I don't hear too much in the way of metal from New Zealand. Not saying it doesn't exist, just saying I haven't heard much of it other than ALIEN WEAPONRY and maybe four or five bands I've reviewed here for Metal Temple. Metal Archives is showing close to 300 active New Zealand bands, so maybe I should get out more. At any rate, very excited to be checking out the latest release from KING CRUEL, a Psych Doom Metal trio from Auckland. KING CRUEL formed a few years back, issuing their debut EP, "Creeper," in 2023. Their second effort, "Sky Eater," hit platforms on December 5, 2025. They're currently still independent, though I doubt that will last for long.

"Sky Eater" is a three-track EP with a full runtime of just under 13 minutes. Vocals (Luke Oram) are all clean. They are also in English . . . which isn't too much of surprise unless you were expecting Te Reo Māori. They lean into the heavy Stoner zone with definite inflections of Doom but considering their clean vocals and the general absence of total discord I wouldn't categorize them as extreme.

Track one, "Haunting Time," comes on strong with bruising riffs offset with a disconcerting melody. Altogether it lives into its title—haunting. The second track, "Diamond Dara," is a little less striking, with lingering vocals that maybe get a little too ethereal. The final track, which is also the title track, carries a similar vibe as the previous tracks. I mean, if you saw them all in separate lineups, you'd know they belong to the same gang.  With that said, this track does distinguish itself with an elongated and heavy breakdown about two-thirds of the way through. The band just ruminates on some killer phrasing and works in a scathing solo. Very nice closing track.

"Sky Eater" shows definite progression for KING CRUEL from their "Creeper" EP. It's heavier, it's more cohesive, it's better produced. The song writing seems more sophisticated as well. In short, "Sky Eater" is everything you'd want from a sophomore album. For Stoner and Doom fans it's definitely worth checking out.