Crimson Coven The Forge Review
Crimson Coven
The Forge
Cruz Del Sur Music
2026
I believe it was around the summer of 2025 when I got the debut EP from Spanish Epic Doom/Metal band Crimson Coven in for review. It was mysterious as hell; there wasn’t much info, and the band all but hid their identities. Whatever, it worked for me. Half the time I don’t care what you look like, the real question is, can you bring the fire when the red light turns on? Crimson Coven had that in spades. The only real issue I had with the EP was that the vocals were buried a little in the mix, but outside of that, I thought it was a hell of an introduction to the band.
Now it’s 2026, and the band has upped the ante, signing with Cruz Del Sur Music to deliver their debut full-length album, “The Forge.” If you’ve heard of the band, great. If not, this is one of those can’t-miss bands for real. Not only do they bring that old-school Doom vibe, but the “Metal” is Epic and powerful without ever getting cheeky or cheesy. While the Doom elements are still strong, I’m getting more of a Traditional Metal vibe this time around, and honestly, that’s exactly what I want to hear from this band. Yes, the tempos are mostly mid-paced, but the approach and attack of the riffs are Metal through and through. There’s not a moment where I feel like I’m listening to leftover Candlemass or Cathedral songs. No sir, this is Metal from the left-hand Gods that brought us Black Fuckin’ Sabbath, and it’s devastatingly heavy with no apologies.
With the debut EP, it was tough to get a strong sense of where the band was truly coming from or where they were headed. “The Forge” clears that shit right up. These Spaniards are hellbent on delivering galloping, mid-paced bruisers loaded with Traditional Metal riffs, melodies, and hooks. There’s more than a handful of moments where I feel like I’m listening to Sabbath’s ever impressive “Heaven And Hell,” and I don’t just like it, I fucking love it. That same beauty in the darkness is here - the slower passages offer solace and moments of clarity, where you could almost find peace in death before the riffs come crashing back down around you.
This time around, the band clearly had the recording budget to let the songs breathe. The vocals are right where they should be, sitting out front and commanding your attention while those massive riffs do the heavy lifting. There are plenty of moments where I find myself thinking, “What the hell did he just say?” before hitting rewind and living with the passage all over again to catch the full effect. Speaking of the vocals, they really shine this time around. I’m catching some serious Phil Swanson vibes from Hour Of 13 and several others, and I dig that with all that I am. Swanson is a vocal prophet and hearing that kind of presence in Crimson Coven’s sound is a damn good thing.
“The Forge” is a 45-minute thrill ride into the depths of the underbelly of darkness, where Doom meets Traditional Metal, shakes hands with Black Sabbath, and crawls back out of the grave carrying something all its own. It’s heavy, it’s dark, it’s melodic, and most importantly, it’s fucking Metal.
If you’ve got guts, check this one out and get ready to be amazed.
Standouts – “Crimson Coven”, The Birth Of The Serpents”, “Crowns Of Greed” and “Unleash The Kraken”.