Ben's Forum Replies
One thing I would appreciate some feedback on is what is acceptable as constituting a review on the site. I have sensed a certain attitude that you must write some sort of academical treatise on every release you review for it to be acceptable. My own style of review writing is never going to fall into that category as I have neither the skill nor knowledge to produce such pieces, but I would rather say something about a release, even if it is only one paragraph, especially if there are no other reviews for it rather than just let it sit there with a pile of numbers next to it. Do the rest of the membership consider that view to be acceptable or would you rather be like metal-archives and require everyone to have a masters degree in music before accepting their review submissions?
Apart from me making it so that only reviews of more than a set amount of characters appears as a "review" on a release (I don't remember how many characters it was, but it wasn't very many), I don't recall any conversation about what does or doesn't constitute a review. Personally I think even a couple of lines of thoughts is way better than no thoughts at all, so I'm all for whatever you want to do Sonny.
If anything, after writing essays for every review when I was younger, I set a standard for myself that I just don't have the time to uphold anymore. So I think you and I might be placing the same unnecessary expectations on ourselves. You'll see more single paragraph reviews from me in future, and I hope we'll see your thoughts too, no matter how brief.
Because I know you're all desperate to get an update on my Iron Cross project, I've managed to find decent quality images for all of them. Rest assured that all 79 releases will be on Metal Academy in time for the weekend!
I've already spent over an hour on this challenge, and all I've got to show for it is a list of releases. It has taken all of my Batman detective skills to discover release catalogue IDs so that I make sure I don't miss anything. I've also attempted to translate all titles into English to keep things consistent. I've only failed with one, being 秘封奇塊遺産 1 , for which the best attempt I can make translates to Secret Lump Heritage 1. Somehow I don't think that's correct, although the Japanese can be wonderfully weird at times.
So now I just need to find high quality artwork for all 80 releases (I won't be adding the single or the split), format them all to 1000 x 1000 while removing any obvious blemishes I discover, then add them all to the site one by one.
If the above gives you the impression that I'm not enjoying myself, you're wrong. I love this shit!
MIA001 Metal God Knows… SINGLE
MIA002 Blave Heart EP 2007 29/04/2007
MIA003 Unleashed in the East Album 2007 17/08/2007
MIA004 Iron Attack! Album 2007 24/12/2007
MIA005 Evil Mountain Album 2007 31/12/2007
MIA006 Cave Attack! Album 2008 9/03/2008
MIA007 Blade of Ancient Temple SPLIT 2008 25/05/2008
MIA008 Dead Heat Refrain Album 2008 16/08/2008
MIA009 Devil's Daughter Album 2008 13/10/2008
MIA010 Thunder Concert Album 2008 30/12/2008
MIA011 Savage Flames Album 2009 8/03/2009
MIA012 Sparking Album 2009 5/05/2009
MIA013 Far East Judgement Album 2009 15/08/2009
MIA014 Crying Destiny Album 2009 11/10/2009
MIA015 Miss Understanding Album 2009 30/12/2009
MIA016 Vampire Concerto Album 2010 14/03/2010
MIA017 Best Collections Compilation 2010 5/05/2010
MIA018 Black History Compilation 2010 5/05/2010
MIA019 Arashi No Hurricane Album 2010 14/08/2010
MIA020 Pre-Historic Eruption Album 2010 11/10/2010
MIA021 Poltergeist Album 2010 30/12/2010
MIA022 Concerto of the Scarlet Elements Album 2011 13/03/2011
MIA023 Angel Mountain Album 2011 13/08/2011
MIA024 Bullet Wind Album 2011 16/10/2011
MIA025 Deamon's Seal Album 2011 30/12/2011
MIA026 STAR DUST Album 2012 27/05/2012
MIA027 Guitar Odyssey - Instrumental Best Compilation 2012 11/08/2012
MIA028 Sailing Destiny - Vocal Best Compilation 2012 11/08/2012
MIA029 Paper Moon Album 2012 7/10/2012
MIA030 Burn in Hell Album 2012 30/12/2012
MIA031 Heaven's Sword Album 2013 26/05/2013
MIA032 Plastic Mind Album 2013 12/08/2013
MIA033 Fairy Tale Album 2013 13/10/2013
MIA034 Thundercrack Album 2013 30/12/2013
MIA035 Sail Up EP 2013 30/12/2013
MIA036 Artemis Album 2014 27/04/2014
MIA037 Scarlet Furor Album 2014 11/05/2014
MIA038 Icicle Fall Album 2014 16/08/2014
MIA039 Sentimental Symphonia Album 2014 12/10/2014
MIA040 Raise a Flag Album 2014 29/12/2014
MIA041 Dim.Starlight Album 2014 29/12/2014
MIA042 Takasago Army Album 2015 26/04/2015
MIA043 Death and Rebirth Album 2015 10/05/2015
MIA044 Star Dust Memory Compilation 2015 14/08/2015
MIA045 Sister of Puppets Compilation 2015 14/08/2015
MIA047 Shanghai Moutan Album 2015 30/12/2015
MIA048 Triumph Album 2015 30/12/2015
TRNA-10012 Sangoku Attack! Album 2016 20/01/2016
MIA049 Space Galaxy Album 2016 24/04/2016
MIA050 Bullet Blitz Album 2016 8/05/2016
MIA051 Twilight Under World Album 2016 13/08/2016
MIA052 Takasago Army 2 Album 2016 13/08/2016
MIA053 Uchu to Fantasy Album 2016 9/10/2016
MIA054 Perpetual Nightmare Album 2016 29/12/2016
MIA055 Power and Glory Album 2016 29/12/2016
MIA056 80's Graffiti Album 2017 30/04/2017
MIA057 Keep Your Faith Album 2017 7/05/2017
MIA058 The Hard Facts of the Scary Touhou world Album 2017 11/08/2017
MIA059 Spirit of Shumshu - Battle of Shumshu Album 2017 16/08/2017
MIA060 Mystique Concerto Album 2017 15/10/2017
MIA061 Holy Krieg - Crimson Axis Album 2017 29/12/2017
MIA062 Demon City Fantasy Story Album 2017 29/12/2017
MIA063 80's Graffiti 2 Album 2018 29/04/2018
MIA064 The Seventh Sin Album 2018 6/05/2018
MIA065 Unknown Flowers Album 2018 10/08/2018
MIA066 Iserness Kreuz Album 2018 10/08/2018
MIA067 Future and Past Album 2018 14/10/2018
MIA068 Illusion Crisis Album 2018 30/12/2018
MIA069 Deutschland's Advance Album 2018 30/12/2018
MIA070 秘封奇塊遺産 1 Album 2019 5/05/2019
MIA071 Red Justice Album 2019 12/08/2019
MIA072 Blue Faith Album 2019 12/08/2019
MIA073 Japonism Album 2019 6/10/2019
MIA075 Follow the Destiny Album 2019 31/12/2019
MIA074 Daitoa Holy War Album 2020 31/12/2019
MIA076 Labyrinth with Vampire Album 2020 22/03/2020
MIA077 Little Daybreaker Album 2020 5/05/2020
MIA078 Perfume of Silence Album 2020 11/10/2020
MIA079 No Loser, No Winner Album 2021 21/03/2021
MIA080 Maze of Gradation Album 2021 24/10/2021
MIA081 Flame of Deliverance Album 2022 24/03/2022
Can I assume from your questions Daniel, that you and Ben are unhappy with how the playlists are panning out in their current form?
We're not at all unhappy with the playlists. We just want to make sure that site members are enjoying contributing, collating and listening to the playlists. From the above feedback, the answer is a resounding yes!
I do know that putting together a two hour playlist for The Sphere every month, which in all likelihood no-one is listening to, is a pretty thankless task for Daniel. The suggestion above to make it a one hour playlist might help on that front. I do agree that it wouldn't be very inclusive to stop doing any specific clan playlist, and he could always up it back up to two hours if we do manage to attract some contributing Sphere members.
As for me personally, I made it a goal a few months back to at least comment on the playlist threads that I listen to (which is normally The Fallen and The Horde), and I don't think I've followed through on that at all. I'm very happy to see that people are enjoying the process of putting the playlists together, but I don't want people to ever feel like their efforts are not appreciated. Even a "very much enjoying this playlist on my trip in to work this morning" can make it all worthwhile, so I'm going to recommit to doing it.
Iron Attack! from Japan have (listed on RYM) 59 full length albums, none breaching 50 ratings (as of now). I have heard almost 40 of them! And they are all strong, solid pieces of Neoclassical Power Metal. Some have J-Pop style vocals while others are purely instrumental. I don't expect you to add all of these to Metal Academy... but I wouldn't be complaining!
Was that a challenge? That sounded like a challenge! 
I definitely listened to the Holocausto release, but remember very little about it. That probably says a lot about how I actually felt about it. I do know that I gave it three stars, so I guess it wasn't terrible. ***
The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 22nd of April to the 3rd of May, 2022.
1. Bloodstar (FALLEN, PIT, SPHERE)
2. Rose Kemp (FALLEN)
3. As Serenity Fades (FALLEN, HORDE)
4. Dispatched (FALLEN, HORDE, GUARDIANS)
5. Halfway to Gone (FALLEN)
6. Omit (FALLEN)
7. Secret Cutter (FALLEN, HORDE)
8. Droids Attack (FALLEN)
9. Cryptic Brood (FALLEN, HORDE)
10. Jesters of Destiny (GATEWAY, GUARDIANS)
11. Bride (GATEWAY, GUARDIANS)
12. L.A.P.D. (GATEWAY, PIT)
13. Zilch (GATEWAY, SPHERE)
14. Sektor Gaza (GATEWAY)
15. Endo (GATEWAY)
16. Mutha's Day Out (GATEWAY)
17. Haji's Kitchen (GATEWAY, INFINITE, PIT)
18. Lynch Mob (GATEWAY)
19. Wicked Wisdom (GATEWAY)
20. Crysys (GUARDIANS)
21. The Handsome Beasts (GUARDIANS)
22. Sledgehammer (GUARDIANS)
23. Demon Eyes (GUARDIANS, PIT)
24. Trauma (GUARDIANS, PIT)
25. Glory Bells (GUARDIANS)
26. Parasite (GUARDIANS)
27. Cutty Sark (GUARDIANS)
28. Demontage (GUARDIANS, NORTH)
29. InnerWish (GUARDIANS)
30. Bluuurgh... (HORDE, PIT)
31. Transmetal (HORDE, NORTH, PIT)
32. Hazael (HORDE)
33. An Isle Ate Her (HORDE, REVOLUTION)
34. Dehumanizing Itatrain Worship / Cheerleader Concubine (HORDE)
35. Cheerleader Concubine (HORDE)
36. Amboss (HORDE)
37. No Zodiac (HORDE, REVOLUTION)
38. Tanpopo Crisis (HORDE, NORTH)
39. Exoto (HORDE)
40. Buddy Lackey (INFINITE)
41. Embraced (INFINITE, NORTH)
42. Drawn (INFINITE)
43. Jamie Saft (INFINITE)
44. Kinsky (INFINITE)
45. Superior (INFINITE)
46. Lemur Voice (INFINITE)
47. Aeon Zen (INFINITE)
48. Gnaw Their Tongues & Crowhurst (INFINITE, NORTH)
49. War (NORTH)
50. Wederganger (NORTH)
51. Death Like Mass (NORTH)
52. Grylle (NORTH)
53. Martyrium (NORTH)
54. Violet Cold / Sadness / A Light in the Dark / Unreqvited / Show Me a Dinosaur (NORTH)
55. Imperial Cult (NORTH)
56. Terrahsphere (PIT)
57. Carrion (PIT)
58. Black Shepherd (PIT)
59. Impact (PIT)
60. Apostasy (PIT)
61. Stygian (PIT)
62. Pulkas (PIT)
63. Black Comedy (PIT, SPHERE)
64. F.K.Ü. (PIT)
65. Crisix (PIT)
66. Foundation (REVOLUTION)
67. Division of Mind (REVOLUTION)
68. One King Down (REVOLUTION)
69. Acrid (REVOLUTION)
70. Xe-NONE (REVOLUTION, SPHERE)
71. Traitors (REVOLUTION)
72. AngelMaker / A Night in Texas (REVOLUTION)
73. Insane Driver (REVOLUTION)
74. A Plea for Purging (REVOLUTION)
75. Pigface (SPHERE)
Haha... I find it amusing that Sonny and I both defended ourselves against Daniel's (valid) discussion point, yet provided very different reasons. It just shows how personal listening to music is, and we all come at things from different angles.
I do understand what you mean Sonny when you talk about not hearing what's there sometimes. I often listen to an album around three times and then feel like I'm ready to rate it. I give it one more listen just to be sure, and then find that I like it a lot more than I thought I did. Suddenly things click, and I find myself a bit confused about what my rating should be, and have to give it yet another listen. So yeah, I think I'm with you, in that I don't think judging music comes completely naturally for me (I honestly think it does for Daniel). I have to work at it pretty hard before I'm confident sometimes.
I know what you're saying Daniel, but to be clear, when I talk about "listening in context", I don't mean that we should all be generous when rating early releases due to their importance. As you know, I can't make myself enjoy Hellhammer (or even the earliest Bathory), and you won't find me giving horribly produced demos high scores just because they were the first of their kind. I'm talking about the fact that I spent the better part of a year working my way through the first 6 or 7 years of death metal releases almost exclusively, and as a result of hearing an album like Scream Bloody Gore when compared to what else was out there at the time (in it's original context), I actually got much more enjoyment out of it than I had previously. It's not just that I appreciated it more, or that I understood it's relevance / importance more, it's that listening to it in context caused something to click. What wasn't grabbing me all that much previously suddenly did. I genuinely like it a lot now, and I do think my own death metal discovery year played a strong role in that.
I just checked, and have only given three pre-1990 death metal releases over 4 stars, being Leprosy, Altars of Madness and Consuming Impulse, the latter of which I'd given 3.5 prior to listening to it in context.
I only checked out Necrophagia's effort a couple of years back, and was also pretty surprised to hear just how much death metal it contains. I think you're right that it's nothing hugely special, but I found it to be a solid listen, and certainly underestimated when it comes to the development of the genre. Your score feels bang on to me. ***1/2
As for Scream Bloody Gore, well it also took me a long time to appreciate it. My Death journey began with Human, which is still a top 5 death metal album for me today, so working my way back to this obviously more primitive debut was tough going when I was 15 years old. Just like you, it was placing it in it's proper context that proved the difference, and I now very much enjoy what it has to offer. And how can any early death metal fan not dig Zombie Ritual?! ****
May 2022
1. Nordjevel - Fenriir (from Fenriir, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]
2. Blut aus Nord - Tales of the Old Dreamer (from Tales of the Old Dreamer, 2022)
3. Black Fucking Cancer - Eradic Hate (from Procreate Inverse, 2022)
4. Dawn - Malediction Murder (from Slaughtersun (Crown Of The Triarchy), 1998) [Submitted by Daniel]
5. Xasthur - Screaming at Forgotten Fears (from To Violate the Oblivious, 2004)
6. Infernal Coil - Wounds Never Close (from Within A World Forgotten, 2018) [Submitted by Daniel]
7. Fall of Rauros - Poverty Hymn (from Key to a Vanishing Future, 2022)
8. Deathspell Omega - Enantiodromia (from The Long Defeat, 2022) [Submitted by Sonny]
9. Shade Empire - Ruins (from Omega Arcane, 2013)
10. Dark Funeral - Let the Devil In (from We Are the Apocalypse, 2022)
11. Äera - Äera (from Äer, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]
12. Enslaved - Ethica Odini (from Axioma Ethica Odini, 2010) [Submitted by Sonny]
13. Saidan - Kissed by Lunar’s Silvery Gleam (from Onryō II: Her Spirit Eternal, 2022)
14. Bestial Warlust - Barbaric Horde (from Blood & Valour, 1995) [Submitted by Daniel]
15. Woods of Desolation - Somehow… (from Torn Beyond Reason, 2011)
16. Ultha - Der alte Feind (Jeder Tag reißt Wunden) (from All That Has Never Been True, 2022)
Great discussion guys. Sadly you've already got way ahead of me, so I'll briefly play catch-up. Note that I didn't write reviews for a lot of these early death metal albums, so I'll be relying on my aging memory.
Like Daniel, I do believe Possessed's Seven Churches is the first officially released death metal album. For that reason alone it certainly deserves respect, and thankfully it delivers too. The influence on Morbid Angel is so critical to the development of the genre, but I think the influence that Slayer had on extreme metal in general is even more so. All this said, Seven Churches has never fully connected with me the way that I would like it to. It's a very good album, but not an elite one. Satan's Curse is the highlight track for me. ****
When I set off on my own death metal origin exploration a few years back, I was super excited to hear Messiah. They'd always been on my radar, but for some reason it wasn't until I was in my forties that I gave them a go. In the end the experience was a bit underwhelming, with the obvious enthusiasm tarnished by amateurish performances and vocals, not to mention those damn awful (embarrassing) spoken word intros. The debut is certainly better than it's follow-up (IMO), but I might have been generous with my score. ***
While Possessed's debut definitely contains death metal, the Beyond the Gates follow-up leans more into thrash. While it doesn't hit quite as hard, and I'm not sure any track can be considered to be a classic, there's still much to enjoy. Just a solid, if somewhat forgettable effort. ***1/2
Sepultura were a HUGE band for me, but I've always struggled with the production on their debut. It doesn't help that my original journey to it started with Arise and worked backwards to it. Looking at my scores now, I'm probably being a bit harsh on it (it does have Troops of Doom), but I'll stick to my original score for now. ***
Onwards to Scream Bloody Gore!
The latest addition to Metal Academy of a band that has stacks of releases that no-one's ever heard of is... Transmetal. This Mexican death / thrash band has no less than 26 full length albums! Only one of those albums has over 50 ratings on RYM, being El infierno de Dante from 1993. They must have a following in Mexico, as they also have a bunch of live and compilation releases. Anyone willing to give them a listen?
Having undertaken a very similar journey through the early years of death metal some years back, I'm totally on board to witness your own. We can compare notes.
Another couple of improvements.
1. Newly created forum threads now immediately appear on the homepage under Recent Topics. I've noticed that deleted threads don't immediately disappear, but I think that happens rarely enough to not be an issue.
2. I've added the ability to select the release that you're Currently Listening To.
Once you click the Currently Listening To button on a release, your site name will appear in the Currently Listening To release name section, which you'll find just above the band chronology on the release page.
The release you're currently listening to will also appear on your profile page. (Note that I'm going to get it changed so it has BAND NAME - RELEASE NAME, instead of RELEASE NAME - BAND NAME.)
You can only be listening to one release at a time. You can remove the release by either selecting that you're listening to a different release, or by clicking remove next to the release in your profile.
Please give feedback on this new feature if you have any. I'm sure I'll end up doing something else with it, such as having a page where you can see what everyone is listening to, but I'm open to suggestions for improvements or additional functionality.
Cheers,
Ben.
A very notable anniversary for me today, being 20 years since the release of Arcturus' The Sham Mirrors. I was already a huge fan of the band's previous works when this came out, and it would only strengthen my love for this talented and endlessly creative entity. Sadly, it would be the last Arcturus release that Kristoffer Rygg (Trickster G. Rex) would be involved in, and while the band's subsequent releases would still be entertaining, they'd never reach these heights again.
The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 12th to the 21st of April, 2022.
1. Mouth of the Architect / Kenoma (FALLEN, INFINITE)
2. Unfold (FALLEN)
3. Rusted Shut (FALLEN)
4. Legenda (FALLEN, NORTH)
5. Black Autumn (FALLEN, NORTH)
6. Seven Nautical Miles (FALLEN, INFINITE)
7. Pike vs The Automaton (FALLEN)
8. Autumnal (FALLEN)
9. Black Shape of Nexus (FALLEN)
10. Aldebaran (FALLEN)
11. Todesbonden (FALLEN)
12. Sacred Monster (FALLEN)
13. Empalot (GATEWAY)
14. Memento (GATEWAY)
15. Gridiron (GATEWAY, REVOLUTION)
16. My Ruin (GATEWAY, PIT)
17. Slaves on Dope (GATEWAY)
18. Dry Cell (GATEWAY)
19. Blindspott (GATEWAY)
20. All Ends (GATEWAY)
21. Eternal Deformity (GUARDIANS, HORDE, INFINITE)
22. Valient Thor (GUARDIANS)
23. Sons of Liberty (GUARDIANS)
24. Inepsy (GUARDIANS, PIT)
25. Killing Touch (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)
26. Venator (GUARDIANS)
27. Highlord (GUARDIANS)
28. Goat Horn (GUARDIANS)
29. Harmony (GUARDIANS)
30. Savage Master (GUARDIANS)
31. Homeskin (HORDE, NORTH, INFINITE)
32. Irate (HORDE, REVOLUTION)
33. Fornicator (HORDE)
34. Disconformity (HORDE)
35. Disrupt (HORDE)
36. Maruosa (HORDE)
37. Rise of Caligula (HORDE)
38. Drowning in Phemaldehyde (HORDE)
39. The Partisan Turbine (HORDE, REVOLUTION)
40. Success Will Write Apocalypse Across the Sky (HORDE, REVOLUTION)
41. Ritual Necromancy / Fossilization (HORDE)
42. Beyond the Embrace (HORDE)
43. Blue Holocaust (HORDE)
44. Detonation (HORDE, PIT)
45. Hevein (HORDE)
46. Pain Confessor (HORDE)
47. Cemetery Urn (HORDE)
48. Gortuary (HORDE)
49. Masachist (HORDE)
50. Human Rejection (HORDE)
51. Tormented (HORDE)
52. Abyssus (HORDE)
53. Aethereus (HORDE)
54. Descent (HORDE)
55. Dawn of Demise (HORDE)
56. Oar (INFINITE, NORTH)
57. GGGOLDDD (INFINITE)
58. Quest for Blood (INFINITE)
59. Down I Go (REVOLUTION)
60. Bulb (INFINITE)
61. Hippotraktor (INFINITE)
62. Darvaza (NORTH)
63. Acid Enema (NORTH)
64. Eikenskaden (NORTH)
65. Xasthur / Angra Mainyu (NORTH)
66. Prevalent Resistance (NORTH)
67. Cult of Daath (NORTH)
68. Profundi (NORTH)
69. Forest of Fog (NORTH)
70. Dimhymn (NORTH)
71. Dimhymn / Hypothermia (NORTH)
72. Xexyz (NORTH)
73. Thorns / Stigma Diabolicum (NORTH)
74. Inferno Requiem (NORTH)
75. Amocoma (NORTH)
76. Defaillance (NORTH)
77. Brown Jenkins (NORTH)
78. Lamp of Murmuur / Ebony Pendant (NORTH)
79. Black Fucking Cancer (NORTH)
80. Unru (NORTH)
81. A Pale December (NORTH)
82. Ontos On (NORTH)
83. Trails of Anguish (NORTH)
84. Xasthur / Acid Enema (NORTH)
85. Astriaal (NORTH)
86. Haemoth (NORTH)
87. Tymah (NORTH)
88. Obscurus Advocam (NORTH)
89. Tyrant (NORTH)
90. Sadomator (NORTH)
91. Kromlek (NORTH)
92. Cry of Silence (NORTH)
93. Mutiilation / Drowning the Light / Satanic Warmaster (NORTH)
94. Morker (NORTH)
95. Hegemon (NORTH)
96. Hermh (NORTH)
97. Bones Brigade (PIT)
98. Stampin' Ground (PIT, REVOLUTION)
99. Cross Examination (PIT)
100. Cripper (PIT)
101. Fog of War (PIT)
102. Pitiful Reign (PIT)
103. Zann (REVOLUTION)
104. When Knives Go Skyward (REVOLUTION)
105. Elysia (REVOLUTION)
106. Knights of the Abyss (REVOLUTION)
You wouldn't be the first to struggle with Cathedral. I've always had an issue with Dorrian's vocals too. There is enjoyment to be had throughout their discography, but I have to push myself to endure enough to find it.
My Dying Bride, well that's a different story. I can't say I've really connected with recent efforts, but their 90's / 00's work was for the most part fantastic. I'd like to think that Stainthorpe's vocals on Turn Loose the Swans-era MDB would be much more to your liking than more recent efforts.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the challenge, and discover some gems along the way.
Yep. I've noticed it myself. I'll try to get it sorted. Only happens when you post a new thread, which we don't actually do that much. We're always adding to existing ones.
It does appear by itself, but it's just delayed.
Xephyr, unfortunately none of these albums appear to be on Spotify. Did you want to make some other choices?
These reviews make me very happy. I love sharing music with others, but for some reason I often assume that my adoration for certain albums is more a personal connection rather than a more objective viewpoint. If any of you want to delve further into Sear Bliss, I highly recommend this album's follow-up, The Arcane Odyssey (2007), and their most recent release, Letters From the Edge (2018).
Aeviterne - Stilled the Hollows' Sway off The Ailing Facade (2022)
Desolate Shrine - Cast to Walk the Star of Sorrow off Fires of the Dying World (2022)
Orbit Culture - Flight of the Fireflies off Shaman (2021
Akercocke - Leviathan off Choronzon (2003)
Napalm Death - Greed Killing off Diatribes (1996)
Hangman's Chair - Cold & Distant off Loner (2022)
Mar de Grises - Sleep Just One Dawn off Draining the Waterheart (2008)
Profetus - Northern Crown off The Sadness of Time Passing (2019)
The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 2nd to the 11th of April, 2022.
1. Incubator (FALLEN, PIT, HORDE, INFINITE)
2. Zaraza (FALLEN, SPHERE, INFINITE)
3. YDI (FALLEN)
4. Eternal Solstice / Mourning (FALLEN, HORDE)
5. Dystopia / Skaven (FALLEN)
6. Mourning (FALLEN)
7. Artrosis (FALLEN)
8. Absent of Body (FALLEN, INFINITE)
9. Obsidian Sea (FALLEN) - requested by Sonny
10. Friends of Hell (FALLEN) - requested by Sonny
11. Left Hand Solution (FALLEN) - requested by Sonny
12. Astral Rising (FALLEN) - requested by Sonny
13. Arð (FALLEN, NORTH)
14. Lofofora (GATEWAY)
15. Oracle (GUARDIANS, PIT, INFINITE)
16. Starfighters (GUARDIANS)
17. Bodine (GUARDIANS)
18. Sacred Rite (GUARDIANS)
19. Deep Switch (GUARDIANS)
20. David T. Chastain (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)
21. Bloodgood (GUARDIANS)
22. Genocide (GUARDIANS)
23. S.A. Slayer (GUARDIANS)
24. Thunder Rider (GUARDIANS)
25. Almafuerte (GUARDIANS, PIT)
26. Talas (GUARDIANS)
27. Helloise (GUARDIANS)
28. Luzbel (GUARDIANS)
29. Marshall Law (GUARDIANS, PIT)
30. Mania (GUARDIANS, PIT)
31. Arakain (GUARDIANS, PIT)
32. X-Wild (GUARDIANS, PIT)
33. Hospice (HORDE, INFINITE)
34. Maleficarum (HORDE)
35. Darkified (HORDE)
36. Dismembered Fetus (HORDE)
37. Ahret Dev (HORDE)
38. Depresy (HORDE)
39. Rotting (HORDE)
40. Eternal Solstice (HORDE)
41. Misery (HORDE)
42. Without Grief (HORDE)
43. Taetre (HORDE)
44. Divine Empire (HORDE)
45. Rotten Tomb (HORDE)
46. Mastermind (INFINITE)
47. Lionoka (NORTH)
48. Avzhia (NORTH)
49. Hellish (NORTH, PIT) - requested by Sonny
50. Force of Darkness (NORTH, PIT) - requested by Sonny
51. Slaughtbbath (NORTH, PIT) - requested by Sonny
52. Tyrant (NORTH)
53. Moonlight Sorcery (NORTH)
54. Fearless Iranians From Hell (PIT)
55. Addictive (PIT)
56. Mezzrow (PIT)
57. Anthares (PIT)
58. Aversion (PIT)
59. Silent Scream (PIT)
60. Dearly Beheaded (PIT)
61. Indecision (REVOLUTION)
But the horns are performed by giant horned warriors standing atop a field of slain angels!
Your wish is my command. You got in just in time for my NORTH run, with all the above bands crossing over between NORTH and PIT.
In case anyone hasn't noticed, I've started progressing through the clans from left to right (FALLEN through to SPHERE) whenever I can. This should allow people to know when they might expect a request they've made to hit the site. If you notice I've added a whole bunch of GUARDIANS releases one day, you can pretty much guarantee I'll be focussing on HORDE releases the next day etc.
Couldn't help noticing that there are 4 releases celebrating 25 year anniversaries today (from 4 different clans). I can't really talk much about the Angizia or Within Temptation offerings, but I do know that I raced out and purchased both Enslaved's Eld and Septic Flesh's The Ophidian Wheel on CD (from Utopia Records) within a few weeks of their release. I was a big fan of both bands at the time, and I distinctly recall being a bit disappointed with both of these efforts. I was shocked by the drum sound on Eld, and it took a long time for me get past it enough to actually enjoy quite a bit of what the album offers. As for The Ophidian Wheel, I struggled with the increase in operatic vocals and symphonics, after the more death metal focussed first two Septic Flesh albums that I adored. I don't think I've ever totally clicked with this release, and it wouldn't be until Sumerian Daemons in 2003 that I'd fall in love with this amazing Greek band all over again.
I'm fascinated to see Caladan Brood at number 4 and yet no Summoning. Is it a matter of the apprentice surpassing the master in your opinion? I haven't heard of Mist of Misery, so prob should check it out.
I make sure to include at least one symphonic black metal track in every North playlist, and not just because it should be represented. I've always been a sucker for it when it's done well. That said, I agree that Emperor have yet to be bettered.
The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 26th of March and the 1st of April, 2022.
1. Rorcal & Earthflesh (FALLEN, INFINITE, NORTH)
2. Wowod (FALLEN, INFINITE)
3. Bore (FALLEN)
4. Mass Worship (FALLEN, HORDE)
5. Sion (GATEWAY, REVOLUTION)
6. Sordid Pink (GATEWAY)
7. Blanket (GATEWAY)
8. Maule (GUARDIANS)
9. Eliminator (GUARDIANS)
10. Onchocerciasis Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (HORDE)
11. Astral Tomb (HORDE)
12. Aeviterne (HORDE)
13. Apes (HORDE)
14. Cryptodira (HORDE, INFINITE)
15. Cathexis (HORDE)
16. Ominous Ruin (HORDE)
17. Endseeker (HORDE)
18. Growth (HORDE, INFINITE)
19. Kvadrat (HORDE, NORTH)
20. Bleeding, The (HORDE, PIT) - requested by Sonny
21. Needless (HORDE, PIT)
22. Diabolizer (HORDE)
23. Tribal Gaze (HORDE)
24. Sadness / Unreqvited (INFINITE, NORTH)
25. F1D31 (INFINITE, NORTH)
26. Void (INFINITE, NORTH, SPHERE)
27. Cicado the Burrower (INFINITE, NORTH)
28. Wax People (INFINITE)
29. Sugar Horse (INFINITE)
30. Art of Illusion (INFINITE) - requested by Sonny
31. Bhleg (NORTH) - requested by Sonny
32. Yaotl Mictlan (NORTH)
33. Dold Vorde Ens Navn (NORTH)
34. Forsman (NORTH)
35. Aylwin (NORTH)
36. Mannveira (NORTH)
37. Spider God (NORTH)
38. Sinira (NORTH)
39. Aran (NORTH)
40. Crucifixion Bell (NORTH)
41. Ebon Reliquary (NORTH)
42. Dream Widow (PIT)
43. Aggressive Perfector (PIT) - requested by Sonny
44. Boundaries (REVOLUTION)
45. Static Dress (REVOLUTION)
46. Foreign Hands (REVOLUTION)
April 2022
1. Deathspell Omega - The Long Defeat (from The Long Defeat, 2022)
2. Wiegedood - FN SCAR 16 (from There's Always Blood at the End of the Road, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]
3. Bathory - Home of Once Brave (from Hammerheart, 1990)
4. Enslaved - Ridicule Swarm (from Below The Lights, 2003) [Submitted by Daniel]
5. Emperor - Cosmic Keys to My Creations & Times (from In the Nightside Eclipse, 1994) [Submitted by Sonny]
6. Young And In The Way - Betrayed by Light (from When Life Comes To Death, 2014) [Submitted by Vinny]
7. Psychonaut 4 - Neurasthenia (from Death is a Form of Art, 2016)
8. Endstille - Satanarchie (from Infektion 1813, 2012) [Submitted by Daniel]
9. Kvaen - The Wolves Throne (from The Funeral Pyre, 2020) [Submitted by Vinny]
10. Gorgoroth - Begravelsesnatt (from Pentagram, 1994) [Submitted by Sonny]
11. Drudkh - The Nocturnal One (from The Nocturnal One, 2022)
12. Teitanblood - Cadaver Synod (from Death, 2014) [Submitted by Daniel]
13. Véhémence - Un Contre Mille (from Ordalies, 2022) [Submitted by Xephyr]
14. Samael - Son of Earth (from Ceremony of Opposites, 1994) [Submitted by Vinny]
15. Tardigrada - Verrat (from Vom Bruch bis zur Freiheit, 2021)
16. Ultra Silvam - Of Molded Bread and Rotten Wine (from The Sanctity of Death, 2022) [Submitted by Xephyr]
17. Moonlight Sorcery - Hauta-alttari (from Piercing Through the Frozen Eternity, 2022)
18. Darkthrone - Kathaarian Life Code (from A Blaze in the Northern Sky, 1992) [Submitted by Sonny]
I have very little to add to what you guys have said. I have noticed though, now that I'm spending more time with modern releases, that the problem is getting worse on RYM. I keep being stunned by the ratings of albums. I've listened to a number of albums recently that I know would have been highly praised and rated had they been released 15 years ago, that are now trounced on and left to flounder at the bottom of the barrel. It used to be that if an album rated under 3.5 stars on RYM, it probably wasn't worth my time. For anything released in the past decade, I reckon I can lower that to about 3.2. I've totally got into albums by Nocturnal Triumph, Wiegedood, Vorga, Celeste, Det eviga leendet, Negativa, Nameless Mist and Druid Lord in recent weeks. These albums all range from 3.2 to 3.4 on RYM. So while I've been a bit critical of people that spend their time listening to every single new release that comes out once or twice before moving on, I'm starting to see that there might not be any other way to discover the good stuff anymore. Well, I guess I can just listen to the good folk at Metal Academy!
Note that it can take a little while for the homepage to adjust since we turned caching on. So even though I've deleted the second account, it will still appear on the homepage for a while. Only really comes into play when something gets deleted, such as a forum post etc.
Actually, it does appear that they created the second account intentionally (used a different email address). I've deleted one of the two accounts for now.
If the user happens to see this message, please note that you cannot have multiple Metal Academy accounts. If you have any questions, please reach out to me (or the community at large).
The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 9th to the 25th of March, 2022.
1. Beyond Belief (FALLEN)
2. Bellzlleb (FALLEN, GUARDIANS, INFINITE)
3. Iota (FALLEN)
4. Zodiak (FALLEN, INFINITE)
5. Opium Warlords (FALLEN)
6. Requiem (FALLEN, GUARDIANS) - requested by Sonny
7. Pentacrostic (FALLEN, HORDE)
8. Northwinds (FALLEN)
9. Autumnblaze (FALLEN, NORTH)
10. Cadaveria (FALLEN, NORTH, GATEWAY)
11. Doomriders vs Boris (FALLEN)
12. Tristitia (FALLEN)
13. Switched (GATEWAY)
14. Mendeed (GATEWAY, REVOLUTION, HORDE)
15. Mother's Finest (GATEWAY)
16. 2Tm2,3 (GATEWAY)
17. Full Devil Jacket (GATEWAY)
18. From Zero (GATEWAY)
19. Strata (GATEWAY)
20. Bloodywood (GATEWAY, NORTH)
21. Vixen (GUARDIANS, PIT)
22. Warhead (GUARDIANS, PIT)
23. Defender (GUARDIANS, PIT)
24. Tyrant's Reign (GUARDIANS, PIT)
25. Texas Hippie Coalition (PIT)
26. A-II-Z (GUARDIANS)
27. Future Tense (GUARDIANS)
28. Taist of Iron (GUARDIANS)
29. TKO (GUARDIANS)
30. Scavenger (GUARDIANS)
31. Alien Force (GUARDIANS)
32. Rogue Male (GUARDIANS)
33. Gogmagog (GUARDIANS)
34. Hawk (GUARDIANS)
35. Matthias Steele (GUARDIANS, PIT)
36. Kukeiha Club (GUARDIANS)
37. Onmyo-Za (GUARDIANS, NORTH)
38. Bullet (GUARDIANS)
39. Butterfly Temple (GUARDIANS, NORTH)
40. Kimmo Kuusniemi Band (GUARDIANS)
41. Millennium (GUARDIANS)
42. Blade Runner (GUARDIANS)
43. Maniac (GUARDIANS, PIT)
44. Razormaid (GUARDIANS)
45. Su Ta Gar (GUARDIANS, PIT)
46. Pegazus (GUARDIANS)
47. Di'Anno (GUARDIANS)
48. Wizard (GUARDIANS)
49. SpellBlast (GUARDIANS, NORTH)
50. Symphonity (GUARDIANS)
51. Týr / Alestorm / Heidevolk (GUARDIANS, NORTH)
52. Full Moon (GUARDIANS)
53. Letters in Binary (HORDE, REVOLUTION)
54. Fear of God (HORDE)
55. Excretion (HORDE)
56. Man Is the Bastard / The Locust (HORDE)
57. Deaden (HORDE)
58. Bathtub Shitter (HORDE)
59. Torsofuck / Lymphatic Phlegm (HORDE)
60. Ancient Necropsy (HORDE)
61. Bile (HORDE)
62. Rainbow of Death (HORDE)
63. Epicurean (HORDE, INFINITE)
64. Narjahanam (HORDE, NORTH)
65. Criminal Element (HORDE)
66. Crypticus (HORDE)
67. Rectal Smegma (HORDE)
68. Dødskvad (HORDE)
69. As Hope Dies (HORDE)
70. Torturer (HORDE, PIT)
71. Goat Semen / Anal Vomit (HORDE, NORTH)
72. North (HORDE, NORTH)
73. Monastyr (HORDE, PIT)
74. Burial (HORDE)
75. Acid Death (HORDE, PIT)
76. Esqarial (HORDE)
77. Carnal (HORDE)
78. Carnivore Diprosopus (HORDE)
79. Golem (HORDE)
80. Down From the Wound (HORDE)
81.Decrepitaph (HORDE)
82. A Different Breed of Killer (HORDE, REVOLUTION)
83. Corpsegrinder (HORDE)
84. Centurian (HORDE)
85. Psypheria (HORDE, INFINITE)
86. Despondency (HORDE)
87. Souldrainer (HORDE)
88. Ketha (INFINITE)
89. SOM (INFINITE)
90. The Eyes of a Traitor (REVOLUTION)
91. End Amen (INFINITE)
92. Transitional (INFINITE)
93. Vondur (NORTH)
94. Det Hedenske Folk (NORTH)
95. Beherit / Archgoat (NORTH)
96. Basilisk (NORTH)
97. Paragon Impure (NORTH)
98. Blackdeath / Leviathan (NORTH)
99. Sa meute (NORTH)
100. Blood Red Fog (NORTH)
101. Eldrig (NORTH)
102. Nihill (NORTH)
103. SatanaKozel (NORTH)
104. Evilfeast / Marblebog (NORTH)
105. Orrery (NORTH)
106. Öde (NORTH)
107. Líam (NORTH)
108. Raise Hell (NORTH, PIT)
109. Det Hedenske Folk / Abyssic Hate (NORTH)
110. Abyssic Hate (NORTH)
111. Mutant (NORTH)
112. Pest (NORTH)
113. Damnation (NORTH)
114. Blackdeath (NORTH)
115. Zarathustra (NORTH)
116. Pantheon I (NORTH)
117. Ritual (NORTH, PIT)
118. Bornholm (NORTH)
119. Panic (PIT)
120. Trench Hell (PIT)
121. Airdash (PIT)
122. The Mist (PIT)
123. Soothsayer (PIT)
124. The Crucified (PIT)
125. Asphyxia (PIT)
126. Visitör (PIT)
127. Amboog-A-Lard (PIT)
128. Demiricous (PIT)
129. Parkcrest (PIT) - requested by Sonny
130. A Black Rose Burial (REVOLUTION)
131. Icepick (REVOLUTION)
132. Mychildren Mybride (REVOLUTION)
133. Abrasion (REVOLUTION)
134. Threadbare (REVOLUTION)
135. Trephine (REVOLUTION)
So happy that you enjoy it as much as I do. It was a risky recommendation as I'm sure it's not for everyone. A unique and special album for me!
At least it was a good album!
That's what happens when you rush things. I'll spend some time on it later today.
Unfortunately there's not currently any option to allow multiple people to work on the same list (I didn't consider that when designing it).
That said, it makes total sense to have an ongoing updated list for features. I think I'll add a new category in the Lists section called Feature Releases (Month by Month) or something like that. I can easily keep it up to date while I'm adding the features each month.
Hath - All That Was Promised off All That Was Promised (2022)
Allagaeon - Into Embers off Damnum (2022)
Ritual Necromancy - Enter the Depths off Ritual Necromancy / Fossilization (2022)
Before the Dawn - Fear Me off Deadlight (2007)
Atmospheric Sludge falls under both clans. It is a mixture of Sludge (Fallen) and Post (Infinite), so it just made sense to do it that way. As for the clan challenge, well I had to choose one. Daniel and I agreed at the time that a lot of Atmospheric Sludge borders more on the Post-Metal side, so we went with The Infinite.
I think this makes it fair game for Atmospheric Sludge tracks to be included in either playlists. I imagine some judgement calls will be made about individual tracks, for example you're probably not likely to choose a track if it's basically Post-Metal, but it's fine if you do too.
To be clear, new forum posts should be appearing instantaneously on the front page, but new reviews and new releases don't appear for up to 24 hours (depending on what time of day they're posted). I think we'd all agree that this trade off is worth it for the super fast homepage loading.
I think Fade to Grey is my favourite track on the album. Like Daniel though, I've never heard the original.
I do agree that the vocals are off-putting. I still struggle with them a bit, despite loving the album overall.
Mournful Congregation - As I Drown in Loveless Rain off The Monad of Creation (2005)
Counting Hours - To Exit All False off The Will (2020)
Messa - Serving Him off Close (2022)
Konvent - Pipe Dreams off Call Down the Sun (2022)
The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 24th of February to the 8th of March, 2022.
1. Skrape (GATEWAY)
2. Factory 81 (GATEWAY)
3. Kenji Ohtsuki & Zetsubou Shoujotachi (GATEWAY, INFINITE)
4. Evanescence (GATEWAY) - requested by shadowdoom9
5. Marge Litch (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)
6. Nuclear Blast Allstars (GUARDIANS, HORDE)
7. Alkonost (GUARDIANS, NORTH)
8. Throne of Chaos (GUARDIANS, INFINITE, HORDE, NORTH)
9. Serpent Throne (GUARDIANS, FALLEN)
10. Samurai (GUARDIANS)
11. Cydonia (GUARDIANS)
12. Aesma Daeva (GUARDIANS, FALLEN)
13. Lonewolf (GUARDIANS)
14. Cauchemar (GUARDIANS, FALLEN)
15. Linked Horizon (GUARDIANS)
16. White Magician (GUARDIANS)
17. Woods of Belial (SPHERE, NORTH, FALLEN)
18. Fear of Domination (SPHERE, REVOLUTION, HORDE)
19. Jun Senoue, Yutaka Minobe, Mariko Nanba, Tomoya Ohtani& Kenichi Tokoi (SPHERE)
20. Dom Zły (FALLEN, INFINITE)
21. Zebulon Pike (FALLEN, INFINITE)
22. Goatsnake / Burning Witch (FALLEN)
23. Lucyfire (FALLEN)
24. Fight Amp (FALLEN)
25. North (FALLEN, INFINITE)
26. Thorns of the Carrion (FALLEN)
27. Acrimony / Church of Misery (FALLEN)
28. How Like a Winter (FALLEN)
29. Indesinence (FALLEN)
30. Irreversible (FALLEN, INFINITE)
31. Decrepisy (FALLEN, HORDE)
32. Sky Pig (FALLEN) - requested by Sonny
33. Tar Pit (FALLEN) - requested by Sonny
34. Night Hag (FALLEN, HORDE) - requested by Sonny
35. Fragments of Lost Memories (FALLEN) - requested by Sonny
36. Burial (FALLEN)
37. The Mass (REVOLUTION, INFINITE)
38. Foreground Eclipse (REVOLUTION)
39. Atlantis Chronicles (REVOLUTION, HORDE)
40. The Sorrow (REVOLUTION)
41. Beneath the Sky (REVOLUTION)
42. fallfiftyfeet (REVOLUTION)
43. Wolf King (REVOLUTION)
44. Slowbleed (REVOLUTION)
45. Troldhaugen (NORTH, INFINITE)
46. Horna / Sacrificia Mortuorum (NORTH)
47. Sacrificia Mortuorum (NORTH)
48. Ancestral (NORTH)
49. Kathaaria (NORTH)
50. Self-Inflicted Violence (NORTH)
51. Bann (NORTH)
52. Tsalal (NORTH)
53. Blue Noise (NORTH)
54. Saidan / Klane n (NORTH)
55. Klanen (NORTH)
56. Festung (NORTH)
57. Weltmacht (NORTH)
58. Fear of Eternity (NORTH)
59. Kaosritual (NORTH)
60. Misery's Omen (NORTH)
61. Ch'aska (NORTH)
62. Nhor (NORTH)
63. Licho (NORTH, INFINITE)
64. Cairiss (NORTH)
65. Entropy Created Consciousness (NORTH)
66. Dakhma (NORTH, HORDE)
67. Noltem (NORTH)
68. Häxkapell (NORTH)
69. Ayreon vs. Avantasia (INFINITE)
70. Constants (INFINITE)
71. Ode and Elegy (INFINITE)
72. Burial in the Sky (INFINITE, HORDE)
73. Last Tribe (INFINITE)
74. Barús (INFINITE, HORDE)
75. Dessiderium (INFINITE, HORDE)
76. Abhorrence (HORDE)
77. Immortal Fate (HORDE)
78. Cinerary (HORDE)
79. Libido Airbag (HORDE)
80. Degrade (HORDE)
81. East West Blast Test (HORDE)
82. Synestesia (HORDE)
83. Vengeful (HORDE)
84. Cabal (HORDE, PIT)
85. Soulreaper (HORDE)
86. Necronomicon (HORDE)
87. Gride (HORDE)
88. Naildown (HORDE)
89. The Arcane Order (HORDE)
90. Malodorous (HORDE)
91. Devian (HORDE)
92. Gored (HORDE)
93. Aposepsy (HORDE)
94. Cerekloth (HORDE)
95. Unmerciful (HORDE)
96. National Suicide (PIT)
97. Ravager (PIT) - requested by Vinny
98. Dekapited (PIT) - requested by Sonny
I've also been very impressed by Det eviga leendet, and the Shining-like approach of Negativa has grabbed me in the last couple of weeks too. The Festung album seems inconsistent and overlong after a couple of listens, but it's hard not to find some enjoyment in a blatant Paysage d'Hiver clone.
Can never get too much Mare Cognitum or Leviathan. Oh, and that Spectral Wound track reminds me why I need to check that album out.
Sorry, Ben. Another one for you. Could you please add US death / death doom band Night Hag.
No need to apologise. I like getting requests!