Swedish Doom Merchants GODDESS (Formerly Goatess) Announce New Album Ritual of the Cloven And Reveal Lead Single “Blood Fever”

Rising from the ashes of Goatess, Swedish doom merchants reborn as Goddess will release their debut album on May 22 via Majestic Mountain Records, and today offer a first glimpse with the release of lead single “Blood Fever.”

Emerging from the ashes of Goatess, Goddess usher in a new chapter for the Stockholm-based band following the departure of founding guitarist Niklas. While the name has changed, the essence remains intact, a towering blend of crushing, riff-driven doom, thick stoner grooves, soaring vocals, and a dark, psychedelic edge.

Drawing from the legacy of Goatess’s acclaimed releases, Goatess (2013), II: Purgatory Under New Management (2016), and Blood and Wine (2019), Goddess push that unmistakable Swedish doom sound forward, tighter, sharper, and more driven than ever.

The new single “Blood Fever” offers the first glimpse into this next phase: slow-burning, monolithic, and steeped in atmosphere, channeling the spirit of Electric Wizard, Sleep, Saint Vitus, Count Raven, and classic Black Sabbath, while carving its own path forward.

Now signed to Majestic Mountain Records, Goddess are set to deliver a record that captures both the legacy of their past and the vision of what comes next, heavy, hypnotic, and uncompromising. Pre-orders will be announced this Friday.

Follow Goddess

https://www.facebook.com/baldersounds
https://www.instagram.com/goddessbandofficial

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.

Pale Horse Ritual - Diabolic Formation (Album Review)

Release Date: November 28th 2025. Record Label: Black Throne Productions: Formats: CD/DD/Tape/Vinyl

Diabolic Fprmation - Tracklisting

1. Deflowered (5:58)

2. Wickedness (5:03)

3. Holy Lies (5:46)

4. Save You (3:13)

5. Bloody Demon (5:02)

6. DED (6:50)

7. A Beautiful End (6:55)

 

Lineup

Paco (Bass/Vocals)

James Matheson (Lead Guitar)

Will Adams (Rhythm Guitar/Backing Vocals)

Jonah Santa-Barbara (Drums)

Guest Musicians:

Dom Valela- Keys, Vocals

Doom Valhalla- Italian Preacher

Review

Pale Horse Ritual feels like they have already truly arrived with their debut album Diabolic Formation which wastes no time in laying down the groundwork a stream of FUZZ DRIVEN and Heavy Psychedelic grooves that feels like a musical TIME CAPSULE was buried in the Seventies and being opened in today’s Sludge driven Doom/Stoner Metal world. The whole result is a record that moves from Fuzz, Psych, Grunge, Stoner Rock and Occult Doom Metal whilst allowing the band to add their own creative identity into the mix. 

The RIFFS are HUGE and bursting with genuine AMPLIFER DISTORTION which you’ll hear within the epic opening track of Deflowered which is an absolute banger especially with this being purely and instrumental track. The song leans heavily within the Sludge Rock aesthetic with moments of DOOMED OUT and DISTORTED clarity with a filthy SONIC influence building throughout that leaves little to the imagination within the HEAVY VOLUME department.

Second track Wickedness sees Pale Horse Ritual channel their OCCULT DOOM METAL heritage with echoes of Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, Electric Wizard, Blue Cheer and Black Rainbows emerging. The feedback levels of FUZZ ain’t pretty and it isn’t subtle either but DAMN the band are absolute on FIRE spreading wild tales of the OCCULT that’s buried under an avalanche of gloomy rhythms and twisted sludgy guitars. There’s a deep love for Seventies Horror Films being shown here but it’s the epic PSYCHEDELIC visions that Pale Horse Ritual that offers quite a demonic and spaced out vibe perhaps closer to H.P. Lovecraft as well. 

Third track Holy Lies once again keeps with the OCCULT ROCK theme with Pale Horse Ritual playing a riffier, aggressive and slightly Post-Stoner take which still remains quite vibrant and beautifully filthy at the same time. The grooves are played at a well controlled slow-to-mid pace which allows the distorted atmosphere to gather momentum with Paco’s daring vocals dominating the musical and creative landscape. He’s superbly supported by Will Adams with his grizzled back-up vocals offering a slightly different take. The song really excels with Pale Horse Ritual moving into modern sounds with the Psychedelic Stoner Metal angle fully coming out on top.

Fourth track Save You is a wholly different song compared to the other tracks with Pale Horse Ritual playing a more soulful and dialled back number which is semi-acoustic for the early stages. However, the band delivers a winning Post-Stoner and Post-Doom style that sees a cautionary style of Grunge sounds to appear and even Shoegaze vibes which make this one of my favourite tracks on the whole album. The band still write hard-hitting themes that once again leave a sense of hope and despair at the same time.

The final three tracks of Bloody Demon, Ded and A Beautiful End are all seedy and twisted tales of Psychedelic Paranoia coming to life with the kick-ass PROTO DOOM METAL melodies transforming into other areas of modern day Doom/Stoner Metal whilst having outlandish fun with the FUZZED OUT surroundings that have a violent effect within the heaviest sounds of the whole album. Bloody Demon and A Beautiful End are two of the other standout tracks of the record that deserve your full and undivided attention as Pale Horse Ritual fully establish their own blend of GOTHIC and PSYCHEDELIC twisted bliss. 

Pale Horse Ritual have delivered an intense and brilliantly addictive wild ride with Diabolic Formation which should see the album claim a few ALBUM OF THE YEAR mentions before the year is out. It’s already grabbed a place on mine. This is a must have album. Plain and Simple.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to C Squared Music for the promo.

Diabolic Formation is available to buy now on CD/DD/Tape/Vinyl via Black Throne Productions.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Warlung - The Poison Touch (Album Review)

Release Date: February 14th 2025. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

The Poison Touch - Track Listing:

1. Digital Smoke

2. White Light Seeker

3. Mourning Devils

4. Spell Speaker

5. Holy Guide

6. Rat Bastard

7. The Sleeping Prophet

8. 29th Scroll, 6th Verse

Members

George Baba - Guitar/Vocals

Philip Bennett - Guitar/Vocals

Chris Tamez - Bass

Ethan Tamez - Drums

Review

Doom/Stoner Metallers Warlung take one step closer to greatness with their epic fifth album The Poison Touch which sees the band fully cooking on creative gas with an assorted melody of top-notch songwriting. The music is quite varied and vivid with sublime blends of Occult Rock, Doom, Stoner, Psych and good old fashioned HEAVY METAL passages.

The record builds upon the excellent work of their 2023 release Vulture’s Paradise with Warlung focusing more on melody, technical progression and musical composition on this record alone. The band seem to be having much more fun on this record which you can hear on the blistering opening track Digital Smoke which fuses the Proto-Doom sounds of the 1970’s with a killer modern day Post-Stoner Rock landscape starting to form with the bad-ass vocals from George Beba and Philip Bennett with both providing guitar duties.

Warlung are more closely linked to bands such as Blue Oyster Cult, ELDER and King Buffalo on this record whilst still developing their own original DOOM METAL dominated sound especially with the destructive and apocalyptic lyrics that accompany the excellent grooves, riffs and music. There are moments of downbeat and gloomy poppier soundscapes which are wonderfully vivid and wholly melodic especially on tracks such as White Light Seeker, Mourning Devils and Spell Speaker. 

This is perhaps Warlung’s most “OCCULT” and “DOOM” obsessive record yet with the band exploring areas of music they haven’t played or touched upon before and they do this incredibly so well especially with the more progressive and outlandish parts of The Poison Touch. Everything is bigger and bolder on this album with swirling themes of Ambient Rock, Psych Rock and Spaced Out harmonies that sometimes add a dystopian flow to the record. This is perhaps the perfect soundtrack to listen to with the shitty current events going on in the world, however The Poison Touch is still a soulful and beautifully sonic musical adventure especially on the later stages of the record.

Warlung show a flare of outrageous guitar solos along the way which taps right into the classic heyday of HEAVY METAL showmanship which they’ve done on their previous record but this is perhaps where they impress the most. The technical ability of these guys is off the charts and with Chris Tamez (Bass) and Ethan Tamez (Drums) providing the muscular rhythm section for George and Philip to add multiple waves of thrilling guitar riffs throughout.

The Poison Touch is a record that can be admired by multiple different factions of the Heavy Rock scene as Warlung have almost every base covered with moments of Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Doom Metal, Proto Metal and Stoner Metal whilst still being foremost a true METAL record. 

The production values are off the chart thanks to the excellent work done by Jacob Rodriguez on recording duties with Travis Weatherred (FOSTERMOTHER) on mixing and mastering duties helping as well. Two talented folks who know a thing or two on how to make a band standout within the underground scene and they do the business here. 

The Poison Touch is perhaps Warlung’s standout record they’ve released to date which could easily be considered a GREATEST HITS package. That’s seriously how great this album is. This is without doubt an ALBUM OF THE YEAR contender. End Of.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

The Poison Touch is available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds from Friday 14th February 2025.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Hallow's Victim - Witchcraft, Rituals and Funeral Dirges (Album Review)

Release Date: January 21st 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Witchcraft, Rituals and Funeral Dirges  - Track Listing:

1.False Magick Propaganda 07:32

2.No Mercy 06:28

3.Snake Eyes and Devil´s Lust 06:44

4.Hexes & Maledictions 05:39

5.Funeral Dirges 05:43

6.Midnight Sorcerer 05:28

Members

Hector Gonzalez - Vocals

Siniestor - Drums

Alain Toledo - Guitars

Lucas Bravo - Bass

Review

Witches, Rituals and Funeral Dirges is the new live album from Chilean Doom/Stoner Metallers Hallow’s Victim who take their name from the classic SAINT VITUS album. You can hear a deep love, respect and admiration to Saint Vitus on this album alone with nods to other legendary bands such as Black Sabbath and Electric Wizard. The record has a rough sounding and quite seedy appeal with the whole album being recorded live. The majority of these tracks located here are from the bands 2023 release False Magick Propaganda.

Hallow’s Victim weave a classic Proto-Doom and Occult Rock based groove into their overall sound with a firm emphasis on LOW & SLOW gloomy mechanics that is from the Black Sabbath old school of AMPLIFIER RIFF and GUITAR REVERB which is present throughout the whole album. The songs are mostly powered by classic DOOM METAL instrumental passages with a firm reliance on Sludgy guitars with a subtle WEEDIAN influence coming through the AMPS.

The opening tracks of False Magick Propaganda and No Mercy are superbly heavy with a classic style of Proto Doom which touches upon areas of Classic Hard Rock, Heavy Metal and even seedier FUZZ based moments which adds a dark level of cynicism to the mix. The vocals from Hector Gonzalez are perfectly suited to Hallow's Victim style of music as he brings a passionate Doom Metal style persona to the role which is perhaps inspired by the likes of WINO and Jus Osborn at times. 

Hallow’s Victim play their way through a great selection of tracks that stays true to the rules of the classic Proto-Doom Metal sound with some cool sounding riff-centric grooves on tracks such as Snake Eyes And Devil’s Lust, Hexes & Maledictions and Midnight Sorcerer with those tracks being the standout moments of the whole record.

Witches, Rituals and Funeral Dirges is an excellent record that allows Hallow’s Victim to play to their creative and musical strengths which should gain them some notice within the underground scene.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

BandCamp | Instagram

Green Hog - Fuzz Realm (Album Review)

Release Date: June 20th 2024. Record Label: The Swamp Records. Formats: CD/DD

Fuzz Realm: Tracklisting

Ritual

Voice Of The Forest

Sounds Of Magic

Escape On The Wheels

In The Midst Of The Bong

Nightmare Creatures

Morning Dew

Phantom

Members

Ronan - Drums

Mike - Guitars

Ivan - Vocals/Bass/Guitars

Review

Fuzz Realm is the new album from Doom/Stoner Metallers Green Hog who have released an impressive discography since forming in 2020. This is their fourth full length album and it sees the band venture into the heavier depths of the FUZZ METAL sound with moments of Doom Metal, Sludge Rock, Stoner Metal and a whole lot of creepy amplifier reverb and multiple levels of sonic feedback throughout the album.

The vocals are clean based but with a sideline in slightly demonic fare with the sludgy OCCULT rock vibes which evokes memories of bands such as Church Of Misery and Dopethrone with the sinister sound effects and vocal samples that appear on the album especially on tracks such as Ritual and Voice Of The Forest.

The whole mood echoes one of 1970’s Classic Horror Movies with subtle overtones from the B Horror Movies Scene in general. Doing a similar creative theme as early-era Uncle Acid but with perhaps a slightly menacing purpose. The sludgy and down-tuned FUZZY extended passages have an off-kilter sound running amok through the production and recording techniques used for the album.

This allows FUZZ REALM to transform into a vibrant and highly kinetic affair with the music becoming more aggressive and dominated by an unsettling WEEDIAN approach which gives the album an intelligent and self aware style of darkly comedic humour that adds spice the whole surroundings of the entire record.

Other great tracks to check out are: Escape On The Wheels, Nightmare Creatures, Morning Dew and Phantom. Green Hog play some of the wildest and heaviest sounds on these tracks alone which once again will appeal to fans of Black Sabbath, Church Of Misery, Electric Wizard and Acid Mammoth.

If you love FUZZ ROCK amped upto the MAX with sinister intentions and down-tuned groovy goodness then FUZZ REALM is the place to be with GREEN HOG delivering their best album to date which should cause a stir within the Doom/Stoner Metal community and perhaps especially with the Doom Charts Crew.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to The Swamp Records for the promo.

Fuzz Realm will be available to buy on CD/DD via The Swamp Records from Thursday 20th June 2024.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Goat Major - Ritual (Album Review)

Release Date: 08th March 2024. Record Label: Ripple Music. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Ritual - Tracklisting

1.Snakes (Goddess of the Serpent) 

2.Ritual

3.Turn to Dust

4.Light of the End

5.Power That Be

6.Mountains of Madness

7.Evil Eye 

8.Lay Me Down

Members

Jammie Arnold - guitar

Simon Bonwick - drums

Tom Shortt - bass & vocals 

Review

Ritual is the debut full length album from Welsh Occult/Doom/Stoner Metallers Goat Major who bring a fresh and FUZZED up perspective to the Occult Metal sound. Bringing down tuned grooves which has a hint of Electric Wizard heaviness to the mix and even bringing moments of bands from the Welsh Doom/Stoner Metal scene such as Acrimony, Sigiriya and BUDGIE on this album alone.

Despite the albums classic Occult vibe and seedy Seventies Proto-Doom metal attitude, Goat Ritual play a modern day Sludge/Stoner Metal appetite within the more outlandish parts of the album. Tom’s vocals have elements of Ozzy Osbourne and Uncle Acid to them but with perhaps a more DEMONIC outlook within his vocal delivery with a slight nod of Electric Wizard and Green Lung darkness appearing within the more horror influenced lyrics that Goat Major have written for the album.

Ritual is packed full of mighty Down Tuned and stripped back FUZZY instrumental moments which allows the band to expose themselves further to the Psych Stoner Rock/Metal world on the excellent opening tracks of Snakes (Goddess Of The Serpent), Ritual and Turn to Dust. Atmospheric and Distorted grooves are abound with sinister forces hidden with the sublime lyrics that allows RItual to tap into the classic world of 1960’s and 1970’s Horror Movies being the most intriguing aspect but that could be my own insights with the album.

If you’re a fan of Acid Mammoth then Goat Major feel like kindred spirits as they play similar creative beats to each other with both bands still playing their own great blend of music. 

RItual becomes more Fuzz/Stoner Metal dominated on Light Of The End and Power That Be though Goat Major power on through delivering some wonderful classic Hard Rock and Heavy Metal beats with that LOW & SLOW or AMPLIFIER WORSHIP delivery that’s an essential element to this style of music.

I’m aware of Tom and Simon’s previous work with Welsh Sludge/Stoner Metallers HARK that featured the legend that is Jimbob Isaac of TAINT fame. I was surprised by this fact. As HARK and Goat Major are totally different bands to each other. Though, that’s to be expected with HARK perhaps being led by the creative ideas and themes of Jimbob Isaac than the other members of the band.

Tom and Simon are joined by Jammie Arnold on Guitars who brings a whirlwind style of different guitars and bone-crunching rhythms throughout the album. Goat Major have a killer Power Trio setup within their ranks which allows the band to bounce off each other superbly well on the later stages of the track.

The second half of the album returns to the more Occult Doom Rock/Metal aspect of the band’s sound with tracks Mountains Of Madness, Evil Eye and Lay Me Down being some of the outlandish and impressive tracks on the album which allows Goat Major to fully revel in their demonic roles whilst playing some brilliantly entertaining instrumental passages along the way.

Goat Major have the power, knowledge and expertise of one of the best labels within the scene helping them out with this release. The mighty RIPPLE MUSIC. You’ve heard me say this time and time before but the album sounds fantastic from start to finish with soaring production values that brings a level of CLASSIC SOUNDING DOOM to the party whilst also having a modern seedy approach on the heaviest parts of the album.

Ritual is a record full of street-level attitude that brings out some of the best collection of OCCULT and PROTO DOOM based tracks for a debut album. Add this DEVILISH album to your record collection at the earliest opportunity. As this is an definite Album Of The Year contender right here.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Ritual will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ripple Music from Friday 08th March 2024.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram