Shakhtyor – Simulacron Review: Psychedelic Sludge and Doom Metal (2026)

 

Shakhtyor – Simulacron (2026), official album cover artwork for the German instrumental doom and sludge metal band.


Artist: Shakhtyor
Origin: Germany
Label: Moment of Collapse Records
Released: November 6, 2026
Genre: Instrumental Doom / Sludge / Post-Metal
Rating: 3/10
Listen/Buy: Moment of Collapse Records


Shakhtyor have put together a pretty strange album with Simulacron. We're talking heavy sludge and doom metal mixed with psychedelic sounds, dark atmospheres and even some black metal influences. It's certainly different, but does it actually work?

Well, sometimes it does.

I really like the heavy guitar riffs, and there's some grooves here too. The album starts off surprisingly well, with a slow, almost hypnotic atmosphere that eventually turns into some seriously heavy doom metal. Even the ten-minute opening works, which is quite impressive.

The production is solid, and with hardly any vocals, the guitars, bass and drums have to carry the music. There's also plenty of strange background sounds, including elements from nature and spoken words that give the album an unsettling feeling. At times, it's like being on some weird psychedelic trip.

But unfortunately, things don't really develop much from there. The music becomes repetitive, and despite some good riffs and interesting ideas, I find myself getting bored. There's simply not enough variation to keep me interested through the whole album.

I can hear that a lot of work has gone into Simulacron, and I like that Shakhtyor are trying something different. But heavy riffs, psychedelic atmospheres and a few black metal passages aren't enough to save an album that struggles to hold my attention.

A promising start, some great riffs and solid production, but unfortunately, this one doesn't quite do it for me.

Rating: 3/10

I'll be spinning more albums — stay tuned!

Hauk
Heavy Metal Talks

If you enjoyed this, check out:
Eternal Mourn – Winds of Sorrow Review
Sojourner – Gateways Review
Enshine – Elevation Review
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