review – Page 23 – Metal Eclipse Reviews

Kiritsis-Kiritsis

Pegah

Kiritsis (meaning “small master” in Greek) is a U.S.-based band that thrives at the volatile crossroads of Doom, Sludge, and Hardcore. Their sound is defined by harsh, shouted vocals, crushing low-end guitars, and a raw, unrelenting emotional intensity that mirrors the gravity of their themes. That tension isn’t just audible—it’s woven into the album’s visuals and symbolism. The cover features a stark, medieval-style etching: a crowned figure seated on a throne, confronted by a peasant or servant raising a hand (and possibly a weapon). This imagery reflects the infamous Tony Kiritsis hostage situation, which the band explicitly references. It’s a symbolic clash of power and desperation, of the oppressed seizing control by force—a perfect visual prelude to the chaos that erupts in the music.

Allegaeon -The Ossuary Lens

Stargazer Scholar

Allegaeon is a daunting band. No, the musicians don’t wear corpsepaint, and no, they don’t employ spooky dissonant chords to ward off the casual listener. It’s just that their discography is so amazingly solid. One may prefer certain records to the others, but come on—none of those albums is anything less than highly enjoyable. So imagine the feelings that tormented me during the anticipation of The Ossuary Lens: Will this unlikely career-long run of form continue, or will the band finally allow itself a misstep? Well, no spoilers—you’ll have to read the whole thing.

Tribunal – In Penitence and Ruin

Sometimes in metal, as in life, appearances are deceiving. For example, I’m an invisible Metalhead – you’d never guess I belong to this illustrious community. So when Tribunal‘s Penitence and Ruin promo arrived from 20 Buck Spin, I assumed we had another reliable but predictable old-school Death Metal album on our hands. You know, the typical 3.0/5.0 or maybe slightly better. Oh, but I was surprised to find out this isn’t just a Doom Metal band – it’s a Symphonic Doom Metal band (I can already imagine some of you salivating over that). So, let’s see if this formula works.

Hermyth – Aether

Pegah

Italian cosmic Doomgaze band Hermyth returns with its second album, Aether. In ancient science, “aether” is the fifth element—the essence that binds the other four, the very fabric of existence. Staying true to its name, Aether is a journey through transcendence, guidance, and spiritual ascension, woven into a rich tapestry of ethereal, grandiose, and melancholic soundscapes. The album’s cover art reflects this celestial mysticism, depicting an angel-like figure adrift among the stars against a vast black backdrop—evoking the feeling of being lost, or perhaps found, somewhere in the infinite cosmos.

Arch Enemy – Blood Dynasty

To me, it’s always been a mystery how Arch Enemy became the big band it is today. There was nothing particularly different in what it did back in the early 2000s (granted, it had a frontwoman growling, but was that really new then?). Yet, it had a solid formula that was immediately recognizable. They gave us a few classics, and I’d be lying if I said Wages of Sin and Doomsday Machine aren’t childhood staples for me. Ever since, the band has felt washed—there, I said it. So, with zero expectations, I enter Blood Dynasty, hoping it’s at least better than Duke Dynasty (my worst joke to date, yay!).

Kardashev – Alunea

Let me say this over and over: One of the most underrated albums of this decade so far is Liminal Rite. Kardashev proved it could dominate almost every flavor of extreme Metal with that record, so you can imagine how utterly frozen I was when I got the promo for Alunea. I didn’t just play it—I threw myself into it, waiting for greatness with expectations so monstrous it’d make most bands collapse under the pressure. But here’s the kicker: I refused to believe this project could disappoint. Kardashev has already mastered its own strain of Progressive Metal—a sound so distinct it gives it license to take risks no other band could survive. Now, the only question left was: Would it work?

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.

EP Madness part 4: Desert Smoke & Tyrannosatan

It’s time to give some love to the EPs that lately have captured my undivided attention – no small feat considering the avalanche of promos we get monthly (don’t worry, we’ll still check out your garage or restroom band, because why the heck not?). In this era of fast-food content consumption and pointless artistic injustice, let’s appreciate the beauty of brevity. Onward!

Structure – Heritage

It’s been a bit of a slow year for Doom so far (hehe!), but maybe that’s about to change – because when you see Structure‘s Heritage cover art, you know there are only two ways this can go: breathtaking and unforgiving Death/Doom, or just a bloated, pretentious mess. There’s next to no middle ground when it comes to releases that take themselves this seriously, where everything feels personal and built through time and pain. There’s not much else I can say to introduce a project that promises so much from the start, yet we all know how full the world is of disappointment. So let’s see what we have here.

Robust – Robust

It’s been a while since we’ve tackled a proper dose of raw Black Metal – the kind that makes you want to rip your hair out and sends your cat scrambling under the bed. Normally, we let those rancid “true kvlt” promos pass by unnoticed, but every so often, something slithers out of the void that’s just too interesting to ignore. Enter Robust – Robust (yes, the album is as sturdy as its name suggests). Think the name lacks edge? Don’t worry, because this is about to plunge straight into the abyss.