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September 2023

• Rockett Love: Galactic Circus
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August 2023

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July 2023

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June 2023

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Isole: Born From Shadows

Doom Metal

4.0/5.0

Napalm Records
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by Craig Hartranft,  10.17.2011

Born From Shadows is a fitting title for Isole's fifth release. I suggest, as you listen, you look over your shoulder as something creepy, morbid, or deathly may be lurking behind you. This is doom metal in it's finest form: heavy and plodding, mysterious and dangerous, somber and melancholy.

Above: Isole, looking quite tall, show off their black leather and sneakers.

Isole has worked hard to develop their form. The foundation is, obviously, classic heavy metal. The plodding darkness defines the doom metal. Some variation, as in the intriguing guitar segue five minutes into The Lake, offers some entertaining cleverness, but beyond that, well, plodding darkness remains. Against this theme, Come to Me is nearly up beat and lively like rock. A sound (traditional) guitar solo appears after three minutes. But the arrangement returns to classic plodding sludge/doom metal to the end. Yet, it's a fine track, one of the best on the album. As is My Angel, having an epic feel. Big heavy riffage in a deep doom foundation stir this tune from the beginning. Yet, a solemn entertaining movement comes with the subtle combination of vocals, acoustic guitar, and drums around three minutes, twenty seconds. This delightful segue returns between Isole's inherent heaviness.

Then some songs are simply heavy, plodding, doom metal with little variation, and so lacking inventiveness, like Black Hours and When All Is Black. If you want to be stomped in darkness and doom, swamp and sludge, then these are songs for you.

Isole brings some delicate sophistication to doom metal on Born from Shadows. This album offers a fine balance between traditional expressions and inventive creativity. As it should be Born From Shadows is both spooky and creepy, entertaining and gloomy. Excepting the classic metal foundation, it's not entirely my thing. Nevertheless, it's easily recommended to fans of both classic and modern doom metal.

Isole brings some delicate sophistication to doom metal on Born from Shadows. This album offers a fine balance between traditional expressions and inventive creativity. As it should be Born from Shadows is both spooky and creepy, entertaining and gloomy.

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Formed in 1999 by singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Erik Martensson, Sweden's Eclipse is well into their third decade of making music. In the recent past, their recordings and reputation have ... [ Read More ]