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

Thanks for reading. Please "like" and share on social media to give music a voice 

https://www.facebook.com/abysmalhymns

Check out our Podcast here ... https://www.youtube.com/@abysmalhymns666

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

Thanks for reading. Please "like" and share on social media to give music a voice 

https://www.facebook.com/abysmalhymns

Check out our Podcast here ... https://www.youtube.com/@abysmalhymns666

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

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. 

pst580

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.

pst579

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. 

pst578

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. 

pst577

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. 

pst575

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. 

pst574

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. 

pst572

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. 

pst571

November is Doom- Black Sabbath : "Seventh Star"

This was originally intended to be a Tony Iommi solo album, but Warner Bros. made him use the name Black Sabbath. It is the most radio-friendly AOR-sounding record from him. Things did move into a bluesy direction with Glen Hughes on vocals. Eric Singer, who is most notably from Kiss, plays on this album as well, so the band was solid as Geoff Nichols plays a more prominent role, and was made an actual member of the band, as he should have since he was the last left standing with Tony when the smoke cleared.  There is an element of cheese about this album, mainly due to the very 80s-sounding production. With a heavier mix 'In For the Kill" could pass for metal. 

There is some great songwriting thanks to the fact that these are all very talented musicians at work here, even if they are not who should be Black Sabbath, but at this point, it became clear if Tony was at the helm, it was Sabbath. Eric Singer's drumming helps out on " Turn to Stone". It sounds like it is left over from "Born Again" in many ways. As far as '80s rock goes, it is still holding up against other mainstream hard rock bands, though Ozzy was killing it with "The Ultimate Sin."  The title track feels a little more like the Sabbath that emerged during the Dio years. Glen Hughes' double-tracked approach in the studio worked really well, and his voice sounds great. I do think the guitar should have been pulled up in the mix. If Martin Birch had produced this, it would have been a different story. 

'Danger Zone' is a little more of a metal song. They had to know the pressure was going to be on Tony to deliver something at least close to Sabbath. The verse riffs could be Dokken, and the chorus does not really punch. 'Heart Like a Wheel" is another solid song that might not sound like Sabbath, but is impressive regardless. Tony is ripping it on the track. Anyone who doubts his fretboard prowess needs to give this song a listen. While the riff to 'Angry Heart' sounds like a cross between "Lick it Up" and "Hell's Bells", I liked it when I was a kid. The last track sounds more like the idea of a song than an actual song. Overall, I will give this album a 9, it;s underrated in the grand scheme of their catalog but a victim of the time it was released. 

pst569

November is Doom -Gloombound : "Dreaming Delusion"

Doom is not typically thought of as Norway's primary metal export, but there is some. This album starts off with an impressively ominous tone. It hits all the sonic notes you might want from this branch of despairing doom, but those get more fully flushed out by adding layers of nuanced melody on the second song. The jeyboards play a larger role as the span of atmosphere expands. There are moments of interesting dynamic whiplash when they transition from melancholic melodies layered over a morose funeral march to a more rabid death metal fury, finding a middle ground with syncopated breakdowns. The vocals are very deliberate here, which plays to their favor. 

"Luminary Dissolution" is a little more like death doom that leans more solidly into the barrage of death metal aggression with just enough atmosphere applied to not seem out of place, but not all that engaging either. The fifteen-minute title track is a more interesting blend of sorrowful sounds that are both melodic and powerfully anguished. Everything breaks down to a plodding bass line break, which would have been the opportunity to go darker, but they launched into a solo and got more predictably metal. A band like Evoken would have taken the chance to explore the mood that elevates them over these guys, who are capable but still boxed into metal conventions more often than not at this juncture in the album. Can they rise above this?

Despite being listed as bonus tracks, the last two songs on my copy are going to count for the purpose of this review. The first of them, "Pulled Toward Sepulchre Slumber". finds the keyboards rising to elevate the mood to a darker grandeur, though the more traditional death doom sounds are the heart of this one.  It follows what most of the more scathing funeral doom bands with a slight black metal influence might down, though never building to the rabid pace. "Astral Exhaltation" carries a more mournful sound. The organ sound is laid on thick, and clean vocals help add more of a mood as they chime in likea distant choir. I will give this album an 8, they are a strong band with a great deal of potential once they get the metal essentials out of their system and become more willing to step into a wider scope. 

pst568

November is Doom- Black Sabbath : "Born Again"

This was an odd pairing that worked weirdly. Ian Gillan of Deep Purple paired with Sabbath. The opening track and lead single, "Trashed," is rock n roll chaos that is unhinged and finds the lyrics likely not exaggerating real life, as I have heard stories about how wasted Giallan was during this time. It is hard to seperate the nostalgia I have for this album since, at the time, it made sense to me as a kid, I had already accepted there were other singers aside from Dio and Ozzy, and loved the album cover. There are perfect storms that occurred on this album, like "Disturbing the Priest," which finds Gillan giving a pretty sinister performance for someone who said he never cared for Black Sabbath. His falsetto wails are awesome and won me over here, before I heard him on the Jesus Christ Superstar soundtrack that elevated him to greater heights as a singer in my mind, just  wait till I heard him on 'Child in Time"., 

Riff-wise, "Zero the Hero" might have the heaviest, most enduring riff. In terms of how it stands the test of time against metal today, and has aged the best. Gillan kind of rants on the verses and locks in on the chorus. Tony Iommi's solo is wild and produced with a great deal of reverb. "Digital Bitch" is a more Deep Purple-like rocker, not the album's strongest song. This is balanced out by the title track which is not only the album's strongest song , but one of Ian Gillan's most soulful preformances.  In comparison 'Hot Line" sounds more like your typical Deep Purple rocker, which when Gillan is in good voice is pretty great. The verse riff is almost cock rocking. 

"Keep It Warm" is more melodic and almsot more of a power ballad. It works well enough and Tony's solo on this one is one of the album's best if you want soemthing that is in his typical signature style. Overall the strong songs balance out the moments that would feel more at home on a Deep Purple album than a Black Sabbath album. With both Dio and Ozzy left this is the reunion that makes the most snese if Gillan can come close to singing these songs. I will give this album a 10. 

"

pst565

November is Doom - 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. The vocals are not just husky; they are more of a deep growl. The guitars ring out with a creepier feel. This more melodic, woeful guitar melody-driven sound continues to unfold on "Inheritance."   Once into the verse riff, it gains more grit, but not the almost Entombed level of it heard on the first album. When they go into even more melodic territory in the middle of this song, it is executed better, though the sung vocals sit back in the mix. 

"Tithe" opens in an even more melodic manner, though it is not as Neurosis sounding as where they used to go. But it also does not embrace the kind of dark feeling that the Peaceville bands once cranked out in the 90s. There are sorrowful undertones that work well enough. 'What Dreadful Music" goes for it with more death metal pumping in it's veins as the drums pound with more drive. The vocals work of the more festering death metal growl. But they never gain growing momentum, as things ebb into a more anguished section that feels good but lacks a hook. The singing that does surface shows continued improvement in that area, despite this not being the strongest song. 

"Of Wisdom and War' finds the doomy guitar melodies cast darker shadows. But the metallic pound is pretty straightforward. I do like how the vocals are layered here. It is more deliberate than the previous song, showing that less is more. To their credit, they summoned a little more dynamic ebb and flow to the last song. In leans a little more into the more caustic sludge direction of their last album. I will give this album a 9, placing it decisively over the last album. 

 

pst564

November is Doom - Black Sabbath : "Mob Rules"

 

Listening back to this album, the opening track "Turn Up the Night" feels more like a Dio song than a Sabbath song. This is more noticeable as it is also the first album with Vinny Appice on the drums. A more metal album, thanks to Iron Maiden, producer, Martin Birch. It was also written in the studio ranked up to 11, so that affected the writing approach, making things sound more powerful. This can be heard in the chug leading into "Voodoo" is classic 80s metal, and meets somewhere in the middle between solo Dio and what Sabbath should sound like, even without Ozzy. 

'The Sign of the Southern Cross' might be my favorite song on this album; it definitely shows Sabbath can sound like Sabbath without Ozzy or Bill Ward, for that matter, if the right sonic darkness is in place. It might be the album's darkest and most hard-hitting song, though songs like the title track are energetically more in your face thanks to the tempo. Speaking of the title track, it's a rocker, so a crowd pleaser, but not the most Sabbath sounding song on the album.

While "Country Girl" is more of a rock song, it's well-written and works for what they are doing here; it's strong and does not feel like filler. The more aggressive guitar crunch helps with this. There is a more Led Zeppelin-like groove to "Slipping Away," which was an influence on Rainbow's more mystical slant, but they felt more like peers of Sabbath. When we get to "Falling off the Edge of the World," it is clear that this album is lyrically more melancholic and darker than the previous one. "Over and Over" works off a similar doomy melancholy as the previous song. Toni's solo rips at the end. Overall, I think that hsi album is a little better than the first album with Dio, despite the fact it was harder for them to make. 

pst563

November is Doom- 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. My first question is, does the first song really need to be 20 minutes long? We could have gotten their point if the folk intro was cut down but half, so that's a one and a half trimmed already. 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. I like the sound they have crafted, as it is heavier sonically than it is heavy metal. The chord sails in their drone it is in some way almost likea cross between shoegaze and kraut rock when the dynamic scope of what your ears are bathed in is fully digested.

 However, there are not many occasions whcih I want to let a song play for twenty minutes as I already have so much music I need to be listening to, but even a more caual listner who is not reviewing several album a day needs to many sonic colors in their day that a 20 minute commit to one droning song is a great deal to ask. 11 minutes is a much easier ask of my time. Though even then, while I liked what happened in the first song, I am going to need more from them than simply repeating that formula. As it is I am trying to compromise with these guys on the fact that they have placed the bulk of the focus on capturing a sound rather than writing a song. With that said it is surprising that funeral doom is my favorite doom sub-genre, but I want it done in a manner more like what Evoken jsut wowed me with. 

The second song is called 'Matathon," which might have been a more fitting name for the first. This one works off darker, lower, and more ominous frequencies. The is a chorus of voices layered to sound like a hellish choir of monks being drowned in hell for this one. There is a little more of a dynamic ebb and flow, and the vocals carry more purpose on this song. I listened to the last song a few times, and while I like the mournful mood that clashes with the more atmospheric soaring, it works off throbbing layers with subtle melodies guiding you, rather than being a song that hooks you in to draw you back for more. I think a 9 is on the generous side of fair, given the song lengths but it is an experience I enjoyed. 

pst562