This week’s Heavy Music HQ reviews include releases from 10,000 Years, Crumbling Ghost, Din Of Celestial Birds, Hollywood Vampires, Initiate, Labor Of The Negative, Saprovore, The Sorrow Of Being Immaculate, Temple Of Dread, Todomal, Wormwood and Xandria.
The ratings are on a 5-star scale.
10,000 Years – Esox Lucifer (Ripple)
10,000 Years emerged from the global pandemic in 2020 with a strong resolve to be as productive as possible during one of the worst periods in recent history. Esox Lucifer is their fourth album, continuing a streak of releasing a new album every two years that started with 2022’s II. Their stoner metal has gotten punchier as the years wear on, which is a good look for them.
There’s even some blackened aggression flowing through the first half of the closing title track, though that’s followed by a psychedelic jam in the last few minutes a la Mastodon’s Crack The Skye era. 10,000 Years keeps Esox Lucifer on its own path away from being a prototypical stoner metal record.
Rating: 4
(Dan Marsicano)
Crumbling Ghost – Four (New Heavy Sounds)
A decade has elapsed since the last release from the London band Crumbling Ghost. As you can probably guess from the title, Four is indeed their fourth release. The band’s approach is a unique one.
They take folk material and rearrange it with a stoner rock/doom vibe, giving it edge and heaviness. It’s topped with Katie Harnett’s smooth, sometimes ethereal vocals that contrast the fuzzy riffs. Tracks like “Bill Norrie” are catchy and accessible, while compositions like the traditional Welsh folk song “Gower Wassail” are more raucous. There’s plenty of variety to Four, with Crumbling Ghost blending interesting stories with compelling musicianship.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Din Of Celestial Birds – Takeoffs & Landings (Big Scary Monsters)
UK instrumental progressive post rock quintet Din Of Celestial Birds‘ sophomore release is Takeoffs & Landings, coming three years after their debut. It’s an album that feels like an auditory adventure with no words.
With energy that feels very similar to Devin Townsend, they manage to convey a good bit of emotion in their tracks. Whether it’s the somber “I Hope That Road Leads You Somewhere Beautiful, Somewhere You Belong,” which was written by guitarist Andie Gill as a tribute to his partner, or the rousing headbanger “You Are My Temple.” Despite the well arranged instrumentation and the powerful emotions conveyed in each song, the additions of some vocals would’ve added just a little more punch to make Takeoffs & Landings even better than it is.
Rating: 3.5
(Dalton Husher)
Hollywood Vampires – At Montreux Jazz Festival (earMusic)
Hollywood Vampires, consisting of Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, and Joe Perry, joined by Tommy Henriksen, took their traveling celebration of rock’s fallen to Montreux, delivering the mix of sincerity and sleaze longtime fans know well. Formed from Cooper’s actual 1970s drinking club with Lennon, Keith Moon, and Micky Dolenz, the band still splits its identity between tribute act and original outfit. Cooper kicked things off with “I Want My Now” and “Raise the Dead,” then the group dug into deep catalog covers like “I Got a Line on You” and the brisk “Seven and 7 Is.”
The original “My Dead Drunk Friends” struck an emotional chord, easing into a Doors medley and Perry’s turn on “The Jack.” The show’s peak arrived later, with a ferocious “Ace of Spades” and a sprawling, ambitious “Baba O’Riley,” followed by originals including “As Bad As I Am” and the perennial “I’m Eighteen.” A standout pairing of “People Who Died” and a stretched-out “Sweet Emotion” showcased Perry’s guitar work, while a surprisingly restrained cover of Bowie’s “Heroes” revealed unexpected range. The set closed, predictably and effectively, with “School’s Out” merged into “Another Brick in the Wall.” Hollywood Vampires are still, by design, a bar band; but one whose genuine chemistry and rock credibility turn an eighteen-song set into something that feels earned, not excessive.
Rating: 3
(Jeanetta Briski)
Initiate – With Love//With Rage (Blue Grape)
The California hardcore band Initiate explore the spectrum of emotions on their latest EP With Love//With Rage. They have been around for a decade now, and this 5-track release is the follow-up to 2023’s Cerebral Circus.
The songs are aggressive, with throat-shredding vocals from Crystal Pak and lyrics with emotional complexity and vulnerability. There’s plenty of melody as well on songs like “Numb The Pain,” which starts with acoustic guitar before heavy riffs kick in topped with venomous vocals. Closer “Future Saving Grace” is another highlight. With Love//With Rage is a cathartic release, whetting the appetite for the band’s next full-length.
Rating: 3
(Chad Bowar)
Labor Of The Negative – The Triumph Of Time And The Disillusioned (I, Voidhanger)
Labor Of The Negative based their debut album The Triumph Of Time And The Disillusioned around an oratorio from 18th-century composer George Frideric Handel. Their avant-garde black metal discusses philosophical and social values with an air of intellectual perspective. Quotes from prominent figures such as Émile Durkheim and Edgar Allen Poe are added to songs in a casual way.
As vocalist M (all the band members go by initials) plays the part of the tortured singer in monologue mode, the music is up for the challenge of keeping up with this manic behavior. It’s not uncommon to hear a trumpet blowing away on most of the album in the manner of a jazz freakout. The Triumph Of Time And The Disillusioned is bizarre, but difficult to turn away from.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Saprovore – Numinous Abditory Deflagration (I, Voidhanger)
Numinous Abditory Deflagration is the second album released by Saprovore this year, coming only six months after Unuttered Aporetic Omen. This solo project takes an industrialized turn to its black metal, as synths are an essential instrument to the cosmic terror. Distorted growls are the representation of souls howling in pain; pieced together visions of a terrible plight that is left up to the listener to understand.
“Threnody Pt.I (Hushed-Born)” and “Aethermourn” emphasize the ambient nature of Saprovore’s music. Numinous Abditory Deflagration is so all-consuming in its negativity and dissonance that tunes like these cleanses the air in a release that doesn’t happen often enough.
Rating: 3
(Dan Marsicano)
The Sorrow Of Being Immaculate – Long Summertime Burial Of Hope (Drone Alone)
Two years after his previous EP, Welsh instrumental doomer The Sorrow Of Being Immaculate delivers his next installment of doom and gloom with the release of the 5-song EP Long Summertime Burial Of Hope.
Much like his previous works, the album is full of classic doom metal riffs that manage to both feel familiar but also manage to shake things up. “Black Obsidian” stands out by managing to capture the mid to late ’90s black metal scene. Despite the simplicity, the overarching feeling of dread and despair still hangs around the album like a warm hug. Clocking in with a total runtime of just under thirty minutes; the message is delivered quickly and effectively but manages to make you want more in the end.
Rating: 4
(Dalton Husher)
Temple Of Dread – Dreadspawn Dominion (Testimony)
The German death metal band Temple Of Dread have been prolific since they emerged with 2019’s Blood Craving Mantras. Their latest album Dreadspawn Dominion is already their sixth full-length. They’ve had a couple lineup additions, with guitarist Daniel Maurer (Decaying Days) and bassist Andi Bauer (Unchained Horizon) joining the group.
The album starts with an acoustic intro before the old school death metal kicks in. They roll along at maximum tempos on songs like the title track and “Hybrid Horde Eternal” while tracks such as “Born To Rot” and “Scorched By Cosmic Fire” take a more deliberate approach. There’s not a lot of originality with Dreadspawn Dominion, but Temple Of Dread’s musicianship and songwriting chops make it a worthwhile listen for death metal fans.
Rating: 3
(Chad Bowar)
TodoMal – Graveyards Of Joy (Season Of Mist)
Graveyards Of Joy is the third album from the Spanish doom metal group TodoMal, anchored by Wildman and Mile, who are veteran musicians who have played in projects spanning a variety of styles. That is evident on this album, which wraps up a trilogy.
The band’s style of doom metal is atmospheric, with cinematic and orchestral sections alongside heavy riffs. The songs are larger than life, whether they are relatively streamlined in length like “Lucid Nightmare” and “Humanised Gods,” or if they stretch to the 7-minute mark like “Deliverance” and “Graveyards Of Joy.” Emotive and varied vocals add another layer to the songs, though they are sometimes overshadowed by the bombast and atmosphere. Graveyards Of Joy is an ambitious album, with TodoMal’s depth and skill on full display.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Wormwood – Å (Black Lodge)
The two-track EP Å doesn’t redefine Wormwood’s transformative black metal, but with how excellent 2024’s The Star was, they didn’t need to adjust much for Å. “Yra | Extas” and “Purposeless Geometry” are easy fits into any of the band’s previous four albums, mixing uncompromising savagery with progressive flexibility. Keyboards wash over these two songs with an ethereal streak that doesn’t diminish their antagonistic habits.
“Purposeless Geometry” gets a specific shoutout for the wonderful guitar solo and dynamic bass guitar. With how many releases Wormwood have to date, it can be tough to pick the one to recommend to the uninitiated. Å is truly the best pick, as its 16 minutes encompasses the very best parts of the band’s expansive sound.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Xandria – Eclipse (Napalm)
Xandria’s Eclipse is a safe, polished power/goth metal album that delivers exactly what fans expect. It’s heavier than Epica, with thicker riffs and toned-down opera elements. The first half is stronger, the hooks are clear, and the production is pristine. After a steady diet of extreme submissions, this happy album offers a welcome break. It’s not flashy, but it stays within a fun, accessible vibe.
The problem is familiarity. Like old school death or black metal, Eclipse is well-executed but unoriginal. It’s consistency over innovation, landing firmly in the “OK” spectrum. Nothing converts non-believers or infuriates fanatics. Sometimes “fine” is fine. In a world of chaos, predictability isn’t the worst thing. If you want safe, polished, and catchy, Eclipse covers you. For more, look elsewhere.
Rating: 3
(Carlos Tirado)
