And if there’s any band in the world of metal that can truly be broken down and so clearly defined by eras of their work, Moonspell certainly deserves a deep dive.

Portugal’s most famous and prolific metal export, Moonspell have made no bones about the fact that the band is in the twilight of their careers. While they’ve given themselves no specific expiration date, knowing that an inevitable end is in the near future makes every new release an even more fascinating listen – especially when you consider how the band has progressed and altered their sound through the years (I won’t waste time breaking down the band’s whole catalog AGAIN, just go here for the basics).

Appropriately, 2021’s Hermitage saw the band present a much more sobering, introspective sound that really did seem like a band coming to terms with their own mortality after years of some of their most bombastic and epic work (and also spawned an amazing live recording of the album from a show literally underground in a Portuguese cave – tell me that doesn’t fucking rule). It was a clear shift in the band’s approach, seeming to mark yet another new era in the band’s sound.

As it turns out, Hermitage was not necessarily setting the stage for a new era, but perhaps instead clearing it altogether to let the band cook with a whole new blank canvas. While the album’s first note on “Cross Your Heart” does indeed feature some of the bluesy, slide guitar flavors leftover from their last album, things quickly go completely vintage Moonspell. The Irreligious and Sin/Pecado vibes? OFF THE FRIGGIN CHARTS. I’m instantly thrown back to the first time I heard “Opium” and fell in love with this band. Everything from guitar tone to those dramatic synths to Fernando Ribeiro’s moody-as-fuck vocal approach just SCREAM a certain era of the band’s sound that we haven’t heard in about 25 years, and while I adore Moonspell’s more epic contemporary work, I’m tickled pink to hear this version of the band again in 2026. Chalk it up to nostalgia or whatever you’d like, it’s a fucking VIBE.

And it’s a vibe that only kicks into higher gear on “Far From God,” what with its whispered-word and synth-backed intro that makes me want to throw on some white foundation and heavy eyeliner and go dance around an abandoned warehouse with a bunch of other black-clad antisocials. It’s the unmistakably catchy sound of 90s and 2000s Goth Metal that made bands like Tiamat, The Kovenant and Theatre of Tragedy all the rage during that time. Even the production seems to be trying to cull some of that yesteryear magic. Yes, this sounds more polished, per se, than a release from earlier time periods may have, but the mix itself is spot-on for that era, with Fernando’s vocals coming in clean and clear, and given just enough effect to create an even more ominous, creepy atmosphere. The track is an absolute goth rock/metal anthem that should quickly become a fan favorite. Hell, throw “Promise of Light,” “For the Love of Mortals”, and closer “Reconquista” on your spooky Halloween Dance playlist too, each giving superb melodrama and theatrical panache.

But Far From God is far more fulfilling than just “vibes.” This is a thoroughly engaging and fulfilling record, with lush atmospheres and super solid songwriting that begs repeat listening. “Biblical,” the album’s first track to bring Fernando’s excellent harsh vocals into the mix, bears all the hallmarks of Moonspell‘s sound that you could ever really hope for, with building, earworm melodies that crescendo into a burst of energy that offer a cathartic release. And the song FUUUUUCKS in every sense of the word – speaking to a love so intense and forbidden that it becomes its own mix of ecstasy and tragedy. It oozes with tension and desire, and I’ll just say it – give this one a shot next time it’s go time with your, uh, special friend. Thank me later. Really, this entire album would make for an INTENSE night in the bedroom. Like, it’s not horny, per se, but every track just oozes with a kind of anxious desire and passion that should get you, uh, going, regardless.

Then there’s the superb “The Great Wolf in the Sky,” featuring some beautiful string work from Spanish composer Alicia Nuhro – it culls every bit of spiritual and mystical energy you’d expect from a track with such a name, and pulls in some of the more epic drama you’d expect on albums like Extinct and 1755, making for an intoxicating and immersive listen. It’s really everything you could want from a Moonspell track – drama, emotion, bombast in spades – it’s the kind of track that only a band with so much experience and confidence in their craft could pull off, and we’re all lucky enough to be around to see a band like this, after so long, continue to really shine. Ditto for “Our Freedom to Fall,” the album’s heaviest and, perhaps best track (honestly I think this is the best song Moonspell have made in a long time, which is certainly saying something given their pedigree). It’s just so perfectly crafted and put together, with infectious, doomy riffs and synths that just won’t relent, and Fernando deploying all his various vocal tricks and talents to create the album’s most dynamic offering.

I honestly didn’t know what to expect after Hermitage, and I certainly don’t think it was THIS, but you’re gonna get zero complaints from me. It’s not just a well-performed throwback, it’s a celebration of Moonspell through the years that any fan of the band should be able to fully appreciate and enjoy. Whenever Moonspell does call it quits for good, it’s gonna be a sad day – but I feel confident and content in knowing that the band will go out the same way the band always existed – on their own terms, and with their own unique voice. Far From God is easily one of my favorite albums so far this year, and I think over time could prove to be a classic, even for a band as decorated and beloved as this.

So here is album number 17, and much like the last few albums, Medusa, Obsidian, and The Plague Within, and as mentioned above, the band has locked into a sound that blends their doom/death sound and their more gothic rock sound into a perfectly balanced sound that fans of the band’s entire discography will love.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit, when they came out, I was never a fan of the band’s gothic, mopey sound of albums like Draconian Times, One Second, Symbol of Life, or Paradise Lost.  However, as I have matured, I’ve come to appreciate them a little more ( I still contend the band peaked with Gothic). And especially, as the band blends those elements into the heavier sound of earlier releases, including the lauded return of death growls on The Plague Within, which are still, thankfully, in place.

What stands out, though, is that the band, with a largely original lineup, is still utter masters of their craft, and somehow, 30-plus years later, they have crafted arguably one of the best album of their career.

Starting with “Serpent on the Cross”, there’s a death howl right out of the gate and a crunchy, sturdy but somber riff that reminds you these guys can still do heavy. But then standout “Tyrant’s Serenade” mopes out of the gate with a crumbling, grooving, morose riff that only Greg Mackintosh can write/play, but has a hefty back end and Nick Holmes perfectly rendered somber croons and growls (why doesn’t he sound this good on Bloodbath albums? Side note: Hey, Bloodbath– just use Jorgen Sandstrom already).

“Salvation” had a plooding, brooding majesty that reminded me of the excellent “Beneath Broken Earth” from The Plague Within, or even My Dying Bride‘s The Angel and the Dark River album. But then the album gets a little more into the band’s goth rock phase with “Silence Like the Grave”, where Holmes channels his inner James Hetfield, and even the riffs could have come from an early Metallica album. And to be honest, I never recall Paradise Lost having a Metallica influence, but it is very strong in this track, as well as later on in the choppy “Diluvium” and “Sirens”, ironically, the album’s 2 weakest tracks

The album then leans harder into the band’s more commercial era with “Lay Your Wreath Upon The World”, a masterclass in moody, brooding Goth rock, with exclusively clean vocals from Holmes and even some subtle female background vocals before the aforementioned “Diluvium” and “Sirens”. Sandwiched between them is “Savage Days”, which drips with 28 Days Later/John Murphy taughtness.

The album’s last duo of “Deceivers” and “The Precipice” swing back into more of a mix of dreary goth rock and sterner doom metal, with “The Precipice” being one of the album’s strongest cuts, if not one of the band’s best, most depressive cuts of the last few years. It puts an end note on a killer album that shows these guys, along with bands like Amorphis and My Dying Bride, after multiple style shifts, are just killing it in their third acts, 30+ years into their careers.

As I was listening to A Dark Poem Part I: The Shores of Melancholia, I started to wonder why I never listened to Green Carnation before… this album is amazing. I don’t want to be premature (I mean, the year is almost over, yeah, no shit) but this might be AOTY material. I can feel confident in saying that; now anyway. That may change over the course of the rest of the year. But for now… this is the shit.

Keeping in mind that I listened to this record on continuous repeat, the songs washed over me like a rain storm lashing a verdant forest into a frenzy. Opening with the power of Black fucking Sabbath is “As Silence Took You” the lyrics carry significant emotion, and at the mid-track point, this fat assed riff just comes stomping in like it owns the place, with the rising keys behind it all… Jesus fucking Christ, this is how you open an album.

But that’s not it, that’s only seven minutes and eleven seconds of this 42:43-minute-long epic. There’s the huge Amorphis vibe throughout “In Your Paradise” and it’s just a jaw-dropping Nordic rock anthem; big and beautiful like a massive troll swinging trees at random shit.

So much great production went into A Dark Poem Part I: The Shores of Melancholia. Recorded at DUB Studios in Norway, this is epic in every sense of the word. “Me My Enemy” starts off deceptively mellow, sort of Opeth-ish, but then the chorus kicks in and it’s hitting you right in the feels. This is awesome. Pure bloody awesomeness.

“The Slave That You Are” is by far my favorite track on this crazy beast. It features Grutle Kjellson (Enslaved) on guest vocals, and it rips headlong into the blasting right away. Slowing down briefly before it erupts again into a flurry of blasts.

“The Shores of Melancholia” is another epic, ships on the horizon of a churning sea type of song. Soaring, triumphant; reaching the blackest heavens and beyond. It’s followed by the closing track “Too Close to the Flame” has this troll-sized chorus that makes me think of Einherjer and Enslaved, I fucking swear, Season of Mist is a label on fire lately, pumping out some killer releases this year.

It ends, and then you hit play again or just have it on repeat like this guy. A Dark Poem Part I: The Shores of Melancholia is a wonderful album experience. I highly recommend this for you lovers of Enslaved, Einherjer, and early Ulver (think Bergtatt and Nattens madrigal – Aatte hymne til ulven I manden era). A magical album of Norwegian power. So what are you waiting for? Go get it!

So I’m willing to forgive the fellas for all of those words they just kinda threw together here. Like, sure, it is a complete and, with a little patience, coherent statement, but it kinda reminds me of corporate lingo in the way that it uses so many additional and unnecessary words just to say “Waking Nightmares.” That’s it! That’s all they had to say. When I go to drop a deuce, I don’t say I’m “Ejecting the Spent Remains of Otherwise Masticated and Digested Foreign Substance.” I took a shit.

Anyway, you’re not here for the autism you wanna know if this album is good or not. Right.

At this point, it might be fair to assume Katatonia certainly doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone, but the recent bombshell departure of Anders Nystrom suddenly sees the band, Jonas Renske especially, under a new and unexpected microscope. I also did opine that 2023’s Sky Void of Stars was one of the best and most complete efforts the band had put together in quite some time – certainly not far removed from the darker, more goth-leaning sort of melodic rock/metal this era of Katatonia has settled into as of late, but a much more focused and memorable version of it for sure.

The first thing you’ll probably notice with NAEOTWS is that, perhaps not actually that shockingly, the departure of Nystrom seems fairly negligible. Certainly, this is owed in large to the prevailing notion that Renske has pretty much been the captain at the helm of Katatonia for a bit now. All the hallmarks are here – the startling and off-putting sudden start to the album on opener “Thrice” which, once again, somehow caught me off guard and ill-prepared for the band to get right down to business. It is however, another in a long-running streak of killer album openers, and showcases the band’s more progressive leanings in stellar order, with clever, evolving riff work from new guitarists Nico Elgstrand and Sebastian Svalland. Granted, it’s fair to wonder how much input either had into the riffs or songwriting but, either way, the signature Katatonia tone and timing is all instantly recognizable. You could remove Renske’s vocals from the track altogether and there’s still be no question who recorded it.

A big part of that “Katatonia sound” at this point is also unquestionably the drumming of Daniel Moilanen, now having been with the band for nearly a decade and having established a style all his own that goes such a long way to setting the tone of each record he’s been a part of. His ability to carry the pace on tracks like “Wind of No Change,” “Lilac” and “Warden” where good stretches are left to him to carry the load is impressive and necessary to the entire picture Renske is painting. I point out these three in particular as they are real standouts on the album, the first having such an immense presence with chanted backup vocals and sturdy, heavy riffing that all come together to feel like I’ve stumbled into some kind of cult ritual where, I have a sneaking suspicion they’ll be “borrowing” some of my blood. “Warden” features one of the album’s catchiest choruses that will find appeal with metalheads and goths alike, (once again) brilliantly bridging the gap between the two in a way it seems only Katatonia is this capable of.

And really, for better or worse (depending on your perspective) that whole “this is obviously Katatonia” vibe is prevalent through the entire album. The guitars, using whatever effect it is they’re using on on “The Light Which I Bleed,” are unique and obvious to this band alone. The pacing of the album, the tone and ebbs and flows, I can’t really say any of it is unpredictable. For me, this is not a complaint. Much like my love for bands like Amorphis and Children of Bodom and Mors Principium Est, you’re likely never going to catch me complaining about getting more of a sound I love. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a band finding their lane, especially if it’s so unique to them, and sticking with it so long as they’re still keeping the songs engaging – and Katatonia certainly have done that again here on (insert ridiculous name here).

So if you’re wondering what life after Nystrom sounds like for Katatonia, the truth is, it sounds a whole heck of a lot like it has for getting on the past couple decades. If it wasn’t clear before, this is now Jonas Renske’s ship to steer. For those of us who’ve been on board, the seas are steady and clear. If you’ve been looking for a reason to jump ship, grab a life jacket and take a nose dive, I guess. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

I wasn’t expecting what I got from Children of Eve. I was expecting some Vampire Doom outfit. I was wrong as wrong can be, however, because like I said before, Nightfall is Melodic Death Metal through and through. Plus, they’ve been around forever… I never heard them until now. However, they have been spreading their disease since 1991. Where the fuck was I? Oh yeah, graduating from high school… Anyway, I’m late to the party, but whatever. Let’s go!

“I Hate” bursts out of the gate on a flurry of double bass blasting, razor-sharp riffs guide the track through the slow bits around the 2:21 mark, when the solo kicks in with some sick soloing. It’s an unrelenting opening track and is followed by the decidedly slower “The Cannibal.” It’s slower, yet no less brutal, and there’s some killer female vocals hidden amidst the roaring from vocalist Efthimis Karadimas. I get a nice taste of early Amorphis with that track.

“Lurking” is a ass kicking thrasher, sporting a powerful mid section, it’s a blistering track and an early favorite. There are many huge moments on Children of Eve. The weird electronics at the beginning of “Inside My Head” had me thinking that it was going to be a cover of the Cure’s “The Caterpillar” but it isn’t (fortunately). “Seeking Revenge” bursts in like nobody’s business, bringing some great scattershot riffing, brutal Thrash erupts while the maelstrom spins at top speed.

Each track on Children of Eve is a spike to the face. Equally beautiful and savage riffs intertwined for maximum punishment, and “For the Expelled Ones” is a great example of this melding. I fucking love this track so much. It reminds me of Night in Gales, Toward the Twilight, and Thunderbeast albums. It’s just bludgeoning and gorgeous at the same time.

“The Traders Of Anathema” hits those Amorphis Tales From The Thousand Lakes vibes, while also throwing in a good helping of Paradise Lost as well, circa Draconian Times, especially in the chorus. It only elevates Children of Eve to taller heights, adding more depth to the mayhem swirling around.

With a running time of 43:22 Children of Eve doesn’t overstay its welcome. Nightfall is a force of nature, and they play like they are. “With Outlandish Desire to Disobey” is yet another melodic and insanely fun track. For a record that is about suffering and how we process grief, this is an exciting album. It’s rounded out with “The Makhaira of the Deceiver” and “Christian Svengali” the former track strides on pulsing double bass, picking up an impressive galloping rhythm and some critical strike blasting. The chorus is absolutely hypnotic, and the 3:13 point gets atmospheric as hell, and it’s intertwined with some more tasty riffs. The latter track has these bombastic choral bits in the midsection, and those moments are fist in the sky ones. Large and in charge riffs make Children of Eve Nightfall’s eleventh full-length a revelation to experience. Crystal clear production adds to this circle pit inducing Melodic Death Metal beast.

So if you like any of the bands I mentioned above, you’ll love Nightfall’s latest achievement Children of Eve. Go get it!

In the case of Echoes of Yore, we have some pretty big hitters from the gothic/doom realm with Mike Lamb of Sojourner writing the songs and playing all instruments, former Draconian singer Heike Langhans, and none other than Aaron Stainthorpe of My Dying Bride. The latter two provide magnificent beauty and the beast vocals over some top-notch gothic doom metal that culls heavily from both vocalist’s former and current bands.

I mean look at the song titles like “Her Lips Were Poetry and Doom” (which starts the album with Stainthorpe’s unmistakeable, dark, sultry spoken words), “She Was But an Echo of Yore”, “Through Memories, I Gave Her Life” or “If the Tears Are Forgotten”. It’s pure 90s Peaveville Gothic doom through and through, as Lamb channels a heavy My Dying Bride (mainly guitarist Andrew Craighan as well as Stainthorpe) vibe through morose, lumbering layered riffs with Stainthorpe growling and crooning his way through most of the tracks and Langhans adding some lovely female vocals as she did on two Draconian albums.

That is probably all the sell you need, certainly if you are a fan of either vocalist’s work. The 7 songs and 42 minutes are somber, but beautiful dirges with dual vocals that carry some gravitas throughout with Lamb providing somber strings/organs/piano, and knee-wilting, layered harmonies dripping with despondency, that should satiate you until the next My Dying Bride or Draconian albums.

In particular “Faith of Thy Beloved”, “She Was But an Echo of Yore” and “Through Memories, I Gave Her Life” stand out on a fine album, another solid release from Tragedy Productions.

Interesting, yeah. Thirteen tracks of Goth infused metal  with enough other genres that there’s literally something for every taste. Because at one point they’re Black Metal, then some sort of lunatic Mercyful Fate meets Ghost’s Infestissumam (my favorite album from them so that makes this right up my tree.)

“The Way (Intro)” is how they get underway. It’s a soaring and magnificent track, and it segues into “Perfidy II: The Weight of Guilt”. Admittedly I didn’t like this song at first, something about it was bugging the shit out of me, so I listened HARD, and it suddenly clicked for me, so after that all was well. The star of this album is Ganiela Ganeva and her magnificent voice. When combined with Dimitar Naydev and his raw vocals they are unstoppable.

The first half of the album is noticeably King Diamond-ish, his Abigail and Them albums respectively, but after the whirlwind of “Master of the Fade” they do some totally unexpected shit and on “Sign of Armageddon” they go full on Go-Go boots at the end of the track and goddamn if it doesn’t swing like a corpse on a meat hook. I literally became a dancing fool with this song.

This is an incredibly fun album, from start to finish. It’s a long one too; 1:13:16, don’t let that deter you because it’s worth every second. “Insight” continues that demonic Watusi, while “Under the Black Sea” churning within a vortex of menace where nightmare creatures haunt the shadowed depths.

The production is awesome, allowing each instrument to shine. I’m not sure where Outer Rim II: Saaren Gammar was recorded; etc. But a great job was done with this album.

They show some more Ghost rhythms on “Green Eyes of Temptation”, the super heavy and crushing “Wrath of Hades” and the massive “the Forsaken.”

Let me tell you friends and neighbors, Ghost Warfare bring the riffs, I haven’t really mentioned them but they are beefy as fuck, the drums are like rolling thunder courtesy of Diyan Georgiev and the guy bringing those riffs is Georgi Latev. This is a band you need in your life.

“Hire Gods” has a killer riff that drives the song to the insane solo, galloping towards “Gone” and the Demons and Wizards style epic “Legacy of Renn.” The 8:42 minute “Comprehension (Flight of the Fallen)” a soaring Raven of a song and perfect closer to this absolutely marvelous album.

Seriously though, constant reader. Ghost Warfare are a band that needs your attention and support. I wonder who would like this… fans of King Diamond/ Mercyful Fate for sure, Ghost (early days Opus Eponymous and the aforementioned Infestissumam). There’s literally something that will appeal to those who seek out new Metal that wears a deadly heart on its bloodied sleeves.

In truth, it’s all-too-easy for me to use any number of outside excuses to explain my growing resentment towards the world in general (one that seems hellbent on making existence for almost everyone harder and harder by the day) but ultimately, I also have to keep myself accountable. What am I doing to bring more joy to my life? How can I create a future self that I don’t already loathe?

Well, to start – maybe take a cue from Montreal’s Sanguine Glacialis, who seem to be having a blast defying norms and setting their own course in the world of metal.

This is my first foray into the world of Sanguine Glacialis, but straight-away a few things become clear. First, the band’s roots in Montreal’s unique Epic Metal scene show themselves almost immediately. This isn’t meant to draw exact comparisons, but their mix of soaring Melodic Death Metal, epic symphonic orchestrations and sprawling, picture-painting progressive tendencies certainly fall in line with the likes of Blackguard, Karkaos, and the technical weirdness of Quo Vadis. This is all mixed with the drama and pantomime of Fleshgod Apocalypse, Nekrogoblikon or Carach Angren that make Maladaptive Daydreaming a thoroughly engaging, highly entertaining listen. Tracks like “Immuration” or the especially playful “Resilience” make you feel as though you’ve stumbled into the world’s most demented, mind-bending circus after downing a few shots of ayahuasca, where every step further feels like another connection severed from the grips of sense and sanity.

Second, while every member of this outfit deserves their fair share of credit for creating this magnum opus, you can’t help but be especially in awe of vocalist and keyboardist Maude Théberge, whose angelic soprano is at constant battle with her demonic alter-ego, unleashing an impressive array of hell-born shrieks, screams and growls at a moment’s notice. Her ability to deftly bounce back and forth between moments of grace, grandeur and ghastly horror only further paint a picture of onset madness and inner quarreling. If you’re like me, unfamiliar with the band’s prior work, prepare to be hit square in the chest with her first terrifying screams on “Welcome,” which catch you totally off guard after a beautiful, soaring intro sets you up for a much different kind of experience. Follow-up “Immuration” only further cements her depth of talent, particularly in the song’s final 30 seconds where, after impressing with complex, operatic singing through most of the song’s duration, she unleashes some truly breath-taking screams that feel as though she’s reached even further into the nine circles of hell to create. I’m not just impressed, I’m a little scared! In the best way.

My fear only grows deeper with “Paracusia,” which sees Théberge storming out the gate with full-fledged ferocity, taking an extremely aggressive approach with her vocals that match the intensity of the song’s first movement beautifully. After a brief break, the band returns with more Parisian, circus-like music mixed with her serene cleans, as if she’s finally snapped and finds herself lost in a maelstrom of lunacy, fully embracing her own manic state as she deploys a dual-vocal attack of cleans and screams that all but tear the fabric of reality apart. There’s an undeniable darkness always bubbling underneath the surface, and yet the vibrancy in the band’s delivery still manages to inspire joy, putting a grin on your face with every hairpin turn.

As if her vocals weren’t enough to demand your attention, it’s also her well-balanced synth/piano work that really sets the entire scene of Maladaptive Daydreaming. It pulls off a clever trick of not being overbearing, while also making it difficult to image what this album might sound like without them – a perfect compliment to the chaos that help make what is a very emotionally-charged record, somehow bright and vibrant. That’s certainly not to suggest this record would be lost without that element – the rest of the band, including guitarists Jonathan Fontaine and Alexandre Lépine, along with bassist Marc Gervais and drummer Jérémy Racine, all turn in performances that would please fans hungry for the sheer technicality of Ne Obliviscaris or Cynic, or the earworm melodic brilliance of Be’Lakor or Kalmah. They can get downright brutal, too – with “Ars Moriendi,” closer “Resignation,” and plenty of others showcasing moments of utter heft ready to put your stank face on full display. The band’s ability to perfectly balance all the ideas bouncing around in their collective hive mind has the sort of artists’ touch that create a wholly cohesive, yet incredibly layered picture, not unlike the best works of art that can inspire different thoughts and emotions every time you see them.

I really, really dig what Sanguine Glacialis is offering with Maladaptive Daydreaming. The sense of whimsy and wonder, coupled with a very real sense of dread and foreboding under the surface, it all feels like the sort of balance I’d really like to find in my own life, because if I’m being truly honest with myself – the darkness in my life probably ain’t ever going away. Not completely. It’s as much a part of me as any physical trait. That said, it doesn’t have to be the definition of me, or some inescapable conclusion I’m fated to reach, and discovering an album like this only helps to steel my resolve not to let misery become my destiny. Life is short, and it seems Sanguine Glacialis isn’t wasting any of their time trying to follow anyone’s idea of what metal can or should be, and the end result on Maladaptive Daydreaming should carry them to brand new heights. Make this album part of your life pronto.

This review is going to be published long after the album has already been released, but I wanted to take my time with it, as everyone should. Simply put, I love Birth of the Marvellous, but for a while Of Golden Verse wasn’t connecting with me. When this happens, one can decide to write a hasty review or keep listening before jumping to conclusions. I didn’t have my mat with me, so that was impossible.

To begin, I was slightly intimidated, but not overly, considering the album is 10 songs and 49 minutes, which is about my limit. However, a song like “Royal,” quashed my apprehensions quickly. It has a rumble quite like earlier Tool before they overused it on every song since. It doesn’t hurt that the vocals are slightly reminiscent of Maynard. However, unlike current Tool, the build in this track is worth it and goes somewhere. Sorry, Tool. Maybe don’t wait 100 years to release a new album that’s a boring retread of everything else you’ve ever done.

I swear I’ll stop talking about that band and focus on Sermon because they deserve your attention. On the entire album, the production stands out as warm and clear, but it also has an analog feel. This is not easy to achieve, but every instrument has its place in the mix and can be heard.

This shines on “The Distance,” which is a slower track. The drumming stands out because of the excellent performance, but the soaring vocals are also the cream of the crop, or as the Wheel of Fortune iMac game in my 8^th-grade science class said; “cream of the crap.” This is not to say the track has a slow crawl because there’s certainly a driving riff in there, but the highlight is the ending of this 6-minute monster, where it’s smooth, not quite isolated vocals as it fades out.

It’s so difficult to pick a standout track, as there are several, making for an enjoyable listening experience. The band, and by “band,” I mean duo, has done an excellent job crafting an album full of tracks with different flows and crescendos, ensuring it’s never boring. However, I will say perhaps my favorite is “Golden.” It has an eerie synth beginning, which isn’t distracting, nor does it last long. The vocal hook of “they weigh them down” is in the verses, but the chorus is a slight variation. It’s quite brilliant. If ever you thought the band didn’t riff, this track will prove you wrong as well. It’s quite brilliant.

As I mentioned previously, this album may take a while for it to get its hooks in you, much like the bands in the introduction. If you spend enough time with it, all of its brilliance will be revealed as one hell of a progressive metal album. In my correct opinion, there’s not a moment wasted, not a second of being let down. Not only does each track stand on its own, but together they make an excellent second offering, which I believe surpasses the first. Don’t sleep on this surefire AOTY contender.

That’s certainly one way to handle life’s curveballs. Probably the healthiest way! But there’s always other options, aren’t there? Some will lead you down a self-destructive path to eventual oblivion or, maybe even worse – perpetual victimhood. Gross. No thank you. Other knee-jerk reactions might feel good, even cathartic in the moment, but do nothing to fill the gaps left behind by whatever’s been taken away. But then, there’s a really simple, if inelegant option: Take that lemon, tear it open, and bite down into it’s raw flesh – embrace the painful, bitter taste that comes with it, and use it to power you forward with a renewed sense of urgency and spite.

This little EP certainly does carry a certain sense of import and urgency, even for a band like Tribulation who, at this point, doesn’t really have anything to prove. It’s seemed that with every new release since the band shifted sonic gears on 2015’s The Children of the Night, comes a new cycle of near universal fanfare and critical acclaim. But now the band forges ahead without one of the biggest creative forces behind that span of records, after guitarist Jonathan Hultén left the band to pursue his own musical endeavors. To be clear, there doesn’t seem to be any love lost or ill feelings towards any parties involved here, so it may seem that my metaphor is left somewhat in shambles, but don’t be so sure. While the parting may have been amicable, the split did bring the band to the very brink of destruction – and yet they persevere, with the forced reshuffling of the deck seeming to have resulted in a reinvigorated commitment to all things gloom and doom, while maintaining a sound that is 100% Tribulation through and through.

Though the band did release an excellent “single” called “The Dhampir” since Hultén’s departure (I don’t understand why it’s not just called an EP since it’s broken up into 3 tracks but… I’ll just leave my old man complaining at the door), it was written by Hultén, so this really is the band’s first true foray into their new era. Of course, the band does have two things going in their favor: For one, guitarist and the other half of the band’s writing room Adam Zaars is still here, so not all of the band’s original creative juju is gone. And secondly, Hultén has been replaced by guitarist Joseph Throll, who you may recognize from a number of excellent Swedish acts including Corrupt, Black Trip/Vojd, and of course, Speed/Heavy Metal act Enforcer. Not too shabby when you can forge ahead with that kind of pedigree added to the lineup.

Even better, the band apparently was more than ready to put the added talent to good use, with Throll getting writing credit on the moody, very Doom and Heavy Metal-forward “Axis Mundi.” Zaars could have very easily taken full writing responsibilities, and instead embraced the new blood – with superb results. Where parts of Where the Gloom Becomes Sound at times carried an uncharacteristic, even-if-only-slight sense of hope or, at the very least, comfortable acceptance – Hamartia and indeed “Axis Mundi” are embracing the cold and bitter darkness as hard as ever. Even with some of the stronger heavy metal riffing at play here, there’s an ever-present sense of intentional discordance that keeps the mood very unsettling, like looking into the face of a sentient robot double of your wife – it may well be very beautiful, but there’s just a certain wrongness about it that makes your skin crawl, even if it is in the best way possible. The end result sounds as if the band got off a heavy listening binge of Ghost and Nite and immediately got to working on new material after, with those influences subconsciously seeping into what is still, at it’s heart, a Tribulation track. The song also gives us a really good look at how the new guitar duo works together, not just through the interplay between lead and rhythm work on the song’s really catchy chorus, but with some fantastic dueling solos on the track’s back-half that continue to show signs that all is well with the band moving forward – so go ahead and breathe easy.

The remaining tracks do nothing to derail this sense of relief, either. Opener “Hamartia” carries as classic a Tribulation Goth-drenched, Black-n-Roll sound as you’ll find anywhere in their catalog, with the band’s signature guitar tones and Johannes Andersson’s trademark barking, sneering vocals still leading the way. Again, the synergy being built between Zaars and Throll lies front-and-center, with perhaps even more emphasis put on the new pairing’s solos than we’re used to hearing with Tribulation. It’s as if the band is making a considered effort not to shy away from its own internal changes, and instead letting them shine – another example of the band embracing their new path head-on.  “Hemoclysm” showcases the band at their very darkest, really reaching in for their innermost witchy, warlock-y vibes for a dose of doom purpose-built for some wild occult sacrifice. I absolutely love the creepy, hollow vocal melodies floating around in the song’s background, creating a sense of some ancient, monastic spirit haunting a great hall – accentuated even greater by the occasional cascading pianos that feel positively otherworldly. It all comes together to conjure such a morose, foreboding atmosphere that can, and will send chills down your spine.

Rounding out the EP is a really great cover of Blue Öyster Cult‘s “Vengeance (The Pact)” that the band actually does a really nice job staying true to, while giving it a little extra flair that again gives it a very Ghost-like quality (in fairness, the song was already about halfway there to begin with). I think all EPs should finish with a cover or two, and this certainly fits the band pretty dang nicely, so bonus points all-around. So at the end of the day, Hamartia is an EP from a band that very much understood the assignment – not only have they reassured longtime fans that despite a major lineup change, Tribulation seems no worse for wear, but they’ve even shown us a few glimpses of the potential and growth the addition of Joseph Throll has provided for the band moving forward. It’s a new day for Tribulation, and despite the fact that it arrives with some truly menacing clouds and distant thunder in the skies – it’s a day worth celebrating. The train hasn’t been derailed in the slightest.

For those of you I lost at the mention of “Lilith Fair,” your loss, amigos. Two Shadows is about as catchy an album as I’ve heard in some time, channeling the likes of The Gathering, Alcest, Moosnpell and Solstafir en route to nine tracks full of witchy, spooky vibes that aren’t just fitting for the time of year, but I think could also serve as a pretty chill respite from your more normal, outwardly aggressive listening tendencies (what I’m saying is, put the new Lorna Shore down for a second and take a breather. It’ll still be there when you get back).

In a world where extreme metal is bringing levels on intensity to heights never before seen, bands like Hoaxed are exactly what we need (whether we know it or not) to maintain a healthy balance and keep trends from spinning wildly out of control down a path of endless brutality.  In fact, were it not for drummer Kim Coffel’s unique use of double bass, it’d be difficult to categorize Hoaxed as metal at all – save for some of Guitarist/Vocalist Kat Keo’s darker moments – tracks like “Guilty Ones” and “Where Good Won’t Go” that both certainly carrying a doomy, Katatonia-like quality that aren’t so much bruising as they are more oppressive in a sort-of brooding, emotionally-charged king of way.

The dissonance between Coffel’s drumming style and Keo’s more spacious, melodic guitar playing and vocal lines really makes for a hypnotic listening experience throughout Two Shadows. As the two get into their groove on a track like “The Knowing,” or  “For Love,” you do almost get the sense that you’re falling into a sort of trans, settling into the rhythms while Keo’s infectious, curiously haunting vocals carry you away into another whole plane of existence. When she asks “Would you die for love? Would you kill for love?” on the latter, it seems less a question and more a demand being planted into your subconscious by a mysterious and magical entity. Spooky! And yet, if I am being taken under some spell to do the bidding of a shadowy, malevolent being – so be it! This album has already sunk too deeply into my skin to turn back now anyway.

Hoaxed also pulls of the neat trick of being both very brief in their delivery, and having the songs feel longer than their modest run times suggest. Normally this could be seen as a song dragging on, but no so here – whether it’s again some kind of magical spell making me lose perception of time and space, or whatever the case may be – these are just really well crafted tracks that manage to take you on a bit of a journey in a brief, to-the-point amount of time. Perhaps lending a hand to that effort is the band’s inherent catchiness and listenability – the cleverly picked riff on “High Seas,” paired with the haunting pre-chorus build get stuck in your head immediately, and Keo’s skillful crooning on “Grand Illusions” buries itself into your head, lingering well after the song’s final note is played. And the album as a whole is one that begs to be played in its entirety, with a natural flow from one track to the next that all makes it feel bigger and more grand than the sum of it’s parts.

Two Shadows is a spellbinding, utterly intoxicating debut from a band that seems genuinely primed for big things. I could easily see fans of everyone from Ghost and Sylvaine, to the friggin’ Indigo Girls and Fleetwood Mac latching onto this duo and riding wherever their whims take them. A brilliant start to their career, and whether by means of the dark arts or just my own interests, I’m completely hooked.

That being said, I think Moonspell does get extra credit – I can’t immediately recall too many bands lasting that long who have evolved and reinvented themselves as often – and as successfully – as Portugal’s prodigal sons have over their lifespan. From the more blackened beginnings of Wolfheart and Under Satanae, to the much more gothic-leaning Irreligious and Darkness and Hope, to the very Industrial-inspired Butterfly Effect, to my personal-favorite, the stripped-down, doomy The Antidote (somewhat of an outlier in the group and held back a bit by kind “meh” production, but those songs live are fucking awesome) all the way up to the band’s more recent heavier, symphonic gothic/dark metal offerings Alpha Noir and Extinct, the band has done an uncanny job of changing their sound to fit their whims, and end up with a product that was never lacking in quality or imagination.

The band’s evident sense of ambition came to full fruition on 2017’s excellent metal opera 1755, and though last year’s Memorial wasn’t quite on the grandiose scale of it’s predecessor, it certainly showed no signs of the band slowing down or taking a breather. I mention all of this about the band’s prior work not necessarily to size this latest offering up to the rest of their catalogue – instead I think it’s just a necessary part of getting the big picture of where this band is now in their own journey (god that sounds very Millennial to say…) because once again, Moonspell are changing the script a bit and taking things in another direction.

Hermitage is, far and away, the band’s moodiest record they’ve put together in quite some time – putting some of their more recent aggressiveness on the back burner to bring brooding atmospheres back more to the forefront. If ever there was a band capable of creating effective melodrama, it’s Moonspell, and they put those skills once again on full display. This change in focus is most likely intentional – playing into both the darkness of the last year of our lives, as well as Ribeiro’s lyrical themes, inspired this time by history’s famed hermit monks (hence, “Hermitage”). But let all this paint the wrong picture, however – the band still pulls on those heavier, bombastic strings that made Alpha and 1755 such compelling listens – they’re just used much more selectively in order to create a counterbalance to the album’s lows. Opener “The Greater Good” serves as a perfect microcosm of the whole album – with a beautiful interplay between light and darkness. It starts with some foreboding atmospherics, building up slowly with some really catchy vocal melodies – until things reach a boiling point… only to drop back down again. But worry n0t – soon enough the band launches in earnest with a fury – guitars, synths and Fernando’s signature bellowing howl reaching full volume to create a sound very familiar to fans of their last few outings. It’s a strong, and very much telling start to everything that follows.

Follow-up, “Common Prayers” keeps the energy up, serving as one of the albums heaviest and most upbeat tracks, featuring some really neat synth backgrounds and awesome bass lines from Aires Pereira. But from here on out, things take a more decidedly bleak turn – starting with ballad “All or Nothing.” Ribeiro really puts his abilities to craft strong vocal melodies and harmonies on display here, and the song also introduces somewhat of a new, very blues-inspired sound to the band. It’s like injecting some of their more goth-leaning back catalogue with a doomy, Pepper Keenan/Kirk Windstein flair southern metal flair. That guitar tone works really, really well with the organ notes in the background, and provides an extra feeling of solitude and isolation. You find a similar feel on tracks like “Entitlement,” and perhaps to its greatest degree on instrumental “Solitarian.” I really dig the addition to the band’s bag of tricks, and it’s cool that after all this time, after all the twists and turns the band has made to their sound, they’re still adding new elements.

“Hermitage” picks the pace back up again a notch – Ribeiro himself throwing another added trick to the mix with a sort of raw, “yell-y” vocal delivery that I’m digging a bunch – like a mad preacher trying to coax a crowd to his will. Again, we get a nice return of some sweet organ backgrounds behind another very blues-driven solo. It’s both very new and very familiar to longtime fans of the band. A few tracks later, my favorite song on the album, “The Hermit Saints,” shows off a band whose experience has led to a mastery and comfort with who they are and what they’re capable of – putting together really infectious, effective harmonies and melodies that are on par with any they’ve created over their career. The traditional heavy metal-leaning guitars sound amazing here – and I’d really like to hear the band show more of that side wherever they move on to next.

Hermitage sticks with the Moonspell tradition of… well, not being traditional. Once again, the band has added a number of new elements, while also harkening back to bits and pieces of their history to create yet another thoroughly enjoyable that feels just about right for the times. Longtime fans and new discoverers alike should find plenty to like about this album, and I can’t wait til the day I can finally hear these songs live. Until then, I’ll very enthusiastically be soaking this up in the comfort of my home. Another fantastic effort from a timeless, unique band.