Daniel's Forum Replies

Rex, despite what Ben may think, I don't think there's anything wrong with having a passionate conversation about musical appreciation & I didn't appreciate being mocked for it by him earlier in the thread either to tell you the truth. People will always place value on different things & have a right to express that openly as long as they're doing it in a respectful way. If others don't wanna read it then they can feel free to go about their days & we shouldn't be made to feel guilty for using the forums for what they're intended for. But let me be very clear that you can come across as talking down to others in the way that you express your musical opinions at times. The fact is that literally ALL of our regulars are obsessive with their musical journeys like yourself. They ALL indulge & involve themselves really deeply in the music they choose to explore so you're not isolated in that respect.

The truth of the matter is that I have just as broad a taste profile as yourself & spend a significant amount of active listening time with every release I listen to in order to get a deep enough understanding of the artistic expression to develop a well-informed opinion. I'm reasonably well across the new age genre too so it annoyed me that you automatically assumed that I haven't given new age music a proper chance & that I have a bias that's hindered my ability to make an informed judgement on the release in question. In doing so, you came across like you felt you needed to teach me about music appreciation & this isn't the first time that it's happened either so it got me offside pretty quickly. You may not think you did that but when I express my opinion & you start your response with "Certainly not" & then proceed to tell me that it takes practice & an "awareness of the genre" to appreciate a release like the one I was referring to then you can expect the recipient of your comments to take it that way. I knew it wasn't intentional which is why I toned down the responses I really wanted to write but I'm not gonna lie & pretend that I don't find statements like that to be patronizing & condescending.

Anyway... I don't wanna argue as I have better things to do with my time but I hope that you can accept what I've said & we can move on amicably because we do value you here at the Academy. Let's move on from this conversation now & get back to enjoying music together mate.

I love it when you get all condescending & elitist Rex, looking down on all of us mere mortals from above. It makes me feel all warm & fuzzy. My point stands though as nothing you said attempts to combat it. In my world, a rating is simply a numerical representation of how much you enjoy a release in comparison to all other music you've heard. Enjoyment is the only criteria that matters. Not originality, variety, cultural impact, whether it's the best example I've heard from its subgenre or any other element. It's all about how many jollies it gives me. That's how I see it & you can feel free to disagree with me at your leisure.

It's probably worth mentioning that labelling Tim Hecker as a drone artist is stretching the truth a bit too. That's probably why you like him more than artists with a genuine claim to the tag.

S.I.C. = Screaming in Churches AND Spastics Inflicting Carnage.

I have a pretty reasonable understanding of the subgenre Rex as almost all of the artists you mentioned were played around our family home when Ben & I were young. I disagree that we should put our own personal taste preferences & prejudices aside when rating a release though. On the contrary, I believe that a rating should solely be a reflection of how much you enjoy a release when compared to every other release in existence, otherwise it comes across as disingenuous as it's not a true reflection of the reviewer's feelings. It's like me saying "if I liked folk metal then this release would be the pinnacle" & awarding it five stars when the fact is that I enjoy even a subpar death metal release over the most highly regarded folk metal records. That's why we have this whole clan system in the first place i.e. so that we can voice our honest opinions without tainting the potential for a release to appeal to others. That's just my two cents though so please take it for what it is.

You need a little cheese to properly get into prog, IMO, as much of it is rooted in classical cheese.

I don't think that's the case at all Rex. But then it's already been well established that you have a much higher threshold for cheese than I do so I guess that's hardly surprising. I enjoy myself some new age music on occasion but the cheesier Celtic end of the spectrum is often too much for me.

Mike Oldfield - "Ommadawn" (1975)

I grew up with Mike Oldfield's classic 1973 debut album "Tubular Bells" being played regularly around our household as my father was quite a fan. I struggle with his third album "Ommadawn" a bit though with the two lengthy pieces traversing a real mixed bag of sounds & textures. The progressive rock of Oldfield's roots is further diluted with a Celtic new age sound that borders on the cheesy a bit too often for my taste while there are also traces of progressive electronic to be found here & there. I do quite enjoy "Ommadawn Part Two" but the slightly longer "Ommadawn Part One" is more challenging as its highlights are overpowered by its weaknesses, subsequently leaving me feeling like I'll perhaps never fully appreciate this record which was quite significant & highly regarded amongst the prog rock crowd of the mid-70's.

For fans of Alan Parsons, David Arkenstone & Jon Anderson.

3/5

S.I.C. - "Spastics Inflicting Carnage" demo (1989)

I've got some enjoyment out of everything this Melbourne four-piece have dished out with their two demo tapes slightly edging their only proper release in 1988's "Screaming in Churches" E.P. for their best work. S.I.C.'s second cassette "Spastics Inflicting Carnage" sees the boys returning with a different lineup to the one that produced the E.P. the previous year with original guitarist Mark (aka Katz) having stepped away & been replaced by Reuben Pinkster while original drummer Colin Bryne (aka Cog) is no longer in the fold with his place being filled by James Spirra. The new configuration has produced a fairly clean & accessible demo tape here with their sound sitting somewhere between hardcore punk & crossover thrash in a similar way to 1987's "Sick" cassette which is probably my favourite release from S.I.C. overall. The quality levels across the five songs are extremely consistent & I get enjoyment out of every song without ever really feeling fully committed. Therefore, I'd suggest that "Spastics Inflicting Carnage" is worth a listen but not essential in the grand scheme of Aussie crossover thrash.

For fans of Depression, Mass Confusion & Iron Sheiks.

3.5/5

Brutal Truth - "Need to Control" (1994) (

I picked up the 1992 "Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses" debut album from this popular New York deathgrind outfit upon release & really got into its superbly brutal & relentlessly savage attack on the senses so when I heard that Brutal Truth had released a follow-up I was straight down to the local record store to pick myself up a copy. "Need to Control" saw the four-piece act changing the ratio of death metal to grindcore a little bit with the death metal backed off a touch & the grindcore playing a stronger role. There's also a little more experimentation & variation than we heard on the debut with the slower, sludgier material being the strongest inclusions on the album. Guitarist Brent McCarty & bassist Dan Lilker (Anthrax/Exit-13/Holy Moses/Nuclear Assault/S.O.D./The Ravenous/Venomous Concept) combine beautifully with the riffs sounding tight & thick, buoyed by a very strong production job from Colin Richardson. The contribution of front man Kevin Sharp (Lock Up/Venomous Concept/Damaged/Winter) is outstanding too, particularly his more gutteral death metal moments. Incredible fast drummer Scott Lewis (Exit-13/Winter) had left the band after Brutal Truth's first record due to a reluctance to tour &, while his replacement Richard Hoak does an excellent job with the more hardcore based beats, his ability to play blast beats is extremely poor with each blast section sounding like a typewriter being thrown down a hill & it's this flaw that limits the success of "Need to Control" more than any other. He simply can't keep his kick drum in time with his arms which is further highlighted by the clickiness of the drum sound! Still... the consistency of the material is very good with no weak tracks included. Perhaps there aren't as many obvious classics as there were on "Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses" & I have to admit that the stronger death metal component of their first outing was always gonna be a little more appealing to me personally but I don't think that "Need to Control" is all that far behind its elder sibling these days, perhaps due to my having developed a much stronger taste for hardcore over the many years since. Both records should be essential listening for fans of the deathgrind hybrid & are all that needs exploring as far as Brutal Truth's back catalogue goes.

For fans of Napalm Death, Terrorizer & Pig Destroyer.

4/5

Here's my updated Top Ten Deathgrind Releases of All Time list:

01. Napalm Death - "Utopia Banished" (1992)

02. Cattle Decapitation - "Monolith of Inhumanity" (2012)

03. Brutal Truth - "Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses" (1992)

04. Full of Hell - "Weeping Choirs" (2019)

05. Brutal Truth - "Need to Control" (1994)

06. Exhumed - "Dissecting the Caseated Omentum" demo (1992)

07. Lock Up - "Necropolis Transparent" (2011)

08. Cephalic Carnage - "Misled by Certainty" (2010)

09. Damaged - "Passive Backseat Demon Engines" E.P. (1995)

10. Napalm Death - "Harmony Corruption" (1990)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/223

Metanoia - "Demo" demo (1990)

The debut release from a Christian heavy metal band that was based in the far north Queensland city of Townsville & would go on to mutate into a death metal act over the coming years. You'll find speed metal influences tossed into the mix quite regularly & there is some talent to be found in the instrumentation (particularly in the lead guitar work) but the demo-quality production doesn't do it any favours & frontman Steve Bennett struggles with his higher register. The preachy lyrics are also pretty naff so I'm afraid this old cassette doesn't do very much for me these days.

For fans of Bloodgood, Nothing Sacred & Lightforce.

2.5/5

Stephen Sondheim - "Sunday in the Park with George" soundtrack (1984)

A pretty decent soundtrack to the popular Broadway musical that's centered around classically orchestrated show tunes. The two female leads are stunningly talented & the storyline is intriguing so, while this isn't usually the sort of thing I'd go for, I've found the song-writing to dig its teeth in enough to keep me on my toes throughout.

For fans of Patti LuPone, Andrew Lloyd Webber & Leonard Bernstein.

3.5/5

Gorgoroth - "Pentagram" (1994)

I was a big fan of the debut album from this Norwegian black metal four-piece when it first hit the streets. I picked it up through the tape trading scene at the height of the Second Wave boom & thoroughly enjoyed it. I particularly recall having my face seared off by Hat's vocals which are the clear point of difference for "Pentagram". His tone is super-abrasive yet takes a higher register approach than other black metal front men &, while I can certainly see why he's a divisive character, I tend to sit on the side of the fence that thinks he adds something a little different to Gorgoroth's sound. And he needed to too as the instrumentation on offer doesn't bring anything new to the table whatsoever. In fact, the Mayhem worship that's presented here is quite blatant at times. The riffs structures are fairly simple & you can see why drummer Goatpervertor (Trelldom) only lasted one release as he's not really up to the standard of most of his extreme metal peers. There's something great about early Gorgoroth too though. It's the black metal for black metal's sake passion they exude that I find appealing. Even when they veer from the path I'd prefer they stick to, I can't help but buy into the authenticity of their mission & that allows them to take more of a hold on my affection than they have any right to on paper. It's easy to see why "Pentagram" is still their most well-known record as it's one of Gorgoroth's stronger efforts in my opinion. That should hardly be surprising given the presence of such prestigious black metal royalty as guitarist Infernus (Borknagar/Orcustus) & bassist Samoth (Emperor/Scum/The Wretched End/Arcturus/Satyricon/Thou Shalt Suffer/Zyklon/Zyklon-B) though.

For fans of Mayhem, Darkthrone & Marduk.

4/5

Ben, please add Ved Buens Ende.....'s 1994 "Those Who Caress the Pale" release.

I don't know. When I feel like it. Perhaps a please, or some other sign of gratitude?

Looks like a pretty clear "please" in my request there Ben. Or were you perhaps expecting capital letters?

Ben, please add Ved Buens Ende.....'s 1994 "Those Who Caress the Pale" release.

It's considered a demo (see Metal Archives), albeit an important one. I've always planned to start adding demos that have CD or vinyl versions at some point, so this one will definitely fit that bill.

Will add to the list for next week.

When will this be happening Ben?

Ultimatum - "Let the Missiles Fly" demo (1990)

The first of two demo tapes from a Perth-based metal band that existed between 1989 & 1992. The sound that Ultimatum are pushing here sits somewhere between thrash metal & heavy metal & would likely have been labelled as US power metal had the band been American. It benefits from a more than decent production job for a demo of the time. The vocals of bass player Simon Watson aren't the strongest you'll find but they certainly have a snot-nosed charisma to them, often reminding me of Megadeth mastermind Dave Mustaine. The six songs on offer all possess a certain charm & sit largely at the same quality level, being enjoyable enough to maintain my attention but rarely seeing my blood really pumping. Consequentially, I find this cassette to be worth a listen or two but I can't see it being something that many would return to all that often.

For fans of Megadeth, Metal Church & Meliah Rage.

3.5/5

Apostasy - "Pulse of a Dying Race" demo (1990)

The first of two demo tapes from this Sydney death metal band who ended up on the same label that distributed the second Neuropath demo in Warhead Records. They're fronted by bassist David Colless who would later end up in prominent Sydney thrash metal acts Grungeon & Tribe Maelstrom while future Tscabeze guitarist Steve Sultana is also on show here. The instrumentation takes the straight-forward late 80's/early 90's US approach while the vocals sound a lot like Pungent Stench's Don Cochino. I don't mind this cassette, despite the production being nothing more than underground demo-quality. Most of the song-writing shows a clear understanding of the death metal aesthetic which I find appealing. Nothing life-changing of course but enough to provide me with some of the inspiration to create my own band back in my youth.

For fans of Massacre, 80's Death & early Pungent Stench.

3.5/5

Merciless - "Unbound" (1994)

The third full-length from these Swedes sees them returning with a slightly more polished & melodic sound than the one they'd built their early reputation on. The claims for "Unbound" being a melodic death metal record are overstated though as there are really only a couple of tracks that fully qualify for that subgenre with the rest of the material fitting much better under the death/thrash tag. Perhaps the fact that Rogga Pettersson's vocals sit somewhere between Carcass' "Jeff Walker & At the Gates' Tomas Lindberg is partially responsible for those links but the rest of the music is admittedly a little more tame than a record like 1990's excellent "The Awakening" debut. Interestingly, I find the opening title track to be the least interesting inclusion as it's generally thought to be the highlight but is a little too melodic for my taste. I quite liked "Unbound" back in my tape trading days & that hasn't changed but I'm not sure I can see myself returning to it too often in the future.

For fans of Protector, Massacra & Grotesque.

3.5/5

We’ve already featured this album Sonny so you might wanna go for something else.

This comfy favourite has finally packed it in this week with the holes getting too big to be manageable any longer. Farewell old friend. I'll see you in Valhalla.

White Trash - "Feel Free to Say..." demo (1990)

A Sydney thrash metal band formed by drummer Wayne Campbell (Grungeon/Baltak) after leaving Mortal Sin where he played on classic Aussie metal records like "Mayhemic Destruction" & "Face of Despair". "Feel Free to Say..." also features future Mortal Sin guitarist Troy Scerri interestingly enough. White Trash's sound was built around a backbone that was drawn from Steve Souza-era Exodus but which added a few more adventurous influences for added interest. The band can all play really well & the song structures are tight & professionally executed. Front man Brendan Grimes does a pretty reasonable job too. It's only the demo-quality production job that caps the appeal of a release like this one with all six songs being worth a listen. Wayne is a bit of an icon of the Sydney metal scene & I knew him back in my Neuropath days as he used to book us for shows at the Enfield Boulevard Hotel which was the location of what I consider to be our most successful headline gig. Sadly, he hasn't been seen for almost three years now after going missing while walking near his home. He was always a larger than life character who didn't mind a drink & could be a bit divisive at times but I really hope that he turns up shortly, if only for his family's peace of mind.

For fans of Exodus, Mortal Sin & Grungeon.

3.5/5

Mercyful Fate - "The Bell Witch" E.P. (1994)

I had this six-song E.P. bolted onto another Mercyful Fate release I purchased back in the day. It includes two studio tracks taken from the "In the Shadows" comeback album from the previous year as well as four live cuts from an October 1993 show in Los Angeles. I've never liked the title track much but the rest of the material is pretty enjoyable, particularly the live version of "Egypt" was is excellent & is my clear release highlight. The live version of "Come to the Sabbath" is superior to the album version in my opinion while "Curse of the Pharaohs" is a little less effective than its album counterpart. I wouldn't say that this is an essential Fate release as it doesn't match their early works but I'd certainly take it over any of their other 90's releases so it's probably worth giving a couple of listens if you're a fan, even though it doesn't bring anything new to the table. It does have Hank Shermann & Michael Denner's stunning lead guitar work & Snowy Shaw's rock-solid drumming in full effect so that alone should be a drawcard for many heavy metal nuts.

For fans of King Diamond, In Solitude & Attic.

3.5/5

Rothgar - "Where Chaos Reigns" demo (1990)

The first of three demo tapes from this Perth-based four-piece who are generally known as a thrash metal act. Their debut effort is much more in line with the US power metal scene though with the lengthy 44-minute run time being comprised of an impressively consistent eight song showcase. The band make strong reference to their heavy metal upbringing during a couple of slower numbers in "Dark Passion" (the only weaker track in my opinion) & "On the Run" while opener "The Passion Behind the Throne" is an up-tempo speed metal affair. I enjoy the vocals of guitarist Andrew Day as well as the expansive arrangements which defy the short lifespan of the band who had only been around for a year by this stage. Closer "Season's End" is probably the thrashiest inclusion & (perhaps inevitably) has comfortably become my favourite song here. I may not be the biggest power metal fan but I can certainly get onboard with this material which is worth a few listens for our The Guardians faithful.

For fans of Iron Maiden, Nothing Sacred & Taramis.

3.5/5

Amorphis - "Black Winter Day" E.P. (1994)

A four-song E.P. that was released four months after the Fins' highly celebrated 1994 sophomore album "Tales from the Thousand Lakes" & was clearly taken from the same sessions. The title track was one of the highlights from the album & is the clear standout here two with the other three previously unreleased pieces all playing more of a supporting role. I quite like the short "Folk of the North" as well as the doomy "Moon & Sun". Closer "Moon & Sun Part II: North's Son" doesn't do a lot for me though as it errs a little too far over towards the melodic side of Amorphis' sound. There's a fair bit of doom/death here as was the case with a lot of their early material & it's those parts that make for the more compelling material. If you're into the full-length then you'll probably want to give this release a couple of listens too as they kinda go hand in hand.

For fans of Barren Earth, Paradise Lost & Sentenced.

3.5/5

Exceed - "Deranged Hallucination" demo (1990)

The first of two demo tapes from this short-lived Canberra-based thrash metal act that features future Alchemist bassist Alchemist & whose sound owes more to the down-tuned darkness of Celtic Frost than it does to the Americans. Front man Andrew Norris' tone sounds like a less-whiny "So Far, So Good... So What!"-era Dave Mustaine while "Doubled Existence" hints at "Bleach"-period Nirvana more than it does thrash but it's an anomaly with the other three songs sitting in the thrash space & also being noticeably stronger. I don't mind this cassette for something a little different.

For fans of Celtic Frost, Obituary & Megadeth.

3.5/5

Fripp & Eno - "(No Pussyfooting)" (1973)

The first of four full-length collaborations between King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp & Roxy Music keyboardist & ambient music legend Brian Eno. It comprises of two lengthy pieces, both around the twenty minute mark. Fripp's contribution comes in the form of extended jazz fusion improvisations which present the listener with an element of danger given that he takes plenty of melodic risks, often straying in terms of key but ultimately coming across as more inventive than incompetent. Eno's accompaniments were pretty groundbreaking for the time. "The Heavenly Music Corporation" is a twenty-one minute drone piece while nineteen-minute closer "Swastika Girls" falls more into the tape music category given that it's built from a short tape loop that's repeated throughout the full length of the piece. Both are high-quality efforts that keep me well entertained throughout & have seen me returning to Fripp & Eno's debut a number of times over the years.

For fans of Brian Eno, Harold Budd & Cluster.

4/5

Klaus Schulze - "Cyborg" (1973)

The second album from this Berlin School pioneer sees Klaus expanding on the space ambient sound of his high-quality 1972 debut album "Irrlicht" by upping the spaciness with a more overtly synth-heavy feel that borders on progressive electronic music a lot of the time. "Cyborg" comes in a similar one-track-per-side double album format to Tangerine Dream's wonderful "Zeit" release from the previous year & pulls it all off amazingly well, even managing to upstage his German peer's classic effort to become the finest example of the ambient sound the world had heard to the time. The second sides of both discs is simply incredible, particularly "Conphära" which sits amongst the most imposing pieces of electronic music ever recorded. "Cyborg" is nothing short of a triumph & should rightfully sit alongside the greats of the genre, particularly the space ambient subset. In fact, I've had to find space to include it in my Top Ten Ambient Releases of All Time this week (see below).

For fans of Tangerine Dream, Edgar Froese & Ashra.

4.5/5

01. Biosphere – “Substrata” (1997)

02. Robert Rich – “Somnium” (2001)

03. Steve Roach – “Mystic Chords & Sacred Spaces” (2003)

04. Brian Eno – “Ambient 1: Music for Airports” (1978)

05. Stars of the Lid – “The Tired Sounds of” (2001)

06. Stars of the Lid – “And Their Refinement of the Decline” (2007)

07. Steve Roach – “Structures from Silence” (1984)

08. A Winged Victory For The Sullen – “A Winged Victory for the Sullen” (2011)

09. Klaus Schulze - "Cyborg" (1973)

10. Gas – “Pop” (2000)

Satyricon - "The Shadowthrone" (1994)

I picked the Norwegian black metal trios sophomore album up on CD shortly after release & really enjoyed it, despite never overcoming the feeling that Satyricon ascend out of the second-tier. The folk influence that perpetuated the band's debut album "Dark Medieval Times" is less prominent here while "The Shadowthrone" is a little more grim & abrasive. The symphonic element proves itself to be a valuable asset at times, without ever feeling like touching on full-fledged symphonic black metal. I really love Satyr's vocal contribution which is the epitome of what a black metal front man should be & tends to carry the record while the instrumentation is a touch inconsistent with quite a few disappointing sections scattered across the tracklisting. "Vikingland" & "I en svart kiste" are both pretty substandard while album highlight "Dominions of Satyricon" is some of Satyricon's best work & compliments a trio of solid inclusions to kick off the album. Ben's review indicates that there's a big Viking metal component included but I wouldn't go that far. I think the sections he's referring to are simply poorly executed black metal that contains structural similarities to Isengard's groovy beer-swilling moments. This is one of the reasons that I prefer "Dark Medieval Times" over "The Shadowthrone" but there's not all that much between them when viewed holistically so I'd still recommend Satyricon's second album to all of our The North members.

For fans of Taake, Emperor & Darkthrone.

4/5

The Currumbin Chill Council playlist is now up to volume 8, each representing a two-hour blend of timeless chillout music from the classic era of the genre.

https://open.spotify.com/user/31btv5smkocl5bpiep3h46rfsjcy?si=250d2bcf8ce247dc

Those sort of situations are never smooth sailing so I really hope things work out as pain-free as possible for both of you.

I don't think Budgie were ever a metal band, at least they weren't on the releases I've heard from them which equates to the first four full-lengths & 1980's "If Swallowed, Do Not Induce Vomiting" & "Power Supply" records. They did throw in the odd metal track here & there but no more than other artists like Deep Purple, Randy Holden, Flower Travellin' Band, Lucifer's Friend or Sir Lord Baltimore did at the time. None of those one-off metal songs appear on the debut either as it predominantly stays in hard/stoner/blues rock territory throughout. I know I've said it before but I honestly doubt that anyone would talk about Budgie in terms of metal if not for Metallica having covered a number of their songs.

I'm gonna disagree on Cirith Ungol's "King of the Dead". I think there's enough genuine doom on that record to justify a dual traditional doom metal/heavy metal tag as the three lengthier doom tracks make up more of the run time than the shorter heavy metal tunes do.

Have you considered the 1982 self-titled debut album from Germany's Warning Sonny? From memory, I described it as avant-garde doom metal when I last revisited it & it's much more well-known than a Nemesis or a Mercy too.

Speaking of Paul Chain, do you think Death SS have any skin in the game here? Me, I am not so sure, but am open to pursuasion.

I don't think so. I never considered a record like "Evil Metal" to have more than a doom influence. It's a heavy metal release as far as I'm concerned.

"Death Penalty" was no doubt an important record in the birth of the doom metal genre but I have to admit that I've never actually thought of it as a genuine doom release as it's not consistent in its focus on that sound so I think there are more faithful releases for a 101 session. "Friends of Hell" was closer to the mark in my opinion but obviously wasn't as strong a record so I'd be thinking more along the lines of artists like Candlemass, Pentagram (80's releases only), Trouble, Pagan Altar, Saint Vitus & Paul Chain for the early days of doom personally. Pagan Altar's self-titled was probably the earliest one of those but then there would have to be doubts about how many people had access to that record for the first decade & a half of its release as it existed only as an underground demo until its re-release in 1998. The Pentagram & Bedemon compilations are an interesting discussion point too because they're so often referenced as having been a major influence on the early doom scene yet I very much doubt that many people had access to that material until a couple of decades later, particularly Bedemon.

Spectral Birth - "Raze" demo (1990)

The excellent second & final demo tape from this Melbourne extreme thrash metal outfit. I quite liked 1987's "Sinful Dreams" demo tape (which they released under their earlier Incubus moniker) & 1988's "The Turbulence" cassette was also worth hearing. This time we see the duo taking things to the next level though by opting for a more traditional thrash metal sound rather than the blackened thrash of "Sinful Dreams" or the death/thrash of "The Turbulence". These five tracks sound a lot like the Teutonic scene, particularly Kreator who would appear to be the main influence here, & the end result is a balls-to-the-wall, aggressive thrash outing that should tick most of our The Pit members boxes. In fact, I'm gonna go so far as to say that I think "Raze" might be the best thing to come out of the Australian extreme metal scene to the time too which is really saying something. "Raze" sounds as fresh & incisive as it did the first time I heard it back in the early 1990's. It's a complex riff-fest with rhythmic & structural changes coming thick & fast but the song-writing always maintains cohesion due to the fact that main song-writer Laurie Ferdinands contributes all vocals, guitars & bass. Get on this one gents!

For fans of Kreator, Slayer & Agressor.

4/5

If we're gonna talk early doom metal & are including obscure demo tapes then I'm gonna throw out a few really underground ones:

Hammerhead (NWOBHM) - "1978 Demo" demo (1978)

Spitfire (SWE) - "Outer Space" demo (1978)

Tyrant (USA) - "1978 Rehearsal" demo (1978) [i.e. The band that spawned Saint Vitus]

Cannibal Corpse - "The Bleeding" (1994)

The Buffalo death metal legends fourth full-length album was their best to the time in my opinion. While Chris Barnes' vocals may not be as unintelligible & the instrumentation may not be quite as brutal as it was previously, the song-writing is more consistent & the quality of the riffs is spectacular. I still feel like drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz is still the weakest link here, particularly his blast beats which simply sound lacklustre a lot of the time, but the three axemen are devastating. I could probably do without Barnes' ill-conceived attempts at higher register screams as they sound pretty weak to my ears but "The Bleeding" is undeniably a high-quality death metal that doesn't try to be anything it's not & pulls it all off with the class that Cannibal Corpse have made their calling card over many decades now.

For fans of Deicide,  Cannabis Corpse & Monstrosity.

4/5

"Master of Reality" is generally referred to as Sabbath's doomiest record in my experience while "Vol. 4" is where they maximized their stoner side.

I don't think Sabbath have a release that's really a doom metal record as such but if I had to pick one then I'd probably go for "Paranoid" as both "Iron Man" & "Electric Funeral" present a suitably doomy sound. Each album had the odd doom metal track on it here & there but they also offered a number of other sounds too & the first four records are closer to stoner metal than doom in my opinion. I don't think Pentagram's 1970's material was doom metal either. In fact, I'd suggest that the majority of it isn't even metal. Bedemon's "Child of Darkness: From the Original Master Tapes" should qualify though, despite being somewhat of a hybrid with heavy psych. Pagan Altar's "The Time Lord" demo re-release E.P. is another one that documents the very early traditional doom metal sound.

For the earliest proper traditional doom metal releases, I'd be looking at records like Witchfinder General's "Soviet Invasion!" E.P. & Pagan Altar's self-titled album, both of which appeared in 1982.

Cromok - "Image of Purity" demo (1990)

The earliest demo recordings from an Australian thrash band that originated in Wollongong (a city that's located a couple of hours south of Sydney) & ended up relocating to Malaysia in 1991 where they continue on with their craft still to this day. This six-song affair is pretty well produced but is let down by some very limited drumming & fairly uninteresting guitar solos. I don't mind the Cromok sound though which presents Bay Area style thrash instrumentation underneath some grunty vocals that come more from a Teutonic angle. It's all largely forgettable stuff in the grand scheme of Aussie thrash though & Cromok seem to have a much stronger legacy in Malaysia these days.

For fans of Mortal Sin, Darkness & Exodus.

3/5

Phlebotomized - "Immense Intense Suspense" (1994)

I picked this unusual Dutch debut full-length up through the tape trading scene after hearing the outstanding album highlight "Dubbed Forswearer" on a compilation record back in the mid-1990's & found it to be pretty decent. Phlebotomized were a seven-piece band that championed a symphonic death metal sound complete with full-time keyboardist & violinist. They sound very much like a more up-tempo version of My Dying Bride here so I'd imagine that the Englishmen were a major influence. The production isn't amazing & neither is the majority of the song-writing but Phlebotomized have enough about them to keep me well & truly interested. Ben fucking loves this release so perhaps they'll offer more appeal to some of our more open-minded members of The Horde. Boy, that cover art is crap though, isn't it?

For fans of My Dying Bride, Pan.Thy.Monium & Disharmonic Orchestra.

3.5/5

Iron Lightning - "The Winds of Change" demo (1990)

I wasn't a fan of Brisbane thrash metallers Iron Lightning's 1989 demo "Don't Fear... the Darkness" & their second effort doesn't fare much better to be honest. The band members can play alright but the song-writing & vocals leave a fair bit to be desired. As with their earlier work, there's a classic heavy metal vibe to some of this material but I would have preferred it if they'd stuck with their higher velocity tempos as the shreddier tracks are a touch more palatable. Front man Max Valentine & bassist Mouse (also of blackened thrashers Spear of Longinus) were originally a part of speed metallers Black Widow who I got a little more out of than Iron Lightning but still don't rate particularly highly so my adopted state of Queensland would have to wait a little longer to receive a genuine contender in the extreme metal stakes. 

For fans of Metallica, Megadeth & Testament.

2.5/5

Ved Buens Ende..... - "Those Who Caress the Pale" demo (1994)

You know what? As much as I've always dug the highly regarded "Written in Waters" album from these Norwegians, I can't deny that I gravitate to this demo more. It's very well produced for a demo yet still showcases the band's incredible knack for creating beauty in dissonance, rarely feeling avant-garde & maintaining more of the classic Norwegian black metal ethos I love so much. "The Carrier of Wounds" is one of the greatest achievements in forward-thinking black metal & it alone pushes this five-song release up into the upper echilons of my rating system while the other four inclusions are invariably classy & intriguing too. There are a couple of songs that I'd suggest fall into the progressive metal space but it's not enough to qualify for The Infinite in my opinion though.

For fans of Dødheimsgard, Fleurety & Code.

4.5/5

Alchemist - "Demo '90" (1990)

This is the best of the three Alchemist demo tapes in my opinion, closely followed by 1987's "Eternal Wedlock" tape. Alchemist were still a progressive thrash metal act at this stage although there are clear avant-garde & death metal leaning on show at times that hint at the Canberra four-piece's future. All four songs are worth hearing with the title track from their 1993 debut album "Jar of Kingdom" being presented in a similar format to the one we'd hear three years later. The vocal duties have been taken over by band leader & guitarist Adam Agius (The Levitation Hex) but still take more of a clean thrash direction than the grunty death metal one he'd adopt shortly afterwards. The rest of the lineup is completely different to the one we heard on "Eternal Wedlock" with short-lived second guitarist Andrew Meredith & bassist James Preece having joined the fold for this recording as well as iconic long-time drummer Rodney Holder. This cassette isn't likely to become a permanent fixture in your collection but I think that most members of The Pit & The Infinite will find it interesting nonetheless as the ambition is certainly there along with a reasonable amount of musical prowess for such a fresh-faced group of young dudes.

For fans of Voivod, Atheist & Alarum.

3.5/5

Ben, please add Ved Buens Ende.....'s 1994 "Those Who Caress the Pale" release.

Carcass - "The Heartwork E.P." E.P. (1994)

This three-song single is taken from the "Heartwork" recording sessions & includes the popular title track as well as two unreleased songs. I've gotta be honest with you, as much as I enjoy the "Heartwork" album the much loved title song is comfortably my least favoured inclusion on it, despite the fact that it's still a fairly decent listen, so I've never gotten too excited about this E.P., particularly given the fact that the other two tracks provide a sneak peak into the death 'n' roll experimentations that Carcass would undertake on their highly divisive 1996 fifth album "Swansong". Admittedly "This Is Your Life" is pretty enjoyable but groovier closer "Rot 'n' Roll" does very little for me. Overall, you can expect to hear a more stripped back Carcass sound that could easily be labelled as melodic death 'n' roll with the vocals of Jeff Walker & the guitar solos of Bill Stear being relied upon to do all of the heavy lifting. It's an inessential release from a band that was still very much in their prime at that particular point in time so I've always found it to be a touch disappointing even though I inevitably come away from it feeling predominantly positive.

For fans of Helltrain, At the Gates & Arch Enemy.

3.5/5

Martire - "Demo 1990" (1990)

The second demo from this seminal Adelaide extreme metal crew & a damn fine one it is too. I enjoyed Martire's 1988 "Demo 1" tape quite a bit but this one is definitely a step up from that one. In fact, I'm actually finding that I enjoy it significantly more than the band's self-titled 1991 E.P. which is generally regarded as Martire's calling card too. It's a short two-song, seven-minute affair with the lengthier opener "The Eldritch" being an early example of a Celtic Frost-inspired doom/death sound & faster & more aggressive closer "Peace Keeper" being a thrashy black metal burner. This is all high quality stuff that's full of the sort of chaos & blasphemy that I look for in an underground demo.

For fans of Abominator, Spear of Longinus & Mongrel's Cross.

4/5

Sonny, you'll wanna check this one out as it's somewhat of an underground gem in my opinion.

Meshuggah - "None" E.P. (1994)

This five-track E.P. not only marks the point where these Swedes started to find their signature sound but it also represents the birth of the djent subgenre. I'd gotten a fair bit of enjoyment out of Meshuggah's 1991 debut album "Contradictions Collapse" but had never heard anything like "None" at the time & it subsequently sealed the deal for me with this band who have stuck with me ever since. There are a few more external influences on display here than we'd see on some of their later material which was more finely honed. You can easily pick up sections that harness groove metal, progressive metal ("Ritual") & industrial metal ("Aztec Two-Step") but the dominant component is the heavy reliance on rhythmic, atonal bottom-string chugging built around some seriously complex time signatures. All five songs are really solid but there's not any genuinely classic Meshuggah material on offer here so I don't feel that too many punters will be tempted to claim "None" as a lost masterpiece, even if it should be essential listening for all djent nuts.

For fans of Fredrik Thordendal's Special Defects, Gojira & Strapping Young Lad.

4/5

I would have to agree, particularly given the fact that I've had no power in my home for the last four days. The only solace I've had was to play pre-downloaded music through a battery-powered bluetooth device while I tried to keep my three young daughters entertained with zero assistance when it was unsafe to leave the house. It's really made me value to role that music plays in my life as it's simply essential.

So, we survived the cyclone but not without the threat of water infiltrating our home & the loss of power, internet & hot water to our home for four days. It's gonna keep raining for the rest of the week so the clean-up job will have to wait until the weekend. I'm just happy to have power back so that I can type this message as you don't know how reliant you are on technology until you no longer have it available to you.

Redeemer - "The Light is Struck..." (1990)

This is a one-off album from a little-known female-fronted Sydney band whose sound sits right in the middle between US power metal & thrash metal & is influenced by records like Judas Priest's "Painkiller" & Savatage's "Sirens". It's all pretty good metal-as-fuck stuff too, particularly the shredding guitar solos. I dunno what happened to Redeemer after this but it's a shame that they didn't go on to bigger & better things as there's definitely some potential here, despite the cheesy folk metal style cover artwork.

For fans of Vicious Rumors, Helstar & Enticer (AUS).

3.5/5

Rollins Band - "Weight" (1994)

The follow-up to the 1992's wonderful "The End of Silence" album which was a massive record for me personally. I saw Rollins Band live on both tours & have always felt that "Weight" was a rock-solid effort that further solidified Henry Rollins' credentials as a premium heavy music front man. The claims of this release championing funk metal or jazz metal vibes are drastically overstated, predominantly off the back of new bass player Melvin Gibbs' diverse musical background. This is another chunky slab of Black Sabbath-inspired alternative metal performed by quality musicians with excellent production & potent social messaging throughout. You can pick up the influence of stoner outfits like Sleep at times & I've recently had that confirmed while reading interviews with the band. While it may not reach the lofty heights of its predecessor, "Weight" is a damn fine record in its own right.

For fans of Black Flag, Helmet & Fugazi.

4/5