Daniel's Forum Threads

I've been slowly reading 40-80 pages a day of Jane Austen while working on other books at a quicker pace.  Why?  There's only so much Austenian prose I can take at once, especially where Mansfield Park is concerned.  I read her first two books years ago and got bored with Mansfield.  Having forced myself to finish it over about a week, I gave it a 3/10.  Too much wordiness, not enough plot or likable characters.  Started Emma today, but yesterday I got through 335 pages of the second of two books I bought at B&N.  The first was Neverwhere, decent urban portal fantasy that needs less tropes and more imagination, and the second that I'm loving to death right now is 11/22/63 by Stephen King.  Excellent characterization, glorifies the culture of the time and showcases great plotting in both the time travel and normal drama departments.

I wonder if kids in the west now spend too much time indoors on their phones or games consoles which is why the teams from the world's poorer nations are getting comparatively better as their kids still go out in the streets kicking a ball about on a daily basis which you hardly ever see here, certainly round where I live anyway.

It's a real tricky one Sonny. My son is 13 and spends a fair bit of time on his phone or ninteno, but he is also incredibly active and would spend loads of time outside playing football or cricket or hockey. But where can they go for these, I'd have to drive him to a suitable place. Nothing nearby that his friends could all walk to with the roads that they would have to Cross.

When I was young you just went onto the streets in front of the house. No cars parked up all along the streets then. Then you would just shout car if a car came along and move to the pavement and continue the game when it passed. The speed the cars go round residential areas these days, you wouldn't have chance to shout car.

Yeah that is a good point David. Traffic was virtually non-existent outside of knocking off time at the local factory near where I lived, so we could play in the street quite safely. There were a lot more green spaces available then too. It is certainly a different world kids grow up in now compared to when we were young. So many vested interests vying for their attenion all the time and successive governments that prioritise economics over quality of life.

Monolord - "Vaenir" (2015)

"Vaenir" is this Gothenburg doom trio's 2015 sophomore full-length, following relatively hot on the heels of the debut, "Empress Rising" from the previous year. They play lengthy distorted doom metal dirges with towering chords, sloth-like pacing and a 'washed-out' vocal style that feels like it is coming to you across huge cosmic distances. Despite the thunderously robust foundation laid down by bassist Mika Häkki and drummer Esben Willems and the undoubted weight of the riffs, the vocals impart a certain ephemeral quality to the atmosphere and act as a spiritual counterpoint to the immensity of the bottom end.

Monolord have a distinct blueprint for how they want to sound and pretty much stick to it throughout. There is very little variation in pacing within tracks, no sudden changes of gear to spice things up, these Swedes being pretty much fundamentalists when it comes to doom metal. If you are impatient for variety and innovation in your listening diet then chances are that Monolord will hold very little appeal for you and you may be better served moving on elsewhere. More recently I feel they evolved a slightly more lightweight sound with hints of psychedelia thrown in, but back in the heady days of 2015 they were all-in on the crushing repetitiousness of 'true' doom metal and were unrelenting in its delivery.

And that, not wishing to sound in any way dismissive, is pretty much everything there is to know about "Vaenir". How you feel about that depends on what you want from your metal. Me, I am more than happy with an album of heavy and uncomplicated doom metal done well and with an unpretentiousness that speaks to a band fully committed to shaking the cosmic walls.

86/100

Basic Channel - "Quadrant Dub" E.P. (1994)

The Berlin dub techno legends returned after a very impressive 1993 with a lengthy & quite repetitive E.P. that includes two different versions of the title track, both of which are of a high quality & received the odd play from me during my DJ years. The sixteen-minute "Quadrant Dub I" is the deeper of the two & stays solely in the techno camp while "Quadrant Dub II" features a tech house beat which gives it a slight edge in my opinion as it has more to hold on to during its lengthy twenty-one-minute run time. I'm not gonna suggest that either track are genuine classics but they both ooze of class & accomplishment, putting the listener into a trance-like state & massaging their cerebellums through a journey that finishes much like it started. This is very much my bag but it definitely won't appeal to everyone.

For fans of Maurizio, cv313 & Deepchord presents Echospace.

4/5

Sixteen Horsepower - "Live March 2001" (2008)

I believe that I've found my new favourite Sixteen Horsepower release here with this excellent double album compiling pristine (if noticeably heavier) versions of all of the best material from the Los Angeles gothic country leader's first three albums which are generally regarded as their classic era. Iconic front man David Eugene Edwards' performance is nothing short of phenomenal & the band are in fine form too so "Live March 2001" makes for an irresistible outing for followers of this niche subgenre.

For fans of Wovenhand, Slim Cessna's Auto Club & Munly & The Lee Lewis Harlots.

4/5

Kings Cross - "Gimme" E.P. (1984)

Kings Cross were another act that competed with the recently mentioned Surrender for the honour of having released the very first genuine metal release to come out of my birth city of Sydney. There's very little known about the timing of the two records though so I've had to take a guess as to which may have come earlier & have generally leant towards Surrender as their self-titled album was far more significant than Kings Cross' three-song effort. It was also miles more enjoyable too as the "Gimme" E.P. is a lacklustre affair that places all of its hopes & dreams on the back of brothers Darren "Jed" McCormack & Matt "Big Bird" McCormack whose virtuosic lead guitar skills are pretty incredible when compared with the overall package. They'd clearly been spending years kneeling at the altar of the late, great Randy Rhoads as there are some striking similarities in style. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to save "Gimme" from the second-hand store racks though as two of the three songs are completely disposable (read: garbage) with closer "Love Machine" being one of the worst metal tunes I can remember hearing, thanks largely to the completely out of key vocal effort of front man Mark White.

Kings Cross began life as New England in 1983 before changing their name shortly afterwards. The "Gimme" E.P. would be their only metal release with their 1988 debut album "Psychedelic World" coming after they'd relocated to Los Angeles in search of international acclaim & seeing them dropping the metal component in favour of a more psychedelic glam/hard rock approach. Kings Cross were built around the three McCormack brothers who would later go on to form seminal Sydney thrash metal band Massive Appendage with Jed & Shawn also ending up in Fester Fanatics later on. The early Kings Cross sound sits right in the middle between the LA glam metal one that was so big at the time & a more muscular heavy metal one. They tended to sound closest to Skid Row due to White's similarities in tone with Skid Row's legendary Sebastian Bach in my opinion. Unfortunately, his skill set is not even close to being able to match Bach's though & his failings are the main detractor from me being able to enjoy this release. I do quite like the glammiest of the three tracks in the catchy "Back Street Theatre" but it's sadly not enough to balance out the dire nature of the song-writing on the other two inclusions so I can't in good conscience encourage any of you to actively seek out "Gimme" which should reside solely in the annuls of Australian metal history for all eternity.

For fans of Twisted Sister, Skid Row & Motley Crue.

2/5

Khemmis - "Absolution" (2015)

I have been a casual fan of Khemmis since first coming across their sophomore "Hunted" back in 2016 shortly after its release. Consequently I checked out the debut and, at that time, I wasn't particularly knocked-out by it I must admit. So, a decade later and with a new album on the shelves, I figured time was ripe for a revisit.

Firstly it must be mentioned that this is much more doom metal oriented than their later material, with Pallbearer most often being justifiably cited as a touchstone. "Absolution" maintains a significant percentage of traditional heavy metal in its doom metal DNA, pushing it into epic doom metal territiory. The production and guitar sound is very much in the doom metal milieu however, with a deep and resonant fuzziness that is typical of traditional doom metal and with a certain bluesy feeling to the riffs. The guitar solos sound cleaner and clearer than the riffs and are enthusiastically deployed with an exuberant relish that hints that this is where the guitarists Ben Hutcherson and Phil Pendergast really get their kicks, giving off a Brian Robertson / Scott Gorham, Thin Lizzy vibe. The two also share vocal duties and this is probably the album's weakest point as they alternate between reasonable cleans and frankly unconvincing deathly growling bellows. The rhythm section of bassist Daniel Beiers and drummer Zach Coleman are solid enough, although they seem to be playing well within themselves and keeping it pretty simple.

I must admit that I found myself enjoying this better this time around than I did back then, although I still have reservations. Sometimes the soloing sounds divorced from the meat of the track itself and too often feels shoehorned in whilst I feel the clean vocals are strong enough to carry the material without resorting to the unnecessary and unconvincing death growls. The riffs are generally pretty cool though and when the guitarists do hit a sweet spot between riffs and solos, such as on "Burden of Sin" it is pretty engaging stuff. They saved the best until last and close the album out with the longest and best track, "The Bereaved", which is where the previously mentioned Pallbearer comparison is most apparent. Ukltimately this is a solid but flawed debut, but the band would get better next time around.

78/100

Finally, here it is:

Warning - "Rituals of Shame" (2026)

I have never made any secret of the fact that Warning's masterpiece, "Watching From A Distance" is my all-time favourite album, so I can probably be forgiven for going into "Rituals of Shame" with inflated expectations, although I must add that those expectations were tempered by equal parts trepidation that the band may drop the ball and turn in an album that sees them just going through the motions like so many acts returning after a long period away and so sullying their legacy. So now I have the beautiful oxblood red vinyl platter on my turntable the obvious first question must be, "do I think it is as good as WFAD?" Well, the answer to that is not so simple because it is impossible to compare an album that has been so meaningful to me for two decades with one that has been out mere days. So am I at all disappointed with this third Warning full-length then? Absolutely not and while it hasn't initially hit me on as deeply an emotional and personal level as its predecessor this is still an amazing piece of doom metal melancholy. Patrick Walker just 'gets' doom metal in a way that few others are able to. It isn't just about leaden pacing and towering riffs, Walker doesn't merely write songs that are sad and sorrowful, but also dig deeply into his emotional vulnerability, laying bare his soul in a way which will either resonate with the listener or it won't. If it does then a connection with the material is possible that transcends mere grooves on a plastic disc and if it doesn't it may be dismissed as overly sentimental.

The most striking thing about "Rituals of Shame" is that it doesn't at all feel like an album released two decades after its illustrious predecessor by a band that had been on hiatus for most of the intervening years whilst Patrick Walker concentrated on his 40 Watt Sun project. There is such a remarkable consistency of material between the two albums that you would be forgiven for thinking that it had been recorded in 2010 and only just seen the light of day. In fact the debut "Strength To Dream" is further removed artistically from "Watching From A Distance" than "Rituals of Shame" is, despite there only being a third as much time between the two. The really great thing, though, is that the latest isn't merely a lazy rehash of the former. Despite the similarities, "Rituals of Shame" isn't merely WFAD part two, it has its own character and feeling. Inevitably such a monumental album will cast a long shadow over its younger sibling, but I am convinced that in time it will emerge from that shadow and stand tall in its own right.

WFAD had an indefinably wistful quality despite the huge, doom-laden chords and foundational stolidity of the rhythm section, whereas RoS feels a little less ethereally affecting. This is partly down to the heavier-handed production and increased compression, but it is also due to the inclusion of second guitarist Wayne Taylor who has played live shows with the band since 2016, appearing on the 2021 Roadburn Live album, whose second guitar adds depth and rounds out the sound, making it feel more down-to-earth. Of course, the absolute core of Warning is Patrick Walker's vocal performances and this is where "Rituals of Shame" may even outdo its predecessor because, as I alluded to when reviewing the "WFAD Live at Roadburn" album, Patrick's voice seems to have got even better with time. His vocals sound more varied and expressive now in middle-age than they did as a young twenty-something and his ability to wring genuine emotion from the receptive listener with a mere twist of his voice is undiminished.

I have to say that I am more than happy with this new offering and it has rarely been off my turntable since it arrived. Whilst it is consistent with its predecessor it is undeniably an evolution rather than a rehash and in time I think it may take on a life of its own maybe being a new generation of doomheads' introduction to the band and becoming as significant to them as WFAD has been to me. So whilst "Rituals of Shame" has not deposed "Watching From A Distance" at the pinnacle of my top albums of all-time list, it has certainly pushed a large number of worthy contenders down another slot and has livened up a year that wasn't appearing too great on the doom metal front prior to its release.

96/100

Wojciech Kilar - "Bram Stoker's Dracula" (1992)

I purchased this film score shortly after the cinematic release, having very quickly fallen in love with the gothic romanticism of the movie's atmosphere. Ukrainian composer Kilar does a marvelous job at building tension & highlighting the nuances of the plot, creating an intimidating backdrop that played a big part in the success of the film as an unapologetically gothic piece of art. If my CD was vinyl it would have been worn out decades ago as I still return to this release quite often to bask in the glory of its dark majesty. I could probably do without the Annie Lennox pop song that closes out the tracklisting though.

For fans of Danny Elfman ("Sleepy Hollow"/"The Wolfman"), Trevor Jones ("From Hell") & Elliot Goldenthal ("Interview with the Vampire").

4.5/5

With you on this one.  Although I don’t play this nearly enough (which is good because mine is the vinyl copy).  Annie Lennox has no place here on such an otherwise dark and mysterious release.

Acheron - "Deprived of Afterlife" E.P. (1991)

This relatively unknown Aussie death metal act was the precursor to a much more well-known artist in Melbourne's Abramelin with both of those names playing a very strong role in my development as a death metal musician in the early 1990's. This two-song 7" single was Acheron's only proper release (along with two demo tapes) but it's a bit of an underground Aussie classic in my opinion & made a significant impact on me as a kid. Those that are familiar with my brutal death metal band Neuropath should easily be able to pick that up too as the riff structures are put together in much the same way here, although there's a very clear "Symphonies of Sickness"-era Carcass influence at play here too. I absolutely love the monstrous vocals of front man Simon Dower who is the clear focal point of the band & sounded like no one else in the scene at the time. While this release might be a little more primitive, I actually prefer "Deprived of Afterlife" over Abramelin's 1994 debut E.P. "Transgression from Acheron" these days as it embraces the filthier side of the death metal scene a little better in my opinion. Highly recommended.

For fans of Carcass, Neuropath & Abramelin.

4/5

In Flames - "Come Clarity" (2006)

Most of our regulars would probably be aware that I've never been a fan of In Flames' most celebrated 1996-2000 period with albums like "The Jester Race", "Whoracle", "Colony" & "Clayman" doing very little for me. The Swedes' 2006 eighth full-length is a bit different to those records though & offers me just enough appeal to see it reaching a more acceptable rating. This isn't your standard melodic death metal release though. In fact, it's a little hard to argue that it's a death metal release at all, although they never fully pull away from their roots either.

With "Come Clarity" we see In Flames embracing the melodic metalcore sound that was making waves in the underground metal scene at the time & combining it with their signature melodeath riffage & alternative metal song-structures to create a more accessible record that aims to win a new fanbase over with more of a stadium sound. When they manage to nail that combination, it works really, really well, as evidenced by the classic alternative metal anthem that is the title track or the very solid melodic death metal burner "Vacuum". The vocal performance of Anders Fridén is worth mentioning as it never feels like a death growl, instead sitting closer to a psychotic metalcore scream during the more extreme sections while making a decent fist of the clean chorus melodies too. It's worth noting that there are just as many failures as there are wins here though but, thankfully, those wins are comprehensive enough to overcome the losses & leave me with a more positive feeling than I can recall having with In Flames' more unanimously praised albums. As with a lot of releases like this one though, a song's potential to capture the listener all comes down to the quality of the chorus melody & your experience will ultimately depend on whether you can connect with those enough to get onboard with "Come Clarity" or not. I've been surprised to find that I can these days so perhaps there's hope for me yet.

For fans of Soilwork, Darkest Hour & Avatar.

3.5/5

I am sure you have it in hand, Ben, but just in case you have forgotten, could you add the new Warning album "Rituals of Shame".

Thomas Köner - "Nunatak Gongamur" (1990)

I first discovered this well respected German dark ambient producer back in 2010 through a compilation release that included his first three full-lengths in their entirety. Köner's debut album "Nunatak Gongamur" is an underrated inclusion in his discography in my opinion. It's known for being predominantly produced through the use of manipulated gong sounds & does a really great job at recreating the atmosphere of the cover art at times i.e. bitterly cold & isolated snow-encrusted landscapes. Köner's next couple of albums are no doubt superior to this one but "Nunatak Gongamur" is still a great listen in its own right in my opinion.

For fans of Lustmord, Deathprod & the "Ambient 4: Isolationism" compilation.

4/5

June 2026

1. Artificial Language – Skinwalker (2024)

2. Caligula’s Horse – Into the White (2013)

3. The Contortionist – Primal Directive (2010)

4. Green Carnation – My Dark Reflections of Life and Death (2020)

5. Growth – Gird Your Loved in Armour While Yet You Wither (2020)

6. Haken – In a Fever Dream (2026)

7. Mandroid Echostar – Citadels (2013)

8. Nine Orders – The Vast Forgotten (2026)

9. The Ocean – Hadopelagic II: Let Them Believe (2013)

10. The Odious – Vesica Piscis (2019)

11. Parius – The Signal (2022)

12. Persefone – Prison Skin (2017)

13. Michael Romeo – Alien Deathray (2022)

14. Sermon – Senescence (2023)

15. Teramaze – The Silent Architect (2026)

16. Tool – The Patient (2001)

17. Valis Ablaze – Hex (2018)

Jimi Hendrix - ":blues" compilation (1994)

I bought this compilation record on cheap pirated cassette in Bali in my youth & have returned to it semi-regularly over the years as it's one of my favourite blues releases of all time. Jimi was quite simply a master of the blues with his improvised shredding representing some of the most visceral & natural lead guitar work I've ever heard in my life. The :blues" compilation draws together a bunch of random recordings, many of which were never intended for proper release, but the sum of which provides further proof of the mastery of this guitar icon. There are a couple of duds included with the acoustic version of "Hear My Train Comin" & "Mannish Boy" both falling flat & being a bit of a mess. The remainder of the tracklisting is excellent though & I regard "Born Under A Bad Sign", "Once I Had A Woman", "Electric Church Red House" & the electric version of "Hear My Train Comin" as being genuine electric blues rock classics & some of Jimi's finest work. ":blues" should be essential listening for Jimi fans like me. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say that it's my second favourite Hendrix release behind "Electric Ladyland" these days, just pipping out "Are You Experienced" for the runner-up position.

For fans of Robin Trower, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

4/5

Khanate - "Khanate" (2001)

Stephen O'Malley is a name that is written large over the history of drone metal. Making a name for himself with legendary extreme doom outfit, Burning Witch and short-lived death doom project Thorr's Hammer, he also formed Sunn O))) alongside long-time collaborator Greg Anderson. Khanate was formed in 2000 after O'Malley met avant-garde musician and member of O.L.D. James Plotkin at an Isis gig. Plotkin recruited O.L.D. bandmate Alan Dubin to perform vocals for the new project with the four-piece being completed by drummer Tim Wyskida.

Well, when you dive down this rabbit hole, you'd better not be expecting Wonderland because here be monsters. From the off Khanate set out their stall to be a genuinely disturbing listen, taking the blueprint of Burning Witch's psychotic doom metal and stretching it further with increased repetition, glacially slow tempos, seismic rumblings and squeals of feedback that act as the backdrop to the outpourings of Durbin's troubled and troubling vocal protagonist whose screeching screams worm their way into your brain and sit there eating away at your sanity. Instrumentally quiet and gentle sections where his vocals are mere creepy-sounding whispers, are akin to the murmured secret exhortations to violence I imagine schizophrenic killers hear from the imaginary voices in their heads. A couple of lines from "No Joy", for example, read "No joy precious joy no joy, Eat that smile right off a face, your face, No joy only only eat stuff that grin down, down your neck no more eat no more, Breathe breathe don’t breathe please don’t breathe". I mean, what the fuck? This truly is a trip to the dark side of the human psyche and a disconcerting listen that leaves you with the impression that you have been witness to the outpourings of a genuinely troubled mind, like the innumerable notebooks that Mills and Somerset find in the room of the psycho in Se7en. Sure, Khanate aren't the only band that deal in disturbing lyrical imagery, but here there is no release with a catchy riff or a shredding guitar solo, all there is is the grindingly slow, dissonant throb of bleak inevitability unrelieved by any kind of positivity or hope.

I hate real world violence and horror, but there is a deeply primal and subliminal part of the human mind that is attracted to darkness in art, hence the enduring popularity of horror movies and true crime series. Obviously, drone metal is very much a niche sub-genre in the wider metal world, certainly when it is as disquieting as Khanate, so it obviously isn't for everyone, especially the impatient listener, but if you have a penchant for the darker and more uncomfortable reaches of extreme metal then Khanate are absolutely a required listen.

4.5/5

Mortal Decay - "Forensic" (2002)

I discovered this New Jersey brutal/technical death metal outfit back in the second half of the 1990's through 1997's "Sickening Erotic Fanaticism", Mortal Decay's highly regarded debut album that I really enjoyed. This led me to explore their sophomore record once I returned to metal in 2009 but I haven't returned to it since for one reason or another. Listening back now, "Forensic" has plenty to offer but I don't think it pulls it all off well enough to demand consistent revisits from me. They've added a greater level of complexity to the riff construction but that doesn't necessarily make for really memorable riffs. Instead, we get serviceable (& fairly brutal) US death metal with a multi-vocal attack that's highlighted by a really deep delivery that reminds me of Neuropath front man Mark Wangmann. There's some pretty decent stuff here (see "My Mind Bleeds Tragedies", "Beyond Forensic Knowledge" or my personal favourite "Brutalized & Defiled") but it hasn't quite sealed the deal in my opinion.

For fans of Dehumanized, Malignancy & Nuclear Remains.

3.5/5

I like all the Steve von Till albums that I have heard so far, they are all very consistent. I have them all rated at 4, some high 4s, some just under 4. I'd need to listen again to figure out where the debut lies, but the closer, "Shadows in Stone" was my favourite on the album. I moved on to listen to the solo albums after the Townes Van Zandt cover album, as Steve von Till's songs stood out for me more. There are bits on the albums where he sounds a bit like Mark Lanegan and fans of Lanegan's early albums would certainly enjoy von Till's solo work. Having my first listen to SVT's solo work under the name Harvestman at the moment (instrumental, droney, psych folk type stuff) which I am enjoying at the moment.

Cocteau Twins - "Tiny Dynamine/Echoes in a Shallow Bay" compilation (1985)

This release combines the two four-song E.P.'s that were released in November 1985. Both are very solid efforts too with not a weak track to be found. "Tiny Dynamine" is the better of the two, mainly off the back of the wonderful highlight track "Plain Tiger". You can't really go wrong with Cocteau Twins though. Their back catalogue is unanimously classy & the dreamy ethereal wave sound of this period was lush & otherworldly with Elizabeth Fraser's angelic vocals soaring over the top.

For fans of This Mortal Coil, Lush & Slowdive.

4/5

Admittedly, "Incesticide" is missing two of the best tracks from "Hormoaning" in "D-7" & "Even in His Youth".

Mortal Sin - "Every Dog Has It's Day" (1991)

Sydney thrash metallers Mortal Sin hold a very strong place in my heart, despite never really quite living up to their reputation in my opinion. You see, they were the first local extreme metal band to cross my path when I first became obsessed with the scene in the late 1980's & they gave me the belief that I should try my hand at creating a band of my own. My attention was initially grabbed by their highly regarded "Mayhemic Destruction" debut album which led to me moving onto their 1989 sophomore record "Face of Despair". If I'm being completely honest though, neither of those full-lengths has ever left me convinced that Mortal Sin are worthy of being placed in the top tier of the global thrash heavyweights. In fact, I can't say that I'd even lump them in with the second tier either. To my ears, they're both serviceable & mildly entertaining but rarely get my blood pumping & it's for that reason that I've awarded both a middling 3.5-star rating here at the Academy. Their live shows where another story though & I had an absolute ball in many a Mortal Sin mosh pit over the years. However, I digress because the point I was trying to make is that Mortal Sin were well & truly on my radar when their third full-length "Every Dog Has It's Day" hit the shelves in 1991 which even led to me purchasing the "Every Dog Has It's Day" cassingle in the leadup to the album release. Now prepare yourselves for a hot take because you're about the receive one.

The story behind "Every Dog Has It's Day" (otherwise known as "Rebellious Youth" if you've picked up the Virgin Records release) is that a fair amount of internal turmoil occurred within Mortal Sin's ranks following the release of "Face of Despair" which eventually resulted in the band breaking up altogether. Bassist Andy Eftichiou wasn't satisfied to simply let old dogs lie though, going behind the backs of the other band members to create a completely new version of Mortal Sin. Once the other band members found out about it, they took legal action & it got really messy. The new lineup didn't hang around too long but it did last long enough to record this third full-length which would be the first to be released while I was keeping tabs on the band. Sadly, the majority of the global metal scene gave "Every Dog Has It's Day" a pretty harsh panning at the time & that hasn't improved since but I have to admit that I don't remember the album that way at all & I've recently wondered whether that's due to nostalgia or whether Mortal Sin's diehard fanbase had simply not given the record a chance. This week I decided to find out as it's been decades since I last heard the record in full.

The lineup that recorded "Every Dog Has It's Day" isn't exactly star-studded with a number of relatively unknown new members filling key rolls. In fact, guitarist Dave DeFrancesco was the only one that had anything of significance on their resume, having appeared on the pretty decent "Into Reality" demo tape from local speed/heavy metal outfit Enticer a couple of years earlier. The band perform their roles admirably nonetheless & show themselves to have some pretty reasonable chops in the process. The major talking point though is generally the vocal ability of new front man Steve Sly whose delivery is noticeably more melodic & clean than the James Hetfield-ish voice of Mat Maurer on the two 1980's records. A lot of people claim that Sly ruins "Every Dog Has It's Day" but I simply can't prescribe to that line of thinking as he can certainly sing & delivers a performance that isn't all that uncommon for thrash metal in my opinion. Sure, you may prefer Maurer over Sly but, if you treat the album on its own merits, I think you'll find that there's not anything technically wrong with Sly's voice. The other main talking point is the theory that the new version of Mortal Sin had watered down the intensity of the 1980's lineup with a more accessible & commercialized sound. Once again though, I never really thought of Mortal Sin as being anything all that extreme & the material we receive here is some more than serviceable mid-tempo thrash metal that wouldn't sound all that out of place on a Testament or Xentrix record from the time. The average tempos are a touch slower than previous efforts but so fucking what really. The misguided ballad "Wasted Days" is the exemption to the rule though & is the clear weak point of the album.

But is the songwriting as boring as it's made out to be then? Well, in a word "no", it's simply not. There are plenty of great riffs included with the rhythm section doing a great job at maximizing their weight. Perhaps the Studio 301/Powerhouse production isn't as warm & heavy as a record like "Mayhemic Destruction" but it's certainly not bad. I'm quite a fan of the lead guitar work which is more than capable & it works nicely to provide support for the hooks which, contrary to popular opinion, are memorable enough for me to remember most of this material several decades later. Opener "Inside Out" is a beauty & is my favourite cut on the record while being ably supported by "Side Effect" & single B-side "See No Evil". I honestly don't see the quality being all that different from that of "Mayhemic Destriction" or "Face of Despair" if I'm being perfectly honest & are even going to go so far as to say that I marginally prefer "Every Dog Has It's Day" to "Face of Despair" these days. So look, I'm not asking that you all take my word for it & immediately realign your opinions on this album to be in line with my own but I am going to suggest that you ignore the general perception that's voiced online when going into the record as you might be surprised by the outcome.

For fans of Metallica, Xentrix & Testament.

3.5/5

Hello :)

I'm Avantdarke. I dropped six albums at three weeks filled with all kinds of metal - please take a look

I have mapped out my releases in the attached roadmap guide, breaking down each album's role and the songs recommended to start with

Guide:

https://imgur.com/a/1f2ZqVU

Below are the direct links to the YouTube videos for the currently released projects featured on the chart:

Ragtime Black Metal, from Prometheus, Son of Hades

Album style: Progressive-extreme derivatives

Video: 

https://youtu.be/5Hi_nFnsNaI?si=U-9F0GLSHC8y8_dk

Grandious Opening from The Darkest Most Extreme Heaviest Album of All Time

Style: extreme metal aiming to be heavy in a completely different way in each song.

Video: https://youtu.be/_8pFyUhHfYI?si=W8g2G0G4p3t27XyV

Revolution from Sellout 

Style: Pre-genre alternative constructions blending my core style with elements of nu-metal, trip hop, etc.

Video: https://youtu.be/QfgF02Louhg?si=s8Q-Ni2uWx6-3AIq

Chaos Metal 1 from Chaos Metal / 2nd Wave Progressive Metal

Style: Flagship genre mixing Meshuggah-like rhythm structures with depressive black metal, plus other genres like Bossa Nova Metal.

Video: https://youtu.be/a5z_E8TCU14?si=r2CS2i1guSaG4wtT

Avantdarke Metal from Madorei Gehenom (The Seven Levels of Hell / My Inferno)

Style: Most unique and personal. 

Video: https://youtu.be/0B3py9gTfjg?si=lPTdRt8yXxh0MS-6

Trip Hop Black Metal from Experiments Vol I

Style: Juxtapositions on extreme genres.

Video: https://youtu.be/1WWygaMOE2M?si=RyjeNbTp0fuSQJQP

Main YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@opethead3038?si=NotikZMXrgBYSvKk

June 2026

1. Alter Bridge – Silver Tongue (2022)

2. The Blank Theory – Middle Of Nowhere (2002)

3. Breed 77 – Drown (2013)

4. Chikoi The Maid – Gambling (2025)

5. CyHra – Out of My Life (2019)

6. Design 19 – Stairs (2002)

7. Egypt Central – Over and Under (2005)

8. Extrema – All Around (2001)

9. H-Blockx – Risin’ High (1994)

10. Human Waste Project – Dog (1997)

11. Jesters of Destiny – Fire in the Six Foot Hole (2017)

12. Life of Agony – Love to Let You Down (2005)

13. Mirrorcell – Hurt Me (2026)

14. Moodring – Show Me the Real You (2021)

15. Precettö – Hide And Seek (2023)

16. Saigon Kick – Love Is on the Way (1992)

17. Scars of Life – Bullet with Your Name (2001)

18. Skindred – You Got This (2026)

19. Subway To Sally – Island (2019)

20. Tardigrade Inferno – Lovely Host (2016)

21. Training For Utopia – New York City Is Overrated (1999)

22. Tremonti – Dust (2016)

23. Twelve Foot Ninja – One Hand Killing (2016)

Dystopia - "Human = Garbage" compilation (1994)

While I've never been able to get into the 2018 self-titled comeback album from these legendary Oakland sludge metallers (3/5), I've always really dug a couple of their 1990's E.P.'s in 1994's "Human = Garbage" (4/5) & 1999's "The Aftermath" (4/5). After recently discovering & thoroughly enjoying the extended compilation release of Grief's "Dismal", I found myself in the mood to continue indulging in some oppressive American sludge metal so found myself reaching for this similarly laid out compilation release that draws together the previously-mentioned "Human = Garbage" E.P. with the Dystopia contributions to their 1993 split album with English crust punkers Embittered & their 1993 split single with Boston's Grief. All of that extra material was recorded in 1992 & you can easily see the development that's taken place between those tracks & the ones taken from 1994's "Human = Garbage" E.P. In fact, there's a noticeable gap between them if I'm being honest, even if I do find myself receiving mild enjoyment from the majority of the extra inclusions. Overall though, I think I'll be sticking to the traditional "Human = Garbage" E.P. in future as the extra material included on this compilation only detracts from the very solid quality of that release.

For fans of Grief, Sea of Deprivation & Skaven.

3.5/5

Grief/Dystopia - "Lifeless/Sleep" split single (1993)

This three-song split single is a beauty, although its appeal is strongly weighted towards the Grief material for me personally with opener "Lifeless" being a truly classic sludge metal anthem & "Fucked Upstairs" also being very solid. The Dystopia track "Sleep" isn't too bad either but they would definitely produce much better in the future. I can see myself reaching for this release from time to time.

For fans of Eyehategod, Noothgrush & Iron Monkey.

4/5

Rotting Christ - "The Forest of N'Gai" (from "Passage to Arcturo", 1991)

Sammath - "Ferocious Mortar Fire" (from "Across the Rhine Is Only Death", 2019)

Octinomos - "Nuclear Blitz" (from "Welcome to My Planet", 1999)

Hirilorn - "Last Ride on the Winds of Eternity" (from "Legends of Evil and Eternal Death", 1998)

I believe “Elegy” is probably my favourite Amorphis record.

Hey Xephyr, it is good to see you back.  Sorry to hear work became a drag for you.  I have been there, acting out of my pay grade and my comfort zone and it is not pleasant.  It is good to hear you have found somewhere that will appreciate you more and allow you to have some quality work/life balance which is so key.  I am typing this whilst sat in a hotel a few hundred miles from home as I am meeting clients up in Scotland.  I have gotten to a point job wise where I am more or less my own boss and I am therefore often pushing multiple people or departments to get things done.  The plus side is that I do feel the salary reflects the effort - for the first time in over 30 years of working - so the hit I take on my personal time is dampened somewhat.  

Looking forward to seeing some more reviews from you as you get to enjoy your free time more.

Thanks Vinny, from watching my old office's principals/partial owners I know what it looks like to be abhorrently busy so I'm glad you at least have some solace in the pay. Travelling for work always seems like an awesome deal to us newer, 9-to-5 office guys at first, until it just becomes an annoying and uprooting part of the job. 

Hey, Xephyr, I am so glad to see you have been able to get a more balanced position. Hope things work out just great for you. I understand what its like to work under more pressure than you signed up for and that is why I took my retirement early. The money wasn't worth the time and the damage to my mental well-being, so I took the plunge.

Your old company's loss is our gain and it is great to see you active on here again.

Thanks Sonny, thankfully my position wasn't filled with overtime or other ridiculous office culture horror stories you sometimes see online, but it was enough that I felt like nothing positive was happening. With all your reviews I've been seeing pop up on RYM recently I'd say you're enjoying the music portion of your retirement time pretty well!

I really hope this new management team works out for you, and we're all glad to have you back in the game with us!

Thank you Rex, I'm pretty confident it will considering every single person I've talked to has had good things to say. It'd be impressive if all 5 or 6 people were lying straight to my face!

Satanic Warmaster - "Exultation of Cruelty" (2024)

Finland's Satanic Warmaster is a solo black metal project of Lauri Penttilä, aka Werwolf, who is ex-vocalist of Horna (as Nazgul) and the current lead vocalist with Vargrav, amongst a million other projects. I haven't heard all of SW's releases, but what I have heard has a fair bit of disparity in quality, particularly due to quite a wide variation in production. "Exultation of Cruelty" isn't too bad as far as the production goes, but it certainly isn't the crispest, clearest black metal you will ever hear, exhibiting some degree of muddiness that does blunt the sound a little. The reverb is also set very high and impacts the clarity further.

Music-wise the playbook for most of the tracks sees them lurching from mid-paced, kind-of-melodic black metal riffing to more savage sounding blasting, these switches in pacing providing a dynamic impetus to the tracks that gives the impression of song progression even though there is a fair bit of repetition in the riffing. Occasionally the repetition just reaches the point of outstaying its welcome when, thankfully, Werwolf inserts one of these dynamic shifts and in so doing hits the refresh button before things become tedious. The tracks are actually quite lengthy for this conventional style of black metal, most hitting the 7-9 minute mark, timings more usual in the atmospheric black metal world, so he actually does a pretty good job of preventing staleness from setting in.

The playing is fairly precise, exhibiting none of the sloppiness that poor production values and excessive reverb sometimes attempts to cover up and it is evident that Werwolf is a guy immersed in the black metal scene who just "gets" what it is about and how to deliver it in an authentic and uncomplicated manner. There are no surprises here, but rather a well-conceived and executed album of fairly straightforward black metal. If you are looking for a challenge in your black metal listening then you would be best served looking elsewhere, but if you just love the old-school black metal ethos and aesthetic then get ready for an hour of leather and spikes, unholy blasphemy and spitting in the eye of "the Man".

4/5

For July, Sonny. Around 28 minutes I think

Body Void – “Human Greenhouse” (from “Atrocity Machine”, 2023): 7:23

Pyrithe – “Glioblastoma” (from “Monuments to Impermanence”, 2022): 6:11

Candlemass – “Destroyer” (from “King of the Grey Islands”, 2007): 7:52

High on Fire – “Lambsbread” (from “Cometh the Storm”, 2024): 5:44

Ben, please add Aussie thrashers Cromok, Critical Mass, Betrayer, Neophobia & Fatal Array.

What I meant was that "World Extermination" is about as grindcore as grindcore gets with the dial wound firmly up to eleven so if you're not all in with the genre then you may struggle with it.

Rhythm & Sound - "See Mi Yah" (2005)

The fourth & final CD I purchased from this incredible German artist during the 2000's is a compilation of vinyl releases from the period. The interesting thing is that all of them come with basically the same backing track, only with slight variations in the arrangements & different Jamaican vocalists who each take different lyrical & melodic directions. And boy does it work too! I could honestly listen to that backing track in isolation for the entire duration of this release to tell you the truth as it puts me into a level of relaxation that I rarely achieve. Highlight tracks like "Lightning Storm", "See Mi" & "Free For All" are some of Rhythm & Sound's very best material, although I do think that their previous releases are just slightly better than this one which sees them abandoning their techno roots for a pure dub & roots reggae sound.

For fans of Babe Roots, Frenk Dublin & Deepchord Presents: Echospace.

4.5/5

I've always quite liked "Ample Destruction" but don't ever really feel the urge to return to it. It's a 3.5-star record for me personally.

I think I have had a bit of a sea change in my attitude towards traditional heavy metal sub-genres over the past few months. I have been finding the sheer unrelenting intensity of extreme metal rather wearying and even downright exhausting at times and have been quite enjoying the less draining experience of listening to traditional metal styles.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to be walking away from extreme metal any time soon, but it is nice to listen to something that is a contrast to the unwithering intensity sometimes and to balance it all out in my head. I don't have much interest in looking outside the metal sphere for a change anymore, so trad metal is providing the respite I feel I need when I need it.

Unfortunately, my old Darkthrone "Transilvanian Hunger" long-sleeve now has enormous holes in the elbows & I've finally laid it to rest so that I receive the sheer joy of replacing it with another awesome band shirt.

Dozens of different rip-offs/coincidences between metal bands and other artists compiled in one video (including the hilarious Septicflesh/Meowmix comparison):

I love Minor Threat. Their Complete Discography CD is well worth a listen. Although it is a compilation of their entire discography, it is still only forty-odd minutes long! The only problem I had with them was that, certainly back then, I was about as far from Straight Edge as you could get - no booze, no drugs? Fuck that!!

Hey Andi, I have a couple of suggestions for July if you want them:

Knights of the Realm - "Blood on Steel" (from "Knights of the Realm", 2021)

Century - "Fallen Hero" (from "Sign of the Storm", 2025)

I was not able to find the Knights of the Realm track on Spotify (must be only in your country), but I could find the Century track, so I've just added that to the playlist.

OK, Andi. Fair enough.

Here are my sneak peek submissions for the July Sphere playlist:

Celldweller - "Just Like You" (5:03) from End of an Empire (2015)

A Dark Halo - "Thin Be the Veil" (4:44) from Omnibus One (2023)

Fear Factory - "Depraved Mind Murder" (4:43) from The Industrialist (2012)

The Interbeing - "Eternal Eclipse" (4:20) from Icon of the Hopeless (2022)

Mechina - "Pray to the Winds" (6:00) from Conqueror (2011)

Motionless in White - "Contemptress" (4:02) from Reincarnate (2014)

Total length: 28:52

Here are my sneak peek submissions for the July Revolution playlist:

August Burns Red - "Crusades" (5:11) from Constellations (2009)

Despised Icon - "In the Arms of Perdition" (4:24) from The Ills of Modern Man (2007)

Humanity's Last Breath - "Abyssal Mouth" (4:31) from Abyssal (2019)

Rorschach - "Oppress" (3:45) from Remain Sedate (1990)

Unearth - "Dawn of the Militant" (2:56) from The Wretched; the Ruinous (2023)

While She Sleeps - "Be(lie)ve" (3:54) from This is the Six (2012)

Worm Shepherd - "The Emptiness Between Stars" (4:55) from In the Wake ov Sol (2020)

Total length: 29:36

Here are my submissions for the July Infinite playlist, having just two long epics in mind:

Ihlo - "Signals" (10:01) from Legacy (2025)

Tyr - "Land" (16:19) from Land (2008)

Total length: 26:20

Here's my submission for the July Gateway playlist, last one for this clan:

Profiler - "Shadow" (from Shadow, 2026)

June 2026

1. Deteriorot - "The Bataan Death March" (single, 2026) [submitted by Karl]

2. Immolation - "Attrition" (from "Descent", 2026) [submitted by Vinny]

3. Monstrosity - "Veil of Disillusionment" ( from "Screams from Beneath the Surface", 2026) [submitted by Vinny]

4. Brodequin - "Theresiana" (from "Harbinger of Woe", 2024)

5. Cephalic Carnage - "The Isle of California" (from "Lucid Interval", 2002) [submitted by Sonny]

6. Oppressor - "Genocide" (from "Solstice of Oppression", 1994) [submitted by Karl]

7. Blood Incantation - "Slave Species of the Gods" (from "Hidden History of the Human Race", 2019) [submitted by Vinny]

8. Epitaph - "Engraving the Epitaph" (from "Seeming Salvation", 1992) [submitted by Karl]

9. Intestine Baalism - "Banquet in the Darkness" (from "Banquet in the Darkness", 2003)

10. Gibbeting - "The Cursed Fortress" (from "Execution Rampage", 2026) [submitted by Karl]

11. Discordance Axis - "Radiant Arkham" (from "The Inalienable Dreamless", 2000)

12.Foetorem - "Oozing with Pustulent Fluids" (from "Incongruous Forms of Everlasting Rot", 2026) [submitted by Vinny]

13. Deathwards - "In Death I Become" (from "Towards Death", 2018) [submitted by Sonny]

14. Casket Grinder - "Celestial Devourment" (from "Trip to Oblivion", 2016) [submitted by Karl]

15. Drumcorps - "Cut & Grow" (from "Creatures", 2022)

16. Decapitated - "Mother War" (from "Nihility", 2002) [submitted by Vinny]

17. Wailing - "Crushed by Eons of Inequity" (from "Oracles of Devastation", 2026) [submitted by Karl]

18. Vacuous Depths - "Worshippers of Death" (from "Humiliation", 2022) [submitted by Vinny]

19. Malthusian - "Telluric Tongues (Roaring Into the Earth)" (from "Across Deaths", 2018)

20. Goemagot - "The Ethics of Omnipotence" (from "Eradication of Insignificant Beings", 2013)

21. Fluids - "Humanity Reviled" (from "Not Dark Yet", 2021) [submitted by Vinny]

22. Misery Index - "Plague of Objects" (from "Heirs to Thievery", 2010) [submitted by Sonny]

23. Vital Remains - "Dawn of the Apocalypse" (from "Dawn of the Apocalypse", 2000) [submitted by Karl]

24. Gates of Ishtar - "Where the Winds of Darkness Blow" (from "A Bloodred Path", 1996)

25. War Därmen - "Sector Alpha" (from "Colonization", 2022) [submitted by Karl]

26. Frozen Soul - "Wraith of Death" (from "Crypt of Ice", 2021) [submitted by Vinny]

27. Eye Eater - "Other Planets" (from "Alienate", 2024)

Cecil Taylor - The Cecil Taylor Unit (1978)

Genres: Free Jazz

Next up on my free jazz binge is the self-titled The Cecil Taylor Unit, an hour of more classical-infused surrealism hand delivered on a gold platter with a side plate of sample cheeses and wine.  This album was the first of Cecil's attempts at bringing classicism to free jazz, and the most obvious effort in that vein.  But this kind of sophistication isn't built on Mozart melodies and Beethoven drama.  This is free jazz, and Cecil's band sets everything on FIRE.

Idut, track 1, is basically a shark's feeding frenzy of cheese and wine, proud and bombastic to whatever extreme they can achieve without breaking the surrealism.  Track 2, Serdab, starts out much more quietly, but soon uses erratic violins and piano to create some very chilling atmospheres.  But in these chills also comes a sense of wonder, one that looses none of the bombast of the previous track but rather sacrifices the loud tone for something more mellow.  Even when the brass comes in, the build up tricks you out and loosens four minutes in.  It goes into several places, recycling old sounds with new combinations, until we get to a gorgeous yet bizarre piano solo by Cecil himself.  I'd say that this track was miles ahead of the Idut (no Miles David biopic ref intended).  Now track 3 is the one that worried me.  Holiday En Masque is a whopping 30 minutes long, so I was quite concerned with possible meandering.  But the surprise is: it didn't meander as much as I thought, not until the last ten minutes or so.  This was easily the most interesting of the three tracks.  This was everywhere around whatever music spectrum the band could provide, and every step forward into another territory was built entyirely on natural progression and pacing.  Maybe they stayed in a couple locations for just a little longer than necessary, but overall it was mysterious in all of its fury.  It's probably even the best Cecil track I've heard so far.

SO even though the first track managed to be fun and interesting, each track upped the antes and delivered even more goods each time.  This was exactly the kind of chaos one wants to experience with free jazz.  Currently, this is the best Cecil Taylor album I've heard.

96

June 2026

1. Treponem Pal - "Ghost Rider" from Dead Inside (2025)

2. S.U.P. - "Insect Drug" from Imago (2005)

3. Neurotech - "Withstand the Agony" from Withstand the Agony (2026) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

4. Static-X - "Jic Boi" from Project Regeneration Vol. 2 (2024)

5. Die Krupps - "To the Hilt" from II - The Final Option (1993)

6. Gothminister - "616" from Anima Inferna (2011) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

7. PAIN - "Parallel to Ecstasy" from Rebirth (1999)

8. Genitorturers - "Flesh is the Law" from Flesh is the Law (2002)

9. The Amenta - "Angry Chair" from Plague of Locus (2023) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

10. Bile - "I Reject" from ReGurge:a Bucket of Bile (2004)

11. Combichrist, King 810 - "Demons Wanna Be Summoned" from Demons Wanna Be Summoned (2026)

12. Celldweller - "Good L_ck (Yo_'re F_cked) (Combichrist Remix)" from End of an Empire: The Remixes (2015) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

13. Samael - "For a Thousand Years" from Lux Mundi (2011) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

14. Illidiance - "Open Your Eyes" from Open Your Eyes (2019)

15. Clawerfield - "Bend the Sky" from Butterflies of Smoke (2016)

16. Mechina, Melrose - "Cryoshock" from Progenitor (2016)

17. Black Comedy - "Favourite Hateobject" from Instigator (2008)

18. Fear of Domination - "II" from Distorted Delusions (2014) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

19. Harms Way, King Woman - "Undertow" from Common Suffering (2023)

20. Motionless in White, Jonathan Davis - "Necessary Evil" from Graveyard Shift (2017)

21. Unheilig - "Kleine Puppe" from Puppenspiel (2008)

22. Semargl - "Loneliness" from SATANIC POP METAL (2012)

23. Rammstein - "Mehr" from Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da (2009)

24. Sybreed - "Critical Mass" from Slave Design (2004)

25. Turmion Katilot - "To Be Contiuned Act 1" from Technodiktator (2013)

26. Lord of the Lost - "The Days of Our Lives" from OPVS NOIR Vol. 3 (2026)

June 2026

1. Invent Animate - "Fall Like Rain" from Fall Like Rain (2026)

2. Eighteen Visions - "I Let Go" from Obsession (2024 re-recording) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

3. Downswing - "Disease" from Dark Side of the Mind (2017)

4. Wage War - "4x4" from IT CALLS ME BY NAME (2026)

5. No Cure - "Convulsing in the Dark" from Convulsing in the Dark (2026)

6. Guilt Trip - "Disdain" from Unrelenting Force (2016)

7. Harper - "Thorn in My Side" from Thorn in My Side (2025)

8. Samurai Pizza Cats - "City of Gold" from Press Start (2026)

9. VCTMS - "Lobotomy" from Sickness: Vol. 1 (2014)

10. Iridium - "Nihility" from Sub-Zero (2019)

11. Attack Attack! - "Kickin' Wing, Animal Doctor" from Someday Came Suddenly (2008)

12. Black Veil Brides - "Vindicate" from Vindicate (2026)

13. Harms Way - "Heaven's Call" from Common Suffering (2023) [submitted by Vinny]

14. Adept - "Secrets" from Silence the World (2013)

15. Cage Fight - "Exuvia" from Exuvia (2026)

16. Knut - "Whacked Out" from Challenger (2002) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

17. The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Room Full of Eyes" from Option Paralysis (2010) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

18. Snapcase - "Fields of Illusion" from Lookinglasself (1993)

19. Johnny Booth - "Sleeping with Serpents" from Connections (2012)

20. Atreyu - "The Theft" from A Death-Grip on Yesterday (2006)

21. Northlane - "Masquerade" from Singularity (2013) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

22. Sylosis - "Lacerations" from The New Flesh (2026)

23. Bleed from Within - "Immortal Desire" from Zenith (2025) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

24. Asking Alexandria - "A Prophecy" from Stand Up and Scream (2009)

25. The Agonist - "Burn It All Down" from Orphans (2019) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

26. Stevie T - "French Deathcore Song" from French Deathcore Song (2015)

27. Silent Civilian - "Dead to Me 2006" from Rebirth of the Temple (2006) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

28. Fit for a King, Chris Motionless - "Witness the End" from Witness the End (2025)

29. We Butter the Bread with Butter - "Extrem" from Das Monster Aus Dem Schrank (2008)

30. Humanity's Last Breath - "The Aftermath" from Structures Collapse (2011)

31. Worm Shepherd - "Whispers of a Dying Land" from Dawn of the Iconoclast (2026)

June 2026

1. Culprit - "Guilty as Charged" from Guilty as Charged (1983)

2. Leaves' Eyes - "Leaves Whisper" from Into Your Light (2004) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

3. Black Sabbath - "The Mob Rules" from Mob Rules (1981)

4. DOMINUM - "Doctor Doctor" from Doctor Doctor (2026)

5. Accept - "Diving Into Sin" from Humanoid (2024)

6. Heavy Load - "Heavy Metal Angels (In Metal and Leather)" from Death or Glory (1982)

7. Europe - "Seven Doors Hotel" from EUROPE (1983)

8. Iron Maiden - "The Trooper" from Piece of Mind (1983)

9. Diamond Head - "Am I Evil" from Borrowed Time (1982)

10. Pagan Altar - "Liston Church" from Never Quite Dead (2025)

11. Saxon - "Witches of Salem" from Hell, Fire and Damnation (2024)

12. Legend - "Prologue" from Death in the Nursery (1982)

13. Riot V - "High Noon" from Mean Streets (2024)

14. Motorhead - "No Class" from Overkill (1978)

15. Dark Moor - "Somewhere in Dreams" from The Hall of the Olden Dreams (2000)

16. Sirenia - "Love Like Cyanide" from Arcane Astral Aeons (2018) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

17. Nightwish - "Gethsemane" from Oceanborn (1998)

18. Seven Spires - "Architect of Creation" from A Fortress Called Home (2024) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

19. Elvenking - "Pagan Revolution" from The Pagan Manifesto (2014)

20. Alestorm - "Drink" from Sunset on the Golden Age (2014)

21. Follow the Cipher - "Valkyria" from Follow the Cipher (2018)

22. Kamelot - "The Human Stain" from Ghost Opera (2007)

23. Tyr - "Battle Ballad" from Battle Ballads (2024)

24. Elvellon - "Dreamcatcher" from Until Dawn (2018)

25. Haggard - "Awaking the Centuries" from Awaking the Centuries (2000) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

26. Beyond the Black - "Welcome to My Wasteland" from Horizons (2020) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

Update for July:

THE FALLEN: Sonny, Vinny

THE GATEWAY: Saxy

THE GUARDIANS: Andi, Sonny, Xephyr

THE HORDE: Vinny, Sonny

THE INFINITE: Xephyr, Saxy, Andi

THE NORTH: Sonny, Xephyr, Vinny

THE PIT: Vinny, Sonny

THE REVOLUTION: Andi

THE SPHERE: Andi

I've decided to step down from nominating The Gateway feature releases, since the well has run dry for which feature releases for me to nominate and I'm pretty much done contributing to the clan. I hope you don't mind being on your own in submitting The Gateway feature releases, Saxy.

BTS - Wake Up (2014)

Genres: K-Pop, Pop Rap, Boy Band

I'm tired of avoiding this band and not knowing what the hype is.  These guys are apparently big record-breakers, which isn't surprising considering that this is the first choice for a K-pop band that Americans will literally watch concert films for.  Not a K-pop guy myself, usually just using the bands of said scene for chart filler, but whatever.  Anyway, I went into this expecting more k-pop crap, especially since its genre tagging n RYM included "boy band" as a genre choice and not just a piece of a scene.  So if RYM's acknowledging that, then that likely means this specific album took writing cues from 90's pop bands like Backstreet Boys and NSYNC.  Initially, a bad sign.  But nope.  This one actually makes a strict point of slapping.  Hard.  Whatever tropes exist in this album are heavily backed up by the band's energy and some surprisingly tight instrumentation for a bunch of boy band songs.  It suffered from a soggy middle syndomer, but I would even go as far as to say that this album shows more class than any Backstreet album.  The first half is the superior half, but there's still fun to be had in the second.  Anyway, even a non-K-pop fan can see that this delivers a good deal of goods, more so than a lot of average pop, and personality and independence drive it the whole way through.

75

June 2026

1. Zeicrydeus - "Ten Thousand Spears Atop the Bleeding Mountains" (from "La Grande Hérésie", 2025) [submitted by Karl]

2. Khold - "Dødens grøde" (from "Phantom", 2002)

3. Krahnholm - "Scorching Storm" (from "Granting Death", 2018) [submitted by Sonny]

4. Primordial - "Empire Falls" (from "To the Nameless Dead", 2007) [submitted by Vinny]

5. Antaeus - "Devotee" (from "Cut Your Flesh and Worship Satan", 2000) [submitted by Karl]

6. Gorrch - "Vorago" (from "Stillamentum", 2026) [submitted by Vinny]

7. Helheim - "Jormundgand" (from "Jormundgand", 1995) [submitted by Karl]

8. Mist of Misery - "Epitaph of Penitence" (from "Absence", 2016)

9. No Point in Living - "Impatience" (from "The Cold Night", 2017) [submitted by Sonny]

10. Svartkonst - "Death Magic" (from "Black Waves", 2020) [submitted by Vinny]

11. Diabolical Masquerade - "Blackheim's Quest to Bring Back the Stolen Autumn" (from "Ravendusk in My Heart", 1996) [submitted by Karl]

12. Sig:Ar:Tyr - "Helluland" (from "Northern", 2016)

13. Misþyrming - "Ég byggði dyr í eyðimörkinni" (from "Söngvar elds og óreiðu", 2015) [submitted by Sonny]

14. Fire Magic - "Siege of Eternity" (from "Memories of Fire", 2026) [submitted by Vinny]

15. Majestic Mass - "Clandestine Supremacy" (from "Savage Empire of Death", 2018)

16. Graufar - "Buried in Flames" (from "Via Necropolis", 2026) [submitted by Vinny]

17. Xasthur - "Cursed Revelations" (from "Telepathic With the Deceased", 2002)

18. Thyrfing - "The Voyager" (from "Vansinnesvisor", 2002)

19. Crom Dubh - "The Invulnerable Tide" (from "Heimweh", 2015) [submitted by Sonny]

June 2026

1. Warning - "Night Comes Down" (from "Rituals of Shame", 2026) [submitted by Sonny]

2. Oromet - "Forsaken Tarn" (from "The Sinking Isle", 2025) [submitted by dk]

3. Graves at Sea - "The Waco 177" (from "The Curse That Is", 2016) [submitted by Vinny]

4. Doomshine - "Celtic Glasgow Frost" (from "The End Is Worth Waiting For", 2015)

5. Opium Lord - "Lead Magnet" (from "Vore", 2019)

6. Swallow the Sun - "Firelights" (from When a Shadow is Forced into the Light, 2019) [submitted by Andi]

7. Ophis - "The Perennial Wound" (from "Spew Forth Odium", 2021) [submitted by Vinny]

8. Ethereal Tomb – “The Sufferance of Mourning” (from “When The Rivers Dry”, 2023) [submitted by dk]

9. Smote - "The Linton Wyrm" (from "Songs from the Free House", 2025) [submitted by Vinny]

10. Mourning Beloveth - "The Words That Crawled" (from "The Sullen Sulcus", 2002)

11. Sunn 0))) – “Glory Black” (from “Sunn O)))”, 2026) [submitted by dk]

12. Wildspeaker - "Cinders" (from "Spreading Adder", 2017) [submitted by Vinny]

13. Monolord - "It's Neverending" (from "Neverending", 2026)

14. Eternal Rot - "Crawler" (from "Grave Grooves", 2014) [submitted by Vinny]

15. Slow - "Néant" (from "V - Oceans", 2018) [submitted by Sonny]