Inspired by the heavy sound of the late 60's, the four old souls in Kryptograf will hex you with their collective vocals, destructive riffs and inventive songwriting.

In the interim between 2018’s dark jazz-infused stunner Feast for Water and the recording of its follow-up, Close, Messa guitarist Alberto Piccolo taught himself how to play the oud. The fretless stringed instrument would end up playing a central role on the band’s new album, both for its sonic contributions and its ability to serve as a kind of totemic passport that allowed them to travel from their home in northern Italy to the Middle East (and beyond.) Messa are a doom band, nominally, but they’ve never been limited by the tropes of the genre. Every song on Close illustrates their exploratory spirit. “Hollow” and “Pilgrim” highlight Piccolo’s oud playing, which to these untrained ears sounds like the work of an old pro rather than a relative neophyte. “Suspended” opens with burbling Rhodes piano, while “Orphalese” leads with smoky saxophone—both holdovers from Feast for Water, both even richer in texture this time around. “Leffotrak” is a 45-second hardcore palate cleanser, nestled between two doom epics. Frontwoman Sara Bianchin is the album’s MVP. Her powerful voice is pliable enough to pair brilliantly with any stylistic detour her band cares to take, and it can accelerate from diaphanous whisper to booming roar in a split second—and back again. It’s the best vocal performance on a metal album so far this year.

Odin’s eight-legged horse slides again by land, water and air of the Nordic underworld. On its back it carries a very precious cargo: the fifth album by the American band Flight Of Sleipnir, shortly and concisely titled V., with its atmospheric mix of Stoner Rock, Doom and Folk Metal. The Germanic-Father sends his messengers again.

Formed in Colorado in 2007, The Flight of Sleipnir have been plugging away with their blend of doom, folk and stoner metal ever since.
The Night breeze sending a gray wraith of smoke up the slopes as The Flight of Sleipnir return with their 7th album. "Eventide" is an audial rumination on the vast mysteries of nighttime intertwined by the roaring fireytones of Doom, Prog, Black Metal, Folk, and Post-Rock.

Hailing from Trondheim, Norway, hard rock trio BOKASSA have recently made a name for themselves with their brand of hard-hitting, melodic, catchy punk and stoner rock. After the release of their debut album, Divide & Conquer (2017) legendary drummer Lars Ulrich crowned them his “new favorite band” and invited them on METALLICA’s “Worldwired Tour”. During the tour, the band released the critically acclaimed Crimson Riders (2019). On top, the Norwegians got nominated for the prestigious Spellemann-Award as Breakthrough of the Year in 2020. BOKASSA are fully charged up and ready to set everything ablaze on their upcoming album, Molotov Rocktail (out September 3 via Napalm Records). displaying their stoner punk at its best on 11 powerful new songs.

Bottomless’ self-titled debut album, first opus from the Italian band featuring members of Messa and Assumption. BOTTOMLESS plays nothing but unadulterated Doom Metal in the vein of the ancient masters, a slow and fervent display of Heavy Metal and dusty riffs. Also, the cover artwork lays bare the spirit of the olden days with a painting of Henri-Joseph Harpignies, French painter of the 19th Century also known as the ‘Michelangelo of trees’. For fans of Black Sabbath, Pentagram, Saint Vitus, Trouble, The Obsessed

Medium Rarities presents a bevy of classic covers, soundtrack contributions, instrumentals, B-sides, and live recordings on one complete package for the very first time.

UK sludge outfit Desert Storm have taken their music to the next level with their overall fifth full-length effort, Omens via APF Records. The album was recorded and mixed by Steve ‘Geezer’ Watkins at Woodworm Studios, and mastered by Tim Turan at Turan Audio. The group continues to challenge their craft as the follow-up to 2018’s Sentinels brings a darker level along with balancing between their trademark sludge sound to adding more melodic enhancements.