Mammon’s Throne – Mammon’s Throne 9/10
Melbourne, Australia’s Mammon’s Throne realized their potential that began with 2020’s debut ‘’Forward Unto Flame’’. ‘’Mammon’s Throne” is an album that takes their style of pure metal doom to its zenith with sheer heaviness and power.
From the first moment of the first chord that is “Return Us to the Stars’’ the die is cast. This is pure epic supremely heavy doom metal that recalls moments of the nineties movement where minimalism is used to create the most massive of soundscapes that have a clear tone and purpose. It devolves into a thickened, dense, blackened induced slice of glory that leads directly into ‘’ “Beyond,” a track that is even heavier, more powerful, yet no less clear. This is simply beautifully heavy music that is so uncompromising it redefines the simple notions of metal and the thoughts that give it power and weight.’’ “A King’s Last Lament” is pure melancholy its tones mournful, the regret palpable, tangible, its grief translated with beautiful lyricism that invokes tragedy and emotion.
‘’Impure’’ is a distorted nightmare of feedback and vitriol, Its is seven minutes of an unrelenting weight on the chest whilst the title track ‘’ Mammon’s Throne (Reap What You Sow)’’ epitomises the power of the band and their ability to convey the desolate and sorrow. There is an inevitability that is as unavoidable as it is alluring, complex and intricate, a literal descent that is stripped back to its core, a soul laid bare that doesn’t require judgement but respect in its creation.
Mammon’s Throne creates epic passages with effective minimalistic textures to create honest and uncompromising music. Heartfelt and one of the heaviest music creations in recent memory, it is evocative, with moments of beauty matched by those most harrowing. Unmissable.
Eisenkult – Vulgäre, Deutsche Hassmusik 78/10
The Germanic trio of hellfire known as Eisenkult (Cult Of Iron) return with their fourth release in as many years, The diverse yet equally extreme Vulgäre, Deutsche Hassmusik.
Eisenkult extols the virtues of pure second-wave black European black metal. It is a sound and style that is true and loyal to the cult whilst also extending their concept into the realms of dungeon synth that, along with excellent production, makes their sound recognizable yet also unique.
The always extreme vocals of Baptist are matched by the droning guitars that represent the darkness whilst the keys are light and add moments of pure melody. It is the juxtaposition of these styles that makes Vulgäre, Deutsche Hassmusik (‘’Let us remember the darkness”) distinct with its drama. Opener ‘’Anrufung’’ complete with its choir esque grandeur,’’ Der Teufel Hat’s Gesandt’’ is a darker brooding affair that offers discordance with the chaos amid the almost folk-driven history of the melody. ‘’ Bizarr Und Erbärmlich’’ is a leaner more focused offering highlighting the rhythm section and vocals, whilst ‘’ Niederes Gewürm’’ is a cinematic image-inducing track that possibly contains one of the nicest keyboard melodies ever offered in the genre that is offset by the power of the distorted riffing.
Vulgäre, Deutsche Hassmusik makes no excuses for their openly melodic moments, yet the atmosphere that begins with the ambience of ‘’ Gnadenwille V’’ is a highlight, incorporating the baroque with the textures of the gothic combining classic structures with those from extreme darkness made famous in the nineties. They are able to refine the history of black metal yet still remain true to its identity whilst incorporating the synth to create their own identifiable visual journey. It is an album of opposites and contrasts, challenging with its passion and interpretation of shadows and wickedness.
Wildeornes- On the Earth Under the Sky 8/10
On the Earth, under the Sky’’ is a track that defies normal description. The raw production adds to the authenticity of the eighties-inspired speed assault, yet the vocals are that haunting Norge-inspired element with whispered invocations and the acoustic refrain that reverberates long in the psyche after it is finished. It then morphs into a mighty doom-laden riff that surprises yet makes the track infinitely heavier and more dimensional.
Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, the Wildeornes is described as blackened doom Metal, yet it is so much more. I have to admit the Bathory- esque touches are a brilliant addition, and the riffing is a lot sharper than expected for doom metal and is an ambitious double-concept album. Tracks 1-5 are new, whilst 6-9 are re-workings from 2021’s’’ Gæð wyrd a swa hio scel’’, that explore the eastern and Western existential philosophy, deep ecology, and Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse mythologies.
Intended as a release to celebrate the tenth anniversary of their debut album in 2022, On the Earth Under the Sky now celebrates the southern hemisphere Samhain with a rich, atmospheric, and unashamedly heavy album. The pure doom of ‘’Mouth of the River” is matched by the power and the opening solo of “Under Oak “that invokes both psychedelic past, present and future. Wildeornes music is enticing as the riffs lure you in. Nothing is predictable their music is emotive, honest, and inventive.
On the Earth Under the Sky is an album for those who like their metal combined with deep thought, Wildeornes weave a seductive tapestry that is as intense as it is subtle, progressive as it is raw and incredibly coherent in its representation of man and his traditions.
Thy Dominion – Cadaver Idolatry 8/10
Hailing from Uruguay four piece Thy Dominion release, Cadaver Idolatry, is only their second full-length album in their 27-year career. It perfectly captures their underground essence of deathened Black Metal, also parts speed and thrash.
From the pure metal opener Darkness Conspiracy and its touches of Teutonic thrash to the chaos of the title track with its furious percussion, They Dominion know its way around extreme music. From Pazuzu’s blast beats and simultaneous 2/4 metal attack, their approach is tough uncompromising and openly brutal at times. The pure guttural ness of Sargon’s vocals is matched by the razor-sharp riffing that offers no mercy yet also reflects the desolation of the human being.
An Empty Coffin is pure old-school death metal that relies on the heaviest of structures rather than technical tricks, and there is an air of savagery rather than complexity in Cadaver Idolatry that is punishing and pure in its intent. There is melody lurking in their aggression as on ‘’Shadows of Necromancy’’, yet the inevitable is real as it gets on “As the Sun Fall into the Abyss.”
Thy Dominion has delivered an album full of raw unbridled potential. Bristling with visceral energy Cadaver Idolatry is a worthy addition to the pantheon of pure extreme metal!