Post-Metal

Conjurer – Unself Review

By Dear Hollow on October 30, 2025 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Post-Metal, Sludge Metal, 17 comments

“I’m beginning to think Mire was a fluke. I’m not saying that as a bad thing, but I remember listening to Conjurer’s debut and thinking that it was a top post-metal album steeped in atmosphere and enigma, tied together with vicious vocals and vindictive weight. So then, I was immensely let down by follow-up Páthos because it seemed to shed substance for novelty: if I’m being honest, its stark dichotomy of heartwrenching melodies and kickass riffs felt inauthentic and shoehorned. Thus, I approached Unself carefully, hoping for something like Mire but tentatively expecting Páthos.” Tricks and treats.

Përl – Architecture du Vertige Review

By Killjoy on October 29, 2025 in Reviews, Post-Metal, 8 comments

“One of the cool things about post-metal is the virtually infinite leeway artists have to be as light or heavy as they like. Among my favorite artists in the genre are those who are masterful at balancing both sides. Përl has handcrafted a particularly dichotomous brand of post-metal in Paris, France, since 2008, drawing inspiration from the chiaroscuro art style characterized by the strong contrast between light and dark. This can be particularly difficult to execute because the opposing elements must be balanced impeccably in addition to being individually striking. How well has Përl mastered chiaroscuro on their fourth full-length record, Architecture du Vertige?” Përl before swine?

Psychonaut – World Maker Review

By Kenstrosity on October 23, 2025 in Reviews, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, 40 comments

“Over the course of the last five years and change, my estimation of Belgian three-piece Psychonaut has only increased. Where I unfortunately missed out on Violate Consensus Reality for review duties, I didn’t let it slip outside of my listening rotation—certainly not after such an impressive debut, Unfold the God Man. I underrated that outing, citing bloat as the main drawback. Little did I consider that Psychonaut’s music often needs much more time than we’re given as our standard reviewing window to fully bloom. The psychedelic proggy post-metal purveyors boast a thoughtful and deeply layered songwriting approach that can’t be captured by a casual spin or three. Hence why I asked for World Maker, the trio’s third opus, early.” Letting the space brain flavors develop.

Tombs – Feral Darkness Review

By Kenstrosity on October 14, 2025 in Reviews, Black Metal, Hardcore, Post-Metal, Sludge, Sludge Metal, 15 comments

“This is my first time reviewing Brooklyn’s Tombs, but it’s not my first time experiencing them. Each year that a new Tombs drops, I feel the hype machine churning from the community, which I love, disinterring my interest in the sludgy, blackened call Tombs is now known so well for. It’s been five years since the somewhat divisive Under Sullen Skies first graced my ears, and now I take over for Doom_et_Al to serve at the foot of Feral Darkness.” Buried in Brooklyn dirt.

Coastlands – Coastlands Review

By Twelve on October 9, 2025 in Reviews, Post-Metal, 20 comments

“Coastlands hail from Orlando in the United States and are clear purveyors of post. At least, that was my first thought when I skimmed the promo copy we received for their self-titled sophomore release. After all, it’s self-titled, it’s got that nifty cover art, the song titles are all single words, and the Bandcamp embed uses lowercase. That’s post, friends. Generally, I’ve been hit-or-miss on post-metal—I value its atmospheres and unique emotional spectrum, but dislike the straightforwardness a lot of post-metal artists employ. So Coastlands seemed like a promising album, one that suggested feeling, growth, and artistry from passionate musicians.” Post to coast.

Sundrowned – Higanbana Review

By Killjoy on October 7, 2025 in Reviews, Post-Metal, Shoegaze, 18 comments

“2013 wasn’t that long ago, was it? Yet it seems that Deafheaven’s opus, Sunbather, didn’t need long to become enough of a genre classic to inspire countless groups in pursuit of a paradoxically harsh yet dreamy musical experience. It was more than likely the inspiration for the name Sundrowned, a relatively new post-black band from Haugesund, Norway. Their debut album, Become Ethereal, didn’t make much of an impression on El Cuervo in 2021 and now it’s my turn for some solar exposure in the form of Higanbana.” Drowned in the sunbath.

Insomniac – Om Moksha Ritam Review

By Samguineous Maximus on September 30, 2025 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, Psychedelic Rock, 15 comments

“On Om Moksha Ritam, Insomniac manages to craft a sound that is immediately recognizable yet distinctly their own. They merge the progressive psychedelia of Elder with the layered, textural approach of REZN, all filtered through the Southern-gothic tinge of fellow Georgians Baroness. The result is a body of songs that draw equally from the contemplative exploration of ’70s prog, Americana-dipped blues rock, and the anthemic heft of post-metal’s sludgier, power-chord-driven moments.” Stoner for the sleepy.

we.own.the.sky – In Your Absence Review

By GardensTale on September 30, 2025 in Reviews, Post-Metal, 27 comments

“Though not all post-metal is instrumental, almost all instrumental metal bands play some variation of post-metal. One could write a riveting dissertation exploring the reasons behind this phenomenon and its implications, if one were inclined towards musical studies and history; alas, I am but a humble observer of such odd patterns and have no definitive answers. Perhaps it is part of how heavily defined by vocals many genres are; perhaps the textured and buildup-heavy nature of post-metal simply lends itself well to instrumental approaches. Greek 5-piece we.own.the.sky makes no effort to break the pattern on its third album In Your Absence, but as a fan of the style, I have no complaint.” Sky rights but no space.

HERETOIR – Solastalgia Review

By Owlswald on September 19, 2025 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Post-Metal, Shoegaze, 48 comments

“Fall in the Pacific Northwest means two things: foggy air and the official start of sadboi season. And German post-black quintet HERETOIR are here to offer a choice soundtrack for the colder, darker months ahead. Since its inception as a solo project by multi-instrumentalist David Conrad in 2006, HERETOIR has been a mainstay in the blackgaze scene, crafting music that has been a long-standing source of catharsis while operating in the darkness with other well-known acts like Alcest and Fen. Solastalgia marks the trio’s fourth full-length album, but the first one we’ve reviewed here. Still, the group’s presence at AMG Industries isn’t entirely new.” Birds of gaze.

Wolves – Self-Titled Review

By Dear Hollow on September 17, 2025 in Reviews, Mathcore, Post-Metal, 26 comments

“Remember when hardcore was, like, hardcore? Wolves does. The generically named yet tongue-in-cheek UK hardcore gang makes antiestablishment music cool again, but not in the tired way. It’s not the noise-and-noise-only approach of early punk’s darlings Sex Pistols or Black Flag, but it ain’t pop-punk’s catchy anthem either. It’s jerky, jagged, unhinged, and doesn’t give a fuck about your feelings – it’s angular! But it’s also melodic, heartfelt, and overwhelmingly sincere.” There are two wolves inside you. This is one of them.