My first introduction to widely applauded dungeon synth act Old Tower was 2017’s “Rise of the Specter”. Divided into two parts -each spanning almost fifteen minutes in length- “Rise…” is simply gorgeous. This is one of the most professional sounding, well-constructed dungeon synth releases I’ve heard. At once mournful and triumphant, the poignant medieval sound … Continue reading “Rise of the Specter” -Old Tower
The '90s were a goldmine of excellent dark fantasy games: Several of the Ultima games, numerous Might and Magic titles, Heretic/Hexen, Diablo 1 and 2, Planescape: Torment, the list goes on. All of these titles, and many more, explored the darker side of fantasy gaming, with gritty imagery, dark storylines, conquered worlds burning in the … Continue reading “Daemonsgate (OST)” -Ian Howe, Barry Leitch
Vexovoid is a panic-inducing primordial nightmare, like a great and terrible leviathan rising up from an infinite black ocean and dragging itself ashore, pregnant with soul-sucking leeches waiting to burst forth from their hellish womb to feed. Rife with chaos and utter barbarism, Vexovoid is a scathing cacophony so vitriolic that the pure sonic evil … Continue reading “Vexovoid” – Portal
Agartha or "Aghartha" is defined by Wikipedia as "a legendary city that is said to be located in the Earth's core". Upon reading this, it's easy to imagine a subterranean realm of labyrinthine crystal tunnels and underground spires bejeweled with amethyst and opal, its denizens silently traversing the roots of the earth to worship old … Continue reading “Evoke.Contrast.Evolve” -Escaping Aghartha
Swedish DSBM outfit Lifelover quite literally carved a name for themselves as one of the most unique bands representing the genre. Released in 2011, their final album, "Sjukdom" (Swedish for sickness or disease) was one not to be fucked with. Sjukdom is as miserable as it gets: a deranged descent into madness and misery, a … Continue reading “Sjukdom” -Lifelover
Eerie and mysterious, "Haunts" by Caulbearer is sodden with gloomy atmosphere and exudes existential dread like a bloated carcass emanates rot. The chilling ambience of Haunts can't quite decide if it wants to lull listeners to eternal slumber or berate their subconscious with ineffable nightmares, or perhaps do both simultaneously, but with expert subtlety. At … Continue reading “Haunts” -Caulbearer
Molten hellfire and plumes of billowing sonic smog spew forth from the very depths of hell as soon as Gorgoroth's 2003 opus "Twilight of the Idols" begins. The album erupts immediately with "Procreating Satan", a cacophonous miasma churning and growling like a sentient maelstrom. From there on, "Twilight..." slows its pace: the song "Proclaiming Mercy … Continue reading “Twilight of the Idols: in Conspiracy with Satan” -Gorgoroth
When I saw the album art for Barbarian's "To No God Shall I Kneel", my first thought was "did I miss something?" I've been listening to metal of all sorts for most of my life, but I had never checked these guys out. Why not? At a glimpse, "To No God..." looks like something straight … Continue reading “To No God Shall I Kneel” -Barbarian (Italy)
Doom metal is a genre which wears many faces, changing, evolving and spreading out into many branches and sub-genres within sub-genres. From the early days of Black Sabbath, to more contemporary iterations such as Sleep, Electric Wizard, to the funeral doom subgenre, represented by the likes of Thergothon, Esoteric, Loss, and others, doom is a … Continue reading “The Wretch” -The Gates of Slumber
I was first introduced to Nine Inch Nails in high school. My first remembered encounter with the band’s work was “The Downward Spiral”, with which I wasn’t terribly impressed. I was an arrogant teenage metalhead, and permitted my ears to imbibe only the most grotesque and brutal strains of black metal, death metal, and grind. … Continue reading “The Downward Spiral” – Nine Inch Nails
Towers of Rust 