Tag Archives: Cathedral

Warlockhunt – Prey Album Review

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Warlockhunt – Prey 

Pyrrhic Defeat Records 

Release date: 14/11/2025 

Running time: 

Review by: Alun Jones 

9/10 

Autumn in the UK seems like the ideal time of year for a new release from Warlockhunt.  The days are getting shorter and cooler, the leaves turning to orange and yellow and falling to the ground.  The veil between this world and the next is at its thinnest, and the dark melancholy of nature can be best observed. 

Warlockhunt is a three-piece band, consisting of Chris on drums, and two bass players: Mark and Lorraine (who also handles vocals).  This choice of instrumentation allows Warlockhunt to exist as something very different from the rest of the Doom Metal crowd.  The absence of crunching guitar allows the music to explore a more atmospheric, though no less heavy, landscape.   

The album begins with a lengthy intro of synthesised bass, which thaws out the beginning of ‘Turn Away’.  Slowly, a pulsing bass emerges, punctuated with stark, precise drumming.   The dreamlike female vocals blossom and float alongside the melody, rather than dominating it.  ‘Diary of Hate’ has a more direct but no less minimal approach, with a simple bass sound and thumping percussion creating a hypnotic ground for the vocals, till the pace increases for a frenzied finale.          

‘Mourn’ has an almost folky, medieval character, still prevalent when the drums crash in with a marching rhythm.  The tribal drumbeats have a Post Punk crispness that are as much a feature as that moody bass – see ‘Fake’ as a prime example.  On the title track, those drums reach Killing Joke-like intensity, leading the dark revelry as much as underpinning it.  And over all of that are the vocals, both sombre and enchanting.   

Warlockhunt have been called Doom Pop in the past (most notably by me, haha!) and the description still stands.  This is less the onslaught of Cathedral or Trouble, and more like Joy Division creating a soundtrack for a folk horror movie – with Nancy Sinatra singing.  “Prey” is an exercise in climate, in ambience – though still heavy with the air of dark melancholy.  Watch the sun go down and enjoy the darkness.  

Check out Warlockhunt on Facebook and Bandcamp.

This review is brought to you by Platinum Al in association with Ever Metal.

Master Charger – Posthumous Resurrection Album Review

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Master Charger – Posthumous Resurrection 

Octopus Rising/Argonauta Records 

Release date: 02/05/2025 

Running time: 55 mins approx 

Review by: Alun Jones 

9/10 

This is a tough review to write.  It’s tough, because I need to write around 400 words about this release – but all I need to say, really, is something like “do not miss this awesome new album by Master Charger, it’s great”.  There’s nothing else that needs to be said.  So, let’s see if I can pad that out for another few hundred words, shall we? 

Yes indeed, the new release from Midlands, UK based Doom Lords, the one and only Master Charger.  I’ve been anxiously waiting for this to drop, as I became a convert to their cause when I saw these filth hounds live at Pentre Fest a while back.  Superb band.  An unholy amalgamation of Sludgey Doom and fuzzy Stoner with a heart-warming affection for Blues based Rock’n’Roll, I’m proud to wear the T-shirt and be an advocate for this three-piece from hell. 

We start with the rumbling, echoey drums of ‘Thy Kingdom Polluted’, which is quickly adorned by dirty, fuzzy guitars and trippy wah-wah lead.  The riifs have groove and it’s easy to get dragged along and nod that head.  ‘Only My Eyes See, Empires Rust’ follows this with a colossal doom riff that fries your brain, then it’s off on a ten minute plus odyssey with the title track.  Passing through different sections, this monster is the evil offspring of Sabbath and Cathedral. 

After all that full on Doom Metal savagery, even I could do with a little break.  And that respite is gifted to us in the form of ‘Fallen Angel Painted Doll’, an instrumental track that begins with some quite beautiful acoustic guitar.  Starting just like those genius Tony Iommi mellow moments on the early Sabbath albums, though this grows into full band folky ramble complete with harmonica.  Perfect. 

Before long we’re back in real business though: ‘When Hell Rode In’ and ‘Head Into The Sun’ sound like a Satanic ZZ Top jamming Venom songs.  Freaky acid tipped wah-wah heralds the start of ‘The Awakening’, which grows into another filthy groover.  ‘Mass Produced Mass Destroyed’ keeps on bringing the heavy, a brutal track that conjures ideas of both legendary Black bands, Sabbath and Flag. 

Finally, ‘Upon Roads Less Travelled’ cools things down – a short but classy instrumental that is the calm after the storm.  “Posthumous Resurrection” reaches its finale, and what a ride it’s been.  Visceral, muscley Doom Metal with outrageous riffs, thoughtfully composed variations – all the promises are delivered on, tenfold.  The only slight issue here is the lack of a vinyl release, which is patently criminal with an album this good.  But Master Charger have given us a killer album – another one for the end of year Best Of list.  Go buy it, NOW. 

There you go, over 500 words – no problem.  Reviews are easy when the music is this good. 

Check out Master Charger on Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp and Spotify.

This review is brought to you by Platinum Al in association with Ever Metal.