Hooded Menace set to release seventh album in October – listen to the first single

Finnish death-doom titans Hooded Menace have announced their upcoming seventh full-length album, “Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration”, due out October 3rd via Season of Mist. The record will be available digitally, on CD digipack, and in a variety of 12″ vinyl formats including black, red, purple, crystal-clear with red and blue marble, and a striking slime-yellow liquid-filled edition.

The first taste of the album comes in the form of lead single “Portrait Without a Face,” which dropped alongside a horror-inspired music video directed by Tekla Valy with additional footage by Mikko Saastamoinen. True to the band’s doom-laden style, the track opens with thunderous drumming from Pekka Koskelo and heavy, crawling riffs from founding guitarist Lasse Pyykkö. But there’s a twist—an eerie cello line, performed by former live bassist Antti Poutanen, slips into the mix, adding a cinematic layer to the band’s already dark palette.

“Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration” continues the band’s fascination with classic horror while pushing their sound into new dimensions. The album art, created by Wes Benscoter, channels the ghoulish vibe of Amando de Ossorio’s The Blind Dead films. Musically, the band leans further into their ’80s heavy metal influences—think King Diamond’s theatrical flair and the doom-laden legacy of Candlemass and Paradise Lost. Yet despite these nods to the past, the band refuses to stay confined by genre expectations, instead crafting songs that are both nostalgic and forward-thinking.

With its blend of atmosphere, aggression, and eerie melody, “Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration” cements Hooded Menace’s reputation as one of death-doom’s most inventive forces. Tracks like “Twilight Passages,” “Daughters of Lingering Pain,” and “Into Haunted Oblivion” promise to deliver all the crushing weight and morbid beauty fans have come to expect—plus a few surprises from beyond the grave.

1. Twilight Passages
2. Pale Masquerade
3. Portrait Without a Face
4. Daughters of Lingering Pain
5. Lugubrious Dance
6. Save a Prayer
7. Into Haunted Oblivion