Daniel's Forum Replies

Mutilator - "Immortal Force" (1987)

Aggressive Brazilian thrash metal that suffers from the usual poor production but has enough attitude & violence to keep me entertained. Fans of Slayer, "Darkness Descends"-era Dark Angel & 80's Sepultura should find enjoyment here.

3.5/5

The new single from Belgian sludge metallers Amenra entitled "De zotte morgen".

The new single from German atmospheric black metallers ColdWorld entitled "We Are Doomed". Hhhmmmm…. that sounds like an uplifting prospect, doesn't it!

The new single from Californian deathcore outfit Suicide Silence entitled "Overlord". It's a non-album track that was recorded during the sessions for their latest full-length "Become The Hunter".

Paysage d'Hiver - "Im Wald" (2020)

Ben, Sonny & Vinny, you simply have to hear this. Particularly the second hour which is absolutely sublime.

It's not available on YouTube as yet but I'm absolutely worshipping the 19 minute epic closer "So hallt es wider" from Paysage d'Hiver's new album "Im Wald" right now.

Paysage d'Hiver - "Im Wald" (2020)

Utterly essential atmospheric black metal for fans of Burzum, Darkspace & Darkthrone. It spans an incredible 120 minutes with the second hour being as metal music gets.

4.5/5

There are some interesting opinions here which is what makes these monthly feature releases such fun. Personally, I think "Lateralus" is an amazing record & Tool's best work but it's not perfect. Unlike "Aenima", I don't think there are any weak inclusions however tracks like "Mantra" & "Faaip de Oiad" definitely aren't as engaging as the better material. "Aenima" isn't far behind as far as overall quality however I do  find tracks like "Intermission" & "Die Eier von Satan" to be pretty hard going. Minor faults aside though, they're both classic releases as far as I'm concerned & I've never placed their other albums (with the exception of the horribly underrated live release "Salival") into that category. 4.5/5 each from me.

Ben, please add Intruder (USA).

Sunn O))) - "Life Metal Rehearsal 230518"

Sunn O))) - "Life Metal Rehearsal 250518"

Sunn O))) - "Life Metal Rehearsal 260518"

Sunn O))) have released a collection of rehearsal demo sets from their “Life Metal” album. A press release said of these offerings:  

‘During the writing of SUNN O)))‘s opus Life Metal, Greg and Stephen created three rehearsal demos of riffs and production ideas in Anderson’s Downtown LA rehearsal studio. They are raw, primordial, translucent, amusing, rough, heavy-as-fuck and paralyzing.’ 

Yeah "Icon" is my favourite Paradise Lost record too. I bought it on release & it took me a few listens to overcome my initial shock at their transition however the new sound was so full, vibrant & authoritative that it won me over pretty quickly. It was a massive comeback after "Shades Of God" which I found to be a bit disappointing after "Gothic".

The new album from one -man Finnish atmospheric black metal project October Falls entitled "A Fall Of An Epoch" which is due for release on 30th May.

The new E.P. from Chicago sludge metallers Bongripper entitled "Glaciers".

Need I say anything here?

The new single from Swedish alternative metallers Katatonia's new "City Burials" album.

I completely agree Saxy. In fact, "Monotheist" is my favourite Frost release these days.

4.5/5

Aaaahhhh…. I see what you were getting at with that power metal reference now. I'm certainly no expert on European power metal but it's worth mentioning that US heavy metal bands like Savatage & Warlord were already experimenting with symphonics back as far as 1983/84 & I'd be surprised if they weren't some sort of influence on the symphonic elements that appeared in European power metal a little later on.

I guess I've always thought that people make too much of Paradise Lost being the first to the table as far as death/doom goes. Particularly as "Lost Paradise" didn't exactly set the world on fire. Winter's 1990 album "Into Darkness" was a stronger release in my opinion & it was more influential on the various scenes that I was connected to at the time. I guess the point I was trying to make in my last post was that there were other bands doing the death/doom thing during that 1989/90 period & they were rarely influenced by Paradise Lost so it's a pretty good bet that the subgenre would have developed whether "Gothic" came along or not. Having said that, "Gothic" was a massive improvement on the debut. I can't say that I've ever thought of the first few Paradise Lost albums as gothic metal though. Gothic influenced? Sure! But they were definitely more death metal based & that was why I was suggesting that Type O Negative might be a more accurate starting point for the subgenre with Celtic Frost being a major influence. I used to socialize in the Sydney gothic scene back in the early 90's (mainly for the hot goth chicks & the drugs) but I can't remember Paradise Lost making all that much of an impact outside of the metal scene until "Icon". Type O Negative, on the other hand, were a huge reason why the goths started to appear at metal shows & that was further exacerbated by black metal bands like Cradle Of Filth a bit later on.

With regards to Celtic Frost (& Hellhammer for that matter), the thrash metal tag never really sat all that comfortably with me to be honest. It's been used more as a catch-all because it sounds a little more accurate than the black metal, death metal or doom metal tags do but Frost really don't sound much like the rest of the thrash bands out there. They always had a fair bit of doom metal about them so "Monotheist" wasn't a huge surprise.

Some very big calls there Andi.

I'd like to throw a cat amongst the pigeons here & suggest that Autopsy are as responsible as anyone for the birth of the doom/death sound. 1989's "Severed Survival" included a whole bunch of doomy Trouble influenced sections & it changed a lot of people's attitudes towards slower tempos in extreme metal. There's also a Dutch band called Sempiternal Deathreign that made a stir in the underground around that time & they released their first album "The Spooky Gloom" in 1989.

As far as gothic metal goes, Type O Negative would be my pick for the earliest exponents but there's a strong case for claiming that Celtic Frost were the inspiration for some of the more gothic & symphonic elements that popped up in the early 90's extreme metal scene.

Paradise Lost influenced power metal? Helloween are responsible for the evolution of speed metal into a separate European power metal subgenre in my opinion. "Walls Of Jericho" is the record that saw that transition taking place.

A terrible acoustic joke track featuring Anthrax/S.O.D. guitarist Scott Ian.

High energy hardcore-driven crossover thrash with its tongue firmly planted in its cheek. For fans of S.O.D., D.R.I. & Anthrax.

M.O.D. - "U.S.A. For M.O.D." (1987)

The debut album from Billy Milano's new outfit following the breakup of his previous band S.O.D. It's an energetic hardcore-driven crossover thrash record that doesn't offer much originality but makes up for it in enthusiasm. Fans of S.O.D., D.R.I. & Anthrax should enjoy it as long as they can overlook the disgustingly un-politically correct attempts at humour in the lyrical content.

3.5/5

Ben, please add M.O.D. (USA).

The new album from German heavy metal stalwarts Grave Digger entitled "Fields Of Blood" which is due to be released on 29th May.

Thew new album from Dutch symphonic black metallers Carach Angren entitled "Franckensteina Strataemontanus" which is due for release on 29th May.

The new split album from Spanish neofolk outfit Sangre de Muérdago & French drone metallers Monarch! which is due to be released on 20th May.

The new single from English progressive metal outfit Haken with their new album "Virus" due to be released on 5th June.

I completely agree with your synopsis Xephyr. "Speak English Or Die" is actually my all-time favourite crossover thrash album for very much the same reasons as you enjoyed it.

4/5

Anyone who has much knowledge of my musical taste would probably know that I'm not the biggest fan of European power metal. The major cheese factor manages to turn me off in a pretty major way to be brutally honest however this record manages to transcend all of my concerns. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say that it's my favourite power metal studio album of all-time & it sits behind only Iced Earth's "Alive In Athens" triple live set for power metal releases overall.

4/5

Good luck brave metal warrior. While your path may be filled with peril & danger, may you draw guidance & strength from the united powers of the fallen metal brethren of eons past.

Yeah good call. "Vermis" is a real favourite of mine. I was lucky enough to see them on the tour for the album too.

Not to mention the fact that only one or two releases in Anathema & Katatonia's entire combined discographies fall into gothic metal territory. It just goes to show how misguided the Metal Evolution series was.

Well said Xephyr. I've read an interview with Godflesh mastermind Justin Broadrick where he says that "Streetcleaner" was the outcome of the group repeatedly watching David Lynch's "Eraserhead" whilst under the influence of LSD. That makes a lot of sense once you hear "Streetcleaner" because it's just as confronting & polarizing in its incredibly cold atmosphere. I absolutely love this record. In fact, I regard it as the absolute pinnacle of the industrial metal subgenre.

The high quality opening track from Swiss thrash metallers Apocalypse's self-titled debut album from 1987. It sounds very much like Metallica's "Battery" crossed with "Bonded By Blood"-era Exodus only the bridge is clearly ripping off Slayer's "Raining Blood".

Apocalypse - "Apocalypse" (1987)

Some pretty sophisticated Swiss thrash metal with tech thrash & speed metal influences. Fans of Testament, Xentrix & "Master Of Puppets"-era Metallica should get some enjoyment out of it.

3.5/5

Tee he he.... I wondered how long it would take for that response. :)

P.S. I am legitimately going to review "Desiccation in Progress (Version II)" so please add that release at the very least.

Ben, please add Phyllomedusa (USA).

maudlin of the Well - "Bath" (2001)

Shezma, saxy, Xephyr & Andi, you guys should get onto this quality piece of avant-garde progressive metal if you haven't already.

The new single from London-based progressive metallers The HAARP Machine.

I have to admit that, despite being a huge fan of brutal death metal, owning a "None So Vile" era Cryptopsy t-shirt & having a relationship with the band that runs way back to the "Ungentle Exhumation" demo in 1993, I've never quite understood the immense praise that "None So Vile" seems to unanimously draw. I mean don't get me wrong. I quite like it. But it's never commanded more than the occasional listen from me.  It's a 3.5/5 for mine. Each to their own I guess.

I'll definitely be giving the Ulcerate one a spin in the next couple of weeks. I like everything they've done.

Stunning ambience from these Boston-based avant-garde prog metallers. This track is in the vein of Tiamat's "Wildhoney".

maudlin of the Well - "Bath" (2001)

Beautifully executed avant-garde & expansive progressive metal from Boston, USA. Fans of Kayo Dot (who motW later became), Thy Catafalque & In the Woods... will surely love this release.

4/5

I've got "World Coming Down" here. It was the bigger record for me personally. I love that Type O Negative elected to take the newly found commercial success they'd gained through the more accessible "October Rust" album & give it a firm middle finger up the back side with a much darker & doomier record.

Ben, please add Apocalypse (Switzerland).

The new album from German medieval folk metallers In Extremo entitled "Kompass zur Sonne" which is due for release on 8th May.

I just wanted to inform all of you thrashers that are a partial to a bit of crossover thrash that I've just posted my "Daniel's Top Ten Early Crossover Thrash Releases (1985-1986)" in the METAL ACADEMY LISTS section. If you've never really explored where this niche subgenre comes from or don't have much experience with it & are interested to know what it's all about then this would be a great place to start. I'll be interested to get your feedback & would love to see your own top tens if you'd care to share them.

https://metal.academy/lists/single/66 

Anathema have always been a class act & are still a strong favourite of mine today. They're amazing artists regardless of what genre they might fit into.

Ulver are another one that springs to mind. They've made a reasonably good fist of all of their undertakings although I have to admit that I don't truly love anything I've heard from them since their metal days.

The new album from US sludge metallers Old Man Gloom entitled "Seminar VIII: Light of Meaning" will be released on 22nd May.

The brand new live album & DVD from Danish heavy metal stalwarts Pretty Maids entitled "Maid in Japan - Future World Live 30th Anniversary" is due to be released on 22nd May.

The brand new live album from London stoner metallers Orange Goblin entitled "Rough & Ready, Live & Loud" which is scheduled to be released on 4th May.