Hooded Menace Premiere Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration

October 2, 2025

For more than two decades, Hooded Menace have stood as the pillar between two realms of underground metal. The Finnish band are still transfixed by classic horror on their monumental new album. But Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration only goes to show that these stewards of death-doom remain far from stuck in their ways.

Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration comes out tomorrow, Friday, October 3, but you can hear all seven earthshaking tracks today by listening to the full album stream below.

Pre-order & Pre-save
https://orcd.co/hoodedmenacelachrymosemonumentsofobscuration

Pre-save on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/3Os1kbdsMgl805olZjrZUr

Ask the band anything about Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration during tomorrow's Reddit AMA.

Hooded Menace AMA
r/Metal
Friday, October 3 @ Noon EST / 18 CEST

Join
https://www.reddit.com/r/Metal/comments/1nr7jx3/hooded_menace_ama/

On Lachyrmose Monuments of Obscuration, Hooded Menace cast death-doom in a ghostly new light.

Line-up
Harri Kuokkanen — Vocals
Lasse Pyykkö — Guitar, Bass, Keyboards
Pekka Koskelo — Drums

Guest Musicians
Antti Poutanen — Cello
John McNulty — Spoken Word

Production Credits
Recorded by Heikki Marttila at Guru Studio, Joensuu, Finland.
Mixed by Heikki Marttila.
Mastered by Jaime Gomez Arellano at Orgone Studios, Portugal.

Cover Art
Wes Benscoter (https://www.wesbenscoter.com)

Photography
Pasi Nevalaita

Pre-order & Pre-save
https://orcd.co/hoodedmenacelachrymosemonumentsofobscuration

Available formats
Digital download
CD Digipack
12" Vinyl (Black)
12" Colored Vinyl (Red)
12" Colored Vinyl (Purple)
12" Colored Vinyl (Crystal clear with red and blue marble)
12" Liquid-filled Vinyl (Slime yellow)

Follow Hooded Menace
Bandcamp: https://hoodedmenace.bandcamp.com/music
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hoodedmenaceofficial/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hoodedmenaceofficial/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/10mjw8SFRZjS0d8tecdEW8
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/hooded-menace/364200709
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/3748981
Tidal: https://tidal.com/browse/artist/4754969

Hooded Menace Cover Duran Duran

September 15, 2025

Since making their accursed debut in the late 2000s, Hooded Menace have paved the way for hordes of metal maniacs who enjoy headbanging to more creepily, crushing tempos. On their upcoming seventh album, the Finnish horror lovers still stand between two realms of the underground with the unshakable force of a pillar. But as uncovered by its new single's surprise twist, Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration continues to break the mold that the band set for death-doom.

Today, Hooded Menace are releasing their cover of "Save a Prayer", the enduring smash from English new wavers Duran Duran. While the song's latest video is styled with gothic flair, when hammered by the band's blood-stained signature, this pop gem glows in a ghoulish new light.

Watch Hooded Menace cover "Save a Prayer" below.

Lachrymose Monuments of Obscurationcomes out October 3, 2025 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order & Pre-save
https://orcd.co/hoodedmenacelachrymosemonumentsofobscuration

Pre-save on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/3Os1kbdsMgl805olZjrZUr

Can't wait to sink into Hooded Menace's new album? Hear all seven glorious tracks on Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration by RSVPing to this week's Bandcamp Listening Party.

Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration Bandcamp Listening Party
Wednesday, September 17 @ 1:30 pm ET / 7:30 pm CEST

RSVP
https://hoodedmenace.bandcamp.com/merch/lachrymose-monuments-of-obscuration-listening-party

The video for "Save a Prayer" was directed by Tekla Vály.

Additional video credits
Director of Photography - Tekla Vály
Second Camera - Eetu Kolehmainen

MicroPitching and other effects aren't the only tricks of the trade that are pulled out from under Hooded Menace's cloak. Traditional death-doomers might have been pleasantly surprised by the band covering W.A.S.P., so imagine the delighted screams upon hearing a Top of the Pops' gem like "Save a Prayer" splattered in their signature blood-soaked dread. Lasse's riffs still cement the rock-solid foundation beneath Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration, but even he was surprised when sculpting its lead single. What should appear from the double bass swirling amidst "Portrait Without a Face" but the moan of a cello. Like an echo from beyond the grave, the cry of strings reappears during the album's grand finale. Former live bassist Antti Poutanen sorrowfully saws as the band marches, gallops then sinks back "Into Haunted Oblivion".

On Lachyrmose Monuments of Obscuration, Hooded Menace cast death-doom in a ghostly new light.

Hooded Menace Announce 'Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration'

August 5, 2025

Over the past 20 odd years, Hooded Menace have stood not as a bridge but a pillar between two different realms of underground metal. The cultishly beloved band's upcoming seventh album is still bound by a morbid obsession with classic horrors. But on Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration, Finland's stewards of death-doom remain far from stuck in their ways. Lead single "Portrait Without a Face" cranks up the neon-soaked nightmares while digging out a grave new surprise from under their long-sleeve.

Watch the classic horror video for "Portrait Without a Face" below.

Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration comes out October 3, 2025 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order& Pre-save
https://orcd.co/hoodedmenacelachrymosemonumentsofobscuration

Hooded Menace continue to pave a harrowing path for undying metal legions who crave creepier, crushing tempos. The band's new single opens with drummer Pekka Koskelo pounding like death's door. Their flesh-eating muse still looms over Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration. Cover artist Wes Benscoter recreates director Amando de Ossorio's the Blind Dead in all of the film's ghoulish glory. But the album hammers home the influence of '80s heavy metal that was rung in by previous LP The Tritonus Bell. With its conspiratorial web of leads, "Portrait Without a Face" bears a glowing resemblance to King Diamond.

The lasting influence of Candlemass and Paradise Lost hasn't vanished without a trace, but Hooded Menace continue to break the mold that they've set for death-doom. While the bone-crushing riffs of founding member Lasse Pyykkö cement the rock-solid foundation beneath Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration, even he was surprised when sculpting the album's lead single. Like an echo from beyond the grave, what should appear within "Portrait Without a Face" but the haunted moan of a cello.

"Sucked into the realm of sweet damnation". Vocalist Harri Kuokkanen growls deep into the dead of night, as if lured down a darkened hallway by former live bassist Antii Poutanen's sorrowful string saws.

The video for "Portrait Without a Face" was directed by Tekla Valy with additional footage filmed by Mikko Saastamoinen.

On Lachyrmose Monuments of Obscuration, Hooded Menace cast death-doom in a ghostly new light.