Album Review: STEEGMOORD - Second full-length album "Mandatory" // All Time Metal \\

Steegmoord released the second instrumental full-length album "Mandatory"

on August 22, 2025

Band: Steegmoord

Country: Belgium

Formed in: 2020

Genre: Progressive Metal

Album: Mandatory

Label: MADN Production

Format: Digital / Physical CD / Vinyl

Release Date: August 22, 2025

All songs are written, recorded, mixed and mastered by Maarten Doumen

Artwork by Diyaco Paymazd

Video by Cedric De Graeve

Tracklist:

01. Direct The Storm

02. Breaking My Chains

03. Cutting Ties

04. Outcry Across

05. Ballad Of Bullets

06. Many Shapes Of Anger

07. Man Made Mountain

08. Death In The Alleyway

09. Positive Nihilism

Album Review:

"Mandatory" is the new Instrumental album by one man band Steegmoord. The album consists of nine diverse progressive metal compositions. Multi-instrumentalist and virtuoso guitarist Maarten Doumen has proven that lyrics are not needed for an exciting musical journey into the uncharted, for many listeners, paths of progressive metal.

Besides, progressive metal is a genre that can merge many other metal genres, if you have the musical knowledge to place them correctly and this is also something that Maarten Doumen has proven.

The thrash imprint is strong in most compositions. We hear strong and heavy riffs, often repeated with stoner elements, some heavier riffs that approach doom, a djent guitar touch, many technical parts and a faint psychedelic mood reminiscent of the 70s.

The guitar solos are sometimes melodic and other times hard and sharp. The multifaceted compositions are mostly medium to fast tempo, excluding a few and occasionally at the slower tempo.

Mandatory is not another ordinary progressive album, it has a special diversity in the compositions and it is sure that fans of the genre will appreciate it!

Excitingly very good! 8.5/10