Daniel's Forum Replies
We got through the night without water breaching our sandbags which is a great relief while the cyclone has now been downgraded to a category 1 which means that the wind speeds are now slightly reduced. Last night was hectic though so my wife & I barricaded ourselves in the downstairs spare bedroom for the night for safety reasons. Things are pretty calm right now but the cyclone is hitting land for the first time right now so there's still a long way to go yet with enormous volumes of rain expected over the weekend.
The Moody Blues - "Days of Future Passed" (1967)
The seriously ambitious sophomore album from this Birmingham outfit who started out as a rhythm & blues cover band but, through a quick succession of lineup changes & stylistic decisions, ended up producing this epic progressive/baroque pop concept-based album that's intended to document a day in the life of your everyday person. Many people have claimed "Days of Future Passed" as the release that first brought prog rock to the world's attention but I would argue that it's not actually a rock record at all & is much more closely aligned with pop music. The production job is spectacular with The London Festival Orchestra being wonderfully presented in the mix. In fact, producer Tony Clarke might as well have been a member of the band at this point given the importance of the role he plays in The Moody Blues' sound. The influence of The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is as clear as day & the two go hand in hand given that both were released in the same calendar year. The A side is OK but it's been the excellent B side that has stuck with me all these years since my father would play this album in our household when Ben & I were kids. It's no surprise that I'm gonna claim closer "The Night: Nights in White Satin" as the clear highlight either as it's undoubtably one of the greatest pieces of music ever written but I also really dig "The Afternoon: Forever Afternoon (Tuesday?): (Evening) Time to Get Away." & "Evening: The Sun Set: Twilight Time" which combine to see this record sneaking up on me after the first half tends to wash over me without making as significant an impact.
For fans of The Beatles, Yes & Procol Harum.
4/5
The cyclone has apparently slowed in its trajectory towards land so it is now estimated to hit us at around 4 AM on Saturday morning. Conditions are already pretty terrible. We had no power last night while it's poured rain with howling winds for at least the last twelve hours. It's a miracle that water hasn't gotten in thus far but it's a good sign that maybe we'll get lucky & the angles will play to our advantage. One things for sure though, the sandbags & tarpolines we've put up to try to stop the water from entering won't do much if nature decides it's gonna cause us more problems than that over the weekend. With that in mind, we're preparing as if it's a forgone conclusion that we'll have water in our house at some stage.
Black Widow - "See Our Evil, Hear Our Evil, Speak Our Evil" demo (1985)
A one-off demo tape from a particularly underground Brisbane-based act that are often referred to as being one of the earliest Aussie thrash metal acts but who, in reality, were actually speed metal band with heavy metal influences. The production job on this six-song cassette is really good for the time but the song-writing & vocals aren't strong enough to make it worth tracking down in my opinion. Interestingly, vocalist/guitarist Kevin Dreise would go on to form thrashers Iron Lightning while drummer Darryl MacDonald would find himself with heavy/glam metal act Vice during the late 80's.
For fans of Alice Cooper, Motorhead & Venom.
3/5
Alfred is expected to hit somewhere between Brisbane & the Gold Coast as a category 2 cyclone (potentially bordering on a 3) in just under 24 hours. Both cities have been completely shut down for today & tomorrow & we've been warned to stay in our homes for the two-day period with the expectation of widespread flooding, power & internet outages & winds of up to 160 km/hr. It's all very exciting but I can't say that I'm looking forward to the flooding that will inevitably take place at the front of my house. I've got sandbags built up to give us a bit of protection but I don't think it'll be enough if I'm being honest.
Marduk - "Opus Nocturne" (1994)
I've always found this to be one of the Swedish black metal establishments better records. It works as somewhat of a transition album between the more measured & melodic "Those of the Unlight" & the relentless blastfests that were to come over the coming years in that it offers a piece of both worlds. The black metal atmosphere is certainly here in spades & there are no weak tracks included however there are a couple of things that prevent "Opus Nocturne" from reaching the top tier. Firstly, there's nothing original about this material that you haven't heard many times before, even back at the time of release. And secondly, drummer Fredrik Andersson (Allegiance/Triumphator) was still yet to fully develop his skill set & contributes a sloppy & fairly repetitive performance here with his blast beat often struggling for timing. Still... vocalist Jocke Göthberg (Cardinal Sin/Darkified/Dimension Zero) sounds vicious & evil with his tone being similar to Emperor's Ihsahn while the instrumentation shows a clear understanding of what made black metal so great at the time. While it may not have topped "Those of the Unlight", "Opus Nocturne" should really be in every dedicated black metallers collection & showcases just how far the Swedes had come since releases like their 1992 debut album "Dark Endless" or their 1991 "Fuck Me Jesus" demo.
For fans of Dark Funeral, 1349 & Funeral Mist.
4/5
Wilhelm Kempff - "Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 14, Moonlight" (1925)
A very well executed piano sonata from a gifted German musician. The first of the three parts is particularly enjoyable with its darker & more stripped back feel appealing to my taste a touch more than the more melodic or extravagant arrangements. The second part doesn't do a lot for me but I've always enjoyed the great classical pieces from a musical perspective & this one certainly ticks those boxes.
For fans of Emil Gilels, Daniel Barenboim & Glenn Gould
3.5/5
The Upsetters - "Upsetters 14 Dub Black Board Jungle" (1973)
The record that pretty much put the dub subgenre on the reggae map. It's quite minimal & is almost entirely instrumental but is generally enjoyable throughout. The production job is super-raw though with the balance all outta whack. It's lucky that I really dig deep, trance-inducing beats & bass, isn't it? The dirty, DIY vibe only adds to the atmosphere in my opinion.
For fans of Lee "Scratch" Perry, King Tubby & Augustus Pablo.
3.5/5
Preparing to take a direct hit from Cyclone Alfred.
Mass Confusion - "Confusion Intrusion" (1990)
The only album from this Melbourne thrash metal outfit whose 1988 "Rolling in Stitches" demo tape I revisited in recent months. It's a pretty good effort too although I think I slightly prefer the demo as there are a few obvious duds included amongst the higher quality material here. This is more of a conventional thrash release than the crossover thrash of the demo tape. The gnarly vocals of front man Darren Walsh remind me very much of Nuclear Assault's John Connelly & are highly effective while a lot of the riffage brings to mind Steve Souza-era Exodus which can't be a bad thing. You may know bassist Phil Gresik from his time with Bestial Warlust, Deströyer 666 & Hobbs Angel of Death while drummer Chris Phillips spent some time with Tyrus & Depression. I'm not gonna suggest that "Confusion Intrusion" is in any way essential but it's not a bad Aussie thrash record nonetheless.
For fans of Nuclear Assault, Exodus & Vio-lence.
3.5/5
Ben, please add Aussie thrashers Redeemer.
Etta James - "At Last!" (1960)
I gave this oldie a crack for something smooth to listen to with the wife & kids while we did puzzles on the floor on a lazy Sunday afternoon & it fit the bill fairly well. I do think that there are three or four flat numbers spread across the tracklisting but the majority is pretty entertaining, particularly the few genuine highlight tracks in "Sunday Kind of Love", "Stormy Weather" & the infamous title track.
For fans of Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone & Otis Redding.
3.5/5
Fange - "Purulences" [French industrial sludge metal]
Ministry - "The Squirrely Years Revisited" [Chicago industrial metal]
Hirax - "Faster Than Death" [California speed/thrash metal]
Warbringer - "Wrath & Ruin" [Californian thrash metal]
Borgne - "Renaître de ses fanges" [Swiss black metal]
Cradle of Filth - "The Screaming of the Valkyries" [English symphonic black metal]
Deafheaven - "Lonely People With Power" [San Francisco blackgaze]
Drudkh - "Shadow Play" [Ukranian atmospheric black metal]
Magogaio/Sadness - Split album [English/Mexican blackgaze]
Trhä - "∫um'ad∂ejja ∫ervaj" [Mexican atmospheric black metal]
Trhä - "∫um'ad∂ejja mºoravaj" [Mexican atmospheric black metal]
Trhä - "ducel ëf ∂acet'asde§ den alëcaáhabna ë∫ igatenamëc. já sjaboj. já qá§mëna. ëmat'alsob nimëde eh enΩëcunnab nipi¶e" [Mexican atmospheric black metal]
Sadist - "Something to Pierce" [Italian progressive/technical death metal]
Sarmat - "Upgrade" E.P. [New York avant-garde/technical death metal]
Spiritbox - "Tsunami Sea" [Canadian alternative metal]
Intensive Care & The Body - "Was I Good Enough?" [Canadian industrial/sludge meets Arizona drone/sludge]
Rwake - "The Return of Magik" [Arizona sludge metal]
Amenra - "De Toorn" E.P. [Belgian post-sludge metal]
Amenra - "With Fang & Claw" [Belgian post-sludge metal]
The Misfits - "Bullet" E.P. (1978)
I've quite enjoyed the debut release from New Jersey horror punks Misfits this week. It's a short, four-song, seven-minute stomp that doesn't fuck around & holds nothing back. Glenn Danzig is already in full flight but I don't think this can be regarded as horror punk or hardcore punk just yet. The lyrical themes aren't horror based (I guess "We Are 138" could be argued to be sci-fi based but it's only one song out of four) & I'd suggest that only the title track is aggressive enough to qualify as hardcore so I'm gonna have to suggest that we're still playing predominantly in the traditional punk rock space. There's no doubt that this E.P. has got a truckload of energy & adrenaline though & I was pretty close to dishing out a fourth star to be honest.
For fans of Black Flag, Minor Threat & Dead Kennedys.
3.5/5
The Mothers of Invention - "Freak Out!" (1966)
This was an incredibly ambitious way to start a recording career, particularly as it was a double album, the first example of someone releasing a double album as their debut record actually. You really have to enjoy tongue-in-cheek music if you're gonna get into this stuff & that's never really been me. I love my psychedelics, of course, & there is a fair chunk of that here but it's often intertwined with intentionally random silliness which I struggle with. Things descend at a very rapid rate through the back end of the release too with "It Can't Happen Here" & twelve-minute closer "The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet" offering very little in the way of musical merit, instead looking to dick with people's heads in a nonsensical fashion. It all ends up amounting to a record that feels more notorious & seminal than it is enjoyable. I can't deny the influence that "Freak Out!" had on the more important artists in the world at the time though (see Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, etc.).
For fans of Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart & Soft Machine.
2.5/5
8. Frank Zappa
Genres: Exp. Rock, Jazz-Rock, Jazz Fusion, Comedy Rock
When I was first getting into albums, Freak Out was my first venture into experimental rock, and I loved every effed-up second of it. That raw level of boldness in Zappa's music is justified by his absurd personality. The guy knows how to write what's potentially the worst music on Earth, and make it more fun than a drunken night out on the town. And why? Why did we need Zappa? Simple. Sometimes, we just need to let loose.
Freak Out!: 100
Hot Rats: 100
Apostrophe: 100
Over-Nite-Sensation: 99
Joe's Garage, Act I: 97
Score: 99.2 / 5
Staying Score: 100
Didn't you say that you were separating Frank Zappa's solo work from the Mothers of Invention releases Rex? "Freak Out!" was the debut album from the Mothers & I'm pretty sure that "Over-Nite Sensation" is also considered to be a Mothers release.
Here's my adjusted Top Ten Crossover Thrash Releases of All Time list after really enjoying this week's revisit of the 1990 debut album from Adelaide punks Iron Sheiks with Ratos de Parao's "Brasil" album being the unlucky record to drop out. It's great to see such a strong Aussie component here. I'll update the list once the band are added to the Academy database.
01. Slaughter - "Surrender Or Die" demo (1985)
02. S.O.D. – “Speak English or Die” (1985)
03. Depression - "Thrash Till Death: Studio Tapes" (1988)
04. Depression - "Australia, Australia" E.P. (1985)
05. Agnostic Front – “Cause For Alarm” (1986)
06. Iron Sheiks - "Do You Fancy Me?" (1990)
07. Depression - "Ultra Hard Core Mega Heavy Punk Metal Thrash" (1987)
08. Cryptic Slaughter – “Convicted” (1986)
09. The Accused – “The Return Of… Martha Splatterhead” (1986)
10. Agnostic Front – “Liberty & Justice For…” (1987)
https://metal.academy/lists/single/174
The 3rd & the Mortal - "Tears Laid in Earth" (1994)
Another absolute classic from this astoundingly talented Norwegian progressive doom metal six-piece who now hold two places in my Top 100 Metal Releases of All Time after this week's revisit to their debut album which I bought on CD at the time of release. It's perhaps not quite as consistently transcendent as the "Sorrow" E.P. I revisited a few days ago but it still holds the ability to take me to the most lush & ethereal locations on the planet through its intelligent use of a triple-pronged guitar attack & stunning soprano vocals. "Tears Laid in Earth" is about as atmospheric as doom metal gets with a clear gothic influence & a noticeable ethereal wave component both going down a treat. The existing reviews & ratings for this release on the Metal Academy database are really pretty hard to fathom as this is a wonderful & massively underrated record.
For fans of The Gathering, Madder Mortem & Trees of Eternity.
4.5/5
Here's my adjusted Top Ten Doom Metal Releases of All Time list after finally getting around to properly scoring both of these records:
01. Pig Destroyer - "Natasha" E.P. (2008)
02. Ufomammut/Lento - "Supernaturals - Record One" (2007)
03. The 3rd & the Mortal - "Sorrow" E.P. (1994)
04. Celtic Frost - "Monotheist" (2006)
05. The 3rd & the Mortal - "Tears Laid in Earth" (1994)
06. Warning - "Watching From a Distance" (2006)
07. Anathema - "The Silent Enigma" (1995)
08. M.S.W. - "Obliviosus" (2020)
09. Electric Wizard - "We Live" (2004)
10. Cathedral - "In Memoriam" demo (1990)
https://metal.academy/lists/single/128
I've just received the below message from a user called MeaTTraY on RYM, calling me a Nazi and a racist (amongst other things) for the simple reason that I enjoy listening to Burzum. This is despite the fact that my review clearly states that I find the creator of the music to be an abominable human being. Honestly, I look forward to the time when humanity gets past this ridiculous black and white / us vs them thinking that seems to have taken over since social media became popular. Any individual should be able to call Rosemary's Baby a great movie, despite it's director being a convicted rapist / paedophile. To enjoy the works of H.P. Lovecraft without fear of being labelled a racist. I truly believe they will look back on this time and wonder how and why humanity suddenly lost its mind over the most ridiculous things.
"My response to your flooding Filosofem review:
Childish, Hateful Angst dressed as Art
You'll find stooges that write long-winded, fawning reviews of this trash but who claim to have no allegiance to his fascist ideology and Nazi philosophies.
Don't be fooled; you do not have to give this cretin his credit.
He is no musical genius. He is not clever, nor inventive. He is the perpetual edge-lord. The pinnacle of adolescent resentment and misplaced rage. He has produced the ultimate degenerated, degraded, Northern European variation of a Black American idiom, sapping it of all its swing, verve, and effervescence.
If you like indistinguishable distorted tremolo guitars, sloppy, muddy drums, sub-demo production, childish screeching, and aimless, rudimentary synthesiser compositions, then this is for you.
If you hate black people, immigrants, people of different religions, non-European cultures, groove, compelling harmony, and musical melody, then this is for you.
If you're the sort of person that claims not to be a Nazi but likes Nazi aesthetics, who is purportedly "nuanced" enough to seperate art from the artist, and who can't help saying things like, "At least Mussolini made the trains run on time", then this is for you.
Basically, if you're a piece of shit, this is an album for you."
Interesting. I didn't even know that mum HAD on RYM account.
Iron Sheiks - "Do You Fancy Me?" (1990)
This one-off album from an obscure crossover thrash outfit from the South Australian capital city of Adelaide has really impressed me with its dirty hardcore-driven production & violent tempos. The vocals are strong & there's a clear Motorhead influence to some of the material, particularly the two songs that bookend the ten tracks included. I really enjoy the speed metal-inspired moments which bring genuine energy to proceedings too. It might be a big call but I think I'm gonna have to find some space in my Top Ten Crossover Thrash Releases of All Time list for this one
Fo fans of Motorhead, Depression & S.I.C.
4/5
Ben, please add Adelaide crossover thrash outfit Iron Sheiks.
Yellow Magic Orchestra - "Yellow Magic Orchestra" (1978)
I've really struggled with the highly regarded debut album from this early Japanese synthpop outfit. Imagine Kraftwerk crossed with the sounds of early video games & cheap Japanese karaoke & you won't be far off the mark. It's far too cheesy for my taste & it was a major challenge to take it all seriously.
For fans of Kraftwerk, Yukihiro Takahashi & Haruomi Hosono.
2/5
The 3rd & the Mortal - "Sorrow" E.P. (1994)
The debut release from this talented, unique & inventive Norwegian progressive doom metal outfit is one of my all-time favourite records. There is a class to these four tracks that defies the short lifespan of the six-piece group with the unique three-guitar lineup providing for the beautiful layering of subtle melodic counterpoints. The soprano vocals of Kari Rueslåtten keep well clear of the cheesy gothicisms of her many copycats & I'd even go so far as to say that they're a genuine highlight of this outstanding record that sounds like no doom metal release you've ever heard before. It's got a soothing quality with the doom metal riffage being offset by gorgeous clean guitar arpeggios. In fact, this revisit has seen me having to find space for "Sorrow" amongst my Top 100 Metal Releases of All Time list, such has been its impact on me over the last couple of days, & I've very quickly found myself pulling out my "Tears Laid in Earth" CD for later in the week too.
For fans of The Gathering, Madder Mortem & Trees of Eternity.
5/5
Popol Vuh - "Hosianna Mantra" (1972)
The third full-length from this experimental German act & it sees them returning with a fresh new sound unlike anything the world had heard to the time. "Hosianna Mantra" saw Florian Fricke & co. replacing their groundbreaking electronic fascinations with a more organic neoclassical sound that really put new age music on the map. This is a deeply ambient record that soothes the soul with the soft vocals of South Korean Djong Yun providing a lovely counterpoint to the abstract musings of some highly inventive instrumentalists. I think this might be my favourite Popol Vuh record these days actually.
For fans of Masakatsu Takagi, Cicada & Toshifumi Hinata.
4/5
Napalm Death - "Fear, Emptiness, Despair" (1994)
The fifth full-length from the Liverpool grindcore legends is known as their major label experiment with the band adopting a new & groovier sound that did away with most of Napalm Death's grindcore roots for a groovier mid-paced sound that was inspired by artists like Helmet, Soundgarden & Sonic Youth. It really works for them too with front man Barney Greenway's death barks sounding as potent as they ever have over the top of the chunky riffage. I believe that this was Napalm Death's first album to not feature a single original member with three Americans now being present. I've generally regarded 1992's "Utopia Banished" as my favourite Napalm Death record up until that point but "Fear, Emptiness, Despair" isn't far behind its older sibling in terms of consistent appeal & is an underrated release in Napalm's highly regarded back catalogue.
For fans of Bolth Thrower, Benediction & Obituary.
4/5
Mortal Sin - "I Am Immortal" single (1990)
Another decent, if relatively uneventful, piece of Metallica worship from Australia's most well-known thrash export. Includes just the three tracks in the studio version of the title track plus two live songs recorded from a 1989 show at Sydney's Enmore Theatre. I would end up seeing Mortal Sin supporting Megadeth at the same venue a few years later actually in what was a pivotal gig for me at the time. This is all relatively simple stuff that's unanimously enjoyable but doesn't bring a lot to the table that you haven't heard a million times before.
For fans of Xentrix, Stone & Hobbs Angel of Death.
3.5/5
No need to worry about this one. Ben & I have no intention of incorporating something like this. It seems completely absurd to be adding artists to the US power metal genre when they're from Italy & equally ridiculous to NOT add an Italian artist to US power metal when they sound exactly like the US acts that make up the subgenre.
Various Artists - "Hadestown (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" (2019)
This two-hour musical soundtrack has really taken me by surprise & has brought something to my life that I'd forgotten ever existed in me. You see, it's full of the purest love & the rawest of tragedy which has really made me feel alive & appreciate those around me this week. The production & performances are utterly incredible with the main singers involved being some of the finest talents I've ever experienced in this format. As with any soundtrack release, there are some less impressive pieces included purely for the storyline however the main highlight tracks (& there are plenty of them) will stay with me forever given just how strong the hooks & arrangements are. I'm absolutely gagging to see this performed live now. American folk artist Anais Mitchell is a musical genius for having written this motherfucker.
For fans of Anais Mitchell, Jess Williamson & Nanci Griffith.
4/5
Acheron - "Eternal Suffering" demo (1990)
This four-song demo tape represents the earliest recordings from a Melbourne death metal band that would on to become the formidable Aussie extreme metal establishment Abramelin who were a significant influence on me & my own band Neuropath back in the early-to-mid 1990's. It takes a fairly standard approach to the genre & the primitive recording quality for a demo tape is quite evident but that doesn't detract from its appeal. The gutteral vocals of front man Simon Dower are a highlight along with the psychotic guitar solos of Tim Aldridge (diSEMBOWELMENT). These guys would certainly get better from here but in truth "Eternal Suffering" doesn't fall far behind a record like 1994's "Transgression From Acheron" E.P. as it achieves a suitably filthy death metal atmosphere. It's worth a few listens for Aussie death metal completists.
For fans of Abramelin, Invocation & Misery.
3.5/5
After revisiting all of the local demos of the 1980's that I used to have in my tape trading collection over the last few months, I've managed to put together a very accurate Top Ten Australian Extreme Metal Releases of the 1980's list that I feel might expose some people to a number of hidden gems because most of this stuff has flown completely under the radar of most international metal freaks. You'll notice that there's not a Mortal Sin record amongst them too which should tell you that there's some high-quality shit here:
01. Persecution - "Tortured Existence" demo (1989) [Death/thrash from Seaford, Victoria]
02. Nomenclature Diablerie - "888" demo (1988) [Sydney death metal]
03. Hobbs Angel of Death - "Angel of Death" demo (1987) [Melbourne thrash metal]
04. Bezerker - "Laugh at the Light" demo (1988) [Adelaide thrash metal]
05. Hobbs Angel of Death - "Virgin Metal Invasion from Down Under" demo (1988) [Melbourne thrash metal]
06. Depression - "Thrash Till Death: Studio Tapes" (1988) [Melbourne crossover thrash]
07. Addictive - "Pity of Man" (1989) [Sydney thrash metal]
08. Depression - "Australia, Australia" E.P. (1985) [Melbourne crossover thrash]
09. Depression - "Ultra Hard Core Mega Heavy Punk Metal Thrash" (1987) [Melbourne crossover thrash/hardcore punk]
10. Hobbs Angel of Death - "Hobbs Angel of Death" (1988) [Melbourne thrash metal]
At The Gates - "Terminal Spirit Disease" (1994)
The third full-length from the Swedish melodeath gods but, in reality, it was never intended it to be. The band wanted to release a six-song E.P. but their record label Peaceville decided to turn it into an album through the addition of three live cuts which are simply tacked onto the end. Despite that, it's still a very consistent record with no obvious weak spots but it lacks genuine highlights with only opening cut "The Swarm" standing out from the pack which makes this an inessential melodeath release. I certainly enjoy all of this material but have to admit that it doesn't tick as many of my musical boxes as At The Gates' previous material & certainly not their classic "Slaughter of the Soul" record from the following year (i.e. my all-time favourite melodic death metal release). The live inclusions are well-produced & executed & possess more of a classic death metal edge than the new material which has seen At The Gates hitting on a purer melodeath sound than they'd managed to achieve previously. That's probably been to the detriment of the album's appeal with someone like myself if I'm being honest though. I do enjoy Tomas Lindberg's raspy shrieks quite a bit but rarely feel like returning to "Terminal Spirit Disease", instead choosing "The Red in the Sky Is Ours", "Slaughter of the Soul" or the early demo tapes whenever I feel like revisiting At The Gates' 90's heyday.
For fans of Dark Tranquillity, In Flames & The Black Dahlia Murder.
3.5/5
The Tony Williams Lifetime - "Emergency!" (1969)
A side-project from various members of Miles Davis' early jazz fusion band with the legendary John McLaughlin on guitar who I've always been a massive fan of. The quality is a little inconsistent across the eight tracks with a couple of duds included (see "Beyond Games" & "Something Special") but there's comfortably enough high-quality material here to keep me interested, particularly when these guys decide to dig further into their more psychedelic, Hendrix-inspired side. McLaughlin absolutely rules, of course, & you can easily pick up some of the early ideas that would form Miles' excellent "Bitches Brew" double album the following year.
For fans of Miles Davis, Mahavishnu Orchestra & John McLaughlin.
3.5/5
Krucifior - "1989 Radio Air Play & Interview" demo (1989)
Quite possibly the worst example of music I can recall listening to. These 16-17 year-olds from Hobart in Tasmania produce a two-song demo tape that's essentially a recording of them being interviewed twice on local Hobart radio with two of their songs being played over the air. The sound quality & performances are absolutely abysmal! I mean this shit makes Beherit sound like Dream Theater so if that idea floats your boat then go right ahead & waste 15 minutes of your life in suffering through this shit.
For fans of Sore Throat, Napalm Death & Carcass.
0.5/5
Persecution - "Tortured Existence" demo (1989)
I've decided that this one-off demo tape from a relatively unknown Victorian death/thrash four-piece is actually my favourite Aussie extreme metal release of the 1980's this week. I picked it up through the tape trading scene back in the early 1990's & quickly became heavily into its well-executed combination of aggressive thrash metal instrumentation & monstrous death growls. The classic Slayer influence is undeniable but I don't seem to care as that's the sound that changed my life more than any other & I simply can't get enough of it. The quality across the twenty-two-minute run time is extremely consistent with all four songs sitting at a very solid level without ever reaching the top tier. Bass player Bo Remy also played in Hobbs Angel of Death during the 2010's & drummer Dakka featured on some of the better mid-to-late-80's releases from crossover thrash outfit Depression who I really like. Interestingly, Persecution used to be known as No Remorse who released a single demo tape called "Stroke of Death" that I quite liked in 1988. I highly recommend that our The Pit members check out the "Tortured Existence" CD compilation which draws together both demo tapes for a truly underground Aussie thrash experience.
For fans of Slayer, Sepultura & Spectral Birth.
4/5
Ben, please add Melbourne death/thrash outfit Persecution's "Tortured Existence" CD from 2016.
SPK - "Mekano/Contakt/Slogun" E.P. (1978)
This short three-song 7" E.P. from a little-known Sydney act would go down in history as being one of the most seminal releases from the early industrial movement. It's a very punky record. In fact, I'd suggest that it's there's just as much synth punk here as there is industrial but you can't deny the abrasiveness of the industrial component which must have sounded entirely foreign to a late-1970's audience. SPK made cold, barren, post-punk inspired sounds that tested the boundaries of what could rightfully claim itself to be music, particularly the lengthier B side "Slogun" which almost manages to represent what we now know as power electronics. I don't "love" this stuff if I'm being honest as it's not yet the fully formed model of industrial music I've always enjoyed but it does offer a rhythmic character that somehow manages to get under my skin, even if opener "Mekano" is a little flat in my opinion.
For fans of Robert Rental & The Normal, The Witch Trials & Relaxed Muscle.
3.5/5
Addictive - "Pity of Man" (1989)
The debut album from these Sydney thrash metal legends who made a big impact on me in my youth. It comes off the back of the pretty decent "Ward 74" demo tape from the previous year & sees Addictive taking things to another level with a very solid outing buoyed by a production job that beautifully showcases the four-piece's aggressive take on the genre. Some of the songs from the demo tape have been re-recorded here & have benefited from the more professional packaging, particularly a rhythm guitar tone that reminds me a lot of Slayer. There's a strong consistency to this material that I'd describe as sitting somewhere between the Bay Area thrash of Testament & the more extreme sound of Slayer & Kreator. I know that sounds very good on paper but it also ends up delivering on that potential & I can easily hear the influence that this album has had on a band like Allegiance. I'm not surprised either as I think this is a step up from some of the more well-known Aussie thrash records like Mortal Sin's "Mayhemic Destruction" & "Face of Despair" or Hobbs Angel of Death's self-titled debut. Guitarists Joe Buttigieg & Mick Sultana would go on to play with Mortal Sin during their 2000's comeback actually while drummer Matt Coffey would spend some time with a couple of notable Canberra metal bands in alternative metallers Henry's Anger & underground death metal legends Psychrist. "Pity of Man" comes highly recommended to all of our members of The Pit.
For fans of Massive Appendage, Acrophet & Allegiance.
4/5
"Currumbin Chill Council Vol. 4" went up on Spotify yesterday.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3Z2dA3uud8Q2CUBGTWndl1?si=4f0e1a59c34d469e
Public Enemy - "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" (1988)
This was the first hip hop record I can remember really enjoying. It was brought to my attention by one of my best mates while I was in early high school & we spent most year 7 & 8 pretending we were Michael Jordan on the school's back basketball courts with this blaring out of a nearby ghetto blaster. The difference with this classic old-school hip hop is that, not only do Chuck D's lyrics have a viciously potent & politically conscious message, but DJ Terminator X never forgets to push the funk that African-Amercian dancefloor culture was built on with a seriously impressive array of high-quality breakbeats. This makes Public Enemy's sophomore album a total dancefloor bomb from start to finish & I can't help but shake my booty to it all these years later.
For fans of KRS-One, Boogie Down Productions & Intelligent Hoodlum.
4/5
Dominion - "Demo Tape" (1989)
The one-off demo tape from a talented Melbourne musician by the name of Corey Romeo who would go on to play with progressive metal outfit Hyperion during the mid-1990's. This 34 minute/8 song effort sees Romeo handling all of the instruments in a purely instrumental exploration of guitar-shredder style progressive metal which also touches on speed metal, heavy metal & power metal. The production is the main stumbling block as the sound quality is quite muted which isn't ideal for this type of music as it requires brightness & clarity to have it full effect. You can still make out the potential here fairly easily though & I found myself enjoying the majority of the collection. In fact, I'd even go so far as to suggest that this could have been a fairly significant release with a more professionally produced packaging.
For fans of Jason Becker, Vinnie Moore & David T. Chastain.
3.5/5
Tenhi - "Kauan" (1999)
The debut album from the kings of the dark folk movement. It's a good one too although it's not particularly dark if I'm being honest. It's more whispy & melancholic with a very smooth production job & precision performances. I probably prefer a little more edge to my folk than this but I can't deny the professionalism & creativity that Tenhi bring to the table which makes "Kauan" essential listening for those that are into this style of music. The use of keyboards is a real highlight but I definitely prefer the deeper & more stripped back material like the wonderful "Etäisyyksien taa" which is my clear favourite from the eight songs on offer.
For fans of Empyrium, Vezha Khmar & "Kveldssanger"-period Ulver.
4/5
Enticer - "Into Reality" demo (1989)
The sole demo tape from this relatively unknown Sydney five-piece whose single from later the same year really impressed me earlier this week. Where that release was a thrash/power metal effort, this one is more of a speed/heavy metal one although you can still clearly hear the influences that contributed to the "Reaper of the Earth/Dying Aged" single e.g. "Kill 'Em All"-era Metallica for example. As with that release, I've enjoyed my time with the five songs that make up "Into Reality", perhaps not quite as much though as I prefer Enticer's slightly thrashier sound. Still... you could do a lot worse than to explore this underground recording as it's generally pretty decent with a more than acceptable production job for a demo.
For fans of Exciter, Acid & ADX.
3.5/5