Why Am I the Only One? Albums Others Need to Hear.

Are there any releases here on Metal Academy that you think are so good, it is hard to believe that you are the only one who has rated it? I don't really mean new stuff that people haven't got round to yet, but releases that have been on here for a while, but that have garnered zero interest from anyone but you.

Here's a quick list of five 5/5's where I am the sole person who has rated them, but I think may appeal to other members if they heard them.

CHRCH - Light Will Consume Us All (2018)

Cianide - A Descent Into Hell (1994)

Epitaphe - I (2019)

Kauan - Sorni Nai (2015)

Yith - Immemorial (2018)

Does anyone else have any you think others really need to check out?

Great idea for a topic. I'll list some of my highest rated with only one rating (and the genre so one could pick what interests them).

Angel Dust - To Dust You Will Decay (1988) and Border of Reality (1998): Pre and post break up/reunion albums. To Dust You Will Decay is more of an old school Speed Metal record with touches of Thrash and Power Metal, and Border of Reality saw them fully embrace melodic Progressive Power Metal. However, both albums have one thing in common: incredibly memorable hooks, both from the fantastic guitar leads, to the anthemic vocals, and even the sparse but effective keys. This band never misses, and they deserve more attention.

Novembre - Arte Novecento (1996): Gothic Progressive Doom. It's not perfect; the vocals are rough in spots, and the songwriting isn't anything spectacular, but there's just something about this band... They really craft some fantastic moods with these songs. This album is perfect for settling into a cold, melancholic sit-in on a rainy day. Catchy, memorable, emotional, but also quite layered and takes many listens to really appreciate.

Concerto Moon - From Father to Son (1998): Want Yngwie Malmsteen, but without the ego and glam cheese? These guys do Neoclassical Metal better than the founding father ever did. Great thing about them is quality is not just in the solos, but astoundingly strong riffs as well as energetic rhythm section. Most of their material is stellar but this album is my favorite. Fantastic melodies, but old school production and edge. 

Thanks, SS. I am only familiar with the first Angel Dust album, Into the Dark Past, but I really enjoyed it, so I will definitely check those two out. Your description of Novembre has intrigued me enough to guarantee them a listen too, but I will probably pass on the neoclassical one.

Edit: I have given Border of Reality a couple of listens whilst doing some work outside this morning and it would be a lie to say that this is my usual fare, but you know what, I actually really enjoyed it. "When I Die" is a prog metal classic and would make the album worthwhile for that alone, but there was plenty more to keep me entertained. The cover of Rainbow's Spotlight Kid is tons better than the original, for example. So nice one, SilentScream, I'm gonna call this one a winner and you are no longer the lone rater.

Here are few of my hidden gems guys:

The Amenta - "Flesh Is Heir" (2013) Industrial death metal from Sydney, Australia

Glorior Belli - "Meet Us at the Southern Sign" (2009) French black metal

Gnaw Their Tongues - "Abyss of Longing Throats" (2015) Industrial black metal/noise from Suriname

Hmmmm...the only release I can find that I've given 4.5 or above that no-one else has rated on the site is In Mourning's Shrouded Divine.

That probably has something to do with the way I normally select feature releases, hunting for any releases I've given 4 stars or above that no-one else has rated.

There are so many hidden gems for me that it was hard to choose which of them would make a top 10. So hard that I had to take a full-day break from reviewing to do this, but it's all worth it. Here are my chosen 10 (rated by no one here but 5 stars from me):

1. God Forbid - IV: Constitution of Treason (2005) - Melodic metalcore

2. Make Them Suffer - Neverbloom (2012) - Epic symphonic deathcore before Lorna Shore made the sound popular

3. Prayer for Cleansing - The Rain in Endless Fall (1999) - Melodic metalcore with death/black metal influences

4. Embodyment - Embrace the Eternal (1998) - One of the first ever deathcore releases

5. Conquering Dystopia - Conquering Dystopia (2014) - Instrumental deathly progressive metal

6. Circle of Dust - Brainchild (1994) - Industrial metal from Klayton's pre-Celldweller project

7. In This Moment - The Dream (2008) - Female-fronted alternative metal

8. Alien Weaponry - Tū (2018) - Maori-inspired groove/alternative metal

9. Turmion Kätilöt - Hoitovirhe (2004) - Finnish industrial metal

10. Mutoid Man - War Moans (2017) - Stoner/speed metal

For the albums mentioned in the thread that seem to intrigue me enough to check out later, I might be up to giving the Novembre and The Amenta releases some spins. Cheers guys!

Here are few of my hidden gems guys:

The Amenta - "Flesh Is Heir" (2013) Industrial death metal from Sydney, Australia

Glorior Belli - "Meet Us at the Southern Sign" (2009) French black metal

Gnaw Their Tongues - "Abyss of Longing Throats" (2015) Industrial black metal/noise from Suriname

I checked out the Glorior Belli album this morning and there is indeed plenty to like about it. But I couldn't shake the feeling that it was too restrained, almost as if they were holding back and there were times when I was hoping they would just cut loose and let it rip, but it never really happened. Still, the guitar tone and vocals were great and all the requisite black metal atmosphere was all present and correct. But I so desperately wanted to hear a bit of all-out black metal blasting from them, because I think it would sound awesome, particularly as a climax to a couple of the slower, more atmosphere-focussed tracks.

For the albums mentioned in the thread that seem to intrigue me enough to check out later, I might be up to giving the Novembre and The Amenta releases some spins. Cheers guys!

Thanks again, guys! I enjoy a lot of both the beautiful progressive gothic metal of Novembre and the brutal industrial death metal of The Amenta, and I'm up to checking out more from those bands.

Thanks, SS. I am only familiar with the first Angel Dust album, Into the Dark Past, but I really enjoyed it, so I will definitely check those two out. Your description of Novembre has intrigued me enough to guarantee them a listen too, but I will probably pass on the neoclassical one.

Edit: I have given Border of Reality a couple of listens whilst doing some work outside this morning and it would be a lie to say that this is my usual fare, but you know what, I actually really enjoyed it. "When I Die" is a prog metal classic and would make the album worthwhile for that alone, but there was plenty more to keep me entertained. The cover of Rainbow's Spotlight Kid is tons better than the original, for example. So nice one, SilentScream, I'm gonna call this one a winner and you are no longer the lone rater.

Hey thanks for checking em out! Sorry for the super late reply, but I'm glad you liked it. I agree, "When I Die" is one of my absolute favorites by them. Very different than their Thrash Metal days, but no less good imo.

For the albums mentioned in the thread that seem to intrigue me enough to check out later, I might be up to giving the Novembre and The Amenta releases some spins. Cheers guys!

Thanks again, guys! I enjoy a lot of both the beautiful progressive gothic metal of Novembre and the brutal industrial death metal of The Amenta, and I'm up to checking out more from those bands.

Really glad someone else could appreciate this Novembre album, thanks Andi! I feel it's not the typical Gothic Doom most metalheads go for, but it's so good in it's own way. 

I would put Confessor's self-titled 1992 E.P. into this category & would recommend it to anyone that wonders what progressive stoner doom might sound like.

I would put Confessor's self-titled 1992 E.P. into this category & would recommend it to anyone that wonders what progressive stoner doom might sound like.

I like the sound of that.

For y'all Revolution and Horde junkies, who wants Lovecraftisn slam death with metal core and electronic?

Disfiguring the Goddess - Deprive

Seance - "Fornever Laid To Rest" (1992) [Swedish death metal similar to Deicide, Malevolent Creation & early Gorguts]

Here are a few more hidden gems for me besides the ones in my earlier list:

Dethklok - The Doomstar Requiem: A Klok Opera (2013) - Melodeath/symphonic metal opera soundtrack to that Metalocalypse special

October Tide - The Cancer Pledge (2023) - Melodic death-doom

Hinayana - Shatter and Fall (2023) - Melodic death-doom

Mercenary - Everblack (2002) - Melodeath with power metal influences

Becoming the Archetype - The Physics of Fire (2007) - Progressive melodeath with metalcore influences