Thorndale – Spiritual Chains Album Review

On September 12, 2025, Stoner Doom project Thorndale unleash their phenomenal sophomore album, Spiritual Chains. These 6 tracks with a playtime just shy of 25 minutes pack in enough lyrical punch, hard-hitting drums, and creative riffs that you’ll feel like you’ve just sat through a mind-blowing hour of the most brutal assault on your senses.

Before we get into Spiritual Chains I owe it to you and the band to have a listen to their debut album, 2024’s Lightning Spawn. Considering the press release for this new album states “…promises a darker and more mature sound, showcasing the band’s evolving artistry,” I wanted to have a baseline for comparison. The debut EP is definitely worth a listen, but the statement made about this upcoming release, “more mature sound,” is on point. While we get a glimpse of Gustavo’s vocal range on I Accuse You, they aren’t as prevalent on this album. There are some strong riffs, but they don’t feel as balanced. It’s also mixed like it’s afraid to be loud, like the volume’s been shaved down and the punch goes with it. So while this EP is worth a listen, if Spiritual Chains is any sign of where this band is going, I am here for it. Enough of the past, let’s get into it.

Every track drips with so much doomy goodness you’ll want to break out a robe, bong, and blacklight. Fuzzy, phased distortion. Low and slow with sections of mid-tempo interludes. A full range of vocal styles from cleans to eerie highs and some punchy harsh lows. Drums that shake the ground like tectonic plates shifting under your feet. Abound with influences of the bands that pioneered the doom genre, but also other genres peppered in here and there.

Gustavo’s ability to go from melodic cleans to harsh vocals that could sandblast paint off a classic car takes us through the entire range of emotions. Every vocal style is perfectly placed over musical sections that elevate his voice and provide a clear sense of balance between aggression and melody.

Guitar effects and tones are what you expect for the majority of a Stoner/Doom album with the odd styling plucked from another genre. One example of this is the pinch harmonics on Gods of Pain, my top track. There are definitely some Iommi-esque riffs and tones on some tracks, however not to a point where this feels like blatant Sabbath worship. Both Peter and Maarten have a unique style in their writing and execution that lends to this being a unique-sounding album with clear nods to those that paved the way.

Drumming, handled exceptionally by guest drummer Rob Stone, is next level for this genre. A mix of clean tempo changes and fills that suit each track by not overdoing it. Rob has mastered the ability to hold back unnecessary showiness while still hitting a level of superb technique that doesn’t just do a good job of tying the other instruments together, but adds fills and tempo changes that’ll have you involuntarily nodding along.

Where this album falls a little flat for me is with the bass. While present throughout and providing a low end discernible even on earbuds, the bass could have been allowed a little more room to shine. It’s playing a fully supportive role here and does so on a level that, if it were an actor, it’d be up for Best Supporting without question. I just wish it could have been given just a little more time for even a short monologue, so to speak.

Production is what pulls all of these elements together into what can only be described as masterful. Mixing and mastering were completed by Rickard Bengtsson and Stafan Karlsson, the latter you might know from his work with bands such as Arch Enemy, Meshuggah, and Mortiis. Every layer of this album has been mixed to perfection with no one instrument or vocal section overpowering the rest.

Thorndale’s Spiritual Chains is everything Stoner Doom should be. Vocals, riffs, effects, and beats all collide into a set of songs that put this band on the same path as the genre’s royalty. Tracks that pull you into the journey you’re being involuntarily taken on are not only well written but perfectly produced. The clarity on every track adds to the experience of listening to what I can only describe as immersive.