Rickter scale of doom.

TWILIGHT S/t (Southern Lord)--All-(dark)-star line-up of blackened grimmsters (Xasthur, Leviathan, Draugar, Nachtmystium and Krieg) join forces to create one dominating entity of bleak terror. All nocturnal qualities are expressed in infernal coldness, pretty straightforward and not as much atmosphere. The Doomscale is now bleeding and in fetal position.

YOB The Unreal Never Lived (Metal Blade)--I heard the first track and thought, "What's this death metal shit? Boy they've changed." I was wrong; the deeper I became engulfed in doomful ecstasy with the trademark Sabbathian worship, the closer to the end I felt. Right, the unreal never lived until now. YOB has expanded and grown! This monster smothers and stomps on some of the other heavyweights around indisputably. No rating necessary. Feel the dOOm.

EARTH Hex: Or Printing in the Infernal Method (Southern Lord)--Hold on to your britches, little one. Earth has been the pioneering distorted drone master since "Earth 2." but with every release having its own hitch. So catch this, country trance psych-drone without the twang. I'LL break it down no further, but this blew me away. Thank Mr Carlson again.

TWILIGHT S/t (Southern Lord)--All-(dark)-star line-up of blackened grimmsters (Xasthur, Leviathan, Draugar, Nachtmystium and Krieg) join forces to create one dominating entity of bleak terror, All nocturnal qualities are expressed in infernal coldness. The Doomscale is now bleeding and in fetal position.

RAMESSES The Tomb (Invada Records UK)--Produced by Billy Anderson this features former Ewiz members, and levels the playing field with carpet bombing riffs of repetition. Fused with horror lyrically, Ramesses is the flagship of the droning (with expanded elements) psych-doom death fleet of crushing persuasion. Pic disc LP offers two songs not on the CD. which in turn has a track not on the vinyl version to suck you into both formats.