In Mourning

Post Luctum – Timor Lucis Review

Post Luctum – Timor Lucis Review

By Kenstrosity on February 27, 2026 in Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Funeral Doom, 8 comments

“Even with someone as infinitely absorbent as this sponge, things slip through the cracks sometimes. In 2019, I gave a shout to Post Luctum’s debut EP After Mourning, citing its very promising funereal pall as a welcome comrade to contemporary heavy hitters like Altars of Grief and Slow. Somehow, some way, I completely missed not one, not two, but three full-lengths from the Maryland-based solo artist in the span between then and 2026’s Timor Lucis. But it couldn’t have come at a better time, with the inclement weather demanding tunes of a dour, reposed, overcast character. The only variable left is how much Post Luctum changed in the years since my last visit.” Lighthouse, darkhaus.

Aephanemer – Utopie [Things You Might Have Missed 2025]

Aephanemer – Utopie [Things You Might Have Missed 2025]

By Grin Reaper on November 24, 2025 in Things You Might Have Missed 2025, Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Metal, 53 comments

“I first encountered Aephanemer between Prokopton and A Dream of Wilderness, and it was love at first listen. Their classical flourishes seamlessly converge with aggressive riffing to develop complex layers of hook-infested earworms so inescapable that no prescription can rid me of their iron thrall. Four years after their last outing, Aephanemer returns with a mature interpretation of their signature sonic stamp.” Apes and hammers and melodeath.

An Abstract Illusion – The Sleeping City Review

An Abstract Illusion – The Sleeping City Review

By Killjoy on October 15, 2025 in Reviews, Death Metal, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, 144 comments

“When a group strikes gold, I imagine that there might be a temptation to continue mining the same vein. In 2022, Sweden’s An Abstract Illusion seized the metalverse by the collective throat and shook it with forceful pathos. Woe was a start-to-finish progressive death metal masterpiece which edged out some stiff competition to take the number one spot on my personal Top Ten(ish) list that year. The same was true for Carcharodon, whose mighty shoes—flippers?—I humbly struggle to fill. Now, with the release of The Sleeping City, An Abstract Illusion boldly declares that they are not content to repeat themselves.” Illusion and concrete.

Record(s) o’ the Month – August 2025

Record(s) o’ the Month – August 2025

By Angry Metal Guy on September 1, 2025 in Blog Posts, Record o' the Month, 198 comments

I said last month (well, last week, but who’s counting) that everything had been leading to that point. That’s true, because I was so stoked to make Calva Louise the Record o’ the Month for July in a somewhat relevant fashion that I did a mad dash to get that out in before they were off to their tour in the USA. And then I was left there, feeling empty. I had worked so hard. I had come so far. But in the end, I wondered if it really even mattered.