SONIC SELECTIONS O))): 10 Essential albums released in May, 2025

Artist: low before the breeze
Album: “A whole beneath the home we shared”
Release date: May, 30th 2025

genre: blackened hardcore, chaotic hardcore, sludge, post hardcore

Artist: Rivers of Nihil
Album: “Rivers of Nihil”
Release date: May, 30th 2025

genre: progressive death metal

Artist: Obstruktion
Album: "The End Takes Form"
Release date: May, 30th 2025

genre: death metal, hardcore

Artist: Vildhjarta
Album: “där skogen sjunger under evighetens granar”

Release date: May, 30th 2025

genre: thall, djent

Artist: Coldsblood
Album: "Obscured into Nebulous Dusk"
Release date: May, 30th 2025

genre: black metal, funeral doom, death doom

Artist: Unmerciful
Album: “Devouring Darkness”
Release date: May, 22nd 2025

genre: brutal death metal

Artist: …And Oceans
Album: The Regeneration Itinerary
Release date: May, 23rd

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genre: symphonic black metal, death metal

Artist: Graverealm
Album: "Betrayer"
Release date: May, 23rd 2025

genre: brutal death metal, technical death metal

Artist: Lastima
Album: “A Pain Bloomed from my Lungs”
Release date: May, 16th 2025

genre: black metal, screamo, post hardcore

Artist: Telos
Album: “what they built”
Release date: May, 9th 2025

genre: blackened hardcore, mathcore, chaotic hardcore, screamo

ALBUM REVIEW: The Phantom Carriage, "7-Year Epilogue"

By: Peter Morsellino

Album Type: Full Length 

Date Released: 14/08/2020 

Label: Throatruiner Records

 

“7 Year Epilogue” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Free at Last 

2). Every Second Holds a Life

3). A Tribute to Those Who Stand Still 

4). Old Tales, New Thoughts

5). Deeper, Lower 

6). The Fate

7). One Last Time

The Review:

France's The Phantom Carriage return from an extended hiatus with the incredibly ambitious “7 Year Epilogue”. A melding of genres and emotions, The Phantom Carriage really get the chance to spread their wings and let the creative juices flow.

With notes running the gamut of black metal, hardcore, and screamo, The Phantom Carriage show off a bit of everything in a great big crust punk cauldron here. The styles flow in and out of each other seamlessly, allowing for unbroken concentration on the stories being told by each song.  I'm tempted to note a bit of a black gaze thing going on, but I think this group moves beyond that trend. The melding of the generally cold hardcore and black metal influences with a very emotional lilt creates an immediate connection with the listener. It grabs hold of you and refuses to let go.  I do not believe that I've ever heard such catchy melodic hooks on a crust punk album before.

The raw emotion found pushing the musical delivery is the real star of the show on this album. The band does an amazing job of conveying an aura of dread and despair.  Vocally, The Phantom Carriage features a wide range, all leading back into the emotive product. There's anger here, but also fear and pain. It's a well-rounded picture of the story that is being told. 

The Phantom Carriage have a winner on their hands with “7-Year Epilogue”. It checks all the boxes for this reviewer, being a heavy, emotionally robust piece. I say check this one out.

“7-Year Epilogue” is available HERE

 

Band info: bandcamp || facebook