November is Doom -The Top 10 Doom Albums of 2025

 

I love to celebrate death and darkness. Doom is the music that should not only embrace a sense of loss and depression but sonically express it. These are the albums that did that best captured that feeling this year.   After I sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of the 2025 The very fact these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album; there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. 

After all, we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day, what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, and you look forward to listening to it again. Perhaps you can find your next favorite on this list, and I have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out the audio on these guys. Anyway, here are the top 10 Doom albums of 2025.

10-Born of Plagues-"Dead Endings."

This is the second album from these Baltimore doomsters. They are capable of stepping on the gas to create more of a death metal feel at times, but it is just a more aggressive dynamic to the doom they churn. Where the first album was more sludge-driven, this one has a darker, more mournful, melancholic edge. That is not to say the sonic edge is gone, but it is smoothed out for a more metal sound.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/11/november-is-doom-born-of-plagues-dead.html

 

9-Oromet-"the Sinking Isle." 

The second album from this California-based duo finds that the potency of weed is not waning in the Golden State. It evokes the kind of lingering doom lethargy that earns the title of funeral doom, with the low growl of the vocals mixed in the background under the sonic procession of guitar that brings Mournful Congregation to mind. They are heavier sonically than heavy metal, with the chords sailing in the seas where shoegaze and kraut rock washed together with the dynamic scope of what they bathe your ears in. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/11/november-is-doom-oromet-sinking-isle.html

8-Patriarchs in Black-"Home." 

A project comprised by two music legends, Johnny Kelly of Type O Negative fame, and guitarist Dan Lorenzo, who played in the groundbreaking Non-Fiction.  They play blues-based doom tunes, with different singers on each track. Some of these include  Kyle Thomas of Exhorder, who belts it out in his trademark husky soulful swagger. Another noted performance comes from  Karl Agell from the "Blind" era C.O.C., taking the mic, makes me think of Tony Martin, who belts it out in a more nuanced manner than what you might expect from him.  The entire album is full of surprises that work off the more traditional metal aspects of doom. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/patriarchs-in-black-home.html

 

7-Drowned in Silver- "Mothers." 

This band from Poland is interesting; the exotic drowning ambiance opens the door to great darkness, leaving you unsure of which shade of it will attack you. The vocals sometimes take on an aggressive grit, as the instrumentation carries an odd dissonance, summoned with the saxophone coloring the background is almsot as noisy as what Swans ventures in at times. Even when things build into a heavier dynamic, this remains a fair point of comparison, perhaps throwing in a doom version of what Diamanda Galas does as another point of reference. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/11/november-is-doom-drowned-in-silver.html

 

 

6-Paradise Lost-"Ascension." 

The 17th album from the progenitors of death doom shuns expectations. using the tropes from both genres, while sometimes trying to grab the goth metal throne that Type O Negative left vacant. They go from straightforward death metal to the grandiose pagentry of morose doomy rock that lends itself to the Type O comparisons. He sings most of the song, then things become more split in equal portions when it comes to his delivery.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/paradise-lost-ascension.html

 

5-November's Doom-"Major Arcana." 

The 12th album from this band highlights who they are. Sometimes stepping on the gas to deliver a more heavily chugged death doom assault, before flowing into melodic metal power ballads, though generally more of the aggressive side both lyrically and sonically. Paul Kur has fully perfected the dynamic of his vocal style, nailing clean vocals with the same fluid ease he belted out the more powerful growls. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/novembers-doom-major-arcana.html

4-Cold in Berlin- "Wounds." 

 The lines between goth and doom are blurred even further on this album as the songs carry a darker, more pulsating beat. Maya continues to belt things out with the expected intensity. The hypnotic pulse of "12 Crosses" shares some common ground with grunge from the '90s, while also employing more exotic flourishes of atmosphere. Even amid the deliberate rumble, they leave plenty of room for Maya to express herself as the bass line lurks. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/gothtober-cold-in-berlin-wounds.html

3-Shedfrombody- "Whisper and Wane." 

This is her fourth album, so she knows how to head in the darkest direction for marrying sound to songs, proving you do not have to have a groove as long as you cause the throbbing of said sounds. It is not the album to put on when you are drinking coffee and getting ready to start your day, but more of its getting dark, smoking some pot music. The precision begins to build and create a distant heaviness that is emotive, 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/01/shedfromthebody-whisper-and-wane.html

       2-Evoken-"Mendacium" 

 It's been 7 years since New Jersey's doom masters blessed us with an album. The same lineup played on "Atra Mors" is all that matters to me, as they deliver something even darker and more dismal here. There is a great deal of space in the mix. Everything echoes out into it. This does not find the sound converging in lush layers, but isolated, which sonically captures a lonelier mood. Great guitar works rip out from things that are driven by the slow funeral doom march. While this album is compelling and one of the most impressive doom albums you have heard in some time, it was edged out by the number one spot that was taken by a band that transcended all limitations of the genre. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/evoken-mendacium.html

 

 

1-Hangman's Chair- "Saddiction" 

The modern kings of gloom bring a sonic pounding counterbalanced by the trademark passion of the vocals, things ebb down into a more depressive introspection as the rollercoaster of the album's dynamic sets in motion. Some interesting production choices in this often reverb-heavy recording are best appreciated when played loudly through headphones. It's a band whose songwriting continues to exceed expectations and put them at the top of the heap, not just when it comes to doom or metal, but all artists making music today. Which is why they captured the number one spot here. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/hangmans-chair-saddiction.html

pst588

November is Doom - the Top 10 Stoner Rock Albums of 2025

Living in Florida reminds me why I do not like reggae. It's too happy, and it all sounds the same. I am here to bring the news that you do not have to get stoned to music that sucks. In fact, here are ten examples of albums you can break out the bong to. After I sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of  2025. The very fact that these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album; there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all, we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day, what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, and you look forward to listening to it again. Perhaps you can find your next favorite on this list, and have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out the audio on these guys. Anyway, here are the top 10 Stoner Rock albums of 2025

10-Christian Mistress- "Children of Earth." 

It's been 10 years since we reviewed their last album, "To Your Death". They were heading in a more 80s metal direction then, and away from the retro-proto vibes that found them lumped in with the other female-fronted stoner rock bands at the time. The more aggressive guitar attack carries a more Judas Priest-like feel at times. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/01/christian-mistress-children-of-earth.html

9-Leafblower- "Burn Cruise." 

 This kind of sludged-out doom has been prevalent since the mid-2000s, with bands like Mastodon rising to mainstream success. This raises the question: What are these guys bringing to the table that the other bands are not? The guitar melodies are more notable, but the true selling point comes in the more frantic psych-rock, where they set themselves apart from the pack. They go into a more shuffling rock boogies and flirt a little more with stoner rock.  

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/leafblower-burn-cruise.html

8-Miss Lava- "Under a Black Sun." 

Melodic vocals that carry a trippy drone as they ride the bass line are a staple of their sound, while kicking up a fuzzed-out stoner rock rumble with some Sabbath infused weight behind it. This makes me think of bands in the '90s that came out after grunge who struck big, who might have been on the more metallic side of things, so they merged doom with the loud-to-soft formula that Nirvana made popular. The Portuguese band finds itself in good company in this approach. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/miss-lava-under-black-sun.html

7-Bog Wife- "From Ashes." 

To hail from Denmark, this band summons up a deep friend vision of swamp rock.  It is their third album, so they have had plenty of time to perfect it. Yes, it does fall under the banner of stoner rock, so maybe it is the magic plant medicine that takes them to this blues place you might think could only come from the Southern regions of America, but they pull it off with conviction.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/11/november-is-doom-bog-wife-from-ashes.html

 

6-Castle Rat-"the Beastiary." 

 Despite the gimmick, they are capable songwriters. There are some odd production choices on this album, and the hype machine is churning even harder behind these guys as they gain more recognition."The twin guitar attack provides a respectable version of traditional metal, but with a deliberate Black Sabbath like groove. Her voice helps to avoid Sabbath comparisons. Riff-wise, they really get into more "Vol 4' sonic places during their guitar solos.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/11/november-is-doom-castle-rat-bestiary.html

5-Blackwater Holylight- 'If You Only Knew"

The Portland shoe-gazers take things in a more organically jammed direction. There is a brooding underbelly to the verse that finds them taking off in a more stoner rock direction. The dreamy vocals counterbalance when they dig and go into more aggressive riffs that steer toward a more metal direction. But one heavy riff does not make a band metal. There is a brighter, almost 90s glaze to sonic denseness this album unfolds. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/blackwater-holylight-if-you-only-knew.html

4-Hollow Leg- "Dust and Echoes." 

This band is made up of former Bloodlet members, with the exception being guitarist Brent Lynch. Scott's vocals are what have changed the most, as he sings more the the guttural hardcore bark that commanded their old band. It's still pretty gruff, but capable of at least holding a Clutch-level melody at times. The riffs are less pounding and have some rock swagger to them, but the overall songwriting is infectious. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/hollow-leg-dust-echoes.html

3-Year of the Cobra -"s/t." 

The first obvious thing about this duo's 3rd album is that Amy's voice has come a long way. Her performance on the opening track has more nuance. They lumber into a darker depth of doom than I recall from their first two albums. Her time in the Doom Slayer tribute Slower allowed her to hone her pipes further.  She creates a witchier vibe at times here that hones the hooks of these songs. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/year-of-cobra-st.html

 

2- 16 - Guides for the Misguided." 

This album came about during the mixing of the previous album, so it picks up where they left off with an aggressive sludge-tinged attack. Though a grunged blues shuffle similar to Corrosion of Conformity drives the bulk of this album, the vocals howl with renewed purpose. The vocals are more nuanced than even past efforts, making this album stand out. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/01/16-guides-for-misguided.html

1-Dax Riggs - "7 Songs For Spiders" 

Sadly, this album slipped between the cracks, overshadowed by the reunion of his other band, leaving Dax without the chance to promote it at all. It had been 13 years since his last release. This time around, Dax is backed by a three-piece band of grooving Cajuns, who slither with a melancholy pulse that takes things back to his darker roots. Touching on 90s grunge in the bong-laden grooves, it might be mellower than Agents of Oblivion, but more rock than his other solo work, and perfect songwriting as you can expect from him..

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/12/dax-riggs-7-songs-for-spiders.html

pst587

November is Doom- The Top 10 Sludge Albums of 2025

The world might not have come to an end this year, but the Doomsday Clock keeps ticking closer to that fateful day, as Sludge should. After I sort through the top 10 albums in each genre, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of 2025. The very fact that these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th; there is something that gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all, we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day, what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, and you look forward to listening to it again. You can find your next favorite on this list, and I have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out the audio on these guys. Anyway, here are the top 10 Sludge albums of 2025

10-Faetooth- "Labyrinthine" 

This Los Angeles-based band plays a darkly melodic and sludge-influenced brand of gloomy hard rock. More metallic in their intentions than Chelsea Wolfe, but they employ an ethereal, melancholic sound with many layers. I like the melancoly pciture it paints. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/11/november-is-doom-faetooth-labyrinthine.html

 

9-In the Company of Serpents-'A Crack in Everything.' 

The Denver band is always very organic, and this album holds a similar warmth, perhaps a more jammed-out feel when it comes to the songwriting. Great guitar playing embodies these songs, so if you are into guitars, this album is for you. The vocals are a throaty bellow that rides the groove, but are more of an obligatory standard; when the vocals employ more purpose, they take on more of a Tom Waits feel. More aggressive than stoner rock putting them here, 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/07/in-company-of-serpents-crack-in.html
 

 

8-Negative 13-"Recover What You Can." 

A demonstration of what happens when punks try to play Doom. There is some rock n roll syncopation in play at times, a crust punk ambiance that haunts the songs. Sonically interesting in a manner not unlike, say, Amebix. The vocals are a gruff bark but still hold purpose and do not diminish the songwriting. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/01/negative-13-recover-what-you-can.html

7-False Gods- "Lost in Darkness and Distance." 

Both of their previous albums impressed us here, as this band continues to blend hardcore with sludge in an emotionally visceral manner. However, the hard-core side of the equation is not as prevalent as the band's more metal leanings this time around. The songwriting has continued to mature, the opener tracker is higher energy with a darker tension running through it that brings earlier Neurosis to mind, but it is catchier than bombastic in how it hits.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/false-gods-lost-in-darkness-and-distance.html

 

 

6-Fister- "Graceless" 

One of my favorite extreme sludge bands is back. They focus on crushing violence this time around with the mammoth crunch that opens this album. The vocals hacked up from the pits of their charred lungs with convincing aggression. The lumber of the riff trudging with weighty chugs is impressive by anyone's standards. They expand their atmospheric side and overall dynamic range on this album. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/fister-graceless.html

 

5-Katla- "Scandinavian Pain." 

The grit and the grime of this band have more in common with sludge than doom. There is a hint of black metal, but they are of the same venomous ilk as, say, Fistula. Not expecting this sort of thing to crawl out of Denmark, but here we are. Their overdriven lumber is a great deal of fun. They have a nasty attitude, which is where a lot of their charm comes from

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/katla-scandinavian-pain.html

 

4-Mares of Thrace- "Loss" 

The fourth album from this Canadian band. They play a fairly caustic version of sludge that snarls with a more brooding, angular desperation than Eyehategod. They are more introspective and not as entrenched in punk, as there are moody melodic sections. The theme of this album is the stages of grief.  An intense yet thoughtful album. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/mares-of-thrace-loss.html
 

 

  

3-CROP- "SSRI" 

This Kentucky band is on the heavier side of grunge that intersects with sludge. The vocals are the kind of pained screaming Kurt Cobain threw himself into on "Bleach".There are more melodic sections even on the jarring opening track; they are just delivered in a more sludged-out noise rock fashion. They did an excellent job of setting their misery to music. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/08/crop-ssri.html

2-Kazea- "I, Ancestral." 

This unique trio from Sweden quickly held my The vocals are somewhat Pink Floyd-like in their breathy execution, and the album ranges from a more.  experimental, neo-folk strum to the stomp you expect from sludge,

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/kazea-i-ancestral.html

 

1-Rwake -"The Return of the Magik." 

The Arkansas-based band is back after 13 years. A more melodic expanse of sound brings elements of Southern rock to the forefront of the opening track as guitar solos cascade around it. Brittany Fugate's scathing vocals provide a counterpoint to the lower, ominous vocal tones of Chris Terry. They bring a menacing thunder with metallic riffing, as well as contrast it with really tasteful guitar work. They ripped the hardest when it came to sludge this year. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/rwake-return-of-magik.html

pst586

November is Doom-Black Sabbath : "Forbidden'

 

This album had a great deal going against it, as Body Count's Ernie C, who just got his own guitar sound dialed in last year, produced it. The Ice-T is on the first song, which sounds uninspired, and the rapped verse he delivers is whack as hell. The chorus is ok, and it's heavier than the last album, as Iommi tries to find where he fits in the 90s. Then they begin to rip themselves off as the riff to "Get a Grip" is pretty much "Zero the Hero". The chorus also falls flat. This is the last album Martin and Powell, or anyone else except Tony, for that matter, appear on. I would be up for them making one more Tony Martin album if they can make it as killer as "Headless Cross." But it's doubtful. 

Not sure what was going on when they wrote "Can't Get Close Enough."  As bad production can be overlooked to some extent, uninspired and unfocused songwriting not so much, this sounds like a band you would find playing a Thursday night at a sports bar, who is influenced by Black Sabbath, not one of the greatest bands ever.  Martin's vocals work better on the chorus than the verse, and the guitar mix is shitty on  "Shaking off the Chains There is a King Diamond riff at one point, which is cool, but they should sound more like themselves on this.  "I Won't Cry For You" feels like it got left off " Cross Purposes," which is an improvement. 

They continue to reheat leftovers on "Guilty as Sin," which has a riff that feels like it's from the slush pile of the Dio era demos. 'Sick and Tired' builds a case for Powell's drumming. It does invoke more ofthe Whitesnake swagger from the earlier works of Martin. "Rusty Angels" feels like they headed into the studio with a riff they never really wrote a song around. The title track has more of a Whitesnake feel, thanks to Martin's Coverdale-like delivery. The last song is fine, it jsut is not as catchy and commanding as a Sabbath song should be. This album gets a 7.5, which would be alright for some mid-tier band in the club circuit, but not Sabbath; needless to say, their worst album. 

pst585

Sister : 'The Way We Fall"

This Swedish band blends black metal with glam and goth rock. The rasped vocals that give the balls to the title track the most blackened element of their song, though it is layered with actual singing. There is a more melodic traditional metal-style guitar solo. The vocals on "Howling Hell" are more chaotic, though the metallic riff driving the song is hookier than the guitars in the first song. These guys are thought of at times as a punk band, and I am hearing all metal, no punk, the equation. 'Tonz Der Toten' feels like a blend of the first two songs. Driving like the second with more metallic punch, but not as catchy. 

The syncopation to " Blood Sacrifice' has more of a rock n roll feel, along with an anthemic chorus. Granted, this band is darker and heavier than any kind of hair metal, including Celtic Frost's "Cold Lake" album. Thanks in part to the female vocals added to "Let Me Be Your Demon," the results were far less intimidating than what we have already heard from them on this album. "Blinded and Buried" is a better song with the first hint of punk I have heard from these guys. 'Rose Red" races into a more rabid celebration of darkness. If Cradle of Filth were more into Motorhead than symphonies, the results might be similar. 

The anthemic chorus of "Die to Live" is a little too happy and is a harsh contrast to the verses. 'Mortal Sin" has more purpose in its stomp. It's like an accessible black n' roll song. There is more of a rock n roll vibe to the last song. Overall, this works, but does not really stand out for my personal tastes, as there are bands like Shining I would be more prone to listen to who are darker but do this sort of thing, but fans should have fun with this one. I will give it an 8.5. 

pst584

November is Doom- Black Sabbath : "Cross Purposes"

The return of Tony Martin in 1994 finds the band in an odd place, even with Butler still on board. The opener rocks as expected. There is a gritty, grunge-minded quality to the production of this album. The title track simmers before building up into a dark power metal ballad vibe. Martin's vocals are more restrained on this album and serve the songs. Martin has said "Pyschophobia" is about the Branch Davidians, but it does not quite let freedom ring like a shotgun blast in comparison to where metal was heading at the time, with a weaker chorus. But with epic-level musicians, it is not going to suck. 

Another bass line that deviates from the expected Geezer tones pops up going into "Virtual Death" with the vocals layered in Alice in Chains harmonies. I remember thinking that it felt weird for them to draw inspiration from bands they influenced, as it's an obvious wink in that direction. Listening back, it bothers me less, and I care more that it is darker. "Immaculate Deception" blends into the feel of modern doom easily. Martin's vocals feel comfortable here. "Dying For Love" is a bluesy ballad that works well with his voice, and gives Iommi the chance to lay down some tastiness. It's one of the album's msot well-written songs. 

There is more of a 70s boogie to "Back to Eden". Martin gives a more Dio-influenced performance here. The chorus is not as hooky and the song works mainly off it's groove. 'the Hand that Rocks the Cradle" finds them in that weird 80s overly emotive power ballad realm. The vocal harmonies are great though. Lyrically this album is darker than "Tyr"  as heard on "Cardinal  Sin" that works off an almsot "Kashmir" like syncopation in the verses. The last song has a doomier riff for the verse, and Iommi is strutting his stuff on the fretboard. I will give this album a 9.5; it's better than I remembered and aged pretty well for this era of the band. 

pst583

November is Doom- Amnesiak : "Arkfiend "

 

Here's a British band with a different take on doom. The first actual song is the title track, which finds female vocals washing over dark and brooding guitar that leans in a doom direction without overt metal influence driving it. If the Cowboy Junkies got depressed while making a Halloween album, I could see how there might be a similar tone regarding the sonic coors this is painted with. It' not going for the retro sound that the Devils Blood cultivated. "Flamed in Solititude" maintains the storm building, but with less of a metal guitar tone and just sullen chord cranked out in a manner that is more organic, rather than relying on the right pedals or amps. They do give the drummer a little more room to help dial in the dynamics. 

"Pillory of Victory" rings out with a somewhat more grungy tone. The longing alto of their sinner continues to muse on her sanity as the song builds to a slow crescendo. The drums pick up enough to make it not sound like the previous song. Not sure the cover of "Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit was needed, but they do a decent version of it, though the guitars bang out the chords in a more straightforward clanging rock manner. Her voice takes the upper register notes well. "Bootlicker' uses a similar guitar tone and plays the chords in a dirty blues metal hard rock manner that falls under doom, but lacks any aspirations to sound like Black Sabbath. 

The last song is more downtrodden as the dreary chords ring out with a more open and atmospheric sound, while still feeling very organic. Her vocals find their sweet spot and do not venture too far from them, though her emotive belt is a powerful tool in how these wongs are constructed. I like this album is dark without being overtly goth, which obviously I have nothing against goth, but it gives them more of their own identity in the path they have chosen. I will give this album a 9 as it sounds great, though msot songs carry a similar sonic color, it is a dark enough shade for me to enjoy.

pst 582

November is Doom- Bloody Hammers : "the Acoustic Halloween Special"

We have long championed this band, but what about their acoustic album that was released for Halloween, since it does not really meet the expectations I would normally have for them? Well, I gotta give it a solid listen before we pass judgment, so here we go. The first track has enough swagger and just feels more like country music. They are still great songwriters who can be heard on the omnious "O Death"; he still retains his grit, even without distortion. There is more of a goth feel than "Murder Ballads' era Nick Cave. Yes, this does fall closer to dark folk than what New Model Army does, but it is not far removed.

There is more of an 80s rock-ballad feel to 'Who Dares Down Wretched Road'. That element has always been in their DNA, so I am not surprised. His voice sounds good, but the song is not as hooky as what I am used to from them. "Hounds of Hades" has a more roadhouse-country feel to its blues-drenched invocations. It works for what it is. The song after this is marginally more of a ballad and is melodic, but not as catchy as "Hang the Lantern", which has a more Tom Waits-like swagger to its step. This gives the vocal more purpose. 

 His voice dips lower for "How Far." It's more of a brooding ballad, and while I prefer their more driving metal output, this works for what it is. It makes sense they would need to take a breather for the sake of their creative juices and make this album to explore this side of the melodic spectrum. I will give this a 9 and see how it grows on me.

pst581

November is Doom- Black Sabbath :"De-Humanizer"

The Dio reunion worked really well to put all the pieces back together in a way that would survive the rising grunge landscape of 1992. This was heavier than either of the previous two Dio albums. Perhaps not as airtight from a songwriting perspective, as listening back, it kinda sounds like the direction Dio was headed on "Strange Highways". His voice still sounds great here. He carries a little more grit. Lyrically, the more sci-fi themes seem like commentary on today's news with AI. 

With "The Mob Rules" era band back together, there was a clear-cut, darker vibe to songs like " After All". Knowing my taste, this darker vibe is what sold me on this album when it came out and restored my faith after the Whitesnake-sounding years. "TV Crimes" was the lead single and a more up-tempo rocker. Dio's hooky vocal lines are the driving force that the band rallies around. Tele-Evangelists were once since as the biggest threat in the 90s, so that is a little dated, but oh well. "Letter From Earth" is a little more interesting lyrically and a slow, more foreboding doom number. It is after repeated listens that I heard this as a heavier version of 'Snowblind' when it comes to some of the riffing.  

"Master of Insanity' is a more technical bass line than what you think of Geezer Butler doing. The album does fall more in line with the Dio years, as there is a Led Zep syncopation to the verses. 'Time Machine" is a little less compelling but works well enough. It was used in some foolish movie like "Wayne's World' I do not recall anyone ever telling me they discovered Black Sabbath through that movie, but I suppose they are out there. There is a more Soundgarden-like feel to the riff that opens " Sins of the Father' that conveys they understood metal's need to open its sonic spectrum. This should have been the single rather than 'TV Crimes". 

"Too Late" is a dark power ballad of sorts that reminds me more of Dio's solo work. He belts it out with a great deal of menace for a little guy. "I" is my favorite song on the album, it's got an aggressive yet deliberate riff, great lyrics, and over epic sound. The last song is also a killer and is the second-best song on the album, but overall it's a killer Dio album that is on par with the first two.It's a 10. 

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November is Doom- Warlung : "the Poison Touch"

 

This Texas band continues to show the influence Ghost is casting on the sound of bands that want to reach a larger audience in the doom sub-genre, as it's the second or third time I have heard a band using this kind of vocal production, particularly in the doubling of vocals. This band has more going on for them, like the great trippy guitar tones and the stoner-minded lyrics, so they are not ready to dress up likea bunch of popes just yet. If you are into guitar solos, they can rip them out like champs. The second song offers more of a Blue Öyster Cultish groove. However, in emulating Ghost vocally, things have too much of a pop brightness to them. If they said they were actually trying to sound more like Haunt, I would believe them, but even that band has adopted almost too much slickness to their sound. 

The most Tony Iommi-influenced guitar solo so far occurs on "Spell Speaker," which is jammed out with a more earnest pursuit of the intended mood. Granted, the bright vocal tone takes away from the overall vibe, but I at least like the direction they are trying to go. "Holy Guide" has the bombast of "Hole in the Sky". The harmonized vocals begin to feel tedious at this point. "Rat Bastard' starts off as borderline cock rock before going into the darkest section yet and back into the cock rock, proving the rule of 'cool riffs alone does not a good song make." 

The Sleeping Prophet" finds them back in a more sugary melodic spot, sounding like you know who. The last song is well done for what they do, but not a huge departure from the formula they use, perhaps more deliberate when it comes to rocking out. At the end of the day, this album sounds good and has some great guitar playing, but it follows a trend I am not a fan of. A will give it an 8 fair enough score that places it on the very polished and proficient side of things, even if it is not what I am into.

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November is Doom- Black Sabbath - "Tyr"

The next chapter in the Tony Martin saga finds the themes not as dark as the previous album, but the production and sound are more dialed in. Norse mythology tends to be the dominant subject matter. The most impressive preformance comes from Martin, whose vocals are perfectly layered. You can also hear more nuance in his voice, and he sounds less like David Coverdale.  Despite this being the band's foray into the 90s, it is still heavily haunted by the 90s, as evident on songs like "The Law Maker"  that suffers from more tropes than the hookier "Jerusalem" which has a hooky chorus. 

"The Sabbath Stones" is darker and feels more like the band. This might be one of the album's strongest songs. "Odins Court" is a dramatic ballad that feels like an intro for the song "Valhalla" that it leads into. The song is epic but ripe with metal tropes. Though if any band is going to employ these, it should be led by the creator of the genre. 

While it has been accused of not blending with the rest of the album, "Feels Good to Me" might be more accessible, but it is a powerfully sung and tunefully written power ballad. The chorus does sound more like Whitenake, but they nailed this style of music. The album closes with the more metallic "Heaven in Black". I will give this one a 9.5; it is a solid effort from this line-up. 

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November is Doom-Drowned in Silver : "Mothers"

This band from Poland is interesting; the exotic drowning ambiance of the opening leaves the door to darkness open, and you are unsure of which shade of it will attack you. It is a slow build as it takes almsot three minutes into the song before the vocals take on a more aggressive grit. The odd dissonance summoned with the saxophone coloring the background is almsot as noisy as what Swans ventures in at times. Even when things build into a heavier dynamic, this remains a fair point of comparison, perhaps throwing in a doom version of what Diamanda Galas does as another point of reference. 

"Waves of Sorrow" is more melodic, though the song itself simmers in its own brooding, while the vocals belt it out in more fluid tones. Primordial becomes the next point of reference in terms of what they are doing sonically. The title track is dark and droning, though even more melodic with the dynamic dictated by the swell of the powerfully crooned vocals. There is a more reverbed out guitar jangle that unfolds on the shuffle of "Disillusioned". Not as jazz-focused as the band Morphine, but heading in their direction more than the Primordial-style bombast they hit you with earlier. The song carries a creep they jam out on. The vocals come in with the more minimalist atmosphere they use to set the stage. Once more, the powerful vocals control the dynamics that swell up around them. 

The main difference between the last song and the previous songs is how the drummer keeps things on a steady groove while the other dynamics ebb and flow over it, with the vocals once again the most dramatic thing in motion. Some pretty tasty guitar licks are more jazz-influenced than what you typically hear from doom, making me thankful for the experimental nature of what they have going on here. Obviously, I am a savant for deciphering influences and the origins of certain sounds, but overall all this is a pretty original effort. I will give it a 9.5 . If you are looking for doom done differently and like a slight Dead Can Dance ambiance, this album is for you. 

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Suncraft : "Welcome to the Coven"

Depending on what kind of weed you get, there can be different results, so not all stoner rock is created equal.  Norwegian stoners Suncraft have held onto a noisy punk aggression when they kick the doors open, leading into their new album. Even to the point of having gang vocal chime in. It worked for the first song, though I am not sure that an entire album of that would hold my interest, so let's see where they go from here. Thuptempo, only relaxing the dynamic slightly for melody to be added, as the vocals employ more of a croon for the second song. There is a little more of a Queens of the Stone Age vibe that is created by this. 

This finds a little more of a groove on "Greed Battalion" that feels like the Foo-fighter's more punk moments. The vocals stay fairly hooky here. It's not until it slows into a more deliberate groove midway into the song that they really give me what I want, though they are not content to stay there and go into a more black metal-like section, perhaps out of obligations they feel they are expected to comply with, being from Norway. It does not feel as fluid an expression of who they are as the more grooving boogies. The title track has them racing down the more rock n roll road of latter-day Kvelertak. 

They continue down a more punk road with "Wizards of the Anger Magic". The vocals have more room as they are not racing forward with the same intensity, and allow things time to simmer slightly. "Charlatan Killer" finds the drummer hell bent on trying to give things more of a Motorhead feel as he plows into his kick despite the vocals sitting back into a more chill mode. There is a heavier weight in the bass tone to "High On Silence". The syncopated riff allows the vocals to work around it. "Forgotten Goddess" finds the band not relenting even til the end as they plow into your eardrums. I'll give this album an 8.5, as it frantic tempo does create a dynamic uniformity that they manage to still make work. 

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November is Doom- Black Sabbath :"Headless Cross"

If I made a list of my top 10 metal albums of 1989, this would be on there. Everything clicked with Martin this time around. Does it employ the kind of tropes that I find cheesy in power metal? Yes, but they are dark enough to work in this context. Listening back now, it's the kind of occult gobblygook that I do nto take seriously. But teenage me ate it up, because he did not know better. The title track that opens the album is still a slapper, so let's see how the rest of the album stacks up.

The drums are more driving on "Devil & Daughter." Martin's higher register is impressive on this song. Iommi's performance on this album is one of his most fiery. "When Death Calls"  is one of the only songs aside from the title track to make it into the live sets with Martin. It is more like the Dio era power ballads that place an emphasis on power, but are dark and dramatic enough to not feel like a ballad. Though it sounds like a Dio song, "Kill in the Spirit World" might be the best song of the album, perhaps second to the title track. 

"Call of the Wild" is not much heavier than a White Snake song. It is a little darker. "Black Moon" is driven by more of a metal feel, though this of course, run through a bluesy '80s filter. The chorus feels more anthemic and Whitesnake-like as well, with more jyes present in the mix here. The vocals on the verse are more of a call and response. "Nightwing" jeeps a similar powerful vibe; it's brooding but gives Martin room to belt it out. I will round this up to a 9.5 as it hit harder when it came out, but still sounds solid to my ears. 

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November Is Doom- Clouds :"Desprins"

Finally catching up with this album. I was released early in the year by the Romania-based project that blends layers of folkish atmosphere with doom, most notably in the deep, growled vocals on their new album. Clean vocals responding with aching longing in their croon. This is really well done, but hopefully they are not too married to this formula; otherwise, I can imagine how it might become predictable if that is the path this album takes. The mix can be a little weird as the flute sits higher than the guitar at times.

The second song distinguished itself with more of a stomp and ebbing down into a whispered vocal to add a more dramatic feel. The growls all resonate with the same low frequencies. They give the album room to breathe by allowing a piano to open "Unanswered," which captures the sound you want from this kind of doom. I am beginning to feel the shadow of uniformity creep over what they do, which finds the sound eclipsing the songwriting. "Chain" carries the depressive throb that leans more toward funeral doom. The sung vocals balance out things better as they find more of a groove. 

"Fall of Hearts"  works within the spectrum of sound they have already painted the song with thus far, though leaning in a more melodic direction of what they do, thanks to the prevelence of piano before the growled vocals come crashing in. It uses a more staccato cadence to serve a more purposeful placement. The paino intro, while an effective tool earlier in the album that has been added to the elements of uniformity as the guitars come crashing into the song in such a predictable manner at this point. The case of "Will it Ever End"  finds this working as they are more inspired from a songwriting perspective and take you on a trip that goes somewhere. 

When it comes to the last two songs, what makes "Chasing Ghosts" work better than 'Sorrowbound' is the vocals; the singing provides a more nuanced flow to the song, and the guitar solos add a nice touch as well. Overall, I will give this album an 8.5. It sounds great and works well in capturing this sound; they continue to perfect it.  Not all the songs captivate me out of the formula this album was made from, but it refines the big, epic, sorrow-filled doom sound many fans want. 

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The Neighborhood :" Ultrasound".

I loved "Wiped Out" but this is the first album to I have listened to by this California band. I am not sure when they decided to stop making emo pop and took this turn to the zipcode of the Stone Roses, but I approve, it is not what I expected at all.'"OMG" is only marginally more poppy than the opening track, though production lays into the more 90s haze. 'Lovebomb" is more atmospheric but not as tightly written as the first two songs. The reverbed out guitar to "Private" works and provides a little more focus than they had on the previous song. 

"Lil Ol Me" is a more sonically layered song, which works better than the fragile moods of some songs like "Planet," which follows it, which does have some pop smarts and more of an '80s feel to it. "Holy Ghost" sounds more like the kind of grooving emotional pop they perfected on "Wiped Out." It makes the msot out of the bass line and almost has a 70s disco feel. There is a lazier strum to "Rabbit." It languishes in a dreamy Britpop feel. Vocally, it coos with self-pondering moodiness. This is pop for stoners. 

"Tides" required a couple of listens to click. The guitar line has a post-punk tension that is contrasted by the dreamy tone of the vocals. The dreamy indie rock haze I cast again over " Daisy Chain".  There is a catchier hook to "Zombie" as it shuffles with a brisk beat. "Mama Drama" is a lazy river-style pop ballad that floats you long in its bong water bliss. "Crushed" finds his vocal approach following a similar formula to what we have already heard from them on this album. Though they do bring in the hook, just not in the most predictable manner, and have a canopy of guitar over it. There is more of a carefree jangle to "Mute" is reminds me a little of Oasis. There is certainly a Brit Pop vibe about this album. There are not really any ark moments on this album, but the last song comes the closest. Things brighten up in the chorus. I will give this album a 9, as it is spacey and a progression for them, but it is not as finely tuned in the songwriting department, though it's an interesting listen when it comes to indie pop for stoners. 

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November is Doom- Black Sabbath : "Eternal Idol"

 

This is the first album with Tony Martin. An underrated singer who partnered well with Iommi's writing at this time. Bob Daisley, who worked with Ozzy, plays bass on this album, and Eric Singer handles the drums. Keyboard boards are dialed up next to the more metallic chug of guitar that was metal enough for 1987. Tony Martin's voice is the prototype for what so many power metal bands would end up sounding like, as he held his own with the singers of the day, owing more to Dio than Halford or Dickinson. There is a darker quality to his voice that works. The more exotic chord progressions Tony dabbled in for the solo section work well, too. 

The more Whitesnake-style rock of " Hard Life to Love' sounds a little more dated than the first two songs; perhaps the cock rocking swagger is the problem. Martin's voice has more of a husk to it here. Tony's guitar solo on "Glory Ride' might be great, but the song itself mainly suffers from production flaws of the day that find the more palm-muted guitar gallop behind the vocals and keyboards. 'Born to Love' has a dirtier bluesy guitar riff, but less vocal heft, which makes it feel more Dokken, so there is a fight to see which one is getting the most love in the studio on this album. 

"Nightmare" works well enough for what they are doing here, it is clear the later albums with Martin would find things fitting more confidently in place, and this album has an element of these guys trying to figure out what they are doing here."Lost Forever" has a more 80s metal attack. The vocals sound more like everyone doing this sort of thing in '87. The title track is darker. and the doomiest song on the albun. Martin's voice is at its best when working with this sort of thing. I'll give this an 8.5, though this is not the worst Sabbath album; it falls short of even the post-Ozzy stuff up to this point. 

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November is Doom- Hexjakt : "Blessing of the Damned"

Here is another Scandinavian doom band, this time from Sweden. They are on the more traditional slide of doom with a sludge-driven guitar sound giving them a great deal of heft in the overdriven wall of fuzz they hit you with as the vocals bellow over this. Some call-and-response vocals are bouncing back and forth to show they are putting a little thought into the actual songwriting rather than just riding an immense guitar tone. It feels more forboding than dark in the mood created here. They continue to bulldoze you with the mammoth guitar sound on "Black Circle." The throaty husk of the vocals creates a uniformity of sound as the riff follows a more syncopated groove to break it up a little. They also break things down into a more atmospheric jam that they wander out into.

'Void Throne" carries your typical sludge lumber that has been employed by bands since the late 90s. or longer, depending on who you are referring to in this extension of doom. There is more effort put into the vocals of "Wyrd" though the riff falls along the predictable crunch of the genre, with the guitar solo offering the most melody. 'The Act of Dying' stomps around with enough conviction, but does not really hook me in. This band might have very little in the way of Black Sabbath influence, but they do a cover of Dio's "Don't Talk to Strangers" that sounds very little like the original. 

"Monolith" shuffle by with enough conviction to stir the more stoner-minded into modest displays of headbanging, but it is a collection of riffs rather than a song that I get invested in. There is a more woeful intention behind the last song. At thirteen minutes they had room to form melody and dynamics, which they do rather than jsut drone, though howled vocals begin to get a little old at this point in the album. I will give this album an 8, it carries a big sound and works well for what they are going for. 

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1914 :""Viribus Unitis"

This Ukrainian band is branded as blackened Death-doom, so let's see where the album falls. It is the band's fourth, the second since their country was invaded by Russia. That conflict, which can it really be called a war, is what is the inspiration for this album. The opening track is more black metal, while the band drops into a more deliberate crunch for the second song. "1915" finds them going along more of a black metal path again, but here is where the more melodic doom elements also begin to creep in. A chorus of chanted vocals joins in when things pick up back into a blast beat. 

Considering the circumstance in which it was recorded, this album sounds great; surprisingly, they were able to take this kind of time to dial an album in these days, but that is what happened. "1916" is another fast tremolo-picked blast fest that ebbs into more of a purposeful groove to show they also took their time with the songwriting. In many ways, what is happening here brings Behemoth to mind. The use of the backing vocals cheering them on, works really well to establish a sense of identity. They maintain the racing tension of their aggressive momentum on '1917"with the snarl of the vocals establishing its intentional command. The vocal anchors the song amid the waves of icy dissonance to provide purpose, not a common thing in black metal. 

There is a more rousing anthemic feel to the mroe pagan inspired stomp to "1918".Not as blasting, it is a welcome departure that allows them to bask in a more dynamic sonic space. Thought midway into this song, even with the churning riffs shifting into the context of the song, all the moving part seem to feel ike they are being creativly recylced. Aaron from My Dying Bride lends his voice to a song that is well written and carries a great deal of purpose, called " '1918  PT 3 ADE..' There are some more mournful melodies, but it is not a doom song. The lyrics are telling a story throughout the album, here it is jsut a more pronounced fact. Jerome from Rome lends his voice to "1919" which features a haunting paino line. This gloomy ballad is a shift from what they have been doing, but I would not call it doom. The is a traditonal Ukrainian song that ends the album as an outro. I will give this one a 9.5, as it is really well done, and makes for a black metal album that cares about songs more than just a wall of blast beats so that is appreciated.Released n Napalm Records  

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