Eight tracks of mumbling candy doom, exuberant depressive songs of wailing sweetness.

Another heavenly collection of heartfelt songs that embellish an already stellar back catalogue of greatness.

There is no doubt that it will stand any test that time decides to throw at it because it already sounds older than it could ever be.

For Dylan Carlson’s first studio record under his own name, it couldn’t be a better statement of intent.

‘Dear’ feels like the crushing weight of the amassed fathoms of the ocean collapsing onto the listener. It’s diverse but, it is also ceaselessly oppressive and relentlessly intense. Boris always deliver, they never fail to disappoint not in twenty five fucking years!

And So I Watch You From Afar return with their heaviest and most technical album to date.

Atlanta’s Blis. wear their influences on their sleeves but provide a lovely modern sheen to their melodic fuzz punk pop.

Chelsea Wolfe brings the noise on Hiss Spun, along with some truly stellar vocal performances.

ArcTanGent #5 – Russian CirclesArcTanGent, Yokhai Stage, Bristol, 17.08.2017 Photos by Owen

All I have to give is praise to this record, not only is it an expertly crafted showcase for the musicianship of the people behind it, but it also manages to remain unstoppably heavy and avoid being totally serious in themes, as is the case with a lot of modern metal. I can’t recommend it enough.

Dunk!festival 2017 Friday: Earth, Malämmar, And So I Watch You From Afar, Ilydaen, ALMA, We Lost The Sea, True Champions Ride On Speed, The Chapel Of Exquises Ardents Pears, Meniscus, Aidan Baker and Karen Willems, Dumbsaint, Kozmotron, Time To Burn, A …

Emma Ruth Rundle, Darkher, Jaye JayleThe Lexington, London, 26.04.2017 Photos by Magda Campagne

Chelsea Wolfe, True Widow, King WomanHeaven, London, 18.04.2017 Photos by Magda Campagne

A retrospective look at Red Sparowes’ magnificent, genre defining second album, Every Red Heart Shines Towards The Red Sun.

With Marked For Death, Emma Ruth Rundle has composed a complex piece of work that rocks, soothes, haunts, saddens and uplifts. If this is truly the closing chapter of one book prior to the opening of another, then it is a climax that no one will soon forget. One of 2016’s finest releases. By David Zeidler

With every release Helms Alee raise expectations. ‘Stillicide’ is another album to add to the ever expanding ocean of brilliance. – By Geoff Topley

Pink is an album that anyone who considers themselves the least bit interested in noise rock and weirdly high energy interpretations of doom metal should be at least familiar with, and the reissue has some absolutely fantastic bonus material as well as offering insights into other sides of the band. By Dylan Schink

The album flows together almost flawlessly like some rumination on one long and complex matrix of unspeakable things. This isn’t so much an exploration of loud vs quiet as a conversation between light and dark, pulse and peace, the delicacy that tempers rage; the one amplifying the other and creating the most bittersweet and inspiring offspring. By Thomas Laycock

Converge: Blood Moon with Crippled Black Phoenix, Grime, The Body, Full Of HellElectric Brixton, London, 13.04.2016 Photos by Magda Campagne

Chelsea Wolfe, A Dead Forest Index The Islington Assembly Hall, London, 22.11.2015 Photos by Magda Wrzeszcz

So… is ‘New Bermuda’ a better album than ‘Sunbather’? No, it isn’t. But it’s not a worse album, either. However, it’s hard to imagine the same thing working again so they will have to set their sights even higher for their next release. For now, though, let’s just enjoy yet another excellent offering from the decade’s best metal band. – By Grayson Hale