Daniel's Forum Replies
I'd actually already finished this playlist Ben but interestingly you've picked two of the exact tracks I've selected so I thought I'd stuff the other couple in there too.
Here's my revised list:
1970: Black Sabbath – “Paranoid”
1971: Black Sabbath – “Master Of Reality”
1972: Black Sabbath – “Vol 4”
1973: Black Sabbath – “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”
1974: Budgie – “In For The Kill”
1975: Black Sabbath – “Sabotage”
1976: Judas Priest - "Sad Wings Of Destiny"
1977: Quartz – “Quartz”
1978: Judas Priest – “Killing Machine”
1979: Judas Priest – “Unleashed In The East”
1980: Diamond Head – “Lightning To The Nations”
1981: Motorhead – “No Sleep Till Hammersmith”
1982: Ozzy Osbourne – “Speak Of The Devil”
1983: Slayer – “Show No Mercy”
1984: Metallica – “Ride The Lightning”
1985: Exodus – “Bonded By Blood”
1986: Slayer – “Reign In Blood”
1987: Bathory – “Under The Sign Of The Black Mark”
1988: Metallica – “…And Justice For All”
1989: Morbid Angel – “Altars Of Madness”
1990: Slayer - "Seasons In The Abyss"
1991: Death – “Human”
1992: Alice In Chains – “Dirt”
1993: diSEMBOWELMENT – “Transcendence Into The Peripheral”
1994: Darkthrone – “Transilvanian Hunger”
1995: Suffocation – “Pierced From Within”
1996: Burzum – “Filosofem”
1997: The Gathering - "Nighttime Birds"
1998: ISIS – “The Mosquito Control” E.P.
1999: Botch - "We Are The Romans"
2000: Immolation – “Close To A World Below”
2001: Tool - "Lateralus"
2002: ISIS – “Oceanic”
2003: Boris – “Boris At Last -Feedbacker-“
2004: ISIS – “Panopticon”
2005: Deathspell Omega – “Kenose” E.P.
2006: Celtic Frost – “Monotheist”
2007: Ufomammut/Lento - "Supernaturals - Record One"
2008: Pig Destroyer - "Natasha" E.P.
2009: Dragged Into Sunlight - "Hatred For Mankind" (2009)
2010: Deathspell Omega - "Paracletus"
2011: Inside The Beehive - "Drink Bleach; Live Forever" E.P.
2012: 7 Horns 7 Eyes - "Throes Of Absolution" (2012)
2013: The Amenta - "Flesh Is Heir"
2014: Dead Congregation - "Promulgation Of The Fall"
2015: Akhlys - "The Dreaming I"
2016: Mick Gordon - "Doom (Original Game Soundtrack)"
2017: Fen - "Winter"
2018: Infernal Coil - "Within A World Forgotten"
2019: Altesia - "Paragon Circus"
2020: Oranssi Pazuzu - "Mestarin kynsi"
2021: Fange - "Pantocrator"
Ultra-extreme war metal & blackened death metal collide in apocalyptic blasphemy.
Ultra-extreme war metal & blackened death metal collide in apocalyptic blasphemy.
Infernal Coil - "Within A World Forgotten" (2018)
Dear fucking Lord! Every now & then you run into a release that simply redefines what it means to be extreme & rips your fucking head off in the fucking process (fuck fuck fuck fuck...). No doubt this debut album from Idaho trio Infernal Coil will have a very limited market but there's little doubt that I fall smack bang right in the middle of its target audience. "Within A World Forgotten" is as dark as a black hole's arsehole, as atmospheric as solo trip to a foggy graveyard on a bad acid trip & as bludgeoning as anything I've come across in my metal journey to date. No one seems to quite know what to label it as at the moment but to my ears it sits right in the middle of war metal & blackened death metal (probably a little further towards the latter if I'm being specific). Where people are finding grindcore is beyond me to be honest. Presumably they're being fooled by the ridiculous speed of the furious & relentless blast-beats. The vocals are truly demonic while the riffs take turns at borrowing from the murkiest depths of death metal (think Incantation) & the most intense end of black metal. Then throw in a production job that intentionally blurs everything into an insipid & ever-swirling mass of blasphemic pulverization & you've got a record that ticks all of my fucking boxes (fuck!). Sign me up gents! I'm going to war!
4.5/5
It'll show up shortly Vinny. The front page isn't updating in real time at the moment. It was a trade-off for the drastic increase in the speed of loading the page.
I read it as a list of tracks that you would play for someone to show them what it is that you personally love about the clan in question. I didn’t take any consideration into what’s important to other people. Otherwise I would think every list would have the big tunes like “Paranoid”, “Run To The Hills” & “Master of Puppets”.
One other thing - am I the only one who thinks that cover is creepy as fuck?
Nope. It's genuinely squeemish.
Here's mine:
01. Botch – “Transitions From Persona To Object” (from “We Are The Romans”, 1999)
02. Inside The Beehive – “Headless” (from “Drink Bleach; Live Forever” E.P., 2011)
03. Gaza – “Hospital Fat Bags” (from “I Don’t Care Where I Go When I Die”, 2006)
04. Impending Doom – “Chaos: Reborn” (from “Baptized In Filth”, 2012)
05. Converge – “Glacial Pace” (from “All We Love We Leave Behind”, 2012)
06. The Dillinger Escape Plan – “Crossburner” (from “One Of Us Is The Killer”, 2013)
07. Serpent Column – “Violence Aesthete” (from “Endless Detainment” E.P., 2020)
08. Loathe – “Heavy Is the Head That Falls With the Weight of a Thousand Thoughts” (from “I Let It In & It Took Everything”, 2020)
09. Every Time I Die – “Dark Distance” (from “Radical”, 2021)
10. Disembodied – “Heroin Fingers” (from “If God Only Knew The Rest Were Dead” E.P., 1998)
Anyway.... here's my list:
01. Alice In Chains – “Would?” (from “Dirt”, 1992)
02. Faith No More – “Surprise! You’re Dead!” (from “The Real Thing”, 1989)
03. Deftones – “Change (In The House Of Flies)” (from “White Pony”, 2000)
04. Tool – “Schism” (from “Lateralus”, 2001)
05. Soundgarden – “Jesus Christ Pose” (from “Badmotorfinger”, 1991)
06. Katatonia – “My Twin” (from “The Great Cold Distance”, 2006)
07. Karnivool – “Synops” (from “Themata”, 2005)
08. Primus – “Spegetti Western” (from “Frizzle Fry”, 1990)
09. Loathe – “I Let It In & It Took Everything” (from “I Let It In & It Took Everything”, 2020)
10. System Of A Down – “Aerials” (from “Toxicity”, 2001)
01. Iron Maiden – “Caught Somewhere In Time” (from “Somewhere In Time”, 1986)
02. Judas Priest – “Painkiller” (from “Painkiller”, 1990)
03. Ozzy Osbourne – “Black Sabbath (Live)” (from “Speak Of the Devil”, 1982)
04. Black Sabbath – “War Pigs” (from “Paranoid”, 1970)
05. W.A.S.P. – “The Great Misconceptions Of Me” (from “The Crimson Idol”, 1992)
06. Crimson Glory – “Valhalla” (from “Crimson Glory”, 1986)
07. Kamelot – “March Of Mephisto” (from “The Black Halo”, 2005)
08. Queensryche – “I Don’t Believe In Love” (from “Operation: Mindcrime”, 1988)
09. Iced Earth – “The Coming Curse (Live)” (from “Alive In Athens”, 1999)
10. Manowar – “Gates Of Valhalla” (from “Into Glory Ride” (from “Into Glory Ride”, 1983)
My second major problem and the one I couldn't surmount, is with the truly awful cover of Steve Strange's excellent synthpop classic Fade to Grey being is placed so early, and hence predominantly, in the album that tries to destroy any positive feelings I felt after the earlier tracks. My issue with the cover itself is that the original is a truly great example of effective minimalism in synthpop that few managed to match (Gary Numan maybe), but what we have here is more icing than cake that just ended up making me feel sick.
I can't agree with you there Sonny. I absolutely adore this version of "Fade To Grey" & consider it to be one of the highlights of what I regard as a star-studded album. I have to admit that I had no familiarity with the original when I first heard this one though & wasn't even aware that it was a cover version for a considerable time afterwards either.
Here's my April submission:
Nine Inch Nails - "Gave Up" (from "Broken" E.P., 1992)
This is my best effort at the more important songs from The Infinite for me personally:
01. Boris - "Feedbacker, Part 2" (from "Boris At Last -Feedbacker-" (2003)
02. Rosetta - "Au Pays Natal" (from "The Galilean Satellites", 2005)
03. Neurosis - "To Crawl Under One's Skin" (from "Souls At Zero", 1992)
04. Isis - "Backlit" (from "Panopticon", 2004)
05. Oranssi Pazuzu - "Ilmestys" (from "Mestarin kynsi", 2020)
06. Leprous - "Contaminate Me (Live)" (from "Live At Rockefeller Music Hall", 2016)
07. Lucid Planet - "On The Way" (from "Lucid Planet II", 2020)
08. Mastodon - "Blood & Thunder" (from "Leviathan", 2004)
09. Tool - "Schism" (from "Lateralus", 2001)
10. Cynic - "Celestial Voyage" (from "Focus", 1993)
It's been a bit of a mixed bag for me this month to be honest with my ratings of the nine releases ranging from woeful to wonderful. It was fantastic to revisit one of my all-time favourite records from MonumentuM as well as a couple of other cool releases I've enjoyed in the past from Vastum & Bestial Warlust. There were some very solid new discoveries from Killing Joke & Ihsahn that will be getting some return listens in the future while I had a lot more time for The Bread Scientists album than some of you seem to have. Unfortunately the Hellfekted, Demon Hunter & particularly the Haggard releases weren't up my alley but you never know if you don't give 'em a crack, huh?
Here's the list in my order of preference:
1. MonumentuM - "In Absentia Christi" (1995) 5/5
2. Killing Joke - "Hosannas From The Basement of Hell" (2006) 4/5
3. Vastum - "Hole Below" (2015) 4/5
4. Ihsahn - "angL" (2008) 4/5
5. Bestial Warlust - "Blood & Valour" (1995) 4/5
6. The Bread Scientists - "Troposphere" (2021) 3.5/5
7. Hellfekted - "Woe To The Kingdom Of Blood" (2020) 3/5
8. Demon Hunter - "The World Is A Thorn" (2010) 3/5
9. Haggard - "And Thou Shalt Trust... The Seer (1997) 2/5
Sensational technical death metal from Quebec, Canada.
Gorguts - "From Wisdom To Hate" (2001)
These guys have always been a favourite of mine as they're always so classy in the way they go about the creative process. No fucks are given whatsoever & they're completely uncompromising. This album followed on from 1998's incredibly unusual "Obscura" record & here we find the band adding a little more structure back into the mix which ends up having a positive impact on the result in my opinion. As mentioned on numerous occasions by band leader Luc Lemay in the press, "From Wisdom To Hate" really should have been placed between their 1993 sophomore album "The Erosion of Sanity" & "Obscura" as it seems pretty close to the missing link between the two & would undoubtedly have made "Obscura" sound a little less jarring if we had of had this record to ease us into it. As it stands though, this is an incredibly consistent & ambitious undertaking in its own right. I absolutely adore the slower sludgier Morbid Angel-esque tracks which is when I think Gorguts are at their best. The progressive guitar solos & the outstanding drumming are also highlights. It's just so death metal but also so experimental at the same time. It's pure class from start to finish & an outstanding example the technical death metal subgenre from one of the undisputed leaders of the subgenre. I'd suggest that I regard it as my second favourite Gorguts record behind their clasic 2013 comeback album "Colored Sands" these days.
4.5/5
After revisiting Gorguts' "From Wisdom To Hate" album over the last couple of days I think I'm gonna have to give it Nile's number ten spot:
01. 7 Horns 7 Eyes - "Throes Of Absolution" (2012)
02. Death - "Human" (1991)
03. Suffocation - "Despise The Sun" E.P. (1998)
04. Suffocation - "Pinnacle Of Bedlam" (2013)
05. Death – “Individual Thought Patterns” (1993)
06. Gorguts – “Colored Sands” (2013)
07. Ulcerate – “Everything Is Fire” (2009)
08. Ad Nauseam - "Imperative Imperceptible Impulse" (2021)
09. Death – “Symbolic” (1995)
10. Gorguts - "From Wisdom To Hate" (2001)
https://metal.academy/lists/single/148
Helena Hauff - "Kern Vol. 5" (2020)
A brilliant 132 minute techno mix from this German DJ that traverses all sorts of sounds & subgenres with ease. Love it!
Brutal death metal from Maryland, USA.
Dying Fetus - "Destroy The Opposition" (2000)
Maryland brutal death metal outfit Dying Fetus are one of those bands that I respect more than I do enjoy. They're a fantastic live act but their studio albums always leave me feeling like they promise so much more than they deliver with their 2000 third album "Destroy The Opposition" being a prime example even though it's one of the band's better releases. I love the more brutal end of death metal, especially when it's beautifully produced & performed like this record is, however there are definitely some elements that I struggle with here. Firstly, the trademark sweep-picked riffs sound a lot more like practice exercises than they do art & I immediately find my interest waning as soon as they pop up. There are also a few pretty unintelligent groove metal riffs in "Epidemic of Hate" which is the clear weak point of the album. The band's strength is definitely in their slower slam riffs which are somewhat of a signature & were a huge influence on the deathcore scene. Dying Fetus aren't at their best when they try to get too technical. In fact, I find that the simpler they are the more I enjoy them. There's a noticeable hardcore influence here too & I'll be darned if I don't dig it. Ultimately this is a reasonably entertaining if slightly overrated piece of brutal death metal.
3.5/5
High velocity late 80's thrash metal from Los Angeles, USA.
Holy Terror - "Mind Wars" (1988)
This late 80's sophomore album was my introduction to Los Angeles thrash metallers Holy Terror way back in the day. I quite liked it too but I have to admit that I've never spoken of it in the same lofty terms as many extreme metal fans seem to. The band's 1987 debut album "Terror & Submission" was more of a speed metal record than it was thrash but here we see Holy Terror reversing the ratio with a good six of the ten tracks on offer falling under the bracket of some fairly aggressive & up-tempo thrash. The remaining four tracks vary between speed metal, US power metal & your more traditional heavy metal. The vocals are a major contributor to my finding an insurmountable cap on my appreciation of "Mind Wars" as they're a little pedestrian to tell you truth. The guitar solos are surprisingly great though & there are plenty of great energetic riffs on offer. I found a fair bit of enjoyment in Holy Terror's debut but I think "Mind Wars" just shades it for the band's finest work. It's just not an album that I feel the need to return to all that often.
3.5/5
I don't think I ever thought it could be made to be as fast as it is now Ben. That's really pretty amazing.
Unusual instrumental alternative metal from this one-man Australian artist.
This one is a definite grower. On first listen my feelings were similar to those expressed above however repeat listens saw it opening up significantly with headphones being an absolute must if you're going to see the full value in the immersive experience on offer. What sole member Jacob Paddison gives us here is a combination of many disparate influences that come together to create a fairly unique little record. It might not always gel but there can be no denying his ambition. I think the alternative metal tag is sufficient to cover this release but you'll easily detect sections that are more like ambient, shoegaze, gothic rock, stoner rock, psychedelic rock, noise rock & even doom metal. When it works you'll get a truly psychedelic wall of sound that's ever-changing & unpredictable. When it doesn't you're left with several cool ideas that are presented in a quirky yet noticeably haphazard way. There's certainly an electricity to this music that becomes pretty infectious after a few listens though. I won't deny that there a few tracks here that don't do much for me (see opener "!!!", "Helios" & the lengthy noise-fest of a closer "Black Sun Mirage") but by listen three I found myself really fucking digging the stronger material (see the three track run of "Red Planet", album highlight "Starburst" & "Slug" in particular). I've always been one for psychedelics so the more cerebral sections give me a lot of enjoyment while the heavier riffs are are definitely chunky enough to get my head nodding. I guess my background in electronic music doesn't hurt either given the inclusion of drum 'n' bass elements. Overall I find this to be an interesting listen that won't make any best-of lists but definitely offers something a little bit different for the occasional change of scene.
3.5/5
Super brutal Aussie war metal just the way it should be.
This record got a good ol' thrashing within underground metal circles in Australia back when i was still playing in death metal bands & it's been really fun to relive some of those glory days this week. "Blood & Valour" is about as war metal as war metal gets really & that's something that appeals to me a lot. It kinda sounds like Bestial Warlust have combined the early war metal of Blasphemy with the over-the-top death metal of Sadistik Exekution & the blackened thrash of Sarcofago with a dash of 80's Morbid Angel thrown in for good measure but this is a very Australian sound in my opinion. There were a number of bands in our little scene that flew in on the coat-tails of the Sadistik crew but Bestial Warlust took their super-extreme approach in a slightly less ridiculous but no less entertaining direction. No fucks have been given whatsoever with the production job seemingly aimed at the most raw & underground sound it could muster & they've done a splendid job of it to be fair. I really love the ultra-aggressive vocal performance of Bloodstorm who sounds positively demonic while the instrumental performances are never clinical enough to lose their underground street credibility. The tracklisting is pretty consistent with only blackened thrash outing "Legion of Wrath" falling short of the mark but, in saying that, I'm not sure that Bestial Warlust ever quite manage to transcend the idea that they lack a little depth. Sure, they offer an entertaining & undoubtedly brutal ride but I wouldn't call any of this material a genuine classic. I find it a little too shallow for that which is interesting because I rank a track or two from their debut right up there with the very best the war metal subgenre has to offer. There's an element of novelty about it that's hard to overcome if I'm being honest. But let's not overthink things too much here because I'm sure that the band weren't intending that when they put this record together. You can easily hear how much fun they're having & it's hard not to buy into that when experiencing "Blood & Valour" which will no doubt offer plenty of appeal for all war metal fans.
4/5
Dark & doomy old-school death metal from a cemetery somewhere in San Francisco, USA.
This one really hits the spot for this old-school death metal fanboy Vinny. Vastum start with the dark & doomy atmosphere of Incantation (complete with similarly deep & cavernous vocals) & then throw in some high quality tremolo-picked riffs that remind me very much of Bolt Thrower & Grave. It all reeks of that classic graveyard vibe. The tracklisting is incredibly consistent however I do think there's a lack of genuine highlight tracks with all six inclusions falling a bit short of tier one status due to the odd flatter riff or bouncier beat. Still... I can't complain too much as this fucker is right up my alley for the most part, particularly when Vastum indulge in their doomier side.
4/5
The slowest track from English blackened thrash trio Hellfekted's 2020 debut album "Woe To The Kingdom Of Blood".
I'd not heard of the very poorly named Hellfekted before so I had no idea of what to expect from "Woe To The Kingdom Of Blood" going in. What we get here is a very raw & primitive brand of blackened thrash that's built around a hardcore punk aesthetic & the limited technical skills of the band members. Hellfekted have certainly managed to develop their own sound & I can't deny that it possesses an endearing quality due to its authentic old-school vitality however I do struggle with the lack of class in the performances & composition. It sounds very much like a trio that are still learning their craft, particularly the guitar work of front man Liam Stubbs whose lead solos offer nothing in the way of chops or theoretical understanding. Chris Brownrigg's bass guitar work is enjoyable thanks to its powerful position in the mix while Stubbs' raspy blackened screams (that wouldn't feel out of place on a sludge metal record given their hardcore tendencies) often see me being drawn in through their sheer energy & enthusiasm but neither can quite overcome the consistent inclusion of some fairly generic thrash riffs that aren't executed well enough to compete at the top level just yet. Still... that hardcore influence I mentioned definitely affords Hellfekted a similar sort of appeal to a band like Hellhammer. Perhaps Hellfekted might be one to watch for the future but they're not there yet in my opinion.
3/5
So yeah.... I hated it. Who would have thought it, right? Symphonic metal & I simply don't see eye to eye at all & that fact probably hasn't escaped too many of our regular contributors so I doubt my general apathy for this release will surprise too many of you. I'd actually describe this late 90's example of the niche genre as symphonic doom/death metal & I can't see that it sits all that comfortably under The Guardians clan. Despite the fact that I really struggled with it though, I tend to think that it'd sit better in my much beloved The Fallen clan given the direction of the heavier elements. There's significantly more orchestration than there is metal included here though & it's the metal material that really let's Haggard down in my opinion. The production job & musicianship is seriously lacking on the metal parts while the death metal vocals are subpar at best. I have to admit that the neoclassical/medieval orchestration is actually done fairly well at times but (with the exception of the short & effective classical piece "Cantus Firmus in A-Minor") I can't say that it interests me in the slightest. Nor does the occasional folk melody which only adds to my pain. I couldn't be more outside of my comfort zone really. Let's go our separate ways & forget this ever happened, shall we?
2/5
Look, there are 5 or 6 tracks on the album that I enjoy but I think "LifeWar" is probably the one that I get the most out of because it doesn't try to cancel out it's aggression with an easy-listening accessibility. I'll go with a 62% for the album overall.
A short, rhythmic groove metal piece from Seattle-based melodic metalcore outfit Demon Hunter.
I can't say that this release got my blood boiling too much I'm afraid. It's simply too commercially focused for my taste. It's a well produced & executed collection of tracks of course but the tracklisting is very inconsistent with even the highlight tracks having their potency limited by the uncomfortable feeling that this record was really intended for commercial radio & a much younger audience than myself. Musically, there's a lot more to "The World Is A Thorn" than only melodic metalcore. In fact there's almost as much alternative metal here as there is metalcore & groove metal plays a very strong role too with Pantera, Machine Head & Sepultura clearly have been an influence (particularly the former). There's even a genuine thrash metal tune in the title track. I do tend to get a fair bit of enjoyment out of the heavier material but the clean melodic choruses are frustratingly hit & miss. When they're on the money they can be annoyingly catchy, even if they'll never reach the upper end of my ratings system. But when Demon Hunter get them wrong they can be pretty high on the cheese factor (see Nickelback, Linkin Park for points of reference). Admittedly, I do get enjoyment out of six of the eleven tracks included however the other five leave me so cold that it cancels out all of the band's hard work. I guess this is just another melodic metalcore record that's not for me really.
3/5
This weekend's top ten list is my Top Ten Atmospheric Black Metal Releases Of All Time:
01. Burzum – “Filosofem” (1996)
02. Akhlys – “The Dreaming I” (2015)
03. Altar of Plagues – “Mammal” (2011)
04. Burzum – “Hvis lyset tar oss” (1994)
05. Wolves In The Throne Room – “Two Hunters” (2007)
06. Paysage d’Hiver – “Im Wald” (2020)
07. Paysage d’Hiver – “Winterkaelte” (2001)
08. Murmuure – “Murmuure” (2010)
09. Lurker Of Chalice – “Lurker Of Chalice” (2005)
10. Darkspace – “Dark Space III” (2008)
A high quality progressive metal collaboration between the legendary Emperor & Opeth front men.
Yeah, this is a really solid outing that might just be my new pick of the Ihsahn solo work I've heard. It's very professionally performed & produced, offers enough traces of genuine black metal to keep the extreme metal tragic in me satisfied & features some really interesting & exciting progressive lead guitar work. There's not a weak track on offer but the Mikael Akerfeldt collaboration piece "Unhealer" is the clear highlight which is an indication that Ihsahn's clean vocals aren't exactly in the same class as his Swedish counterpart. I'd also suggest that the hooks aren't strong enough to push this into the upper ratings but it's hard to be too critical of a package that's this well executed. Perhaps the symphonic more moments don't fit quite as well inside my wheel-house but this is about as "progressive metal" as progressive metal gets & will undoubtedly offer a lot of appeal for fans of bands like Opeth & Enslaved.
4/5
A wonderfully ethereal cover version of English new romantic/synthpop artist Visage's hit single from 1980.
As you probably gathered from my introduction, I've been a MASSIVE fan of this release going right back to the time of release & revisiting it now has proven that it also has the endurance to become one of the elite releases in my life. Is it a metal record? Well... I can see why people might say that as there are certainly some tracks that draw upon doom metal riffs for added weight & support but never as the main focal point of the song-writing. I think it's fair to say that the ethereal darkwave component is much more consistent & prominent & if you like that sound then you'll no doubt gush over this record which amplifies those elements into even more lush & transcendental territories. There's a noticeable "The Dark Side Of The Moon"-era Pink Floyd influence on show at times too which can't be a bad thing. The fairly miserable goth rock vocals might annoy some people but I find them to perfectly suit the atmosphere that's created by the heavily effected guitars & lush synthesizers which don't even sound like they come from this planet most of the time. The consistency of the tracklisting is astounding with almost every track seeming like yet another highlight. I can't recommend this album enough to your more open-minded metalhead. It's nothing spectacular stuff!
5/5
Here's my updated list:
25. ISIS - "The Mosquito Control" E.P. (1998)
24. Dragged Into Sunlight - "Hatred For Mankind" (2009)
23. diSEMBOWELMENT - "Transcendence Into The Peripheral" (1993)
22. Neurosis - "Souls At Zero" (1992)
21. Botch - "We Are The Romans" (1999)
20. Rosetta - "The Galilean Satellites" (2005)
19. Slayer - "South Of Heaven" (1988)
18. MonumentuM - "In Absentia Christi" (1995)
17. Immolation - "Close To A World Below" (2000)
16. Esoteric - "The Maniacal Vale" (2008)
15. Suffocation - "Pierced From Within" (1995)
14. Boris - "Boris At Last -Feedbacker-" (2003)
13. Alice In Chains - "Dirt" (1992)
12. Death - "Human" (1991)
11. 7 Horns 7 Eyes - "Throes Of Absolution" (2012)
10. Morbid Angel - "Altars Of Madness" (1989)
09. Metallica - "...And Justice For All" (1988)
08. Mick Gordon - "DOOM (Original Game Soundtrack)" (2016)
07. Akhlys - "The Dreaming I" (2015)
06. Sunn O))) - "Black One" (2005)
05. Ufomammut/Lento - "Supernaturals - Record One" (2007)
04. Pig Destroyer - "Natasha" E.P. (2008)
03. Deathspell Omega - "Kenose" E.P. (2005)
02. Burzum - "Filosofem" (1996)
01. Slayer - "Reign In Blood" (1986)
Meaty & muscular industrial metal from Notting Hill, England.
I absolutely adored Killing Joke's self-titled 2003 album when we featured it in early 2021 so I was really looking forward to seeing what its follow-up had to offer (especially given that its arguably Killing Joke's most popular metal record) & it hasn't disappointed although it hasn't quite made the same impact as its predecessor. The production job is noticeably rougher &, even though this is apparently intentional given that the band felt their previous record was a little too clean, I do find the guitar tone to be a bit disappointing & the drums to sound a little flabby & thin at times. It took me a couple of listens to become accustomed to this but once I got my teeth into the song-writing it was pretty easy to overlook that flaw.
The first three tracks seem to be the clear fan favourites but interestingly (although hardly surprising) I find the less popular inclusions to be the real gems. If you only listened to those first three tracks though you'd likely be given the impression that "Hosannas From the Basements of Hell" isn't actually a metal record because opener "This Tribal Antidote" (the only track I struggle with here) sounds more like the band's early post-punk works than anything else while the title track & the heavily symphonic "Invocation" are much closer to industrial rock than they are to metal. But never fear because the album gets significantly heavier from that point on with an abrasive industrial metal sound taking over for the remainder of the tracklisting. If you're not a patient metalhead & you aren't into a more cerebral style of music then turn around & walk away now because Killing Joke's approach is very repetitive with these long tracks featuring relatively few changes. The aim is to get the listener into a consistent groove that builds in tension gradually over time. It either works for you or it doesn't & luckily for me I'm right onboard with music like this (perhaps helped by my techno days in this regard).
You can detect the post-punk component of Killing Joke's sound in the guitar arpeggios & tribal rhythms employed throughout while front man Jaz Coleman's grindy vocals & beautifully timed & placed keyboard lines are always very effective. You'll have to wait till right to the end of the album to hear the true potential in this material though with the last two songs ("Judas Goat" & "Gratititude") being utterly mind-blowing & the clear album highlights for me. I also love the lengthy "Walking With Gods" which sits in the middle of the tracklisting. It's hard to argue with the pure class that Killing Joke exude here & my hopes for another vitally important record have been richly rewarded, even if I do favour "Hosannas From the Basements of Hell"s wonderful elder sibling by a clear margin.
4/5
Interesting. I have no problem finding both of those Neurosis albums on Spotify from Australia. They must have an alternate streaming service agreement in the UK.
I think he's still the drummer for Suicidal Tendencies, Dead Cross, Fantômas & Misfits too, isn't he? Is this man even human?
So it's just been announced that Dave Lombardo is Gene Hoglan's replacement in Testament.