Daniel's Forum Replies
Germs - "(GI)" (1979)
One of the earlier hardcore punk full-lengths & the sole album from this Los Angeles outfit. It's gone on to become somewhat of an underground classic over the years but I've struggled with it a little bit, mainly due to the fact that the weaker inclusions tend to taint the majority of the tracklisting which is generally pretty enjoyable without ever seeing me fully engaged. There's nothing you haven't heard a thousand times before here either.
For fans of Minor Threat, Reagan Youth & Adolescents
3/5
Nithing - "Agonal Hymns" (2023)
The debut solo effort from Iniquitous Deeds/Vitriol drummer Matt Kilner is a strange, noisy, yet relentlessly brutal blastathon that doesn't sound much like anything you've heard before. Kilner employs unusual guitar effects in order to try to differentiate himself from the pack & it works for the most part. The clear weakness is his vocals though as there's been no attempt to enunciate words with the delivery not even sounding like their human, instead sitting somewhere between a pitch-shifted pig & water going down a sink. Still... repeat listens saw me finding the instrumentation to be intense enough to keep me interested without focus on the vocals, despite some sections descending into a sludgy pit of noise.
For fans of Trichomoniasis, Putridity & Iniquitous Deeds.
3.5/5
Monster Magnet - "Spine of God" (1991)
I've always really enjoyed the debut album from these New Jersey-based stoner rock legends, perhaps more so than some of their more highly acclaimed records. There's a confident consistency to the nine-song tracklisting with no weak material included. It showcases a band that knew its sound really well & had clearly indulged in more than the odd drug binge together. The more psychedelic moments are the clear highlights with the epic title track being nothing short of life-changing. I particularly love front man Dave Wyndorf's masculine vocal delivery & the fuzzy wall of guitars which go a long way to making "Spine of God" essential listening for all stoner rock afficionados.
For fans of Fu Manchu, Clutch & Soundgarden.
4/5
Limp Bizkit - "Chocolate Starfish & the Hot Dog Flavored Water" (2000)
If there's one thing that most of our regulars would know about me by now, it's that I call 'em purely as I see 'em & I don't give a fuck what the general consensus is. I like to make up my own mind about things & won't be swayed by what the cool crowd thinks. With that in mind, this week I decided that I really should have an informed opinion on one of the most successful yet heavily divisive metal acts on the global scene in Florida's Limp Bizkit. I'd never heard a full record by them before as I'd always assumed that they'd be none of my business up until now but, you know what, this shit ain't half bad. These dudes certainly know how to write a catchy hook, how to play their instruments & how to create a throbbing mosh pit anthem.
I was surprised at how many of the fifteen tracks I knew as there was clearly a whole slew of hits taken from this record but it wasn't always the well-known stuff that I found the most appeal in. Another thing that I perhaps wasn't prepared for was just how good a rhythm section Limp Bizkit had at the time, particularly the bass guitar which really drives a lot of this material. I don't think there's any doubt that front man Fred Durst's personality is what turns off most metalheads & I can see why as his message can often be summarized as meathead fodder but his macho posturizing can't disguise the obvious Eminem influence in his whiny rapping which I would suggest comes across as nothing more than tolerable. In fact, the rap component in Limp Bizkit's sound is really significant (perhaps more so than most nu metal bands) & that's usually the element of the subgenre that I struggle with the most but I've somehow managed to overlook it here, despite Durst being one of the more overt exponents of the craft. And once I managed to look past his immature personality to the groove-laden music behind him, I discovered that Limp Bizkit had more creativity in their kit bag than I'd ever given them credit for.
All of the hits are pretty enjoyable to tell you the truth with "My Way" being my pick of the bunch but it's the strength of some of the album tracks that surprised me the most with "The One", "Getcha Groove On", "Boiler" & particularly the outstanding album highlight "Hold On" really getting under my skin. Unfortunately, the album is book-ended by some much weaker material though with opener "Hot Dog" falling victim to Durst's idiocy, the Urban Assault Vehicle version of "Rollin'" being a total mess & the almost ten minute "Outro" track being absolutely pointless & a complete waste of your time. The remainder of "Chocolate Starfish & the Hot Dog Flavored Water" is well worth hearing though & provides further proof that you shouldn't believe everything you read. Perhaps I won't go running out to indulge in the remainder of Limp Bizkit's back catalogue any time soon but I can honestly say that this record isn't any worse than the majority of the subgenre, even if it doesn't compete with Linkin Park or Korn's best work.
For fans of Korn, System of a Down & P.O.D.
3.5/5
Here's my updated Top Ten Nu Metal Releases of All Time list:
01. Linkin Park - "Meteora" (2003)
02. Korn - "Korn" (1994)
03. Slipknot - "Iowa" (2001)
04. Linkin Park - "Hybrid Theory" (2000)
05. Deftones - "Adrenaline" (1995)
06. Korn - "Follow the Leader" (1998)
07. Sevendust - "Animosity" (2001)
08. Dir en Grey - "Uroboros" (2008)
09. Limp Bizkit - "Chocolate Starfish & the Hot Dog Flavored Water" (2000)
10. Slipknot - "Slipknot" (1999)
https://metal.academy/lists/single/313
I revisited "Litourgiya" relatively recently Sonny & I really enjoyed it too. I can't say that I prescribe to the concept that it's a classic black metal release but it was certainly a very solid creative statement that I find to be unanimously rewarding.
I've passed this nomination uncontested Andi.
I've passed this nomination uncontested Andi.
Jefferson Airplane - "Surrealistic Pillow" (1967)
The highly regarded debut album from this major player from the San Francisco scene is more hit & miss than I was expecting. Thankfully, the highlights are strong enough to carry the album with Jefferson Airplane's more stripped back & folky side being my clear preference over their more upbeat & poppy psychedelic rock one. The duo of psychedelic folk tracks that's comprised of "Today" & album highlight "Coming Back to Me" are nothing short of outstanding but I can't see myself returning to this one too often in the future,
For fans of Country Joe & the Fish, Quicksilver Messenger Service & Love.
3.5/5
I've passed these nominations uncontested Andi.
My death metal band Neuropath was originally called Coprophagia which is the condition you have if you eat feces.
Nasty Savage - "Abstract Reality" E.P. (1988)
I never really got on with the early releases from this Florida outfit with both their 1985 self-titled & 1987 "Indulgence" albums falling pretty flat with me. It wasn't until this short twenty-minute, four-song E.P. that they started to tweak my interest although I wouldn't say that it left me thoroughly convinced either. It saw Nasty Savage further embracing the new thrash metal sound they'd adopted for "Indulgence" & making a reasonable fist of it too. The highlights are definitely seen when they don't overcomplicate things with the more technical "Eromantic Vertigo" proving to be a step too far. "Unchained Angel" sees them returning to their more traditional heavy metal & US power metal roots which certainly isn't my preference either. Thankfully, the conventional thrash metal of the two songs that bookend this release are solid enough to carry the weaker middle section in the middle & leave me with a generally positive feeling at the completion of the release. The Mercyful Fate-inspired guitar solos of Ben Meyer & David Austin are particularly impressive &, despite not thinking front man Nasty Ronnie's vocal delivery was anything to write home about, the experience would see me following Nasty Savage throughout the remainder of their career.
For fans of Hallows Eve, Destructor & Exorcist.
3.5/5
Mortician - "Chainsaw Dismemberment" (1999)
The initial works of New York deathgrinders Mortician were an early influence on me as a musician with 1992's "Mortal Massacre" E.P. playing a not insignificant role in my quest for ever more brutal examples of the death metal genre during the early part of the that decade. Their 1997 debut album "Hacked Up for Barbecue" was a belter though & saw my interest in the band growing further but my self-imposed exodus from the metal scene saw me missing out on 1999's "Chainsaw Dismemberment" sophomore album until my 2009 return to metal. It's not a bad record either, championing the drum machine-led combination of ugly graveyard-style death metal & blasting grindcore riffs very well. The twenty-eight song tracklisting is pretty consistent for the most part with only the lacklustre "Decayed" failing to interest me. Unfortunately, there aren't enough genuine highlights here to warrant any claims of essential listening although "Drowned in Your Blood" (the clear album high point in my opinion), "Stab", "The Crazies", "Dark Sanity" & "Rats" are all being very strong examples of the Mortician sound. Our more experienced members of The Horde should be able to pick up the clear influence of early Carcass while the album often reminds me of Australia's Blood Duster too. "Chainsaw Dismemberment" won't change your life but it is worth a few listens.
For fans of Fluids, Torsofuck & Impetigo.
3.5/5
Tubeway Army - "Replicas" (1979)
The debut album from a London act fronted by the legendary Gary Numan who would release his first solo album later the same year. I would describe the sound of "Replicas" as new wave-infused synthpop with Numan dominating through a charismatic performance behind the microphone. The influences of David Bowie, Kraftwerk & the "Blade Runner" soundtrack are all obvious. The highlights are absolutely sublime (see "Are 'Friends' Electric?" & "Down in the Park" in particular) but the tracklisting is very inconsistent & fades noticeably at the end. Despite that, I do feel that the best material is strong enough to carry this record.
For fans of Gary Numan, Ultravox & The Human League.
3.5/5
Popol Vuh - "Letzte Tage - Letzte Nächte" (1976)
This seminal German outfit's eighth full-length sees them pushing both their krautrock & neoclassical new age sounds across the short thirty minute run time, although the rock side of the equation wins out pretty comfortably on this occasion. It's incredible how much some of the new age material sounds like Dead Can Dance at times, particularly Djong Yun's vocals which must surely be the inspiration for Lisa Gerrard's signature sound. Despite that though, I don't think "Letzte Tage - Letzte Nächte" is quite at the level I was expecting from such a highly acclaimed release & I think it's a bit of a step down from Popol Vuh's first three albums which I've been across for many years now. The thin production job certainly doesn't help but there are no weak tracks included & the record certainly doesn't overstay its welcome.
For fans of Tangerine Dream, Cluster & Ash Ra Temple.
3.5/5
Deafheaven - "Lonely People with Power" (2025)
The new Deafheaven album is once again a very solid piece of work from a high-class metal outfit. I can't say that I can see why people are going so nuts for it though as I'd suggest it's still arguably the least impressive Deafheaven full-length to date (although I admittedly haven't heard 2021's divisive "Infinite Granite" record as yet). The brilliantly powerful & high-precision drumming is the clear highlight here while those screaming black metal vocals & shimmering production job are pretty fucking awesome too. I just can't quite get onboard with claiming some of the more commercially structured material as extreme metal classics like others seem to be able to but a track like the rip-roaring "Revelator" certainly show the potential to go there. There's no doubt at all that Deafheaven are the best blackgaze band in the world in my opinion & this record sees them returning to their signature post-blackgaze sound & flexing their creative muscles. I doubt any fans will be disappointed but it's not an album of the year candidate for me personally.
For fans of Ghost Bath, Oathbreaker & Alcest.
4/5
Here's my updated Top Ten Blackgaze Releases of All Time list:
01. Deafheaven - "Sunbather" (2013)
02. Deafheaven - "10 Years Gone" (2020)
03. Woods of Desolation - "Torn Beyond Reason" (2011)
04. Deafheaven - "Roads to Judah" (2011)
05. Deafheaven - "New Bermuda" (2015)
06. Alcest - "Kodama" (2016)
07. Deafheaven - "Ordinary Corrupt Human Love" (2018)
08. Deafheaven - "Lonely People with Power" (2025)
09. Lantlôs - ".neon" (2010)
10. Alcest - "Écailles de lune" (2010)
https://metal.academy/lists/single/204
Angelo Badalamenti - "Soundtrack from Twin Peaks" (1990)
This soundtrack to one of my all-time favourite TV series has been one that I've returned to many times over the years & never fails to take me back to that time & place. I've always loved David Lynch films & composer Angelo Badalamenti would seem to be somewhat of a kindred spirit in the way that he interprets Lynch's ideas. What we have here is a combination of deep & moody sounds that draw from the classical, jazz & ambient. The Laura Palmer themed tracks are the clear highlights & I absolutely adore them.
For fans of Julee Cruise, Dale Cooper Quartet & the Dictaphones & Mazzy Star.
4/5
I've never heard of this artist so I might need to pop them onto my to-do list.
Dark Angel - Darkness Descends (1986)
While Slayer decided that the speed and aggressive of Reign in Blood, other bands decided that this was too soft for them. Dark Angel is one of the bands most known for doing this.
I kind of disagree with this common view of the album. I'm sure on a BPM and note for note level, Darkness Descends is far more aggressive. But Reign in Blood has more factors contributing to it than pure aggression. Darkness Descends has a lot more warmer and less slick elements to it, having more amateurish production. In line more with NWOBHM albums and subsequent early thrash albums not feeling the need to come into a room and scream that they're thrash metal albums. And compared to some later albums in general, this can come off as downright quaint at times.
Which isn't a bad thing, one's creative nature dies when one tries to limit oneself to what "should" be in a genre. Something that bands after Dark Angel would surely fall into, because arguably these guys don't expand on the formula all that much. Which is fine, ceaseless brutality is often boring and renders itself lifeless. In this regard, Darkness Descends comes as a missing link between early thrash and what British thrash would end up sounding like, a balance of the extremes.
But this album does feel a bit style over substance, even for the early years of thrash. Riffs are often of little importance to aggression, which considering the aforementioned, leaves it feeling unmemorable. Despite listening to it a number of times I can barely recall anything beyond a fuzzy feeling once the album is over.
It's a pretty good album, but ultimately you can see the faults that would eventually result in the genre's death for a while.4/5
Is "Darkness Descends" really faster or more aggressive than "Reign in Blood"? I don't think so personally (in fact, I'd suggest that very few releases are). It makes a good fist of trying to match it though. Your comment about "Darkness Descends" placing aggression over riffs is also interesting because I've always thought of it (& Dark Angel in general) as a total riff-fest... but then I guess I've grown up with them which probably helps.
It would appear that I’ve rated every one of the releases with over twenty ratings which is perhaps more of an indication that I really should get a life more than anything else.
It's great to have you David. We love nothing more than a bit of healthy banter & critique around here so please feel free to contribute as much or as little as you like.
Flower Travellin' Band - "Satori" (1971)
Some of you may already be aware that I'm a hhuuggee fan of this seminal Japanese outfit with their 1971 sophomore album "Satori" being the band's crowning glory. It's a genuine heavy psych classic that borders on qualifying for metal status with its doomy Black Sabbath influence being on full display. The psychedelic atmospherics that "Satori" is able to create over its five tracks in unparalleled &, after this revisit, I'm going to go so far as to say that even the great Sabbath of the 1970's only reached this level once with "Paranoid". It's an undeniable masterpiece that clearly justifies all those years when I proudly sported my old "Satori" t-shirt to live shows, safe in the knowledge that only the coolest punters would know who the fuck they were.
For fans of Black Sabbath, Ningen-Isu & Sir Lord Baltimore.
4.5/5
Soft Machine - "Third" (1970)
After quite liking 1968's "The Soft Machine" debut album from this Canterbury scene icon recently, I thought I'd better check out their most highly regarded release in 1970's "Third". It sees them fully embracing their jazz side in a double album format that includes four lengthy full-side pieces, each breaching the eighteen-minute mark. Of the four tracks, I'd suggest that only one (the disappointing "Moon in June") is actually prog rock based with the other three all sitting far more comfortably under a jazz fusion tag. The musicianship is astounding, as is the scope of the compositional work for the time, although there has been a lot of splicing between different performances which makes the producer seem like another band member with a release like this one. Surprisingly, I think I prefer the psychedelic rock sound of the debut over "Third" but there's not a lot between them & I've experienced a similar level of enjoyment with their third full-length.
For fans of Gong, Caravan & Henry Cow.
3.5/5
Suffocation - "Hymns From The Apocrypha" (2023)
I've had a good couple of years to get used to it now so I thought it was about time that I shared my thoughts on the latest release from my all-time favourite metal band. "Hymns From The Apocrypha" is the first Suffocation album not to include iconic front man Frank Mullen as the main vocalist with long-time live death grunter & Disgorge drummer Ricky Myers having finally taken over the studio duties. He does a very good job too although I think most would agree that Mullen is the slightly superior protagonist, at least for this band. Mullen does make an appearance though, guesting on the reenactment of "Breeding the Spawn" closer "Ignorant Deprivation" & interesting that it's his performance that sees that song being easily the least impressive inclusion on the album. Frank seems to have lost his depth & power so perhaps that's got something to do with his absence. The other eight tracks are all of a very high quality & are buoyed by one of the cleanest & more precise production jobs ever for a brutal death metal release. The New Yorkers don't attempt to reinvent the wheel but they easily prove that they're in a class all of their own in respect to the more brutal end of extreme metal with drummer Eric Morotti contributing a superb combination of technicality & brutality & becoming the clear album highlight. The guitar solos are noticeably less psychotic than we've come to expect & I have to say that this disappointed me a little but the same can't be said for the riffs which are suitably adrenaline-fueled with tracks like "Perpetual Deception", "Seraphim Enslavement" & "Descendants" sitting comfortably alongside Suffocation's best work. I don't think the song-writing is consistently enough at that level to justify the claims that this is Suffocation's best full-length since 1995's classic "Pierced From Within" as I regard 2006's self-titled & 2013's "Pinnacle of Bedlam" as legitimate death metal classics but I'd take "Hymns From The Apocrypha" over records like "Souls to Deny", "Blood Oath", "...Of the Dark Light" or even "Breeding the Spawn" these days. Few would expect a record of this quality from an extreme metal band of this ilk at this point in their career.
For fans of Dying Fetus, Cryptopsy & Nile.
4/5
Lustmørd - "Lustmørd" (1981)
The first album from the Welsh dark ambient legend is more of a combination of his industrial roots with his earliest dark ambient ideas. It's generally not well regarded & you can see why because the tracklisting is extremely inconsistent although there are a couple of real gems here, especially the wonderful early dark ambient classic "Slabstone" which I've always loved. I wouldn't suggest that this is a release to hunt down though as Brian has done so much better over the years.
For fans of Nurse With Wound, Big City Orchestra & Psychic TV.
3/5
Poppy - "I Disagree" (2020)
My only prior experience with Boston electropop artist Poppy was through her 2021 "EAT" E.P. which I didn't mind so I thought I'd see what her other metal material was like. I feel similarly about "I Disagree" (her fifth full-length apparently) although I'd probably take the E.P. over this one if pushed. It starts off very poorly with the first two tracks doing very little for me but things start to get interesting after that & I ended up finding appeal in around 70% of the tracklisting after a few listens. "I Disagree" sees Poppy combining her electropop sound with alternative metal in what is a stunningly well producing album. You can easily pick up her heavier influences with names like Devin Townsend, Marilyn Manson & Dream Theater all popping up at times but I honestly think her gorgeous vocal tone is the best part of this record & often more on the poppier parts more than the metal ones. Look... I was obviously not the target market for this sort of record but I still think it was worth a few listens, despite not being worthy of all the attention it received a few years ago.
For fans of Bring Me the Horizon, Motionless in White & Spiritbox.
3.5/5
1. The Horde - At my core, I'm an extreme metalhead & this is where my comfort zone is which will probably come as no surprise given my association with Sydney brutal death metal outfit Neuropath. I'm not big on melodeath, symphonic death metal, goregrind, gorenoise or cybergrind but I absolutely worship the remainder of the subgenres included.
2. The North - I totally froth over high-quality black metal & war metal which overcomes my reservations about symphonic/melodic black metal, black 'n' roll, folk metal & most Viking metal to see this clan taking out second spot.
3. The Pit - This is where my roots lie & thrash metal will always have a strong place in my heart. I'm not huge on groove metal or speed metal but those don't play anywhere near as strong role in the clan.
4. The Fallen - Probably the clan whose subgenre set I find the most universally appealing. Sludge metal, drone metal, doom/death & funeral doom are all strong faves of mine but I can dig pretty much anything to come out of The Fallen so it was challenging for my top three.
5. The Infinite - I love a bit of complexity & value high-quality production & performances so this clan is one that I always find interesting, outside of the more avant-garde stuff.
6. The Sphere - There's a lot to like for me in this clan & I often discover bands that I've never heard of that are producing compelling metal here.
7. The Revolution - I'm not a fan of the melodic side of -core music but can really dig the more chaotic & aggressive stuff, particularly mathcore, deathcore & old-school metalcore. When it becomes fused with sludge metal or grindcore then I'm all in. I'm very much out when things get all clinical though & I find a lot of the bands that are popular these days tend to lack any sort of heaviness even if they utilize the same tools. There's definitely a saminess about a lot of The Revolution artists that I find a little bemusing.
8. The Guardians - Despite having strong affiliations with the classics of the 70's & 80's, I'm strongly turned off by European power metal, symphonic metal & neoclassical metal. I invariably enjoy half of the monthly playlists but really struggle with the other half.
9. The Gateway - Whilst I absolutely love the early 90's brand of alternative metal, this clan has totally died in the arse for me in recent times as I find that it's become a dumping ground for the most commerically accessible metal. My taste here is pretty much the opposite of Andi's as most modern alternative metal does very little for me. I've never been big on nu metal, funk metal or rap metal either so this is easily my least favoured clan.
Ultramagnetic MC's - "Critical Beatdown" (1988)
The debut album from Ultramagentic MC's is a fairly enjoyable affair that perhaps suffers a little from being released in the same year as classic records from Public Enemy & Eric B. & Rakim as it's difficult not to draw comparisons with "Critical Beatdown" sitting on a slightly lower rung. The main reason for that is that the tracklisting doesn't really get going until track seven with all of the best material coming towards the back end of the album. Kool Keith is clearly the better of the MC's with producer Ced Gee being noticeably (& perhaps unsurprisingly) less cool. This is not a bad listen overall however, unlike the two classics I mentioned earlier, I can't see myself feeling like returning to it all that regularly. I'm much more likely to include the best material (like the brilliant "When I Burn") in my custom Spotify playlists.
For fans of Kool Keith, Boogie Down Productions & EPMD.
3.5/5
Highlight the text & press the REMOVE FONT STYLE button i.e. the picture if the eraser which is sitting to the right side of the underline button.
Thergothon - "Stream From The Heavens" (1994)
Unlike most fans of funeral doom metal, I was lucky enough to have encountered the birth of the subgenre in real time, having developed a strong fascination with the slowest extreme metal moments through bands like Winter & diSEMBOWELMENT during the early 1990's & then picking up Thergothon's early works in my quest for ever more downtrodden & disparaging forms of doom metal. It's fair to say that "Stream From The Heavens" had a noticeable effect on me when I picked it up through my tape trading network around the time of release too & it worked to further enhance my already insatiable hunger for this type of music. In fact, I can vividsly recall feeling some level of justification upon first encountering Thergothin because I'd been telling myself that slowing things down to the lowest tempos imaginable would work & I'd now found that it did. That's not to say that I've ever felt that Thergothon's sole full-length was a classic release though because it's not. There are simply too many flaws with it to warrant those sort of claims & the subgenre has gone on to much greater heights since, even later in 1994 when Mournful Congregation would release their "Weeping" demo which was heavily inspired by the early Finnish works & would take things up a good couple of notches from what you'll find here. The production job isn't great & it would have been nice if the Fins could have kept the higher register guitar parts in tune with each other. The clean vocals can be a bit flat & dreary too while those croaky death growls aren't always brilliant & the keyboards & acoustic guitars can sound a bit naff at times. You can't deny the unique atmosphere Thergothon manage to build though & those crushingly heavy doom riffs still reverberate through my headphones with great power & majesty. There's no doubt that you have to hear this one if you have even a passing interest in funeral doom metal.
For fans of Skepticism, Mournful Congregation & Evoken.
4/5
Defeated Sanity - "Psalms of the Moribund" (2007)
I always really enjoy these Germans & their highly complex brand of ultra-brutal death metal. I do have to admit that their appeal is capped at how far it can go with me though as I feel similarly about every subsequent release, mainly due to the unintelligible, slam-style nature of the vocals & the chaotic song-structures which tether on the verge of getting completely out of control most of the time. That's all a part of the appeal of a record like "Psalms of the Moribund" though of course & it's also a point of differentiation for Defeated Sanity in general. If you don't like technical metal music then this one isn't for you as it's about as gratuitously technical as they come & very much highlights the sort of death metal release that I feel should rightly be labelled as such rather than the Deaths, Atheists & Cynics which are all clearly more progressive than they are technical. I would also have to say that if you're a bit half-assed in your love for brutal death metal then you'll likely struggle with "Psalms of the Moribund" too as it's as in your face as any BDM release on the market. I would have liked a few more shredding guitar solos but hey... you can't have everything right? Well, I guess you can because... you know.... "Reign in Blood". "Psalms of the Moribund" may not be my favourite Defeated Sanity release but it's certainly in the discussion.
For fans of Disgorge, Wormed & Deeds of Flesh.
4/5
*** BEN, YOU HAVE THE COVER ART FOR THE FIRST TWO DEFEATED SANITY RELEASES AROUND THE WRONG WAY, YA SILLY DUFFER!!!
Ulver - "Kveldssanger" (1996)
The second album from Norwegian atmospheric/pagan black metallers Ulver saw them taking the metal world by surprise by releasing a record that was entirely made up of traditional Norwegian folk music. It was certainly enjoyable enough stuff but it wasn't necessarily what the band's existing fanbase were looking for. Despite quite enjoying them, I have to admit that I've never been as big a fan of Ulver's metal albums as most metalheads seem to be so I wasn't all that fussed & managed to enjoy "Kveldssanger" for what it is. It would go on to become the driver for the entire dark folk movement really with artists like Tenhi, Empyrium & Vàli using this release as the catlyst for their own music. Ulver's next record "Nattens madrigal: Aatte hymne til ulven i manden" is my Ulver record of choice these days (at least of those that I've heard) & "Kveldssanger" is probably the weaker of their first three but it's still definitely worth a listen for the open-minded extreme metallers out there.
For fans of Vàli, Wardruna & Sylvaine.
3.5/5
Here's my old review:
Unlike many people, I found some enjoyment in all of the 80's Sabbath albums. The Dio ones were clearly of the higher quality however each of the subsequent albums featured some great tracks & were well worth a few listens. It's a shame that they were generally held back by the inclusion of a few weaker songs as well. Their first 90's album "Tyr" was much the same. It's a mixed bag really. There are some really solid & anthemic heavy metal tunes here like opener "Anno Mundi (The Vision)", the fist-pumping "Jerusalem" & the epic "Valhalla". But then we also have a few tracks that don't really hit the mark at all like "Heaven In Black", "Feels Good To Me" & "The Law Maker". Strangely the album highlight for me is probably the seductive acoustic number "Odin's Court" which flows straight into "Valhalla" in what is the clear climax of the album. All faults considered there's certainly still enough quality to make "Tyr" a worthy purchase for heavy metal fans but it's a little frustrating that the band have yet again failed to put together a full album of high grade material. I think their previous album "Headless Cross" was probably a touch more consistent than this one but there's not much in it. Another decent Black Sabbath record that pulls up just short of where I'd like it to be.
3.5/5
Slipknot - "Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)" (2004)
I hadn't heard the third record from the Iowa nu metal champions until this week. I quite enjoyed their 1999 self-titled & 2001's "Iowa" albums & the same goes for this one, despite it clearly steering away from nu metal towards a more commercially accessible alternative metal sound for the most part. The band wear their influences on their sleeves for the most part so you'll easily be able to pick up the inspiration for each part of "Vol. 3" with alternative rock & groove metal each playing a decent role in the result but there's enough quality vocal hooks to keep me interested, even if the band's sound may not be terribly original by this point in their evolution. Sure, there are a few duds included amongst the fourteen songs (see "Opium of the People", "Vermilion, Pt. 2" & particularly "The Nameless") but I'm gonna go against the grain by claiming that this is a better Slipknot record than the debut was with "Iowa" remaining my pick of the three.
For fans of Mudvayne, Sevendust & Ill Niño.
3.5/5
Dusk (USA) - "Dusk" E.P. (1994)
The debut release from this Wisconsin outfit is a little overrated in my opinion. I'd describe Dusk's sound as being atmospheric doom/death metal that includes the intelligent use of keyboards which add to the effect nicely. There are some very strong sections here but they're generally offset by some forgettable ones while the vocal delivery reminds me heavily of Aaron Stainthorpe's early death growls. There aren't any genuinely weak tracks amongst the six included in this 27-minute release which is generally pretty enjoyable but I can't say that I regard it as essential listening. Perhaps if the production was stronger it may have allowed "Dusk" to reach the next level that seems so close but ends up being just out of reach.
For fans of Morgion, Ceremonium & early My Dying Bride.
3.5/5
Fripp & Eno - "Evening Star" (1975)
The second collaboration album from King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp & ambient music godfather Brian Eno is arguably their finest, just managing to top 1973's excellent "(No Pussyfooting)" debut off the back of the wonderful ambient post-rock title track which is likely the best thing the duo ever recorded. There's a little more variety to be found this time with ambient & drone once again holding equal footing. The short tape music piece "Evensong" is a bit of a fail but the rest of the record is a very rewarding & highly creative listen.
For fans of Cluster, Jon Hassell & Harold Budd.
4/5
Brodequin - "Harbinger of Woe" (2024)
The first album from this Tennessee trio in twenty years sees them returning with pretty much the same ultra-brutal death metal sound as we remember from the early-to-mid 2000's, only this time they've brought with them a cleaner production job. I can't deny that this sort of stuff is right up my alley which leaves me with a clear disposition to enjoy a record like "Harbinger of Woe" while others might struggle a bit with the lack of variety as this is simply a 31-minute blastfest. Drummer Brennan Shackelford does his best to peak the pace high but I have to admit that he's not in the same class of some of the better exponents of extreme drumming in 2025 while bassist Jamie Bailey opts for the undecipherable slam death metal "bbbrrrreeeeeeee" we've all become accustomed to hearing. I wouldn't say that the riffs are all that exceptional either but the sum of the parts certainly amounts to a seriously heavy & invariably exciting record & one that has hit me almost of hard as Brodequin's first two records with 2001's "Festival of Death" still being my favourite from these guys.
For fans of Liturgy, Disgorge & Orchidectomy.
4/5
"Focus" was a huge record for Ben & I at the time & I still regard it as a classic progressive death metal release today.
4.5/5
Autechre - "Incunabula" (1993)
The debut full-length from this Manchester duo was a huge influence on the early IDM/ambient techno scene & made a lasting impact on me when I first discovered Autechre in the late 1990's. "Incunabula" may not be their best album overall but it certainly set the tone for a wonderful career that's seen them sitting amongst the absolute elite electronic music artists on the planet for nearly four decades now.
For fans of Aphex Twin, Squarepusher & Clark.
4.5/5
The title track is a fun number, but it stands firmly in rock, lacking any heaviness to it.
I would suggest that "Fireball" is one of the most influential early heavy metal songs personally. The extensive use of tremolo-picking & double-kick went a long way to defining some of the most important tools in any metal musician's toolkit & differentiate it from hard rock.
I thought I'd just provide a little bit of an update on how I'm tracking since reducing my metal intake & moving away from reviews, playlist contributions, feature releases, etc. To be honest, I'm really happy with how things are going right now. My hearing & tinnitus seem to have stabilized a bit & I'm enjoying my music as much as I ever have, particularly the variety & the fact that I no longer feel the obligation to blast everything so loud in the interest of review accuracy. My life is a little more balanced too as I'm not putting as much pressure on myself to contribute all the time & it's been good to see that the site is still active enough that I can enjoy it along with our other members.
Check the riff that appears at 15:25 in the Morpheus Descends YouTube clip & compare it with the riff that arrives at 1:55 in Neuropath's "Rectal Pulpation:
"Rectal Pulpation" was the first song I ever wrote for Neuropath back in 1993 & the Morpheus Descends track was released in 1994. We didn't release a studio recording of our track until the start of 1995 though so it must be pure coincidence, despite the riffs being almost exactly the same.
You're a good man Sonny. I know you'll be taking good care of her & she's lucky to have you.
Korn - "Follow the Leader" (1998)
I'd only ever checked out one Korn record before this week & that was their self-titled Debut which I thoroughly enjoyed a few years back. "Follow the Leader" is their third full-length & it's not a bad listen but I do agree with the consensus that it's a step down in quality from Korn's first & most popular initial effort. The album starts off really well with the first three tracks all being very strong, particularly the super-popular "Freak on a Leash" which really is classic alternative metal & is deserving of its teen anthem status. Things start becoming a lot more inconsistent when the collaborations start though will all of the rap-infused numbers being universal failures. Thankfully, there are more than enough chunky nu metal numbers to keep me happy with bass player Fieldy being the clear star of the band. I'm not the biggest fan of this subgenre but I think Korn are my second favourite nu metal band behind early Linkin Park these days.
For fans of Slipknot, Limp Bizkit & Coal Chamber.
3.5/5
Here's my new Top Ten Nu Metal Releases of All Time list:
01. Linkin Park - "Meteora" (2003)
02. Korn - "Korn" (1994)
03. Slipknot - "Iowa" (2001)
04. Linkin Park - "Hybrid Theory" (2000)
05. Deftones - "Adrenaline" (1995)
06. Korn - "Follow the Leader" (1998)
07. Sevendust - "Animosity" (2001)
08. Dir en Grey - "Uroboros" (2008)
09. Slipknot - "Slipknot" (1999)
10. Sepultura - "Roots" (1996)
https://metal.academy/lists/single/313
Scorn - "Deliverance" E.P. (1992)
"Deliverance" saw Mick Harris (Napalm Death/Defecation/Doom/Extreme Noise Terror/PainKiller/Pigface/Unseen Terror) & Nick Bullen (Napalm Death) pulling away from the Godflesh-style industrial metal sound of Scorn's "Vae Solis" debut album from earlier that year &, in doing so, single-handedly creating a new subgenre in "illbient", a sound that combines elements of ambient, hip hop & dub. There's still a lot of industrial included here though which makes these five tracks a fairly abrasive listen. The title track is easily the best of them with the other four coming across more as remixes of it than they do as fresh creative statements. The opening three songs are all enjoyable but things go off the rails towards the end of the release with the last couple of tracks being largely redundant but there's still enough quality here for me to enjoy, even if Scorn would undoubtably do much better in the near future.
For fans of Necro Deathmort, Techno Animal & The Third Eye Foundation.
3.5/5