Avant-Garde

Fleshvessel – Obstinacy: Sisyphean Dreams Unfolded Review

By Spicie Forrest on December 8, 2025 in Reviews, Avant-Garde, Black Metal, Death Metal, Experimental Metal, Progressive Metal, 15 comments

“Sisyphus is my favorite character in Greek mythology. It’s why I picked up Obstinacy: Sisyphean Dreams Unfolded, the sophomore release from US-based metal vanguard, Fleshvessel. You see, not only does Sisyphus cheat Death twice—which in itself is hella metal—but in being damned to eternally roll a boulder uphill, he becomes an allegory for the human experience. This endless toil and glorification of the struggle serves as the thematic foundation for Obstinacy, revolving around “our own stubbornness/persistence as human beings and how it can be both a detriment to, or deliverance from, our collective and individual struggle for a better world.”” Rock and a slanted place.

Death Obvious – Death Obvious Review

By Andy-War-Hall on December 2, 2025 in Reviews, Avant-Garde, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 19 comments

“Back in August, I went goo-goo over an avant-black duo under Transcending Obscurity called Hexrot and, as a lowly N00b, awarded their debut Formless Ruin of Oblivion a “Great” designation. Flash forward, and sloshing through the promo sump comes an avant-black duo under Transcending Obscurity called Death Obvious, offering their self-titled debut. Composed of vocalist Lea Lavey and everything-else-er Sima Sioux, this Finnish duo reveal high aspirations with claims of “crafting music as it suits their demented vision in a recklessly intuitive manner” while pitching Death Obvious for fans of visionary acts like Blut aus Nord, Deathspell Omega, Veilburner and—looky!—Hexrot.” Sump struggles.

Doubtsower – The Past Melts Away with a Sneer Review

By ClarkKent on November 29, 2025 in Reviews, Avant-Garde, Doom Metal, Experimental Metal, Funeral Doom, Industrial Metal, Sludge Metal, 12 comments

“It’s amazing how quickly November, and my month of doom, has flown by. It seems the constant exposure to slow-paced music has made the days move faster, not slower. For my final November doom promo, what could be more appropriate than one described as “one long song funeral doom?” While the Welsh doom band containing this descriptor, Doubtsower, is new to me, the man behind the project, Matt Strangis, has three previous releases dating back to 2021.” Doubt is a doom killer.

Igorrr – Amen Review

By Dear Hollow on September 20, 2025 in Reviews, Avant-Garde, Black Metal, Death Metal, Electronic, Electronic Metal, 64 comments

“Igorrr’s fifth full-length Amen symbolizes a logical and natural progression – a refinement of what was hinted at in 2020’s already excellent Spirituality and Distortion. While retaining everything that makes the project absolutely batshit crazy, the addition of a full cast of musicians in 2017 has borne fruit in striking balance. Sonic architect Gautier Serre draws from the longstanding undercurrent of baroque and both twists it and lets it breathe, resulting in something liturgical, haunting, and organic. What Amen proves is that Igorrr remains one of the most unique and creative minds in both metal and electronic, while also refusing stagnation in continuous development and betterment.” Insanity and genius.

When the Deadbolt Breaks – In the Glow of the Vatican Fire Review

By ClarkKent on June 26, 2025 in Reviews, Avant-Garde, Doom Metal, Sludge, 16 comments

“When the Deadbolt Breaks is a name designed to elicit feelings of horror. It could be the mundane horror of needing to shell out cash to replace a busted deadbolt, or the life-and-death horror of the deadbolt snapping while you’re trying to lock out a deadly assailant. This fits with the band’s exploration into unsettling music that evokes psychological horror. In the Glow of the Vatican Fire marks album number seven in the 20-year career of these Connecticut doom-slingers.” Double bolt or die.

Flummox – Southern Progress Review

By Kenstrosity on April 23, 2025 in Reviews, Avant-Garde, Black Metal, Death Metal, Experimental Metal, Folk Metal, Melodic Metal, Progressive Metal, 90 comments

“Originally slated to be my main Thing You Might Have Missed feature, Tennessee avant-garde metal quintet Flummox’s fifth LP Southern Progress caught me completely off guard. Attracted to the prompt “their most obnoxious album yet,” I wasn’t sure what to expect from my first exposure to Flummox’s work. I figured it might be weird, but it’s also distinctive, fun, and infectious. Fearlessly creative, deeply detailed, lyrically cutting, and stupidly intelligent, Southern Progress rapidly became my favorite record released so far this year.” Southern fried befuddlements.

A Swarm of the Sun – An Empire [Things You Might Have Missed 2024]

By Carcharodon on December 3, 2024 in Things You Might Have Missed 2024, Avant-Garde, Doom Metal, Drone, Post-Metal, 30 comments

“”Imagine the best parts of Katatonia, Anathema, My Dying Bride and Agalloch all submerged into a minimalist post-metal miasma, so thick not even the faintest ray of hope can penetrate.” This is how Steel Druhm invited us to envisage Swedish joy vampires A Swarm of the Sun, in his review of their second album, The Rifts. That review introduced me to A Swarm of the Sun.” Despite being unflinchingly beautiful, The Rifts and its successor, The Woods, blanket and suffocate you. Fourth LP, An Empire, is no different.” Swallow your joy.

Five the Hierophant – Apeiron Review

By Carcharodon on October 16, 2024 in Reviews, Ambient, Avant-Garde, Doom Jazz, Drone, Post-Metal, 33 comments

“I wanted to love Five the Hierophant’s last album, 2021’s Through Aureate Void. I really did. Alas, it was not to be. However, after seeing them play a great set at ArcTanGent in 2022, I revisited that record. While I stand by everything in that review, including the 2.0, which some viewed as harsh, the potential was clear and Five the Hierophant was tantalizingly close to delivering a worthy follow-up to their very good debut, Over Phlegethon. The British quartet’s brand of psychedelic, jazz-inspired, instrumental post-metal had elements of greatness marred by meandering, over-indulgent songwriting that lacked standout ideas.” Five or lower?

BRIQUEVILLE – IIII Review

By Carcharodon on November 3, 2023 in Reviews, Avant-Garde, Doom Metal, Drone, Electronica, Instrumental Metal, Post-Metal, 49 comments

“When I reviewed B R I Q U E V I L L E’s third record, Quelle, I got tetchy about all the spaces between the letters, and various other pretensions. However, the Belgian project’s mesmerizing brand of instrumental post-metal won me over. Its bleak, misery-drenched tones conveyed everything that slightly uncomfortable-to-look-at album artwork suggested it might, ranging from a sludgy Bossk to Godspeed You! Black Emperor in tone. At almost an hour in length, and with a few strange choices in its composition, Quelle did struggle a little under its own weight but it still held my attention. Although the spaces now seem to come and go, it would appear BRIQUEVILLE have found a new way to irk me with their fourth record, IIII.” B r i c k by BRIQUE.

Sylvatica – Cadaver Synod Review

By Carcharodon on October 18, 2023 in Reviews, Avant-Garde, Folk Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 37 comments

“Danish melodic folk death quartet Sylvatica has been around since 2009, with two full-lengths plus an assortment of EPs and singles under its collective belt. The band’s debut EP, Sagn og sagaer, had a stomping folk metal edge to it that recalled early Blind Guardian but with harsh, growling vox. By the time of their first LP, 2014’s Evil Seeds, Sylvatica’s sound had evolved somewhat, bringing them closer in tone to Skyfire or maybe Stormkeep, while on their sophomore outing, Ashes and Snow (2021), that progression continued.” Evolve or die a corpse.