Doom metal had a huge surge in popularity between 2009 and 2014, when it was difficult to find a gig line-up that didn’t have several variations of the words ‘wizard’ and ‘bong’ in the bands’ names. There aren’t a whole lot of survivors of the doom boom – many faded into obscurity once the novelty wore off – however Sweden’s Monolord have weathered it all. Nine years later and they’re on their fifth album, Your Time To Shine, and have come a long way from their Empress Rising debut. This latest release is a decidedly darker direction for the trio; monstrously heavy riffs crash alongside spaced out melodies, occupying a territory that leans more towards metal than rock. Despite the slight shift in dynamic, Monolord’s sound is still ultimately recognisabl...