If you think doom metal’s just slow guitars and whiny singers, Bell Of Mimir’s debut will punch that idea in the face and leave it gasping for air. This record isn’t interested in flash or speed; it’s a slow, heavy trip where every note feels like it’s dragging a weight tied to your soul. Hell, sometimes it feels like trudging through mud with your ears wide open, but damn, there’s something hypnotic about it.
It’s thick and crushing without ever becoming boring or repetitive in a lazy way. The guitars stretch out long, like they’re telling stories you’re only half-hearing but somehow understanding all the same. Vocals aren’t soaring or dramatic; they’re more like whispered confessions from the depths, tired and raw, like the singer’s been carrying this burden forever and is finally letting it out.
The drums don’t command attention, but you feel them in your chest. They’re patient, steady, like a heartbeat in a long nightmare. And the second guitar sneaks in and out like a shadow, adding these little details that make the whole thing feel haunted and alive.
So, here’s the thing about the Nocturne cover – it’s this fancy old painting, The Swing by Fragonard, super light and flowery, right? It’s weirdly perfect for the music – because the album’s heavy as hell, slow and thick, but there’s this sadness that lingers, like you can almost see the shadows creeping in. Both the painting and the music mess with your head – pretty on the surface but with this gnarly underbelly you can’t stop thinking about.
Nocturne isn’t an album you blast for a party. It’s something you put on when you want to get lost – slow down, sink in, maybe even feel a little uncomfortable but in a way that feels honest. It drags sometimes, sure, but that’s the point. It’s not about quick thrills; it’s about the weight you carry, the spaces between the notes, and the shadows in your head.
If you’re fed up with doom metal that tries to be everything at once, Bell Of Mimir remind you why the genre was born: slow, heavy, and full of raw feeling. Nocturne is a thick fog you don’t want to escape from.
Listen to the album here:
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Released by Octopus Rising on May 16, 2025
Music source for review – Grand Sounds PR
