Suffering so you don't have to!
Metalcatto
We’ve done many interviews at MER now—some nerdy, some about war, some about mental struggles—but today, I bring you something different. Asenath Blake is here to talk to us about her work, and more importantly, about its philosophy. That’s not new in metal; so many black metal musicians are inspired by old books. But how about one that gets us out of our comfort zone?
Metalcatto
Bragging Rights is one of our oldest followers, so I have to disclose a conflict of interest here. Don’t worry, though — I’m just going to increase the usual banter with Carpe Jugulum. We’re back with your favorite Gojira-worshipping act, and this time we must embrace the artist’s hairline right away, as if he wanted us to admire his last trip to Turkey. Anyway, this is a deep-underground special, and I’m ready to believe those cursed cymbals are finally fixed. Can I dare to have hope? Let’s find out.
Metalcatto
Black/Doom isn’t a thing, right? They seem to contradict each other in practice. However, Suffering is a band that’s trying to embody the most disturbing parts of Halloween. Things Seen But Always Hidden is an album aimed at those of you who love the occult, the macabre, and the idea of sacrificing stuffed animals at the altar of the unholy one. I approached this review with fascination but also caution. So many things felt new yet familiar that I couldn’t make up my mind at first, but now it’s time.
Metalcatto
Not many bands can beat QRIXKUOR when it comes to impossible names to pronounce. Everything about this band exudes seriousness, the kind that promises music capable of taking you to new levels of despair and horror. Enter Womb of the World, an album that, judging by its cover art alone, is ready to fight for a spot in my top releases of the year. The album only has four tracks! This is either going to be amazing or crush my will to live in all the wrong ways. I’ll just warn you now: there won’t be anything easy about this tortuous journey.
Metalcatto
Sludge Metal sometimes doesn’t even feel like Metal. Maybe it’s because the fanbase seems so far removed from the usual extreme lore that I often forget these releases even exist. However, Ghold looked like a band that deserved some attention, and with a title like Bludgeoning Simulations, I was left wondering if it was going to be ultra-violent or just a parody of the normal beatdown our ears get at MER Industries. There was only one way to find out — by clicking that shady link!
Vicky
If you listen to Black Metal, you might want to read this article. If not, then these following lines might confuse you at least a tiny bit. We know English Black Metal, don’t we? Starting with Venom, continuing with some infamous bands that I might not mention in this article – that, by the way wants to be somewhat decent, and mentioning groups with bizarre names doesn’t exactly help too much –, and finally ending with Cradle of Filth, the Brits definitely have what it takes to make us feel whatever Black Metal is supposed to make people feel (do they all want to make us dance or am I just thinking of CoF’s collab with Ed Sheeran?).
Metalcatto
Pupil Slicer has probably the most agonizing name a band could have. There’s no way I read it without blinking just so I can protect my eyes from the images those words evoke. Blossom was a disruptive album that really challenged my definition of loudness and noise, but it left such a lasting impression that when I got the promo for Fleshwork, I knew this job had to be done immediately. I’m a sucker for any Metal that claims to deconstruct something and mix it with some good social commentary, so let’s dive in!
Metalcatto
When you’re a band like Paradise Lost, one that redefined a subgenre and balanced its deep emotional side with relative commercial success, it’s hard to surprise the world. And yet, the band has managed to do that time and time again. I honestly can’t remember the last time it released anything below a 3.5/5 in my book. Ascension has the impossible task of proving that the band still has the resilience and creativity to deliver top-quality Doom Metal. For once, I have faith in these guys—and can you blame me?
Vicky
If you’re reading this, it means you’re probably either very curious to find out who Cradle of Filth are, or you’re here to eventually correct me, stating things such as: “you are not trve enough.” Before we dig into the (sort of traumatizing) history of the Cradle, I think it would be alright for me to let you know how I, your laid-back Symphonic Metal fan, first started listening to them. It was a warm summer day, in 2025… No, let’s take it from scratch.
Metalcatto
Adur is walking a thin line for me. No, it hasn’t done anything wrong, and it hasn’t made awful music either. But it’s offering Post-Metal that deeply resembles Amenra and Cult of Luna—two bands I absolutely worship—which means We Fail to Love Ourselves has a tough battle ahead if it’s going to impress me. It’s not a competition, but comparisons are inevitable. And honestly, there aren’t many things I want more than a Post-Metal band that hits me hard in the feels instead of just giving me lounge Rock disguised as “atmospheric.” Let’s dive in.
Metal Eclipse Reviews 