While the stylistic angle of other practitioners becomes obvious, the musicians behind “Kodama” never sound like an indie band trying to appear edgy or vice versa. Alcest implements elements of black metal, shoegaze and post-rock with surpassing tact. The ugliest and most beautiful sounds on this record manifest naturally, allowing songs to breathe to and from distinctive passages.

While it's hard to say whether this is better than the debut, which was trulls lightning in a bottle, American Football's LP3 proves their unique approach can expand without compromising. The band emphasizes influence from shoegaze and dream pop, backed by a more dense instrumental canvas.

Cascadian black metal, like most atmospheric black metal styles, often sounds great in concept but rarely lives up to expectations. Both of these bands understand the importance of musicality to back up their sonic aura. Naturalism and mysticism manifest from the songwriting, not from image. These guys know what cascadian black metal is all about, and it shows.

Doom Metal is known for doing a lot with a little, and BW embodies that principle gloriously. The fact this band only consists of a bass player and a drummer and still delivers evocative, euphonic music is baffling to me. I recommend you watch a concert video of this band or see them play live in order to understand how inventive the bass player is as he simultaneously plays the melodic, harmonic, and cord structure of the songs. I like this more than the LP. It is true Sludge/Doom sublimity.

Wow, what an experience! Jazz fusion and post punk has never sounded better!

Kinda sounds like Primitive Man with breakdowns... I'm here for it.

Fantastically despondent sludge core. It maintains the heaviness of 'I Am God Songs,' but expands the sonic pallet. Very emotional and dynamic, with some awesome lyrics.

This is basically the endgame of slam as a genre. There's really no way to take the toilet vocals, chromatic guitar chugs and primitive drumming further without becoming gore-noise or something.

Considering these guys are named after a song by Thou, I think it's fairly obvious what these guys aspire to be as musicians. It's a little less doom, and a little more sludge. In some ways, it harks back to the early years of Thou—before they got more refined and elegant.

This is the album that got me into Chelsea's work. Her crossover appeal for fans of neo-folk, doom metal and occult rock is astounding, mostly because she's not falling into the pit of genre combination. She just writes compelling songs, taking from various styles to enhance the core feeling. Take away the distortion and ambiance, and you're left with awesome folk songs. Add the extra soundscapes, and it becomes a mind-altering force of nature.

Review from This Is Darkness:
Wolfe's never sounded this conventionally doom, a byproduct of the less nuanced approach she took. This record sees her wrestle with her identity in the midst of hardship, and ultimately transcends her idignanties in steadfast resolve. While Abyss remains her darkest and heaviest record, Hiss Spun stands as Chelsea Wolfe’s spiritual manifesto by way of smokey riffs and pitch-black melodies.