…And Oceans has had a quiet and interesting return from the dead. It even released As in Gardens, So in Tombs, an album that could’ve made it to any serious ranking in 2023. It was a fascinating take on rough MeloBlack that borrowed heavily from ’90s Swedish Black Metal, yet still carried its own deeply depressing and personal touch. So here we are with The Regeneration Itinerary, and hopefully the album will keep regenerating (yes, pun intended) the band’s renewed career. Otherwise, I’m strong enough to be disappointed. Let’s get to it, kids.
I can’t speak for my fellow reviewers here, but I’ve gotten a lot of stinkers lately — oh, sorry, is that not diplomatic? At least I’m giving no names! However, there was something about Drouth that made me think there might be hope for something fresher this time. The Teeth of Time had all the signs of apparent validity: long tracks, but balanced between Black and Death Metal; cool art and title; but mostly, the band is from Portland, Oregon — a place Extreme Metal owes a lot to. But I’m under no illusion about how badly expectations can betray you. Let’s go!
The Teeth of Time has that raw, organic production that’s become part of the Portland scene. However, you can still appreciate everything that’s going on, so for those of you who like authenticity and actual dexterity, you’ll have a blast — assuming being swallowed into a tornado of anguish and anxiety is your definition of fun. Drouth is a band that takes itself seriously and has no problem staying in a place that would make the average Metal noob very uncomfortable. Yet this is all balanced with bleak details that add emotional depth to the journey.
The vocals are wild, jumping between growling and shrieking. It’s hard to put a single label on The Teeth. Sometimes, it felt like I was listening to Downfall of Gaia mixed with Fall of Rauros and Spectral Wound; other times, it leaned more into old Tomb Mold territory — and yet, there are moments of Melodic Death Metal here too. Don’t let its primal first assault fool you: Drouth has crafted something that genuinely defied my expectations. It’s not often you find an album that sounds evil and tragic at the same time. I believe a lot of that comes down to the diverse guitar work throughout, which resists being pinned to just one idea or formula.
I usually don’t enjoy this kind of basement Metal as much as I’ve enjoyed The Teeth. However, if you’re not paying close attention to its detail, it won’t be all that engaging. The album isn’t long, but the tracks are — especially when the high-pitched shrieking comes in, things can feel particularly jarring. So while the pacing has its bumps, it’s not a major issue. Still, I’d like to see Drouth explore more of its melancholic side, especially when opening tracks. The intros, particularly around the middle of the album, are a bit too conservative.
The best albums are the ones that surprise me in some way. Or maybe that’s just the opinion of someone who’s reviewed hundreds of records and is dying for a little sugar in their bland porridge. Either way, that’s what we’ve got here. It might not be for everyone, but Drouth is clearly trying to catch us off guard — and for once, I’m all in.
Cue Monday! If Mondays make you feel like smashing your face in with a rock, I come bearing a remedy to your ails — something that feels just as intense, but without the medical expenses. Coming from the Emerald Isle, here is Horrenda and its most recent EP, Think On Your Sins.
We have unfinished business with Behemoth, and as we prepare for The Sh@t ov God to be smeared all over us, let’s continue this journey through its discography. If you haven’t read the first half, click here! Now, without further ado, let’s jump into the best half of this band’s catalogue — the one filled with actual legendary work!
If you follow us on social media, you’ll know I have a complex relationship with Behemoth. This is because the band only has two modes: either it absolutely blasts me away, or it makes me sink into the worst depression ever—because of how much disdain I end up feeling. So in the end, I’m not angry, just disappointed. Join me in this ranking, where we’ll reach the lowest lows and the highest highs Metal can offer before we dive into The Sh@t ov God.
It’s time to return to the roots of this forsaken section. Today, I bring you nothing but dirty, rancid Black Metal from the pit. However, don’t let all my adjectives fool you—there’s something interesting about every release I’ve picked. Whether it’s how at home they make us feel or how real they sound, there’s no doubt in my mind that Black Metal is more dead and alive at the same time than ever before. But enough babbling—let’s get to what you came for.
Perhaps it’s the rage against the Central European Bank, but it’s already been decades since Greece became a Black Metal powerhouse. However, old school wouldn’t be the first term I’d use to describe that scene, which is why Eleventh Ray got my attention. Its upcoming album Reviving Tehom promises a strange return to an era when Black Metal wasn’t too filthy nor too clean—but let’s find out if there’s anything original to blast here.
The last thing we need is to add another branch to the ever-spreading tree of Heavy Metal subgenres. Yet I can’t help but think that many bands emerging over the last decade would fall neatly under the umbrella of Cathartic Black Metal. Something must have shifted in our perception of the world, and instead of the ever-venomous, devilish malice of the cold second wave, we arrived at a different kind of darkness. Bands like Mephorash, Mgła, or Schammasch spearheaded a more comprehensive approach to Black Metal, blending the cosmic and the personal in one existential cauldron. These bands may be different in their aesthetic direction and the subject matter of their lyrics, but the underlying urgency of their craft and the strength of emotions they evoke in the listener somehow make them a part of a movement.
A surefire way to pique my interest is to record one song and call it an album. However, not many things can be Dopesmoker or Crimson. A slightly more realistic move in today’s age of thirty-second attention spans is to put four humongous songs next to each other and call them an album. And in A Flock Named Murder – Incendiary Sanctum‘s case, I found it quite hard to lose focus.
I’ve been hearing whispers about Karg for a while. It’s another band that can proudly join the whole German/Austrian Post/Black Metal scene. It’s been dominating this small niche for at least the last ten years. So yeah, I do feel kind of guilty that it took me this long to give the project a proper chance. Marodeur has a serious name, a serious cover art—so you obviously expect serious music. The kind of album that reminds you of those small mistakes you thought you’d let go, but still haunt you at night. Uplifting stuff, right? Let’s start!
Metal Eclipse Reviews 