Steel Druhm summarizes his experiences on the recent 70000 Tons of Metal Cruise while downplaying and concealing crimes committed in international waters.
Insomnium
Enshine – Elevation Review
An unexpected release from Enshine requires more than one review, so join Steel and Maddog as they examine the heights of Elevation.
Old Night – Mediterranean Melancholy Review
“Loneliness is a theme ripe for the sadboi genre, and given the epidemic of loneliness in our modern era, it’s a relatable one. Yet Croatian doom outfit, Old Night, tackles a more obscure topic on Mediterranean Melancholy—lighthouse keepers. This record marks the quintet’s fourth since forming ten years ago, and it’s the first with Ivan Hanžek stepping up as lead vocalist, following the departure of his brother, Matej, who left for personal reasons. Sadboi doom is typically ape fodder, as evidenced by the glowing review for Dawn of Solace earlier this year, yet somehow this ended up in my lap.” Night and the melancholies.
Vittra – Intense Indifference Review
“Two months ago, I saw a post on social media announcing Vittra’s sophomore album, Intense Indifference. The name struck me as funny. “A bit like a Radical Neutrality Party or my side-project Exaggerated Understatement,” I quipped quippily while jonesing for that hot rush of dopamine that comes along with them sweet, sweet likes. But once my fix was had, I hastily forgot about them.” Like me and your mom.
Record(s) o’ the Month – August 2025
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.
In Mourning – The Immortal Review
“Swedish sadboi staples In Mourning have had quite the journey over the 25 years since their founding. From the early days of doom-laden, gothic-tinged pall to the current era of dramatic, crooning melodic death, In Mourning’s trajectory arcs over one of the more unsung careers in a world filled with Insomniums, Be’lakors, and Omnium Gatherums. Yet, theirs is the one that stuck with me.” The smell of melodeath in the mourning.
The Bleak Picture – Shades of Life Review
“It’s been a draining year. Lacking the mental energy for new music, I’ve subsisted on a diet of ISIS and Fvneral Fvkk. Clouded by the doomy stylings of the latter, I decided to make my return to reviewing with dismal death-doom. Despite releasing their debut just last year, Finland’s The Bleak Picture is a project of members of Autumnfall. That said, these two bands sound worlds apart, as their names betray. Abandoning the blackened scenery of Autumnfall, The Bleak Picture paints a bleak picture with melodic death-doom that reeks of Finland.” Smell the bleakness.
AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö: Nephylim – Circuition
““AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö” is a time-honored tradition to showcase the most underground of the underground—the unsigned and unpromoted. This collective review treatment continues to exist to unite our writers in boot or bolster of the bands who remind us that, for better or worse, the metal underground exists as an important part of the global metal scene. The Rodeö rides on.” In the field with Nephylim.
Allegaeon – The Ossuary Lens Review
A new Allegaeon platter triggered a rare double review. Can the fancy melodeath on The Ossuary Lens impress these jaded, overworked, uncompensated staffers?
Dawn of Solace – Affliction Vortex Review
“When Tuomas Saukkonen of Wolfheart, Before the Dawn, and Black Sun Aeon fame resurrected his Dawn of Solace project with the help of mighty Goth vocalist Mikko Heikkilä (ex-Sinamore) for 2020s Waves, big things happened. The duo’s experience working on Black Sun Aeon paid dividends and together they created a rich, engrossing, highly memorable slab of melancholic doom/death dripping with Finnish sadboi glory. Waves ended up my Record o’ the Year for 2020 and I still break it out when winter winds begin to blow. 2022s Flames of Perdition was a worthy follow-up though it couldn’t quite reach the same lofty heights as its predecessor. Affliction Vortex is the third collaboration between Toumas and Mikko under the Dawn of Solace banner and wisely, they haven’t tweaked the formula much.” Frozen tears of bitter ice.
