still punchy sonic landscape that brings out every riff and nuance of PIECE’s intense performance.

Drawing inspiration from the likes of Crowbar, High on Fire, and Eyehategod, PIECE carve out their own path through molten soundscapes and warlike intensity.

Massive down-tuned guitars, cavernous drums, and vocals that howl somewhere between rage and ritual.

Lyrically, the album drifts through myth, violence, and inner ruin — warlike imagery meets personal collapse. Their second album is darker, deeper, and more focused — out Friday 5th of September via This Charming Man Records.

The Berlin-based band delivers a powerful blend of sludge metal, doom, and rock 'n' roll. Inspired by bands like Crowbar, High on Fire, and Eyehategod, they fuse the raw aggression of their members' musical roots in hardcore and punk with the crushing heaviness and riff-driven sound of sludge and heavy metal.

We're excited to premiere the brilliant and hard-hitting new album from PIECE thanks to the great folks over at CZ! Promotions.

Thanks to CZ Promotions for the details.

Rambler's Axe is available to buy on now on DD/Vinyl via This Charming Man Records.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

SISTERS - Wings Of Deliverance (Album Review)

Release Date: August 29th 2025. Record Label: Spartan Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl

Wings Of Deliverance - Tracklisting

1.Wings of Deliverance 01:55 

2.Home Is Where The Heart Is 02:58

3.Peoples Temple 02:22

4.The Angels of Violence 05:02

5.Golden Sunbeams 03:28

6.The Planning Commission 04:29

7.White Night 05:58

8.Death Is A Friend 08:56

Members

Jason Blackmore (Molly McGuire)

Mario Quintero (Spotlights)

Review

Wings Of Deliverance is the second album from Noise/Grunge/Sludge/Post-Punk/Stoner Rock outfit SISTERS who return after a two year absence with a more abrasive, aggressive and sludge based offering. This feels like a different band compared to their 2023 acclaimed debut album Leecheater. SISTERS features Jason Blackmore from Molly McGuire and Mario Quintero from Spotlights with this band featuring many similarities to those great bands but also carving up their own heavy riff driven sound. SISTERS still offer a deep sense of Melodic Rock though you wouldn’t expect this after you experience the delightfully violent and pissed off title track of Wings Of Deliverance. 

This is the nastiest and heaviest track that SISTERS have delivered yet with a highly ambitious take on Industrial Metal with flashes of Post-Punk, Noise Rock and deeply rooted Electronica Beats. The vocals are harsh with a mid nineties/early noughties influence lingering in the background. The instrumental beats move from glitches to full on Electronica beats with a sudden shift into Heavy Power Mechanical Doom that feels like NIN crossing swords with Author & Punisher.

Second track Home Is Where The Heart is continues with the warped Industrial/Sludge grooves but added a melodic Sludge/Stoner Rock flavour that has similarities to TORCHE and RED FANG in places but with SISTERS adding their own distorted level of streetwise attitude and full-on catchy melodies. The vocals from both Jason and Mario are both clean based and in a stark contrast to the opening track. This is the type of music they brilliantly excel at but you’ll still be treated to outbursts of violent  Sludge Metal when the time calls for this.

Third track People’s Temple is another sonic odyssey with SISTERS employing a cool sounding melodic vibe that doesn’t necessarily play it safe with the COMMERCIAL ASPECTS that appear within the whole creative flow of the album. There is an epic nineties Alt Rock attitude with the swirling grunge based guitars and stunning rhythm sections that Mario and Jason equally contribute to. This is where SISTERS start to really hit their creative stride with subtle Psychedelic and Fuzzed mid-tempo changes which lasts the course for the rest of the album.

Songs such as The Angels Of Violence, Golden Sunbeams and The Planning Commission offer a classic Post-Punk attitude with flashes of Post-Rock and Doomed Out passages with SISTERS demonstrating their own great style of music. The lyrics are quite deceptive and observant which adds a mysterious edge to the whole album. I forgot to mention this album is about the following: 

“Wings Of Deliverance tells a chilling narrative about the cult of personality and the horrors of Jim Jones and the Jonestown tragedy”

Despite the harsh subject matter that SISTERS deal with on the record there’s still some uplifting moments told through the groovy melodies that once again remind me of TORCHE in places. However, SISTERS are never too far away to bring the mood to a slightly depressing Post-Punk and Sludge Rock vibe especially on the final two tracks of the record White Night and Death Is A Friend.which brings some moments of Progressive Metal attitude into the mix. 

These two tracks offer the heaviest, hard-hitting and bleakest parts of the album with challenging lyrics and vocal harmonies being added to complicate matters. Though, SISTERS once again play outside of the rules of HEAVY MUSIC to craft something brilliantly original and in their own aggressive image. This allows Wings Of Deliverance to be one of the most thought-provoking and sonically original records within the Alternative Rock/Metal scene (next to MOON DESTROYS and MUSEUM OF LIGHT) you’ll hear this year.

Simply unmissable!!!

Words by Steve Howe

 

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Crypt Monarch - Codex Pestilentia (Album Review)

Release Date: September 05th 2025. Record Label: Various. Formats: Cassette/CD/DD/Vinyl

Codex Pestilentia - Tracklisting

1. Terror From Above

2. Cultus Solis Aeterni

3. Two Sleeps

4. War of the Gargantuan (Aquadome) [Listen]

5. Eaten by the Castle of Flies (Pt. 1 Acid Chambers / Pt.2 Dark Dawn)

Members

Christopher De Haan: Bass/Vocals

Jose Rodriguez: Guitars

J.C. Zuñiga: Drums/Vocals

Review

Codex Pestilentia is the next chapter from Costa Rican Doom/Stoner Metallers Crypt Monarch who have a creative rebirth with their latest album as they blend Heavy Metal mysticism with dark elements of Grunge into their already classic sounding Doom/Stoner Metal sound. The album feels partially inspired by the likes of Alice In Chains, Electric Wizard, CONAN and Church Of Misery with the band also employing some mighty creative tricks of their own making.

The atmosphere is very down beat with the excellent dual vocals of Christopher De Haan and J.C. Zuñiga striking a fine balance between old school Doom Metal harsh growls and modern day grizzled Stoner based vocals. The music itself is composed with multiple instances of Amplifier Distortion, Heavy Reverb, Psychedelic landscapes and Grunge surroundings that is built into the mix from the excellent opening track Terror From Above. There’s a sense of classic Paranoia hidden within the lyrics as Crypt Monarch shows sudden shifts into Progressive Sludge melodies whilst keeping with their harsh and violent down-tuned FUZZED up attitude.

Crypt Monarch shows a great style of slow-to-mid played and fast-paced instrumental passages throughout with a slow brooding sense of tension building throughout the album which fully gets moving along on the stunning second track Cultus Solis Aetern. That track has a certain SLEEP vs ELECTRIC WIZARD sound dominating for the most part but with a classic Saint Vitus energy developing behind the scenes. The band still focuses on playing a rigid style of aggressive sounds with every perfectly pitched at the right destructive levels of distorted volumes.

Third track Two Sleeps is a stripped back instrumental Fuzzy and Psychedelic Blues Rock number which is more of a breather before Crypt Monarch return back to normal destructive duties but it’s nice to hear a sudden shift from their normal scheduled Stoner Metal programming. 

The final two tracks of the album War of the Gargantuan (Aquadome) and Eaten by the Castle of Flies (Pt. 1 Acid Chambers / Pt.2 Dark Dawn fully lean into the Occult Doom Metal vibe that the excellent album cover demonstrates with Crypt Monarch giving that trippy Occult sound a slightly Grunge makeover. The vocals are quite eerie and full of Doom & Gloom passion. Though, it’s the music that makes you take notice with Crypt Monarch adding even more levels of distorted paranoia to the mix. The music can be drawn out too long at times but you’re treated to some of the heaviest and filthiest grooves contained on the album. 

There’s even a sense of a cinematic story building up within War Of The Gargantuan (Aquadome) that explodes into a heavier and monolithic story line within the standout track of Eaten by the Castle of Flies (Pt. 1 Acid Chambers / Pt.2 Dark Dawn. This is perhaps the most Progressive and Original song that Crypt Monarch have written to date that shows you what great songwriters and storytellers the band actually are.

Codex Pestilentia is the type of album you’ll be listening to days on end and never be bored with. The record is a highly captivating slice of Doom/Stoner Metal that should firmly establish Crypt Monarch as a true force of nature with their own great style of music to entice listeners with.

Words by Steve Howe

 

Thanks to Qabar PR for the promo.

You can buy the album from the links below:

Vinyl (USA): https://thingsfrombeyond.com/shop/p/crypt-monarch-codex-pestilentia-vinyl-lp
Vinyl (UK/EU): https://heavy-threads.com/collections/crypt-monarch
CD: https://cognitivediscordancerecords.bandcamp.com/album/codex-pestilentia
Cassette: https://violencerecordscr.bandcamp.com/album/codex-pestilentia
Digital + Vinyl: https://cryptmonarch.bandcamp.com/album/codex-pestilentia (Vinyl for Costa Rican buyers)

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

PIECE Berlin Based SLUDGE/DOOM/METAL Outfit Unleashes Powerhouse Title Track "Ramblers Axe"

Lisiten to the New Single "Rambler's Axe" from Berlin Based SLUDGE/DOOM/METAL Outfit below:

The Band's New Full-Length Album Nears September 5th Release on THIS CHARMING MAN RECORDS. Please find Preorder Options HERE.

With a thunderous drum intro and an unrelenting groove, "Ramblers Axe" emerges as a monumental title track that sets the tone for what’s to come. The song tells an epic tale of conquest and spiritual upheaval, following a group of warriors led by the symbolic “Ramblers Axe” as they storm foreign lands to overthrow a false king and dismantle a misguided faith.

Blending fierce instrumentation with vivid, mythological lyricism, "Ramblers Axe" transcends the battlefield—exploring themes of divine judgment, transformation, and fate. The axe itself becomes a symbol of power and destiny, marking the dawn of a new era.

Berlin-based sludge metal band PIECE announces new album "Rambler’s Axe". The album exemplifies the band’s signature blend of high-energy, fast-paced sludge metal, while simultaneously delving into deeper, guitar-driven doom melodies. The album will be released on vinyl via This Charming Man Records from Friday 05th September 2025.

Thanks to CZ Promotions for the details..

Rambler's Axe is available to buy on now on DD/Vinyl via This Charming Man Records.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Slomatics - Atomicult (Album Review)

Release Date: September 12th 2025. Record Label: Majestic Mountain Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Atomicult - Tracklisting

1.Obey Capricorn

2.Phantom Castle Warning

3.Auto-Skull

4.Relics

5.Night Grief

6.Physical Witching

7.Chrome Sisters

8.Biclops

9.Summer Skeletons

10.To Ultramegaphonium

Members

Marty Harvey (drums/vocals)

David Majury (guitar)

Chris Couzens (guitar)

Review

Cosmic Doom Heavyweights Slomatics return with another grand, bold and aggressive new musical adventure with the mightily named Atomicult. This is Slomatics eighth full length album for a career that’s spanned over twenty years. There’s been celebrated split releases with the likes of CONAN, Domkraft and Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard to name but a few.

The record sees Slomatics developing a more refined sound with multi-layered guitars and progressive drumming with the band sometimes playing music more closely associated with the likes of Pink Floyd, Hawkwind and Genesis which was there on their last album Strontium Fields but only in small doses. Everything is played on a grander and tighter creative scale with Marty’s vocals being more refined, restrained, calmer and quieter that has a certain Classic Rock or Commercial aspect especially within the Ambient Post-Rock movements that Atomicult contains.

The instrumental surroundings allows Slomatics to reinvent the Cosmic Doom/Stoner Metal landscape once more in their own undeniable and brilliantly original heavy image within the first few tracks of the album Obey Capricorn, Phantom Castle Warning and Auto-Skull. Intense drumming from Marty has a destructive effect which sees Chris Couzens and David Majury’s epic guitars weave different levels of distorted heaviness and the sci-fi leaning synths sees the band venture into the theatre of Post-Rock especially on the emotionally satisfying fourth track Relics. This allows Marty to demonstrate a vocal style we haven’t heard from him before which delivers with pure Soft Rock perfection.

However, with this being Slomatics, they prove why they’re one of the most original and destructive forces within the modern day Doom Metal scene with expeditions into COSMIC and PSYCHEDELIC landscapes where soulful melodies can appear out of nowhere to change the dimension of the entire record. The album does feel like a natural progression from Strontium Fields but with tighter, richer and concise production values that truly comes into great effect on later tracks of the album such as Night Grief, Physical Witching, Summer Skeletons and To Ultramegaphonium.

The lyrics written for this album are quite fantastical but one that delves into areas of Artificial Intelligence which evolves into a cautionary tale if we leave that dreaded AI upto their own devices. Long time readers of the blog may know that I absolutely LOVE and ADORE this band. Slomatics have always delivered some of the best Cosmic/Doom/Stoner Metal records of the last fifteen years and that form continues with Atomicult.

Swirling Ambient sounds, Post-Rock rhythms and gloomy synths all play a big part for Slomatics to conjure an exciting style of COSMIC DOOM that adds an eerie CINEMATIC feel to their music which still allows the band to explore new creative ground and storytelling narrative we haven't experienced from the guys. So expect to hear some vastly different music within the record that can be quite jaw-dropping in places.

Even the amazing album cover which is inspired by the King Crimson record cover from In the Court of the Crimson King shows you what to expect with a record that merges reality and fantasy into one warped PSYCHEDELIC journey of distorted paranoia.

Atomicult is my favourite album of the year. I don’t know if anything will come close to this amazing record but Slomatics have delivered a modern day classic with Atomicult and teaming up with Majestic Mountain Records for the album makes this the perfect album to own especially if you want to be taken on a thrilling and brilliantly aggressive musical spectacle with classic grooves that leave you questioning your own reality.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Viral Propaganda PR for the promo.

Atomicult is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Majestic Mountain Records from the links below:

Majestic Mountain Records Pre-Order

Slomatics Bandcamp Pre-Order

 

Slomatics Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram