Now, I love me some medieval black metal, as evidenced by my recent Gladium Regis review and my love of bands like Véhémence, Darkenhold, Obsequiae, Sühnopfer, Abduction, Hanternoz, and Passéisme. And certainly, Riverflame’s debut will appeal to fans of all those bands, especially Summoning, but there is just ‘something’ missing here.

And while this isn’t full-on Summoning worship, like, for example, the recent Forlorn Citadel, as it has much more symphonic black metal injections and structures amid the atmosphere, instrumental marches, spoken words, and Summoning-ish cadences, it will certainly remind folks of the Austrian duo.

The heraldic, triumphant instrumentation is here in full force, with lots of keyboards and chamber music-style harpsichord action amid the 4 lengthy songs and one interlude (“Lunar Crusades”), which also have lots of build-up and purely atmospheric sections.

But that missing element is that the riffs just don’t quite fully imbue that epic, shimmering armor and billowing banners atmosphere I crave with this style. Don’t get me wrong, there are bits here and there like parts of the opener “Riverflame” or “Through Mistlands and Unearthly Worlds”, and the album as a whole is certainly enjoyable – but the Gladium Regis album is far superior and memorable.

Outside of the many atmospheric bridges and builds, the riffs come across as more standard melodic black metal, Dissection-ish riffs, which is absolutely fine. But I want my fantasy/medieval black metal to take me back in time or to another age. And while other elements do, the riffs do not, for example, “Where Dragons Once Ruled” and the 10-minute closer “Before the Eternal Night”, which at times could be a power metal song with harsh vocals.

Don’t get me wrong, Lunar Crusades is a solid, maybe even fine album, but I just expected a little more as it left me wanting.

The brainchild of one Marc Dalton (also of the solid melodic black metal band Tyrmfar, who released a fine album earlier in 2023, Dialectic of Ego and the Unconscious), and this debut album De s​è​ve et de sang (‘Of Sap and Blood’) is a collection of songs based on the Swiss history, myths, tales, and legends. And it’s a very, very impressive album, that’s up there with 2023s very best atmospheric black metal from the likes of Numeron, Passéisme, Winds of Tragedy, and such.

Now I specifically bring up Passéisme and Winds of Tragedy, as Dalton has the same gruffer, vocal delivery as opposed to a standard black metal rasp or shriek, as well as a similarly burlier guitar tone, rather than a shriller, tinnier tone. This gives the material a powerful, but organic overall sound.

Admittedly, the opening number “Sedunum Invictus” isn’t anything too special, being a standard enjoyable, melodic/atmospheric black metal number. However, the delicate little atmospherics that start the second track ” Ce que c’est que la mort” signal a run of tracks that make for a killer album. The tremolo blast that erupts at 1:43 is essentially a perfect melodic black metal riff and chord progression that Dalton seems to revisit and lock into throughout the rest of the album, but that’s OK, it’s that damn good.

“La garde de Fer” continues the killer riffage with one of the album’s many standout melodic riffs.  There is yet another for the more brooding “Dryade de sang-mêlé”, where the chord progression starts to get a bit familiar, but still is oh-so-good. “Du haut de l’échafaud” is the album’s longest track and slows things down a bit for a mid-album break before “Le mal pour le mal” delivers a varied track of scathing melodic blasts and moody moments.

The last three tracks are more of the same absolutely killer riffs and melodies but in particular “Nuit des tourments” with its gorgeous keyboard laced first half and the closer “Tueuse d’étoile” where Dalton again locks into a stunning melodic riff to end the album on a really killer high note and certainly be in the mix for my 2023 year-end list.

Right off the bat, introductory song “Naunet” casts an ominous vibe, as light drone musings and eerie atmospherics set Feast for Water in motion. However, it’s second track “Snakeskin Drape” that really gets the ball rolling, unfurling through a slow burning intro before unleashing into a rocking doom stride. Sara’s excellent vocals and smoky melodies standout immediately, while the driving riffs and straightforward drumming lock into a tight and catchy central groove. Topped with soulful guitar licks, it’s a killer song and further indication of the band’s talents. At a tick over five minutes, along with the intro and outro tracks, it’s easily the album’s shortest, most concise composition. Thankfully, the lengthier cuts aren’t detrimental to the flow and cohesiveness of the album. Clever dynamic shifts, stellar guitar and vocal performances, and the compelling nature of the song-writing’s slow burning fuse ensures Messa keeps the listener engaged, regardless of the pace or volume they are operating at.

Messa favor taking a more languid approach with their song-writing, wedging bluesy bursts of rocking doom with soulful psych deviations and sparse sections of ambiance and careful restraint. The combination is executed with great cohesion and the slower, more subtle and melancholic passages sustain interest and feature some stunningly affective melodies and tender vocals. “Leah” is a sublime example of the different elements coalescing fluidly, featuring another fantastic vocal turn, warm bass tones, and guitars that flip from addictive doom dirges to somber passages and tasteful embellishments. Messa maintain a strong level of consistency throughout the album, never succumbing to excessiveness despite the hefty song lengths and adventurous spirit.

The reduction in ambient drone indulgence is a pleasant change to my ears and though Feast for Water comes across as not quite as heavy, upbeat or musically versatile as the debut, in many ways it builds upon existing strengths, tightens up their sound, and feels like a logical step forward and refinement in Messa’s evolution. It’s also not without its adventurous turns and genre manipulation. For example, the darkly mysterious “Tulsi” rips out some tasty psychedelic guitar licks, swampy grooves, and swaggering doom riffage amidst violent bursts of blackened blasting which wouldn’t sound out of place on a Myrkur release. Messa’s exceptional ability to make disparate elements work with classy cohesion sets them apart and is well showcased throughout Feast for Water.

Messa clearly possess a passion for rocking, bluesy old school doom, from Pentagram to the mighty Black Sabbath, but they craft a sound with enough contemporary flourishes and individuality to trump many of their peers in the crowded domain of female fronted old school/occult doom bands. Messa’s debut proved a wonderfully diverse and eclectic affair. By comparison, Feast for Water is a little more restrained and focused in its song-writing approach, creating a dense and emotive tapestry of mournful, candlelit passages of dark beauty, soulful blues, and fat servings of rollicking old school doom with a contemporary twist. In doing so, Messa have raised the bar again and crafted a sophomore album to be reckoned with, solidifying their place in the upper tier of the current doom scene.

First and foremost the band has undergone quite a significant transformation since the debut. While the label ‘progressive sludge’ still applies, New World Order is a very different beast compared to the debut. Whereas the knotty exploratory song structures of Tales were underpinned by a more straightforward stoner metal punch and groove, New World Order features a sharper, edgier mode of attack which finds Void of Sleep ramping-up their proggy and psych doom tendencies into a darker and grittier sound. The adjustment in sound was initially a touch jarring, but the quality of the song-writing and the band’s confident stride forward with their music has thankfully won me over.

New World Order is razor sharp in most respects. The compositions are tighter and more complex and fluid; built upon a restlessly inventive drum and bass rhythm combo and fleshed out by the intricate and textured guitar work which hits a sweet spot of melody, adventure and groove. And although the guitar work takes on a more unpredictable and psychedelic path, those bulldozing bluesy doom riffs that were such a joy on Tales are rarely in short supply here. Spindly guitar melodies, probing basslines and off kilter rhythms collide with dreary vocal hooks on the edgy and melancholic opener ‘The Devil’s Conjuration”. It’s a solid start to the album that reinforces the slight stylistic tweaks and harder hitting execution on this second LP. “Hidden Revelations” takes a livelier turn and is a potent and emotive slice of angular prog and meatier sludge metal force. The song takes some interesting twists and turns without ever losing its structure.

Burdo’s vocals lend a strong melodic sensibility and accessible slant to the band’s psych-prog jams. His versatile vocals were a standout on the debut and here the dude lifts his game to another level. Both his predominant cleans and heavier vocal styles sound more confident and refined, to the point where he almost sounds like a different singer compared with his performance on the debut. Fear not however as just like the previous offering his vocals are a clear strength to the Void of Sleep formula. His confident phrasing and emotive melodic hooks are scattered generously throughout the album, counteracting the less immediate and challenging musical aspects with engaging vocal melodies. The band stays on the front foot on powerhouse, signature Void of Sleep tunes like “Slaves will Serve”, ensuring the song-writing doesn’t veer too alarmingly off course. Void of Sleep closes out the album with the complex proggy stoner jam of 14 minute epic “Ending Theme’, which manages to grip from start to finish despite its mammoth length.

Aside from a disposable interlude New World Order is a fairly consistent, rocking affair, even if the hooks don’t quite sink as deep as the debut. Production has been improved as well, sounding crisper and more refined while still featuring a solid bottom heavy punch, with the prominent presence of the bass a clear standout.

As solid and confident an album as New World Order is, I must admit the element of surprise and the more instantly memorable and hooky material from the debut certainly created a greater impact. Nevertheless, Void of Sleep has shown a willingness to push forward into a challenging and exciting new dimension and with this they mostly succeed with a solid and adventurous sophomore album.

Void of Sleep cite the likes of Black Sabbath, Kyuss, Orange Goblin, Tool, Mastodon, Down and Neurosis as influences, butt hat doesn’t really do the band justice.  Sure there might be traces of these bands and others in their sound but Void of Sleep are too elusive and unpredictable to link definitively to any one source.  They transcend simplified genre tags to create their own unique spin; balancing direct bursts of bluesy aggression with more expansive rock flavors, neatly intertwined with their heavier, sludgy roots.  Void of Sleep favor longer songs but thankfully they possess the arsenal of quality riffs and song-writing chops to pull it off cohesively.

Their sound intersects the crossroads where the interrelated sub-genres of doom, sludge and stoner rock collide.  This interesting meshing of incestuous bloodlines is embellished by an angular hard rock slant, ample amounts of melody and the occasional progressive foray into more exploratory psychedelic territory.  This isn’t the kaleidoscope of color type of psychedelia but rather a dreamy, mysterious blend of various shades of black and grey.A melancholic vibe seeps into the atmosphere and the diverse, impassioned vocals convey a deeper emotional side to the band.

One of the first notable aspects of the album is the colossal production.  The spacious sound has a sharpness and clarity that is well balanced with a sturdy bottom end,bass with presence and flair, and the genuinely heavy force of the twin guitars.  Drummer Allo demands lots of extra listening attention.  He works skilfully within the structures of the songs,knowing when to lock into a hard-hitting groove or show his finesse though more intricate drum patterns.  This style works wonders within the context of the songs, which flip from straight-out aggression to more adventurous excursions.  Singer Burdo’s vocals careen from gruffer styles to melodic cleaner singing and he’s responsible for some rousing moments and memorable vocal hooks.   And the guitar work is inventive and highly infectious; from the straight-forward but catchy stoner-doom riffs to the more exploratory, out-of-the-box moments.

Opening cut “Blood On My Hands”is a fairly straight-forward but effectively bruising sludge-rocker.  It’s built around forceful, bluesy riffs,driving rhythms and Burdo’s distinct gravelly vocal-style.It’s a fine start to the album, despite traveling a relatively safe path in comparison to what is to follow.  The song contains several standout riffs, basslines that pop-out and crackle and some killer vocal hooks.  Even if Void of Sleep stuck to this formula for the rest of the album it would be a more than satisfying listen.

Pleasingly Void of Sleepcatapults their song-writing into a more ambitious stratosphere.  It becomes apparent on second track “Wisdom of Doom”, where things start to get really interesting.  The song’s addictive hooks, tribal rhythms and stoner-doom grooves march alongin confident style until around the 3-minute mark where the song enters even more engrossing territory.   The contemplative section of restrained, moody atmospherics and assured clean singing unveils the band’s more experimental and progressive tendencies.  The song gracefully merges back to the earlier riff, cohesively tying the song together full circle.

“Lost in the Void” is the epic 8.32-minute centerpiece of the album.  The straight-forward swagger is deceptive initially until the verses kick-in and the depth of their song-writing and Burdo’s excellent singing becomes apparent.  The verses are surprisingly melodic and upbeat but are catchy as hell, and the deft guitar lines and busy rhythm section showcase the band’s excellent musicianship.  As with each song on the album these melodic and proggy elements are shuffled skilfully with their heavier leanings.

The other four tracks are just as high quality with no sign of filler to drag things down.   “Ghost of Me” threads progressive interplay into a moody, melodic-rock base and some heavy, stoner-ish riffs.  The song winds down with some nice lead guitar work and a catchy doom riff that repeats itself whilst gradually changing down gears and dialing back the tempo.  The extended intro of “Mirror Soul Sickness” features more proggy and psychedelic touches before unfolding into a burly groove and catchy shouted chorus.

It’s a great feeling when you stumble across a little known band that floors you this way.  Void of Sleep is one such band whose dynamic vision is wonderfully realized throughout this confident debut.  Fans of the aforementioned bands and aficionados of doom, sludge, stoner rock and quality heavy music would be wise to check this out. Tales Between Reality and Madness is an accomplished, exciting debut that is adventurous, intelligent and refreshingly addictive.  Highly recommended.

I’m always willing to admit when a record just isn’t for me, and that’s the case here. I’m sure there are people out there who will consider Iron Flavoured Candles absolute genius. You probably know who you are. By all means, enjoy it.

Though not as jarring as some modern technical death metal (i.e. Necrophagist, Martyr, Gorod, Odious Mortem, etc), the generally controlled, mid paced of Tholus is still complex and intricate, but comes with the usual trapping of technical death metal-memorability and accessibility.

Still, for fans of technical wizardry and guitar skill, Constant won’t disappoint, and to their credit, the guitar work is allowed to breathe within the generally slower tempos, so you have a little more time to appreciate the fret play. Vocalist Aaron Ortiz is the perfect unassuming choice for the vocals as his deep yet understandable growl reminded me of Disincarnate’s Bryan Cegon as it complements the music rather than dominates it.

The guitar duo of Wally Scharold and Rob Pumpelly, especially on tracks like “Protocultures”, “Staring Back” and the angular title track is impressive yet also unassuming, just fluid and almost effortlessly complex. The injections of Hogland’s voice for many of the tracks adds an air of authenticity to the subject matter and the production is solid.

That all being said, Constant may still bore some tech death metal fans wanting a bit more bite and tenacity, as to be honest at times the album is pretty lethargic in its complexity with little or no fervent blasting, but for me that ended up as a bit of a boon for me and an album well worth checking out for a little different take on technical death metal.