HÃ¥ndgemeng: Ultraritual

From Drøbak, Norway we bring you the stoner/doom metal band Håndgemeng and their full length debut titled Ultraritual. This has been another wonderful find and for those of you into pure doom and psychedelic rock I am sure you will feel the same. The band’s hardcore upbringing shapes the core of the album but there is so much more here, a true feast for the ears.

In the band are:
Martin Wennberg (vocals)
Charlie Ytterli (guitar)
Kim Grannes (bass)
Ola H (drums)

The band’s heavy core is driven by Wennberg’s intensely gruff lead vocals, a mix of controlled screams and growls with the occasional clean thrown in. That, combined with Ytterli’s versatile guitar-scapes, every track has something special to offer, whether it’s the band’s heavy doom or their tripper psychedelic escapades.

The stunning opening track “The Astronomer� begins with a victorious guitar riff and doomy splashes of heft before slowing down into a softer atmospheric motif. The heaviness returns with ACDC-like riffage and doomier moments making for a dynamic multifaceted approach. With “Cro Magnon vs Neanderthal� the chugging riffs and trippy atmospheres makes for another heady track with just a hint of psychedelics lining the edges. I love the moodiness in “Visions In Fire�, the clean guitar emanating an occult-like vibe before the heavy onslaught of doom ensues. It is all very intense and just a little foreboding. “Temple Of Toke� is another cool doom track with psychedelic undertones. The Black Sabbath influenced title track is another excellent burner and with “Rite Of The Comet� the doom filled distortion and buried vocals add a layer of mystery to the band’s intriguing brand of metal. “Occultation Of Mars� is the last track on the album and probably my favourite. Bleeding psychedelic and trippy vibes, the spiraling guitar riffs and seamless change ups make for an intoxicatingly heady brew. Absolutely stunning!

HÃ¥ndgemeng put out an excellent debut with Ultraritual. For lovers of all things psychedelic and doom you just cannot go wrong with this one. Easily recommended.

Track Listing:
1. The Astronomer (4:45)
2. Cro Magnon vs Neanderthal (5:52)
3. Visions In Fire (6:09)
4. Temple Of Toke (5:05)
5. Ultraritual (3:59)
6. Tales From The Thundra (3:59)
7. Rite Of The Comet (4:39)
8. Occultation Of Mars (9:43)

Added: May 18th 2026
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Band @ Bandcamp
Hits: 16
Language: english

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