{"id":168062,"date":"2025-12-04T17:22:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T17:22:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/168062\/"},"modified":"2025-12-04T17:22:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T17:22:12","slug":"skogskult-skogskult-review-angry-metal-guy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/168062\/","title":{"rendered":"Skogskult – Skogskult Review | Angry Metal Guy"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Known for cultivating legendary acts such as Cult of Luna<\/a>, Meshuggah<\/a>, and Refused<\/a>, Ume\u00e5, Sweden, sows fertile ground for seminal rock and metal bands. Formed in 2022, Skogskult joins their compatriots with a self-titled debut of grimy stoner doom in hand. From Swedish, Skogskult translates to \u2018forest cult,\u2019 and with roots firmly planted in scuzzy soil, this fey foursome drinks deeply from the wells of Acid King<\/a>, Monolord<\/a>, and Black Sabbath<\/a>. Skogskult conjures six tracks that pull from Scandinavian mythology and the arcane to warn of dark days getting darker, setting a grim and eldritch tone from the outset. So come, friend, and take my hand. Let us walk into these woods together and uncover what mysteries lurk within.<\/p>\n

Skogskult studied their forebears closely, as anyone who blindly tangles with Skogskult won\u2019t need long to guess its genre. Many moments are saturated with indica atmospherics thick enough to induce contact highs. Hypnotic plods (\u201cLyktans L\u00e5ga\u201d), mid-paced gallops (\u201cPakten\u201d), and the occasional stirring solo (\u201cSn\u00f6blind\u201d) furnish an assortment of backdrops and give individual songs enough character to prevent them from blurring together despite the pervasive gloomy fuzz. Cutting through said fuzz is vocalist Simon Rosengrim, who pierces the dense haze with tempestuous conviction, antithetical to the indolent trappings of stereotypical stoner doom. All told, Skogskult begets a familiar soundscape even casual fans of the genre will at once recognize, molding a unique personality alongside influences and reference points.<\/p>\n

\ufeffSkogskult by Skogskult<\/a><\/p>\n

Skogskult\u2019s merger of buzzing heft and raw emotion concocts powerful moments across their debut. Opening duo \u201cLyktans L\u00e5ga\u201d and \u201cTurs\u201d conform to genre conventions, grooving with ponderous mass as Samuel Nordstr\u00f6m and Albin Kroon lumber along on guitar and bass. In fact, most of Skogskult is blanketed in wool, though \u201cSol\u201d acts as a crucial change-of-pace, offering reverb-drenched strums and echoey vox that recall Sabbath\u2019s \u201cPlanet Caravan.\u201d Central tracks \u201cJag Ger Mig Av\u201d and \u201cPakten\u201d embolden Skogskult with lively frills, such as the stark baritone vocals midway through the former and the catchy-as-hell 90s post-grunge lilt of the latter. Pulling away from direct inspirations allows Skogskult to forge an identity all their own. In a genre where bands closely adhere to stoner doom\u2019s core sound, it\u2019s not a coincidence that Skogskult\u2019s best moments occur when the album extends past them. In particular, Rosengrim\u2019s performance electrifies when grit and pathos dial to eleven. His singing forgoes the comparatively mellow rhythms and measured deliveries associated with Sleep, Dopelord, and others, instead penetrating stoner doom\u2019s miasma with immediate and undeniable passion. While this ingredient sets Skogskult apart from other outfits, it\u2019s not quite enough to overcome Skogskult\u2019s deficiencies.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Though many of Skogskult\u2019s songwriting tendrils take root, some flounder for purchase. The juxtaposition of urgent vocals and hypnotizing grooves spellbind in a broad sense, but focusing just on the instrumentation reveals a lack of consistency over the entire album. Though flush with talent, Skogskult\u2019s penchant for repeating riffs too often over six to seven minutes erodes some of its charm, which is further exacerbated over repeated listens. Bluesy solos and accelerated tempos afford welcome breaks, but more variety through the refrains would invigorate Skogskult\u2019s musical backbone; without more riff diversity, shrinking song lengths could help remedy the repetition. Still, Skogskult boasts plenty of successes, as well. The production is a triumph, with each instrument (and vocals) afforded ample space in the mix. The only understated element is drummer Alexander S\u00f6derlund, who supports the band ably within a restrained pocket. Also, Skogskult deftly constructs tension throughout entire songs. Even if each track could lose thirty to sixty seconds, every payoff satisfies through unhurried climaxes and hints at a higher ceiling for the band\u2019s songcraft.<\/p>\n

Skogskult is a young band brimming with potential. They guide listeners through the murky fog of stoner doom that cloaks the forest they inhabit, shining a light on the path while allowing listeners to glimpse the dangers just off of it. Skogskult isn\u2019t perfect, but Skogskult impresses with accessible retrofuzz, standout highlights, and a powerhouse vocalist. If they can refine the songwriting approach for their sophomore album while preserving what makes this one special, our next trip through the cult\u2019s forest might just convert us.<\/p>\n

Rating: Good
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Bonebag Records<\/a>
Websites: Bandcamp<\/a> | Facebook<\/a>
Releases Worldwide: December 5th, 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tGive in to Your Anger:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Known for cultivating legendary acts such as Cult of Luna, Meshuggah, and Refused, Ume\u00e5, Sweden, sows fertile ground…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":168063,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[836,9654,109279,460,109280,45231,109281,18333,109282,156,109283,43578,157,109284,111,139,109285,69,109286,34600,762,763,27579,109287,2863,109288,109289,109290,43847],"class_list":["post-168062","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-836","tag-3-0","tag-acid-king","tag-black-sabbath","tag-bonebag-records","tag-cult-of-luna","tag-dec25","tag-doom-metal","tag-dopelord","tag-entertainment","tag-meshuggah","tag-monolord","tag-music","tag-naglfar","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nocturnal-rites","tag-nz","tag-persuader","tag-refused","tag-review","tag-reviews","tag-self-titled","tag-skogskult","tag-sleep","tag-stoner-doom","tag-stoner-doom-metal","tag-stoner-metal","tag-swedish-metal"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168062","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=168062"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168062\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/168063"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=168062"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=168062"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=168062"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}