Albums of May 29th, June 5th, and June 12th 2026

The most interesting releases of the week!

Beckoning The Void Of Eternal Silence was released on Pulverised Records. Funebrarum return with their first full-length album since 2009, and they haven’t gained any rust at all. The exaggerated, slowed, stretched riffs sound as satisfying as ever, with a production approach that matches perfectly what the band is attempting to convey. Some of the passages sound a little forced, like Funebrarum felt they had to include a riff or resolution but hadn’t fully fleshed out what how to make their idea fit into the rest of the song. But for the most part, this is the platonic ideal of death/doom.

Kristoffer Gildenlöw is the original bassist of Pain of Salvation. Humanised is 2000s prog through and through, featuring synths trading off with long guitar riffs over hefty song lengths, before the songs break into contemplative verses and soaring choruses. You know the drill. Gildenlöw knows what he’s doing though. Humanised contains some stunning payoffs for the various intricacies present. This is a bit softer than some metal fans may be looking for, but for anyone who wants music that grows over time while the listener sinks into the world, Gildenlöw is your guy.

Neverending was released on Relapse Records. The record starts off with a riff consisting of as few notes as possible, repeated for as long as possible, before a nasty bass riff. This becomes a theme throughout Neverending. Welcome back, stoner doom. Monolord has a knack for making the dumb riffs tasty. The vocals sound a bit off in the mix at times, but otherwise this is just an entertaining release that accomplishes everything it sets off to do. I found myself unconsciously headbanging every time I put Neverending on.

Unholy Barbaric Hymns was released on Sentient Ruin Records. This EP is the band’s first release since 2024’s excellent Oracular Hexations. Diabolic Oath play over the top black/death with a focus on exploration, meaning that you get a smattering of ideas jammed together, with the main thematic coherence from song to song being the focus on riffs and tone. And Diabolic Oath absolutely nail tone. The band can fly when they want, but for the most part Unholy Barbaric Hymns furiously explores muck and filth by keeping the noise continuous. Vocals stretch out, and guitar layers pop in when needed. Unholy Barbaric Hymns doesn’t compromise, and Diabolic Oath continue their aggressive and uncompromising approach to music.

Hermetic Transmutation was released on Transcending Obscurity Records. Xenosis play clean tech death, complete with a modern production approach that some people might not like. The band’s songwriting approach centers on syncopated rhythms. Riffs often consist of repeated notes and a Meshuggah-esque groove that avoids the beat like it’s clean vocals. Hermetic Transmutation is a lot, and may sound exhausting at times. But for fans of tech death, Xenosis have created a confident, furious whirlwind that is worth returning to.

Hey, Pharmacist is back. Vertebrae After Vertebrae was released on Hells Headbangers. Vertebrae After Vertebrae sounds as you’d expect from Pharmacist: goregrind with a slower, heavier approach than you’d sometimes expect from the genre, with absolutely no breathing room anywhere on the record. It’s always surprising how groovy Pharmacist sounds. You don’t think of catchy songs when you think of goregrind, but here we are. Vertebrae After Vertebrae is another success from one of the best goregrind bands going right now. Pharmacist are carrying the mantle of Carcass quite well.

Assiégé pour l’Eternité was released on Antiq. Véhémence have been making their brand of medieval black metal for a while now, so you probably know what to expect. Long, ear-burrowing melodies, rough growls, and emotional appeals that seem outsized. I’m not entirely sure how Véhémence pull off their brand, but they’ve done it again. The band pulls you into another world where music functions just slightly differently. Assiégé pour l’Eternité contains stellar melodies and tight, well-edited songwriting.

Circadian Promise was released on Prosphetic Records. Fires In The Distance are an extravagant band, blending Insomnium‘s melodic doom-y death metal approach with an almost progressive bend to their songwriting. These songs blast the listener with emotion, as riffs crash into morose choruses which then blend back into another sad riff. The songwriting is just so pristine, so precise, that there’s no getting away from calling Circadian Promise one of the best releases of the year. I wasn’t excited for this release as this style isn’t usually a hit for me, but Fires In The Distance succeed so triumphantly that they are undeniably at the top of their genre.

Altered State was released on Season of Mist. The band’s songwriting approach apes 90s death metal masters such as Atheist. While Altered State is a bit of a throwback, it’s more of an enjoyable romp through the 90s Florida death metal scene sound than anything else. The riffs are excellent and Defiled keep the songs moving forward at a brisque pace. Thoroughly entertaining death metal that’s not trying to be anything else.

Khemmis was released on Nuclear Blast. The American Doom masters have not changed their sound. The riffs lead the way as always, but the vocals shine on Khemmis. If you didn’t like the last few Khemmis albums, this self-titled release will offer nothing for you, but if you enjoyed the bands rumbling, morose approach to doom, this will be another success. I’m impressed by how the band remains so focused and narrow in their songwriting while continuing to be interesting and worth engaging with.