Daniel's Forum Replies
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
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