A dark, majestic album full of beautifully raging lyrics.

Imagine hitting the peak of a wave as a surfer and remaining there through all its undulations. That is the sound of W. H. Lung in full throttle.

Apocalypse Is God’s Spoiler is the latest album from the multi-instrumentalist, and may very well be the most fully formed. Dense, layered, yet open to accepting ears, it’s Popol Vuh for a new generation

For an album that almost feels like a stop gap on first listen, ‘For samtida djur 1’ is a really enjoyable entry in the now rather large Kungens Man discography.

Four very distinct pieces, each examining different facets of man and their relationship with magic and science. Drawing deep on the ancient myths of Wales, there is an undeniable sense of the mystical.

Their previous album Ummon really set them up as one of the finest space rock bands around, and now with Ilion they have taken that a step further.

Still retaining that black sense of humour and fun, Autopsy show no signs of slowing down any time soon.

One of the best rock albums this year, and you get the sense that they have just started to hit their stride too. A fantastic blast of occult hard rock.

Restraint may be a peculiar concept for a band whose gig finales often had them blasting out 20 minutes of techno noise whilst they stood on stage dressed as Yeti’s, but freed from the particular confines of a “concept” they were able to make a much more human album.

With the sun now settled on another edition of the ever excellent Focus Wales festival, held every year in the North Wales town (oops…now a city) of Wrexham, its maybe time for a some reflection on another wonderful three days of music and networking

The album has an almost transitional feel to it, undoubtedly brought on by the nature of some the tracks which evoke journeys across the continent, but it also feels like a welcome personal return for the band members.

There’s a strong sense of the Canterbury Sound through The Wreckage, more than helped by some of the more jazzier elements.

The quiet calm that exudes from Marlene’s debut is a suitable tonic for those looking for something to drift off too, away from the worries and concerns of these times.

It may only be January, but a contender for gig of the year has been thrown down. . .

The Men certainly show no signs of growing old gracefully, and let’s thank them for that because we always need a band such as these in our lives.

This album will speak to the converted like psych from heaven but has enough easy hooks to pull in the casual listener if they can get passed some of the more quieter drone sections.

Purveyors of the kind of music which evokes widescreen landcscapes whilst vocals evoke a yearning for the intimate, it’s at once vital, but also surprisingly nostalgic.

There is so much happening on this album that you will find yourself discovering new favourites long after those first initial listens.

It’s good to know that in the face of so much change in the world these days, the band have remained a constant throughout.

Matriarch is an assured debut offering from a band who offer more than enough to stand out in the current doom scene.

Themes For Great Cities is an essential read for not just the hardcore Simple Minds fan, but also those who may just about remember dancing to ‘Don’t You Forget About Me’ in the school disco.