heavy-metal-darkness: Marianas Rest |The Bereaved |Noble Demon

Sunday, February 1, 2026

Marianas Rest |The Bereaved |Noble Demon

Release Date 16.01.2026
Format CD/LP/Digital
Genre Death/Doom Metal
Country Finland

Born in the gloom of the Finnish coastal town of Kotka, Marianas Rest has been churning out misery since 2013. These guys drag you into a cold, wet trench and leave you to contemplate every bad decision you’ve ever made. After finishing a trilogy focused on isolation and hitting us with the war-torn vibes of their last record, they’ve jumped over to Noble Demon for their fifth outing. This isn't a band that follows trends, they just sit in the rain and wait for the black clouds to burst.

If you want speed, go find some thrash kids. "The Bereaved" is a heavy-as-hell funeral march that hits like a lead pipe to the chest. This album is a massive, crushing celebration of death and the poor bastards left behind to clean up the mess. It’s got that signature Finnish DNA, depressing, beautiful, and loud. The production is thick, the atmosphere is suffocating, and the riffs have enough dirt on them to bury a city. It’s the kind of music that makes you want to drink cheap whiskey in a dark room while staring at a wall.

Jaakko Mäntymaa sounds like he’s coughing up his own soul with those screams, and the rhythm section provides a pulse that’s steady and punishing. But the real star is Nico Mänttäri on lead guitar. He isn’t some shredder trying to show off; he plays lines that actually hurt to listen to because they’re so drenched in misery. When you hear "Thank You For The Dance" or the absolute gut-punch of "Pity The Living," you aren't listening to a "performance", you’re listening to a breakdown.

The songwriting here is top-tier for anyone who worships at the altar of melodic doom. Songs like "Rat In The Wall" and "Divided" are relentless, suffocating you with massive chords before "The Colour Of You" closes the door on your fingers. It’s a miserable experience in the best possible way. There’s zero filler, no weak spots, and a total commitment to making the listener suffer alongside the band. If you have a heart, this record will probably break it.

Score: 8.3