Ben's Forum Replies

I'm happy to see this thread. Anyone that knows me will understand how much importance I place on cover art. I'm a lover of art in general, but particularly dark art.

I actually managed a list of Dan Seagrave covers on RYM for quite some time. I really should replicate that over here at some point.

I've been thinking about creating a list of all Kris Verwimp covers. There are a LOT of them, and it's pretty easy to tell who was behind them, so I'll try to get onto that soon. If you want to know what his work is like, just check out Cermonial Casting's covers from 2004's Immortal Black Art album.

Sorry Rexorcist. I clearly didn't read the name of the post.

I can replicate the position you're in easily enough. I've played around a bit and I think the easiest way to add a release into your top 20 is to delete the current number 20, add the new release in that position, and then press the up button to move it up to where you want it to be. If you've currently got two number 3's, just delete one of them and add it to position 20, then moved them around. Basically you just want to avoid having two releases with the same number.

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 14th to the 26th of September, 2023.

1. Soulmass (FALLEN, HORDE)

2. Gateway (FALLEN, HORDE)

3. Empire State Bastard (FALLEN)

4. Amen Corner (FALLEN, HORDE, NORTH)

5. Margarita Witch Cult (FALLEN)

6. Lethvm (FALLEN, INFINITE)

7. Barro (GATEWAY, PIT)

8. Kim Dracula (GATEWAY)

9. Index Case (GATEWAY)

10. Gun Dog (GATEWAY)

11. Mikau & Mattachine (GATEWAY, REVOLUTION)

12. Darknet (GATEWAY, INFINITE, REVOLUTION)

13. Burn (GUARDIANS)

14. Le Mans (GUARDIANS)

15. Victim (GUARDIANS)

16. Hellanbach (GUARDIANS)

17. Sabbrabells (GUARDIANS)

18. Riff Raff (GUARDIANS)

19. Tsunami (GUARDIANS)

20. EF Band (GUARDIANS)

21. Fabricant (HORDE)

22. Black Eucharist (HORDE, NORTH)

23. Jesus Wept (HORDE)

24. Heteradelphy (HORDE)

25. Wombripper (HORDE)

26. Vomitous (HORDE)

27. Odious Sanction (HORDE, REVOLUTION)

28. Upheaval (HORDE, REVOLUTION)

29. Disimperium (HORDE, NORTH)

30. Astralborne (HORDE)

31. Apokatastasis (HORDE, NORTH)

32. Serpent Corpse (HORDE)

33. Ageless Summoning (HORDE)

34. Anti-God Hand (INFINITE, NORTH)

35. Nospūn (INFINITE)

36. Attila Csihar (NORTH)

37. Blutschwur (NORTH)

38. Sadness / Kenopsia (NORTH)

39. Deitus (NORTH)

40. Lucifuge (NORTH, PIT)

41. Profeci (NORTH)

42. Transgressive (PIT)

43. Hetta (REVOLUTION)

44. The Spectacle (REVOLUTION)

45. My Lai (REVOLUTION)

46. Next Step Up (REVOLUTION)

47. Pain of Truth (REVOLUTION)

48. Half Me (REVOLUTION)

If you're inserting a new number 3 into a top 10 list, then you just edit the list and manually change the numbers next to the previous 3 to 9, then delete the previous number 10. I know it's not ideal, but it only takes about 30 seconds. You don't need delete the list and start from scratch.

I attempted to build a better system when I first set the list function up, but couldn't manage it at the time. I'm currently working on my Top 100 releases list, so adding a new release at number 14 is a certainly an ordeal. I'll definitely try to improve things at some point.

Oh well. You don't really like the album anyway. I'm sure you have a Burzum or Suffocation t-shirt you can put on instead.

Well, I'm still working through the top 100 releases from my favoured genres, trying to put together my own personal top 50 releases of all time. It's strange, given my love of a good list, but I've never actually tried to do it before.

Recently I finally gave Warning's Watching From a Distance a few focussed listens, and unsurprisingly have come to love it. This week I'm trying to digest Esoteric's Maniacal Vale which, given it's runtime,  is no easy feat. So while these might not be very interesting selections,  I'm going to go with...

Warning - Bridges off Watching From a Distance (2006)

Esoteric - Quickening off The Maniacal Vale (2008)

Cheers.

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 6th to the 13th of September, 2023.

1. Aequorea - (FALLEN, INFINITE)

2. Urne - (FALLEN, INFINITE, PIT)

3. Tongues - (FALLEN, NORTH)

4. Cultic - (FALLEN) - requested by Morpheus

5. Gespenst - (FALLEN, NORTH) - requested by Vinny

6. Dark - (GATEWAY, HORDE, PIT, REVOLUTION)

7. Overhead - (GATEWAY)

8. Magnit - (GUARDIANS)

9. Avgust - (GUARDIANS)

10. Armageddon (USA) - (GUARDIANS)

11. Kraken - (GUARDIANS)

12. Sangre Azul - (GUARDIANS)

13. Crowley - (GUARDIANS)

14. Flatbacker - (GUARDIANS)

15. Voodoo Child - (GUARDIANS)

16. Drýsill - (GUARDIANS)

17. Restless - (GUARDIANS)

18. Hiroshima - (GUARDIANS)

19. Vengeance - (GUARDIANS)

20. Crystal Pride - (GUARDIANS)

21. Stargate - (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

22. Wild Pussy - (GUARDIANS, PIT)

23. Cruella - (GUARDIANS, PIT)

24. Palass - (GUARDIANS)

25. Intrinsic - (GUARDIANS)

26. Messiah Prophet - (GUARDIANS)

27. Ivory Tiger - (GUARDIANS)

28. Chainsaw - (GUARDIANS, PIT)

29. Horizon - (GUARDIANS)

30. Sadwings - (GUARDIANS)

31. Danger Zone - (GUARDIANS)

32. Mass (GER) - (GUARDIANS)

33. Samain - (GUARDIANS)

34. Dark Night - (GUARDIANS) - requested by Morpheus

35. Fluids / Pharmacist - (HORDE)

36. Hidden Pride - (HORDE)

37. Disabuse - (HORDE, PIT)

38. Chaos Inception - (HORDE)

39. Deadborn - (HORDE)

40. Genocídio - (HORDE, NORTH, PIT)

41. Angelblood - (INFINITE, NORTH)

42. Morkera - (NORTH)

43. Ritual Laceration - (NORTH)

44. Meslamtaea - (NORTH)

45. Gontyna Kry - (NORTH) - requested by HisKingdomInOurMidst

46. Lunatics Without Skateboards Inc. - (PIT)

47. Electro Hippies - (PIT)

48. Unfair Fate - (PIT) - requested by Vinny

49. Bombarder - (PIT)

50. Cruelty - (REVOLUTION)

I apologise if I'm seeming dismissive. I appreciate anyone suggesting new ideas. You might recall that I thought your club idea is a good one, and encouraged you to do it. I'd really like to participate, but I have my own rating project that I'm putting my time into. I'll try to get involved when a release tickles my fancy, but I can't speak for everyone else.

As a sign that I genuinely do care, I'll formulate two industrial metal challenges and see how they look. I just want to challenge people to think outside the square a bit. I genuinely believe there's a really cool idea that would fit in with what we're doing here. Something no-one has done, and will garner significant interest. I'm willing to fund it if it has real potential. I'm afraid I just don't believe that slightly altering things we're already doing will draw in a bigger crowd. I still want to do those things so the site is as good as it can be for the community we have, but let's not pretend that adding another list or making the charts more complete will change the world. Let's think BIG!

Perhaps we could introduce a system people could use that would suggest clans for them, similar to Harry Potter's sorting hat? Maybe we could build the coolest recommendation system that would genuinely work (unlike every one I've ever seen)? How about we go with the Academy angle and really delve into the education side of things? Or maybe introducing advanced statistics similar to the way Letterboxd does for movies would add the missing ingredient (see below examples)? I've been concentrating on getting as many releases on the site as I can for the past few years, but at some point I want to try to take Metal Academy to the next level. I may need to wait until the current financial burdens (increased interest rates and cost of living) improve, but I'm committed for the long run.

I think Letterboxd's stats screen is pretty cool...

Let's be clear about something. I've not received a cent for anything to do with Metal Academy, and have put a lot of sweat and tears into it, not to mention well in excess of $10K in developing it and many more thousands on running costs. I've never considered monetising it, as that would either involve advertising all over the place (which I hate) or having some sort of Patreon set up (for which we obviously don't have enough regulars to even consider). I'll also point out that I've never even looked at site visit stats, as it's not something I care much about. I imagine a lot more people than we realise find their way to the site but never become members, perhaps using it as a source for high quality metal album covers (for which I'm convinced it's now the go to site on the internet).

I designed and built Metal Academy because it's something I personally wanted to use. Of course I hoped that there would be lots of other metal fans that would embrace the idea and that a community would form around it, but even if no-one had ever come, I'd still be using it and spending hours every day adding releases. If find it satisfying and even meditative, and scratches my completist itch. Perhaps there just isn't a big audience for this sort of site anymore, with the younger generation seeing social media platforms as the be all and end all for pretty much everything in their lives. Blogs and forums are an old school concept after all. I can't imagine adding any particular feature and suddenly having hundreds of regulars, but if it were to happen, that feature would have to be truly unique and fascinating. Maybe we just have to think harder about how we could utilise the site's overarching clan idea to make something people couldn't resist being part of.

As for your suggestion that "we really need more lists for the Sphere and Revolution", well I'm not opposed to it, but I don't think anyone has ever completed the current challenges. I see no reason to make 2 or 3 Industrial Metal challenges when it seems like no-one is interested in completing the first one. Based on everything you've said above, it sounds like getting a fourth clan would be just the sort of thing you'd be excited about, and yet you haven't got one yet. Do you have an idea which one you would want to add?

I think the more clans we allow people to join, the more we lessen the value of the clan system in the first place. I like knowing that the Clan Rating for an album is the result of site members that really care about, and are potentially quite knowledgeable about, that style of music. That becomes less likely once people are members of more than half the possible clans.

It's something I've always wanted to do. Unfortunately it would require completely rebuilding the search function, so comes at more cost than I can currently manage. I'll do it one day, but in the meantime, Daniel's solution works well enough. I'd also like to search for releases that ONLY have a particular genre or subgenre.

Welcome Brother Sonny. We've been expecting you.

Not currently, no. But it's an interesting idea that I'll put in my list of potential improvements.

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 26th of August to the 5th of September, 2023.

1. CZLT (FALLEN)

2. Full of Hell / Gasp (FALLEN)

3. The Moon Mistress (FALLEN)

4. Magmakammer (FALLEN)

5. Indian Handcrafts (FALLEN)

6. Tudor (GATEWAY, GUARDIANS, NORTH, PIT)

7. Atom Seed (GATEWAY)

8. Non-Fiction (GATEWAY, GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

9. Fallen Angel (GUARDIANS, PIT)

10. Suffercation (GUARDIANS, HORDE)

11. Quo Vadis (GUARDIANS, PIT)

12. Santa Lucia (GUARDIANS)

13. Scarlet Rayne (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

14. CETI (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

15. C.I.A. (GUARDIANS, PIT)

16. Follow the Cipher (GUARDIANS)

17. Horcas (GUARDIANS, PIT)

18. Velvet Viper (GUARDIANS)

19. Centaur (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

20. Patriarch (GUARDIANS, INFINITE, PIT)

21. Katedra (GUARDIANS, INFINITE, PIT)

22. Dofka (GUARDIANS, INFINITE, PIT)

23. Stos (GUARDIANS, PIT)

24. Doro & Warlock (GUARDIANS)

25. Parfumerie (HORDE)

26. Insect Grinder (HORDE)

27. Deafness (HORDE)

28. Rottest Slag (HORDE)

29. Profanatica / Masacre (HORDE, NORTH)

30. Ecliptic (HORDE, INFINITE)

31. Freedom of Fear (HORDE, INFINITE)

32. Grand Cadaver (HORDE)

33. Detherous (HORDE, PIT)

34. Thousand Eyes (HORDE)

35. Poppy Seed Grinder (HORDE)

36. Excruciate / Epitaph (HORDE)

37. Termina (INFINITE, REVOLUTION)

38. Sea in the Sky (INFINITE)

39. Shichisei Hokoku (NORTH)

40. Yxxan (NORTH)

41. Xerión (NORTH)

42. Bloodline (NORTH, SPHERE)

43. Till (NORTH)

44. Vuur & Zijde / Impavida (NORTH)

45. Norrhem (NORTH)

46. Vargleide (NORTH)

47. Raped God 666 (PIT)

48. Rosicrucian (PIT)

49. Geisha Goner (PIT)

50. Toxin (PIT)

51. Messina (PIT)

52. Hellraiser (PIT)

53. Space Eater (PIT)

54. Archaic Torse (PIT)

55. Mottek (PIT)

56. Savage Thrust (PIT)

57. Eviction (PIT)

58. Usurper (NED) (PIT)

59. Killjoy (PIT)

60. Rhythm of Fear (PIT) - requested by Vinny

61. Bird of Ill Omen (REVOLUTION)

62. ClawHammer (REVOLUTION)

63. Skatenigs (SPHERE)

Here's my updated Top Ten Atmospheric Black Metal Releases Of All Time following my revisit to Altar of Plagues' "Teethed Glory & Injury" album which has seen "Dark Space III" dropping out:

01. Burzum – “Filosofem” (1996)

02. Akhlys – “The Dreaming I” (2015)

03. Altar of Plagues – “Mammal” (2011)

04. Burzum – “Hvis lyset tar oss” (1994)

05. Wolves In The Throne Room – “Two Hunters” (2007)

06. Paysage d’Hiver – “Im Wald” (2020)

07. Paysage d’Hiver – “Winterkaelte” (2001)

08. Murmuure – “Murmuure” (2010)

09. Altar of Plagues - "Teethed Glory & Injury" (2013)

10. Lurker Of Chalice – “Lurker Of Chalice” (2005)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/160

I must say that it warms my heart to see Lurker of Chalice gain a top 10 spot from you Daniel. Your initial 2.5 stars score for that album made me question your commitment to sparkle motion.

September 2023

1. Tilintetgjort - Hex (from In Death I Shall Arise, 2023) [Submitted by Daniel]

2. Blut aus Nord - Queen of the Dead Dimension (from Disharmonium - Nahab, 2023)

3. RUIM - Black Royal Spiritism (from Black Royal Spiritism - I - O Sino da Igreja, 2023) [Submitted by Xephyr]

4. Agriculture - Relier (from Agriculture, 2023)

5. Bethlehem - Die Dunkelheit darbt (from Bethlehem, 2016) [Submitted by Vinny]

6. Belial - Of Servant of Belial (from Wisdom of Darkness, 1992) [Submitted by Sonny]

7. Liturgy - Caela (from 93696, 2023) [Submitted by Daniel]

8. Odz Manouk - I Will Crush To Marrow This Crow Of Ill (from Odz Manouk, 2010) [Submitted by Xephyr]

9. Arkona - Kob' (from Kob', 2023)

10. Tómarúm - As Black Forms From Grey (from Ash in Realms of Stone Icons, 2022) [Submitted by Daniel]

11. Kanonenfieber - Die Schlacht bei Tannenberg (from Menschenmühle, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

12. Decayed - Pagan Winds Return (from The Conjuration of the Southern Circle, 1993) [Submitted by Sonny]

13. Urfaust - Leere (from Untergang, 2023)

14. Doedsvangr - Lord ov Pits (from Koinonia, 2023) [Submitted by Vinny]

15. Hasard - Vicivers (from Malivore, 2023)

16. Teitanblood - Domains of Darkness and Ancient Evil (from Seven Chalices, 2009) [Submitted by Daniel]

17. Paysage d'Hiver - Winter... (from Winterkaelte, 2023)

Given you recently informed me that albums should never be over 50 minutes in length, I think we agree that there’s a sweet spot. Your sarcasm is noted though, and banked away until you’re least expecting it.

has Gontyna Kry been added? 

They haven't, but I'll add them to the list to be added this week.

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 18th to the 25th of August, 2023.

1. Cantata Sangui (FALLEN, INFINITE)

2. Cryptic Tales (FALLEN, HORDE, NORTH)

3. Nuctemeron (FALLEN, HORDE)

4. Stressball (FALLEN, PIT)

5. Absurd Existence (FALLEN)

6. Expulsion (FALLEN)

7. Misery (FALLEN)

8. Oromet (FALLEN)

9. Kinniku Shoujo Tai (GATEWAY, GUARDIANS)

10. Disciplinatha (GATEWAY)

11. Laundry (GATEWAY, INFINITE)

12. exist†trace (GATEWAY)

13. Super Junky Monkey (GATEWAY)

14. Mental Hippie Blood (GATEWAY)

15. Mayfair (GATEWAY, INFINITE)

16. Mind Bomb (GATEWAY)

17. Twilight (DNK) (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

18. Adolf Castle (GUARDIANS)

19. House of Spirits (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

20. Joe Stump (GUARDIANS, INFINITE, PIT)

21. Logos (GUARDIANS, PIT)

22. Putrid Stu / Fluids (HORDE)

23. Ascendency (HORDE, NORTH)

24. Total Rusak (HORDE)

25. Coercion (HORDE)

26. Psychic Pawn (HORDE)

27. Agretator (HORDE)

28. Dai (HORDE, NORTH)

29. Chirurgia (HORDE, PIT)

30. G-Anx (HORDE)

31. Bleed (HORDE)

32. Death Vomit (HORDE)

33. Resuscitator (HORDE, HORDE)

34. Undersave (HORDE, INFINITE)

35. Gangrena (HORDE)

36. Suffocation / Malevolent Creation / Exhorder / Cancer (HORDE, PIT)

37. Vermin (HORDE)

38. Vicious Circle (HORDE, PIT)

39. Sacred Sin (HORDE, PIT)

40. Headhunter D.C. (HORDE)

41. Victims of Internal Decay (HORDE)

42. Lost Harvest (HORDE)

43. Renaissance (INFINITE)

44. Albino Slug (INFINITE)

45. Dorso (INFINITE, PIT)

46. Svartsyn (NOR) (NORTH)

47. Suffering (NORTH)

48. Willoos (NORTH)

49. Wyrgher (NORTH)

50. Taranis (POL) (NORTH)

51. The Lousy (PIT)

52. X-Cops (PIT)

53. Monster Voodoo Machine (PIT, SPHERE)

54. Alligator (PIT)

55. The Spudmonsters (PIT)

56. Crionic (PIT)

57. Blue Skies Burning (REVOLUTION)

58. Abhinanda (REVOLUTION)

59. Memento (USA) (REVOLUTION)

60. Aftershock (REVOLUTION)

61. Candiru (SPHERE)

Thanks for all the responses. I think I'm going to have to face the fact that there's really no right or wrong way to assess these things. I'm one of those people that likes to apply a consistent criteria when rating. That's become particularly important while I'm attempting to rank all my favourite releases to finally be able to come up with a Top 50 or Top 100 style list.

I actually feel quite strongly that traditional EPs should be "taxed" for containing so much less content than regular full lengths. It simply doesn't feel right to me that an EP containing two or three tracks and a total run time of under 15 minutes could ever appear in my top 10 or 20 releases, just because all of the tracks contained are outstanding. Obviously not everyone feels that way, and that's just fine. What I am having to accept is that I can't treat all EPs or all albums in the same way. While Haunting the Chapel shouldn't be given the same weight as Hell Awaits, I have to admit that Deathspell Omega's Kenose probably should be given the same weight as any other Deathspell Omega album. I'm going to have to break out of my need for a consistent methodology and treat each release independently. It will hurt, but I reckon I can do it.

So it's Japanese? Um... Intestine Baalism - An Anatomy of the Beast?

I see that SilentScream213 reviewed it this week.

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 10th to the 17th of August, 2023.

1. Etherial Winds (FALLEN)

2. Dark Mirror ov Tragedy (FALLEN, NORTH) - requested by Morpheus

3. Divercia (FALLEN, HORDE)

4. Dissolving of Prodigy (FALLEN)

5. Candle Serenade (FALLEN, NORTH)

6. Houk (GATEWAY)

7. Foreign Objects (GATEWAY, HORDE, PIT)

8. Regurgitator (GATEWAY)

9. Syris (GUARDIANS)

10. Fatal Opera (GUARDIANS, INFINITE, PIT)

11. Dr. Sin (GUARDIANS)

12. Capricorn (GUARDIANS)

13. Triumpher (GUARDIANS)

14. Elegant Weapons (GUARDIANS)

15. Dragoncorpse (GUARDIANS, REVOLUTION)

16. SikFuk (HORDE)

17. R.U. Dead? (HORDE)

18. Vomiting Corpses (HORDE)

19. Possession (HORDE, PIT))

20. Face Down (HORDE, PIT)

21. FaithXtractor (HORDE)

22. Suotana (HORDE)

23. Algol (HORDE)

24. Undercroft (HORDE)

25. Detestation (HORDE)

26. Vibrion (HORDE)

27. Rhadamantys (HORDE)

28. Gaffed (HORDE)

29. Claustrum (HORDE)

30. Parasitario (HORDE)

31. Ignominy (HORDE)

32. Sepulcrum (HORDE)

33. Grotesqueries (HORDE)

34. Burial Hordes (HORDE, NORTH)

35. Pyramid Mass (HORDE, NORTH)

36. Haxprocess (HORDE, INFINITE)

37. Negative Vortex (HORDE, NORTH)

38. Sarcoughagus (HORDE)

39. Trifixion (INFINITE)

40. Macrocosmic Emotions (INFINITE, PIT)

41. Ashen Horde (INFINITE, NORTH)

42. Kohort (NORTH)

43. My Infinite Kingdom (NORTH)

44. To Be Gentle (NORTH)

45. Mrakobes (NORTH)

46. Devouring Famine (NORTH)

47. Limbes (NORTH)

48. Abyssum (NORTH)

49. Demonic (NORTH)

50. Nergal (NORTH)

51. Blazemth (NORTH)

52. Sarcoptes (NORTH, PIT)

53. Verminous Serpent (NORTH)

54. Olde Throne (NORTH)

55. Schavot (NORTH)

56. Trhä / Μνήμα (NORTH)

57. Ciemra (NORTH)

58. Necrofier (NORTH)

59. Fathomage (NORTH)

60. Autrest (NORTH)

61. Vegan Reich (PIT)

62. Jesus Piece / Malice at the Palace (REVOLUTION)

63. Parkway Drive / Think Straight / Shoot to Kill (REVOLUTION) - requested by Andi

64. Mortality Rate / Judiciary (REVOLUTION)

65. Since My Beloved (REVOLUTION)

66. Burner (REVOLUTION)

67. Envision (REVOLUTION)

68. The Wise Man's Fear (REVOLUTION)

69. Malformed Earthborn (SPHERE)

70. JAAW (SPHERE)

Yep, let's go with...

Type O Negative - White Slavery off World Coming Down (1999)

Shape of Despair - Curse Life off Illusion's Play (2004) - I know, it's another Shape of Despair track, but I never hear anyone talking about this track or album. Perhaps someone hasn't heard this amazing track!?

Decomposed - Inscriptions off Hope Finally Died... (1993)

Thanks Sonny!

That's the only one I can find too. I can use it (since you requested it), but it's going to be very blurry at the site standard 1000 x 1000.

I'll have another look this week and see if I can uncover a better one in the depths of the internet.

Ben, please add the Parkway Drive / Think Straight / Shoot to Kill split album What We've Built.

I can, but I'm struggling to find a cover that isn't just a blur. Maybe you can hunt down a decent quality image for it?

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 3rd to the 9th of August, 2023.

1. Johnny the Boy (FALLEN, NORTH)

2. Owl (FALLEN, HORDE, INFINITE)

3. Gigandhi (FALLEN, INFINITE, NORTH)

4. Hefeystos (FALLEN, INFINITE)

5. Wallowing (FALLEN)

6. Çilekeş (GATEWAY

7. Far (GATEWAY)

8. Skyscraper (GATEWAY)

9. Avoid (GATEWAY, REVOLUTION)

10. Anareta (GUARDIANS, INFINITE, NORTH)

11. Ron Wasserman (GUARDIANS) - requested by Rexorcist

12. Steelfaith (GUARDIANS) - requested by Rexorcist

13. Marchen Station (GUARDIANS) - requested by Rexorcist

14. Third Dimension (GUARDIANS) - requested by Rexorcist

15. Abyssal / Ellorsith (HORDE)

16. Moribund (HORDE)

17. Paraxism (HORDE)

18. Gore (BRA) (HORDE)

19. Scheitan (HORDE, NORTH)

20. Chalera (HORDE)

21. Erytrosy (HORDE)

22. Lustration (HORDE)

23. Embracing (HORDE)

24. Malicious Hate (HORDE)

25. Annon Vin (INFINITE)

26. Unreqvited / Asunojokei (INFINITE, NORTH)

27. Samurai (GBR) (NORTH)

28. Holy Death (NORTH)

29. Inquisition / Profane Creation (NORTH)

30. Vintersemestre (NORTH)

31. Winter Lantern (NORTH) - requested by Vinny

32. Tryglav (NORTH)

33. Veles (NORTH)

34. Griffar (NORTH) - requested by Sonny

35. Yellow Machinegun (PIT)

36. D.F.C. (PIT)

37. Lickgoldensky (REVOLUTION)

38. Strain (REVOLUTION)

39. Facedown (REVOLUTION)

40. Regression (REVOLUTION)

41. Acumen Nation (SPHERE)

Given I haven't heard a single release on the list, I'm not sure I'm qualified to judge whether or not it would make a good clan challenge.

Paul Jones sure ruined Enchantment’s otherwise decent Dance the Marble Naked album.

I agree. I've never gotten on with "Crystal Logic" & his tone is a contributing factor.

Be careful what you say about Skeletor. He’s know to hold grudges.

No, it is not intended that anyone can rate releases 0 stars. I don't think it was always possible, so something must have changed at some point to allow it. I will ask my developer to fix.

In the meantime, I will delete any 0 star ratings that I see.

I've done it a few times over the years and seems to work for me. So to be clear, you've tried highlighting all text in the review, clicking Remove Font Style, and then pressing Save?

If that doesn't work, can you try cutting the text and pasting it into Notepad and then copying and pasting it back into the review, then pressing Save? I know that's an unwieldy solution, but it will just help me understand what's happening.

From what I can tell, this problem occurs sometimes when people copy and paste reviews from somewhere else (such as from RYM), not when the review is written directly into the review box. Whenever I paste anything into Metal Academy, I make sure to use Paste as plain text.

Yeah, it happens sometimes. Normally when pasting text onto the site. You can easily fix it by editing your review, highlighting all the text and clicking the Remove Font Style button.

Really interesting list. My top 100 would be way less diverse than this one, that's for sure! I can see a number that would likely make mine though, including Metallica, Arcturus, Suffocation, Opeth, Death, Blut Aus Nord, Emperor, Iron Maiden and My Dying Bride.

You know, now that you mention it, I really do want to see what your top 100's look like.  A top 100 says a lot about a person, and they're a lot of fun to look through.  Now you've got that 80's death metal list and that early black metal list.

I'm in the process of trying to figure this out. I've listened to around 80 of the biggest death, thrash, black and doom releases in recent months, and have them all rated and ranked. I'll continue with those genres for a while before adding others that I enjoy, such as progressive, industrial, gothic and heavy. I'm afraid it's going to be a while before I have something to show for it, but I'm enjoying the process.

Really interesting list. My top 100 would be way less diverse than this one, that's for sure! I can see a number that would likely make mine though, including Metallica, Arcturus, Suffocation, Opeth, Death, Blut Aus Nord, Emperor, Iron Maiden and My Dying Bride.

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 27th of July to the 2nd of August, 2023.

1. Potop (FALLEN)

2. B-thong (FALLEN, PIT)

3. Antichrisis (FALLEN)

4. Dark (FALLEN, HORDE, PIT)

5. Eyes of Fire (FALLEN)

6. The Equinox ov the Gods (FALLEN, GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

7. Jim Martin (GATEWAY, GUARDIANS)

8. Thumb (GATEWAY)

9. 616 Undone (GATEWAY)

20. Mercury Rising (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

21. Hanker (GUARDIANS)

22. Animetal (GUARDIANS, PIT)

23. Garbage Disposal (HORDE)

24. Infernal Gates (HORDE)

25. Mephistopheles (HORDE, NORTH)

26. Serpent of Old (HORDE, NORTH)

27. Aphotic (HORDE)

28. Tyrannus (HORDE, NORTH, PIT)

29. Being Killed (HORDE)

30. Disinterment (HORDE)

31. Karnak (HORDE, INFINITE)

32. Equinox (USA) (HORDE, NORTH)

33. Maze of Torment (HORDE, PIT)

34. Scenery (HORDE, INFINITE, PIT)

35. Blood Ritual (HORDE)

36. AVKRVST (INFINITE)

37. Teitan (INFINITE, NORTH)

38. Auras (INFINITE, REVOLUTION)

39. 7 Days (INFINITE)

40. Ivanhoe (INFINITE)

41. Corubo (NORTH)

42. Hekseblad (NORTH)

43. Łza Zeschniętej Róży (NORTH)

44. 666 (NORTH) - requested by Sonny

45. Enthral (NORTH)

46. Ouija (NORTH)

47. Thy Grief (NORTH)

48. Overcast (PIT, REVOLUTION)

49. Paranoid (PIT)

50. Neverending... (REVOLUTION)

51. Sons of Abraham (REVOLUTION)

52. Thoughts of Ionesco (REVOLUTION)

53. Peace, Love and Pitbulls (SPHERE)

54. De Infernali (SPHERE)

Daniel's are more of a big deal than mine. At least, that's what he's been telling me since I was 12 years old.

To be fair, I'd listen to his death metal opinions above mine. We often disagree, but then I find myself coming around to his way of thinking more often than I'd like to admit (ssshhhh... don't tell him I said that).

Let's not continue any further down this path.

Rexorcist, it's obviously great that you want to help the site. The idea you raised here is genuinely a good one, but unfortunately many of the site regulars appear to be too occupied to take part at this time. There's no reason you can't just start doing it and other members can jump in and out whenever they feel they have the time or see an album that tickles their fancy.

The main way everyone can help the site is to keep things respectful and not be combative with other site members, which is something we've for the most part managed to achieve for years now. I won't deny that I'd like for the site to grow, but I'd rather have only a handful of friendly site members than hundreds of regular members that are intentionally combative and making people feel belittled or angry. Speaking for myself, I love the site, and get enough out of its current functionality, and the admittedly small community that we have, that I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

I'm sure no-one needs to hear another voice on this matter, but I guess I have a slightly different take. I've come to realise that I need a different amount of listens depending on the style of music I'm listening to. When it comes to (as an example) thrash metal, I feel like I have a pretty good sense of it after a single listen. I'll always give it more opportunities to move up or down (usually up if anything), but I often find that my original opinion doesn't change much. When it comes death metal though, for some reason it takes me literally 4 or 5 listens before I feel confident in my opinion. I've heard a lot of new death metal albums lately for which I initially wondered what all the fuss was about, and then suddenly it clicked around that 4th of 5th listen. What was perhaps a 3.5 to 4 is suddenly a 4.5. Having gone through this experience enough times, I just don't feel like I'm doing an album or artist justice by rating it before I hit that confidence mark, no matter how long that takes. I think I gave Gorguts' Obscura album about 8 listens in the last two weeks, as that's an example of an experience that likely can't be fathomed on first listen.

All this said, you be you Rexorcist. Consume metal the way that works for you. I honestly wish that I didn't need to dedicate so much time to every release. I could experience so many more albums if that were the case. I do like to be thorough though, and when I do finally add a score for a release to Metal Academy, I want people to know that I gave it my all before settling on it.

With some non-metal releases added to the site to be sent to the Hall of Judgement lately, I think it's a good time for me to suggest a couple more. Ben, please add the Psyclon Nine albums Crwn Thy Frnicatr and We the Fallen. I strongly believe there's a lot of industrial metal in the majority of those albums' tracks mixed with the band's earlier aggrotech.

Done.

August 2023

1. Thantifaxath - Surgical Utopian Love (from Hive Mind Narcosis, 2023)

2. Nocturnal Graves - An Outlaw's Stand (from An Outlaw's Stand, 2022) [Submitted by Daniel]

3. None - Rest (from Inevitable, 2023)

4. Armagedda - Deathminded (from The Final War Approaching, 2001) [Submitted by Sonny]

5. Blackbraid - The Spirit Returns (from Blackbraid II, 2023)

6. Raventale - Sunset of the Age (from Long Passed Days, 2008) [Submitted by Vinny]

7. Throne of Ahaz - Fenris (from On Twilight Enthroned, 1996) [Submitted by Sonny]

8. Lunar Aurora - Der Pakt (from Andacht, 2007) [Submitted by Daniel]

9. Kostnatění - Hořím navždy (I Burn Forever) (from Úpal, 2023)

10. Deathspell Omega - First Prayer (from Si monvmentvm reqvires, circvmspice, 2004) [Submitted by Daniel]

11. Black Witchery - Antichrist Order of Holy Death (from Inferno of Sacred Destruction, 2010) [Submitted by Sonny]

12. RUÏM - The Triumph (of Night & Fire) (from Black Royal Spiritism - I.O sino da igreja, 2023)

13. Revenge - Wolf Slave Protocol (Choose Your Side) (from Behold.Total.Rejection, 2015) [Submitted by Daniel]

14. Fen - Scouring Ignorance (from Monuments to Absence, 2023)

15. Burzum - Stemmen fra tårnet (from Aske, 1993) [Submitted by Sonny]

16. Miserere Luminis - Le sang des rêves (from Ordalie, 2023)

17. Carpathian Forest - The Swordsmen (from Black Shining Leather, 1998) [Submitted by Sonny]

18. Panzerfaust - Promethean Fire (from The Suns of Perdition - Chapter II: Render Unto Eden, 2020) [Submitted by Vinny]

The first album that comes to mind is Bethlehem's Mein Weg. Currently 2.91 on RYM, but I really dig it. Sure, it's strange, and the gothic metal tag really doesn't fit, but I find it to be endlessly compelling and thoroughly entertaining.

I've considered picking it as a Fallen feature, but it just feels so wrong in that clan.

I don't get all the slack for Grand Declaration of War by Mayhem.  That album shows a creative peak for them, and even proved that they can function as a band even without Euronymous.

Totally agree!

The rest of the Killing Joke catalogue please?  Or do you want that I just ask to add the one album I need for my top 100?

And thanks for adding Deep Purple and GNR.  Having said that, there's only a couple out of them that I'd like to suggest for metal tags.

It would be great if you could tell me the album(s) you feel should have metal tags. Thanks!

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 20th to the 26th of July, 2023.

1. W.A.I.L. (FALLEN, NORTH)

2. Fear Falls Burning & Nadja (FALLEN)

3. Black Debbath (FALLEN)

4. Spaceboy (FALLEN, INFINITE, PIT)

5. Last Chapter (FALLEN)

6. Church of Misery / sHEAVY (FALLEN)

7. Tower (FALLEN)

8. Babylon Whores (FALLEN, GUARDIANS)

9. In Ruins (FALLEN, HORDE)

10. Altamont (FALLEN)

11. Peyote Asesino (GATEWAY)

12. Riot Stares (GATEWAY, REVOLUTION)

13. I.F.K. (GATEWAY)

14. The Clay People (GATEWAY, SPHERE)

15. Julie Laughs Nomore (GUARDIANS, HORDE)

16. Stigmata IV (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

17. Black Symphony (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

18. Rawhead Rexx (GUARDIANS) - requested by Morpheus

19. Shadows (GUARDIANS)

20. Acerus (GUARDIANS)

21. Legendry (GUARDIANS)

22. Inquisicion (GUARDIANS)

23. Excelsis (GUARDIANS, NORTH)

24. Enid (GUARDIANS, NORTH)

25. Am I Blood (GUARDIANS, PIT)

26. Vile Ritual (HORDE)

27. Sequestrum (HORDE)

28. Nocturnal Winds (HORDE, NORTH)

29. The Ancients Rebirth (HORDE, NORTH)

30. Eternal Autumn (HORDE)

31. Amnesia (HORDE, INFINITE, NORTH)

32. Kadath (HORDE)

33. Totenmond (HORDE, PIT, REVOLUTION)

34. Deathwitch (HORDE, NORTH, PIT)

35. Gandalf (HORDE)

36. Moss Upon the Skull (HORDE, INFINITE)

37. Infamy (HORDE)

38. Devilyn (HORDE)

39. Olkoth (HORDE)

40. Maldoror (INFINITE, NORTH)

41. Brånd (NORTH)

42. Hyrgal (NORTH)

43. Black Swan (NORTH)

44. Absurd (NORTH)

45. Crépuscule d'Hiver (NORTH)

46. Aldaaron (NORTH)

47. Ninnghizhidda (NORTH)

48. Azerlath (NORTH)

49. Kill ll This (PIT)

50. Fury of Five (PIT, REVOLUTION)

51. Die My Will (REVOLUTION)

52. Darkside NYC (REVOLUTION)

53. Jane (REVOLUTION)

54. Tactosa (REVOLUTION)

55. Length of Time (REVOLUTION)

56. .NEMA (REVOLUTION)

57. Course of Empire (SPHERE)

DUUUUDE!  When did Deep Purple get added!?  However it got added, thank you SO MANY BUNCHES.  Now let's see if I can accurately make my top 100 metal albums list!

Your wish was my command. As is my method, I added all releases between the two albums you requested, so there are 22 releases on the site.

This reminds me that I need to check out that Gorement album. I don't think I've ever heard it.

I did the best I could with this at the time, but I agree it's not ideal (particularly with long lists). I'll revisit with my developer at some point and see if there's a better way of doing it.

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 12th to the 19th of July, 2023.

1. The Black League (FALLEN, GUARDIANS)

2. Intercourse (FALLEN, REVOLUTION)

3. Cattle Press (FALLEN)

4. Solarized (FALLEN)

5. Cryptal Darkness (FALLEN, HORDE)

6. Iron Monkey / Church of Misery (FALLEN)

7. Acacia (FALLEN, NORTH)

8. Supernaut (FALLEN, GUARDIANS)

9. Evenfall (FALLEN, NORTH)

10. Rockbitch (GATEWAY)

11. Codeseven (GATEWAY, REVOLUTION)

12. The Johansson Brothers (GUARDIANS)

13. Skymning (GUARDIANS, HORDE, SPHERE)

14. Squealer (GUARDIANS, PIT)

15. Holy Mother (GUARDIANS)

16. New Eden (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

17. Excrescence (HORDE)

18. Purulent (HORDE)

19. Sevenday Curse (HORDE, REVOLUTION)

20. Flesh Grinder (HORDE)

21. Mē◦āt◦َus (HORDE, INFINITE, PIT)

22. Forest of Impaled (HORDE, NORTH)

23. Paroxysm Unit (HORDE)

24. Summoning the Lich (HORDE, REVOLUTION)

25. Esophagus (HORDE)

26. The Anchoret (INFINITE)

27. Ostraca (INFINITE)

28. Mind Odyssey (INFINITE)

29. Alase (INFINITE) - requested by Andi

30. Arjen Lucassen's Supersonic Revolution (INFINITE)

31. Trhä / Careus (NORTH)

32. Melissa (NORTH)

33. Vultyrium (NORTH)

34. Sexmag (NORTH, PIT)

35. Acwelan (NORTH)

36. Frostmoon (NORTH)

37. Ashen Light (NORTH)

38. Vitriolic Sage (NORTH)

39. Venusberg Cardinal (NORTH)

40. Antrisch (NORTH)

41. Human Agony (NORTH)

42. Malenuit (NORTH)

43. Burshtyn (NORTH)

44. Svarga (NORTH)

45. Vindsval (NORTH)

46. Xasthur / Orosius (NORTH)

47. Nuke (PIT)

48. Effigy (PIT)

49. Better Lovers (REVOLUTION)

50. Adrienne (REVOLUTION)

51. Pale Creation (REVOLUTION)

52. No Innocent Victim (REVOLUTION)

53. Traumaside (REVOLUTION)

54. December Aeternalis (REVOLUTION)

55. Gob (REVOLUTION)

56. Day of Mourning (REVOLUTION)

Sorry Sonny. If I'm not too late, I'll go for...

Katatonia - Brave off Brave Murder Day (1996)

Fires in the Distance - Harbingers off Air Not Meant for Us (2023)

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 5th to the 11th of July, 2023.

1. Sloth (FALLEN)

2. Moonlight (FALLEN)

3. The Bronx Casket Co. (FALLEN, GATEWAY, PIT)

4. Ashes You Leave (FALLEN)

5. Albert Bell's Sacro Sanctus (FALLEN, GUARDIANS) - requested by Morpheus

6. Lucifer's Fall (FALLEN) - requested by Sonny

7. Onesidezero (GATEWAY)

8. The Mark of Cain (GATEWAY)

9. Emil Bulls (GATEWAY, REVOLUTION)

10. Simon Says (GATEWAY)

11. Systematic (GATEWAY)

12. Sick Puppies (GATEWAY)

13. O'funk'illo (GATEWAY)

14. Downer (GATEWAY)

15. HB (GUARDIANS)

16. Midnight Sun (GUARDIANS)

17. Tettsui (GUARDIANS) - requested by Morpheus

18. Malediction (GUARDIANS)

19. Mark Boals (GUARDIANS)

20. Elephant (GUARDIANS) - requested by Morpheus

21. Heimdall (GUARDIANS) - requested by Morpheus

22. Grey Wolf (GUARDIANS) - requested by Morpheus

23. Cerebral Hemorrhage (HORDE)

24. Repudilation (HORDE)

25. Nightshade (HORDE)

26. Vortex (JPN) (HORDE)

27. Prosthetic Cunt (HORDE)

28. Abosranie Bogom (HORDE)

29. Groinchurn (HORDE)

30. Foretoken (HORDE)

31. Ernia (HORDE)

32. Reinfection (HORDE)

33. Estuary of Calamity (HORDE, NORTH)

34. Infernal Dominion (HORDE)

35. Evil Incarnate (HORDE)

36. Dominion Caligula (HORDE)

37. Spasme (HORDE)

38. Intestinal Engorgement (HORDE)

39. Sanctifica (INFINITE, NORTH)

40. Avalon (INFINITE)

41. Godless North (NORTH)

42. Vicious Crusade (NORTH)

43. Funeris Nocturnum (NORTH)

44. Yamatu (NORTH)

45. Red Roses for a Blue Lady (NORTH, REVOLUTION)

46. Ossein (NORTH)

47. Fog (NORTH)

48. Horda (NORTH)

49. Crucible of Sorrow (NORTH)

50. Outlaw (NORTH)

51. Malleus (NORTH, PIT)

52. Misery (PIT)

53. Haste (REVOLUTION)

54. Arma Angelus (REVOLUTION)

55. Momentum (REVOLUTION)

56. Heartscarved (REVOLUTION)

57. Catharsis / Newborn (REVOLUTION)

58. From the Dying Sky (REVOLUTION)