Post-Metal – Page 3 – Metal Eclipse Reviews

Rýr – Disloged

Instrumental Metal is something that many noobs dream of having. All your friends who hate “screaming” claim to want something like this—only to never listen to it anyway. That’s the reality of the game: people hate growling until it’s not there. However, that doesn’t take away from the merits of a band like Rýr, whose approach on Disloged makes me think of a less brutal Cult of Luna—yet still heavier than Pelican (let’s be honest, anything is heavier than Pelican). But enough mixed signals—let’s dig into what this album is all about.

Deafheaven – Lonely People With Power

Few bands elicit as many passionate discussions as Deafheaven. They stand as the ultimate hipster black metal band – that distinctly warm Californian/edgy interpretation of the traditionally depressive Nordic formula. To these ears, it’s crafted exactly one perfect 5.0/5.0 album (Sunbather). However, ever since New Bermuda, I’ve gradually fallen out of love with its evolving sound. This isn’t to say its subsequent work was bad – it simply never recaptured those genre-defining heights that initially made them so revolutionary. So it was with minimal expectations that I approached Lonely People With Power a title so quintessentially Deafheaven it almost hurts), steeling myself primarily against disappointment.

Decline of the I – Wilhelm

I hate being late, but what can I do when all the bands want to release something cool on Valentine’s Day? (so much for being evil music!) Having said that, Decline of the I is probably the last thing you want to put on to set the mood. Wilhelm is an album with layers and horrors that aren’t for that kind of atmosphere (unless you’re reading this carefully, in which case you love anything disturbing and strange). I’ll do my best to even try to define what the album is going for, because this is a wild animal, and I’m not sure we can tame it. But how about we try!

Zéro Absolu – La Saignée

When I open my magic mailbox, I start salivating because this promo had everything a snob wanted. French? Check! Post/Black Metal? Check! Band members with no names but initials instead? Check! But most importantly, has the band been embroiled in drama as intense as the album? Probably. So here we are, ready to dive into Zéro Absolu and its album La Saignée. It’s basically a French supergroup, so of course, our expectations can’t be realistic.

Beneath a Steel Sky – Cleave

It’s been a good week for releases and the Catto life, which is why we need to end it with something urban, decadent, and utterly depressing. Too much joy can spoil the soul, and Beneath a Steel Sky‘s album Cleave delivers the perfect antidote. This release promises to delve into your most painful memories and craft art from them. With my love for crushing Post-Metal—almost rivaling my affection for Finnish Death/Doom—let’s dive into this urban wasteland.

Harakiri for the Sky – Scorched Earth

Aren’t you excited? We finally get our first Post-Metal heavyweight of the year! I’ve been a fan of Harakiri for the Sky since III: Trauma, and though I enjoyed Arson and subsequent releases, it just hasn’t felt the same ever since. Enter Scorched Earth, an album that promises to erase all my doubts and put Harakiri for the Sky back into killer-track territory. There’s good reason to have hope because no other band can portray hopelessness as well as this one does. So let’s believe one more time!

Obscure Sphinx – Emovere

Stargazer Scholar

Every genre has its stalwarts—the defining bands. Artists who pioneered the movement or managed to establish themselves as a beacon of quality for everyone aspiring to navigate similar sonic terrains. Poland’s Obscure Sphinx, with three excellent full-length albums and a few live releases under its belt, may be standing on the shoulders of the giants that came before, but the uncompromising, visceral talent of this Atmospheric Sludge Metal combo should have long ago earned it a place in the genre’s pantheon. But since the band, true to its name, remains underground, let me try to right this wrong by covering its newest mini-album.

Best Post-Metal Albums of 2024

Metalcatto

We continue our epic quest through the niche styles Metal has to offer before we reach the final countdown (yes, I made a pun!). Today, we delve into the best Post-Metal of 2024, as crowned by your dark majesty. What is Post-Metal, you ask? Nobody truly knows (we just know it sounds sad). The name may be awkward, but we’ve accepted it—much like we accept taxes as a necessary evil. Despite its vague definition, Post-Metal continues to evolve, and this year has been no exception. Let’s dive into these standout albums that embody the genre’s boundless creativity.

Pillar of Light – Caldera

Pegah

“Man is wolf to man. Who in the face of all his experience of life and of history, will have the courage to dispute this assertion?“

– Sigmund Freud

Pillar of Light’s debut album, Caldera, weaves a rich tapestry of themes through its Post-Metal and Sludge Doom Metal lens. The album’s title and cover imagery suggest a potent exploration of destruction and renewal, evoking transformation both in the world and within the human spirit. The interplay between light and darkness—embodied by the stark, illuminated gate set against a shadowy background—serves as a metaphor for hope versus despair, life versus death, and the dualities that shape our existence.

One With the Riverbed – Succumb

SonikGoat

If Kalamazoo, Michigan, conjures the exoticism implied in the phrase “from Timbuktu to Kalamazoo”, then a band name like that of Kalamazoo natives One With The Riverbed immediately signaled to this writer an expectation for something rooted in the ever-growing Post-Metal genre. My mind went straight to ArcTanGent—that stellar UK festival that curates the best of Post-Metal and Post-Rock. Would Succumb merit the attention of the ATG scouts, a surefire marker of rising prominence for any young band?