Released in 2017 on Greg Anderson's legendary Southern Lord label, Terminal is the 32nd studio album by the legendary Finnish psych-rock pioneers, Circle. Far from being a typical retro-rock record, this album is a mind-bending, six-track journey that seamlessly fuses the hypnotic pulse of 1970s krautrock, the heavy sludge of Black Sabbath, and the raw swagger of The Stooges. The most thrilling hook for your first listen is the wild vocal acrobatics of frontman Mika Rättö, who dramatically shifts from theatrical, high-pitched classic rock wails to deep death-metal growls, occasionally sounding like a demonic priest leading an occult ritual. Known for decades as the eccentric "madmen of Pori" who used to perform in spandex and sing in a completely invented language called Meronian, Circle breaks new ground here by using real lyrics in Finnish and even delivering a doom-blues closer in English on Sick Child. Turn up the volume, abandon all expectations, and prepare for a brilliant, unpredictable trip into one of modern underground rock's most fiercely original minds.

The Blood of Others by the Los Angeles band Witches Of God is a powerful blend of Stoner Rock and Doom Metal, deeply rooted in a vintage, occult atmosphere. Recorded entirely on analog equipment, the album delivers a raw, warm, and authentic retro sound driven by thick, fuzzy guitar riffs heavily inspired by early Black Sabbath. This crushing weight is balanced by the energetic edge of classic Los Angeles hard rock, vintage horror-movie synthesizers, and dynamic shifts between slow, brooding tempos and catchy, mid-tempo grooves.
A defining highlight of the record is its dark, cinematic storytelling and high-profile underground collaborations. The atmospheric vibe is perfectly captured on the standout track The Horror, which features iconic guest vocals from doom metal legend Scott "Wino" Weinrich (Saint Vitus). Overall, the album stands as a gritty, heavy, and nostalgic homage to 1970s proto-metal and occult rock.

With the release of their fourth full-length album, Rebirth, CHILD marks a definitive shift in their creative trajectory. Moving beyond their established sound, the band showcases a refined focus on songwriting—stripping back the noise to reveal the heart of their message. The record serves as an unfiltered dialogue with the self, confronting the obstacles that block our evolution and demanding the strength to overcome them. It is a gritty, honest document of survival and the messy beauty of becoming who you are meant to be. crédits

Whether dwelling in the realm of dreams or nightmares, the primordial drive of the Newcastle-based band is more powerful than ever. Land Of Sleeper, their fourth record in a decade of riot and rancour, is testimony to this: the sound of a band not so much reinvigorated as channelling a furious energy, which only appears to gather momentum as the band’s surroundings spin on their axis.