Fullmoon Stories - Tallulah (Cover)

The Moscow project FULLMOON STORIES first made an acoustic interpretation of Sonata Arctica’s song Tallulah in audio, and now they’ve released it in video format as well. And one might wonder — what does the Tunguska meteorite have to do with this?
A little investigation revealed that Fullmoon is the title of a song from Sonata Arctica’s debut album, while Tallulah comes from the second album of this talented Finnish metal band.
Further digging showed that Tallulah is actually a girl’s name, most likely of Native American origin (Choctaw or Creek), and loosely translated means “Leaping Water.” Incidentally, that has significance in the context of the song.
The duo FULLMOON STORIES made their cover entirely acoustic, accompanied by piano. And it must be said — they performed it with heart. After all, it’s a melodramatic ballad, a first-person story of a guy whose girlfriend leaves him for a long-haired drummer (in this series, the drummers are the cool ones!).
Now, let’s break it down. Sonata Arctica’s vocalist Tony Kakko originally sang it with emotion, artistry, and even, one might say, elegance… And here’s an important detail: when he recorded the track for the album, he was 26 years old.
Meanwhile, the FULLMOON STORIES vocalist is now 10 years older, and at that age everything feels different. Maybe that’s why — or maybe he just felt like it — but he turns this seemingly simple song into a melodrama, and then into full-blown drama. Thanks to his vocal abilities. Starting with tenderness and lyricism, he carries his part with emotional tension, eventually shifting into nervous pain.
I was curious how the pianist would handle the weeping guitar solo in the second half of the track. He did a decent job — but I still can’t understand why they didn’t add the simplest of touches: a fade-out, 5 seconds of rain, and then the piano part…

https://vk.com/fullmoonstories

McKenzie Hills – 2025 – Ледовый переход — MFL024
Doom Metal, Ambient Doom Metal

Well, look — the band MCKENZIE HILLS was formed in 2015. They worked on themselves and on the nerves of those around them, wrote compositions, rewrote material. A single was launched in 2016 — as a statement of existence. And the full-length came out in 2025. I think that’s fine. Because the band is focused on the music.
Not at once and not suddenly, but with small, gradual steps, the group pulls the listener into its multidimensional world — a world with little salvation, but more than enough darkness and tense, slow movement. Ambient turns sometimes hint at an industrial landscape — in particular, those “siren-like” guitar wails.
When the vocalist joins in, I realized I had to adjust the equalizer to bring the singer a bit closer — though everything was fine as it was. Still, the man with the microphone remains behind a monumental, rough wall of doom-ambient sound — clearly, that’s how the band wanted it.
The second track, “Eltigen,” continues the tendency to bury the vocals under a dark-epic soundscape, sown with hectares of strange little noises, but still mercifully opening a lacuna of brighter space with soft, insinuating guitar.
Sometimes the piano is salvation, sometimes an obstacle, and sometimes an ambient instrument dripping on the nerves — “Don’t touch me.” But here it is used at 101 percent. The guitars, like saws, split reality into “before” and “after,” and the vocals are finally pushed a little closer to our world — apparently, karma has been worked off. This track carries an unspoken claim to Funeral Doom Metal.
The real epic, of course, is “To the Beshuy Mines.” As if they wanted to bring in a folk theme… and they did… but then stopped. The guitars rumble softly in the underground darkness, then shine in solos — expressive, like miners’ lanterns. The vocalist seems to echo with souls… time freezes and thickens.
The track “The Ice Crossing” is nothing less than a radio play set to a viscous doom foundation. It includes literary quotes, and a strong, luminous transitional part leading into a gloomy and dramatic musical narrative. The hypnotic rhythm section is as virtuoso as an excavator at work, yet an unexpected screaming guitar run will knock anyone off their feet.
A solid, though not uncontroversial, Ambient Doom Metal album — primarily because of the vocal mix on the first tracks.
This digipak was released by MFL Records, a label specializing mainly in Doom Metal bands.
 

Krief De Soli – 2020 - Requiem: Missa Pro Defunctis In F-moll – MFL 023

What’s interesting is that behind this Canadian project stands a single musician and vocalist — Egregoir de Sang. Here we get the most powerful neoclassical Funeral Doom Metal. It’s clear that with today’s recording technologies, you could practically record an entire orchestra on your own. And that’s exactly what Egregoir did. He even performed growling vocals in Latin.
For reference — quite a few classical requiems have been written; for example, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed the Requiem in D minor (1791). A requiem traditionally contains specific sections (well known to metal fans by their names — Dies Irae, Lacrimosa, Agnus Dei, and others), which were also composed and performed on the album KRIEF DE SOLI.
To be honest, I was a little wary of this thematic attachment to a long-established musical genre. After all, it’s one thing when musicians use neoclassical techniques or even play neoclassicism within metal, and another to follow principles that were established centuries ago.
But the music of KRIEF DE SOLI proved there’s no need to worry — provided you’re open to classical heritage in contemporary music. Yes, the musician is fascinated with the requiem form (naturally so, playing Funeral Doom Metal), but the result came out organic. Egregoir de Sang used tradition for his own purposes, creating genuinely modern material that builds upon historical musical experience and precedent.
The album runs nearly an hour and twenty minutes, so you’d better prepare...
The beginning is excellent — it doesn’t crush right away, but instead truly draws you into a foggy space, darkens with gloom, and shrouds with clouds. The musician is clearly well-trained at the piano, and there are also well-placed synthesized keyboards with organ presets and more...
Then comes the full metal orchestra, created by one man who masters both keyboard and string instruments with the technical capabilities of the 21st century. Fortunately, the “switch” happens gradually, but of course the checkpoint stuns with leviathan-like massiveness, atmosphere, and the depth of compositional immersion in the theme. The digipak doesn’t state who was responsible for the final mix and sound of the album, but trust me — it was a highly qualified professional. Without that, there’d have been no point in even attempting it.
A requiem is, by its nature, a tragic work. But KRIEF DE SOLI elevates tragedy to new heights — above all with its powerful low-frequency sonic pressure, terrifying wall of dramatic sound, exclusive weight of the vocal accompaniment — drawn-out, open growling, the recording of which is hard to imagine, even given the chest capacity of an opera singer. There are no limits to creativity...
Fortunately, Egregoir de Sang also creates calmer spaces with piano solos, and after a third of the album you’ll be begging for more of those moments on the disc.
An album that simultaneously exists within Rock Music and Contemporary Classical Music.
A true creative impulse, genuine Funeral Doom Metal.
 

https://krief-de-soli.bandcamp.com/albu ... -in-f-moll

МЕРТВО – 2025 - В Плену Минувшей Злобы - Risen From The Dust Productions — (Album)
Death Metal, Extreme Metal, Female Vocals

The band MERTVO, from the cohort of the New Wave of Russian Death Metal, has finally released their debut album. And if the singles already hit hard — and then some — the full-length makes an even stronger impression. The group defines their style as “Metal with female vocals and viscous riffs.”
Here’s the current lineup:
Anna Nikulnikova — Vocals
Bogdana Kamenetskaya — Vocals
Dmitry Molotov — Guitar
Fyodor Sitnikov — Bass
Georgy Pashkov — Drums
In my review of their brutal single “Mothers of Ravens” (fortunately included on the album), I defined the band’s style as “Pagan Ritual Death Metal — in its most extreme form.” Extreme and original — and it must be said, the band has created its own unique sonic identity. That’s a rarity, so curious metalheads should definitely give it a listen.
The group constantly injects strange sound effects into their musical storm, which adds atmosphere — and a distinct sense of mysticism that seems to come from before recorded history.
There are two female vocals — one is extreme, a boldly variable harsh, and the other is clean, which at times performs in an atonal way to create a sense of unhealthy chaos and pagan anarchy. This is especially true of the track “In Dreams (Lullaby)”. Please, don’t play it to small children — it’s a lullaby for hardened metalheads.
The “clean” vocal is truly ritualistic — sometimes high, sometimes shrieking, at times gentle, but almost always ecstatic. Overall, the vocal duet on this album is like a searing flame blazing atop a pagan Death Metal pyre.
Among the wind instruments I caught a flute, zhaleyka, saxophone, and something else. There’s also a jaw harp. And I must say — these musical spices are used intelligently, in moderation, and with compositional purpose.
The winds are great, of course — but a few words must be said about the guitar work on this thrilling album. It’s bright and dynamic in its solos, and often turbocharged in its riffing, lifting the track right off the ground and dragging it into the cold, dark autumn sky.
If we were to highlight something beyond “Mothers of Ravens” (which I think is the band’s creative peak so far), it would be the song “Frost.” It features a magical synergy of vocals, wrapped in long, thawing riffs and a tragic (or is it…?) armor-piercing rhythm section.
The album is superbly arranged and mixed. I’m lucky enough to listen to it in high quality through headphones — and more than once I found myself glancing over my shoulder to see what was going on behind me. The experience is comparable to the best acoustic experiments of bands from the French Black Metal “Black Legion.” The overall sound engineering is truly on a high level.
Just when you think everything good in metal has already been done — here comes an album that crosses the boundaries and defies the lines drawn in salt.

https://vk.com/mertvoband

 

Krakh – 2025 - Holes In Our Hearts (EP)
Post Black Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal
KRAKH begins their mini-album with masterful atmosphere. And I’ll note right away that the EP was clearly recorded in a proper studio — everything sounds beautiful, and you might even forget for a while that what’s playing here is supposed to be Post Black Metal. A very special kind of Post Black, to be precise, since the transparent, icy keyboards create a lounge-like atmosphere. A wonderful intro — “...and the Silence Started Speaking.” Everything will unfold, however.
Indeed. Fast, dynamic guitars tear through the silence and construct their own dark, intricate castle called KRAKH. And even within this black waterfall, you can sense glimpses of some mysterious architecture. The rough, expressive extreme vocals add density to the track’s texture. All the more “strange,” then, is the sudden appearance of clean gothic vocals — emotional and lyrical — layered over a rhythm section that hits hard and relentless. That’s the track “Walls We Built.”
KRAKH’s composer enjoys blending the styles available to him into something new — a post-black cocktail sure to please connoisseurs of strong sonic spirits. And those lyrical guitar parts — almost Pink Floyd-like — hint at genuine emotional undercurrents.
In principle, we’ve long known that Post Black Metal is a wide-format style, capable of being innovative and unlike anything else. This is precisely what KRAKH’s author strives for — pouring his soul into creating new horizons of extreme sound.
“Holes in Our Hearts” — on the surface, everything seems traditional: Post Black Metal and Depressive Black Metal fused together by a welding torch of guitar ecstasy into a wild, unrestrained release. Something dark stirs inside the composition, the space of desperate misanthropy intensifies. Instruments and vocals intertwine in a fascinating way. But wait — what is this location? What is this vocal? A lyrical female voice opens up a distinct art-rock gap. In just ten minutes, the musician (this is a one-man project) manages to create not only intrigue but also a genuine dramatic collision.
“Face of Happiness” — at this checkpoint of KRAKH’s mini-album, it occurred to me that the author is quite a capable multi-instrumentalist, and his creative pulse beats strong. That art-rock element which surfaced earlier wasn’t a mere joke, but a serious underlying intention that insists on breaking free and transforming into Music.
By the way, it’s great that KRAKH’s tracks aren’t short — the musician has tactical space to develop his ideas.
And in the final composition, “Ex Umbra in Umbra,” the dark lounge returns, accompanied by deep, immersive sound.
Mysterious are Thy works, O Lord. The musician once played Melodic Death Metal (in the band Drops of Heart), then moved into Post Punk, and now he forges — or rather, skillfully sculpts — energetically charged Post Black Metal and Atmospheric Black Metal.

https://vk.com/krakhmusic
 

WHO DIES IN SIBERIAN SLUSH – 2018 - "Intimate Death Experience" - (2024) - Vinyl W.E. 047LP / SP. 013LP / FZL 069LP / MFL 002LP - (Limited edition)

Neoclassical Funeral Doom Metal

A cool vinyl record has arrived.
“The collectible colored vinyl was manufactured in Germany, packed in a matte sleeve with spot varnish, and comes with a thick paper insert.” That’s what the Wroth Emitter label writes. Three other Russian labels also had a hand (and more) in the release: Moscow Funeral League, Solitude Prod., and Frozen Light.
I noticed right away — of course — that there’s a Coloured vinyl sticker on the outer polyethylene sleeve. Let me say straight away, I got the “light malachite” one. In other words, green with subtle shades.
The outer cover of the record is black — and interestingly, it’s black inside too; this is probably the only LP I have like that.
The inner paper sleeve — black and of good quality — holds the record itself. What’s important is that it’s double-layered, with a polyethylene lining inside, without the usual cutout over the label as is sometimes done.
There’s also a double-sided insert made of thick paper with printed song lyrics and band lineup.
The vinyl’s loudness is normal, maybe even slightly higher compared to, say, Metal Blade records, which are also made in Germany.
The sound delivers soft, deep, and detailed lows, clear and well-accented mids, and the highs are not exaggerated.
The dynamic range is very good.
The extreme vocals are excellently mixed — thanks to the sound producer. Instruments uncharacteristic for metal, such as trombone, flute, and certain keyboards, are also recorded superbly — another plus in the sound engineer’s karma.

https://wdiss.com

Los Cochinos – 2025 – Ethylophilia - (Album)
Death Metal, Death-n-Roll, Experimental Death Metal

I was surprised to discover that the album in question is only the second full-length in the quite extensive discography (there are also singles and EPs) of the Kazan-based band LOS COCHINOS. How come? Personally, I had the impression that the group had released many more full-lengths by now.
This is the kind of “phenomenon of presence” that marks a band constantly searching for new and cool ways to enrich their Death Metal narrative. And let’s pause right here to note — LOS COCHINOS know how to write and perform their material in such a way that every new inclusion fits organically and, dare I say, compositionally justified. Let’s see how things stand on the album Ethylophilia.
Power, aggression, and drive — with those words on their banners, LOS COCHINOS open the album, and — oops! — right from the start of the vocal assault, I notice it’s not as straightforward as one might expect... and the track structure follows suit. An intriguing mix of old-school influences crashes down on the listener so fast you barely have time to figure out what’s what. Complex Death/Thrash Metal — yes, that’s strong. The guitars are screaming, wild, and pathetically soloing...
The musicians skillfully play with tempos and song structures, and even where everything initially seems clear and predictable, as the track “Peregar Gas” unfolds, the band suddenly develops a strong pull toward complexity and outright artistry (and this is a Death Metal band!).
But don’t think any of that comes at the expense of raw drive and fury. The track “Bitch Planet” serves as proof. The opening solo — gorgeous. The recording turned out, thanks to the sound engineers, crisp and spatially deep — something we might be used to on the Russian scene by now, but it’s still nice to emphasize.
Time to say a few words about the vocalist, who voiced the racing madness, paranoia, and especially delirium tremens of this record. His articulation — impressive; performing fast passages with extreme vocals is something not every singer can pull off. By the way, guest appearances include Nick Thrash from Blood Pollution (track 1) and Demether Grail (Zmey Gorynich, Neorhythm, Drakon, Renunciation, and many others) on track 4.
And once again, I’ll say — it’s great that LOS COCHINOS gave their guitarists so much freedom. Just check out the intro to “Bend Over.” Pieces like that not only push the boundaries of Death Metal but also remind every listener that this genre didn’t grow out of nowhere. Plus, it’s simply a pleasure to follow the blues-rock development of the theme in that track.
As mentioned before, after such experiments, the band plunges into unstoppable Thrash Death and pure chaos. And it’s precisely this contrast that makes the album work so well — a great choice. The rhythm section — drummer and bassist — truly deliver a bombing run here, because the sheer speed on this album is staggering.
Is “Wife’s Spirit” going too far with its Death Metal Free Jazz? The musicians invited a female backing vocalist, a saxophonist, and even a piano player (appearing at the end). Everyone can decide for themselves, but personally, I loved that even such a macabre track was approached with seriousness and skill — truly impressive.
I’m glad the track “Cool Sheriff Machete”, previously released as a single, was included on the album — it’s an excellent summary of the record’s armor-piercing power. And the song that follows, “Hangover Abyss,” is a truly scorching Doom Death piece, thanks to its vocals.
Many Russian releases nowadays prove that the New Wave of Russian Death Metal (to which LOS COCHINOS undoubtedly belong) is no virtual phenomenon — quite the opposite. NWORDM bands are constantly touring, and show posters keep flooding social media one after another.
 

Montfaucon — 2025 - Earthcrusher - (ЕР)
Death Metal, Deathcore

It’s as if I’ve only just noticed that the Samara-based band MONTFAUCON has six members — three of whom are guitarists. That doesn’t happen often.
But that’s not the main thing.
This year, the band released the single “For The Dark Gods,” after which I wrote:
“The musicians (and these are seasoned musicians — you can’t just play or record something like this on the fly) have produced a truly powerful single, and one can hope that this track marks the beginning of something greater — a movement toward another single, an EP, and eventually a full-length.”
So everything is going according to plan.
Now we’re listening to the mini-album “Earthcrusher.” I was somewhat prepared for this onslaught, but still — a ninth wave of Death Metal crashes in, and it’s both terrifying and inspiring. What impresses most is the excellent sound of MONTFAUCON, or more precisely, the atmosphere the Samara musicians have crafted — for example, in “Prisoners in the Temple” with its Eastern melodic overtones.
The band, by the way, slightly bent their reinforced-concrete track through a “gentle bridge,” and later shifted the point of assembly so we’d understand — this is serious, and the music will transform like a demon in the desert.
How long they spent in the studio is unknown, but the result is monstrous deathcore tracks like “Earthcrusher,” where the vocalist performs in two avatars, and it’s hard to say which of them is more terrifying. The rhythm section — seasoned pros — have played an earthquake so convincingly it feels like the ancient prophecy of the apocalypse is beginning to unfold.
Ah yes! The single “For The Dark Gods” makes an appearance here too — conveniently included in the album. So no need to go searching for it anymore, everything’s at hand. I’ll be brief this time: if not the apotheosis of the EP, then certainly a standout track that tears through expectations.
When we reach “Price of Blood,” it becomes clear that the mini-album is unified by MONTFAUCON’s signature sound — cemented with kindred musical ideas and, overall, resembling a concept record.
I can’t quite praise “Near-Death Experiences,” as I didn’t expect such a simple compositional choice.
The record closes with a track aptly titled “Night of the Living Machines.” I think it’s about AI taking over the planet. No need to worry though — our planet is a living organism, and it will eventually trigger a mechanism of self-cleansing. The track is excellently structured, brimming with vocal fury, guitar rage, and the glimmer of machine intellect.
The lower end of this album is impressive — perfect, for instance, for testing sound equipment. In fact, take a flash drive with “Earthcrusher” to an audio store, ask to test some high-powered sound system, and be careful with the volume — increase it gradually so you don’t blow the speakers. And watch the people’s reactions.
P.S. As I’ve already mentioned about MONTFAUCON — the ranks of the New Wave of Russian Death Metal continue to grow, and much of that growth comes from high-quality regional bands.

https://vk.com/montfaucon_official