Listening Notes: This is Doom Metal Vol. 3

Is it finally time to focus on my favorite genres? If so, I’ll need yet another strategy to eliminate everything else.

Right now, I am being sucked dry once again by eight doom metal and derivative offerings. There is undeniable dissatisfaction, but I keep returning to it regardless—perhaps it has truly become my final resting place.

-YCH – Мозаїка (2023)

65/100

Post-metal isn't widely known on a global scale, let alone when it comes out of Eastern Europe. The only names that usually come to mind are Show Me a Dinosaur and Nebulae Come Sweet. Meanwhile, -YCH hails from Ukraine.

I can't offer a definitive commentary on this one. The music crawls at a mid-tempo—and thankfully I am not mistaken in citing Isis and Rosetta as their actual influences—yet it doesn't lean into the typical atmospheric crescendos that I usually associate with Cult of Luna. I couldn't grasp any emotional moments here the way Moanaa manages to deliver them. So, for the time being, I am forced to cast -YCH aside.

Highlight: -

Abyssal – Ad Noctum (2014)

70/100

Where Bell Witch focuses on plucked bass guitar lines, Abyssal utilizes standard guitars to open this single-track funeral doom metal piece with a darker, post-rock-esque crescendo style. As it turns out, only those instrumental passages have kept it on my favorites playlist to this day. The doom metal sections sound drier and feel detached from my heart, despite their heavy weight at the time of writing this commentary.

Highlight: Ad Noctum

Arche – Transitions (2022)

75/100

What about Arche?

Before even uttering a word, I am already exhausted just wading through this album. The addition of acoustic guitar amidst the sprawling melodies of desolation makes it all the more melancholic, yet it also feels like it won't linger long in my heart. The only piece I feel will actually stick around is the instrumental, "Transition."

Is that the core intention here? A transition from being liked to feeling hollow, bored, or disliked, and vice versa? I’m a bit skeptical, but it’s an intriguing thought nonetheless.

Highlight: mostly all

Bell Witch – Longing (2012)

80/100

Bell Witch’s debut album had already proven the depth of grief and darkness they are capable of conjuring, even if the production output forces me to crank up the volume due to their somewhat minimalist approach.

That said, there is a fundamental moment that successfully left a profound mark on my soul while spinning this album. It isn't just the instrumental arrangements, but a vocal line that deserves to be highlighted from the songwriting itself. Specifically, the lyrics "beneath the mask" in the track "I Wait," delivered via dual clean and hoarse vocals with a truly emotional delivery.

I don't mean to discredit the two albums above, but Bell Witch, with their incredibly somber bass guitar plucking, operates on an entirely different level. Simple, yet exceptionally deep.

Highlight: mostly all tracks

Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean – Obsession Destruction (2023)

65/100

The Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean gauntlet isn’t over yet. Obsession Destruction was the first album of theirs I tried during its actual release year, and it left absolutely no lasting impression. It only amplifies the crushing pressure hitting my head upon re-listening now; it deserves to just explode and vanish into thin air. I also only just realized that the late Mariusz Lewandowski was involved here, contributing artwork that depicts a colossal figure bursting open at the torso.

Highlight: -

Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean – Sisyphean Cruelty (2024)

70/100

Sisyphean Cruelty isn't the finish line for Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean, given their newer release this year, Let Us Not Speak Of Them But Look And Pass On. However, I’ll wrap things up here for now.

Every single track features its own unsettling mythological artwork, rendering the album even more incomprehensible to me, despite attempting to read the misery-laden lyrics. To frame it around Sisyphus isn't entirely accurate either. It feels more like a symbol for individuals who have failed in life as a consequence of the malice and wickedness they've committed. The slightly dynamic, push-and-pull rhythm offers a somewhat entertaining parting gift this time around.

Highlight: Deconstruction of the Great Immovable

CIA Hippie Mind Control – Corpus Swamponium (2024)

70/100

One of the vital elements in sludge metal is the "sludge" itself. Mud, swamps, peatlands, or whatever you want to call it. CIA Hippie Mind Control drowns their music and vocals right into it, driven by raw death/black metal influences and a chaotic, occasionally borderline-melodic guitar psychedelia, as heard on "The Nine Siblings of Ezekiel." Consequently, I had a rather difficult time finding any highlighted synth moments or additional instrumentation here, such as on "The Ancient Metaphysics of the Soul" or the reasonably emotional track, "The Pain Barrier."

What you get is a brand of sludge/doom metal chaos that is far more extreme than Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean—one capable of piercing brain nerves to blur or shatter consciousness. The scattered audio samples give it a vibe that feels somewhat typical of grindcore as well. Ultimately, I ran out of energy long before reaching the end of the line. CIA Hippie Mind Control is best suited for die-hard sludge metal purists.

Highlight: The Pain Barrier, The Nine Siblings of Ezekiel

Clouds – Despartire (2021)

80/100

I often find myself saying, "Depressive/atmospheric/post-black metal might be famous for driving a person to despair and suicidal ideation, but every once in a while, give death/doom metal a try instead." Oh well, it seems nobody is listening. Never mind. Black metal remains firmly in their hearts.

Clouds, a well-known outfit in the atmospheric death/doom metal realm, invites me to mourn the passing of a loved one. The weeping violin and deep growled vocals lamenting the news instantly shatter the heart, leaving it numb right from the opener, "Deepen the Wound." Initially, I only picked the first three tracks as highlights, but as I write this commentary, the pain persists. The intensity only dips slightly on "In Both Our Worlds the Pain is Real" and "The Door We Never Opened."

Even though I can't compare it to their other albums, I’ve had my fill with this one. The sequence in this session has truly tormented my soul, despite the varying characteristics of each release. I've really really doomed and it would be forever. Ouch!

Highlight: everything except In Both Our Worlds the Pain is Real and The Door We Never Opened