Exclusive Album Premiere Of Doom/Stoner Metallers TERRA BLACK Stunning New Album MIRAGE

Following their acclaimed debut and recent signing to Bonebag Records, Gothenburg occult rock collective Terra Black return with their new album, Mirage.

Written and recorded over the course of three years, Mirage is Terra Black's most ambitious and immersive work to date. Travelling from roots buried deep beneath the earth, through the ruins of forgotten civilizations and into the silence of space, the album explores shifting states of existence where reality, memory and illusion become increasingly difficult to separate.

Recorded live by the band in Gothenburg, Mirage captures the raw immediacy of Terra Black's performances. Rather than polishing away imperfections, the band embraced natural room ambience and microphone bleed, allowing the recording to retain an honest, organic character that mirrors the weight and intensity of the music itself.

Drawing from atmospheric doom, occult rock and stoner traditions, Terra Black combines towering riffs with haunting vocals, powerful choral arrangements and primal darkness. Inspired by nature, mythology, ancient beliefs and the mysterious corners of human imagination, the album moves effortlessly between the familiar and the unknowable. Like the illusion from which it takes its name, the album constantly shifts perspective, inviting listeners ever deeper into its enigmatic world.

Since forming in 2020, Terra Black have steadily built a reputation for immersive songwriting and commanding live performances. With Mirage, the band expands both its sonic scope and artistic vision, delivering its most confident and fully realised work to date.

We're truly excited to premiere their outstanding new album in full thanks to the amazing folks over at Sheltered Life PR.

Thanks to Sheltered Life PR for the details.

Mirage is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Bonebag Records.

Links

Bandcamp | Facebook | Spotify | Instagram | Apple Music

An Interview With Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metallers TERRA BLACK

Doom/Stoner Metallers TERRA BLACK release their spellbinding new album this Friday and we're excited to host the exclusive album premiere which you can listen to in full from this link.

The record is a great mix of Psych, Doom, Stoner, and Cosmic based sounds that's quite different to their acclaimed debut album All Descend. This record allows TERRA BLACK to move their music into great Spaced Out heights whilst keeping an epic Occult Rock groove that has massive amounts of distorted psychedelic momentum to truly standout from the crowd.

I caught up with the band to discuss the evolution of their music and the making of the new album.

Hi folks. Thanks for doing the interview. How are things with you today?

We’re great, thank you for having us.

For those not in the know, can you give us a brief history of how the band came together and where you are today?

The band was formed in 2020 by Ezgi, Denice, and Sophie. We released our first single in early 2021, shortly after Isak joined the band. We spent the following years playing live, mostly around our hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden, and later released a second single.

After that, we reached a point where we felt the need to take full control of our music and the way it was recorded. So, instead of handing the process over to someone else, we started setting up microphones, getting our gear together, and figuring it out ourselves. That process eventually became our first full length album, All Descend.

We’ve also had some great gigs along the way, including appearances at metal festivals such as Gefle Metal Festival and House of Metal. It was at House of Metal in Umeå where we met Max Malmer from Bone Bag Records, the record label we’re now signed to.

How would you describe your own sound?

The short version is stoner/doom. However, we find it hard putting our music into one specific label, since what is Terra Black is the mix of crushing, bass-heavy doom riffs with clean, delicate vocals, creating an eerie contrast. The lyrics can move from grotesque and unsettling to poetic and beautiful, and that tension between heaviness, fragility, darkness, and beauty is a big part of what makes it feel like Terra Black.

Your new album is Mirage and we’re premiering (premiere link) it today at Outlaws of the Sun. What can people expect from the album, particularly as it’s quite different from your previous album?

Heaviness without aggression, drone riffs and mystique. But it also depends on the listeners’ state of mind. We think you can expect to be immersed in something quite interesting if you’re open to it and get a different experience depending on the surroundings. Our new album consists of songs that, of course, can be enjoyed separately, but it’s constructed in a way to really draw you in and keep you on a journey throughout the album.

There is a strong sense of atmosphere and a kind of journey running through it too, with heavy cosmic interludes alongside your occult, doom, psych and stoner rock passages. Can you tell us more about the concept behind the album and how that developed?

The concept with something of a timeline or a journey gradually became clear while writing the songs and getting a sense of the overall mood. Compared to our debut album, All Descend, this new one felt a lot darker and less philosophical, rather down to earth and quite visceral.

The Gathering was set to be the opening track pretty much right away, and that’s where the journey starts. It is inspired by the old Norse blót, a ritual offering meant to reach the forces beyond the human world. The serpent connects different realms: life and death, above and below, the known and the unknown. It also reflects the darkness within us: fear, mortality and everything beyond our control. The song is about confronting these things rather than escaping them. The blót becomes a surrender to fate and to the ancient forces beneath existence.

Although it can also be interpreted as something destructive springing into existence, that causes the world to suffer and eventually kills everything that we see as life. But is there something else, outside the limits of physical existence, waiting to be discovered?

While the theme of the album is obviously apocalyptic, not made less clear with tracks like Maze and Ruins, it really is about the personal experience and what it does to the listener. We wanted to make something immersive that awakens something real, whether it’s fear, hope or an existential crisis.

Was this a hard album to write and record for?

We wrote and recorded the songs during a period of about three years, so the album was certainly a slow burner. This approach gave us a lot of time to listen to the mixes, think about the album as a whole and really work together without any pressure or deadline (our Google Drive folder for the album is named “Album 2024”, didn’t really work out too well).

To us, this was probably an essential component in creating something more complex with a thematic thread and not “just” a collection of songs. So, the brief answer would be yes; we would even go so far as to say that the recording style influenced what songs we wrote.

Recording live, in our opinion, gives the songs so much more life, even if it means accepting a few unfixable mishaps. Doing it in such a small space will introduce a lot of microphone bleed and, in our case, some quite nasty boominess. Even so, the tracks came out balanced, we think, but foremost, it has that live feel to it. The vocals were added in post, though. There are a few cases of guitar dubbing, but the production was kept as sparse as possible, not to take anything away from that live session.

What is the creative process within the band? Do you write the music together, or do certain people within the band take the lead?

The way we create music hasn’t changed. We’re a considerate group with different musical backgrounds and sometimes different preferences, but we always tend to find a good middle ground through open discussion. It’s certainly a collective effort and it will continue like that.

We really do like contrasts and, in a way, contradictions. Some lyrics could be seen as almost disgusting (looking at you, Spawn of Lyssa) and others much more poetic and beautiful. We don’t really think about the balance between these elements when writing songs; rather, the riff gets a pass if it “feels Terra Black”, and that’s a bit hard to pinpoint.

Looking at Mirage alongside All Descend, how do you feel your sound has developed, and do you have a sense of where Terra Black might go next?

The sound has gotten a lot darker, heavier and quite a bit more sinister. It does feel like we’ve found our musical space with Mirage, although All Descend was a clear step towards this place. Something so practical as better gear has also made a huge difference. Being able to blast the room with (literally) glass-shattering guitar tones does influence how you perceive the music.

It’s hard to say where we’re heading, but judging by the new songs starting to form, it won’t stray far from what you hear on Mirage. With Terra Black, we hope we’re heading towards a place where music could be an even bigger part of our lives, since that’s what we live for.

Words by Steve Howe and TERRA BLACK

Thanks to Sheltered Life PR for the promo.

Mirage is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Bonebag Records.

Links

Bandcamp | Facebook | Spotify | Instagram | Apple Music

Terra Black - Mirage (Album Review)

Release Date: September 18th 2026. Record Label: Bonebag Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Mirage - Tracklist

1.The Gathering

2.Guayota 

3.Pareidolia

4.Thorn

5.Maze

6.In Stone 

7.Ruins 

8.In stars

Members

Ezgi – Lead Vocals and Guitars

Isak – Guitars

Denice – Bass

Sophie – Drums

Review

Psychedelic Doomsters Terra Black return with their sophomore album Mirage which takes a slightly different step compared to their acclaimed 2023 debut album All Descend. As Terra Black move slightly further from the spooky Occult Doom sound they conjured up so magnificently on their debut album which has been replaced by a thicker, denser and heavier COSMIC based attitude.

This gives their sound a trippier and psychedelic energy which is noticeable from the very start with a grounded Shoegaze and Sludge Rock melody developing with stunning vocals to match. However, there’s still that highly accomplished Occult Doom sound that made Terra Black such a great band to look out for that manages to stay consistently relevant with punishing levels of distorted FUZZ appearing behind the scenes. The lyrics have a winning DOOM & GLOOM attitude to them with the music matching the likes of MONOLORD and ELECTRIC WIZARD with that intense slow-to-mid pace.

Terra Black developed a thicker, heavier and denser style of Doomed Out Metal with a sublime Psychedelic Stoner Metal attitude forming on different parts of the album. The vocals from Ezgi are utterly captivating and deliver the right level of pure innocence and demonic based passion which feels like they’re being delivered by two different entities. This gives Mirage a bewitching atmospheric and seductive quality within the grounded moments of the album but the whole thing fully excels when the band play into their new found COSMIC DOOM surroundings. 

The music becomes noticeably thicker and brimming with amplified capabilities especially on tracks Guayota, Pareidolia, In Stone and Ruins. The whole sound is full of violent Fuzzed Out landscapes where Terra Black put their AMPS all the way upto dangerous levels and let their music do the talking. The harsh screams linger in the background before exploding into an emotional style that brings the Occult Doom world closer to the fringes of modern day Heavy Psych and Spaced Out Doom closer than ever before.

Terra Black have written some intriguing lyrics to match the music and with the band part of the massive Swedish underground metal scene then you know what to expect when that scene’s legendary sound develops into something more tribal and ritualistic. There’s some dizzying soundscapes and vocal chants that taps right into the Seventies Occult Rock scene but with dazzling Drone Metal overtones. 

Mirage is quite a forward thinking album as it’s fuelled by elements of Heavy Psych, Occult Rock. Doom Metal, Shoegaze, Stoner Metal and Space Rock which gives it such a nomadic and solitary existence at times. The whole thing is superbly real and refreshingly original with certain sections of the album transforming into a meditative style of Grunge, Post-Rock and Shoegaze that gives this record a completely different tone on the second half of the album.

The Ambient themes are exquisite and have a certain romantic elegance to them but that soon gives way to that modern day destructive grooves and soulful melodies that take no prisoners especially within the excellent rhythm section that allows Terra Black to branch out into different areas of music. 

Mirage is a magnificent beast of an album. As this is a record that knows when to become a true force of nature that destroys everything in Terra Black’s wake but it also knows when to show it’s caring, tender and emotionally engaging side as well. When both these worlds collide then there’s no stopping TERRA BLACK delivering one of the most satisfying COSMIC DOOMED OUT experiences you’ll have this year.

WOW!!!

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Sheltered Life PR for the promo.

Mirage is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Bonebag Records.

Links

Bandcamp | Facebook | Spotify | Instagram | Apple Music

POHL & OGIVES BIG BAND Share Details of 'SPLIT' TOUR 2026 This October

We’re thrilled to announce that Sheffield noise trio POHL and Bristol riff powerhouse Ogives Big Band are joining forces for an EU tour and split album on Ripcord Records.

As two of the UK underground’s most progressively heavy bands, POHL and Ogives Big Band share an appetite for colossal riffs, warped psychedelia, experimentation and outright sonic punishment. Split – due for official release this October – brings these two distinct but complementary approaches together with both bands pushing their respective sounds into exciting new territories.

POHL on Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram

POHL are a genre-bending psychedelic noise rock trio from Sheffield featuring guitarist and vocalist Will Pearce (ex-Hey Colossus), drummer Linda Westman (ex-Old Hope) and Lyra Johnson (Lo Egin) on bass. Following the release of their debut album Mysteries on Wrong Speed Records in July 2024, the band have spent the last two years building a reputation as one of the UK's most compelling and unpredictable live bands, touring with the likes of Dearthworms, Human Leather, and Sleemo, as well as playing dozens of shows across the country.

Their contribution to Split is ‘Flayed Lord Prayer’, a sprawling 17-minute opus that brings together odd time signatures, soaring vocals, tortured screams and nightmares. Wrapped in brutal riffs, while somehow remaining strangely catchy, it was recorded and produced by Pearce as an expansive, abrasive and deeply immersive track, shifting between crushing heaviness and psychedelic disorientation. It represents a natural progression from the approach established on Mysteries but stretches that sound into something even stranger and more imposing.

Ogives Big Band on Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram

On the flip-side, Ogives Big Band are a Bristol-based riff powerhouse whose monstrously heavy, psychedelic and cerebral sound refuses to sit comfortably within any single genre. Following their first two EPs and 2024 debut LP Boisterous Love, the band have carved out a sound encompassing savage, angular doom, sludge, progressive metal, psychedelic stoner rock and whatever else happens to get caught in the blast radius.

With Split, Ogives Big Band contribute four new tracks that take the band's established vocabulary for complex rhythms and hook-laden refrains, sharpening it into something heavier, and more streamlined. Recorded by James King at Joe's Garage, mixed by Corey Carruthers-Bell at Tree Angle Studios and mastered by Stephen Kerrison. The crushing riffs remain firmly at the centre, and the band's knack for huge, memorable moments endure, as the new material is refined and honed into a more direct and pummelling proposition.

Together, POHL and Ogives Big Band represent two sides of the same instinct: to make heavy music that is adventurous, unpredictable and unconcerned with genre boundaries. 

Both bands take to the road across Europe this October (see dates below) in support of Split, which is released 2nd October 2026 via Ripcord Records | Pre-order

Stream new ‘I'm Glad You Exist’ by Ogives Big Band here

'SPLIT' TOUR 2026:

15/10 – New Cross Inn – London, United Kingdom
16/10 – DND – Dunkirk, France
17/10 – Le Cirque Electrique – Paris, France
18/10 – Cafard’naüm – Saint-Etienne-Les-Remiremont, France
19/10 – Le Chaff – Brussels, Belgium

Thanks to Sheltered Life PR for the details.

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.

Gothenburg Occult Rockers TERRA BLACK Announce New Album and ‘IN STONE’ Single

Terra Black on Bandcamp | Facebook | Spotify | Instagram | Apple Music

Following their acclaimed debut and recent signing to Bonebag Records, Gothenburg occult rock collective Terra Black return with their haunting new single, ‘In Stone’, the first offering from their forthcoming album, Mirage, due for release on 18th September.

Steeped in ancient mystery and crushing atmosphere, ‘In Stone’ explores the unsettling pull of forgotten worlds and the unseen forces that continue to shape the present. The song evokes the feeling of being trapped within something timeless – a world that should have ended long ago yet still refuses to release its grip.

"'In Stone' is about the ominous threat of the hidden and otherworldly,” explains the band. “It’s being stuck in something ancient, like you're part of a world that already ended a long time ago, but it's still not finished with you. Old worlds, old beliefs, and everything beneath the surface that refuses to disappear. Forever merged in stone."

Written and recorded over the course of three years, Mirage is Terra Black's most ambitious and immersive work to date. Travelling from roots buried deep beneath the earth, through the ruins of forgotten civilizations and into the silence of space, the album explores shifting states of existence where reality, memory and illusion become increasingly difficult to separate.

Recorded live by the band in Gothenburg, Mirage captures the raw immediacy of Terra Black's performances. Rather than polishing away imperfections, the band embraced natural room ambience and microphone bleed, allowing the recording to retain an honest, organic character that mirrors the weight and intensity of the music itself.

Drawing from atmospheric doom, occult rock and stoner traditions, Terra Black combines towering riffs with haunting vocals, powerful choral arrangements and primal darkness. Inspired by nature, mythology, ancient beliefs and the mysterious corners of human imagination, the album moves effortlessly between the familiar and the unknowable. Like the illusion from which it takes its name, the album constantly shifts perspective, inviting listeners ever deeper into its enigmatic world.

Compared to their previous work, Mirage presents a heavier, darker and more visceral sonic landscape, where ancient forces, forgotten civilizations and cosmic vastness collide.

Since forming in 2020, Terra Black have steadily built a reputation for immersive songwriting and commanding live performances. With Mirage, the band expands both its sonic scope and artistic vision, delivering its most confident and fully realised work to date.

Mirage, the brand-new album by Terra Black will be released via Bonebag Records on 18th September | Pre-order

Album: Mirage
Artist: Terra Black
Label: Bonebag Records
Format: LP/Digital/CD
Release Date: 18/09/2026



Bonebag Records on Web | Facebook | Instagram | Web

Thanks to Sheltered Life PR for the details.

Indian Post-Metal Quintet DIRGE Return with Doom Laden Video for ‘ENDLESS NIGHT’

This month, Dirge return with a brand-new single, the monolithic ‘Endless Night’ – the first taste of new material from their forthcoming album, set for release later this year.

Since forming in 2014, the band have continually pushed the sonic envelope. Fusing doom rock, metal and psychedelic sludge, they’ve become a formidable presence in India’s underground scene, touring alongside contemporaries such as Primitiv, Shepherd, Bevar Sea and Djinn & Miskatonic, opening for major international acts like Ulcerate and Defiled, and appearing at festivals including Bangalore Open Air and Control Alt Delete in Mumbai.

Using their post-pandemic downtime to write and record the follow-up to 2018’s Ah Puch, their critically acclaimed 2023 self-titled album marked a striking evolution. Where their debut drew on the sweeping imagery of Mayan myths and South American jungles, Dirge looked inward and offered a devastatingly personal statement while still reflecting on the world at large.

Their new single, ‘Endless Night’, traces a slow psychological descent into despair, where emotional erosion and existential weight shape a suffocating inner world. As rich in atmosphere as it is in riffs, the track sees Dirge pushing beyond the boundaries of their established sound into darker, more immersive territory. It was once again produced by the band alongside long-time collaborator Apurv Agrawal (Pacifist, Cowboy & Sailor Man, Honey’s Dead) at Island City and Blue Cassette Studios.

Watch the video for ‘Endless Night’ below and keep your eyes and ears peeled for news about their new album very soon!

Video Credits:

 

Directed & Edited by Smriti Thakur

DOP – Purab Mukherjee

Colour Correction and Grading – Sahil Satish Amin

Artwork & Logo – Anoop Bhat

 

Audio Credits:

 

Produced by Dirge & Apurv Agrawal Recorded at Island City & Blue Cassette studios

Mixed by Apurv Agrawal

Mastered by Brad Boatright (Audiosiege)

Dirge on Bandcamp | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram

Thanks to Sheltered Life PR for the details.

NZ Heavyweights SIDEWINDER Ignite a New Era With ‘FIRELIGHT’ | New Album Out in 2026

We’re thrilled to announce that ahead of the release of their new album Dominion in early 2026, New Zealand heavyweights Sidewinder return this month with ‘Firelight’, their most formidable, swagger-drenched, speaker-rattling statement to date.

Formed in Wellington in 2021, Sidewinder have carved a reputation for towering riffs, monolithic grooves, and a blues-drenched heaviness that has propelled them to the forefront of Aotearoa’s hard rock and stoner scene. Now, with ‘Firelight’, the band step boldly beyond their origins and herald the arrival of a darker, heavier, and more progressive sound.

Off the back of their 2022 debut Vines and thunderous sophomore album Talons, Sidewinder’s rise has been fuelled by explosive live shows and sold-out support slots with international titans including Orange Goblin and Sasquatch. Their seismic stage presence has proven repeatedly that the band’s live ferocity translates with equal force in the studio.

Produced by Tiny Triumph Records and mastered by Will Borza (Deftones, Smashing Pumpkins), Firelight captures Sidewinder at full power, blending bone-dry stoner-doom swagger and swamp-soaked sound that is unmistakably their own.

Their third album Dominion will also usher in a new era with vocalist Jem Tupe, whose commanding presence joins guitarists Ben Sargent and Thomas Rousell, bassist Si Randall, and drummer Grant Lister, elevating the band to a new creative peak. Critics worldwide have already praised Sidewinder’s crushing evolution, calling their sound unstoppable, monumental, unique, powerful, and a gripping reflection of their artistic intent."

Sidewinder stand ready to cement their status as one of the most electrifying heavy rock exports to emerge from New Zealand in recent years. Check out new single ‘Firelight’ here and keep your ears peeled for further developments.

Sidewinder Live:

5th December –Sanctuary Sounds Festival
6th December – Sidewinder Single Release Show

Artist: Sidewinder
Single: ‘Firelight’
Release Date: 05/12/2025
Formats: Digital

Sidewinder on Bandcamp | Facebook | Website | Instagram | Spotify

Thanks to Sheltered Life PR for the details.

TROY THE BAND Share ‘NOTHING’ – A Frenzied, Genre-Warping Descent Ahead of the Release of Sophomore Album

London-based noise experimentalists Troy The Band return this week with their blistering new single ‘Nothing’, the second track to be revealed from their anticipated sophomore album (des), due for release in 2026.

“This was a fun one,” explains bassist Sean Durbin. “The track itself is weird. It opens with blast beats, then drops into a noise-rock influenced verse that would feel right at home recorded at Electrical Audio. Just as you settle in, it drags you somewhere completely different again for the chorus with these doomy, dissonant riffs. Jake’s vocals took the track to a whole new level.”

The “Jake” in question is none other than Jake Packham of Eastbourne Sludge outfit Black Groove, and Brighton's Outback who provides a ferocious performance that twists through asymmetric tension and release. Culminating in doomy, dissonant riffs and bleak vocal interplay with Durbin, ‘Nothing’ is a chaotic and exhilarating demolition through the band’s heavy wall of sound, exploding with annihilating black-metal beats and raw and jagged noise-rock.

Following the release of last year’s acclaimed debut album Cataclysm, and like last month’s ‘Porous’, ‘Nothing’ signals a bold creative shift. After parting ways with their original vocalist shortly after entering the studio, the band re-imagined (des) as a collaborative project celebrating London’s vibrant underground heavy-music community. The album features contributions from members of Elephant Tree, Believe in Nothing, Black Groove, Codex Serafini, Black Orchids, and others.

Recorded at Bear Bites Horse Studio in Haggerston with producer Wayne Adams (Gum Takes Tooth, Petbrick, Terminal Cheesecake), the new material showcases the band’s ever-expanding sonic palette. The sessions also cemented long-time live drummer Jack Revans as a permanent member, reinforcing the band’s evolution while maintaining the distinct identity forged on Cataclysm.

With plans to release one track per month leading up to a full physical edition in 2026, Troy The Band are gearing up for their most ambitious year yet. For now, listeners can stream and share ‘Nothing’ (featuring Jake Packham) here.

Troy the Band:

Sean Durbin – Bass
Sean Burn – Guitar
Jack Revans – Drums

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Thanks to Sheltered Life PR for the details.

Skogskult - Skogskult (Album Review)

Release Date: December 05th 2025. Record Label: Bonebag Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl

Skogskult - Tracklisting

1.Lyktans Låga

2.Turs

3.Jag Ger Mig Av

4.Pakten

5.Sol

6.Snöblind

Lineup

Samuel Nordström - Guitar

Albin Kroon - Bass

Simon Rosengrim - Vocals

Alexander Söderlund - Drums

Review

Swedish Doom/Stoner Metallers Skogskult debut album offers quite a different musical adventure compared to other albums currently out there but it also has a familiar creative attitude inspired by the likes of SLEEP, Acid King, Monolord and Electric Wizard. The album is produced by Cavern Deep’s Max Malmer and owner of Bonebag Records who are releasing this album. What makes this record stand out is the band’s willingness to sing all their vocals in Swedish and focus upon Nordic folklore and Swedish Nature.

I don’t understand Swedish at all but I understand the creative vision that Skogskult are ultimately aiming for and it’s quite a deeply personal and spiritual journey told through the realm of Doom/Stoner Metal. The music is quite soulful with harsh melodies that explore the Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal landscapes with a haunting psychedelic sound being added throughout. The LOW & SLOW vibrations allows Skogskult to add a grounded and fantastical effect within the stunning opening track Lyktans Låga.

The opening track has some folk-ish elements appearing within the lyrics and vocals but the music is full-on Doomed Out aggression with Skogskult tapping into the murkier depths of the underground Stoner scene. There’s a level of  Progressive energy appearing from time-to-time that even allows the music to become quite extreme in places with lead vocalist’s outlandish vocals appearing on the later stages of the record.

The next batch of tracks of Turs, Jag Ger Mig Av and Pakten sees Skogskult explore the musical legacies of Electric Wizard and SLEEP but add that classic Swedish WEEDIAN flavour into the mix with trippy guitars and spaced out melodies that navigates around a FUCK-TON of heavy reverb and overlapping sludgy instrumental passages. The standout tracks on the album for me have to be Turs and Pakten with Skogskult going for a true OVER THE TOP journey but once again keep everything grounded that’s bursting within intense solos that adds a forceful level of volume to the record.

Skogskult do show deft touches of Post-Doom and Post-Stoner surroundings which gives the album a sense of romanticism but it’s the gruff, aggressive and muscular exterior that impresses the most which Skogskult carry out with supreme efficiency on the final two songs on the album with Sol and Snöblind. This perhaps the heaviest, gloomiest and darkest parts of the record where Skogskult leave no stone unturned with their highly original style of destructive Doom/Stoner Metal that leaves a lasting impression. 

This is another great band releasing another ALBUM OF THE YEAR contender even at this late stage of the game. The record can be downright experimental and outrageous but Skogskult have delivered the goods with this album that will no doubt pave the way for them to gain a loyal following within the underground scene and perhaps perform at some of the most prestigious stages and festivals the scene has to offer. 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Sheltered Life PR for the promo.

Skogskult’s self-titled debut album is available to buy now (Out December 05th 2025) on DD/Vinyl via Bonebag Records. 

Links

 

Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram

Maha Sohona - A Dark Place (Album Review)

Release Date: November 21st 2025. Record Label: Bonebag Records: Formats: Digital/Vinyl

A Dark Place - Tracklisting

Liquid Motion Medicine - 8:26
Visions - 9:32
Uddh- 4:09
Voyagers - 7:49
Ostera - 8:38
The Long Way Home - 10:33

Lineup

Johan Bernhardtson – Guitar, Vocals
Thomas Hedlund – Bass
Erik Andersson – Drums

Review

Swedish Prog/Doom/Stoner Metallers Maha Sohona return with their latest record A Dark Place that sees the band lean heavier and further into the Space Rock abyss of Post-Doom and Post-Grunge melodies. There’s a trippy and stripped back atmosphere that appears on the record with the band inspired by the likes of Alice In Chains, TOOL and ELDER with some wonderfully subversive distorted FUZZY guitars within the excellent opening track Liquid Motion Medicine.

The track does have distinctive classic Grunge energy running throughout its creative core with a storytelling narrative that moves closer to a Prog Metal narrative. There’s a sudden shift into areas of Cinematic Rock which brings a heavier Cosmic flavour to the record with lead vocalist Johan Bernhardtson providing delicate tones before unleashing an aggressive attitude as the song moves on. With a haunting Ambient and Psychedelic score developing throughout, Maha Sohona feel like a different band compared to their celebrated 2021 album Endless Searcher.

Second track Visions is another cautionary offering with Maha Sohona aligning themselves to a style of Shoegaze and Post-Rock whilst keeping themselves closely to the boundaries of Post-Doom, Grunge and Atmospheric Sludge which starts rather low-key and closely guarded. This all changes when the band changes musical direction and heads straight into Post-Metal rhythms that remind me of ISIS (The Band) in places. The song has a wicked and deceptive take of Alt-Metal with the TOOL progressive mannerisms being heard from time-to-time. Maha Sohona keep things grounded when they slow the mood right down and return to the more emotionally engaging style of Ambient Post-Rock which kicks into Progressive Stoner Metal overdrive for the catchiest, heaviest and technically impressive melodies heard on the whole album.

Third track Uddh is Maha Sohona on more conventional ground with a self contained track that is emotionally satisfying with the band moving into areas of melodic Post-Rock and keeping the level of HEAVY RAWK down to the bare minimum. This has a lovely flow and highly satisfying energy with Johan’s vocals perhaps leaning into the spectrum of Stadium Rock whilst keeping everything within a loving Post-Stoner attitude. The delicate flourishes of Ambient Rock and Doom-Pop landscapes shows a different side to Maha Sohona which they fully deserve credit for actually exploring on this album.

Fourth track Voyagers sees Maha Sohona return to the heavy SPACED OUT DOOM arena for a song with deeper purpose and meaning which adds a Sludgy destructive element that the band just run crazy with. Everything becomes more fractured and distorted as the song transforms into a Post-Grunge and Prog-Metal afterthought of different textures which allows the band to offer another wonderful cinematic journey where the RIFFS showcase why the Swedish Doom/Stoner Metal scene is one of the most dominant and creative scenes currently out there. 

I have to give credit to Maha Sohona’s triumphant rhythm section of Thomas Hedlund (Bass) and Erik Anderson (Drums) as they both put in beautiful understated musical performances but they really deliver when the heavy grooves demand a powerful rhythm section to build their sonic message upon. Johan’s guitars are full of DESTRUCTIVE INTENT for the most part but all three members really come together within the final two tracks of Ostera and The Long Way Home.

These two tracks show the bands original musical vision coming into their own when they blend Post-Metal mysticism with Post-Stoner romanticism which elevates their music into something quite therapeutic and emotionally healing especially within Ostera. You can hear other influences such as PELICAN and RUSSIAN CIRCLES emerging before Maha Sohona once again rely on their Progressive Doom and Stoner Metal surroundings. 

A Dark Place is a brilliantly realized musical adventure brought to life with true CINEMATIC themes that develops throughout for a record that’s quite downbeat in places but one that’s superbly uplifting before everything is said and done. Maha Sohona are one of the best kept secrets within the Swedish Underground Rock/Metal scene who will no doubt achieve greater recognition from the wider scene thanks to this incredible album.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Sheltered Life PR for the promo.

A Dark Place is available to buy now on DD/Vinyl via Bonebag Records

Links

Bandcamp | Spotify | Website | Instagram | Facebook

Nordic Doom Ascends: SKOGSKULT Unveil Occult-Drenched Video and Album on BONEBAG RECORDS

Taking cues from classic doom bands like Sleep, Acid King, and Electric Wizard, as well as contemporary acts like Monolord and Telekinetic Yeti, Bonebag Records is thrilled to announce the debut album from rising stars, Skogskult.

Formed in 2022 in Umeå and featuring members of underground bands Från Mars, Scitalis, and Never Recover, the Swedish doom quartet mark their path toward the album with their third and final single ahead of Skogskult’s debut album. ‘Jag Ger Mig Av’ centres on rebirth, losing your way, finding yourself again, and embracing both the beautiful and the devastating in the process. With Swedish lyrics and riff-driven songwriting, drenched in heavy fuzz, the single builds on the mood that the forthcoming album promises.



Drawing on imagery of Skinwalkers, Norse burial rituals, and occult gatherings, Skogskult channel the dark traditions of doom and stoner rock into a fuzz-filled vision of darker days to come. Produced by Cavern Deep and Bonebag Record’s own Max Malmer, ‘Jag Ger Mig Av’ builds on the atmosphere that defines Skogskult’s sound.

“I had the fortune of catching one of their first shows and signed them on the spot,” explains Malmer. “It was so great to see that there were young, local musicians getting into the stoner doom genre. Since discovering them we've produced an entire album together. Hopefully this new single will give everyone a sense of what they’re all about.”

Skogskult’s self-titled debut will be released on 5th December 2025 and can be pre-ordered via Bonebag Records here. 

Watch the video for ‘Jag Ger Mig Av’ below via ROB HAMMER's infamous  *stonerdoom*psych*sludge*grunge*metal* YouTube Channel.

Skogskult:

Samuel Nordström – Guitar
Albin Kroon – Bass
Simon Rosengrim – Vocals
Alexander Söderlund – Drums

Links

Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram

Thanks to Sheltered Life PR for the details.