Review / 200 Words Or Less
Bloody Hammers
Lovely Sort of Death

Napalm (2016) Kevin Fitzpatrick

Bloody Hammers – Lovely Sort of Death cover artwork
Bloody Hammers – Lovely Sort of Death — Napalm, 2016

Bloody Hammers hail from North Carolina and specialize in doom. The band was founded by Anders Manga, who remains the main songwriter and performer - recruiting others only for tours.

Manga's partner-in-dirge is keyboardist, Devalia and while she has been with Manga since the beginning, it would seem she is poised to assume a larger role with the band's music.

Providing atmospheric accompaniment in the past, Devalia's keyboards are in the forefront of almost every song on the album. While it helps to flesh out the more sparsely arranged tunes like "Shadows Out Of Time", they can come across a bit superfluous on the denser arrangements.

This is Bloody Hammers 4th album and I'm gonna be honest with you - it's really about time more people took notice, because there's some great songs here - as on previous efforts. Aside from the increased keys presence, the biggest change is the production, which had been one of the band's biggest detriments, but here they sound huge - every bit as apocalyptic as they should be.

Bloody Hammers – Lovely Sort of Death cover artwork
Bloody Hammers – Lovely Sort of Death — Napalm, 2016

Recently-posted album reviews

Dead Boys

Night Of The Living Dead Dolls
Cleopatra (2025)

Dead Boys, or should I say Dead Dolls (no, not those creepy little Dolls that were mass produced for wannabe Wednesdays). Johnny Blitz had just been stabbed on the streets of New York. A benefit was created to raise funds to help the fallen comrade, known as the Blitz benefit. Look it up, plebeians. Anyways cue in snot, attitude and … Read more

Crystal Lake

The Weight Of Sound
Century Media (2025)

Formed in Tokyo in 2002, Crystal Lake have spent more than two decades shaping their own high-velocity hybrid of metalcore, hardcore, and atmospheric chaos. Few bands of their era survived the genre’s shifts with their identity intact, and even fewer survived a complete vocalist change. But instead of slowing down, Crystal Lake sharpened. Now fronted by John Robert Centorrino, the … Read more

Tired Radio

Hope In The Haze
Red Scare Industries (2025)

I knew of Tired Radio, but I didn't really know the band's work. When Red Scare announced they'd signed the band, I figured it was a good excuse to dive in -- and I'm glad I did. Hope in the Haze is the title of their Red Scare debut and that title kind of sums up their general vibe too. … Read more