Church of the Cosmic Skull - Everybody's Going to Die (Septaphonic Records)
Members of the Cosmic Family rejoice! The brothers and sisters from the Church of the Cosmic Skull are back with another full-length album (following an amazing 2018 release) and a renewed invitation to believe in magic and join the family of the Church. Despite the ominous album title "Everybody's Going to Die" succeeds in mixing darker lyrical themes with 70's feel good tunes and a few bluesy twists (such as "The Hunt"). Throughout the album Bill Fisher's mellow vocals blend perfectly with the church-like choirs creating a unique atmosphere. Following the path to the Cosmic Compound above the clouds the listener comes across different musical styles, such as the country-themed "Do What You Want (With Love In Your Heart)" that adds a theatrical piano-based touch and quicker riffs as well as the groovy "Into the Skull" describing the journey from the real world through the Gate under the sound of heavier guitar riffs. Church of the Cosmic Skull might be wondering "Dont' You Believe In Magic" but the 100% succeed in teleporting the listener "Living In a Bubble" to experience a mystical journey away from the deserted real world and glimpse into the 7 Objects through tele-vision...
93.85/100
Below is the music video for the song "Sorcery & Sabotage".
31. Thronehammer - Usurper of the Oaken Throne (Church Within Records - 2019)
In number 31, as we begin our journey into doom, is the epic international trio, we are proud to present Thronehammer with their first full length album. Filled with heavy tunes all throughout the record with epic guitar riffs in "Conquered and Erased", awesome choruses accompanied by the booming echoing sounds of a hammer in "Thronehammer" and wrapping up with "Usurper of the Oaken Throne"s amazingly heavy and groovy guitar riff that will stick with to any fan of melodic low-end heavy tunes. Definitely a band to keep an eye on and a great mood piece for this list!
30. Church of misery - And then there were none (Rise Above - 2016)
Coming off the depth of hell and despair, Japanese Doomsters Church of Misery released in 2016 a true monolithic gem of a doom/stoner metal. With clear influences from Cathedral in their sound and Scott Carlson in a one-off appearance as their vocalist, the band deliver their message in doom and gloom. If you fancy their sound here, you can also check their past releases with 2009's "Houses of the Unholy" being unquestionably their best effort to date (and barely missing this retrospective).
29. Whatever End - A birth of Loss (Independent - 2017)
The sole output of relatively unknown Greek prog doomsters Whatever End, "A birth of Loss" is a unique blend of avant-garde operatic vocals (that at times sound almost SOAD-like), prog metal rhythmic switches, doomy riffs and symphonic influences, rendering them one of the most "out there" choices for this list. Among the highlights of the album are the titular song and the labyrinth-like "Evershift". A stunning release from a very promising band with hopefully many more to come!
The Obsessed finally returned after a silence of 23 years delivering 2017's Sacred. A much more rock-oriented record than the previous outputs of Wino under The Obsessed banner, it retains a sweet blend of their trademark sound with later influences from Wino's other projects showing that even among the most monolithic among us there is such a thing as progress.
27. Nekromant - The Nekromant Lives (Ripple Music - 2018)
Nekromant is another excellent doom/psychedelic band from Sweden, who after releasing a more average debut in 2017, returned with an excellent doom elegy the following year, releasing "The Nekromant Lives". Drawing influences from classic doom and 80s hard rock/heavy metal, this is a very interesting release full of melodic lines that transcend doom but still draw inspiration from it, with tracks such as "Eye of the Sky" veering further away from the doom formula while others (eg. the superb "Blood for Walpurgis") stay faithful to it.
26. Blood Ceremony - Living with the Ancients (Rise Above - 2011)
Blood Ceremony add a psychedelic note to doom and a groovy vibe that perfectly blends with female vocals. "Coven Tree" has a classic 70s feeling to it that is mixed with Ian Anderson-inspired flute notes giving a fresh vibe. The perfect mix of hard rock, doom and psychedelic tunes can be heard in "My Demon Bother" which has great Black-Sabbath-like guitar riffs and travels the listener back to the classics with a nod to the future.
You can also read our review of the more rock-oriented "The Eldritch Dark"from 2013 here.
25. Orchid - Mouths of Madness (Nuclear Blast - 2013)
Largely almost a Black Sabbath tribute band, Orchid in their second full length release, show that despite having a sound and vocal vibe that feels as a direct continuation of Sabbath (including Oh-yeas from singer Theo Mindell and being named after a "Master of Reality" track), they can still deliver the goods. With songs like "Mountains of Steel", Nomad" and "Leaving It All Behind" that Iommi himself would be proud of, there is nothing fake about the love of this band to the grand-fathers of metal. And when you are really devoted to something that always shines through!
24. Mist - Free me of the sun (Soulseller Records - 2018)
Mist is another proof that powerful female vocals are a perfect fit for heavy doom riffs if you know what you're doing. Free me of the sun is the first full-length album of the promising Slovenian band (with four out five members being female!) and is certainly one of the bands to keep an eye on when you looking for something that has that uniquely sounding Candlemass buzz! With amazingly catchy songs such as the "White Torch" showcasing a wide vocal range of the lead singer and a catchy chorus what more can anyone ask?
Lord Vigo are truly an excellent Doom metal band, with both their records being criminally underrated by true purists of the genre, in my humble opinion. Six Must Die was chosen for this list as it marginally surpasses its predecessor in terms of replay value, but both albums are true diamonds in the rough for epic doom metal fans. The power trio from Germany draw influences from both the epicness of Candlemass and the monolithic nature of the early Cathedral albums to present an almost perfect blend of epic doom that renders this work among the best of the genre from newcomer acts this decade!
22. Isole - The Calm Hunter (Cyclone Empire - 2014)
Isole have released other exceptional Doom/Epic records before, but to my humble opinion, The Calm Hunter is their best release by far. Here, they grow out of their influences and leave behind their Doomier side in favour of a more epic approach, though there are definitely elements that hint at the origins of the band.
There are songs that have a more progressive structure ("My Regret", "Into Oblivion") , while others adopt a more straightforward doom approach ("Dead to Me"), but overall the album works pretty well and creates a sombre atmosphere that will haunt you every time you have a go at it.
21. Destroyer of Light - Chamber of Horrors (Heavy Friends Records - 2017)
Destroyer of Light is a Texan four-piece "horror" doom metal band that truly blossomed in this, their second release. Combining doom riffs and methodically building the melody over the course of the tracks, being willing to experiment with different vocal approaches even within the same tracks and some light influence from stoner/southern music that is barely noticeable but still manages to infuse their sombre doom with its own identity, the band achieved what other newcomers only dream of: to forge its own identity without reinventing the wheel!
The lords of British doom return triumphantly with an album that returns them to their roots. Taking inspiration from their earlier years and fusing elements that made them what they are over the years, Paradise Lost once more deliver a true masterpiece of doom/death(!). The last song from the predecessor of Medusa ("Return to the Sun") was a warning shot, however it is here that true DOOM masters return. The album acts as a celebration of that return, with Nick Holmes spewing poison with every word, Greg Macintosh tunes the guitars to the abyss and the trademark riffs of the band suddenly sound sinister and ominous, warning of death and horror at every turn. A fucking monolith of a doom metal album!
19. Demon Head - Ride the wilderness (The Charming Man Records - 2015)
The Danes come down from the North with their amazing debut album, Ride the wilderness (which was followed by two equally engaging albums in 2017 & 2019). If you are looking for an early Sabbath mood but with more rough Pentagram/Danzig vocals that reek of manliness, this is the album for you. You can read our full review of the album here.
18. Burning Saviours - Death (Transubstans Records - 2018)
Blending Pentagam-influneced doom melodies along with US heavy metal riffing, Burning Saviours from Sweden are a more metallic version of compatriot psychedelic/occult rockers Witchcraft. In their fifth full length, simply called "Death", they create an almost perfect blend of their various elements, from the doomy Draug, to the almost Doomsword-like "Crusade of Evil" and the infectious awesomeness of Häxnatten, this is a great album that at 35 minutes feels just about tight enough to not include any fillers at all, but deliver the goods!
17. Dautha - Brethren of the Black Soil (Van Records - 2018)
Dautha are an epic doom project from Norrköping, which in their debut album impress by using a combination of epic vocals, My Dying Bide-esque riffing and violins with an overlay of traditional folk aesthetic. By examining tragic themes (like The Children's Crusade in the aptly named track), Doom here is not just in the music but in the essence of the band. Choirs, operatic vocals, any trick in the book is fair game for these guys as they forge their way into the darkest night howling "Memento Mori".
16. Monasterium - Church of Bones (Nine Records - 2019)
Finally for this part, we proudly present Monasterium from Poland with their very recent second full-length release, "Church of Bones". Monasterium are a very orthodox epic doom band, which is bound to make whoever listen to their album have intense flashbacks of Messiah-era Candlemass, and you know what? They do it better than anyone out there right now! The album could easily be a proud successor to "Ancient Dreams", and with tracks like La Danse Macabre", "The Order of the Dragon", and "The Last Templar" which really kick motherfucking ass you can be sure that these guys are here to stay!
In number 38 of the best albums of 2018, we have the debut album from Swedish psychedelic hard rockers Spiral Skies. Fronted by Frida Eurenius (ex-Lapis Lazuli) and complemented by a band of unknown first class musicians, the band is another excellent entry to the retro female fronted rock/metal bands that have really broken through in the 2010s. The album is dominated by mellow melodies accompanied by hard riffs and the big voice of Frida that sells the whole package. Opener "Awakening" is an indication of the more hard side of the band, while follow up "Dark Side of the Cross" combines melodic mellow guitars with a more symphonic attitude on the vocal side. "The Wizard's Ball" & "Danse Macabre" showcase the more psychedelic side of the band with the former being more straightforward while the latter has swing elements reminiscent of Diablo Swing Orchestra. "Labyrinth of the mind" walks a more familiar Doom/Psychedelic path while "Shattered Hopes" brings echoes of Rush to mind. "Left is Right and Right is Left Behind" continues in more psychedelic routes, with sprinkles of doom throughout, while closing track "The Prisoner" is more of a classic rock/metal epic tune. Overall the album's best features are the awe-inspiring vocal performance by Frida coupled with excellent ideas in the songwriting department and shifting tones across the album, experimenting with various classical forms of rock. While the band is still trying to find a personal sound, it takes us along for the ride on a journey across the sounds of various classic rock permutations, making this an exciting debut worth recommending. 92.3/100
Below is the music video for "The Wizard's Ball".
Mountain Witch - Burning Village (This Charming Man Records)
Moving up the top 10, is an interesting stoner/ hard rock metal band from Germany, Mountain Witch, who released their third full-length album, "Burning Village". Despite its short length (just over 39 minutes), the record is packed with doom groove and hard rock vibes! The trio, René Roggmann in drums/vocals, Tobert Knopp in bass and René Sitte in guitars/vocals, manage create a heavy atmosphere starting with the "The Dead Won't Sleep" which sets the mood leading to the heavy but groovy riffs of "Stone Age Funeral"! "The Cold Hands of Fate" picks up the pace without losing the doom elements that are distinctively more dominant in the "At the Mountains of Madness"! "Haunted by War" with its infectious chorus and tunes, and the "Burning Village" with its clear/ powerful vocals and epic riffs is are the highlights of the second half of the album which wraps up perfectly with the galloping quick-paced "Forbidden Forest" and the melodic 70s hard rock - oriented "Isle of Bones". A very interesting hard rock/doom entry for 2016!
93/100
Below is the link for the stream of the full album! Have a listen, these guys are worth it. You can also support them in their Bandcamp page.
Psychedelic Witchcraft - The Vision (Soulseller Records)
Psychedelic Witchcraft is an Italian band which perfectly balances doom, blues and (of course) psychedelic rock elements with their debut album! "The Vision" is an impressive debut album showing the band's unique sound and attitude. It sets the mood with the amazing guitar riffs of "A Creature" before moving to the bluesy and catchy "Witches Arise"! Throughout the record the captivating vocals by Virginia Monti, the diverse guitar riffs by Jacopo Fallai and the powerful drums by Mirko Buia, elevate the songs, adding their touch to the classic 70's psych blues vibes! There are a number of elements dominating each song, with examples like the energetic "Demon Liar", the psychedelic "Wicked Ways", the darker "The Night" and lighter ballad-like "The Only One That". The hard-rocking "War" and the genuinely catchy "Different" wrap up the album which ends with the "Magic Hour Blues", a solid ending to a great album full of psychedelic sounds and occult themes. An amazing first step to a a journey into the occult psych rock path!
95/100
Below is the lyric video for the song "Magic Hour Blues".
In the lucky number 13 of the 2012 top list, we have the 4th album of Swedish heavy rockers Witchcraft, aptly named Legend. The album follows in its predecessors' steps and is marked by Witchcraft's traditional sound. This release would be followed by a 4 year break from releases followed by an excellent successor in this year's Nucleus. Two new guitar players were added for the needs of this album and the band's main-man Magnus Pelander who also played guitars in the previous records is only in vocal duty here, leaving the guitar duties to his two new bandmates. Highlights of the album include the single "It's not because of you" and the epic "Dead End" which acts as a closing act to the album. The rest of the songs are also of genuinely excellent quality and there are very few flaws in this otherwise immaculate record which acts as a magical gateway back to 70s psychedelia.
95.5/100
Below is the lyric video for the single of the record, "It's not because of you"
Psychedelta is a the third album of the Seattle-based trio: guitarist Stefan Zillouxs, drummer Marty Reinsel, and bassist Jon "Kirby" Newman who make up GravelRoad. The record starts of by setting up the mood with a dirty and alt-bluesy vibe with "Devil Eyes", "Keep on Movin" (introducing a psychedelic blues rock element) and "In the Woods" (with its southern country-like guitar riffs). Throughout the album a familiar feeling is created without repeating but by enhancing known tunes. "Caves" (with its "crying" guitars and prog-rock sound) and "Deep Blues Theme" are excellent examples of the blues, while "Nobody Gets Me Down" is a funky cover to the original song by T-Model Ford and "Furry" is closer to the traditional deep blues feel. The final song "I Was Alone" is a classic bluesy song and a perfect track to wrap up a disc that blends perfectly new and old sounds taking the listener into a trip to the Deep South!
94/100
This is the music video for the album track "Keep On Movin"
After a short break we are moving on to number 17, taking a small leave from all things progressive that defined the last 4 posts of this list and heading towards a more hard rocking album. "Yellow and Green" is Baroness's third full length album and it came out during a year that became challenging for the band (while touring for the album's promotion, the band's bus crashed in the UK, severely injuring the vocalist/guitarist John Baizley, as well as
drummer Allen Blickle and guitarist/vocalist Matt Maggioni who later left the band). The record is split into two discs both equally interesting and filled with psychedelic, heavy and hard-rock vibes! The first disc starts with the heavy-paced instrumental "Yellow Theme" followed by a range of different tunes including the rocker "Take My Bones Away", the psychedelic "Cocainium", the melodic "Twinkler" and the atmospheric "Eula", which constitutes as a transition to the second part of the album. The second disc starts with the airy instrumental piece "Green Theme" followed by the radio-rock "Board Up the House", the captivating "Mtns. (The Crown & Anchor)" and "Foolsong", wrapping up with the more alternative "The Line Between" and the instrumental tunes of the
"If I Forget Thee, Lowcountry". The intriguing cover art by Baizley completes the album with a great visual depiction of the record's vibe and amazing song-writing!
In number 19 come the Psychedelic Doom Metallers Blood Ceremony with their third and more mature studio attempt, The Eldritch Dark.
Guitarist and main composer of the group, Sean Kennedy had previously
classified the band as a "folkier" Sabbath. Compared
with the two previous works,production is cleaner and vintage guitars sound more old-school. Compared with its predecessor, the "The Eldritch Dark" is more well-crafted, yet less complicated and tricky. The
album opens with "Witchwood", which has the most changes and
summarizes in the seven minutes that it lasts all styles encompassed in the album. The
single "Goodbye Gemini" is fast-paced and with a catchy refrain, but is not 100% representative of the whole album. "Lord Summerisle", is very reminiscent of Sabbath pieces in the vein of "Planet Caravan". The first of the two peaks of the disc belonging to the "Ballad Of The Weird Sisters" which is based on the prog / folk teachings of Jethro Tull, the other being undoubtedly "The Magician", adding equal pieces of early Floyd and Jethro Tull in the mix. The rest of the album is also flawlessly executed, even if less memorable than the songs described, at least for me. If the
aim of the album was to filter through their influences and, if possible,
to expand their style, they manage it superbly well in "The Eldritch
Dark".
92/100
Below is the music video for the single of the album "Goodbye Gemini".
The Soulbreaker Company- Graceless (Alone Records)
Moving on to the Top 10 for 2014, is a very interesting album by The Soulbreaker Company, a Basque psychedelic rock band. "Graceless" is an album that succeeds in approaching 70's rock and indie elements with a new and fresh perspective. The catchy violin melody in "Hard and Fast", the mesmerizing "Dust From The Stars", the groovy "No One Is Complaining" as well as the personal favourite "Many So Strange" make it certain that the album will stick to the listener for long time. Although the band is not very well known outside Spain and the majority of information on them is in Spanish, they are a band that is worth checking out if you are looking for a chill-out musical experience.
96/100
Below is the official video for the song "How will we get by?".
The Order of the Solar Temple - Order of the Solar Temple (I, Voidhanger Records)
The next album in the countdown for 2014 is the self-titled debut album from the Canadian occult rockers, the Order of the Solar Temple. There is not a lot of information on the band other than the fact the lead singer is Matt Emery, member of the Canadian underground doom metal scene. Other than that, the album was released by a small record company (link to buy the album is here). The album is certainly unique in that it certainly evokes the mix of 70's cult rock/metal in ways that very few contemporary bands can. The vibe of the band is very reminiscent of Blue Oyster Cult, something that the band freely admits by including a cover from them in this release. Additionally, the vocals are high pitched with many falsettos and elements from early Mercyful Fate releases, culminating in an excellent and uncompromising release that was a hidden gem for every fan of true rock and metal music.
92/100
Below is an audio clip from this release (as the band did not release any video promo material).
Witchwood - Litanies from the Woods (Jolly Rodger Records)
Witchwood is a psychedelic/heavy prog band from northern Italy with southern and hard rock influences. This is their debut album and it is truly a masterpiece of its genre. They draw infuences from bands such as Uriah Heep, Jethro Tull, Hawkwind and Lynyrd Skynyrd, while at the same time demonstrating excellent songwriting skills, going beyond their influences. The album consists of compositions of varying length and disposition balncing between straightforward composition and long trippy ones. The highlights of the album include "The Golden King" and "Shades of Gray" as well as the 15 minute epic "Farawell to the Ocean Boulevard". For fans of progressive music, this is another quality release of 2015, promising hours of music exploration into the Witchwood.
96/100
This is their official video release from "Litanies from the Woods" for the track "A Place for the Sun"
On number 7, we come across a special kind of band. These guys play good old-fashioned rock music , it roots tracing back to 70's and 60's rock bands and a female vocalist. They incorporate psychedelic elements into a Janis Joplin style vocal style and an easy going rock vibe. They are hard rocking at times and mellow and tripy at times. They really feel like they came up with this record literally after return home from Woodstock and inspired by bands of that time. If you like 70's rock and psychedelic influences in your music and are looking for a mellow sound that at times packs an old school punch, gives these guys a chance.
95/100
Below this time are 2 videos: The first is from the first eponymous track of Free, the second is from their new EP that came out this month. If you feel like supporting them, check out their Facebook page
The bright light social hour - Space is Still the Place (Frenchkiss Records)
Moving closer to the top 10 we encounter a very interesting case of a band. These guys are a psychedelic rock band that was born out of a university art rock collective. Now, this sounds a bit pretentious, and probably was, but these guys came together to create a wonderful psychedelic progressive rock band with a distinct identity and a retro-oriented sound. Progressive here, comes in terms of how this sound would be defined back in the 70s and not by today's progressive rock records criteria. Nine out of the ten tracks are less than six minutes each and the whole record has a total length of only 45 minutes!Nevertheless this could not be more of a prog record if it tried. Take a seat, relax and let this take your mind off your worries and into a wonderful weird world. You can hear it for yourselves as these guys have streamed the whole album in Youtube.
94/100
Below is the music video for the track Infinite Cities.
Members of the Cosmic Family rejoice! The brothers and sisters from the Church of the Cosmic Skull are back with another full-length album (following an amazing 2018 release) and a renewed invitation to believe in magic and join the family of the Church. Despite the ominous album title "Everybody's Going to Die" succeeds in mixing darker lyrical themes with 70's feel good tunes and a few bluesy twists (such as "The Hunt"). Throughout the album Bill Fisher's mellow vocals blend perfectly with the church-like choirs creating a unique atmosphere. Following the path to the Cosmic Compound above the clouds the listener comes across different musical styles, such as the country-themed "Do What You Want (With Love In Your Heart)" that adds a theatrical piano-based touch and quicker riffs as well as the groovy "Into the Skull" describing the journey from the real world through the Gate under the sound of heavier guitar riffs. Church of the Cosmic Skull might be wondering "Dont' You Believe In Magic" but the 100% succeed in teleporting the listener "Living In a Bubble" to experience a mystical journey away from the deserted real world and glimpse into the 7 Objects through tele-vision...
