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Finland's Death/Doom Metal patrol Solothus isn't too keen on resting on its laurels. Even if it's been nearly three years since the band's debut album, titled Summoned from the Void, was released on the Spanish label Memento Mori, Solothus have kept on working on with their new stuff constantly, never even thinking of leaving their career to that promising start.

No King Reigns Forever, the band's follow-up album, continues the darkened crusade to conquer some fields in both Death and Doom Metal, pushing through all the doors, windows and walls with immensely crushing heaviness. The album excellently employs elements from agony-ridden and despair-oozing Doom/Death, which is spiced with frightening sepulchral atmospheres that make this band almost sound too scary to handle. They also have this strong Finnish stigma incorporated shamelessly all over into their songs, which is something that makes this album so unique and very unorthodox sounding in many ways. And when I mentioned already that they sound heavy and crushing as hell, I also meant that. Solothus does sound sinfully H-E-A-V-Y, nodding towards the direction of bands like Hooded Menace, Krypts and Purtenance in particular. On "Towers in the Mist", Black Sabbath's presence is strongly present as well, showing the Englishmen as another of Solothus' main sources of inspiration. The production is also excellent, allowing every instrument to breathe on its own. Special credit must also be given to the clear but very crispy bass sound, which makes things even a bit sweeter as far as the production on No King Reigns Forever is concerned.

You love an open grave-reeking mishmash of Doom and Death Metal, with a very strong Finnish twist? Okay, good. Then you will also undoubtedly and unconditionally love No King Reigns Forever. There's just no doubt.