Gravety--Of Cults and Chaos (CD/LP) (2026 Barhill Records)

Ah, yes, epic heavy metal. It's one of my favorite things on planet Earth, and right up there with death metal as far as satisfying my metal-listening tapeworm. Gravety from Germany have laid upon us their third full length and first in five years. I can't speak to what their earlier releases were like, but the Archives tells us they once referred to their style as "thrash 'n' doom" metal. That's not inaccurate as far as they riffs go at all. They have a definite chug factor like a thrash metal band does, but their vocal melodies push them completely into the epic heavy metal category. The remind me a lot of the band Doomsword, another epic doom band with a distinct heavy metal side to them. While this isn't as musically capable as, say, a band like Khemmis (not much is), the band is quite good at evoking that epic feel I like so much, relying on the bombastic riffs and soaring vocals to give us that feel. The vocal harmonizing is key to this, and it's done often and well, but not outside of the vocalist's range. He stays in his comfort zone for the most part, and that's smart. There's a heavy H.P. Lovecraft influence at work in the lyrics and album concept, which is nice to hear outside of extreme metal. The lyrics seem to tell stories, which I am a fan of ever since when I was young I realized that's what King Diamond was doing with his lyrics - telling us a story. While not knock-me-over incredible, this is highly respectable, and fans of the epic shit should go out of their way to find it. Plus, the cover art is amazing and evocative.

www.barhillrecords.de

Goddess--Ritual of the Cloven Hoof (CD/LP) (2026 Majestic Mountain Records)

Goddess is a recently renamed band from Sweden (they were formerly Goatess and had three full lengths under that name, and I personally think this is a fine name that makes their album title work better, but Goddess will do as well) with a very old take on metal, being firmly in the Black Sabbath camp. I usually don't review doom metal because I'm not as familiar with the nuances and the influence of stoner rock on the genre, which is definitely the case here, but in the case of Goddess the release is so good that I want to review it and get the word out. There's enough traditional doom here for me to sink my teeth into and enjoy this, as well as enabling me to talk about it intelligently. The vocals are what make the record for me. The rich vocal melodies and occult-influenced lyrics really push this into a new territory musically, one where I'll gladly listen to this over and over. It's a powerful performance, and one that deserves multiple listens because it's that damn good. The bottom line is that if you like Sabbath, you'll like Goddess. I perhaps like them more than Sabbath for the vocals (well, at least until Dio takes over for Ozzy). This is top notch stoner doom and has dark enough lyrics for my tastes on top of it all. If all doom had lyrics like this, I would probably listen to more of it! I really do enjoy the darkness of it all.

www.majesticmountainrecords.com

Expiatoria--A History in Three Acts (CD) (2026 Diamonds Production)

This is the second full length from this band that apparently began its life in 1987 and released a spate of demos and EPs up until their first full length release in 2022. An unorthodox history and an unorthodox band to fit that history, for sure. These Italians have created something quite interesting being part epic doom similar to Candlemass and part horrific heavy metal like Death SS. The playing is on par with both of these mentioned acts, and the vocals ride a line of quality between the two, neither as talented as Candlemass nor as rough as Death SS. They're unique in their own way. Some of the arrangements border on the progressive, with some quite complicated changes and time shifts with haunting passages and morose melodies. I believe "Seven Chairs and a Portrait" is my favorite track here, really leaning into occult horror and the heavy metal side of the band. Doom freaks and classic metal maniacs alike would do well to check this out, as it satisfies both types of fan.

www.diamondsprod.it

Khemmis--Khemmis (CD/LP) (2026 Nuclear Blast Records)

It's uncommon for a band to name their fifth album after themselves - it's usually a statement made earlier in a band's career, typically on the first or third record. This time, however, Khemmis have turned in an album sufficiently impressive to deserve that eponymous treatment. Their hybrid heavy/doom metal is much as it ever was, except perhaps more polished and focused with intent than ever. I am completely floored with just how good this album is - it transcends their previous work. The vocals remain haunting, somber, and smooth. If only every doom metal band had a vocalist like this I would probably listen to so much more of it. Not to mention the inventiveness of the riffing, which is masterful. The whole album is a heavy metal masterclass of melody and malevolence. The production is natural-sounding and pristine, a top notch recording and engineering job by someone who clearly understands the band and its sound. I can't say enough how great the melodies themselves are on this record. They're sublime and emotional and transcendent, and fully metal. I'll be picking this album up for sure, and I'll be spinning it often.

www.nuclearblast.de

Wolftooth--Wizard's Light (CD/LP) {2025 Ripple Music}

What would you get if you let Iron Maiden play Black Sabbath's instruments and fed them a diet of epic heavy metal? Well, you might get Wolftooth. This is epic heavy metal with doom elements, with excellent vocals somewhat reminiscent of the melodies bands like Grand Magus are so good at constructing. This is right in my wheelhouse since I prefer the epic side of heavy metal like Omen, Manilla Road, Grand Magus, and Manowar. This band could share the stage with any of them, no problem. The vocals are perfectly produced to accentuate the strengths of the singer and make the melodies soar, with just the right amount of reverb and other effects. They tend to have big, catchy choruses that really stick in your head, and some of these songs are true earworms, like "Armor of Steel" and "Darkened Path." I wasn't expecting something so good out of this, since I thought the cover looked a bit generic, but I'm glad I didn't judge this one in that way. Even though they do have doom elements, they don't slow into snails' pace type stuff, and maintain at least a mid-tempo, rockin' style. This is one band I'm going to be investigating more fully after hearing this album, for sure, and I'll be including them in my favorites of epic metal.

www.ripple-music.com