25th part of short reviews.
MYRHOLT – Nordland
Year of release: 2018
Label: self-release
Rating: 5,5 / 10
The creativity of MYRHOLT clearly demonstrates why a society that has attained a high level of well-being needs war; it will make all idlers busy. MYRHOLT is a project of some hyperactive madman named Ole Aleksander Myrholt, a member of almost two dozen bands which are united only by their uselessness. MYRHOLT is definitely a circus: this project allegedly existed since 1992, changed the name 7 times during these years, and only in 2017 it began to produce at least something. But in no small amounts. “Nordland” is already the fourth full-length (and there is still a lot of singles), and it is positioned as “Norwegian Black Metal, no more and no less”. I can't argue about it being Norwegian, there is no doubts about that. But I did not notice Black Metal here. Cries, tremolo, runes on the cover and musical moves taken from the classics are not Black Metal yet. The music on the album is desperately reminiscent of KAMPFAR, as well as the themes. In my eyes, this is not a compliment, but I must admit that this humble rip-off turned out to be of high quality. Although some decisions cause only sorrow - like, for example, some kind of rap in the second half of the second track. Enough wasting words; I can recommend “Nordland” only to illegible lovers of everything Norwegian.
PAINTHING – Where Are You Now…?
Year of release: 2018
Label: Solitude Productions
Rating: 5,8 / 10
With all my heart I adore the Polish music scene, but I associate Polish Doom Metal with something totally unsuitable for use. Until now, I have not heard a single sensible doom metal band from Poland. Usually, they provide some kind of bubble gum with a snot, nothing more. The press release says that this is a doom metal in the vein of the golden times of the 90s, but I would say that the spirit of the troubled 2000s pervades it. The bad pronunciation of the vocalist, clumsy pure-voiced fragments and confusion in the music make me recall the worst samples of Russian doom metal, which Solitude Productions almost always avoided. Why they suddenly decided to take up PAINTHING is not clear. Probably because there are OKTOR members in the line-up. Or because the keyboard parts here are much better than the rest, and the guitars are cabaple of playing some heart-rending melody from time to time. These melodies are just awesome, but the “heavy” parts are no good.
HELLLIGHT – As We Slowly Fade
Year of release: 2018
Label: Solitude Productions
Rating: 7 / 10
The new album of a highly experienced and respected Brazilian group became my first acquaintance with it, although I sold a lot of HELLLIGHT CDs in the past. Everything here turned out as I expected. This is a bit boring music for me (after all, I am not a doom metal guy) performed according to the canons of the funeral doom death (not vice versa!): slow, mournful, solemn riffs, interludes on the piano and acoustics, stilted clean vocal and moody roar. There are a couple of songs in a darker key, death doom metal key, with keyboard “organs” that reminded me about the recent release of COMATOSE VIGIL A.K. Undoubtedly, this is a very good and solid album, just not my type of music.
VELVET DREAM – Darkened Mysteria
Year of release: 2018
Label: Into Endless Chaos Records
Rating: 7,5 / 10
While I am writing these lines, there is -20 frost outside, accompanied by a chilling wind, so I have enough of winter. If you are not lucky enough and you live in a region where there is no winter or if it simply did not came, VELVET DREAM can help you. The album of this mysterious project offers more than an hour of winter ambient from deserted gloomy mountains. Hypnotic cold sounds are diluted by the creaking of boots in the snow, drops and raging streams from warm caves, the voice of the wind echoing among the gorges covered with snow and ice. This is a very good and canonical ambient release, not offering a celebration of fantasy and not always successfully executed, but able to deliver a lot of amazing minutes. Released as digipack limited to 100 copies only.
WITCH KING – Voice of the Ossuary
Year of release: 2018
Label: Blood Harvest
Rating: 8 / 10
Looking at the name of the project, I thought that I am dealing with another retro doom, but I was wrong. From the first seconds the pile of real Death / Black Metal metal struck me. Metal of death undoubtedly prevails here but ruthlessness and hellish energy comes from the Black side. As usual in such cases, there is nothing special to say about the album, besides the fact that it is absolutely mad and heavy. Oh yeah, also it really has songs, not just primeval blasting and roaring. The songs, however, are not particularly inventive, but the band deserves respect for trying. ARCHGOAT and TEITANBLOOD fans should listen to this.
English (UK) 
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